Author Archive

Social media and the collaborative culture

Posted: October 14, 2010, 9:24 am

Author: Gerry Murphy, former president, SunGard’s brokerage & clearance business

Lately I have been thinking more and more about how to best use social media and the many new collaborative communication technologies that are available today. For me, social media extends into many different spheres, including innovation, service, organizational culture and diversity. It is about finding and embracing new and more efficient ways to collaborate, create and work more productively as a business.

We are already seeing significant adoption of new communication technologies within our organization, such as Yammer, secure instant messaging and real-time video sharing. I firmly believe that the adoption of and potential for social media will only grow in the coming years.

Recently, SunGard’s CEO Cristóbal Conde spoke at a conference organized by the Economist about this topic, and his talk was captured in a blog post. Cris gets to the heart of what it means to create a “collaborative culture” stemming from the availability of new communication tools that have created what he calls an “idea ecosystem.” I want to share part of his talk here, as it echoes some of my own beliefs about where we are headed in terms of social media and business.

Now, an important culture shift has taken place as information technology revolutionized the way people communicate, gain knowledge and work. In turn, it’s created a new “idea ecosystem” that has unlocked a massive reserve of human potential and, just as important, growth, for corporations.

…

Creating a collaborative culture is also a challenge that requires the right mindset and tools to flourish. Why should people collaborate? How do leaders establish a collaborative spirit in dispersed, competitive environments? In truth, the how is much simpler: by using tools that enable rapid communication, like email, Yammer, Twitter and other social media platforms that allow people to talk to each other quickly and trade ideas that they can develop into decisions.

Read the article in its entirety here: How flattening your company multiplies intelligence.

What are your thoughts on a collaborative business culture? What are the greatest challenges arising from this shift? What is the role of social media in all of this?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted in Brokerage & Clearance, Business Strategies, Efficiency, Networks, Our Products, Social Media & Networks

8 Comments

What we’re reading: September 14, 2010

Posted: September 14, 2010, 2:14 pm

Author: Gerry Murphy, former president, SunGard’s brokerage & clearance business

Today I wanted to share a few links to articles and blog posts that we have been reading here at SunGard brokerage & clearance. If you would like to share articles you have been reading, please add those links in the comments section.

Factbox: G20 Progress on Financial Regulation from Reuters: An overview of the global rules comprised in Basel III.

Basel III: Emerging Market Banks Get Off Lightly, For Now from the Financial Times BeyondBrics Blog: “The global standards announced on Sunday apply worldwide and could affect the long-term shape of banking in emerging markets.”

Principle, Bravery, and the X Factor from the Harvard Business Review Blog: A discussion about taking chances on innovative ideas and bravely sticking to inspired principles.

Was the Great Panic of 2008 Preventable? from the Washington Post: An opinion piece that asks the question: “What if the government had saved Lehman?”

Manage Risk Up! From Mark McDonald’s Gartner Blog: Gartner group vice president looks at different approaches to risk management.

Likeability: It’s an Inside Job from OPEN Forum: A discussion of how likeability is a key factor in business and how to up your likeability factor.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted in Brokerage & Clearance, Business Strategies, Financial Crisis, Financial Industry, Regulation, Risk, Technology Strategies

Add a Comment

8 Ways to achieve innovation

Posted: August 23, 2010, 12:53 pm

Author: Gerry Murphy, former president, SunGard’s brokerage & clearance business

Most people probably think of innovation as the process of creating something new. What some may not realize is that invention is just one type of innovation. There are multiple ways to be innovative in your business. As we face a changed landscape, we should all be thinking about different kinds of innovation and what makes sense for your business.

In thinking about this topic, I gathered some ideas from Raj Mahajan, president of SunGard’s trading segment. Like me, Raj has been contemplating the challenges and opportunities around innovation quite a bit this year, and I appreciate his input. I also gathered additional ideas from the brokerage & clearance team and came up with 8 ways to achieve innovation:

1. Innovation through new product generation or invention: Perhaps the most obvious form of innovation, this comes through creating something from scratch.

2. Innovation through product enhancement: This is another common type of innovation: finding ways to improve upon the products your organization already has in its arsenal. This may mean adding a useful feature or changing an existing one.

3. Innovation through acquisition: Another way to achieve innovation is to diversify and strengthen your organization through acquisition. This is a popular choice for many organizations.

4. Innovation through business model adaptation: Adapting your business model is a way to innovate at your organization that can change how you deliver and how customers may procure your offerings. One of the ways this is being achieved at many organizations today is through the implementation of SaaS solutions.

5. Innovation through experience: Loosely related to innovation through product enhancement, this powerful form of innovation involves finding ways to improve or augment your customers’ experience. This model could cover new services, more streamlined workflow, automation, relationship management, and more.

6. Innovation through ideation: Before innovation can be achieved, you need to find the ideas that can spur that innovation. One place to focus is on gathering and filtering ideas about how to improve.

7. Innovation through execution: You may have gathered some great new ideas about what to change, but if you cannot execute on those ideas, then you will not fully achieve innovation. I read an interesting Harvard Business Review blog recently entitled “Innovation is Not Creativity” that goes deeper into this concept.

