'Invisible' Businesses
We hear of the 'Virtual Organisation' which forms quickly for a particular purpose from a number of individuals and
organisations in a network. The virtual organisation can be 'invisible' insofar as there is no identifiable headquarters;
its members might be geographically remote and connected through the Internet. Often the majority of its work is
subcontracted to associate companies. The virtual company co-ordinates this work and controls the intellectual capital
and other intangibles such as branding. Publishers have always delegated production of books to printers and used
manuscripts from outside their organisation; they neither write nor produce nor distribute their books. The virtual
organisation can disappear as soon as the job is done, yet its individual members can rapidly reform in a different
combination giving rise to a new virtual organisation.
Davidow and Malone have written: "to the outside observer, it
will appear almost edgeless, with permeable and continuously changing interfaces among company, supplier and customers.
From inside the firm, the view will be no less amorphous
with traditional offices, departments and operating divisions constantly re-forming according to need".
See also Managing Virtual Teams
Note: This web page is not intended to provide comprehensive coverage of the subject, merely a brief introduction to provoke thought and to lead to a more in depth understanding and application of the topic, either through further reading - or from me as your management consultant, executive trainer or personal coach in a consultancy project, training course, workshop or seminar.
References and Further Reading
Davidow, William and Malone, Michael. The Virtual Corporation. Harper Business. 1993.