Arie De Geus Quotes & Sayings

Companies die because their managers focus on the economic activity of producing goods and services, and they forget that their organizations' true nature is that of a community of humans. — Arie De Geus

Once a company has adapted to a new environment, it is no longer the organization it used to be; it has evolved. That is the essence of learning. — Arie De Geus

I admit that one should never underestimate the capacity of banks to destroy enormous amounts of accumulated capital and reduce, temporarily, the supply. After all, capital is the accumulated savings of mankind. And banks are great masters in destroying enormous amounts of capital with great regularity. — Arie De Geus

The ability to learn faster than your competitors may be only sustainable competitive advantage. — Arie De Geus

A company's success no longer depends primarily on its ability to raise investment capital. Success depends on the ability of its people to learn together and produce new ideas. — Arie De Geus

Since today's companies are totally dependent on a continuing human membership that produces a superior intellectual output in comparison to the competition, then there is inevitably a fight over the right to the bottom line. — Arie De Geus