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Speaking with manufacturing industry customers is more exciting than ever. The Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 meanwhile have arrived everywhere. However, the approach and progress vary significantly - especially, when it comes to the Intellectual Property Strategy. While some companies focus on internal digital end-to-end optimization of their product design- and production processes for shorter time to market, individualized product offerings and cost efficiency, others are taking the digital value directly to market - leveraging their enormous industry process know-how, specialized data insight and their ability to predict or optimize their customer´s value creation.

There is a chicken-egg-interdependency of business- and Intellectual Property strategy. This explains, why IP-strategy discussions without a deep understanding of business makes no sense.
Bowman Heiden – Deputy Director, Center for Intellectual Property, University of Gothenburg

The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man, and a dog.  The man will be there to feed the dog.  The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment.
Warren G. Bennis

Let´s have a short excurse into research intense industries like bio-tech or pharma. The use of new developed seeding material or next generation drug is primarily not limited by the physical reproduction but by rights the patent holders reserved to protect their IP. Even, if you don´t like gene modified crop, patenting- or trademarking nature, separating the intellectual contribution from its physical representation may imply revolutionary effects to the business establishment in your industry as well. E.g. the agricultural-technology and licensing exports from the Netherlands meanwhile surpassed their traditional food production exports in value. Decades ago, the Software Industry emancipated form Hardware Industry by introducing the commercial concept of selling usage rights for software independently from hardware - usage gets monetized while the IP remains in hands of the software vendor. This revolutionary approach explains the disruptive potential software has to traditional, hardware centric business models. Again, it´s about who takes control in a digitized industry to come.

European Patent Office [EPO 2017] - Annual Report 2017 Infographics - International patent, trademark and design filings under the PCT, Madrid and Hague systems (2016)

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It´s 12 years ago that Bill Gates posited the New World of Work, where collaboration, business intelligence and prioritizing scarce time and attention are critical factors for success. It´s time to look into the progress we made on software enabled business productivity because it impacts each and everyone. The innovation journey continues at amazing speed of technological progress but also adds new complexity for people who already feel the pressure of an "always-on" world and ever-rising expectations for productivity. The need for change is even more pressing: Neuroscience found evidence why our good old flexible office work environment is not productive.

The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem - Do you understand me?
Captain Jack Sparrow

Transforming the organization means dealing with complexity in: how to articulate business requirements and the definition of success? how to become explicit on expectations? how to renegotiate work contracts and revisit mutual agreements? how to work inside and outside the office? how to prioritize professional and private life? how to individually and collectively organize collaboration? how to interact online, offline and across desks, sites, cities, regions and time zones? The World Economic Forum has provided a navigation system on the global transformation agenda to become systematic with Workforce and Employment of the future. You may also find some interesting perspectives there.

Source: World Economic Forum, "Workforce and Employment"

"Now that it's definitely not cool anymore, it feels safe for me to start tweeting as well ..."
​Posted by my old friend, Prof. Ulle Endriss, 2017 ... or 25 years after we learned about Quantum Computing at University

Finally, I enjoy working in remote teams, managing distributed organizations but, I also learned that even the most sophisticated technology can´t do what a good cup of coffee can do - stimulate the creation of inspiring ideas when sitting together in person.​​ Technology can help you learn and follow-up on things in a structured way but it will not help you in cases where you even don´t know what you don´t know.

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Imagine, sellers would be rational individuals like Mr. Spock, the fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise - the commander of Starship Enterprise who always followed the rules of logic, never distracted by emotions. I agree, this is neither realistic nor desirable to move mixed human-vulcans into sales roles. Some sales leaders would not want to lose their financial controllers either. Experience tells, winning a new customer means 6 times more investment than maintaining an already loyal customer. Isn´t this a really good reason for you as a commander to go deep on what is driving the Enterprise towards customer loyalty?

I don't know anything, but I do know that everything is interesting if you go into it deeply enough.
Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize in Physics 1965

Business Acumen remains key to success in increasing the likelihood to renew a contract. Even though you may find significant correlations, it´s the causation which makes it relevant. The correlation between growth on ice-cream sales and the outbreak of bushfires in southern California maybe a strong correlation but it´s not the cause. Mind the difference between correlation and causation. Turning good analytical work into concrete action is what makes the difference in business. Overhasty conclusions and bias on this last but most important step may put your whole endeavor at risk. Following historical anecdote shows why. The United States Statistical Research Group (SRG) once used to be on mission to help win world war II. Sales is not war and trying to find a way to minimize the loss of airplanes through better armor is not business optimization. Surprisingly enough, we still can learn from their work.

Source: Aberdeen Group, Sept. 2016 | "YoY Advantages of Analytical Grounded Sales Teams"

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... 'Cause there's a monster living under my bed - Whispering in my ear ... Carlos Santana - Put Your Lights On ​​A while ago, I had a refreshing and insightful conversation with a customer who happened to be the editor of a major newspaper. He described how he sees parts of his traditional business erode through digital channels but he also welcomed the efficiencies of digital productivity for his employees. Still, the ambivalent coopetition in today’s business is reality - seizing opportunity jointly with the global digital giants on a worldwide level but also fiercely competing with them on your own home turf. Surprisingly, there was no sign of fear or worry - where is his confidence coming from?

... There's an angel, with a hand on my head
She say I've got nothing to fear!
​Carlos Santana - Put Your Lights On

Auch der stärkste Mann schaut einmal unters Bett.
Erich Kästner