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Grow or Die
The Unifying Principle of Transformation
by George T. Lock Land

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Community Scorecard:  (Added: 22-Aug-2002 Rating: 10.00 Votes: 1) Rate It

There are three books which we consider the "fountainheads" of the nanocorp and small business revolutionary perspective; this one, Mirror Worlds and Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth.

Jim's comments: I picked up this book on a whim at the W&L bookstore my senior year in college. I don't know anything more about G.T.L. Land than what is reflected here in this book. For me, this all I need to know. This book changed how I look at and understand the world.

This book's most important thread of wisdom is in its underlying systems theory. For Land, all living systems are either growing or dying, there is no sustainable stasis. Further, Land brilliantly explains how there are only three fundamental patterns of growth which apply in all cases.

There is accretive, replicative and transformational growth. Accretive growth is merely "getting bigger", which is the underlying model for virtually all business organizations, at least those prior to the nanocorp. Sure, companies spin off (replicate) subsidiaries and new ventures; but fundamentally our shared world of business is about accretive growth; which, incidentally is also the Achilles Heel of Business.

A nanocorp, since its founders are its only employees, is committed to non-accretive growth. And since all organizations are either growing or dying, this means that nanocorps use replicative and transformative growth to sustain our existence. If you truly intend to be a nanocorp, you must read and understand this book.

• Lead Follow or Get Out of the Way: Reflections on how growth patterns affect your ability to exercise discretion in the face of competition.
• Rants and Raves #06: Patterns of growth in the nanocorp: Nanocorp growth through replication and transformation supports sustainable business, balancing the exercise of Big Is Good power with the nanocorp's exercise of discretion.

• Current bio of Dr. George (T. Lock) Land: Older and wiser, Dr. George Land (apparently he dropped the 'T. Lock' portion of his name to ease citation reference and social interaction:-) is still pushing the edge of creativity and innovation research with a systems theoretical perspective.
• The Farsight Group (Dr. Land's consulting company): Visit the Farsight Group's web site to learn more about Dr. Land's current activities.

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