From Excellent to Excellent

Author: Jim Collins
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Focusing solely on creating excellent businesses is not enough. Even with excellent companies, we may have a prosperous society, but not necessarily an excellent one. For a nation striving for excellence, economic growth and increased strength are not the end goals, but merely means. Although Good to Great: Social Institutions Edition can be read as a standalone work, it is complementary to Good to Great. Readers who have read both books will undoubtedly gain the greatest rewards. This book is specifically written for educational institutions, healthcare organizations, arts organizations, social service organizations, foundations, various non-profit organizations, police departments, government agencies, and even the military. The author explores the challenges faced by leaders of various social organizations and how to apply the theories and concepts of Good to Great to completely different social environments from commercial institutions. The author argues that the real difference lies not between commercial and non-commercial institutions, but between excellence and mediocrity. We must reject the practice of imposing "business language" on social organizations and instead seek a universally accepted "language of pursuing excellence." The theme of this book is to establish a framework for pursuing excellence, describing the principles that stand the test of time, and explaining why some organizations achieve excellence while others do not. The author identifies these principles through meticulous comparative case studies. Focusing solely on creating excellent businesses is not enough. Even with excellent companies, we may have a prosperous society, but not necessarily an excellent one. For a nation striving for excellence, economic growth and increased strength are not the end goals, but merely means. Although this book can be read as a standalone work, it is complementary to Good to Great. Readers who have read both books will undoubtedly gain the greatest rewards.