Endorsements
Firms of Endearment is one of the most important business books in years, if not decades. Its introduction of the concept of ironic management alone marks it as a breakthrough book for business in the 21st century. Chock full of new thinking, Firms of Endearment seems destined to influence business management theory as no book has in a long, long time.
- Peter Derby, former Managing Executive for Operations and Management, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Former Chairman & CEO, DialogBank and Troika Dialog Investment Banking Group
This book not only challenges capitalism's traditional marketing paradigm but the very "genes" of capitalism. If any book is going to launch a New Capitalism of Caring, it is this book that redefines great companies as stakeholder value builders, not just shareholder agents.
- Philip Kotler, S. C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing at Northwestern University (named by the Financial Times as the #4 management guru of all time behind Jack Welch, Bill Gates, and Peter Drucker)
Aligning the interests of multiple stakeholders is becoming a “table stakes” issue. Although achieving such alignment requires extra work, this book shows why it’s well worth the effort. More loyal customers, more engaged employees, more trust between labor and management, more community support and ultimately more value produced for shareholders. If you don’t feel inspired to adopt a stakeholder relationship operating model after reading this book, you never will.
- Andrew C. Kerin, President Domestic Food, Hospitality and Facilities
Aramark Corporation
Most people think of convergence in terms of technologies coming together, but Firms of Endearment proves that there's another form of convergence going on. Companies
no longer can defend putting profits ahead of winning share of heart because customers and investors increasingly believe one doesn't come without the other. As this book points out
so well, companies succeed in building value when they focus on being socially responsible on behalf of all their constituents.
- Ivan Seidenberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Verizon Communications
A powerful blow to selfishly greedy market fundamentalism of the Darwinistic sort, Firms of Endearment is also a thoroughly documented invitation to responsible capitalism."
- Prabhu Guptara, Executive Director, Organization Development (a subsidiary of UBS AG.)
This wonderful book shows the way to what the authors call "The Self Actualization of Capitalism." It celebrates the confluence of humanistic values and business success in an inspiring and engaging fashion. I recommend it wholeheartedly!"
- Michael J. Gelb Author, How to Think Like Leonardo DaVinci and Innovate Like Edison
