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The inertia against change

The problem with status quo systems is that there is a huge inertia against change – whether this is externally imposed (change in an environmental factor) or internally driven.

Any change (variation or disruption to the status quo) is quickly absorbed by this inertia, and the status quo is reinstated quick smart. The more disruptions and change a status quo system absorbs, the more resistant the system appears to become. The people in the system become more complacent, or even arrogant. “It won’t happen to us.”

Unless the change is super catastrophic.

I see the current global economic crisis as a disruption to conventional business beliefs and practice. But is this catastrophic enough? Will this disruption simply be quietly absorbed back into the status quo? Have we collectively learnt anything? Or are we still sticking to the same old systems that lead to the problem in the first place – because changing is too hard?

If the global economy has (or is very much entrenched in the process of) returning to the status quo state, as many analysts seem to believe, then we have simple postpone the coming catastrophe. It wasn’t catastrophic enough yet.

Only one room burnt down. The cardboard house is still standing. Let’s find some more cardboard…