ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the brand-new concept, first presented in this book, of the Gaia organization. This type of organization is named after Gaia, the mythological Greek goddess that symbolizes the personification of the Earth and mother of all life. The name Gaia also builds from the Gaia systems theory of James Lovelock. The Gaia organization, as is the case with planet Earth, is a living organism constantly interacting with itself and its surrounding environment. The Gaia organization synergistically evolves as a self-regulating complex system that helps perpetuate the conditions for life on the planet. The chapter introduces the overarching principles of lifefulness, consciousness and bio-logic; as well as the operating principles that guide the practices of Gaia-type organizations. The chapter also includes real-life case examples as well as the implications that existing organizations (built according to the old business paradigm) face when they aim to transition to the Gaia organization (the new business paradigm).
