If you are not a social business you are losing market share. If you are not a social business, you are also losing the opportunity to recruit and retain the very best talent in the market. In this social and mobile era, customers have choices and voices that are scaled and amplified like never before. For businesses to truly connect with their employees and customers they must be able to listen, respond, engage, and add value in a timely and robust manner. But, to truly connect we must do so by way of a personalized and mutually beneficial approach; and in order to do this well, we must embrace social collaboration. By reading the Pursuit of Social Business Excellence you will be able to 1) identify foundational success elements of a social business; 2) follow a prioritized and guided step by step transformation process; 3) measure progress and identify self-reinforcing confirmation points. 4) increase top line revenue, profit, employee retention and customer loyalty. Afshar and Martin are award winning enterprise technology and management executives who have unlocked the value of social business transformation to drive industry leading growth, customer loyalty and profitability. In 2011, Afshar pioneered and led the efforts to drive the innovation behind enterprise networking industries first social machines. In 2012 Afshar and Martin s company, Enterasys Networks, was recognized as one of Boston's best places to work and was also awarded for top services-collaboration innovation, best contact center and next generation quality leadership.
"This book seeks to provide graduate-level and upper-division or honors undergraduate students with a comprehensive understanding of the emerging and rapidly growing field of social entrepreneurship. It is the most complete text on the subject available, exploring both the theory and practice of social entrepreneurship and blending these seamlessly through examples, case studies, the voices of practicing social entrepreneurs, and special features that put students in a position that requires creative thinking and strategic problem solving"--
Understanding Social Entrepreneurship is the leading textbook that provides students with a comprehensive overview of the field. It brings the mindset, principles, strategies, tools and techniques of entrepreneurship into the social sector to present innovative solutions to today’s vexing social issues. Kickul and Lyons cover all the key topics relevant to social entrepreneurship, including a detailed examination of each of the steps in the entrepreneurial process. This edition includes several new features: New international cases and examples – providing students with a broader understanding of social entrepreneurship globally Updated ‘voices from the field’ boxes – this popular feature shows how social entrepreneurship functions in the real world Four new chapters – covering the emerging topics of lean start-up, support ecosystems, social intrapreneurship, and social entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability Bringing together a rigorous theoretical foundation and a strong practical focus, it is the go-to resource for students of social entrepreneurship. A companion website includes an instructor’s manual, PowerPoint slides, test bank, and other tools to provide additional support for students and instructors.
Transform your organization by making silos a thing of the past In Boundless, two leaders in transformation and customer success deliver an inspiring and exciting new approach to succeeding in an increasingly decentralized and digital-first world. In the book, you’ll learn how to demolish organizational silos once and for all, allowing resources to flow across networks, ecosystems, and communities. The authors explain the seven principles underlying their unique and effective “Boundless” paradigm: connection, integration, decentralization, mobility, continuity, autonomy, and shared success. Walking you through the blueprint for transformative, resilient business success, Boundless also offers: Strategies for mapping the Boundless principles to key technological advances, including digital platforms, blockchain, AI, robotics, cloud computing, and more Ways to achieve the operational, organizational, and technological shifts necessary to succeed in an entirely transformed world Tools for combatting the natural tendency of employees to accumulate and protect resources within company silos An invaluable resource for managers, executives, directors, and other business leaders, Boundless will also earn a place in the libraries of founders, entrepreneurs, and consultants who seek to create an enduring competitive advantage for themselves or their clients.