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Two plus two.(ViewPoint: FirstWord)
Recently I stumbled across an interview with actor Michael J. Fox on the television program Inside the Actors Studio. At one point he was asked which school subject was least useful to him, and he said "math." The answer wasn't surprising--lots of people hate math--but his explanation is what caught my attention: "If two plus two equals four every time for everybody who does the problem" he said, "then what good is it?"
What good, indeed. I'm sure math is useful to Fox, even if he uses it for nothing else than to tally donations to his foundation for research into Parkinson's disease. But his point is that as an actor he looks for tools that help him respond to conditions that are always changing. The very essence of acting is that the role changes depending on who is playing it, and although the script is the same, every performance is different from every other.
That got me thinking about how remodelers are often urged to make their businesses operate like math--such that they get the same answer no matter who does the problem. But the very strength of a system dedicated to one thing is also its weakness--it is only good for one thing. A surgeon who specializes in just one part of the anatomy can help a lot of people who have the same problem, but outside that small sphere of influence his value is limited. In most cases, of course, the advantages of a single-minded approach outweigh the disadvantages. But in some circumstances, keeping more options open is the wiser course.
A HYBRID APPROACH
About the same time, I began to notice the term "hybrid" popping up in unfamiliar contexts. We are accustomed to hearing about hybrid animal breeds or varieties of flowers or garden vegetables--engineered combinations that result in a unique entity that is bigger, stronger, a particular color, or more resistant to disease. In short, something that is better adapted to the conditions for which it was created.
These days, though, the term "hybrid" is seemingly everywhere. ...
- Study Finds Hybrid Approach Most Cost-Effective Method For Partner Integration;...
- Press release article from: Business Wire July 14, 2003 700+ words
...connections. The study established that a hybrid approach of combining direct-communication...electronic supply chain costs by using a hybrid approach. "Our study found that a hybrid...selected Sterling Commerce solutions in a hybrid approach to handle the exchange of critical...
- Hybrid approach to system design.
- Magazine article from: Control Engineering January 1, 2009 700+ words
...techniques. Experience shows that a hybrid approach works best. Top down To use the top...disciplines are similarly skilled. The hybrid approach is easy to apply to any engineering...combine them appropriately in the hybrid approach. Even when an engineer is working...
- The hybrid approach: mixing satellite with land-based solutions.(to back-up...
- Magazine article from: Communications News Kamal, Sherin S. March 1, 1990 700+ words
THE HYBRID APPROACH A hybrid approach to backup--using satellite and terrestrial lines--lets...data but for T1, T3, and videoconferencing services. A hybrid approach using satellite communications provides a reliable alternative...
- Speaker identification: a hybrid approach using neural networks and wavelet...
- Magazine article from: Journal of Computer Science Al-Ani, Muzhir Shaban Mohammed, Thabit Sultan Aljebory, Karim M. May 1, 2007 700+ words
...techniques is given. In[11], a hybrid approach of wavelet transform and neural networks...diagnosing pulmonary diseases. This same hybrid approach together with a number of other approaches...speaker. In this study, we consider a hybrid approach, where the feature extraction ...
- Hybrid approach is winner in telecom convergence race.(Brief Article)
- Magazine article from: Houston Business Journal Koshy, Joe July 7, 2000 700+ words
...telecommunications network with an IP network. This hybrid approach affords a business the security of the old network along with the promised advantages of the new. The hybrid approach is the best way in terms of cost and commitment for businesses...
- BT Hopes To Benefit From Hybrid Approach.(British Telecom)
- Newspaper article from: Inside Digital TV August 4, 2004 700+ words
...few years. To do so, the company is likely to adopt a hybrid approach to providing rich media and content services. Andrew Burke...TV in an exclusive interview that he is a supporter of a hybrid approach. Such a method would require an additional signal, either...
- BT Hopes To Benefit From Hybrid Approach.
- News wire article from: The America's Intelligence Wire August 4, 2004 700+ words
...few years. To do so, the company is likely to adopt a hybrid approach to providing rich media and content services. Andrew Burke...TV in an exclusive interview that he is a supporter of a hybrid approach. Such a method would require an additional signal, either...
- Making more of the middle: insurers must apply a hybrid approach to succeed in...
- Magazine article from: Best's Review Blades, Judy January 1, 2004 700+ words
...in this promising market sector, insurers must apply a hybrid approach, balancing the need for speed, productivity and efficiency...intensity and integrity. Ideally, these businesses require a hybrid approach that allows accounts to be handled in an efficient way so...
- A Hybrid Approach.(management ways for originators)
- Magazine article from: Origination News March 1, 2005 700+ words
...mortgages, have been the product of late seems fitting being that originating loans in many ways recently has required a "hybrid" approach. We think this type of market calls for a mix of diverse characteristics not only in terms of the loan products offered...
- Will the hybrid approach ultimately win? * The future of messaging...
- Magazine article from: Network World Osterman, Michael July 19, 2007 700+ words
...managed solutions that manage these capabilities at their own data center(s). There are some advantages to offering a hybrid approach, including more choice for customers and the ability to provide a more flexible upgrade path in the future. For example...
Source: HighBeam Research, Two plus two.(ViewPoint: FirstWord)