Can a leopard change its spots?

So I am reading in Fortune that Ford is betting on another "world, small car". Do you get a sense of deja vu? I thought they already had Focus, Fiesta etc around the world. But their DNA is about big -  cars, trucks, SUVs. Loaded with bunch of options. They even, subtly and otherwise, mock small and fuel-efficient. Not blaming them - they clearly have a core customer group which keeps asking for that. But there is an even bigger world which makes them every few years realize they need to embrace the "small" religion.

I see something with the bigger outsourcers. At the turn of the decade when things were not so good, IBM was talking "on-demand". Now that things are a bit better, it mocks "cloud-computing". Their version of  "small and fuel-efficient". My friend Charlie Bess at EDS - on a  blog which is supposed to be about innovation - points to more potential negatives around cloud computing.

Don't worry. When it suits them - especially when the chips are down or when the customer absolutely insists - they will parade out their own version of "small and fuel efficient". But try getting that without any options - the utility computing version. They will give you the whole sales pitch about why their integrated GPS and bluetooth option is worth another $ 3,000 and why Garmins and other options are just not good enough for a fraction of that cost.

Because their DNA is similar to Ford's - it's mostly about big and lots of customized options. And at least a few customers keep wanting that. A shrinking few customers.

Comments

[Charlie Bess]

Just a quick clarification. I am not negative about cloud computing at all. I'm just have a word of caution that it is not just about cutting costs, where all the attention is currently focused.

The real value of cloud computing is barely understood by most of the current practitioners. My view is that the value is in its parallel potential, not in the current linear view.

The concern is that the pragmatists will view this shift as too risky and will focus on the cost containment feature that is more easily understood.