Ways to Corporate Growth

Abstract

Growth is at the core of every corporate strategy. Only growth creates the momentum that is needed to drive an above-average increase in earnings and create jobs. From a global perspective, however, few industries match the sheer variety of conditions for growth that the utility industry must meet. Decentralized organizations are best able to cope with the demands that growth places on companies’ agility and their ability to transform themselves. Essentially, companies can grow in one of two ways. Either they tread the path of organic expansion and ramp up their own business activities, or they team up with other market players. Both alternatives present specific advantages, whose significance varies very considerably depending on the precise competitive situation. In saturated markets, external growth takes precedence. Whatever path a company chooses, growth places heavy demands – professionally, but also on a very basic human level – on the management.