Groundbreaking research intothe development of America's most enduring and successful corporations thatshatters myths, provides new insights, and gives practical guidance forcompanies that would like to follow in their footsteps.

Jim Collins and Jerry Porrass', faculty at Stanford'sGraduate School of Business, have discovered what makes visionary companies- ones that beat their competitors decade after decade, withstand the vagariesof the marketplace, make a significant impact on the world, and have outperformedthe stock market by 15 times since 1926.

They conclude that a visionary company is not contingent on one brilliantCEO, but on elements that transcend any individual leader. Companies suchas 3M, Walt Disney, Motorola, Merck, and General Electric share lastingcharacteristics that distinguish them from less visionary companies, suchas: preserving a fixed core ideology, yet having the ability to adapt; goingbeyond culture to embrace "cultism"; creating what the authorscall BHAGs (big, hairy, audacious goals); mimicking the biological evolutionof the species; and having a strong sense of purpose beyond making money.