Thanks to my friend and colleague for forwarding this Wall Street Journal article to me. I have been suggesting for years now the idea of economic Darwinism and that businesses, organizations, management and professionals are either evolving or becoming extinct. Evolution of any kind is a slow process and can be hard-fought. The theory has often been rebutted as cynical or negative or just plain incorrect. The evidence, however, is beginning to mount as this article suggests and theory is merging with the facts of our current economic reality.
Most of the current, popular business/management models were developed right after World War II and have been reinvented and repackaged several times since then. Professionals and companies that have just begun to embrace these strategies in the last five years or so are about 60 years behind the curve. It’s not to say that there isn’t significant value in these strategies, but those practices need to adapt to todays global economy and those just now getting in tune have a lot of catch up to do.
Referenced in the article is social economist, Peter Drucker. He has further gone on to state that the next step in for economic evolution is knowledge work and the knowledge worker. Author Stephen Covey has suggested repeatedly that leadership will supplant management and “management tools” in the 21st Century economic paradigm.
I suggest that there will be a renaissance of sorts with the concept of people, relationships and communication in the business world, over the next 10 years. Pick up any cutting edge new book on sales, marketing, customer loyalty or employee development….it’s already gaining momentum and showing tangible results.
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ENMEI 21 