In nature, DNA, the building block of all life, determines whether an organism will grow into a sleek racehorse, a sturdy Shetland pony, or a lumbering dinosaur-whether a group of cells will multiply into a healthy heart or one that kills its owner. In much the same way, an organization's DNA will determine whether it evolves into a powerhouse or a dying company.
An organization, like a living creature, consists of many interdependent parts: people, relationships, historical events, past and present decisions, life-sustaining functions, and physical, financial and intellectual resources....