Best Seller

Global poverty is one of the world’s most vexing problems. For decades, we’ve assumed smart, well-intentioned people will eventually be able to change the economic trajectory of poor countries. From education to healthcare, infrastructure to eradicating corruption, too many solutions rely on trial and error. Essentially, the plan is often to identify areas that need help, flood them with resources, and hope to see change over time.

But hope is not an effective strategy.

Clayton M. Christensen and his co-authors reveal a paradox at the heart of our approach to solving poverty. While noble, our current solutions are not producing consistent results, and in some cases, have exacerbated the problem. At least twenty countries that have received billions of dollars’ worth of aid are poorer now.

Applying the rigorous and theory-driven analysis he is known for, Christensen suggests a better way. The right kind of innovation not only builds companies—but also builds countries. The Prosperity Paradox identifies the limits of common economic development models, which tend to be top-down efforts, and offers a new framework for economic growth based on entrepreneurship and market-creating innovation. Christensen, Ojomo, and Dillon use successful examples from America’s own economic development, including Ford, Eastman Kodak, and Singer Sewing Machines, and shows how similar models have worked in other regions such as Japan, South Korea, Nigeria, Rwanda, India, Argentina, and Mexico.

The ideas in this book will help companies desperate for real, long-term growth see actual, sustainable progress where they’ve failed before. But The Prosperity Paradox is more than a business book; it is a call to action for anyone who wants a fresh take for making the world a better and more prosperous place.

en & Jerry’s has one. So do Tiffany’s and Smucker’s and Microsoft. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a small start-up or one of the biggest players in corporate America. A clear statement of intent not only inspires a sense of overall purpose for a business or nonprofit, it serves as a practical focus for individuals within the organization. It can even provide an actual blueprint for a company’s future and, ultimately, its success.

Selected from among America’s most successful corporations and recognizable brands, these statements vary widely in style, length, and language. However, they all share a universal vision of excellence that includes superiority in their fields, respect for and responsibility toward employees and clients, dedication to stated business goals, and community-oriented values.

Additionally, 101 MISSION STATEMENTS instructs the new or future entrepreneur in crafting and customizing a mission statement that will inspire, motivate, and meet the specific needs and aspirations of the organization and its members.