Built to last: successful habits of visionary companies. (Novel Solutions).

Seeing what happened to so many firms over the past two years, this book's title alone (Built to Last, by Harper Business Essentials) tipped the scales in its favor when it came time to choose the third selection in MODERN CASTING's "Novel Solutions" series. Searching for that DNA gene which puts companies in a position to outlast, outwit and outplay the competition (sorry, Survivor fans) certainly seemed like a timely, and thought-provoking, read.

This surprisingly easy read (its 333 pages appears more daunting than it is due to appendices and tables--all chock full of relatable examples) is actually a culmination of a six-year research project. James Collins and Jerry Porras examined 18 "crown jewel" U.S. firms that have stood the test of time, studying their entire history while contrasting them with a competitor on a similar timeline. The authors set out to determine what separates the truly exceptional companies from the pack. Not necessarily the common denominator, but the common difference.

Their conclusions reveal common threads. Visionary companies have a strong core ideology about what they're in business for (the content of this ideology is less important than the existence of a steadfast belief system). They develop what the authors call "Big Hairy Audacious Goals" to stimulate progress. As a historical example, when President Kennedy could have said, "let's beef up our space program," he instead committed to landing a man on the moon in 1961 (when the odds for success were maybe 50%), creating a challenge that took on a life of its own. They believe in homegrown management and have cult-like cultures where those who don't adapt to the cause are "ejected like a virus." They tend to "try a lot of different stuff' and keep what works. They have an undying objective to improve upon their own standards of performance, and get there by purposely creating a discomfort-zone that obliterates complacency.

There's plenty of "meat" behind each of their points, but the best way to describe Built to Last is a "recipe book" for running a visionary, in-for-the-long-haul business. None of the ingredients are particularly revolutionary, but the authors make a compelling case that each is a "must-have" if a firm is to survive beyond its current leadership, or be anything more than an also-ran in the annals of business.

Within these pages are interesting history lessons on America's top businesses (and others who lost their way for a shot at the golden ring) and numerous inspiring anecdotes and challenges. There also are some interesting conclusions about visionary firms' approaches to reinvestment, training and meeting short- vs. long-term financial objectives, as well as what happens when individuals run their companies like investors instead of managers.

This selection was suggested by MODERN CASTING readers. Please visit www.moderncasting.com/books to comment on this title's relevance to metalcasting as well as to enter your suggestion for the next hook in the series.