OccupierEdge_Fall2016

DIGITAL IS REPOSITIONING CORPORATE Radical openness presents a challenge for corporations; it turns many of the traditional assumptions and indeed the ecosystem of corporate business, on its head. Historically, knowledge has always meant power. Whoever has had the means of developing and preserving knowledge within the business and at a corporate level, within the market has been rewarded with success – a sharp contrast to the world in which knowledge is collaboratively created and openly shared. Within the corporation, it was the longer serving, more experienced staff who were the custodians of the knowledge base, whereas in the digital world it is more often than not the younger new talent that bring ideas and innovation, that

drives the digital strategy. Whereas in the past, the expectations would be for this talent to stay within the company for many years, whilst they work their way up the hierarchy, the new mind-set for the millennial generation is to move not only from one company to another, but even from one sector or industry to another, as the disruptive nature of digital facilitates knowledge and people transfer. One option that is attractive not only to the young talent, but many of the middle managers in business, is to leave the corporate world behind and set up or join a new start-up disrupter business. It is not just the entrepreneurial nature of such businesses that are attractive, but the culture and style of these organizations, as the traditional world of ‘corporation’ is no longer appealing to many.

“Corporate doesn’t sell.” HR SENIOR MANAGER AT A GLOBAL BANK

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