An ideological gulf has opened in today’s business world, between companies that look outward for long-term value and those relying on internal resources.
“Look at Steve Jobs, he didn’t ask the customer. It’s no use, people don’t know what they want.”
That was the reaction of a former colleague of mine during our monthly management team meeting, after I suggested that we try a more structured approach to understanding our customers. This was a fairly normal, fairly successful international business, focused on operational excellence, product leadership, and meeting monthly sales targets.
via Business Strategy: Are You Inside-Out or Outside-In? | INSEAD Knowledge.
