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Playing Chess, Playing Poker

The former IBM research director James McGroddy did an analogy few years back when describing the difference between innovation from an “old”-point of view compared to what Henry W. Chesbrough call “Open Innovation”

When you’re targeting your technology to your current business, it’s like a chess game. You know the pieces, you know what they can and cannot do. You know what you competition is going to do, and you know what you customer needs from you in order to win the game. You can think out many moves in advance, and in fact, you have to, if you’re going to win.

In a new market, you have to plan your technology entirely differently. You’re not playing chess anymore; now you’re playing poker. You don’t know all the information in advance. Instead, you have to decide whether to spend additional money to stay in the game to see the next card.

I have my self experienced the great doubt – the stress - in leaving the question unanswered even though I had an answer. But having found the answer you automatically close down asking questions and looking for new perspectives, don’t you? So, when to play chess? When to play poker?

Posted by Hans Henrik H. Heming on August 12, 2005 in Business Strategy | Permalink

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Comments

This is an excellent analogy. I have experienced the doubt, as well, and the stress. During my 15 years of IT experience, I have erred on the side of conservativism and I have rolled the dice once too often, as well.

Posted by: Troy Worman | Aug 16, 2005 3:14:58 AM

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CPH127 is a sense-making initiative. We aim to create a open dialogue around the profound understanding of the leadership, organization and strategy of creative business functions with the aim to create new value (for customers, employers and stakeholders.

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