When capitalism spread along the trade routes toward the Indies. when radio opened an era of mass communication. when the Internet became part of the global economy. pirates were there. And although most people see pirates as solitary anarchists out to destroy capitalism, it turns out the opposite is true. They are the ones who forge the path.In THE PIRATE ORGANIZATION: Lessons from the Fringes of Capitalism (Harvard Business Review Press, December 4, 2012), Rodolphe Durand and Jean-Philippe Vergne reveal that pirates are far from the lone discontents in popular myths, but in fact, have always formed complex and sophisticated organizations that both challenge and change the course of capitalism. Surprisingly, pirate organizations also behave in predictable ways: challenging widespread norms; controlling resources, communication, and transportation; maintaining trade relationships with other communities; and formulating strategies favoring speed and surprise. And firms, non-profit organizations, and governmental bodies can learn from them.
Durand and Vergne recommend that rather than trying to stamp out piracy, savvy entrepreneurs and organizations should keep a sharp eye on the pirate space to stay successful as the game changes.
Written for individuals who think about industry evolution, corporate strategy and values, and those interested in thinking more deeply about how capitalism is changing, THE PIRATE ORGANIZATION provides a rigorous yet engaging analysis of the history of piracy-from the classic pirates of the Barbary Coast to today’s digital and DNA pirates-coupled with lessons on how businesses should change their behavior.
First published in French to great critical acclaim and commercial success as L’Organisation Pirate: Essaisurl’évolution du capitalisme, this book shows that piracy is not random. It’s predictable, it cannot be separated from capitalism, and it likely will be the source of capitalism’s continuing evolution.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Rodolphe Durand is the GDF-Suez professor of strategy at HEC-Paris. He received the European Academy of Management/Imagination Lab Award for Innovative Scholarship 2010 and is a visiting scholar at the Harvard Business School. His works have been published widely in academic journals.
Jean-Philippe Vergne is an assistant professor of strategy at the R. Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. His ongoing research on the global arms industry received the Grigor McClelland doctoral dissertation award.