This analysis of what makes great companies great has been hailed everywhere as an instant classic and one of the best business titles since In Search of Excellence. The authors, James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras, spent six years in research, and they freely admit that their own preconceptions about business success were devastated by their actual findings--along with the preconceptions of virtually everyone else.

Built to Last identifies 18 "visionary" companies and sets out to determine what's special about them. To get on the list, a company had to be world famous, have a stellar brand image, and be at least 50 years old. We're talking about companies that even a layperson knows to be, well, different: the Disneys, the Wal-Marts, the Mercks.

Whatever the key to the success of these companies, the key to the success of this book is that the authors don't waste time comparing them to business failures. Instead, they use a control group of "successful-but-second-rank" companies to highlight what's special about their 18 "visionary" picks. Thus Disney is compared to Columbia Pictures, Ford to GM, Hewlett Packard to Texas Instruments, and so on.

The core myth, according to the authors, is that visionary companies must start with a great product and be pushed into the future by charismatic leaders. There are examples of that pattern, they admit: Johnson & Johnson, for one. But there are also just too many counterexamples--in fact, the majority of the "visionary" companies, including giants like 3M, Sony, and TI, don't fit the model. They were characterized by total lack of an initial business plan or key idea and by remarkably self-effacing leaders. Collins and Porras are much more impressed with something else they shared: an almost cult-like devotion to a "core ideology" or identity, and active indoctrination of employees into "ideologically commitment" to the company.

The comparison with the business "B"-team does tend to raise a significant methodological problem: which companies are to be counted as "visionary" in the first place? There's an air of circularity here, as if you achieve "visionary" status by ... achieving visionary status. So many roads lead to Rome that the book is less practical than it might appear. But that's exactly the point of an eloquent chapter on 3M. This wildly successful company had no master plan, little structure, and no prima donnas. Instead it had an atmosphere in which bright people were both keen to see the company succeed and unafraid to "try a lot of stuff and keep what works." --Richard Farr

Review

"Built to Last...is one of the most eye-opening business studies since In Search of Excellence -- -- Kevin Maney, USA Today

"A 'must read' for any CEO who aspires to create a great company." -- -- T.J. Rodgers, President and CEO, Cypress Semiconductor Corp.

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73 Reviews

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4.6 out of 5 stars (73 customer reviews)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Unprecedented, Compelling, Well-Researched, July 27 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Built To Last: Successful Habits Of Visionary Companies (Paperback)

"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.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars The Most Worthless Book I ever Read, Jun 4 2002

Unfortunately Read THIS BOOK (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Built To Last: Successful Habits Of Visionary Companies (Paperback)

I was unfortunate enough to have to read this book for a Plant Management training program. I found this book to be inane and the conclusions drawn by the authors to be ridiculous and uninformed. Further, the "case studies" presented in the book are incomplete and involve an obvious "slant" based on the personal opinions of the authors. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN OBTAINING ANY USEFUL INFORMATION. This book should not rate even 1 star.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, Sep 25 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Built To Last: Successful Habits Of Visionary Companies (Paperback)

Habits are in, habits sell, at least in titles, but I would have preferred the authors to be more original. I guess they didn't figure they could get away with "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Companies."

Aside from the title, I had to wonder if they spent more time trying to squeeze the companies they covered into their preconceived list of habits than they did actually examining those companies. Those familiar with any of the companies might have trouble recognizing them here. Reality seldom fits into such simplistic molds.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good - with real take-home value
We used this book as a template for defining our strategic vision and corporate culture for a 75 person growing tech company. Read more

Published on Jan 18 2004 by Keith

5.0 out of 5 stars Make the game, simpler!
I think Jim Collins helped us to rethink what's really important in an organization. Even after the dot.com mania the book remains updated and still so important. Read more

Published on Jan 4 2003 by Orlando Ferreira