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AD PATRONOS_ING.indd 6 29/9/08 13:09:29 AD PATRONOS_ING.indd 7 29/9/08 13:09:30 BUSINESS CASES THE SPECIALISTERNE CASE Managing difference as a competitive advantage Thorkil Sonne founded SpecialiSTerne (“THE SPECIALISTS”, IN DANISH) IN 2001. HE PRESENTLY EMPLOYS MORE THAN 50 CONSULTANTS, ALL OF THEM WITH SOME VARIATION OF ASPERGER SYNDROME AND AUTISM, SPECIALISTS IN AREAS SUCH AS SOFTWARE TESTING OR DATA AND FUNCTIONALITY VALIDATION. [email protected] Javier Busquets is presently a professor and head of ESADE´s Information Systems Department. His specialization is the manager’s role in technology innovation processes and information systems strategy. In 2007 he received the IBM Faculty Award for Innovation in Banking Services. Two years consecutively, in 2006 and 2007, he received the award from the North American Case Research Association (NACRA) for the best case outside of the US and Canada. He has publications in Communications of ACM, the Journal of Information 220x140_ESADE_oct08 3/10/08 13:38 P�gina 1 Technology, Innovations and Decision Support C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Systems and has participated in and organized JAVIER BUSQUETS JAVIER several international conferences. Ningún sentido escapa a nuestra comunicación En Sono creamos comunicación integral, porque para nosotros la comunicación significa convertir en realidad las ideas de nuestros clientes. [email protected] n November 1999, Sonne they find it difficult to work in Jonathan Wareham is associate professor of Information Systems at ESADE (Ramon Llull met with his youngest son’s teams. However, nowhere did I University). His field of research focuses on the psychologist, who confirmed find what they can do”. I intersection between information technologies, a diagnosis of autism. It is esti- economics and strategy. His studies have been published in several specialized journals and mated today that autism affects FORMING THE COMPANY conference proceedings, such as Decision Support 1% of the world population. Of Thorkil Sonne created Special- Systems, IEEE Transactions on Engineering this 1%, only 6% have any type of isterne by interpreting these Management, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, the Journal of Medical paid employment. Thus, people characteristics as a competitive Internet Research, Harvard Business School who suffer autism also frequently advantage. Sonne left his job at Publishing, and the Academy of Management Best suffer rejection and alienation. a technology company, asked for Paper Proceedings. He is presently the AIS adjunct research editor for Information Systems and the As Sonne states: “the literature a mortgage on his home in order JONATHAN WAREHAM JONATHAN AIS Journal, as well as ESADE’s Head of Research. on autism stresses everything to finance the new business and that these people cannot do: got his first contract from the they have low social interaction; company where he had been working for fifteen years. Be- Sonne states: “We are the cause of his experience in soft- first organization that deliberately ware development projects, he recognizes the strong knew that one of the toughest, points of autism” most repetitive tasks is software testing, which constitutes over they show difficulty in under- 30% of the cost of developing Servicios de producción standing body language, facial any information system. para eventos expressions, in other words, It is a very boring, troublesome implicit communication; they do task that requires a great deal not accept changeable environ- of attention and concentration ments, they prefer routine and on detail. 52 Barcelona Tel. +34 93 480 10 00 I Fax +34 93 480 10 01 www.sono.es I [email protected] Madrid Tel. +34 91 662 42 17 I Fax +34 91 662 45 42 052-54 Casos_ING.indd 52 17/10/08 09:36:44 Composici�n BUSINESS CASES Sonne states: “We are the first organization that deliberately recognizes the strong points of autism: extreme attention to detail, excellent memory and a great capacity for concentration and for very systematic work, and that uses these characteris- tics to perform specific tasks for Thorkil Sonne, important customers in the high founder of technology sector”. Specialisterne (left), next to Ignasi Carreras, Director of the CARE AND MANAGEMENT ESADE Institute for Innovation, during OF THE PEOPLE a presentation of Leading a company with these the case, organized by ESADE Alumni’s characteristics is not easy. BIT Club The first challenge facing the business is integrating the Specialisterne consultants in social interaction with other ap- Storm line of robots, program- their workplace. Software testing plication developers. mable in a Linux environment. requires that the Specialisterne Not all candidates interviewed The training process serves to consultants be physically present by Specialisterne are accepted. validate their ability to integrate at their clients’ location; this They must go through a training in the company. The objective circumstance is not always easy program which was designed