The Evolutionary Fitness blueprint draws inspiration from a diverse array of thinkers whose work bridges science, philosophy, and organizational evolution. These contributions deepen the methodology’s ability to address systemic complexity and human coordination in turbulent times. Michael is particularly grateful to the following individuals:

Roger Briggs and Emerging World

Roger Briggs’ synthesis of consciousness studies, integrating the works of Jean Gebser, Merlin Donald, and Arthur Young, profoundly influenced the blueprint’s emphasis on organizational consciousness and evolutionary stages. Gebser’s exploration of consciousness structures (e.g., mental, integral, and aperspectival) aligns with the idea that businesses must evolve their collective awareness to navigate shifting landscapes. Donald’s insights into cognitive evolution (e.g., mimetic culture, language) inform how organizations develop adaptive intelligence by integrating knowledge across hierarchical and networked systems. Young’s process philosophy, which views reality as a series of nested creative systems, reinforces the blueprint’s focus on strategic metamorphosis—the iterative renewal of capabilities to align with emerging conditions. Together, these ideas highlight the necessity of aligning organizational design with the consciousness of the system, fostering resilience through holistic awareness.

David Ronfeldt’s TIMN Model

David Ronfeldt’s Tribes, Institutions, Markets, Networks framework provides critical insights into the evolution of human coordination systems. This model traces societal development from tribal kinship to networked collaboration, emphasizing how organizational structures must adapt to new forms of collective intelligence. For Evolutionary Fitness, the TIMN framework underscores the importance of transitioning from rigid institutional hierarchies to dynamic networked systems that prioritize decentralized experimentation and rapid learning. Businesses that embrace this shift enhance their adaptive capacity, as they no longer rely solely on top-down control but leverage distributed intelligence to respond to disruption. Ronfeldt’s work reinforces the blueprint’s focus on strategic agility and the need to balance centralized coordination with emergent innovation.

Professor Louis Herman and Policosmology

Louis Herman’s book, Future Primal and his work on Policosmology (the study of political and cosmic systems) expands the blueprint’s scope to values-based governance and long-term societal alignment. Herman’s emphasis on integrating ethical frameworks with organizational strategy challenges businesses to move beyond superficial ESG compliance. Instead, Evolutionary Fitness encourages leaders to embed regenerative values—such as equity, sustainability, and collective well-being—into their operational DNA. This approach aligns with the Constructal Law’s principle of optimizing flow access by viewing societal challenges as opportunities for strategic reinvention rather than obstacles. Herman’s Policosmology further inspires the blueprint’s vision of organizations as active participants in shaping a higher-order ecosystem, where success is measured by their contribution to the health of interconnected systems.

These thinkers collectively enrich the Evolutionary Fitness methodology by grounding it in interdisciplinary wisdom, ensuring that businesses evolve not just to survive but to transform their environments in ways that harmonize with deeper systemic patterns.