Building resilience capabilities at “Big Brown Box, Inc.”

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to contend that to achieve the resilience needed to thrive long‐term in a dynamic, highly competitive marketplace companies need to commit to continual customer‐focused agility training.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses “Big Brown Box Inc.”, which is a disguised case about a real company's practices and experiences.

Findings

The paper reveals that training for resilience involves mastering three strategic management practices: cultivating foresight, rehearsing non‐routine behaviors and building an experimentation‐oriented community.

Practical implications

The takeaway from the Big Brown Box Inc. example is that all companies need to continually exercise their operational resilience to prepare for setbacks and the maneuvers of rivals.

Originality/value

The paper reveals that the rehearsing and training exercises needed to develop resilience will help an organization learn how to proactively engage in exploration and experimentation.

Citation

Välikangas, L. and Georges L. Romme, A. (2012), "Building resilience capabilities at “Big Brown Box, Inc.”", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 40 No. 4, pp. 43-45. https://doi.org/10.1108/10878571211242948