5. Empower “Little John Waynes” to Create a Big-Small Company

How does a large company act entrepreneurially and flexibly without losing control? How can it take advantage of the flat-world opportunities to act small—and the demand to do so—without sacrificing the benefits of being part of a large organization? Give business unit leaders the autonomy of “Little John Waynes” combined with the support of the larger organization.

In the old U.S. Westerns, John Wayne often played a cowboy under attack on the American frontier. He would lead his fellow pioneers to circle their wagons against an enemy attack and would stand in the middle shouting orders and shooting at the bad guys. With rugged independence, they would stand against the world. This ...

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