Publications & Media

Strategy and Communication for Innovation (Springer, 2017)

Chapter: The Innovation Engine: A Framework for Overcoming Cultural and Organizational Impediments to Innovation at Scale by Andrew Breen

Springer.com

Abstract: Large, established organizations fear disruption from large technology companies and startups alike. In trying to thwart this, they have explored several innovation approaches such as labs, acquisitions, and spinouts. Most have not succeeded often due to the impediments that traditional twentieth century corporate culture and organizational design bring. The Innovation Engine is a framework developed to overcome organizational impediments to innovation at scale. The framework has been derived from taking organizational design and processes from successful technology growth and mature companies and the learnings from their application in more traditional companies outside the technology industry.

New Leadership in Strategy and Communication (Springer, 2020)

Vision Setting: How Leadership Communication Empowers Workers & Teams by Andrew Breen

Springer.com

Abstract: The modern corporation — inspired by the success of digital technology companies — aspires toward a flatter structure empowering less senior members with influence and decision making over their direction.  Vision has always been important in successful organizations. It unites and gives purpose to the workforce. More traditional, hierarchical, tops-down organizations had only the top management layers to align for strategic decision making.  From that, they dictated the tasks, processes and goals for the rest of the organization to follow keeping the organization aligned. Decision making is now pushed out to the edges. Modern firms value intellectual property built by knowledge workers with powerful technology tools.  Research and development is critical to remaining competitive. Creativity is stifled by rigid direction and processes. Thus, workers are empowered to build the future of the company. However, uncoordinated work can lead to scattershot product development. A vision — and leaderships ability to effectively communicate it — are critical in today’s fast moving economy.  Several techniques for communicating vision in a modern company are discussed.

Lean Startup Labs NYC: Enterprise Summit, 2016

Talk on Lean in regulated organizations with examples from American Express