Robert Burgelman - The Inescapable Dilemmas of Organizational Adaptation

The Innovation Show

Strategic Innovation and the Joe Bower Model Extended with Robert Burgelman

In this episode, host Aidan McCullen delves into the intricacies of strategic innovation with Professor Robert Burgelman. The discussion focuses on the extension of the Joe Bower model, exploring organizational adaptation, strategic dissonance, and the strategic context process.

Burgelman elucidates four types of strategic context processes: rationalizing new initiatives, dissolving core business contexts, the emaciation of strategic contexts, and the fizzling out of proactive strategic contexts. Key insights include the balancing act between positional advantages and distinctive competencies, the dilemmas faced by multi-business companies, and the challenges of insufficient variation and co-evolutionary lock-ins. The episode also touches upon the importance of strategic leadership in navigating these complex dilemmas. This deep dive is a must-watch for anyone interested in organizational strategy and corporate innovation.

📘 Based on decades of research and experience alongside Andy Grove at Intel, Burgelman offers frameworks every leader needs to navigate uncertainty and disruption.

🎧 Hosted by Aidan McCullen 🎯 Featuring case studies from Intel, HP, Nokia, Apple, JetBlue & more

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00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:45 Welcoming Professor Robert Burgelman

00:59 Strategic Dissonance and Context Processes

02:35 Intel's Strategic Context Evolution

07:13 Clark Gilbert's Duality Insight

09:07 Disruption from Above and Below

16:58 Intel's Competency and Position Traps

27:51 Multi-Business Dilemma

39:35 Adapting Organizations to Changing Environments

40:42 Case Study: Swedish Media Company ER Bony News

42:23 Challenges of Biased Leadership

42:51 Intel's Strategic Shifts and Learning Curves

44:47 Co-Evolutionary Lock-In Dilemma

46:06 Exploration vs. Exploitation in Organizations

47:25 Narrow Business Strategy Benefits

50:44 Corporate Venture Capital and AI

57:08 Disruptive Technology Dilemma

58:21 The iPhone's High-End Disruption

01:00:45 Nokia's Missed Opportunities

01:08:34 Strategic Leadership and Emotional Attachment

01:13:02 Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions