---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Organizations, by their very nature are…"
description: "\"Organizations, by their very nature are designed to promote order and routine. They are inhospitable environments for innovation.\" — Theodore Levitt"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/theodore-levitt-18792_business-innovation_organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-d_404982.jpg"
---

#  Organizations, by their very nature are designed to…

![“Organizations, by their very nature are designed to promote order and routine. They are inhospitable environments for innovation.” quote by Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/theodore-levitt-18792_business-innovation_organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-d_404982.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/theodore-levitt-18792_business-innovation_organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-d_404982.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/theodore-levitt-18792_business-innovation_organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-d_404982.jpg)

> “Organizations, by their very nature are designed to promote order and routine. They are inhospitable environments for innovation.”

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Organizations prioritize stability, which can suppress creative thinking and change.

**In simple terms:** Stability hinders innovation.

Key Takeaway

Balance order with flexibility.

Themes

organization innovation structure

Mood

analytical optimistic

Type

advice strategic

When to use this quote

- corporate strategy
- startup culture

Key Concepts

systems theory creative tension

Questions to Reflect On

- How can firms foster innovation without chaos?
- What structures can support creative risk?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-innovation/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Innovation and business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation-and-business/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Organizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organizations/) [Routine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/routine/)

## Related quotes

> [Every new thing creates two new questions and two new opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/every-new-thing-creates-two-new-questions-and-two-new-opportunities/)

[Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/)

> [If you always do what you did, you'll always get what you got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-diamond/if-you-always-do-what-you-did-you-ll-always-get-what-you-got/)

Marian Diamond

> [You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lloyd-george/you-can-t-cross-a-chasm-in-two-small-jumps/)

[David Lloyd George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lloyd-george/)

> [The best ideas lose their owners and take on lives of their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/the-best-ideas-lose-their-owners-and-take-on-lives-of-their-own/)

[Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/)

> [It's not about money. It's about the people you have, how you're led, and how much you get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-not-about-money-it-s-about-the-people-you-have-how-you-re-led/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-only-way-to-be-truly-satisfied-is-to-do-what-you-believe-is-great-2/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [Business has only two basic functions - marketing and innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/business-has-only-two-basic-functions-marketing-and-innovation/)

[Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/)

> [The organizations of the future will increasingly depend on the creativity of their members to survive. Great Groups offer a new model in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/the-organizations-of-the-future-will-increasingly-depend-on-the/)

[Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/)

> [All human development, no matter what form it takes, must be outside the rules; otherwise we would never have anything new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/all-human-development-no-matter-what-form-it-takes-must-be-outside/)

[Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/)

> [You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can't get them across, your ideas won't get you anywhere. Lee Iacocca Love is the irresistible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-can-have-brilliant-ideas-but-if-you-can-t-get-them-across-your/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [The innovation point is the pivotal moment when talented and motivated people seek the opportunity to act on their ideas and dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-arthur-porter/the-innovation-point-is-the-pivotal-moment-when-talented-and/)

W. Arthur Porter

> [Part of what made the Macintosh great was that the people working on it were musicians and poets and artists and zoologists and historians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/part-of-what-made-the-macintosh-great-was-that-the-people-working-on/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [It's only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/it-s-only-by-saying-no-that-you-can-concentrate-on-the-things-that/)

[Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/)

> [The greater the contrast, the greater the potential. Great energy only comes from a correspondingly great tension of opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-greater-the-contrast-the-greater-the-potential-great-energy-only/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

> [Where do you put the fear when you choose to innovate? The fear is there, but you have to find a place to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/where-do-you-put-the-fear-when-you-choose-to-innovate-the-fear-is/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

