About Quote by Peter Senge
“The company-as-a-machine model fits how people think about and operate conventional companies. And, of course, it fits how people think about changing conventional companies: You have a broken company, and you need to change it, to fix it.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge, 1990
The “company‑as‑machine” view treats organizations as static, hindering transformative change.
In simple terms: Treating companies as machines limits change.
Key Takeaway
Adopt systems thinking for transformation.
Themes
organizational change
systems thinking
innovation
Mood
analytical
inspirational
Type
business
educational
When to use this quote
- business restructuring
- digital transformation
- culture shift
Key Concepts
complexity theory
leadership development
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you view a company as a living system?
- What steps foster adaptive change?
A Different Perspective
Machines can be re‑engineered, not just fixed.
