I have written numerous times on this blog about how important the roll of strategy is for successful architecture and engineering (A/E) firms. Strategy is the only way for firms to outperform “just average” over time. Strategy works best when it permeates the whole organization and drives everyday choices and decisions. Yet, too often, strategy […]
As we enter the ninth month of workplace disruption due to COVID-19, it is becoming more clear that architecture and engineering (A/E) firms will emerge from this crisis with working environments and business models that have been forever transformed. The transformation with the largest internal impact to these firms’ business models will be the new […]
We are approaching the beginning of a new year. For many A/E firms, this means entering a new cycle of strategic planning. Many will get together for strategic planning sessions early in the year and leave energized about the future with a list of initiatives to tackle in 2021. By July, many of these initiatives […]
McKinsey & Company recently released an interesting study, “The next normal in construction: How disruption is reshaping the world’s largest ecosystem.” The article highlights why construction is an industry that is ripe for disruption and how current trends are starting to point it in that direction. Major shifts in the construction market would have significant […]
In the first two parts of this blog post series, I described the business model canvas (BMC), a tool to help describe a business model, in depth. For Part 3 of this series, I will provide an example to illustrate how the BMC can be used to describe a business model and illustrate how it […]
This blog post is Part 2 of a series describing how the Business Model Canvas (BMC) can be used as a planning tool for Architects and Engineers (A/Es). If you missed Part 1, go back and read it first. You can find it here – BMC, Part 1. In Part 1 of this series of blog […]
I introduced the concept of the Business Model Canvas (BMC) in a previous blog post and discussed some of its advantages over a traditional business plan in the early stages of establishing a new venture. Basically, when embarking on a new venture, most of your planning is based on unknowns – you are trying to verify assumptions. […]
Winston Churchill once said, “It is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look farther than you can see.” This is a challenge that we all struggle with yet it is a critical challenge to overcome if you want your company to be successful. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that life […]
Strategy is the link between the internal world of our firms and the external world of the markets we compete in. Effective strategy needs to do a couple of things – be unique and provide a valuable fit between these internal and external environments. In order to craft good strategy, you need to have a […]
Previous posts on this blog have made the argument that the key to an Architecture/Engineering (A/E) firm’s success is good strategy. A simple way to view strategy is to view it as the link between the internal elements of a company (its capabilities, resources, and activities) and the external environment (clients, competitors, etc.). In order […]