Do you want to be known as a Boeing or a Douglas Aircraft?

Today, Boeing's jets are synonymous with commercial air travel, but that wasn't always the case. In 1952, four-fifths of Boeing's business came from a single customer—the U.S. Air Force.

At that pivotal moment, Boeing aspired to develop a prototype for a jet-powered commercial airliner. This endeavor would cost three times the company's average annual after-tax profit from the past five years. Despite the enormous financial risk, Boeing's management defied the odds and committed to the audacious goal of establishing the company as a major player in the commercial aircraft industry.

In stark contrast, Boeing's competitor, Douglas Aircraft Company, chose to stick with piston-powered propeller planes, adopting a cautious wait-and-see approach to the emerging jet technology.

Most organizations stand at a similar crossroads today. Many will opt to wait and see, while a few will take bold steps to embrace the next wave of transformational technologies. The question is: Do you want to be known as a Boeing or a Douglas Aircraft?