Built to Last

BUILT TO LAST: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

By Jim Collins and Jerry Porras

How do companies like 3M, American Express, Marriott, Proctor & Gamble and Walt Disney build lasting brands that consistently out-perform their competitors by as much as 15 times?  How do they stay successful across generations of chief executives, thrive through multiple product/ services life cycles, and retain their position as the leaders of their industries? Based on 6 years of extensive research, this book debunks myths about business success, and explains how to build companies that transcend time and generations.

In this summary, you’ll learn: 
• The 12 myths about great companies;
• The key principles that underlie business success (including powerful ideas like Clock-Building, embracing the big “And”, Going Beyond Profits, and concurrently Preserving the Core while Stimulating progress;
• The 5 mechanisms that Visionary Companies use to institutionalize success, including BHAGs, Cult-like Culture, Experimentation, Home-Grown Management, and Continuous Improvement; and
• How to build your vision and translate your core ideology into every aspect of your company.

Who should read this:
• Organizational leaders, managers, and executives
• Consultants, brand managers, and anyone who’s interested in business strategy

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2 reviews for Built to Last

  1. Nick Woodall

    While this was a good book when it was written, many of the companies highlighted in this book ultimately went down in flames. So much for “built to last.” [Review from Goodreads]

  2. David McClendon

    So far in business there are three highly respected books written about research performed on businesses and what makes them successful. The first would be In Search of Excellence. The second would be Built to Last and, finally, Good to Great.
    Built to last compares companies within the same industry to see what makes one “visionary” and the other not so visionary. It looks at several different industries this way. The book acknowledges that there may be some flaws with its research but, in the end, the book gives the reader some ideas about what might make a company “Built to Last.”…Any aspiring CEO should be familiar with this study and this book. It provides some great fodder for thought. It also gives one a foundation from which a company which is built to last can be built. [Review from Goodreads]

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