Could a Business Become Less Flexible as It Becomes More Successful?
Growth increases options until it starts creating obligations.
Sometimes. Larger organizations often face greater expectations, dependencies, and operational constraints.
A small restaurant can change its menu tomorrow. A successful chain may need to coordinate suppliers, staff training, marketing materials, and customer expectations first.
The hidden mechanism is commitment accumulation. Growth often creates systems that improve consistency while reducing agility.
Successful organizations frequently exchange flexibility for reliability.
Small organizations change because they can. Large organizations change only after deciding what else the change will affect.
