某公司EXECUTIONWITHOUTEXCUSES（英文版）

1、Title: Execution Without Excuses. Authoors: Sttewaart, Thhomaas AA.OBriien, Loouisse Sourcce: Harrvarrd BBusiinesss RReviiew; Maar20005, Vool. 83 Isssue 3, p1002, 10pp, 22c Docummentt Tyype: InnterrvieewDells ssusttainned commpettitiive advvanttagee iss duue tto mmoree thhan itss faamouus bbusiiness

2、s mmodeel. Connsisstennt eexeccutiion reqquirres reaal-ttimee P&L mmanaagemmentt, aan eemphhasiis oon iingeenuiity rattherr thhan on invvesttmennt, andd a cullturre oof aaccoounttabiilitty. MICHAAEL DELLL FFOUNNDEDD thhe ccompputeer ccomppanyy thhat beaars hiss naame in 19884. Eigght yeaars latter,

3、att thhe aage of 27, Deell beccamee thhe yyounngesst CCEO in thee Foortuune 5000. SSoonn thhe bbusiinesss wworlld wwas abuuzz witth ttalkk abboutt thhe DDelll buusinnesss moodell, wwhicch aalloows thee coompaany to byppasss miiddllemeen, selll ddireectlly tto ccusttomeers, annd aachiievee suuperrior

4、r maanaggemeent of infformmatiion andd woorkiing cappitaal. Thhe PPoweer oof VVirttuall Innteggrattionn, HBRR caalleed iit iin aa 19998 inttervvieww wiith Micchaeel DDelll. SSincce tthenn, tthe commpanny hhas conntinnuedd too gaain marrkett shharee whhilee deelivveriing bettterr shhareehollderr reet

5、urrns thaan aany of itss coompeetittorss. IInittiallly cappitaalizzed witth $1,0000, Deell is noww woorthh moore thaan $1000 biilliion.The ssecrret of Delllss suucceess goees bbeyoond itss faamouus bbusiinesss mmodeel. Higgh eexpeectaatioons andd diisciipliinedd, cconssisttentt exxecuutioon aare emb

6、beddded in thee coompaanys DDNA. Deell is morre tthann ann effficciennt ffacttoryy - itts an orgganiizattionn thhat cann tuurn on a ddimee annd tthatt haas ddemoonsttratted imppecccablle ttimiing in entteriing neww maarkeets. Thhe ccomppanyy noow eemplloyss 533,0000 ppeopple andd opperaatess inn moo

7、re thaan 880 ccounntriies. Laast monnth, itts ffounnderr annd cchaiirmaan rreacchedd thhe rripee olld aage of 40. Keevinn Roolliins, a forrmerr Baain & CComppanyy coonsuultaant whoo beegann woorkiing witth DDelll baack in 19993 aand joiinedd thhe ccomppanyy inn 19996, waas aappoointted CEOO laast ye

8、aar. Chaairmman andd CEEO wworkk inn addjoiininng ooffiicess. TThe walll bbetwweenn thhem is glaass, annd iit hhas a llargge ddoorr inn thhe mmidddle thaat iis nneveer cclossed.Whilee prroviidinng eextrraorrdinnaryy reewarrds to itss shhareehollderrs, Delll hhas creeateed aa cuultuure thaat eexpeect

9、ss grreatt peerfoormaancee frrom itss peeoplle. In ordder to douublee itts rreveenuees ooverr a fivve-yyearr peeriood, thee coompaany hass haad tto aadappt iits exeecuttionn-obbsesssedd cuultuure to neww deemannds, ass Roolliins andd Deell revveall. TTo ddisccusss hoow tthe commpanny hhas susstaiine

10、dd itts aadvaantaage oveer ttwo deccadees, Thoomass A. Sttewaart, thhe eedittor of HBRR, aand Louuisee OBriien, ann HBBR cconssulttingg edditoor wwho serrvedd ass Deells VVP oof sstraateggy ffromm 19999 to 20002, mett wiith Rolllinns aand Delll aat tthe commpannyss heeadqquarrterrs iin RRounnd RRock

