--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an…" description: "\"Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than do technological or economic resources, o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/marvin-bower-33734_economic_basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an_2444258.png" --- # Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have… ![“Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than do technological or economic resources, organizational structure, innovation and timing.” quote by Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/marvin-bower-33734_economic_basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an_2444258.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/marvin-bower-33734_economic_basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an_2444258.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/marvin-bower-33734_economic_basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an_2444258.png) > “Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than do technological or economic resources, organizational structure, innovation and timing.” [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An organization’s core values and drive matter more for success than its material resources or timing. **In simple terms:** Culture beats capital and timing. Key Takeaway Cultivate strong purpose and drive. Themes leadership culture strategy performance values Mood inspirational strategic thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - team building - strategic planning - change management - performance review Key Concepts organizational behavior mission focus human capital Questions to Reflect On - What cultural traits drive your organization? - How can resources complement purpose? A Different Perspective Resources still essential; culture alone may not guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Organizational structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organizational-structure/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Timing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/timing/) ## Related quotes > [In any great organization it is far, far safer to be wrong with the majority than to be right alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/in-any-great-organization-it-is-far-far-safer-to-be-wrong-with-the/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Each individual possesses a conscience which to a greater or lesser degree serves to restrain the unimpeded flow of impulses destructive to others. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/each-individual-possesses-a-conscience-which-to-a-greater-or-lesser/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [It occurred to me that building a company was the best way to align a group of people towards building something great. And its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/it-occurred-to-me-that-building-a-company-was-the-best-way-to-align-a/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [Innovation is the lifeblood of an organization. Knowing how to lead and work with creative people requires knowledge and action that often goes against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-de-pree/innovation-is-the-lifeblood-of-an-organization-knowing-how-to-lead/) [Max De Pree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-de-pree/) > [Somehow ungodly men have developed systems of organization which permit them to work together in states of relative harmony and unity, whereas godly men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-wilhelm-engstrom/somehow-ungodly-men-have-developed-systems-of-organization-which/) [Theodore Wilhelm Engstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-wilhelm-engstrom/) > [To survive in modern times, a company must have an organizational structure that accepts change as its basic premise, lets tribal customs thrive, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-semler/to-survive-in-modern-times-a-company-must-have-an-organizational/) [Ricardo Semler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-semler/) > [I'd say that my profession ends where architectural thinking ends - architectural thinking in terms of thinking about programs and organizational structure. 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Porras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-i-porras/) > [In short, apostolic movement involves a radical community of disciples, centered on the lordship of Jesus, empowered by the Spirit, built squarely on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hirsch/in-short-apostolic-movement-involves-a-radical-community-of-disciples/) [Alan Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hirsch/) > [Titles or organizational structures, that’s not the lens through which we see our peers,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/titles-or-organizational-structures-that-s-not-the-lens-through-which/) [Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/) > [We never like to admit to ourselves that we have made a mistake. Organizational structures tend to accentuate this source of failure of information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/we-never-like-to-admit-to-ourselves-that-we-have-made-a-mistake/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [I think one of the main challenges that the World Bank faces is creating an organizational structure that doesn't get in the way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-yong-kim/i-think-one-of-the-main-challenges-that-the-world-bank-faces-is/) [Jim Yong Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-yong-kim/) > [Organizational structures of today demand too much from a few, and not much at all from everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/organizational-structures-of-today-demand-too-much-from-a-few-and-not/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Many corporate leaders and employees have the right intentions, but it can be overwhelming when you consider how everything is affected from leadership styles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/many-corporate-leaders-and-employees-have-the-right-intentions-but-it/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [“organizational structure can be useful to analyze in cases that involve an execution aspect. Most cases deal with a big strategic decision—not the execution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cheng/organizational-structure-can-be-useful-to-analyze-in-cases-that/) [Victor Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cheng/) ## More by Marvin Bower > [Convinced that behavior and conduct are every bit as important as skills and expertise, I sought to build the firm into an enduring, values-based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/convinced-that-behavior-and-conduct-are-every-bit-as-important-as/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [Business leaders shape public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/business-leaders-shape-public-opinion/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [Decisions should be based on facts, objectively considered what I call the fact-founded, thought-through approach to decision making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/decisions-should-be-based-on-facts-objectively-considered-what-i-call/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [A business of high principle generates greater drive and effectiveness because people know that they can do the right thing decisively and with confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/a-business-of-high-principle-generates-greater-drive-and/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [If you are not willing to take pain to live by your principles, there is no point in having principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/if-you-are-not-willing-to-take-pain-to-live-by-your-principles-there/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [People should be judged on the basis of their performance, not nationality, personality, education, or personal traits and skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/people-should-be-judged-on-the-basis-of-their-performance-not/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [Decisions should be based on facts, objectively considered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/decisions-should-be-based-on-facts-objectively-considered/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [Leading fosters a working atmosphere that stimulates an open exchange of ideas and fosters dissent. People should show a genuine concern for one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/leading-fosters-a-working-atmosphere-that-stimulates-an-open-exchange/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [The course of business shapes public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/the-course-of-business-shapes-public-opinion/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [The difference between a leadership and a command company can be very great indeed, because in a hierarchical situation, people who have concerns about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/the-difference-between-a-leadership-and-a-command-company-can-be-very/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [I believe that leaders and leadership teams working together in a proper design will run the business more effectively than by hierarchical, command-and-control managing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/i-believe-that-leaders-and-leadership-teams-working-together-in-a/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [A business of high principle attracts high-caliber people more easily, thereby gaining a basic competitive and profit edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/a-business-of-high-principle-attracts-high-caliber-people-more-easily/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) > [There is no such thing as business ethics. There is only one kind -- you have to adhere to the highest standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/there-is-no-such-thing-as-business-ethics-there-is-only-one-kind-you/) [Marvin Bower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) [Explore all 14 Marvin Bower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/) ## More Economic quotes > [It makes no sense to talk of the social obligations of the corporation without reference to its economic obligations. The two are intertwined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-r-raymond/it-makes-no-sense-to-talk-of-the-social-obligations-of-the/) [Lee R. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-r-raymond/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. 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Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. ... But the differences between us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-wilkinson/the-average-well-being-of-our-societies-is-not-dependent-any-longer/) [Richard G. Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-wilkinson/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) F. A. Harper > [Business school graduates from the best schools earn large salaries and frequently rise to positions of great power. It would be nice if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/business-school-graduates-from-the-best-schools-earn-large-salaries/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [In short, both experience and economic theory imply that the US could now t to a more competitive dollar without experiencing either increased inflation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-feldstein/in-short-both-experience-and-economic-theory-imply-that-the-us-could/) [Martin Feldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-feldstein/) > [Put plainly, China seems determined to steal its way up the economic ladder, at our expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/put-plainly-china-seems-determined-to-steal-its-way-up-the-economic/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [There are no two countries with the same style of economic mechanism, with the same capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/there-are-no-two-countries-with-the-same-style-of-economic-mechanism/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) Browse all 6,235 Economic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than do technological or economic resources, organizational structure, innovation and timing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marvin Bower" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an-organization-have-far-more-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Economic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an-organization-have-far-more-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/marvin-bower-33734_economic_basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an_2444258.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/marvin-bower-33734_economic_basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an_2444258.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/marvin-bower-33734_economic_basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an_2444258.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements…” — Marvin Bower", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Marvin Bower", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-bower/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Basic philosophy, spirit and drive of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an-organization-have-far-more-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-bower/basic-philosophy-spirit-and-drive-of-an-organization-have-far-more-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```