What is an Organizational Archetype?
Over my 35+ year journey as a consultant and manager, I have developed a way to name and identify certain dominant and predictable patterns of behavior, both in markets and in organizations. I have adopted the word "archetype" to define each of these patterns.
Behind each archetype is an acknowledgment that these complex behaviors, which on the surface often seem to defy understanding, in fact fall into specific and identifiable groupings, based on the demands of the market and what an organization needs to succeed in it. Once each such set of behaviors - each archetype - has been described, it can be readily recognized and understood.
As a result, these archetypes have greatly improved managers' understanding of both markets and organizational systems, and have enabled them to perform far more effectively as decision-makers and leaders. They have also enabled many organizations to dramatically increase their productivity, efficiency, competitiveness, and positions in their markets.
There are four market archetypes: frontiers, jungles, battlegrounds, and kingdoms. Each has its own distinct needs, driving forces, and strategies for success.
There are also four organizational archetypes: pioneers, hunters, warriors, and rulers. Each organizational archetype should be designed and run according to the needs and demands of the particular type of market it serves.