## More by Theodore Levitt

> [Ideation is not a synonym for innovation, conformity is not its simple antonym, and innovation is not the automatic consequence of "creative thinking.".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/ideation-is-not-a-synonym-for-innovation-conformity-is-not-its-simple/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [The true purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer, not to make you money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/the-true-purpose-of-a-business-is-to-create-and-keep-a-customer-not/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [An industry begins with the customer and his or her needs, not with a patent, a raw material, or a selling skill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/an-industry-begins-with-the-customer-and-his-or-her-needs-not-with-a/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [A consistently highly creative person is generally irresponsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/a-consistently-highly-creative-person-is-generally-irresponsible/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [A powerful force drives the world toward a converging commonality, and that force is technology. … Almost everyone everywhere wants all the things they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/a-powerful-force-drives-the-world-toward-a-converging-commonality-and/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [People don't want quarter-inch drills. They want quarter-inch holes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/people-don-t-want-quarter-inch-drills-they-want-quarter-inch-holes/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [The purpose of a business is to get and keep a customer. Without customers, no amount of engineering wizardry, clever financing, or operations expertise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/the-purpose-of-a-business-is-to-get-and-keep-a-customer-without/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/experience-comes-from-what-we-have-done-wisdom-comes-from-what-we/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/creativity-is-thinking-up-new-things-innovation-is-doing-new-things/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [A product is not a product unless it sells. Otherwise it is merely a museum piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/a-product-is-not-a-product-unless-it-sells-otherwise-it-is-merely-a/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [Ideas are useless unless used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/ideas-are-useless-unless-used/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [A powerful new idea can kick around unused in a company for years, not because its merits are not recognized, but because nobody has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/a-powerful-new-idea-can-kick-around-unused-in-a-company-for-years-not/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [Organizations exist to enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/organizations-exist-to-enable-ordinary-people-to-do-extraordinary/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [Selling concerns itself with the tricks and techniques of getting people to exchange their cash for your product. It is not concerned with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/selling-concerns-itself-with-the-tricks-and-techniques-of-getting/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

> [What is often lacking is not creativity in the idea-creating sense but innovation in the action-producing sense, i.e. putting ideas to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/what-is-often-lacking-is-not-creativity-in-the-idea-creating-sense/)

[Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

[Explore all 34 Theodore Levitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/)

## More Business innovation quotes

> [Every new thing creates two new questions and two new opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/every-new-thing-creates-two-new-questions-and-two-new-opportunities/)

[Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/)

> [The greater the contrast, the greater the potential. Great energy only comes from a correspondingly great tension of opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-greater-the-contrast-the-greater-the-potential-great-energy-only/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

> [It's only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/it-s-only-by-saying-no-that-you-can-concentrate-on-the-things-that/)

[Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/)

> [Part of what made the Macintosh great was that the people working on it were musicians and poets and artists and zoologists and historians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/part-of-what-made-the-macintosh-great-was-that-the-people-working-on/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [“Improvement is not enough, you also needs innovation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/improvement-is-not-enough-you-also-needs-innovation/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [The innovation point is the pivotal moment when talented and motivated people seek the opportunity to act on their ideas and dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-arthur-porter/the-innovation-point-is-the-pivotal-moment-when-talented-and/)

W. Arthur Porter

> [Move fast and break things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/move-fast-and-break-things/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Starting and growing a business is as much about the innovation, drive and determination of the people who do it as it is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/starting-and-growing-a-business-is-as-much-about-the-innovation-drive/)

[Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/)

> [“Improvement is not enough, you also need innovation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/improvement-is-not-enough-you-also-need-innovation/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can't get them across, your ideas won't get you anywhere. Lee Iacocca Love is the irresistible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/you-can-have-brilliant-ideas-but-if-you-can-t-get-them-across-your/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [All human development, no matter what form it takes, must be outside the rules; otherwise we would never have anything new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/all-human-development-no-matter-what-form-it-takes-must-be-outside/)

[Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/)

> [Providing more desirable products, services, and customer experiences is vital to the continued existence of any business. And that is INNOVATION.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/providing-more-desirable-products-services-and-customer-experiences/)

[Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/)

> [The organizations of the future will increasingly depend on the creativity of their members to survive. Great Groups offer a new model in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/the-organizations-of-the-future-will-increasingly-depend-on-the/)

[Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/)

> [Creativity is, after all, lauded as the engine of business innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-walker/creativity-is-after-all-lauded-as-the-engine-of-business-innovation/)

[Matthew Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-walker/)

> [Business has only two basic functions - marketing and innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/business-has-only-two-basic-functions-marketing-and-innovation/)

[Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/)

[Browse all 53 Business innovation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-innovation/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Organizations, by their very nature are designed to promote order and routine. They are inhospitable environments for innovation.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Theodore Levitt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-designed-to-promote-order-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business innovation"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-designed-to-promote-order-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/theodore-levitt-18792_business-innovation_organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-d_404982.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/theodore-levitt-18792_business-innovation_organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-d_404982.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/theodore-levitt-18792_business-innovation_organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-d_404982.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Organizations, by their very nature are designed to promote order and routine. They are inhospitable…” — Theodore Levitt",
                "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": "Theodore Levitt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Organizations, by their very nature are...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-designed-to-promote-order-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/organizations-by-their-very-nature-are-designed-to-promote-order-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
