The Four Workarounds

As today’s business environment becomes ever more complex and unpredictable, conventional approaches often flounder. But some organizations and individuals find a way forward by discarding proven tactics and processes and, instead, pivoting to innovative, sometimes experimental solutions. Small organizations, underfunded nonprofits, start-ups, and individual operators often succeed only because they embrace unconventional methods, mainly out of necessity. But big corporations can resort to creative, resourceful strategies, too, when pressing issues or unique circumstances demand a quick, innovative response.

Simply following or breaking rules isn’t always the best way to get something done. Often there is an option that lies in between. Paulo Savaget

Paulo Savaget, who works in both the Department of Engineering Science and the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, conducts research in entrepreneurship, sustainable development, systems change, and innovation management. He focuses on the transformation of unjust systems through entrepreneurship. He’s been studying bold, resourceful — or “scrappy” — problem solvers for years.