Lessons from history: interchangeable parts and the Springfield Armory: The right people in the right place – with the right government in the right industry

Abstract

Purpose

Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

Like lightning, you never know where innovation success may strike. Or do you? While luck and seemingly random factors often seem the main source of a significant development, other factors can be both identified and manipulated to create a lightning conductor for a business. History has several lessons that can teach firms where and when success may strike – why the industrial revolution took place in the mills of England's county of Lancashire, or why the computer technology boom of the 1970s and 1980s was centered in California's Silicon Valley. Detailed analysis of historical developments in context can lead to fascinating insights into the why and when of business success and maybe the how of it being replicated in the future.

Practical implications

Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

Citation

(2006), "Lessons from history: interchangeable parts and the Springfield Armory: The right people in the right place – with the right government in the right industry", Strategic Direction, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 6-8. https://doi.org/10.1108/02580540610654626