On Growth: Anne Craig

Growth
Anne Craig

 “What is the most rigorous law of our being? Growth. No smallest atom of our moral, mental, or physical structure can stand still a year. It grows - it must grow; nothing can prevent it.”Mark Twain

But although it sounds a bit maudlin to say so, surely all living organisms, whether plants, animals or humans, are geared up to grow to a certain size and then wither and die at their allotted time. The right food, water and the environment can accelerate growth and achievement. And unfortunately tumours, viruses and diseases along with “third party” interventions, accidents or environmental disasters all have an annoying habit of curtailing normal life expectancy. 

The same cycle of birth, growth and death can be found in groups of  living organisms – in their habitats, herds, countries - even civilisations. What were the factors that made the Greek, Roman or British Empires grow so huge and why did they fall? It’s OK, I’m not going there – it would take too long - but it is an interesting question given the current Greek fiasco and the UK’s own struggle for solvency. (I won’t mention Rome and the recent Time Team investigations which cast doubt on some of the Roman Empire’s claims in the UK!)

Those with a remit to support business growth have become used to speak of growth not in living organism terms but in terms of business profitability and economic growth. Both are needed desperately, given the dire daily news headlines. As I scribble, yet more well-established retailers have gone into liquidation and others have closed outlets with the loss of yet more jobs. 

What if the same cycles of birth, growth and death can also be found in business and the economy? Perhaps it’s an inevitable part of our business evolutionary cycle? Perhaps the right business food, water and the environment affects business size and achievement? Perhaps we are just going through the business equivalent of tumours, viruses and diseases or third party interventions determined to curtail business life expectancy? What if we need a business life cycle to ensure the survival of the fittest?

J Willard Marriott, the American entrepreneur who was born in 1900 and who founded the Marriott hotel chain, once observed that “Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.”  I suspect the fact that he beat cancer in his 30s and managed to live for another half century spurred the comment - but it has resonance for all living organisms as well as for organisations.

Admittedly, it feels really painful when you’re buffeted by these strong winds, and somehow you don’t care a fig whether your tree is getting stronger during the actual battle for survival! But perhaps the economy and those businesses which do weather the storm and the changing environment will emerge at the other end much stronger and healthier as a result?

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Anne Craig has over 40 years' experience in business management at director level in both the private and public sector. During the past 20 years she has specialised in all aspects of Knowledge Transfer within the university sector, being awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2010 for her services.

She is heavily involved in the development of the knowledge transfer profession, part of which is a major national initiative looking at the Continuing Professional Development needs of those working at the interfaces between education and research establishments and their businesses and communities.