Project-based Organization In The Knowledge-based Society: Innovation By Strategic Communities (series On Technology Management) (series On Technology Management)

PROJECT-BASED ORGANIZATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED SOCIETY This page intentionally left blank SERIES ON TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT – VOL.12 PROJECT-BASED ORGANIZATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED SOCIETY Mitsuru Kodama Nihon University, Japan ICP Imperial College Press Published by Imperial College Press 57 Shelton Street Covent Garden London WC2H 9HE Distributed by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224 USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601 UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. PROJECT-BASED ORGANIZATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED SOCIETY Series on Technology Management — Vol. 12 Copyright © 2007 by Imperial College Press All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher. For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher. ISBN-13 978-1-86094-696-7 ISBN-10 1-86094-696-8 Typeset by Stallion Press Email: [email protected] Printed in Singapore. Sandhya - Project-Based Org.pmd 1 7/19/2007, 1:13 PM b477_FM.qxd 5/8/2007 6:40 PM Page v FA Preface and Acknowledgement Successful business models do not last forever. This is common sense, but it is also a fact that a large number of companies find it difficult to extricate themselves from their successful, existing mainstream businesses. Recently, even Intel and Dell have seen a cloud pass over their successful business models. Similarly, mobile phone businesses have rushed headlong into an era where they can no longer anticipate future profits after migrating to fixedcharge models. The mass production model is no longer widespread, even for digital electrical household appliances. It follows that companies must always be looking for new business models, even while their mainstream businesses are thriving. Forward-looking exploratory activities are a necessary condition for companies that are continually evolving through innovation and change management. In this book, while suggesting improvements to existing mainstream businesses, I would also like to suggest a new business-creating framework that relates to strategies and organizations. A central theme organization should consider is that of “project-based organizations”? teams of practitioners possessing diverse know