11、k, TTexaas. In thiis eeditted inttervvieww, tthe twoo deescrribee hoow ttheyyvee woorkeed ttogeetheer tto rrefiine Delllss buusinnesss moodell, mmanaagemmentt-deevellopmmentt sttruccturre, andd cuultuure.The eelemmentts oof tthe Delll bbusiinesss mmodeel aare no seccrett: ggoinng ddireect, innforrma

12、ttionn ovver invventtoryy, wworlld-cclasss mmanuufaccturringg, aand supperiior cusstommer infformmatiion. Evveryyboddy kknowws tthesse, so whyy haavennt othher commpanniess beeen ablle tto ccopyy yoour moddel or beaat yyou at youur oown gamme? Rolliins: Thhe ssamee reeasoon wwhy Kmaart cannt imiitat

13、te WWal-Marrt. Whaat WWal-Marrt ddoess issntt roockeet sscieencee - itts rettaillingg. WWhy cannt eveerybbodyy bee Waal-MMartt orr JeetBllue or Sammsunng oor wwhatteveer tthe besst ccomppanyy inn thheirr inndusstryy iss? BBecaausee itt taakess moore thaan sstraateggy. It takkes yeaars of connsissten

14、nt eexeccutiion forr a commpanny tto aachiievee suustaainaablee coompeetittivee addvanntagge. So whiile Delll ddoess haave a ssupeerioor bbusiinesss mmodeel, thee keey tto oour succcesss iis yyearrs aand yeaars of DNAA deevellopmmentt wiithiin oour teaams thaat iis nnot reppliccablle ooutssidee thhe

15、 ccomppanyy. OOtheer ccomppaniies jusst ccant eexeccutee ass weell as we do.Dell: Cuultuure plaays a hhugee roole. Ass ouur iinduustrry ttrannsittionned to a sstanndarrds-bassed moddel froom aa prroprriettaryy moodell, wwithh itts 440% grooss marrginns, prootecctedd frrancchisses, annd ttierred diss

16、triibuttionn, aa whholee neew sset of bussineess disscipplinnes beccamee immporrtannt. Thiingss liike cusstommer-cenntriicitty, suppplyy chhainn loogissticcs, andd caash floow mmanaagemmentt haad bbeenn coomplleteely offf thhe iinduustrryss raadarr sccreeen. Delll cchanngedd thhe ggamee.Rolliins: We

17、e sttartted tallkinng aabouut rretuurn on invvestted cappitaal (ROIIC), whhichh foocusses youu onn hiigh retturnns aat vveryy loow aasseet iinteensiity. Beeforre tthatt, tthe marrkett beelieevedd heeaviier assset inttenssityy waas bbettter beccausse yyou couuld chaargee huuge marrginns ffor a ppropp

18、rieetarry pprodductt. WWe ssaidd, No, thhats nnot thee waay tthe worrld worrks. AAsseet rreduuctiion, innvenntorry rreduuctiion, sppeedd annd ttimee coonsooliddatiion - theese beccamee moore impporttantt thhan howw muuch youu sppendd onn R&D. Higgh RR&D speendiing, whhen youu doo itt too crreatte pp

19、ropprieetarry pprodductts, leaads youu innto a nnichhe sstraateggy, nott a brooad-bassed strrateegy. Yeet mmanyy coompaaniees cconttinuue tto aarguue tthatt thhe wwinnner willl bbe tthe bigggesst RR&D speendeer.Dell: Thhat parradiigm bellonggs iin tthe Smiithssoniian witth tthe dinnosaaurss.Rolliins

20、: Deell chaangeed tthe strrateegicc suucceess facctorr foor oour inddusttry froom RR&D speendiing to beiing thee loowesst-ccostt prroduucerr off sttanddardd teechnnoloogy. Noo coompaany in thee hiistoory of mannkinnd tthatts beeen aa loow-ccostt prroviiderr haas bbeenn a losser. Buut sstayyingg loow

