Sexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction in business means M&A that creates genuine recombination of organizational DNA.
The strategic question isn't whether to merge. It's whether you're creating recombinant DNA or just bolting two organisms together. Most mergers fail because companies try to preserve both parental genotypes intact - two organisms sharing a body.
Sexual reproduction mixes genetic material from two parents. The offspring aren't copies - they're recombinations. The advantage: diversity. Each offspring is genetically unique, carrying different combinations of parental traits. In variable or unpredictable environments, this hedging strategy increases the odds that at least some offspring will survive. Sexual reproduction also purges harmful mutations more efficiently through recombination.
The disadvantage: cost. Sexual reproduction requires finding mates, building sexual organs, and producing offspring that carry only half your genes. In stable environments, these costs often outweigh the benefits. That's why some organisms reproduce sexually when stressed and asexually when conditions are favorable - switching strategies based on environmental signals.
Business Application of Sexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction in business means M&A that creates genuine recombination of organizational DNA. Amazon + Whole Foods wasn't a clone of either parent - it was a hybrid with recombined traits. Successful mergers undergo genetic recombination, creating new organisms with mixed DNA. Failed mergers either bolt two organisms together (no recombination) or absorb one completely (one-sided genetic loss).