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From Blackstone chairman, CEO, and co-founder Stephen A. Schwarzman, a long-awaited book that uses impactful episodes from Schwarzman's life to show readers how to build, transform, and lead thriving organizations. Whether you are a student, entrepreneur, philanthropist, executive, or simply someone looking for ways to maximize your potential, the same lessons apply. People know who Stephen Schwarzman is—at least they think they do. He’s the man who took $400,000 and co-founded Blackstone, the investment firm that manages over $500 billion (as of January 2019). He’s the CEO whose views are sought by heads of state. He’s the billionaire philanthropist who founded Schwarzman Scholars, this century’s version of the Rhodes Scholarship, in China. But behind these achievements is a man who has spent his life learning and reflecting on what it takes to achieve excellence, make an impact, and live a life of consequence. Folding handkerchiefs in his father’s linen shop, Schwarzman dreamed of a larger life, filled with purpose and adventure. His grades and athleticism got him into Yale. After starting his career in finance with a short stint at a financial firm called DLJ, Schwarzman began working at Lehman Brothers where he ascended to run the mergers and acquisitions practice. He eventually partnered with his mentor and friend Pete Peterson to found Blackstone, vowing to create a new and different kind of financial institution. Building Blackstone into the leading global financial institution it is today didn’t come easy. Schwarzman focused intensely on culture, hiring great talent, and establishing processes that allow the firm to systematically analyze and evaluate risk. Schwarzman’s simple mantra “don’t lose money” has helped Blackstone become a leading private equity and real estate investor, and manager of alternative assets for institutional investors globally. Both he and the firm are known for the rigor of their investment process, their innovative approach to deal making, the diversification of their business lines, and a conviction to be the best at everything they do. Schwarzman is also an active philanthropist, having given away more than a billion dollars. In philanthropy, as in business, he is drawn to situations where his capital and energy can be applied to drive transformative solutions and change paradigms, notably in education. He uses the skills learned over a lifetime in finance to design, establish, and support impactful and innovative organizations and initiatives. His gifts have ranged from creating a new College of Computing at MIT for the study of artificial intelligence, to establishing a first-of-its-kind student and performing arts center at Yale, to enabling the renovation of the iconic New York Public Library, to founding the Schwarzman Scholars fellowship program at Tsinghua University in Beijing—the single largest philanthropic effort in China’s history from international donors. Schwarzman’s story is an empowering, entertaining, and informative guide for anyone striving for greater personal impact. From deal making to investing, leadership to entrepreneurship, philanthropy to diplomacy, Schwarzman has lessons for how to think about ambition and scale, risk and opportunities, and how to achieve success through the relentless pursuit of excellence. Schwarzman not only offers readers a thoughtful reflection on all his own experiences, but in doing so provides a practical blueprint for success.
This book offers a unique, unprecedentedinsider's view of what it takes to succeed with social business. Dozens of battle-tested corporate practitioners have shared their intimate first-hand experiences in developing, launching and managing social media initiatives to improve customer care, marketing, product development, and other key business functions. Each chapter, written by a different social media thought leader, reveals their most intense struggles, biggest wins, and hardest-won lessons in social business. These case studies illuminate the differences between "social media for social's sake" and practical use cases that drive real business value. How Companies Succeed in Social Business delivers specific strategies, detailed tactics, true best practices, and actionable answers to these and other crucial questions about both strategy and tactics: How have other companies been successful, and where have they failed? How do I champion social business initiatives to executives? How do I measure ROI and build a business case? How do I attract and deepen both internal and external participation? How do I integrate social media with my existing technologies and processes? How do I organize internally for maximum effectiveness and efficiency? How will social media impact my people and our culture? How can I optimize our content management processes and systems? What's lurking around the corner? How can I prepare for the future of social business?
We are called to excellence in all aspects of our lives and activities, and not least in our character. Andreas Köstenberger summons all Christians, and especially aspiring pastors, scholars, and teachers, to a life of virtue lived out in excellence. Köstenberger moves through Christian virtues chapter by chapter, outlining the Bible's teaching and showing how Christ-dependent excellence in each area will have a profound impact on one's ministry and scholarship. Virtues covered include grace, courage, integrity, creativity, eloquence, humility, diligence, and service. This unique book is an important character check for all Christians engaged in teaching and ministry, and especially for those in training. Köstenberger's thoughtful volume will be a valuable touchstone for readers, for one's character is a critical matter in both scholarship and ministry.
