|
The
Start-Up |
The
Growing Venture |
The
Mature Company |
|
Cash Position |
|
Limited
financial resources ... need to address basic capital and
cash-flow issues |
Increased cash-flow and requirements... some borrowing capability ...
need to generate additional capital |
Financial
stability, slower growth, bankable
Sellable? |
|
Organization |
|
No
specific organizational structure |
Organizational structure forms around individual personalities
>>> |
Formal
organizational structure defined by functional needs |
|
Communications |
|
Direct
communication ...
"one-on-one" style |
Increased demand for lateral communication (geometric growth in need
for information) |
Increasingly formal
→
communications – various methods |
|
Definition of the
Business |
|
Few, if
any, stated policies |
Policies evolve from practices (and are often conflicting) |
Policies get documented for consistency and fairness |
|
Strategic Focus |
|
Emphasis on reaching the market and
→
generating revenue |
Emphasis on growth and raising capital to create and
→
sustain growth |
Emphasis on spending and cost control, less emphasis on R&D and growth
strategies |
|
Compensation Program |
|
Compensation based on need (and availability) |
Compensation based on need but often administered according to personal or
subjective factors |
Structured compensation based on internal and external equity considerations |
|
"How things are
around here" |
|
Organizational culture mirrors the founder's style and
values |
Organizational culture becomes ill-defined as new people join the company |
Organizational culture gets redefined and is set as foundation for
strategic
planning |
|
"Roles & Holes" |
|
Duties
and responsibilities are loosely defined -- everybody wears multiple hats |
Duties
and responsibilities are defined by the incumbents ac-cording to current
priorities as they are
perceived |
Duties
and responsibilities are officially defined according to current and future
organizational needs |
|
"Center" |
|
Clear
sense of organizational purpose |
Duties
and responsibilities are defined by the incumbents ac-cording to current
priorities as they are
→
perceived |
Organizational purpose is formally redefined through
strategic planning |
