Organizational Decline Quotes

A declining institution often experiences survival of the unfittest.

Whatever the country, whatever the culture, whatever the time, when you become a big enough organization, you start to collapse and slow down.

There are so many parallels in society today [with era of J. Edgar Hoover ] that you can use, whether it's the head of a studio or the head of an organization, a major newspaper, a major factory or company, of people who stay too long, maybe, and overstay their usefulness.

For more than three months, I had been president and primary owner of Spellman Investigations, and I can say with complete certainty that I had more power in this office as an underling. My title, it seemed, was purely decorative. I was captain of an unfashionable and sinking ship.

When the amount of change externally exceeds the amount of change internally, the end is in sight.

I'm sure Putnam is right that there's been a decline in certain kinds of organizations like bowling leagues. But people participate in communities in other ways.

Our party has stagnated while working underground.

Not to innovate is the single largest reason for the decline of existing organizations. Not to know how to manage is the single largest reason for the failure of new ventures.

If you look at any institution in history - look at the Roman Empire - anything in history, and what it looks like when it's peaking. Look at Apple, and how can you say it's not peaking? ... The thing is, it may take another year or two before it starts to decline, but it has to - everything does.

This whole phenomenon of the diversion of organizations from their purposes and ideals does not seem very serious when the scum rise to the top in the bridge club or the offices of a small magazine publisher.

Most of the groups I worked with 30 years ago are either dead or dead broke. And it's a shame.

When a leader doesn't do his or her job, it isn't just a problem with the person. They take their whole organization down.

If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near.

If institutions don't grow, they... well, I don't know what happens to them, because they always grow. I suppose the point is that we forget about the ones that don't.