Management: six stages of business oxymorons.

• Author: Marshall, Jeffrey
• Position: BusinessBriefs - Brief Article

1. A + B = D. The core mission of the organization or process is contradicted by its current actions. If your life depended on it, you could not create a flow chart or software program describing logically, step by step, how these actions fulfill your stated mission.

2. Complexity. These dynamics tend to arise in esoteric, niche domains that are overseen by specialists. For example, think of Enron Corp.'s energy-trading operations and the California power shortage.

3. From exception to critical mass. Often these contradictions grow slowly over time. They might begin as unregulated behavior appropriate in exceptional circumstances, and slowly grow until they become the norm, even though they now violate the very purpose of the organization. For example, the "special purpose entities" whose abuse ultimately sank Enron are a valid tool when used sparingly to mitigate risk, rather than to ide losses.

4. ...