y form a relation of which you should be aware but which also provides opportunities. The first thing to do when planning a change is to stop all maintenance. Another thing is to check the horizon when preparing for an investment. A more innovative attitude requires a short-term focus. High investments in maintenance erodes the innovation budget. AnThere are many activities that oppose to change initiatives. Maintenance is one you probably wouldn’t reckon to fit the profile, yet it is a very powerful element fighting change propositions. And possible without the intention of doing any harm.

Maintenance is the group of activities that are used to gradually upgrade... systems, buildings, cars and just everything else that is durable. Even knowledge can or should be maintained.

A business example. There is this information system. It has been designed eight years ago and all consecutive years the system has thoroughly been maintained. New functionality has been added according to extra requirement that were necessary to handle the latest developments. Due to this conscientious maintenance the system could survive years with the continuous launching of new technology. Voices in the same company to build or even buy a new system have been parried and the maintenance budget increases even more.

Think about the opposite of a situation where there is a complete absence of maintenance. House windows are a good example. When the paint peels off over time, and the wooden structure erodes, the window is due to replacement. And often maintenance-free-material like polyester or other synthetics replaces the traditional windows: “Hasta la vista windows!”

But serious, “maintenance” and “change” are fierce competitors. They form a relation of which you should be aware but which also provides opportunities. The first thing to do when planning a change is to stop all maintenance. Another thing is to check the horizon when preparing for an investment. A more innovative attitude requires a short-term focus. High investments in maintenance erodes the innovation budget. And

rs and just everything else that is durable. Even knowledge can or should be maintained.

A business example. There is this information system. It has been designed eight years ago and all consecutive years the system has thoroughly been maintained. New functionality has been added according to extra requirement that were necessary to handle the latest developments. Due to this conscientious maintenance the system could survive years with the continuous launching of new technology. Voices in the same company to build or even buy a new system have been parried and the maintenance budget increases even more.

Think about the opposite of a situation where there is a complete absence of maintenance. House windows are a good example. When the paint peels off over time, and the wooden structure erodes, the window is due to replacement. And often maintenance-free-material like polyester or other synthetics replaces the traditional windows: “Hasta la vista windows!”

But serious, “maintenance” and “change” are fierce competitors. They form a relation of which you should be aware but which also provides opportunities. The first thing to do when planning a change is to stop all maintenance. Another thing is to check the horizon when preparing for an investment. A more innovative attitude requires a short-term focus. High investments in maintenance erodes the innovation budget. An

latest developments. Due to this conscientious maintenance the system could survive years with the continuous launching of new technology. Voices in the same company to build or even buy a new system have been parried and the maintenance budget increases even more.

Think about the opposite of a situation where there is a complete absence of maintenance. House windows are a good example. When the paint peels off over time, and the wooden structure erodes, the window is due to replacement. And often maintenance-free-material like polyester or other synthetics replaces the traditional windows: “Hasta la vista windows!”

But serious, “maintenance” and “change” are fierce competitors. They form a relation of which you should be aware but which also provides opportunities. The first thing to do when planning a change is to stop all maintenance. Another thing is to check the horizon when preparing for an investment. A more innovative attitude requires a short-term focus. High investments in maintenance erodes the innovation budget. An

intenance. House windows are a good example. When the paint peels off over time, and the wooden structure erodes, the window is due to replacement. And often maintenance-free-material like polyester or other synthetics replaces the traditional windows: “Hasta la vista windows!”

But serious, “maintenance” and “change” are fierce competitors. They form a relation of which you should be aware but which also provides opportunities. The first thing to do when planning a change is to stop all maintenance. Another thing is to check the horizon when preparing for an investment. A more innovative attitude requires a short-term focus. High investments in maintenance erodes the innovation budget. An

y form a relation of which you should be aware but which also provides opportunities. The first thing to do when planning a change is to stop all maintenance. Another thing is to check the horizon when preparing for an investment. A more innovative attitude requires a short-term focus. High investments in maintenance erodes the innovation budget. And you cannot bet on both.

© 2007 Hans Bool