Built to Last  (English, Paperback, Collins James C.)

Built to Last, by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras, is a book that talks about the successful habits of visionary companies. It has been a fixture on the bestseller list of Businessweek.

Summary of the Book

Based on their six-year research project at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras chose eighteen truly unique and enduring companies, to study each of them in direct comparison to one of its top competitors. In this book, they study the companies from the time of their launch to the present day - as start-ups, as midsize businesses, and as large corporations. The authors have delved into the habits developed by the truly exceptional companies throughout their history to be where they are. The book is filled with a large number of specific examples and is structured into a lucid framework of practical ideas that can be applied by entrepreneurs and managers at all levels. Built to Last offers a practical blueprint for building companies that will flourish long into the competitive 21st century and even beyond.

About the Authors

James C. “Jim” Collins, III is an American author, lecturer and business consultant. He was associated with HP as a Product Manager and with McKinsey & Company as a consultant. He later started teaching and research at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. Based on his vast experience on the topic, enduring great companies, Jim has authored and co-authored several books like: Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck, Good to Great, and How the Mighty Fall.

Jerry I. Porras is an author, business and management analyst, and professor at Stanford University Graduate School of Business and Lane Professor Emeritus of Organizational Behavior and Change. He has also co-authored the book, Success Built to Last: Creating a Life That Matters.