This section brings together our perspectives, analyses, and field feedback to support leaders and teams in navigating transformation, grounded in academic research, real-world practice, and actionable tools.
Action plans, KPIs, organizational charts: these are the classic tools of change. They are reassuring… but they don’t explain why so many transformations fail.
Because individuals don’t act on the basis of abstract instructions — they act according to the meaning they give to situations.
This is what
TToo often, companies approach transformation with linear tools: project management, communication plans, individual coaching. These methods bring rigor, but they are not enough to trigger real change.
Why? Because they don’t address the heart of the matter: organizational culture.
Leaders often believe that moving faster requires adding processes, tools, and controls. In reality, in a complex environment, this only creates additional workload.
As Donella Meadows demonstrated as early as 2008: it is the relationships between elements — not the elements themselves — that shape the dynamics of a
A symbol of strength… that falters. In the 2000s, Nokia dominated the global mobile phone market. With over 40% market share, its name was synonymous with robustness and innovation. Yet within just a few years, the Finnish giant lost its lead and nearly vanished from the sector.
What happened?
In 2023, General Electric spun off GE HealthCare creating an independent company with 50,000 employees. Within a year, the new entity generated nearly $20 billion in revenue. But its success is not just financial: according to Glassdoor, GE HealthCare now ranks as the highest-rated organization among its peers in terms
IIn 1998, Daimler-Benz and Chrysler announced a “merger of equals” meant to create a global automotive giant. On paper, everything was in place: industrial synergies, economies of scale, complementary product lines.
Yet within a decade, the alliance collapsed. Why?
Because a merger of balance sheets was not matched
In 2023, Bayer — a 150-year-old pharmaceutical and life sciences giant — faces a major crisis: colossal debts, regulatory challenges, expired patents. The classic reflex? Add more control, restructure, tighten oversight.
Instead, under CEO Bill Anderson, Bayer launched Dynamic Shared Ownership (DSO) — a radical transformation of its culture