Article by Charles Handy on his own journey becoming a flea, and how business organizations need to treat individuals uniquely. Handy begins the article explaining how he abandoned the security of a full-time position in an organization (elephant) for what he calls the "portfolio life" of the flea, which, as he explains, are concepts derived from his new book, The Elephant & the Flea. He proceeds to discuss the distinction between the elephant - big organizations that are the pillar of twentieth century society - and the fleas, the independent operators whose innovative behavior is necessary, and how his new book is an outgrowth of his previous study, The New Alchemists. Handy proceeds to discuss how, although companies and workers may not approve of the trend, employees will increasingly become fleas in the marketplace, operating on a part-time, contractual basis with different employers. However, Handy notes that a positive result of this development will be that every person will begin being treated by firms as individuals with particular strengths, skills, wants, and needs.
Handy, Charles B Handy, Elizabeth Drucker, Peter F. (Peter Ferdinand), 1909-2005 Massachusetts Institute of Technology London Business School IndustryNow Winn, Sheridan
Source
Article by Charles Handy on his own journey becoming a flea, and how business organizations need to treat individuals uniquely, 2001; Charles Handy Papers; Box 15, Folder 7; 4 pages
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