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Re-framing of managerial challenges in 4IR
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The constraints and objectives that leaders (in business and society) grapple with are different in 4IR, requiring new approaches

1. Critical & Costly Resource. Previously: Finances - in 4IR, Talent (to manage complexity & ambiguity)

2. Management Approach. Previously: Optimisation (Efficiency & Risk Avoidance) - in 4IR, Speed (experiment, learn & adjust)

3. Stakeholder Management. Previously: Direct (e.g. Investors, Customers) - in 4IR, Direct & Indirect (Society, Environment, etc.)

4. ​Primary use of data. Previously: Reporting and tracking of performance - in 4IR, seeking insight (unfolding future, prediction) and learning.

5. Leadership & Organisation. Previously: Command & Control (resources & teams within my direct sphere of influence) - in 4IR, Connect and Collaborate (finding & reaching across boundaries to access resources and align efforts)

6. Approach to technology. Previously: Proprietary (ownership & development) to gain advantages through optimisation of operations - in 4IR, Shared (or rented) to provide scale flexibility, ensure access to latest developments and security.   

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Video: Reframing of management challenges and choices in 4IR

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Perceptions of risk & reward have changed in 4IR
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​Every industrial revolution has seen an increase in the speed of business, so too with the 4th. What distinguishes this revolution is the way we think about risk. The risk of not moving fast enough, of not participating early enough in a project or venture or of not scaling big enough to become the dominant platform. The risk of losing out on opportunities that win-big is eclipsing the perception of project risk associated with any one initiative.
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• Belief in the leadership and the promised future, is greater than, belief in relevance of current (or past) results as a predictor of future performance.

 

• Fear of failing to pursue (& thrive) in the imagined future, is greater than, fear of failure with short-term investments and operations.

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Value creation & capture have changed in 4IR
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​In the early 2000's approximately 80% of listed firms’ value was determined by expectations of the future earnings potential of that company. Stock analysts carefully studied period by period reported earnings and revenue against forecast accuracy and adjusted their assessments of stock value accordingly. But things were beginning to change. Triggered by the Global Financial Crisis (2007-8) and the following decade with fiscal policies promoting quantitative easing; which pushed vast amounts of low cost cash into global economies. Volatility in corporate valuations has increased dramatically; vast amounts of low cost cash seek out new projects that can rapidly scale to be of significant size (unicorns defined to be greater that US$1 billion) and changes in investor sentiment (belief) causing huge swings, positive as well as negative.

In 4IR, past and present performance are poor indicators of future performance. Value creation in 4IR is dependent on the ability to attract and retain talent, customers, investors, collaborators and societal support, in pursuit of a vision of the future that is accepted to be flawed. 4IR companies often attain valuations far in excess of traditional ranges for Price/Earnings ratio. Investor confidence in future performance being driven by: 

1. Belief in the ability of the firm to win in the imagined future

2. Belief in the leadership to overcome the known & unknown challenges as the future unfolds

3. Belief that the firm is embracing and leveraging new technologies 

4. Belief that the firm is doing-good (no-harm)

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