This book highlights lateral management as the answer to the strategic opportunities and challenges posed by digital transformation. Digitalization is now changing the economy and society as dramatically as the dawn of electrification a century ago. Production methods, products, sales structures, marketing, and even markets themselves are set to change in the digital era.
In addition to introducing readers to the concept of lateral management, and detailing the structure and functioning of 'lateral companies', the authors show how leadership and cooperation norms carried over from the 20th century need to be adapted for the digital era. They demonstrate the opportunities that digitalization offers companies, employees and managers in terms of enhancing their freedom, individuality, job diversity, and creative and innovative power. The authors also provide a unique management instrument, the 'Lateral Culture Index®', which measures the hierarchies of leadership; provide new benchmarks; and identify seven essential factors for lateral companies. Readers will learn how to implement lateral management in their companies and be familiarized with the instruments that can help them do so.    

Prologue: Mail-order companies without catalogues, orchestras without conductors, self-determined footballers and five colours

Creative Destruction - the Digital Revolution and its Consequences
A brief history of the management ideas of the 20th century
Cracks in the world view of classical management
A Brief History of Successful Lateral Organizations
Lateral Management in the 21st Century
Epilogue.