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24 Industrial Management A&P; remained a hermit and resisted change. thing, as can be seen by Fitbits (which are similar to a wristwatch and can be used to track calories, sleep patterns and weight loss), and Samsung's Wrist Phone. Ahrendts is a prime example of excellence in technology management – mindful of market trends and customer buying behaviors, she has an open attitude of what could be possible, and she is acting as a leader by moving forward in her field. Fundamental for the future The field of technology is massive and could be explored in a boundless discussion. To be excellent in technology management, one must be aware of customers' buying behaviors, determine the best method to deliver services to customers, be mindful of how the company relates to customers and what technology can do for them, be aware of how competition will respond to the company's strategy and competitive advantages, and have an open mind about the future. In pursuing excellence, one key is to understand the surrounding compe- tition and how the market continually changes. Nintendo illustrates this point. Even though its competitors are beating it, Nintendo is trying to stay in the market. Nintendo executives knew they had to kill their product and find a replacement that, hopefully, will appeal to customers. Collins also made this point by comparing Kroger and A&P;, two grocery corporations. Kroger has adapted to change to become a large company, while A&P; remained a hermit and resisted change. "One of these two companies confronted the brutal facts of reality head-on and completely changed its entire systems in response; the other stuck its head in the sand," Collins wrote. It is fundamental to be excellent in this future-oriented industry of technology to take a hard look internally and see the facts of the present. Nintendo looked inward at its production and knew what had to change. Looking outside is a key to excellence in technology management. It is also important to look inward for finding excellence. Managers in the technology field, or any field, should be able to understand themselves well enough to know if they have the potential to achieve excellence. As Leo Hindery, author of It Takes a CEO: It's Time to Lead with Integrity , wrote, "The point here, again, is that a CEO has no similar bright lines to follow. At moments of doubt, crisis and stress, with a hundred thousand people counting on your judgment, there's no three-word phrase to fall back on. You have to look inside yourself." Hindery is saying that a CEO has no strict and safe guidelines to go by, and there will be times when leaders will have to guide themselves by their own moral compass. Managers who can be introspective enough to discover their self-assurance and combine that with a passion for achieving excellence will enhance their chance of ultimate success. v