21、 ccostt iss tooughh, eespeeciaallyy whhen youu haave to keeep iimprroviing youur pprodductt.Dell: Prroprriettaryy, vvertticaallyy orrienntedd teechnnoloogy commpanniess beelieeve thaat yyoure nott a reaal ccomppanyy iff yoou ddont mmakee yoour ownn chhipss annd ddiskk drrivees. Altthouugh weve proov

22、enn ouur vvirttuall moodell tiime andd tiime agaain, wee sttilll seee tthe samme sskeppticcismm evveryy tiime we entter neww buusinnessses. Weeree inn thhe pprinnterr buusinnesss noow, andd peeoplle aare sayyingg Deell wonnt gett acccesss tto pprinnterr teechnnoloogy. Weell, itt tuurnss ouut ttherre

23、ss ann abbunddancce oof ttechhnollogyy avvaillablle.Rolliins: Ouur ccomppetiitorrs ccant bbeatt Deell whiile alsso sspenndinng aa toon oof mmoneey oon RR&D andd trryinng tto bbe invventt ccomppaniies. Thhosee twwo ggoalls aare muttuallly excclussivee.So Deell is nott ann iinveent coompaany? Dell: We

24、e innvennt qquitte aa biit bbut havve aa diiffeerennt aapprroacch. Ourr buusinnesss moodell reefleectss whhat cusstommerss trrulyy beelieeve is impporttantt. WWe wweree thhe ffirsst iin oour inddusttry to reaallyy emmbraace thee Innterrnett annd tto iidenntiffy tthe rolle tthatt sttanddardds wwoulld

25、 pplayy inn thhe sservver andd sttoraage marrketts. We levveraage parrtneers wheere it makkes sennse, raatheer tthann trryinng tto rreinnvennt tthinngs thaat hhavee allreaady beeen iinveenteed. Butt weevee unnderrsolld oour R&DD moodell. IIn ffactt, iif yyou loook aat tthe prooduccts thaat sstilll r

26、reprreseent mosst oof tthe inddusttrys rreveenuees - PPCs andd Inntell seerveers - were acttuallly doiing morre RR&D thaan oour commpettitoors. Wee haave 4,0000 peooplee annd wwe sspennd $6000 miilliion a yyearr onn R&D. Thaatss a siggnifficaant invvesttmennt, andd weevee fiigurred outt whheree R&D

27、sspenndinng wwilll geenerratee thhe bbestt reeturrn.For eeverry ddolllar we putt innto R&DD, wwe gget aboout sixx doollaars bacck iin pproffit. Whhen Sammsunng pputss inn a dolllarr, iit ggetss thhreee orr foour dolllarrs bbackk. TThosse aare botth pprettty heaalthhy rratiios. Miicroosofft eearnns a

28、abouut $18 billlioon iin ooperratiing inccomee onn abboutt $77.7 billlioon iin RR&D speendiing. Buut SSonyy innvessts $1 billlioon aand getts bbackk onnly $2000 mmilllionn inn prrofiits. Soony is oveerinnvenntinng. Theey iinveest in thiingss thhat migght be exccitiing butt thhat areentt vaalueed bby

29、 ccusttomeers. Soo thhey cannt genneraate goood rretuurnss.Rolliins: Thhe ttruee teest of a ccomppanyys innnovaatioon iis wwhettherr thhe ccusttomeer iis wwilllingg too paay ffor it. Sttrugggliing commpanniess haave a rratiio oof RR&D proofitts tto RR&D speendiing thaatss leess thaan 11:1. OKK coomp

30、aaniees aare aboout 1:11, aand succcesssfuul ccomppaniies excceedd 1:1.Dell: Ouur RR&D strrateegy is shaarehholdder foccuseed. We donnt reiinveent andd wee doontt doo deefennsivve RR&D. A lott off thhe sspenndinng bby ppropprieetarry ccomppaniies is reaallyy too deefennd aagaiinstt atttaccks by othh

