Stanford · 5 of 7 in Strategy & growth

Give emerging businesses room to develop

Established and emerging businesses need measures and working arrangements suited to their stage of development.

01 · The picture

Established and emerging businesses need measures and working arrangements suited to their stage of development.

Keep these distinctions visible
  1. 01Core: cash and service
  2. 02Emerging: learn and validate
  3. 03Leadership: connect and fund

02 · The idea

How I understand it.

An established business usually has a known offer, repeatable processes and a financial track record. An emerging business is still testing the customer, offer and route to market. Give each a clear purpose and measures that reflect its stage. The established operation can emphasise cash, service and efficiency; the emerging operation needs evidence of customer value, learning milestones and a path towards commercial viability. Where the opportunity warrants it, provide a distinct team and protected resources, with regular reviews of progress and spending. Senior leaders remain responsible for resolving conflicts and connecting the new venture to useful assets such as expertise, channels or customer relationships. Define the evidence that would justify further investment, a change of direction or closure.

03 · A fictional example

Put it into a business.

A publishing company creates a subscription learning service. Its core business tracks renewals and cash generation. The new team tracks trial use, repeat visits and willingness to pay, with a fixed quarterly budget. A senior sponsor gives it access to existing content and sales relationships. Funding decisions follow agreed milestones as the team tests its potential customer demand.

04 · Bring it into the room

Which new initiative is being judged by measures that belong to a mature business?

One decisionOne next actionOne way to check
Where this note comes from

An original explanation drawn from my saved learning material. The worked example is fictional.

  • StanfordCourse reading or session material

    OReilly Ambidexterity

    PDF pages 87, 99, 137, 145–146 and 152: organisational evolution, horizons of growth and ambidextrous leadership

These notes collect my interpretations and applications. The schools and authors retain their original teaching materials.

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