• Stage V: Resource Maturity. The company has arrived. It has the staff and financial resources to
engage in detailed operational and strategic planning. The management structure is decentralized, with
experienced senior staff, and all necessary systems are in place. The owner and the business have
separated both financially and operationally. The concerns at this stage are to (1) consolidate and control
the financial gains that have been brought on by the rapid growth and (2) retain the advantage of a small
size (e.g., response flexibility and the entrepreneurial spirit). If the entrepreneurial spirit can be
maintained, there is a strong probability of continued growth and success. If not, the company may find
itself in a state ofossification. This occurs when there is a lack of innovation and risk aversion that, in turn,
will contribute to stalled or halted growth. These are common traits in large corporations.