This book addresses the question: how can institutions develop and maintain a good purpose? And how can managers contribute to this endeavour? Twelve contributions explore this question, using MacIntyrean inquiry as a basis for exploring four main themes: Can management be considered a practice in the MacIntyrean sense? What is the role of specific virtues in the development of a virtuous institution? What are management vices and what are the conditions in which they flourish? And, can we use MacIntyrean ideas to consider the management of all forms of institutions? The volume is an international and multidisciplinary collection, with contributions from well-known writers in the field of management ethics, and innovative contributions that use MacIntyrean inquiry as a lens to examine fields such as hospitality, user generated music content and social sustainability. The papers are unified by their concern for the achievement of organizational excellence and integrity through ethical management. Unlike single author texts this edited volume brings together multiple perspectives on the topic of virtue ethics in management. In doing so, it explores the topic both more deeply and more widely than a single author can do. Because of its breadth, this book has the potential to become a turn-to research tool for those interested in virtue theory’s relevance to other academic interests such as organizational behavior (including motivation theory and social psychology), literature, contemporary social issue criticism, and business management. “Editors Harris, Wijesinghe, and McKenzie have crafted a tight, slim, and thematically consistent volume that will be indispensable to scholars and students with twin interests in business and virtue ethics. In particular, those working with MacIntyre’s ideas will find the thorough and complimentary explorations and applications of his ideas to serve, overall, as a cornerstone for their own work." Brenden E. Kendall (2014), Harris, H., Wijesinghe, G., & McKenzie, S. (Eds.). (2013). The Heart of the Good Institution: Virtue Ethics as a Framework for Responsible Management. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, in Michael Schwartz , Howard Harris (ed.) Achieving Ethical Excellence (Research in Ethical Issues in Organizations, Volume 12) Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.155 - 161
Are You Scaring Your People into Mediocrity? All leaders want to outperform, outsell, and outinnovate the competition. And most teams are fully capable of doing so. The problem: we consistently say and do things that spark unconscious fears and keep our people stuck in their Critter State. This primitive fight, flight, or freeze mode distills all decision making to one question: What will keep me safest? Lying low, sucking up, procrastinating, and doing a good enough job may keep employees breathing, but it doesn’t make for vital organizations. Leaders have to get their people unstuck and fully engaged, replacing their old, limiting mental patterns with new patterns that foster optimal performance. New York Times bestselling author and applied neuroscience expert Christine Comaford knows what it takes to move people from the Critter State into the Smart State, where they have full access to their own creativity, innovation, higher consciousness, and emotional engagement. When an entire culture maintains that state, it becomes what she calls a SmartTribe. Focused. Accountable. Collaborative. Imbued with the energy and passion to solve problems and do what needs doing, again and again and again. Comaford brings to this book more than thirty years of company-building experience, combined with her expertise in behavioral modification and organizational development. She has helped hundreds of leaders navigate rapid growth, maximize performance, resolve internal conflicts, and execute turnarounds with the full support of their people. Now she shares potent yet easy-to-learn neuroscience techniques that will help you do the same. You’ll learn how to move your team forward and reach your next revenue inflection point using the five key Accelerators of the Smart State—focus, clarity, accountability, influence, and sustainability. You’ll get better at anticipating and moving through your own stuck spots and those of your people. Using her proven system, Comaford’s clients have already created hundreds of millions of dollars in new value. They’ve seen their revenues and profits increase by up to 210% annually; individuals become up to 50% more productive and 100% more accountable; marketing demand generation grow by up to 237%; new products and services created up to 48% faster; and sales close up to 50% faster. They spot changes in their markets more quickly, then pounce on them to create the future they want. Ultimately, SmartTribes will help you and your team achieve optimal performance and engagement—brilliance—and leave competitors in the dust.
