New summary available for the Overexploited Oceans Strategy

In Strategy for the overexploited oceans, Nadya Zhexembayeva describes the principles for business survival in a new world. The planet is running out of resources for production, as well as space for the garbage generated by the current linear and waste economy. The free market will self-destruct unless people transition to a circular economy, where waste becomes a resource. Those who respond to this new reality with disruptive innovation gain a significant competitive advantage. Zhexembayeva eschews “green” business and advocates a whole economy that emulates the ultimate recycler: nature. Instead of looking at the competition, companies need to think in terms of the global value chain. Companies will sell solutions instead of products, and agile and flexible business models will replace cumbersome business plans. Interdepartmental power plays must go, giving way to an organization-wide mentality. Entrepreneurial innovators have already begun the transition.

Nadya Zhexembayeva blames the linear, disposable economy of the Western world for the current economic and environmental situation: dwindling resources and overflowing landfills. She calls for a paradigm shift that produces disruptive innovation, but she paints a hopeful vision of the future, if enough companies ensure their survival by adopting the five principles of her overexploited oceans strategy:

1. Line to Circle: mimic nature by treating waste as a resource, not trash.
2. From vertical to horizontal: shift focus away from the competition and focus on the global value chain.
3. From growth to growth: stop measuring growth by the number of products sold and focus on selling value and meaning.
4. Plan to Model – Abandon rigid business plans and develop an innovative and resilient business model.
5. Department to Mindset: Break down silos with a new mindset where everyone, at every level of the organization, is striving for the same goal.

Strategy for the overexploited oceans offers a solid model for business survival in a world devoid of resources and full of garbage. The book is best read cover to cover, however the chapter overviews make it easy to jump through. Each chapter contains ideas from other sources; chapters three through seven end with a list of resources for more information. Graphs, charts, illustrations and the occasional photograph clarify the points. Case studies of more than 30 companies, from several continents and representing a wide variety of fields, illustrate Zhexembayeva’s principles. The book is a must-read for business leaders interested in the environmental impact of innovation in relation to the success of their companies.

Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva is Professor of Sustainable Development at IEDC-Bled School of Management in Slovenia. She is also a business owner who is active in real estate, investment, and consulting. ENRC PLC, Erste Bank, Henkel, Knauf Insulation and Vienna Insurance Group are among her recent clients. She is also Vice President of Challenge: Future, a global youth think-DO-tank. She earned a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management. Dr. Zhexembayeva is originally from Kazakhstan.