Rating: 
Summary: Unprecedented, Compelling, Well-Researched
Review: "Built to Last" is one of those rare non-fiction books you just can't put down. Unequivocally the best "business" book I have ever read, "Built to Last" by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras is a compelling, thorough, well-written, unprecedented look at what it takes to "create and achieve long-lasting greatness as a visionary corporation." Unlike many current "trendy" management and "business success" books out on the market, Collins and Porras differentiate "Built to Last" by using their own six-year comprehensive, well-documented research study as the basis for further analysis.What separates "Built to Last" is that each visionary company (3M, HP, Procter & Gamble, Wal-Mart...) is contrasted with a comparison company founded in the same time, in the same industry, with similar founding products and markets (Norton, TI, Colgate, Ames...). Perhaps what I found most intriguing were some of the twelve "shattered myths" they go on to counter throughout the book: 1. It takes a great idea to start a great company
2. Visionary companies require great and charismatic visionary leaders
3. Visionary companies share a common subset of "correct" core values
4. Highly successful companies make their best moves by brilliant and complex strategic planning
5. The most successful companies focus primarily on beating the competition As a current business student with a summer internship in a "visionary company," I was amazed as their careful analysis rang true. This is one book I can highly recommend to any student, professional, or business educator looking for those not-so-subtle traits that characterize a truly visionary company.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Book for Leaders
Review: Collins and Porras have provided a foundational study of the nuts and bolts of "visionary" organizations. Built to Last is a great book. I was occasionally concerned that they sometimes used materials from other disciplines (i.e., evolutionary science, symbols from Eastern religions, etc.) that had significant implications. Overall, the book is an excellent read and would be helpful for business owners, managers, non-profit leaders, and a whole range of educators and civil servants. I would highly recommend it. One will be amazed to see the impact that a few consistent priorities have had on some of the major companies. It's a worthwhile book that is backed by real data.
Paul Heier, pastor, Lifespring Church, Palm Harbor, FL
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book for Leaders
Review: Collins and Porras have provided a foundational study of the nuts and bolts of "visionary" organizations. Built to Last is a great book. I was occasionally concerned that they sometimes used materials from other disciplines (i.e., evolutionary science, symbols from Eastern religions, etc.) that had significant implications. Overall, the book is an excellent read and would be helpful for business owners, managers, non-profit leaders, and a whole range of educators and civil servants. I would highly recommend it. One will be amazed to see the impact that a few consistent priorities have had on some of the major companies. It's a worthwhile book that is backed by real data. Paul Heier, pastor, Lifespring Church, Palm Harbor, FL
Rating:
Summary: embrace the power of "and"
Review: Collins and Porras' basic observation in this book, where they compare the practices of visionary to those of a matched set of good, though not great, companies, is that average companies are driven by the power of "or:" You can have either short term profits OR long term growth, either stability OR progress. Visionary companies, on the contrary, embrace the power of "and:" You can preserve the core AND stimulate progress.
That said, the authors go on to describe how great companies build structures that embrace these often contradictory goals. The great companies Collins and Porras study, contrary to popular belief, are not profit focused at their core. Instead, they are `value' focused. These values are a sort of nucleus, around which leaders in visionary companies grow the company.
And that is not the only difference between visionary companies and the more average comparison companies. The visionary companies surveyed consistently produced leaders steeped in the company's ideology. These home grown leaders are the result of deliberate corporate design, an orientation to corporate structure that the authors call "clock building instead of time telling." In short, among the final products of visionary companies are competent leaders that carry on the core. And once developed, these leaders are then encouraged to experiment boldly, keeping only what works (i.e. what is effective and in alignment with the core).
A very entertaining book, it is among the best, easiest to follow guide to strategy imaginable. I also like the fact that it addresses not only macro level concerns, but also provides guidelines to help folks like me, stuck in middle management positions, apply these concepts. It is well written, the case studies compelling, and I like being able to follow the authors' research methods in the appendices. It is this thorough research which raises the book several notches above the now-classic "In Search of Excellence."
Rating:
Summary: A Business Student's Perspective
Review: Having spent the last four years of our lives being taught to think about every business problem in a particular way, it was great to read a business book that encourages you to "think outside of the box." We have read many textbooks in our time at University, and it was refreshing to read a book that expressed clear and simple ideas that we will remember after we graduate. "Built To Last" started off strong by 'shattering' the 12 well-known "myths" that they teach us in school. The book then continued with the author's model that is based around the premise of preserving the core ideology, and stimulating progress within the organization; it uses simple points that build on one another to create a first-rate framework. The authors make their points at the beginning of each chapter and then build on them with numerous examples of 'visionary' companies...Some of our favorite points were:
- The true definition of a core ideology; including the distinction between a core purpose and core values;
- Encourage trying lots of stuff and keeping what works;
- And, "The Genius of the And"...it is possible to have two things at once.
Although, this book was primarily targeted towards entrepreneurs and CEO's, we found that we could use this book for our future career search and within our daily lives. For example, the chapter titled Cults and Cultures outlined the extraordinary commitment employees have to their particular organization; Personally, we don't think we have what it takes to be a true "Nordie," but it gave us insight into what characteristics and traits to be looking for in an organization we would like to work for.
