Biological evolution Quote by Clayton Christensen
“It's like in biological evolution: The population will evolve, even though individuals can't. The same thing happens in the corporate world: The population of business units within corporations evolves, even though individual business units can't. That's because the capabilities of business units reside in their processes and their values, and by their very nature, processes and values are inflexible and meant not to change.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen, 1997
Organizations change through collective processes and values, not by individual units acting alone.
In simple terms: Change comes from the whole system, not single parts.
Key Takeaway
Focus on evolving processes and culture.
Themes
innovation
organization
change
systems
culture
Mood
reflective
strategic
Type
analytical
insightful
When to use this quote
- corporate restructuring
- strategic planning
- process redesign
- culture shift
Key Concepts
diffusion
collective adaptation
institutional inertia
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you redesign processes to be more adaptable?
- What values need to shift for innovation?
A Different Perspective
Individuals may resist change, limiting speed of adaptation.
