What is the cost of failing to adapt for your organisation?
Whilst researching for a presentation on organisations that have struggled with adapting, I was struck by how the London Underground’s approach to operations since the 1960s highlights the real cost of resisting change.
Despite having the world’s first underground train network, London has fallen behind other cities in adapting to new systems. Seoul Subway, for example, embraced automation and modern systems decades before TfL did.
What have been the key decisions that are holding back change?
- TfL didn’t implement any full automation on lines until 2012, decades after other metro systems like those in Paris, Tokyo, and Seoul had already embraced it.
- Strong resistance from unions against the introduction of driverless trains created significant barriers, preventing TfL from modernising at the pace of global counterparts.
- Despite the availability of more efficient, modern signalling systems, TfL continued to rely on manual systems, dating back to the 60s, until as recently as 2023. In contrast, Seoul Subway adopted advanced signalling technologies back in the 70s, allowing for a faster and more reliable service.
- While TfL has stagnated, Seoul Subway began modernising its operations in the 70s and continues to improve its infrastructure and technology every year.
By resisting change, TfL has seen its quality stall, whilst others have innovated and improved.
The impact of this resistance goes beyond just service quality. In 2023, the cost per journey for the London Underground was over 3x higher than the Seoul Subway, highlighting how failing to modernise made TfL not only less efficient but significantly more expensive to operate.
Failing to adapt and embrace innovation leads to stagnation and higher costs. Organisations that resist change fall behind, while those that innovate and embrace it stay competitive.
Embracing change is key to a sustainable future, both socially and financially, for your organisation. Think about the long-term costs of resisting innovation for your organisation and the opportunities you might miss by staying still.
#ChangeManagement #TechnologyAdoption #OrganisationalChange #DigitalTransformation #Adaptability
System and network administrator.
3dInteresting and amazing