Some of the inferior traits of the book are that there were some parts in the novel where the authors seem to stretch their examples to fit within their framework, and they came across as being slightly bias to their own theories. We also found that they never mention the same company in every chapter, which made it harder to follow and also harder to believe that every visionary company fit all aspects of their model. However, overall, this book is an easy read, with a simple model that makes sense. It uses interesting companies and is backed up by 6 years of intense research. We recommend this book to any student who is looking to think on different terms than what we are being taught in school.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent and question for those who have read!?
Review: Howdy All,
An excellent book, highly recommended to all those in business (or starting a business) who really want to make a difference (not just make a quick buck).
Now here's my question:
I remember reading a section in the book where it explained how a hotel or motel CEO would get all new hires into his office on their first day and explain to them how they should see each day at work as a challenge to them.
I'd like to find that section again to reread (and quote it) but no matter how much I browse the book I can't seem to find it. I believe it was in the second half (or even more towards the end) of the book.
I've tried on-line searching (of the book) but that's not been successful (since I don't believe the whole thing is indexed. If anyone's starting out reading the book, or has just read it, or knows it like the back of their hand, perhaps you can help?
Any pointers (page number, chapters() would be most appreciated.
Please email mrhatken@mac.com
Thanks in advance,
Ashley Aitken.
Rating:
Summary: The genius of the "AND" -- use his book AND his web site
Review: I listened to the audio version on my way to work. The bonus author interview at the end was the best part. It included a pitch for one of his other books "Good to Great". Jim Collins also has a web site, of the same name, that has an additional 10 non business books that he recommends. These additional resources have provided two of the next books I plan on reading.
As far as Built to Last goes, the following are some of his key concepts from this book.
1. Be a "Clock builder" instead of a "teller of time"
2. BHAGS (def in the book)
3. The "and" instead of the "or"
4. Preserve the core
5. Cult like corporate cultures
6. Stimulating progress
7. Alignment
8. All leaders die
Two other tid bits that caught my attention: The fact about how at the 18 visionary companies only 4 CEO's have ever been selected to the top spot in these organizations from outside the company. And finally the 3M example of how to effectively facilitate interaction between internal departments, by inventing a Technology Sharing Award and Technical Honor Society.
If you are a business type climbing the corporate ladder, it is worth a read. 3.5 to 4 stars
Rating:
Summary: The genius of the "AND" -- use his book AND his web site
Review: I listened to the audio version on my way to work. The bonus author interview at the end was the best part. It included a pitch for one of his other books "Good to Great". Jim Collins also has a web site, of the same name, that has an additional 10 non business books that he recommends. These additional resources have provided two of the next books I plan on reading.
As far as Built to Last goes, the following are some of his key concepts from this book.
1. Be a "Clock builder" instead of a "teller of time"
2. BHAGS (def in the book)
3. The "and" instead of the "or"
4. Preserve the core
5. Cult like corporate cultures
6. Stimulating progress
7. Alignment
8. All leaders die
Two other tid bits that caught my attention: The fact about how at the 18 visionary companies only 4 CEO's have ever been selected to the top spot in these organizations from outside the company. And finally the 3M example of how to effectively facilitate interaction between internal departments, by inventing a Technology Sharing Award and Technical Honor Society.
If you are a business type climbing the corporate ladder, it is worth a read. 3.5 to 4 stars
Rating:
Summary: Nonfiction/documentary work
Review: If You are tired of reading management books that are some fictions about how to build great company, that contain a lot of fancy drawings with bubbles, boxes and lines, bloated with buzzwords, but that has very weak/unclear/fuzzy link with the practice, then this book is for You. These guys (authors) have made a capacious 6 year methodical study project to find out why the top-performing companies in long-term perspective (long-term means they are looking at companies, not younger than about 50 years, which have been top-performes during most of their life-time) have succeeded. The study have revealed a lot of surprising facts (for example these results very clearly contradict some far-spread imaginations about good leadership). Of course the authors still create some buzzwords and stuff, but these are only to facilitate telling the story of research results. I love easy to read nonfiction books with very strong and explicit link to real world practice, and this book is on top of them. If You are acting in software development industry and are also interested in more short-term (less than 50 to 100 years of) management success, then You might want to read Detlev J. Hoch et al, "Secrets of Software Success" too -- the same review applies to it (except study project lasted for 4 years).
Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: Of all books on business strategy, this one packs a rare combination of academic rigor, practicality and insight. It's one of a dozen timeless business strategy books in existence.
Collins (and Jerry Porras) decided to create a rigorous set of performance measurement criteria to determine which companies not only succeeded financially, as measured primarily by stock price, but also maintained the gain for a long period of time. Jim and Jerry then built a series of hypotheses around these companies as contrasted with industry competitors which had similar market opportunities but no equivalent long-term success.
The results are incredibly direct and determinative:
o If you want to last, your culture must be values-based.
o You must clearly understand your "core purpose" as well as embrace, articulate, hire to and demonstrate your core values. o The core purpose must last at least 100 ears.
o Your vision must include a BHAG to lend continued vitality to your organizations.
o The BHAG must be describable in clear, vibrant, engaging and inspirational terms.
In teaching strategic planning, I use these ideas as clear, straghtforward and energizing principles. In creating strategy, these compelling ideas are indispensible as a focal point for group success.
The 3 Cs for success are clarity, commitment and competence. This book covers the first two better than anything else out there today. It belongs on your shelf.
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