What's up with the fox and the hedgehog?

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“The fox knows many things; the hedgehog one great thing.”  Or so said the Greek poet, Archilochus. Resurrected by Jim Collins in his book Good to Great, is the idea that the world is divided into foxes (cunning creatures capable of out of the box thinking) and hedgehogs (evolutionary pinnacle of single-focused self preservation). Collins argues that successful companies opt for the simple single mindedness of the the hedgehog. According to Collins, those companies that follow the example of the fox lack focus, diffuse their energy, have inconsistent results, and ultimately fail. FoxHedge was born of the idea that successful companies understand their core competency and direct the main thrust of their energy based on this keen understanding. At the same time, hedgehog-like companies cannot afford to let the world pass them by. This is where the fox comes in. In today’s fast paced business world, companies need the creativity of the fox to capitalize on opportunities and stay ahead of their competitors. Companies that embrace the yin and yang of the fox and hedgehog define their market.