Author: Ram Charan

Publisher: Crown Business

Pub. in: February, 2001

ISBN: 0609608398

Pages: 144

Measurements: 8 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches

Origin of product: USA

Order code: BA00858

Other information: 1 edition
ISBN-13: 978-0609608395

Dr. Charan has used his decades of experience with top CEOs to write a book that explains the overall concepts and focus of a successful business using simple metaphors. The book is organized into four parts:

In part one, you learn the universal language of business though concepts like inventory, product mix, merchandising, pricing, return on assets, customer focus, product quality, cash generation, growth, and finding out what you need to change from customers. The primary metaphor used here is that of a street vendor who is selling fruit in India and cannot afford to have a bad day. Dr. Charan fleshes out the examples by referring to his family's shoe business, and to decisions taken by leading executives he has worked with.

In part two, he talks about how to use these concepts in the real world. His key point is to take the measurements and create a focus on 3 or 4 key activities that will make the most difference. He also relates this work to expanding the value of the company's share price.

In part three, he turns his attention to getting key tasks done. This involves putting the right people in the right jobs, improving group effectiveness, and how to lead change.

In part four, you pay attention to what you need to do to apply these concepts to your own situation so you "become a businessperson first" in your approach to everything. This part gives you help with assessing the whole business, cutting through complexity, providing focus, helping others expand their abilities and synchronize with their colleagues to be more effective, and being a leader.

The book's great strength is its simplicity. It takes business concepts and approaches down to the lowest common denominator. For many people, this will provide a great advance over doing what is best for the way you are measured in your part of the organization. But you will have to get those measurements changed if you want focus and behavior to improve in a lasting way.

The person who will get the most benefit from this book will be the executive who wants to get her or his colleagues more involved in thinking like CEOs and shareholders. You could take this book, and refocus it around simple examples that fit your business, and use examples of focus from things you are working on now. That would make this book extremely beneficial.
- From quoting Donald Mitchell

Target readers: Any employee.

Better with Management Challenges for the 21st Century :

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