Built to Last by James C Collins

Built to Last by James C Collins

Fundamentally altering the way executives think about long-term success, Built to Last has become a bible among CEOs and managers at prestigious corporations the world over. Using examples from such companies as Wal-Mart, 3M, P&G, and Johnson & Johnson, two professors at the Stanford Graduate School of Business conclude that vision is endemic to an organization's success. Comparisons with a list of also-rans-Pfizer, Ames, Norton, Colgate, Bristol Meyers, and Zenith-helped the authors to prove their central idea: visionary companies can stimulate progress while preserving their core businesses; they can sustain a sense of cultism, create BHAGs (big, hairy, audacious goals), and use unplanned progress to be successful year after year. aThis new edition features an introduction by the authors, describing what they've learned since the original publication about how their findings apply to international settings, nonprofits, corporations in need of transformation, and making predictions for the future.

Jerry I. Porras is the Lane Professor of Organizational Behavior and Change, Emeritus, at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business where he served as an Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and frequent executive education teacher. He studies ways of aligning companies around their purpose and core values to produce lasting high performance.