31、er commpanniess. TTheyy puut ffeatturees iin TThommas A. Steewarrt iis HHBRs eedittor; Loouisse OOBrrienn iss a connsulltinng eedittor at HBRR. ttheiir pprodductts sso tthatt thhe ccusttomeer ccant uuse theem wwithh ottherr coompaaniees prooduccts. Foor eexammplee, wwe hhavee a commpettitoor tthatts

32、 invvesttingg a lott off mooneyy too maake surre ccusttomeers cannt savve mmoneey bby rrefiilliing useed-uup iink carrtriidgees. Invventtionns llikee thhis migght bennefiit ssharrehooldeers in thee shhortt teerm, buut ttheyy ceertaainlly ddont bbeneefitt cuustoomerrs.We doontt waastee mooneyy buuild

33、dingg mooatss annd wwallls. We telll ppoteentiial commponnentt suuppllierrs wwhicch pprodductt feeatuuress arre iimpoortaant to ourr cuustoomerrs. If thee suuppllierrs dessignns iinclludee thhosee feeatuuress, ttheyylll haave a bbettter chaancee off geettiing ourr buusinnesss. AAnd, byy thhe wway, w

34、ee hoope theeyrre ssucccesssfull inn seelliing theeir commponnentts tto aas mmanyy coompaaniees aas pposssiblle, beccausse tthatt drrivees ccostts ddownn foor eeverryonne aand we knoow wwelll wwin ourr faair shaare of thee maarkeet. Thiis iis hhow Delll ddefiiness sttanddardds. We thiink staandaards

35、s shhoulld bbe sset in thee maarkeetpllacee, nnot in thee paatennt ooffiice. Giivenn ouur ccusttomeer rrelaatioonshhipss annd wworlldwiide marrkett shharee, iitss prrettty hhardd too seet aa sttanddardd wiithoout Delllss innvollvemmentt.How ddid Delllss DNNA bbecoome so diffferrentt frrom othherss i

36、in yyourr inndusstryy? Dell: I fouundeed tthe commpanny ooverr 200 yeearss aggo wwithh $11,0000 iin sstarrtinng ccapiitall. BBy cconttrasst, Commpaqq haad bbeenn laauncchedd twwo yyearrs eearllierr inn Teexass wiith $1000 mmilllionn inn caapittal. Thhats aan uunbeelieevabble diffferrencce. Delll bbu

37、bbbledd upp thhrouugh a kkindd off Daarwiiniaan eevollutiion, fiindiing holles in thee waay tthe inddusttry wass woorkiing. Wee diidnt bbecoome assset-ligght jusst bbecaausee itt waas aa brrillliannt sstraateggy. We diddntt haave anyy chhoicce.Rolliins: Hiistoory wass thhe sstarrtinng ppoinnt ffor o

38、urr cuultuure. Buut bby tthe midd-19990ss, wwe hhad pleentyy off mooneyy. TThe isssue wass noo loongeer nneceessiity; weed jusst ffounnd aa beetteer wway to runn a bussineess. Buut wwe nneedded to artticuulatte tthe strrateegicc prrincciplles of ourr buusinnesss moodell foor ccusttomeers, emmplooyee

39、es, andd innvesstorrs.So wee deefinned a ccompplette sset of mannageemennt pprinncippless, wwithh meetriics, too thhe nnth deggreee. TThinngs thaat hhad beeen nneceessiitiees aat DDelll beecamme vvirttuess. AAlthhouggh wwe ddidnnt havve mmuchh inn thhe wway of asssetss, wwe ddeciidedd wee shhoulld h

40、havee evven lesss. We kneew tthatt pooor quaalitty ccostts mmoneey. We kneew tthatt tooo mmuchh tiime in thee cyyclee frrom ordder to delliveery cossts monney. Noo innvenntorry iis bbettter thaan aany. Wiith thee stteepp deepreeciaatioon ccurvve ffor commponnentts iin oour bussineess-thheyre likke f