of the training is for them to for the consultants who prefer jointly with LEGO education, and be able to recognize anomalies predictable routines and who is based on observing their abili- and deviations in software ap- 220x140_ESADE_oct08 3/10/08must 13:38 make P�gina an effort1 to establish ties while playing with the Mind- plications. According to Sonne, C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Ningún sentido escapa a nuestra comunicación En Sono creamos comunicación integral, porque para nosotros la comunicación significa convertir en realidad las ideas de nuestros clientes. Servicios de producción para eventos Barcelona Tel. +34 93 480 10 00 I Fax +34 93 480 10 01 www.sono.es I [email protected] Madrid Tel. +34 91 662 42 17 I Fax +34 91 662 45 42 052-54 Casos_ING.indd 53 17/10/08 09:36:47 Composici�n BUSINESS CASES Thorkil Sonne created Specialisterne by Strategic sometimes forget it, people are interpreting the characteristics and operational the key to results. In innovation, of autism as CHALLENGES it is precisely the “differences” a competitive advantage. The most important strategic that people bring to the table challenge is positioning the which are key in creating value. company and exploiting its spe- “Software activists”, musicians, cialization. Work performed by designers or consultants with As- persons with disabilities is often perger syndrome. Everyone can considered “social work” instead contribute value based on their of considering the quality of their differences. Everyone needs work. Early in the history of the care and inclusion, in contrast company, one customer decided to the human tendency to build to terminate the contract in favor of a cheaper alternative. Sonne An economy based on innovation recalls: “I could have lowered the relies on people’s talents, which prices, making an effort to keep often amount to idiosyncrasies the customer, but that might “simply speaking, they naturally have confirmed the perception “social circles” around people see details that most people do that Specialisterne really was like ourselves. The example of not notice.” more a philanthropic project than Specialisterne invites us to think The work is supervised by a team a first-class testing supplier. about tolerance and respect leader who coordinates the team After a tough deliberation, I toward others, and to turn the work. This person’s role is key decided not to change the price. management of differences and due to the necessary knowledge This step may have been painful diversity into a source of genuine of software development, for a initially, but it was worth it in the competitive advantage. pedagogical support and in order mid term. The customer returned to translate the idiosyncrasies of after becoming increasingly dis- the Specialisterne consultants satisfied with the alternative”. in the work settings where the activity is carried out. “This com- the economy petency is fundamental, since OF innovation even the team leaders need This case should not be surpris- support here. Interacting with the ing to us. An economy based consultants is not always a sim- on innovation relies on people’s ple task”, one of the company’s talents, which often amount to managers admits. “idiosyncrasies”. Even though we Presentation of the Specialisterne case at ESADE drew a large crowd 54 052-54 Casos_ING.indd 54 17/10/08 09:36:55 055 Anu Jabugo Real.indd 3 6/10/08 12:58:07 ESADE NEWS Financial markets under debate ESADE organized a round table debate with participation from the Conseller of Economy for the Catalonian regional government, Antoni Castells; President of La Caixa, Isidre Fainé; and Josep Oliu, from the Banc Sabadell. Moderated by ESADE’s end of this economic crisis, risk has changed, especially director general, Carlos though all agreed that there with regard to sectors like Losada (Lic&MBA 79), some would be slow recovery. Oliu real estate, but he insisted of the principal players in stated that “we find ourselves that “the availability of the Catalonian economy in a serious situation”, to mortgages has not changed participated in a round table which Fainé added, “we will one iota”; Fainé concurred in whose main topic was the have this crisis for at least saying that the true conflict expectations and needs of our one more year”. is in lack of demand, due economy in its current state of to increased prices and crisis. Addressing an audience MORTGAGE interest rates. In response of 500, the guest speakers AVAILABILITY to several voices that note generally indicated that no Oliu explained that the a progressive shutdown of one can project a date for the institutions’ perception of credit that the banks could be extending, the presidents of the two largest Catalonian institutions recognized that less credit is being granted because business projects are being studied much more closely in order to determine their profitability. Some of the strategies to keep the crisis from worsening have to do with controlling inflation and insisting on improved productivity.

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