  Case Studies The Mastek Pyramid | Empowerment Pyradigm™ | Interview with a Cartis™ User | Use of Pyramids in Ford | Application of Pyramid Building in Organizations The Mastek Pyramid - Intangible Assests Report
The following paragraphs describe
application of one aspect of the SelfCorp Strategic Business Model
and are taken directly from the Mastek Group Annual Report 98-99.
Mastek is a global IT company headquartered in India with offices
in 7 countries. Here
is the entire Intangible Assets Report as published by Mastek on their
web site.
What is it is that is driving organizations to change or relook their business models? Why do we believe that information technology will continue to play a dominant role in the coming years?
Economic conditions, and competitive pressures, global interdependencies and the IT revolution brought about by the large-scale deployment of information resources has made organizations relook at their business models. The era of driving competitive advantage in the market through cost reduction is no longer getting the desired results. Establishing automated supply chain systems, while creating greater efficiencies and lower costs, are not capable of providing the necessary competitive advantage necessary in tomorrow's market place. The business objectives are now changing from profit maximization to revenue and market share maximization. Companies, today, are being evaluated not just by their growth rates, but acceleration rates-the rate of growth in growth rate! Established companies, around the globe, are being continuously challenged by smaller, more focused Internet start-ups, who have redefined the value chain, and have established relationships with the customer and a far more meaningful fashion. In his new context, value creation and business effectiveness are becoming the leading drivers for new IT investments rather than focus on efficiency and productivity. Information technology is driving business strategy and not the other way around. While most organizations have a statement describing their Mission or Vision, such statements tend to be static, something to be put up on your brochures or hung away somewhere. Rarely do the statements give a mechanism to guide day-to-day actions. At Mastek, we decided to make our Mission far more dynamic and action oriented, providing people with a tool to guide them in their everyday transactions through - The Mastek Pyramid. A way by which people can carry our Mission around with them, every day.
The Cornerstones
The four vertices, or 'Cornerstones' of the Pyramid, are fundamental to the Mastek Mission. These are:
Love and Commitment
Love & Commitment, the 'True North', is our aspiration. Evoking the spirit of service - within and outside the organization. Love towards our stakeholders in increasing their capability, providing the space for them to achieve their potential. And the commitment to support them in translating this capability into actual performance. Producing results for their stakeholders. Being in win-win partnerships with our Customers to evolve information Technology solutions which enhance them to service their customers better. Providing an open, nurturing, yet demanding work environment to our Employees, grounded in mutual trust and respect, enabling them to be their best. Being a source of long term capital appreciation to our Shareholders. Having a synergistic relationship of mutual value with our Suppliers and Alliance Partners.
Being a responsible Corporate Citizen in the countries that we operate.
In fact, in the traditional approach to defining the Mission for an organization, what is stated above would be a complete Mission statement!
Why other cornerstones?
While L & C is the spirit of Mastek, for it to manifest itself with its unique identity as an organization / organism, it needs three other dimensions - the physical, emotional, and intellectual dimensions. These other dimensions provide the creative tension and pulls to expand, as well as the balance to ensure holistic, well-rounded development as an organization.
Growth & Sustainability
Providing the pull against the spirit of service, is our emotional dimension, our survival instinct-G&S. The need to be viable, vibrant, growing, and admired as an organization. In the absence of which, our very existence is threatened.
As Peter Drucker has said, profits are no longer the objective of business, they are an effectiveness measure. In the same vein, while L & C is our purpose, G & S is our effectiveness indicator - a measure of how well we are doing in out quest to serve our stakeholders better.
Systems & Process
S & P, coupled with structure and infrastructure constitute our physical dimension. Just as all our actions are routed through our body, S & P as a cornerstone, converts all the thinking, learning and knowledge into 'Organizational Habits' at the process level.
S & P is a critical dimension in ensuring predictability and repeatability of whatever we do. To ensure that there is one 'Mastek Way', that is followed consistently across the various countries, branches and people.
Creativity & Fun
Creativity & Fun is our intellect. The ability to constantly question current wisdom. To innovate both in terms of products and processes. And the ability to challenge and be challenged.
Continuously transforming the 'Mastek Way', and adding to our 'body' of systems and processes. And creating 'Breakthroughs' in what we deliver to our stakeholders and the way we deliver it.
The Cornerstones of Completeness
While Love & Commitment is our aspiration, it is not that this cornerstone is more important than the others. In moving towards completeness as an organization, every cornerstone is equally important. This similar to the fact that every facet of ours - the physical, emotional, intellectual and the spiritual are equally important, and true alignment and power are available when all the four are pulling in the same direction.
The basic lacuna in focusing on one dimension at a time, is the lack of understanding of 'Systems Thinking'. The fact that cause and effect are often distanced in Time and Space. That any action taken today could have an impact at a later point of time, or a different place, or both. Given this, the impact of decisions is not easy to understand.
The Pyramid is an innovative way of understanding the interrelationships between the cornerstones of a system and take decisions which are globally optimal.
The move toward maturity and completeness, therefore, involves initiatives that attempt to optimize all cornerstones at the same time! Whether it be long term planning, policy making or day-to-day decision making.
(The pyramid concept was evolved by our consultant, Dr. Prasad Kaipa, who also facilitated the exercise of building the Mastek Pyramid. This note Is only an abstract from our Pyramid document, covering only the cornerstones. Contact info @mastek.com for a complete write-up)
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