For example, in many businesses there's an "ecosystem." Within the ecosystem, companies are actually "frenemies," because while they're ostensibly competing, the more value is available in the ecosystem, the more it grows, creating more opportunities for everyone in the ecosystem..
I lived through the evolution of the personal computer ecosystem literally from the Altair to now, I've watched it in action. Ecosystems have both zero-sum and positive-sum characteristics. Mac versus Windows was a death-match, but being an ISV within the Mac ecosystem was very much a positive-sum game.
When I was selling my Mac classified ad software, I could have thought of every other vendor as a competitor for my customers' fixed budgets. But if I saw a problem and recommended some other software that solved it, they got more value out of their automation and would end up spending more money on me. Where as if they didn't get enough value out of their Macs, they would switch to WIndows and I'd have had to port my app to continue to serve them.
The same thing is true of working in a company. Yes, you're kind of competing with your colleagues, but at the same time, cooperating with your colleagues makes everyone money. So working as an employee has both zero-sum and positive-sum characteristics.
Maybe I misunderstand your claim, but as I interpret what you've written, I feel it doesn't match my observation. I really do think there are lots and lots and lots of things that are positive sum games in business.
Come to think of it, this web site is one of them too.
For example, in many businesses there's an "ecosystem." Within the ecosystem, companies are actually "frenemies," because while they're ostensibly competing, the more value is available in the ecosystem, the more it grows, creating more opportunities for everyone in the ecosystem..
I lived through the evolution of the personal computer ecosystem literally from the Altair to now, I've watched it in action. Ecosystems have both zero-sum and positive-sum characteristics. Mac versus Windows was a death-match, but being an ISV within the Mac ecosystem was very much a positive-sum game.
When I was selling my Mac classified ad software, I could have thought of every other vendor as a competitor for my customers' fixed budgets. But if I saw a problem and recommended some other software that solved it, they got more value out of their automation and would end up spending more money on me. Where as if they didn't get enough value out of their Macs, they would switch to WIndows and I'd have had to port my app to continue to serve them.
The same thing is true of working in a company. Yes, you're kind of competing with your colleagues, but at the same time, cooperating with your colleagues makes everyone money. So working as an employee has both zero-sum and positive-sum characteristics.
Maybe I misunderstand your claim, but as I interpret what you've written, I feel it doesn't match my observation. I really do think there are lots and lots and lots of things that are positive sum games in business.
Come to think of it, this web site is one of them too.