Exponential Organizations: Why new organizations are ten times better, faster, and cheaper than yours (and what to do about it)

by Salim Ismail

When you think linearly, when your operations are linear, and when your measures of performance and success are linear, you cannot help but end up with a linear organization, one that sees the world through a linear lens—as did even multi-billion dollar, technologically cutting-edge Nokia. Such an organization cannot help but have many of the following characteristics: Top-down and hierarchical in its organization Driven by financial outcomes Linear, sequential thinking Innovation primarily from within Strategic planning largely an extrapolation from the past Risk intolerance Process inflexibility Large number of employees Controls own assets Strongly invested in status quo