Musk’s altruistic assertions aside, the long-term future of Tesla, even as it expands its model line downscale, depends on a further broadening of the skinny base of electric-vehicle sales beyond rich people who buy them as sporty and green-tinted playthings. If sharing old technologies will help in that regard, Tesla has little to lose. For any Tesla competitor to capture the masses, electric stalls must be easier for people who live in apartments and condos to access.
And make no mistake: Tesla isn’t standing still, so its old patents are only going to be of so much use to any rival. “You want to be innovating so fast that you invalidate your prior patents,” Musk wrote on his blog in announcing this move.
“This, ultimately, is a strategy of convenience. Would Musk release all his patents to the purview of rival Virgin Galactic and let Richard Branson … cherry-pick the technologies and innovations he likes? Probably not.”
Besides, so far, Tesla’s big advantage hasn’t been in its electric-vehicle battery systems per se, but in arenas such as appealing design, high-quality manufacture and effective marketing featuring Musk himself at the center of the Tesla universe. The key to its success as a vehicle designer and manufacturer has been Tesla’s ability to focus only on electric vehicles and to optimize everything around making them work well, and no other automaker is likely to duplicate that laser-like concentration anytime soon. Or to bankroll such a venture endlessly in the face of marketplace nonchalance, the way Musk did for years.
What’s more, Toyota let all sorts of rivals come in and look at its factories over the years, but none has ever been able to match the efficiency of the vaunted Toyota Production System. Toyota kept ahead of its competitors in manufacturing, and its recent marketplace travails haven’t had anything to do with vehicle quality.
This, ultimately, is a strategy of convenience. Would Musk release all his patents to the purview of rival Virgin Galactic and let Richard Branson, who’s competing with Musk to establish a viable space-flight business, cherry-pick the technologies and innovations he likes? Probably not.
FORBES: Tesla’s Elon Musk: Take Our Patents, They’re Yours
TESLA BLOG: All Our Patent[s] … Belong To You
THE GUARDIAN: BMW and Tesla executives meet to discuss electric cars
BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK: Why Elon Musk Just Opened Tesla’s Patents to His Biggest Rivals
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
