Digital Moneyball

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Digital Moneyball is a transformation playbook designed for firms in the B2B industrial market. Though people in business units or segments of large companies can play Moneyball, it is mainly intended for small to mid-sized businesses (SMB’s).

As digital transformation progresses across the industry, lack of scale puts these firms at Defcon 2.  Larger players will increasingly exploit their economies of scale in digital, and the "winner-take-all" phenomena of digital will accelerate the already-ongoing consolidation across the value chain.  However, smaller players have shown the ability to play Moneyball by harnessing the power of digital to become formidable adversaries.  

Digital Moneyball Principles

Many think that digital transformation is extraordinarily complicated.  It’s not.  The first steps you need to take are fairly basic, and they don’t require you to radically transform your business.  The transformation principles behind the Moneyball playbook are as follows:

• Evolutionary:  Firms in the B2B Industrial space will likely require an evolutionary, not revolutionary, approach. The techniques for large company transformation are not necessarily the same as those best suited for evolution, which require a different playbook.

• Uncomplicated:  Though digital and business strategy are both inherently nuanced, complex topics, firms must adopt sensible, pragmatic, and easy-to-understand methods and strategies to effectively mobilize people and harness human capital.

• Immediate:  Digital transformation isn’t merely a multi-year proposition. Short-term results, oriented to a long-term vision, are not only achievable but necessary, as they set the organization on the path of long-term change. In today’s world, businesses must set a long-term vision but plan in weeks, not years. The business must use tools and techniques that drive a sense of urgency and rally teams towards creating fast step-change improvements. Looming threats are just too urgent and necessitate immediate initiatives to adapt to changing market conditions.  

• Integrated:   Digital strategy and business strategy must be integrated, not separate. Digital is a key part of continuous improvement, part of the customer experience, part of designing new products, etc. Additionally, digital transformation is often roadblocked by gaps in traditional business, and therefore must be considered in an integrated strategy.  

• Specific: B2B industrial products firms have unique and specific challenges, opportunities, and focus areas for digital evolution.  Digital Moneyball focuses on their world and provides specific recommendations based on common observed flaws and needs across this industry. 

If these principles make sense to you, contact us to find out if Digital Moneyball can help your firm.