The liquid enterprise

We know everything. And it tells us nothing.

As the world’s most venerable corporations scramble to keep up with an ever-faster, ever more chaotic market, a profound paradox is emerging at the heart of business strategy. Information – that touchstone of understanding, decision and action – has begun to attack confidence, competitive advantage and growth.

The speed, precision and potential for innovation that the digital revolution has conferred on business is undeniable. And yet we have never felt more distant from the consumer, never felt less sure of what to do next, never felt less confident about the dynamics of the context in which we live and work.

Beneath this brutal conundrum lie disturbing truths about culture, technology and value. Where leadership has relied upon tangible, manageable evidence to guide the enterprise through change to sustainable growth, the chronic turbulence that defines every major market sector demands that we now look to seize advantage from uncertainty itself.

The liquid enterprise throws down the gauntlet to the leaders of tomorrow. It provides a radical rethink of how the new Network Dynamics drive markets, the implications for enterprise and brand, and how we must overturn the principles of traditional business strategy in order to survive and thrive in the unforgiving, chaotic environment that is the market.

Endorsements

The Liquid Enterprise is the first work to take an unflinching look at the unenviable job of transformation leadership, through the eyes of the leader. Taking us far beyond the usual digital platitudes, Michael Bayler once again challenges his readers to discard everything they know, in exchange for an entirely fresh view of strategy that, finally, is fit for today’s and tomorrow’s purpose. – Richard Mosley, Global Vice President of Strategy, Universum, author of Employer Brand Management

Everyone’s talking about change and disruption, but no one seems to have the instructions. Until now. The Liquid Enterprise explains exactly what we’ve all been worrying about, why that is, and how to rethink business strategy for a future that demands we constantly transform – or die. – Brian Wong, Founder and CEO, Kiip

The Liquid Enterprise squares up to a Gordian Knot that is the single most important problem facing big businesses today – how to convert the chronic uncertainty that undermines our confidence in the future into our most powerful strategic weapon. Michael Bayler slices through that knot with simplicity, brevity and wit. – Tony Ageh, OBE, BBC Controller

We need a completely new set of rules to navigate such a turbulent world. This easily digested book shows the way. Read, ponder and decide for yourself just how much of our classical management theory is still relevant. – Dr William Webb, CEO Weightless SIG, President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, 2014–2015