CONFERENCES
Convergence 99
Outposting: Innovation Synthesis
Proceedings from the Roundtable Session
With Dale McIntyre and Doug Smith, Eastman Kodak
How & Why An Outpost Should Be A Tool For New Business Development
Why Outpost?
We outpost with a mission to:
- Mine Silicon Valley for innovative ideas and technologies that can be leveraged into new Kodak business opportunities.
- Create relationships/partnerships with innovative, high tech Silicon Valley businesses & individuals to drive new business opportunities.
- Maximize integration of technologies, ideas, and culture back into Kodak/Rochester.
- Gain a broader perspective and more global view.
The outpost is staffed with:
- Two "permanent" staff located in Silicon Valley.
- Several staff from Rochester on "rotational" assignment where they spend two weeks in Silicon Valley and 6 weeks back in Rochester.
What Are We Up To?
There are several initiatives currently underway with both Palo Alto and Rochester resources:
- Formal Valley Networking
- Venture Capital Initiatives
- Living "Digital"
- e-Commerce
- Synergistic participation with other Rochester Units
- Knowledge Management
We spend considerable time and effort forming and maintaining a network of technical and business contacts:
- Professional Associations
- University Contacts
- High Tech Companies
- Consultants
- Much work done after hours
- Relationships are based on trust
Your network in the Valley is more important than who you work for.
Social Credit is given initially, but expires quickly! You must be a player.
How do we handle Long Distance Collaboration?
The outpost operates primarily on a project-focused basis which:
- Provides focus and direction for Rochester staff on rotational visits
- Deliverables encourage communication between "coasts".
The next largest challenge is to synchronize the corporate bureaucracy in Rochester with "Valley" time when partnering.
How do you select the Migrant Knowledge Worker?
The outpost is really isolated from the corporate view and therefore has a strong need for evangelists to bridge the various gaps between the outpost and corporate home.
Those who best fit the Migrant Knowledge Worker profile are:
- Socially adept
- Technology fluent
- Marketing aware
- Observant
- Curious
- Exploratory
- Good listeners
- Self-starters
- Experientially inclined
The establishment of an outpost sends many signals both internal and external to a sponsoring corporation.
Internally:
- an outpost signals to the employees that the corporation is looking at participating in the definition of the future from both a technology and societal perspective.
- an outpost is a corporation's explicit permission to create new business opportunities in recognition of the significance of Silicon Valley.
- an outpost signals to the business world that the corporation recognizes and values the unique influence the Valley has on business, society, and technology.
- an outpost also signals a financial commitment by the corporation to seek partners and collaborators in an effort to speed new business opportunities to market.