In the opening verses of the Bible, we see the five principal components involved in producing value.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1 (NIV)
The five components of productivity are time, agency, process, inputs and outputs.
Time
In the beginning…
Value doesn’t come into existence instantly, it always takes time. All value creation involves an investment of time.
Agency
In the beginning, God…
Value doesn’t come into existence spontaneously. It always involves someone (or something) starting and managing the value creation process.
Process
In the beginning, God created…
Value creation inevitably involves some kind of process. We can define “process” to mean a set of steps that achieve a particular outcome. Some processes are simple: picking fruit, for example. Others, such as manufacturing cars, are more complex.
Inputs
In the beginning, God created... And God said…
All creative processes involve inputs. In the Genesis account, the only input is God’s word. However, in our creative endeavours, the inputs might include raw materials, energy and information.
Outputs
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
The purpose of all productive efforts is to create valuable outputs. Human creative activities produce both the intended outputs (value), and unintended outputs.
The outputs of one process may be the inputs of another.