<p><i>Built to Last</i>, the defining management study of the '90s, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning. </p> <p>But what about companies that are not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness? Are there those that convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? If so, what are the distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?</p> <p>Over five years, Jim Collins and his research team have analyzed the histories of 28 companies, discovering why some companies make the leap and others don't. The findings include:</p> <ul> <li>Level 5 Leadership: A surprising style, required for greatness</li> <li>The Hedgehog Concept: Finding your three circles, to transcend the curse of competence</li> <li>A Culture of Discipline: The alchemy of great results</li> <li>Technology Accelerators: How good-to-great companies think differently about technology</li> <li>The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Why those who do frequent restructuring fail to make the leap</li> </ul>