Chris Bondy of RIT’s School of Media sciences, Wayne Peterson of the Black Canyon Consulting Group, and Dr. Joe Webb of Strategies for Management announced the creation of a new, not-for-profit information and education resource for graphic communications leaders. The announcement was made in Chicago at the Print 13 conference. 

Professor Bondy initially approached Mr. Peterson and Dr. Webb to discuss the business model transitions in the graphic communications industry, and to explore the need for companies to establish new and competitive advantages. The three began to collaborate, working from each individual’s primary research and industry experience as consultants, to develop an approach to meet the competitive need.  

Bondy, Peterson, and Webb agreed that any resource capable of meeting the need would have two criteria: it needed to be scalable so that it could be used by companies of all sizes, regardless of their resources, and it had to be comprehensive, addressing the entire enterprise and business model rather than one functional area. 

“No aspect of UnSquaring the Wheel is ‘cookie-cutter’ or ‘one-size-fits-all’—no two organizations are identical—to create a durable competitive advantage, an organization must maximize its differences and minimize the ways in which it is the same as its competitors.” said Dr. Joe Webb, one of UnSquaring’s creators. 

UnSquaring the Wheel begins with a company self-assessment. According to Professor Bondy, “It is vital for owners and executives to quickly create a picture of their own business enterprises. The assessment model captures strengths, resources, and challenges across the whole firm. It looks at three distinct business disciplines, and nine different aspects or ‘vectors’.” From that assessment, a plan can quickly be created to rebuild the basic business model. 

“Our focus has been on what it takes to build a healthy and growing business in the face of declining demand and intense competition.  There is no single ‘silver bullet’ answer to the challenge of creating a new and durable competitive advantage.  There’s no one aspect of a company that can do it alone.  So we addressed that reality
head-on.” offered Peterson.  

Bondy, Peterson, and Webb are developing a comprehensive resource guide comprised of web-based resources, including a digital version of the UnSquaring Assessment that subscribers will access on demand. Publication is expected in 2014.  

A two-day workshop has been created to introduce owners and executives to the UnSquaring process. The workshop assists each participant to focus on their businesses’ needs, starting with the UnSquaring Assessment and ending with an action plan tailored to the individual company. 

Executive workgroups are also being developed to encourage collaboration, and offer guidance and peer-to-peer interaction to business leaders in the midst of their own rebuilding processes. These groups will be moderated by Messers, Bondy, Peterson, and Webb and are scheduled to begin in 2014. 

All three founders of “Unquaring The Wheel” are making themselves available to consult with individual
companies as part of the program. This direct and confidential guidance in the rebuilding process will be offered in both virtual and on-site formats.