| In his new book entitled "The Future Arrived | | | | to uphold the corporation's culture. |
| Yesterday", Michael S. Malone defines a new | | | | 2. Inner Ring - permanent employees responsible for |
| phenomenon in the corporate world which he calls the | | | | the operations of the business. These staff need to |
| Protean Corporation. This is a new form of | | | | understand the workings of the business inside and out |
| organization that is structured to handle the stresses | | | | and must be extraordinary leaders as they will be |
| and strains we see emerging in our marketplace | | | | leading day to day activities of the "Cloud" which |
| today. Stresses ranging from the retiring baby | | | | makes up 90% of the Protean Corporation. |
| boomers being replaced by Gen Xer's, Gen Y's and | | | | 3. Cloud - In terms of numbers, the Cloud makes up |
| millennials to the rising Asian workforce, continuous | | | | 90% of the Protean Corporation. These are |
| Internet connectivity, the pace of technological change, | | | | temporary staff whose employment may last |
| dramatic increases in new consumers the emerging | | | | anywhere from hours to days to years depending on |
| nations and the rise in entrepreneurialism. These | | | | their role and the requirements of the Protean |
| stresses and strains are unleashing an unprecedented | | | | Corporation at the time. They will be the staff that |
| rate of change into the marketplace, a rate of change | | | | actually executes most of the day to day work under |
| that has never before been experienced and one that | | | | the guidance and direction of the Inner Ring. The Core |
| the organizations of today cannot possible handle | | | | employees will oversee the Inner Ring and the Cloud |
| successfully. | | | | and ensure that the corporation's core culture is |
| According to Malone the Protean Corporation "must | | | | maintained. |
| find a way to continuously and rapidly change almost | | | | What does this have to do with your Strength Zone? |
| everyone of their attributes - products, services, | | | | Its pretty simple really....unless you understand your |
| finances, physical plant, markets, customers, and both | | | | strengths and are working in your Strength Zone, you |
| tactical and strategic goals - yet at the same time | | | | are not going to understand where you fit into the |
| retain a core of values, customs, legends, and | | | | Protean Corporation and you will end up getting steam |
| philosophy that will be little affected by the continuous | | | | rolled by it. You need to understand how you can best |
| and explosive changes taking place just beyond its | | | | apply your strengths in this new organization and |
| edges." | | | | whether you are best fit to live in the Core, the Inner |
| How does the Protean Corporation do this? By | | | | Ring or the Cloud. |
| structuring itself into three distinct groups; | | | | No matter how the Protean Corporation structures |
| 1. Core - the core staff are permanent staff | | | | itself to handle the increasing rate of change in today's |
| responsible to retain the core values, customs, legends, | | | | world, unless its employees are working in their areas |
| and philosophies so that they will be little affected by | | | | of strength (their Strength Zone), the Protean |
| the continuous and explosive changes. It is up to them | | | | Corporation will not be successful. |