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Google search on “Corporate Life Cycle Strategies” has not revealed much recent coverage of the topic.   The book “Barbarians to Bureaucrats” by Lawrence Miller, published in 1989, shows up on the top page.

This book reviews the life cycle of companies – how a company progresses from the early stage of formation to its decline.   As its title suggests, it talks through the Prophetic Age, the Barbarian Age, the Builder Age, the Administration Age, the Bureaucratic age to the Aristocrat Age; with the business strides from start-up, growth and maturity to decline.  The book sums it up well in the last chapter the business environment, the company structure and the leadership in each stage; their belief, mission and style of decision making.   To avoid the natural cycle of rise and fall, it gives the Synergist prescription, where the leader and organization escapes from a monolithic stage to a balanced and blend of leadership as needed; and how the synergist style cultivates unity and teamwork.

The author has intertwined the corporate life cycle with historical events of the society or corporate events.  The analogy is a mix – at times improving the readability and sophistication; other times a bit artificial or weak.

I marvel how far the corporate dynamics have come along in these 30 years.   It could be – corporate executives have already put the insight of Barbarians to Bureaucrats and like into practice to regenerate their own companies.  Economies, industries and companies have their seasonality – most companies, those survive and thrive, reflect huge abilities to change, adjust and reorganize in maybe too quick a manner these days.

The book does a neat job in summarizing the topic, it provides a good reference when you start a new company or start in a new environment – consider a preview by reading the last chapter of “A life cycle overview” and skip to the specific stage that is most relevant to get the most of the book.

After 1989, such many events have taken place – just to name a few, the IPO days, the Y2K, the start-up, internet boom and bust to the increasing presence of technology.   It seems about time to see another publish on the topic.

Posted in Book Review - English, Chinese, Computer, Literature..., Career Management