What Would Your Company Look Like If You Built It Today?

That was the question I set out to answer in my new book, out today.

It's launching today in the UK as a physical book, and it's worldwide launch is the 28th of April, but you can buy a Kindle copy here from anywhere on the planet now.

My next post will be the first chapter, but this is an overview of some of the themes it covers.

Digital Darwinism.

The overarching principle of this book is Digital Darwinism, the umbrella concept that wraps up all the strands of thought and creates the background context for every idea and principle discussed. The notion of Digital Darwinism is that like any species, companies are designed to improve slowly over time, to optimize, to "breed" selectively, to become better via a rather slow but consistent and well-proven evolution that has worked well for centuries. Yet as the world moves faster, as changes become global and hyperbolic, not local and linear, this increasingly doesn't work. This book investigates how businesses can deal with this fast pace of change and the incredible uncertainty in the world.

Mid-Digital age.

We’re in a hybrid period between two ages. We live in an analogue world augmented by the new possibilities of digital, but not rethought or rebuilt for this era. We exist in two parallel systems at the same time. The old and new together, it's this that creates a period of peak complexity. I explore this context and what this means for companies today and tomorrow.

Digital Reimagination.

There is a huge difference between those who apply new thinking at the edge, versus those who apply it at the core. I explore the concepts of Digitalization vs Digital Transformation and help companies undertake change programs leveraging technology at the right depth. It's far easier to bolt change on at the edges, but it's those who take new technology to much deeper levels who really benefit. But how can this best be done?

Paradigm Leaps.

Design processes generally are iterative, they routinely optimize towards an optimal solution based on fixed criteria and assumptions. Yet breakthroughs are typically made by those with no experience or who refuse to see the same obstacles. I will explore how people and companies can rethink how they design and solve problems in new ambitious ways.

Technological Leapfrogging.

The fastest internet is often found not in the wealthiest nations but those that developed most recently. Blockchain underpins Estonia's government, the mobile currency MPesa thrives in Kenya, the most advanced mobile commerce is in China. Rwanda leads the use of drones for delivery. Here I investigate what happens when you unleash the power of the last mover advantage.

And yes, even though it's out of date, and a massive cliche, it does contain (and is based on the spirit of change in) this quote of mine.

"Uber, the world’s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world’s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the most valuable retailer, has no inventory. And Airbnb, the world’s largest accommodation provider, owns no real estate. Something interesting is happening"

I hope you like the book

Tom