1.
Entrepreneurs, corporate managers, consultants
and educators will view any
organization (business, government, NGO, etc.) as conceptually similar to an aircraft
2.
An aircraft is made of physical components – engine,
wings, landing gear, radar, etc. An organization is made of corporate objects
– products, brands, assets, business units, etc.
3.
In order for an aircraft to operate at its maximum
performance, it has to be lean and agile (contain only those components
necessary and sufficient for maximum performance); in order for an organization
to operate at maximum performance, it also must be lean and agile
4.
In order for an aircraft to operate at its maximum
performance, (1) each component must do the same and (2) all components must
fit together perfectly. For an organization to operate at its maximum
performance, (1) each corporate object must do the same and (2) all objects
must fit together perfectly
5.
Aircraft components are involved in a number of physical
processes. Likewise, corporate objects are involved in a number of corporate
processes. For an aircraft to operate at its maximum performance, all of its processes must do the same.
For an organization to operate at its maximum performance, all of its corporate
processes must do the same
6.
An aircraft undertakes flights (or sorties -
for a military one). An organization undertakes corporate projects.
Civilian aircraft hauls passengers – or cargo for its owners. An
organization works for its clients (customers)
7.
An aircraft can not operate without satisfying
the requirements of its stakeholders
– airport officials, government regulators, fuel suppliers, etc. Likewise, an
organization has to satisfy the needs and requirements of its stakeholders –
suppliers, partners, etc.
8.
Military aircraft has adversaries – enemy aircraft, AA guns, surface-to-air missiles, etc.
And every organization has competitors
– businesses compete for their clients’ money; government entities – for budget
funds; non-profits – for donations
9.
An aircraft is flown by pilots, navigators and other crew
members and serviced on the ground by technicians. An organization is managed
by executives, middle managers and supervisors and ‘serviced’ by professionals
(specialists)
10. To maximize aircraft
performance at all times, pilots and technicians must measure the
performance of each key aircraft component and process, of an aircraft as a
whole and take corrective action – if necessary To maximize corporate
performance at all times, corporate
managers and specialists must measure the performance of each key corporate
object and process, their synergy (‘quality-of-fit’) of an organization as a whole
and take corrective action – if necessary
11. To measure the performance
of aircraft components and processes, pilots use the corresponding performance
indicators (PI). Likewise, to measure the performance of corporate objects,
processes and their synergy, corporate managers and specialists use the
corresponding key performance indicators (KPI)
12. Aircraft performance is
measured using performance checklists,
scorecards and dashboards; the corporate performance is measured using corporate performance
questionnaire, scorecards and dashboards
13. In
an aircraft, values of PI are visualized on a computer screen in a ‘glass cockpit’. In an organization, KPI
values are visualized on a computer screen (‘corporate cockpit’) in front of the manager or specialist
responsible for the object or process in question
14. A
‘glass cockpit’ of an aircraft gives the pilot access to all knowledge and
tools he/she needs to pilot the aircraft in the most efficient way; a corporate
cockpit gives the corporate manager and specialist pilot access to all knowledge
and tools he/she needs to manage objects in his/her responsibility areas in the
most efficient way
15. An
aircraft is engineered using the most advanced aerospace engineering
methodology; an organization will be engineered using the most advanced corporate engineering methodology (Organization Description Language -
ODL)
16. An
aircraft is engineered using the blueprints developed by CAD/CAM software
systems; an organization will be engineered using the corporate engineering software
17. An
aircraft is assembled from components, many of which are standard and based on
the best technological achievements; an organization will be assembled from
standard components based on the best corporate management practices
18. An
aircraft is piloted using a comprehensive aircraft knowledge management and
process automation system; an organization will be run using a comprehensive corporate
knowledge management and corporate processes automation system (Enterprise
Objects Management System - EOMS)
19. To
operate at maximum performance at all times, an aircraft must undergo
continuous minor and periodic major upgrades. To operate at maximum performance
at all times, an organization must undergo continuous improvement and periodic
reengineering
20. This
‘aircraft paradigm’ – implemented in specific methodology, tools, technologies
and software products – will solve all the problems that make the ‘corporate
cockpit revolution’ inevitable and thus will make this revolution very, very
successful
