Drawing upon a six-year research project at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras took eighteen truly exceptional and long-lasting companies and studied each in direct comparison to one of its top competitors. They examined the companies from their very beginnings to the present day -- as start-ups, as midsize companies, and as large corporations. Throughout, the authors asked: "What makes the truly exceptional companies different from the comparison companies and what were the common practices these enduringly great companies followed throughout their history?"
Filled with hundreds of specific examples and organized into a coherent framework of practical concepts that can be applied by managers and entrepreneurs at all levels, Built to Last provides a master blueprint for building organizations that will prosper long into the 21st century and beyond.
Built to Last became an instant business classic. This audio abridgement is read by the authors, who alternate chapters. Collins is a bit breathlessly enthusiastic, but clear and interesting; Porras, unfortunately, is poorly inflected and wooden. They set out to determine what's special about "visionary" companies--the Disneys, Wal-Marts, and Mercks, companies at the very top of their game that have demonstrated longevity and great brand image. The authors compare 18 "visionary" picks to a control group of "successful-but-second-rank" companies. Thus Disney is compared to Columbia Pictures, Ford to GM, and so on.
A central myth, according to the authors, is that visionary companies start with a great product and are pushed into the future by charismatic leaders. Usually false, Collins and Porras find. Much more important, and a much more telling line of demarcation between a wild success like 3M and an also-ran like Norton, is flexibility. 3M had no master plan, little structure, and no prima donnas. Instead it had an atmosphere in which bright people were not afraid to "try a lot of stuff and keep what works."
If you listen to this audiocassette on your daily commute, you may discover whether you are headed to a "visionary" place of work--and, if so, whether you are the kind of employee who fits your employer's vision. (Running time: two hours, two cassettes) --Richard Farr
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Good, but not great:
Are you interested to know how WalMart, IBM & HP became superior organizations? Jim & Jerry present their findings about these successful companies and many more. Some of the key take aways from this book are "Preserve the Core Ideology & Stimulate Progress", "Try a lot of stuff and keep that works", & "Companies built just for generating profits do not become superior". Have you been postponing your entrepreneurial venture just because you couldn't find a 'niche'? The authors give a... more info
Amazing Book!!:
I had to read this book for my management course and I thought it was going to be yet another boring business book, but IT IS AMAZING!! The authors made me completely rethink how I think companies achieve success and had some of the most in depth research I've come across. It doesn't matter if you're in business or not, no matter who you are, you'll enjoy getting a fresh perspective that applies to business and our personal lives too. The book slows down towards the end, but overall it's a must read!
The "Core Values" of Corporate Business of the Yesterday and Today:
Let me just say, I have read two books by Jim Collins and his research team and I have not been at all disappointed. All chapters were explained without complex sentence writings and without all the extra stuff. For example, "Resiliency (not perfection) is the signature of greatness, be it in a person, an organization, or a nation." Jim Collins provided within each chapter insights on how to achieve at any position within a corporate company such as an employee, manager, senior executive, board member,and... more info
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant:
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant This is one of my favorite book!!
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