The Corporation
Will corporations survive Crypto + AI?
What's needed is a shift toward systems that develop team spirit, promote agency through appropriate risk-taking, and establish feedback loops that connect actions to outcomes.
Better to be a pirate than join the navy.
Problems
Corporations stem from outdated operating systems that no longer match modern work needs:
Industrial-Era Foundations Most corporate structures (hierarchies, managers, quarterly plans, budgets) originated 80-120 years ago during the industrial revolution. This system, influenced by Frederick Taylor's "Scientific Management," was designed for factory floors focusing on reliability and consistency-not today's knowledge work.
Distance from Feedback Corporate hierarchies create separation from reality by inserting layers between decision-makers and feedback. Your distance from feedback also separates you from reality, making it impossible to respond effectively to changing conditions.
Permission vs. Constraint Cultures Most corporations operate as "permission cultures" where employees need approval for everything, rather than "constraint cultures" where people can do anything not explicitly prohibited. This stifles judgment, creativity and innovation. The agency for contributors to drive improvement.
Procedural Rigidity Organizations create procedures to reduce variation, which eventually circumvent good judgment. People follow procedures even when they know it leads to wrong outcomes because it's "defendable".
Short-Term Thinking External pressures from investors create quarterly time horizons that sacrifice long-term sustainability. Optimization has come at the expense of our ability to operate in a sustainable way
Current Business Challenges (2025) Beyond structural issues, corporations face:
- Digital transformation difficulties
- Cybersecurity concerns
- Rising operational costs
- Talent acquisition and retention challenges
- Supply chain disruptions
- Regulatory compliance pressures