Clayton Company has grown 115 percent in the past year and 600-plus percent in the past three years. A large portion of this growth is attributable to Jan Clayton’s philosophy of hiring the best possible computer systems people and giving them the freedom they need to do their jobs.

Most of Jan’s personnel operate as part of work teams that analyze, design, and implement computer systems for clients. The process works as follows: First, the company will get a call from a potential client indicating that it needs to have a computer system installed or special software written for its operations. Jan will send over one of her people to talk to the client and analyze the situation. If it turns out that Clayton Company has the expertise and personnel to handle the job, the client will be quoted a price. If this price is acceptable, a Clayton group will be assigned the project.

An example of a typical project is the client who called three weeks ago and wanted to purchase five tablet computers for the firm’s engineering staff. The company wanted these engineers to have smartphones so they could work on the road easily and access all of their files. Additionally, the firm wanted its computer-aided design software to be modified so the engineers could see their computer-generated drawings in 3-D. The Clayton group provided the computers and smartphones, installed and updated the entire system, and modified the software in two working days.

QUESTIONS

1. In what phase of the venture life cycle is Jan’s firm currently operating? Defend your answer.

2. How are Jan’s actions helping to build an adaptive firm? Give three specific examples.

3. If Jan’s firm continues to grow, what recommendations would you make for future action? What else should Jan be thinking about doing to keep things moving smoothly? Be specific in your answer.