Ruination rumination

Way back here I laid out an idea about the impact of structure on success. Subsequently, I have found out that there is a fair amount of thought that has gone into this idea, including an expensive book by Johathan Klein, "Corporate Failure by Design." Moreover, I sorted out in my head my concern and thoughts.

As promised, I've finished a little piece that says what I wanted to say back then. The direction for the answer to the question comes out of the not insubstantial reading I've done in the literature of complexity, non-linear dynamics, and increasing returns. I believe that (a) sensitive dependence on initial conditions, (b) bifurcation and recursion, and (c) path dependence go a long way to explain the phenomenon.

The paper, entitled, Structured to Fail, is here. Check out some of the other thoughts that are housed on that page and its sister pages in the Website. [Gratuitous self-promotion to a non-existent audience? ed.]

Posted by Grayson at October 31, 2003 12:59 PM