8. Innovation through collaboration: While similar to innovation through ideation, the concept of collaborative innovation takes this a step further. Gathering ideas from a wider set of people – whether employees or another group – and then giving them the opportunity to shape the ideas by combining their diverse perspectives can be a powerful way to spur innovation and develop smart plans to execute and achieve your goals.

Certainly, not every innovation style works for every organization or business. But I believe that in changing times, it is important to look for new ways to grow, improve and adapt.

Would add anything else to this list? What types of innovation make sense for your business? Do you stick with what you know you’re good at, or do you prefer to stretch yourself to achieve a new form of innovation?

Tags: , , ,

Posted in Brokerage & Clearance, Business Strategies, Cost Reduction, Efficiency, Networks, Technology Strategies

6 Comments

Three takeaways from New York City Day 2010

Posted: June 30, 2010, 2:28 pm

Author: Gerry Murphy, former president, SunGard’s brokerage & clearance business

SunGard’s New York City Day event, held at the Waldorf-Astoria last week, was an afternoon filled with new ideas and forward-thinking conversations about best practices and the next steps for our industry.

From the start of the day through the keynote, during discussions in the hallways and in the focused breakout sessions, the energy was high and people were connecting to talk about what happens next.

For me, this annual event represents three key factors that are propelling our business and our industry forward.

  • Face-to-face time: We are all very busy, and it can sometimes seem impossible to leave the office or difficult to justify taking time between meetings to connect, share and learn together in person.  Events like SunGard’s City Days are focused on making the most of face-to-face time. For all the emails and phone calls that we exchange, they’re no replacement for shaking hands and talking in person. Read Aite Group research director Adam Honoré’s take on it here. It is it ever difficult for you to find face-to-face time?
  • Putting our heads together: The old adage “two heads are better than one” comes to mind. In the panel-style sessions at City Day, speakers built off each other’s ideas, and a collaborative spirit shaped the discussions. This harkens back to a blog post I wrote earlier in the year about diversity and the importance of having a variety of perspectives within your organization and the industry. It’s important to put our heads together and discuss the challenges and changes that are affecting our industry.

Did you attend SunGard’s New York City Day? What did you take away from the event? Do you value these three factors when you attend an industry event?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted in Brokerage & Clearance, Events, Financial Industry, Networks

6 Comments

Mark your calendars: SunGard’s New York City Day is on June 21

Posted: May 28, 2010, 9:34 am

Author: Gerry Murphy, former president, SunGard’s brokerage & clearance business

With summer approaching, it’s not only a great opportunity to take stock of where we are, but also to learn from each other. How can we best meet immediate challenges and help prepare for new business priorities that lie ahead?

That’s the focus at this year’s New York City Day, taking place on June 21, 2010, at the Waldorf Astoria. The focus for the day is on understanding what is on the horizon for our industry, while examining the significance that transparency, efficiency and networks will continue to play in the coming months.

Michael Lewis, author of The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, will be the keynote speaker. A New York Times best-selling author, Michael Lewis will undoubtedly provide an insightful and engaging start to the day. I am currently finishing The Big Short myself, so I am very much looking forward to hearing Michael speak. What are you hoping to take away from the keynote session?

To give you a taste of what you can expect that afternoon from SunGard’s brokerage and clearance business track, please take a look at the following sessions:

  • Transparency and efficiency in post-trade derivatives processing: The listed derivatives market is becoming more electronic, more global and more regulated than ever before and there is no standardized means of communication between the buy and sell sides. The clearing process is increasingly complex due to the rise in volumes, greater global activity and more adverse asset classes. And central clearing is bringing more transparency than ever before to the OTC market. How can firms improve their post-trade process and better manage risk? Hear from a panel of industry experts on how you can overcome these challenges and streamline the derivatives post-trade process.  Learn how you can decrease your counterparty exposure, automate transactions between participants, and gain greater control of your post trade activities.
  • Managing risk, controlling credit and handling collateral management in today’s regulatory environment: Can you calculate your real-time risk across your organization? Do you have a credit workflow that integrates your specific credit policies across all asset classes globally? Can you monitor counterparty exposure as well as perform collateral monitoring? Do you understand how the proposed regulatory changes will affect your business? If you’ve answered no to any of these questions, then don’t miss this session. Our panel of industry experts will discuss how several firms have used technology to help them manage their exposure in real-time, improve workflow, and better manage credit across all asset classes.
  • Managing data for cross-enterprise decisions: You face a deluge of data every day, trying to find that piece of information that will give you an edge. Can you analyze past patterns to shape the most effective strategy moving forward?  Do you get alerts when certain market developments occur? Are you getting reports with the information you need to make the most informed decisions enterprise-wide? Can you access the data you require easily and conveniently? Most important – is your data helping you to reduce risk? Hear how other firms have put the proper infrastructure in place to help them effectively manage their data, improve customer service, decrease costs and manage risk.

As you can see, we are packing many important industry discussions into one afternoon. REGISTER TODAY for this exciting event, and I hope to see you in New York in June.

In the meantime, visit our City Days site to learn about logistics, speakers, and additional sessions in New York and around the world. If you have any questions about the event, please contact us directly, or leave a comment below.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted in Brokerage & Clearance, Business Strategies, Efficiency, Events, Networks, Transparency

3 Comments