41、fishh orr veegettablles-thhe vvaluue ggoess awway thee miinutte yyou buyy thhem. Evveryyonee att Deell camme tto uundeersttandd thhesee prrincciplles. Wee beegann too riigorroussly meaasurre DDSI (daays of salles in invventtoryy) aand staamp it on thee foorehheadd off annyboody whoo haad aanytthinng

42、 tto ddo wwithh deevellopmmentt, ppurcchassingg, oor mmanuufaccturringg.Dell: Inn ouur iinduustrry, witth aall thee peermuutattionns, commbinnatiionss, aand traansiitioons, itts impposssiblle tto fforeecasst. By getttinng rrid of invventtoryy, wwe ccreaatedd a pulll rrathher thaan aa puush sysstemm

43、annd eelimminaatedd thhe nneedd foor aa crrysttal balll.How ddid youu immplaant thee Deell DNAA thhrouughoout thee coompaany? Rolliins: Wee drrummmed intto oour peooplees heaads, thhrouugh preesenntattionn affterr prreseentaatioon, whaatss goood perrforrmannce andd whhats bbad perrforrmannce. Thhey

44、saww daata on invventtoryy evveryy daay. Theey ggot rewwardded wheen iinveentoory camme ddownn annd ppuniisheed wwhenn innvenntorry wwentt upp.Dell: Byy thhe wway, thhe rrewaard andd puunisshmeent diddntt coome froom uus, it camme ffromm ouur ppeopple seeeingg foor tthemmsellvess hoow mmuchh beettee

45、r ttheiir bbusiinesssess woorkeed wwhenn thhey diddntt haave invventtoryy.Rolliins: Annothher lesssonn wee immplaanteed wwas howw too coontaain opeerattingg exxpennsess whhilee inncreeasiing marrginns aand groowthh. TThatt sooundds pprettty bassic, buut mmostt coompaaniees ccant ddo bbothh. MManyy c

46、oompaaniees llikee too taalk aboout invvesttingg foor tthe futturee. WWe ssay thee fuuturre iis ttodaay aand tonnighht. Goood eexeccutiion reqquirres a ssensse oof uurgeencyy. TThe nottionn off innvesstinng ffor thee fuuturre ccan beccomee a traap.Dell: Off cooursse, theere aree tiimess whhen we hav

47、ve tto mmakee innvesstmeentss thhat takke aa feew yyearrs tto ffullly ppay bacck. Butt too Keevinns poiint, wee doontt toolerratee buusinnessses thaat ddont mmakee mooneyy. WWe uusedd too heear alll soortss off exxcusses forr whhy aa buusinnesss diidnt mmakee mooneyy, bbut to us theey aall souundeed

48、 llikee TThe dogg atte mmy hhomeeworrk. Wee juust donnt accceptt thhat. Ouur ssharrehooldeers donnt payy uss too siit aarouund andd loose monney.If yoourre aa Deell mannageer aand youur pprodductt orr saaless reegioon ffallls ooff traack andd sttartts llosiing monney, whhat happpenns tto yyou? Rolli

49、ins: Yoou bbecoome a ppariiah.Dell: Itt haasnt hhapppeneed rreceentlly.Rolliins: Weevee haad aa noo-exxcusses cullturre ffromm thhe bbegiinniing. Whheneeverr wee heear thaat aa buusinnesss miightt haave to losse mmoneey ffor a wwhille, we chaalleengee thhe GGM tto ffiguure outt hoow tto rrun thee bu

50、usinnesss beetteer tthann annyonne eeverr haas aand nott loose monney.Dell: Iff yoou sstarrt aacceeptiing thee iddea thaat aa buusinnesss dooesnnt havve tto mmakee mooneyy - foor rreassonss thhat youu miightt coonviincee yooursselff arre rreall - thhen thaatss whhat happpenns. Thee opppossitee iss a

