Warning: Don't adopt the software services model in increments
Like an oyster, software as a service business models are best consumed in one gulp rather than nibbled over time.
See Rubicon at SoftLetter's Marketing and Selling SaaS Seminar
October 23, 2008 - 10:00 AM
, San Mateo, CA
The Apple iPhone: Successes and Challenges for the Mobile Industry
The Apple iPhone is easily the most publicized new mobile device in recent memory. But despite all the discussion about the product, there’s relatively little hard information available to the public on its impact. How is it being used? What effect is it having on customers and on the technology industry?
To help answer those questions, Rubicon Consulting conducted a detailed survey of 460 randomly-selected iPhone users in the US. This report summarizes the findings from the survey, and what they mean for users and other companies.
Dear Rubi
An advice column on business and strategy.
Today’s Question
Dear Rubi:
How do I measure the culture of my company, and hold the team accountable for it?
submitted by: Nehal Gajjar, Principal, General Nautical, Inc.
Rubi Says…
Dear Nehal:
I assume that by “culture” of your company, you are concerned with values and behavior such as honesty, trustworthiness, and perhaps concern for the rights of others or the environment. While it is easy and straightforward to measure “hard” data like sales, profits and return-on-investment, measuring organizational culture is not so easy or straightforward.
Your concern should not be so much about measuring the organizational culture as about feeling confident that certain values are entrenched within your organization and exhibited by all your employees.
The values for any organization start at the top (that’s with you). Anyone that tells you differently doesn’t understand how organizations work. While what you say is important, it is not nearly as important as what you are seen to do by the rest of the organization. If you talk about the importance of honesty, but are seen (or even perceived) as shaving the truth when it serves your needs, you will find that the rest of your organization does the same thing. Ditto if you demand results that cannot be achieved via the desired behavior. Organizations are amazing in their ability to sniff out what the boss really cares about. You can try, but you can’t fool them—at least not for long. If you even think privately that results are more important than behavior, your employees will pick up on it, and act accordingly.
Of course, not every organization is filled entirely with good apples. If certain cultural values and behaviors are important to you, you must trade out the bad apples for better ones. If you allow your top sales rep to get away with stuff because she’s blowing out her number, you are sending a clear signal about what is really important to you. Likewise, if you put values first and force the sales rep to stay in line or leave the organization, you will send a positive message heard loud and clear throughout your organization.
Sincerely,
Rubi