The Committed Enterprise
Turn the vision into a key growth driver.
Author(s): Hugh Davidson
Publisher: Butterworth Heinemann
Date of publication: 2002
Manageris opinion
Although many companies try to develop a vision, few actually manage to turn this vision into a true catalyst of long-term growth. Starting from this observation, “The Committed Enterprise” takes the form of an implementation handbook based on the analysis of over 125 leading companies and organizations reputed to be “visionary.”
The book is designed to be read on two levels. The left-hand pages are graphic illustrations of the salient points of the text on the right-hand pages. Readers can thus rapidly consult the essential ideas or choose to read the book more thoroughly.
– Chapters 1 and 2, which review the advantages of communicating a vision, provide an interesting introduction, although the content is nothing new. To rapidly address the central ideas of the book, go to chapters 3 and 12, which use examples like Caltech and Home Depot to provide succinct descriptions of best practices and traps to avoid.
– Although the vision development process is not the main theme of the book, chapters 4 and 5 and the second half of chapter 6 contain useful tips on integrating characteristics that will facilitate the success of your vision, illustrated with examples including UPS and the Rockefeller foundation.
– Launching the right vision at the right time is a critical success factor. The beginning of chapter 6 and chapter 15, with the Estée Lauder and IBM examples, contain original thinking on this topic that deserves careful attention.
– One of the key ideas of the book is that a successful vision must rely on strong values shared by all employees. Chapters 7 and 14 show how companies like Johnson & Johnson and SmithKline Beecham managed to achieve this.
– Chapters 8 and 11 cover the concrete implementation of a vision. Here, readers will find many helpful suggestions on communication (chapters 8 and 10), integrating the vision into processes (chapter 9) and tracking progress in disseminating the vision (chapter 11). Among the most useful examples are those of Procter & Gamble, Lufthansa and UC Berkeley.
– Chapter 13, devoted to combining the visions of two merged companies, will particularly interest readers concerned by that specific situation.
