ABSTRACT
So far in this third part of the book, I have discussed the emergence of models that create value by technological innovation or by operational excellence. In this section, I examine the emergence of models that create value through customer intimacy. Whereas technological innovators are the obvious descendants of research-based companies and operationally excellent companies the descendants of imitative, generic companies, customer intimate companies have fewer and less obvious ancestors in the life science sector. The genes (that is, the organisational routines) for customer intimacy are much less evolved in a sector traditionally focused on products. Customer intimacy as a concept is therefore less understood in the industry, and my exploration of its evolution is likely to be misunderstood unless I begin with some defi nition and clarifi cation.
