Posted by Riva Gianluca on December 04, 2001 at 08:52:10:

In Reply to: Re: Value in Best Practices ... if you "adapt" them, and not "adopt"!! posted by Tarun Satiya on December 04, 2001 at 05:06:22:

hi Tarun, your examples are clever and valuable. Well, as you've said yourself, they are different frm the ways most companies apply benchmarking and best practices. Your examples are cases of creativity and brilliant thinking, not just mechanical copying. Even the most brilliant innovation needs some kind of information, some kind of source. I do think best practices can be a valuable source of creativity and innovation, but not something to copy without thinking. As you've said, the sectors were different. I can even add one more modern: CEMEX, mexican manufacturer of concrete, became the third larger producer in the world by observing the american firemans and installing a satellite system for check traffic jams!!! Truck drivers attended an IT course to understand the systems. As far as I can see, it's the only example I know where these workers are treated as they had a brain. CEMEX consider they knowledge workers, and I agree with they. Actually I do think all employees are knowledge workers. They all have got a brain, they all have got a context to interact with. To be or not to be a knowledge worker is a matter of organizational strategy and thinking. You also have to note that the innovation was a mixture of copying, adapting and creating. I think best practices can be any useful, but they are not at the heart of the issue. The issue, as you've said yourself, is a combine of observing, adapting and creating.
Bye for now. I'm happy the debate is becoming hot. I think a sound conflict is the real source of creativity

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