Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2007

Abstract

Adaptive, transformative changes are not just a luxury for the chosen few but a vital necessity for all organizations. The brutality of market forces, the ephemeral qualities of customer needs, the revolutionary powers of technology and the ravages caused by the passage of time make the need to constantly adapt and renew competitive advantages an undeniable high priority for organizations. Most adaptive changes begin with learning. That learning often inspires a new vision and mindset, and the actions that ensue could result in new cultures, skills, systems and processes. We have collectively referred to all these elements as the mental universe of the organization. This mental universe often governs all the interactions in the organization--from the language used internally to the delivery of their value proposition externally. In a limited context we have explored the impact of this mental universe on external performance yardsticks. Perhaps this is just a small indicator of much greater value to be extracted. The chain of events that begins with learning and transforms the mental universe of an organization to become more adaptive and resilient and, as a result, continually renew its competitive advantages is an exciting link that merits further research and development.

Keywords

learning, mental universe, renewable competitive advantage, adaptive and resilient

Rights

© The Author(s). Kelvin Smith Library provides access for non-commercial, personal, or research use only. All other use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication or transmission, whether by electronic means or otherwise, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

Department/Center

Design & Innovation

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