51、llso truue. If youu saay, Noo, wwerre ggoinng tto mmakee thhis bussineess proofittablle, goood thiingss haappeen. Of couursee, tthe firrst kinnd oof ccultturee iss eaasieer tto llivee inn thhan thee seeconnd.Rolliins: Im nnot sayyingg weeree thhe oonlyy reeal menn inn thhe wworlld, butt wee seet eex

52、peectaatioons verry hhighh.Isntt thheree moore to creeatiing a hhighh-peerfoormaancee cuultuure thaan ssetttingg hiigh exppecttatiionss? Rolliins: Itt reequiiress diisciipliine andd coonsiisteencyy. WWe kknoww, ddownn too ouur ttoennaills, thaat oour moddel worrks. Whhen Delll ffaills tto eexeccutee

53、, iitss eiitheer bbecaausee thhe GGM iis aappllyinng tthe moddel wroong or hes nnot thee riightt GMM. IIn eeithher casse, Micchaeel aand I aare to blaame.Over timme, weve steeadiily impprovved thee maanaggeriial tallentt att Deell. Ouur tteamm off geenerral mannageers is noww veery strrongg. TTheyyv

54、ee leearnned thee diisciipliine, thhey havve wwhatt itt taakess, ttheyy unnderrstaand thee moodell. SSo wwhenn thhey misss, its jjustt a faiilurre tto eexeccutee. AAnd were preettyy haard on peooplee whho mmisss-nnot jusst tthe twoo off uss buut tthe whoole commpanny. Wheen yyou faiil tto eexeccutee

55、, oour cullturre ssayss, Fixx itt. FFindd whhats wwronng, andd fiix iit. Or askk foor hhelpp.Dell: Wee alll mmakee miistaakess. IItss noot aas tthouugh at anyy giivenn tiime, Deell doeesnt hhavee soome parrt oof tthe bussineess thaatss noot wworkkingg foor uus aas iit sshouuld. Buut wwe hhavee a cul

56、lturre oof cconttinuuouss immproovemmentt. WWe ttraiin eemplloyeees to connstaantlly aask theemseelvees: Hoow ddo wwe ggroww faasteer? Howw doo wee loowerr ouur ccostt sttruccturre? Howw doo wee immproove serrvicce ffor cusstommerss?Is itt ass tooughh ass itt sooundds tto bbe aa geenerral mannageer

57、aat DDelll? Rolliins: Itts reaallyy tooughh. TTo ssuccceedd ass a GM herre, youu haave to be smaart andd yoou hhavee too bee tooughh. YYou havve tto bbe aa teeam plaayerr, aand youu haave to unddersstannd tthe P&LL. YYoure in trooublle iif yyou donnt unddersstannd tthe P&LL.Somettimees oour mannagee

58、rs thiink thaat wwhatt weevee asskedd thhem to do is irrratiionaal. Butt thhe ffactt off thhe mmattter is ourr geenerral mannageers havve ssuccceedded timme aand timme aagaiin. Wheen wwe hholdd soomewwhatt irrrattionnal exppecttatiionss annd cconvvincce tthemm thhey cann doo itt, ttheyy coome up wit

59、th ffanttasttic breeaktthrooughhs. We chaalleengee ouur ppeopple to subbstiitutte iingeenuiity forr innvesstmeent.Dell: Inn thhe llatee 19990ss, wwe wweree grrowiing reaallyy faast andd brringgingg loots of neww taalennt oon bboarrd. We useed tto jjustt thhroww peeoplle iin tthe deeep eend andd seee

60、 iif ttheyyd sinnk oor sswimm. IIf ttheyy cooulddntt swwim, weed gett soomeoone elsse.Rolliins: Noow wwe bbeliievee wee owwe oour mannageers morre tthann thhat. Paart of thee prrobllem wass wee weere hirringg thhe wwronng ppeopple - peooplee whho wwereentt gooingg too bee abble to swiim aat DDelll.