Managing beyond the
Internet Era (30')

Peter F. Drucker talks again with Professor Javier Palom, his regular collaborator for the last 20 years. In this interview, they deal with issues such as the impact of the information technology in businesses, the Information Society, or the future of the Internet.

Rise and fall of a “New Economy” fostered by the Internet and the technology companies. What did technology companies do wrong? Economic history demonstrates that a speculative boom precedes the growth of the real business by 10 years. Are new valuation metrics and new economics needed for the new technology start-ups? The contribution of information technology to business and society and its strong impact on Operations. How old organizations are adapting to e-commerce and becoming leaders. The need to be globally competitive. Information Society or Knowledge Society? The new developments that can be expected from the Internet and their contribution to organizations.

Leading the Innovative Organization (45')

In this unit Drucker presents his latest thinking on innovation, an issue with close links to the Information Revolution, and one that he has dealt with various books, especially in his bet seller "Innovation and Entrepreneurship". As Drucker explains, today an organization needs to go beyond innovation to become a "Change Leader".

Every new key invention (i.e. the railroad) brings about a change in mentality in society, and after that, big innovations flourish developed from the new technology. But very often strategy is more important than the innovation itself –the market never is where the inventor thinks it will be. Being a “change leader” company: having the right mindset for innovation. The need for change in big and medium-sized corporations. The fundamental changes in marketing that can be expected from the Internet. How the new distribution channels change who the customers are, how customers buy, what they buy, their behaviour, saving patterns, industry structure…

Can the Knowledge Worker
be Led? (40')

Drucker was the first to coin the term "Knowledge Worker". He shares his wisdom on how organizations should lead Knowledge Workers, the main characters in the Information Revolution -how to retain them, how to motivate them, making them productive, or the danger of stock options.

Performance in knowledge-based industries will come to depend on running the institution so as to attract, hold and motivate knowledge workers. Some challenges: knowledge workers now outlive the employing organizations, measuring knowledge work productivity, implementing continuing education to avoid premature obsolescence of knowledge …Motivating and holding knowledge workers: are stock options the best way? From subordinates into fellow executives, and from employees –however well paid-- into partners, instead of mere shareholders. Basing leadership on values instead of charisma or greed. The importance of making people investments with strategic vision.