The Living Company

Most companies do not survive the upheavals of change and competition over the long haul. But there are a few remarkable examples of firms that have withstood the test of several centuries. What hidden lessons do they hold for the rest of us? In The Living Company, the man who first introduced the revolutionary concept of the learning organization has turned his attention to identifying the critical characteristics of organizational longevity. Arie de Geus reveals the keys to managing for a long and prosperous organizational life. He draws a sharp distinction between "living companies" whose purpose is to fulfill their potential and perpetuate themselves as ongoing communities and "economic companies," which are in business solely to produce wealth for a small inner group. He shows clearly that living companies manage for survival; economic companies manage for profit.