Building Organizational Context: Designing an Adaptive Enterprise

Firm's take the first step toward becoming adaptive because old models are no longer sufficient--not because making the transition from a traditional to a sense-and-respond organization is an easy one. By defining the purpose, boundaries, and structure of the adaptive system leaders are striving to create, they will establish the necessary foundation on which a sense-and-respond organization rests. This chapter looks at the three key elements of building a viable design: reason for being, governing principles, and high-level business design.