Conventional wisdom is a major barrier to innovation that threatens the survival of companies everywhere.It’s based on the assumption that old ideas will always work, so they shouldn’t be challenged.While this may be a valid assumption in situations that don’t change, it’s unlikely to hold true in a changing situation.In today’s rapid changing global environment, old methods often don't work, and stubbornly using them can lead to major problems.
Most people seem to agree with conventional wisdom because it gives one a false sense of security.If everyone else believes it, then it must be true.Individuals who use conventional wisdom are certain that they are right, and being right is good.They want to continue using old ideas rather than take risks with changes that might not work.In 1977, Ken Olsen, co-founder and CEO of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), stated “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.” Despite being a dominant leader in the computer industry, DEC no longer exists.People seem to forget that since innovation is a change, there can be no in
novation without change.Unfortunately, conventional wisdom prevents leaders, followers and companies from changing and therefore innovating.If companies don’t innovate, but their competitors do, the future is likely to be problematic.Breaking from conventional wisdom has led to many of the most innovative companies and products in history across many industries, so it has a powerful effect on business success.
Ted Turner (founder of CNN) knew little, if anything, about the news business, but he knew it was inconvenient to watch news only at the dinner hour, as was common before CNN.Turner’s solution was to create a cable channel dedicated to news 24 hours a day.The news establishment reflected conventional wisdom at the time, and predicted his idea would fail because no one wanted to watch the news all day.However, ____.Viewers just have to watch when they want to get information.Due to conventional thinking, the critics failed to recognize the opportunity that was clear to Ted.They assumed that only what was familiar to them could work in the future.
Conventional wisdom prevents creativity, flexibility and risk-taking, so unconventional leaders enthusiastically break from it.To survive, thrive and maintain competitive advantage, companies must be flexible when reacting to change.
67.DEC has disappeared probably because ___________.
A.the consumers didn’t like its products
B.the leaders lacked the sense of security
C.the CEO stuck to the conventional ideas
D.the employees took many risks with changes
68.The founding of CNN is used as an example to prove _________.
A.missing opportunities could lead to failure
B.changing could contribute to business success
C.watching news at the dinner hour is convenient
D.conventional wisdom influences business success
69.What does the underlined part probably mean?
A.Rocket scientists can ensure the CNN works properly.
B.Most of the viewers don’t like to watch the news at work.
C.It’s necessary to understand when people watch the news.
D.It’s easy to know people needn’t watch the news all the time.
70.The passage is mainly written to tell us that ______.
A.old methods are changing with time
B.opportunities lead to business success
C.conventional wisdom limits innovation
D.successful companies need wise leaders
Lost in the Post
How would you feel if the letter you penned carefully and posted to your favorite star ended up in the recycling bin? That's where unopened fan mail sent to singer Taylor Swift was found in Nashville.___71___
Swift’s management said it was an accident, but dealing with piles of letters is a burden for most public figures.According to the BBC reporter Jon Kelly, at the height of his fame, Johnny Depp was said to receive up to 10,000 letters a week.___72___
The dawn of the digital age in which public figures with a Twitter account can be messaged directly has made the process easier.The White House says it deals with 20,000 messages addressed to President Barack Obama each day.
Some celebrities don’t want letters.In 2008, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr said that he would throw them out because he was too busy.___73___ Robert Pattinson, star of the Twilight films, claims that he reads tonnes and tonnes of letters from fans, which takes up almost all his free time.
Many artists, however, outsource(外包) the task of opening, reading and replying.Sylvia “Spanky” Taylor, 58, has run a service in California that does just that since 1987.___74___ Most letters are simply declarations of affection and admiration, she says.A few ask for money.A small number contain threats which require her to contact the celebrity’s security team and law enforcement.
The biggest problem for Taylor is working out how to deal with the correspondence(通信).Presents such as soft toys are sent to local hospitals, and most of the letters just get shredded and recycled.
___75___ For some, this is enough, according to Lynn Zubernis, an expert at West Chester University.She says that the relationship between fan and celebrity may exist only in the mind of the former but it comes from a deeply-rooted human need for community.
A.Others do attempt to get through it themselves.
B.In fact, there is no alternative to deal with the problem.
C.How could he have enough time to skim through these letters one by one?
D.Typically, correspondence is acknowledged by a photo with a printed “signature”.
E.Accordingly, the correspondence problem has been difficult for the computer to automate
F.She and her staff deal with up to 20,000 items of mail a month on behalf of 26 celebrities.
G.This incident has caused a wide public concern about how the public figures deal with the letters or mails from the fans.
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