Adopt, Buy, Create (ABC): A Strategic Framework for Capability Acquisition
By Larry McLean
Abstract
Organizations navigating the dynamic landscape of technological innovation and competitive markets must determine how to best acquire, integrate, and advance capabilities. The “Adopt, Buy, Create (ABC)” framework provides a structured approach for organizations to evaluate capability acquisition strategies. By examining the benefits and implications of adopting existing capabilities, buying off-the-shelf solutions, or creating custom capabilities, this framework guides decision-making to achieve strategic objectives efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, the ABC approach shares philosophical parallels with composable applications, emphasizing modularity, flexibility, and strategic alignment in modern systems development.
Introduction
In an age defined by rapid technological advancement and evolving customer expectations, organizations are under mounting pressure to deliver capabilities that drive efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage. Decisions surrounding how to gain capabilities often determine an organization’s success in adapting to change and seizing new opportunities.
The ABC framework—Adopt, Buy, Create—addresses this challenge by categorizing the pathways to capability acquisition. “Adopt” leverages existing systems or processes, “Buy” secures external solutions, and “Create” focuses on in-house development. Each pathway carries unique advantages and trade-offs, enabling organizations to align their decisions with specific needs, timelines, and constraints.
This paper examines the ABC framework as a high-level decision-making strategy and explores its conceptual overlap with composable applications—a modular approach to systems architecture that enables rapid assembly and reassembly of capabilities to meet business demands.
Adopt: Leveraging Existing Systems
The “Adopt” pathway focuses on reusing or integrating existing solutions, whether from internal sources or external open frameworks. This approach minimizes development time and leverages established best practices.
For example, adopting existing AI models trained for decision-making can accelerate innovation by utilizing proven frameworks that align with organizational objectives. This method is particularly beneficial in scenarios where time-to-market is critical, and existing capabilities align closely with organizational needs.
However, the trade-off often lies in limited customization, as adopted solutions may not fully address specific requirements. Organizations must also contend with potential integration challenges, particularly when incorporating legacy systems.
Buy: Securing External Solutions
“Buy” represents the acquisition of third-party solutions or products designed to address specific operational needs. This pathway has gained momentum with the proliferation of software-as-a-service (SaaS) and plug-and-play platforms.
Buying solutions often delivers rapid deployment, vendor support, and scalability. For example, purchasing a robust vertical AI model tailored to an industry-specific task provides targeted capabilities while reducing the burden on internal teams to develop these systems from scratch.
The challenge with buying solutions lies in vendor lock-in, cost management, and the potential mismatch with long-term strategic goals. Organizations must evaluate whether purchased solutions can adapt to evolving requirements or integrate seamlessly with broader ecosystems.
Create: Building Custom Capabilities
The “Create” approach emphasizes the development of bespoke capabilities tailored to the unique needs and objectives of an organization. This pathway allows for maximum customization, competitive differentiation, and alignment with strategic goals.
Building custom solutions is particularly advantageous for complex, high-stakes applications such as agentic AI systems or augmented workforce platforms. These systems require domain-specific intelligence and operational context that generic solutions cannot provide.
However, creating capabilities demands significant investment in time, resources, and expertise. Organizations pursuing this pathway must possess a clear understanding of their requirements, robust project management, and access to skilled teams.
Parallels with Composable Applications
The ABC framework aligns conceptually with the philosophy of composable applications, which emphasize modularity, flexibility, and interoperability in system design. Composable applications enable organizations to build ecosystems of reusable components that can be dynamically assembled to meet changing business needs.
Similar to “Adopt,” composable applications leverage existing modules to accelerate development. Like “Buy,” they allow integration with external components for enhanced functionality. Finally, akin to “Create,” composable applications enable the development of unique modules that address specific requirements.
By adopting a composable mindset, organizations can effectively balance the ABC framework, using modularity to combine the strengths of adopting, buying, and creating capabilities.
Strategic Recommendations
1. Assess Alignment with Goals: Prioritize capabilities that align with long-term strategic objectives, balancing immediate needs with future flexibility.
2. Adopt When Possible: Reuse proven systems or integrate existing capabilities to reduce costs and time-to-market.
3. Buy Selectively: Choose external solutions that deliver scalability and vendor support, ensuring compatibility with broader ecosystems.
4. Create Strategically: Invest in bespoke capabilities only when they provide significant competitive advantage or address critical gaps.
5. Leverage Composability: Build systems with modularity in mind, enabling seamless integration of adopted, purchased, and created components.
Conclusion
The Adopt, Buy, Create framework provides a comprehensive lens for capability acquisition, enabling organizations to make informed decisions based on strategic priorities, resource availability, and operational complexity. Combined with the principles of composable applications, this approach fosters agility, scalability, and innovation, empowering organizations to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.
McLean Forrester: Your Partner in Strategic Capability Acquisition
At McLean Forrester, we specialize in guiding organizations through transformative decisions. Our expertise in AI, composable systems, and digital ecosystems ensures that your Adopt, Buy, Create journey delivers measurable business outcomes. Partner with us to revolutionize your capabilities and achieve enduring market leadership.
