Problem Solver
Erik Smakman
I like to frame problems within their proper and full context, so that solutions are realistic, workable within this context. This comes from a belief that - in the area of organizations or society - complex interactions determine outcomes. Taking these interactions apart but also analyzing their interconnection is my strength.
Areas Erik Smakman is Knowledgeable in:
- mix of organisation and people in it, strategy/vision/objectives and processes
- using marketing tools and ideas to increase success rates
- wealth & poverty of nations, and how to solve the poverty puzzle
- using marketing tools and ideas to increase success rates
- wealth & poverty of nations, and how to solve the poverty puzzle
Techniques Erik Smakman Uses:
- cause & effect analysis
- logical thinking
- modelling (qualitative)
- brainstorming techniques, e.g. mindmapping
- logical thinking
- modelling (qualitative)
- brainstorming techniques, e.g. mindmapping
Erik Smakman's Problem Solving Skills:
- Creating and bringing new products to market
- Improving existing products and business models around customer needs
- Adapting organizational structures and processes to changing strategies
- Bringing business and result-oriented thinking into a non-business (government, healthcare, education, etc) context
- Introduce value thinking into process optimization
- Generalist problem solver with broad (not deep) insights in many industries, technologies and business functions
Erik Smakman's Problem Solving Experience:
- Company delivering a commodity construction product sees margins erode under competitive pressures. Interested to find a 'blue ocean' within its domain.
Applying 'go see for yourself', talking to customers and taking experience from other sectors gave a solution in taking the commodity-aspect out by adding new functionality (long term solution), and by focusing on the service aspect versus the pure functional product (short term solution)