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2356 : STEP FOUR – PLANNING FOR IMPLEMENTATION

practical examples of overcoming blocks to
implementation By way of example, the following section

illustrates how the model of idea development and its techniques could
be applied to the major functional area of finance. It shows how the
idea development model encourages you to redefine the problem of
finance, facilitates the generation of ideas, and allows those ideas to be
evaluated. The section also demonstrates how the other guiding
principles can inform the process.

We restrict discussion to the process of addressing and resolving financial
blocks – it clearly lies outside the scope of this text to explore the finance
area from a left-brained perspective focused on detailed content.

step 1: redefining the financial block to
implementation As we saw earlier, the ‘big-money model’ of

business start-up is more spoken about than applied in practice. In
terms of the problem-solving model, therefore, it is all the more
important that you avoid any immediate rush to solve the apparent
problem of raising a particular amount of money. It is much better first
of all to challenge the problem definition using the techniques which
were discussed at Step One: seeking and shaping opportunities.

the ‘big-money model’ of business start-up
is more spoken about than applied in
practice

Use the ‘5 Whys’ technique to explore why you consider you need a
specific amount. Use the technique again to challenge why particular
costs have to be incurred, bearing in mind the five rules of asset
parsimony. Jeff Bezos stripped out all ancillary costs, including desks; in
contrast, Boo.com was so convinced of the need to present an holistic
image of a leading-edge internet enterprise that significant sums were
spent on state-of-the-art offices located in some of the world’s most
expensive cities. Like easyJet, what tasks can you outsource in order to
avoid investment in either physical or human capital?

Examine how you have phrased your financial problem – what
assumptions does it reveal? Instead of raising money, suppose you
earned it through sale, or were offered it as a gift? Instead of raising
money, suppose you raised expertise, a long-term sales contract or an