The paradox society: managing in a complex and changing business landscape

We live in a paradox society. This is the opinion of Björn Wikhamn, School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, who has just published a new book on how companies and leaders can navigate in a time of conflicting demands.

– We have been shaped by the logic of industrial society for over 300 years. We have been trained in efficiency, management by objectives and competition. But today’s knowledge economy also requires completely opposite logics – creativity, flexibility and collaboration. This creates tensions, but both worlds are needed,” he explains.

The book describes three key paradoxes that recur in innovation management. The first is the the relationship paradox: companies must both compete and cooperate. The second is the the innovation paradox: companies need to simultaneously streamline what they are already good at and explore new solutions. The third is the the goal paradox: clear objectives and measurable KPIs (metrics to track how well companies are meeting business goals) need to be combined with flexibility and an agile way of working.

– The problem is that we often see these contradictions as either/or. But future leaders need to think both.

Read the full interview with Björn Wikhamn.