Companies on a Mission: Entrepreneurial Strategies for Growing Sustainably, Responsibly, and Profitably

Michael V. Russo

Published by Stanford University Press 2010

Companies on a Mission

Entrepreneurial Strategies for Growing Sustainably, Responsibly, and Profitably

Michael V. Russo
Preface by: L. Hunter Lovins

https://doi.org/10.1515/9780804774284

Overview
Contents

About this book

The book spotlights small and medium companies that have tied their organizational missions to social and environmental values. The book underscores "winning in the marketplace," as well as following one's own ethics. It both chronicles the mission-driven movement to date and provides guidance to entrepreneurs and managers who wish to partake in it.

Author / Editor information

Michael Russo is the Charles H. Lundquist Professor of Sustainable Management at the University of Oregon. He is an award-winning researcher focusing on strategies for social impact and environmental management. He is editor of Environmental Management: Readings and Cases, 2nd edition (Sage, 2008).

Reviews

David Vogel, Haas School of Business, University of California:
"A highly informative and extremely well-written analysis of the creation and growth of ecologically and socially minded firms. What makes Russo's book particularly valuable is his balanced assessment of both the opportunities and the risks that enterprises face in trying to combine social and environmental accountability and survival in the marketplace. While focusing on small firms, the lessons it offers are relevant to all businesses seeking to position themselves and their products as eco-friendly and/or socially responsible."

"True innovation comes from the fringes—from smaller players running rings around incumbents. After focusing for decades on corporate Goliaths, we need to investigate and support entrepreneurial Davids. Russo shows how mission-driven companies think, act, and cluster—and, critically, explains how we can help them jump to the next level."—John Elkington, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Volans Ventures, co-founder of Environmental Data Services and SustainAbility, and co-authorof The Power of Unreasonable People

Library Journal:
"A well-written and informative business book that provides valuable tips and background for anyone interested in starting up or managing a socially conscious company. Recommended for all business collections."

Andrew Winston:
"Mission-driven companies continue to grow in number and are moving from a small niche into the mainstream. The time is right for an analysis of these firms and their approaches to business. In Companies on a Mission, Michael Russo documents both the direct economic benefits of taking a mission-driven approach and the intangible benefits of brand value, product positioning, customer satisfaction, and more. Full of stories about well- and lesser-known companies, this book will give any business reader—from entrepreneurs to managers in big corporations—take-away points to transform their businesses into profitable, mission-driven enterprises."

Joel Makower:
"Companies on a Mission brings academic rigor to the age-old notion of 'going well by doing good.' Mission-driven companies succeed, as Mike Russo makes crystal clear in this compelling book, not just because their missions make them greener, but because they make them better. They create quality products, garner a fanatical following, and engender innovation, passion, and fun for employees and customers alike. What could be a better model for business?"

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Foreword L. Hunter Lovins Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	xiii
1 Capitalizing on an Underground Consumer Movement Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2 The Opportunity: Social Movements Meet the Marketplace Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	16
3 Turning Distinctiveness into Market Acceptance: The Mission-Driven Difference Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	32
4 Creating and Communicating the Brand: From Customers’ Values to Customer Value Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	54
5 Crafting the Mission-Driven Organization: The Human Dimension Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	77
6 Everybody Talkin’ ’Bout Heaven Ain’t Goin’ There: Building Credibility and Avoiding Scandals Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	101
7 Learning from the Leading Edge: Lessons for Mainstream Businesses Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	115
8 Values Clusters: Portland and Other Hotbeds of Mission-Driven Companies Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	136
9 Growing Pains: Asking Difficult Questions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	162
10 Bringing It All Together: Taking Stock, Looking Ahead Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	182
Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	195
A Note on the Literature and Research Approach Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	199
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	205
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	243

Language: English
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Main content: 272
Illustrations
- Illustrations: 15

eBook

Published: April 6, 2010
ISBN: 9780804774284