Serial Innovators

ISBN-13: 9781118149928 / Angielski / Twarda / 2011 / 224 str.

Claudio Fesser

Opis

-The average life expectancy at -birth- of a firm is roughly 15 years, and only one out of twenty lives longer than fifty years. Firms are born, they grow, then they struggle to keep up with changing markets. Slow adapters often become big losers, fall by the wayside, and die. Serial Innovators studies the factors affecting the aging of firms, particularly those that slow down their ability to adapt to changes in the marketplace. The book reviews recent findings in relevant academic fields--behavioral economics, psychology, neuroscience, organizational science, network theory, anthropology, sociology, and strategy--to understand how firms, as they grow, develop rigidities that prevent change. It develops a model of organization that is adaptive, innovative, and can create significant value for its stakeholders for long periods of time-.

Recenzje

'With a guide for building the ultimate firm and making it last, Feser s book offers fresh insights into the need for change.' (Director, April 2012)

Spis treści

Foreword ix

Prologue xi

Introduction xiii

PART I THE EPHEMERAL NATURE OF FIRMS

CHAPTER 1 Meet Carl Berger 3

CHAPTER 2 Corporate Life Cycle 11

PART II INDIVIDUAL RIGIDITIES

CHAPTER 3 To Err Is Human 25

CHAPTER 4 The Greatest of All Time 39

CHAPTER 5 Rewiring Brains 55

PART III ORGANIZATIONAL RIGIDITIES

CHAPTER 6 Long Live Bureaucracy! 75

CHAPTER 7 In Brain We Trust 97

CHAPTER 8 What We Value 111

CHAPTER 9 What Not to Pay For 121

CHAPTER 10 Fast Learners 131

PART IV SERIAL INNOVATORS

CHAPTER 11 The Secrets of Serial Innovators 139

CHAPTER 12 Beyond Business: The Medici, Oxford, and the Catholic Church 155

CHAPTER 13 Legacy through Leadership 161

Afterword 167

Appendix A: Analysis of the Top 50 U.S. Firms of 1960 171

Appendix B: Corporate Aging and Survival 177

Appendix C: Key Questions for Transforming Your Firm 181

References 187

Acknowledgments 193

About the Author 195

Index 197

O autorze

Claudio Feser is a Director of McKinsey & Company, where he leads the McKinsey CEO Network, a practice of the company that focuses on CEO training and coaching. Feser previously managed McKinsey offices in Switzerland and Greece. During his career, he has advised the CEOs of some of the world′s largest and most renowned companies.

Blurb

Praise for Serial Innovators

"Most firms do not live for very long. Only one in twenty lives longer than fifty years. Most struggle to keep up with the challenges of today′s dynamic markets. When they don′t, they die they are taken over or go bankrupt. However, some firms beat the odds. They survive for long periods and create lasting value. Serial Innovators builds on a wide range of research and practical insights to show how firms can re–invent themselves and thrive for the long term. An essential guide for anyone leading organizations in today′s fast–paced global markets."
Joseph Jimenez, Chief Executive Officer, Novartis AG

"How does a company thrive and last? It can try to extend its life cycle (as unpromising a strategy for organizations as it is for humans), or it can have many life cycles, by learning the secrets of regeneration and renewal. In this engaging narrative Claudio Feser is as much a storyteller as a strategy consultant we are given the means to unraveling these secrets. Get ready for a rich and rewarding ride!"
Robert Kegan, Meehan Professor of Adult Learning, Harvard University, and Coauthor, Immunity to Change

"A rich source of insights for business leaders who are transforming their organizations into firms that can thrive and win in today′s dynamic markets. Well worth reading."
Martin Senn, Chief Executive Officer, Zurich Financial Services Ltd

"Serial Innovators delivers profound and practical insights on innovation and company adaptation with remarkable simplicity. It draws from a wide range of research to provide business leaders with a practical guide for building organizations that can innovate continuously and thus capture value creation opportunities in the complexity of today′s global and dynamic markets."
Ernst Fehr, Professor and Chairman, Department of Economics, University of Zurich

"Long–lasting, successful institutions are driven by the desire to make a difference. This book makes a difference. The story of Carl is illuminating, transforming facts and academic findings into business life′s reality. When you compare your situation, your experience, and your behavior with Carl′s approach, you can reflect on your personal challenges, and you can find out well beyond business what really matters!"
Rolf Dörig, Chairman, Adecco SA and Swiss Life Holding Ltd