Book Review

Firms of Endearment: How World-Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose
by Rajendra S. Sisodia, David B. Wolfe, Jagdish N. Sheth. Wharton School Publishing; 1 edition (Jan 31 2007), ISBN 13: 978-0131873728.

Building Winning Businesses in the
New Age of Transcendence
 
Today’s best companies get it. From Costco® to Commerce Bank, Wegmans to Whole Foods® some companies are becoming the ultimate value creators. They’re generating every form of value that matters: emotional, experiential, social, and financial. And they’re doing it for all, not just for their shareholders, but for their stakeholders. Not because it’s “politically correct” or because it shows their corporate social responsibility, because it’s the only path to a long-term competitive advantage.

This book:

Outlines why today’s most humane companies are blowing away the S&P 500 averages
Shows that the best companies are increasing “share of heart”: delivering the emotional, experiential, and social value your stakeholders are demanding
Provides 30 powerful case studies, including CarMax®, Timberland™, Jordan’s Furniture, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, and Toyota™
 
These are the Firms of Endearment. Companies people like doing business with, partnering with, working for, and investing in. Companies for whom “loyalty” isn’t just an idea, it’s apparent, conspicuous, and achievable. And that loyalty is driving unbeatable advantages in everything from marketing to recruitment.

In this book, you’ll find specific, practical guidance on transforming every relationship you have: with customers, associates, partners, investors, and society. If you want to be great–truly great–this is your blueprint.
 
We’re entering an Age of Transcendence, as people increasingly search for higher meaning in their lives, not just more possessions. This is transforming the marketplace, the workplace, the very soul of capitalism. Increasingly, today’s most successful companies are bringing love, joy, authenticity, empathy, and soulfulness into their businesses: they are delivering emotional, experiential, and social value—not just profits.
 
Firms of Endearment helps illuminate this. It’s not about “corporate social responsibility”, it’s about building companies that can sustain success in a radically new era. It’s about great companies like IDEO and IKEA®, how they earn the powerful loyalty and affection that enables truly breathtaking performance.
 
Used in the Queen’s MBA program by Professor Peggy Cunningham, Firms of Endearment has garnered rave reviews from the candidates.

This book is about gaining “share of heart,” not just share of wallet. It’s about aligning stakeholders’ interests, not just juggling them. It’s about building companies that leave the world a better place. Most of all, it’s about why you must do all this, or risk being left in the dust... and how to get there from wherever you are now.

Bookstore Link...

http://www.campusbookstore.com/index.cfm?index=SPECIALORDERNEW