The culture of the enterprise can either enable or disable the customer focus and its product/process/structure improvement cycles.
With a customer-focused culture, a continuous improvement enterprise can form or reform.
Conversely, enterprises that focus on their products, processes, structure, and/or culture are going to be less effective at adapting and surviving in their changing world. These things are important, and must be considered. However, with any of these things as a principal enterprise focus, the enterprise's past (shown in its current products, processes, structure and culture) becomes an anchor in the journey to the enterprise vision and goals, rather than a starting point. With a customer focus, the enterprise can ride out the turbulent storms of change while progressing to its next destination. The concept described herein provides the rudder and power source to move towards that destination.
To emphasize the spiral-life-cycle of continuous quality improvement, this expanded supplier/customer model shows the perpetual flow of improvement efforts and the importance of an enterprise culture that is open to management of change.
An open culture and a customer focused enterprise are key to effective and efficient collaboration (informing, involving, and coordinating) methods.