The Stressor of Silos in Exasperated Enterprises-A Case for Bricolage in Business Resilience

Our research extract intends to identify the need for "Bricolage" in the accentuated global challenge of building Business Resilience. Our recent organizational studies show the increased formation of Silos, Conflict Zones across the Corporate Pyramid, and the lack of ability to deal with the latent yet superior potential of Diversity within the organizations. This warrants a discussion on the idea of Bricolage and its application in solving complex human-centric problems that severely impair the Resilient nature of enterprises. Furthermore, Group Think is sabotaging organizations' growth prospects owing to the increased demonstration of the similarity of outdated collective approaches that cease to challenge the status quo.

Bricolage?originates from the work of Lévi-Strauss (1966). It denotes making do with current resources. It also refers to creating something new from little available resources or combining various limited resources (Baker and Nelson, 2005; Fisher, 2012). The time for this concept has come, and business leaders must focus on the scientific approaches to creating stakeholder value.

Proposition 1: Silos are reaching a point of Inflection.

Increased internal stressors lead to suppression of communication. A survival approach is sought by limiting the exchange of resources to bolster security needs. A struggle for regaining power equilibrium during times of chaos also leads to this territorial protection through isolation. It is mired with the intent of seeking secrecy and localization to avoid accidental disclosures and a demonstration of increasing withdrawal from collaborative causes. It creates a false sense of security among managers, compromising the overall achievement of organizational objectives & transparency. Silos build invisible walls that promote defensive Group Think.

Proposition 2: Conflict Zones across the Organizational Pyramid encourage the application of "force" as a strategy enunciated by powerful leader-driven blocs.

Chaos & Turbulences dislodge the natural equilibrium. Regaining the status quo is a problem as disorder induces altered opportunities. This status quo approach opposes the fundamental construct of turbulence, as the only remedy is to identify new opportunities and grow. After every chaos, we live in an altered reality that shifts the ecosystem to a new orbit. Thus organizations have no choice but to alter their inherent behaviors, capabilities, and business models. This concept opposes regaining equilibrium, and conflicts become unproductive when not used creatively. Confrontations have an innate power to challenge the status quo and come out of the zones of Group Think. However, organizations succumb to selecting Silos that suppress stressors, raising the risk of Inflection and accentuating blame games and harmful conflicts. Silos, therefore, promote a lack of ownership and accountability at the individual level when the situation calls for actions beyond programmed decisions.

Proposition 3: Group Think opposes the construct of Prowess of Diversity.

When Chaos and Group Think create opposing power blocs, the casualty is always the diversity of experience, which is such an intangible advantage. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion remain a mere dream and powerless thought. We increasingly see the generation gaps emerging as stressors in organizations. With an increasingly disillusioned young workforce, the talent pipeline becomes an inherent challenge. This leads to the suppression of diversity of thinking and renders the young talent "obedient hands." Gender diversity is known to promote complimenting thought processes if channeled effectively. However, when the Prowess of Diversity is not tapped, it leads to the compromise of Collaborative Thinking that Bricolage propagates.

Proposition 4: Bricolage enables creative thinking and augments Business Resilience.

When applied with vigor, diversity of experience and cognitive abilities ensure the collapse of "Power Blocs." The Design Thinking Process promotes the idea of 'Intelligent Experiments". These business experiments inquired through research methodologies tap into the inner World of all stakeholders through "Empathize." When diversity of thought is applied to the approach of "Sense Making," we move beyond symptomatic indicators to a real "Problem Definition." Bricolage also facilitates and bolsters the "Ideation" process. A "Prototype" thus designed has a higher probability of success and ensures collaborative "Scaling" across the Enterprise. Design Thinking thus embodies the concept of Bricolage.

Proposition 5: Exasperated Organizations need Design Capabilities.

Exasperation is an Emotion of intense irritation and annoyance emerging from the absolute compromise of stakeholder expectations. It damages the core fabric of every organization. Such organizations experience severe sustainability issues or an inability to cope with environmental shocks. Increased undesired Attrition, loss of Stakeholder engagement, erosion of Capital, and fragile Business Value Chains and Supply Chains are its manifestations. It depicts an outdated frame that needs re-design. Design essentially means the Capability to "Plan & Make." It is an eternal competency that determines the human ability to create success. When creativity flourishes, intellectual stimulation leads to actualized performance.

Proposition 6: Bricolage creates Organizations with a Human Touch.

People are the core appreciating Assets of every organization. People participating in Cross-Functional Problem Solving scenarios gain superior competencies. Peer coaching is a natural outcome of Cross-Functional Collaboration. It is also seen to build "Empathetic Organizations." When people unleash their innate intellectual and cognitive abilities, Bricolage reaches its pinnacle of outcomes. Having the right people with expansive willingness in a continual capability-building journey builds a winning and Resilient organization. Organizations with Human Touch create enormous Social Capital and ever-increasing Stakeholder Value. Shared Leadership is the key to Bricolage. Simple yet so challenging to determine in the absence of deliberate intent.

Proposition 7: Bricolage is Fundamental to Organizational Resilience.

Black Swan Events which are so difficult to predict, need intense collaboration to prepare, absorb, and recover to ensure new business orbits. Capital Generation, Information Sharing, and Bricolage are the aspects that determine Business Sustainability when push comes to a shove. Increasing KPI orientation and lack of a Humane Touch diminishes the risk-taking abilities and collaborative efforts in sustaining Intelligent Experiments. Without expansive collaboration that transcends the idea of Silos, Resilience will only remain a dream. Once the capital and stakeholder engagement erodes end of the business is a natural outcome. Organizations must wake up to this reality and ensure Silos are destroyed and a collaborative innovation process is enabled. This is essential for survival and continued growth through value creation.

In conclusion, our primary and secondary research states that Design Thinking is a scientific approach that augments Bricolage in every organization. Therefore, it makes sense to embark on a deliberate strategy to imbibe Bricolage as a natural fabric of Organizational Culture. Moreover, it would help if you had Bricolage to manage the unpredictabilities and vagaries of this unpredictable divided World we live in. Therefore, you need to imbibe Bricolage through Design Thinking Process.

Copyright: Niket Karajagi

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