The New Competitiveness

by Joe M. Powell

Self-congratulatory ventures don’t long survive. The most competitive companies seem to operate within a culture of obsessive improvement, and they require as much from employees at every level. This is the kind of thing that’s fun to talk about, so that’s what most companies do. Few, however, are actually willing to pay the price. For those who do, the rewards can be substantial. We found that the most successful ventures institutionalize the process.

We are particularly interested in comments regarding the relationship between obsessive improvement and competitiveness.