PDF Conscious Capitalism, With a New Preface by the Authors: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business

The Qualities of Conscious Leaders. Becoming a Conscious Leader. Becoming a Conscious Business. The Power and Beauty of Conscious Capitalism. The Conscious Capitalism Credo. Passionate Inspired Team Members. A Healthy Vibrant Environment. The Outer Circle of Stakeholders. The Third Tenet Conscious Leadership. The authors propose that the current model of capitalism is struggling and that businesses need to follow a re-freshed, re-badged form of capitalism which focusses on the organisation having a higher purpose, appreciating the role of ALL stakeholders to a business including suppliers, being a leader who appreciates this approach and focussing on company culture.

While I think the approach proposed is a good one I found the writing in this book a bit loose sometimes and the examples used didn't al The authors propose that the current model of capitalism is struggling and that businesses need to follow a re-freshed, re-badged form of capitalism which focusses on the organisation having a higher purpose, appreciating the role of ALL stakeholders to a business including suppliers, being a leader who appreciates this approach and focussing on company culture.

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While I think the approach proposed is a good one I found the writing in this book a bit loose sometimes and the examples used didn't always sit well with me. Some of the examples of a conscious culture or leadership simply didn't hit the mark especially companies like Google and Amazon which have in recent times come under fire for their approach. This doesn't, however, take away from the concept, which I think has merit. Jul 29, Stephen P rated it really liked it Shelves: A thorough explanation of Whole Foods social-values based business philosophy and view of capitalism, which contains many admirable principles.

The question remains, is it a sustainable business philosophy? Conscious Capitalism was written before significant competition entered the niche and Whole Foods was the price setter. Since written, other grocers have entered and Whole Foods sales and profits have diminished as a result. So it remains to be seen if the cost structure associated with consc A thorough explanation of Whole Foods social-values based business philosophy and view of capitalism, which contains many admirable principles.

So it remains to be seen if the cost structure associated with conscious capitalism is sustainable. Amazon's recently announced acquisition of Whole Foods is another question mark, as the two companies don't necessarily share the same values. Mar 10, Athan Tolis rated it liked it Shelves: A preachy book about management, not capitalism. I'm frustrated by what's been happening with capitalism. I'm old enough to remember the times when some of us had to defend capitalism against what many believed to be sensible alternatives and it makes me sick to the stomach to watch a cabal of no more than ten thousand big money investors and their CEO puppets do some truly nasty things in the name of capitalism.

Other than call today's state of capitalism by its name crony capitalism this book A preachy book about management, not capitalism. Other than call today's state of capitalism by its name crony capitalism this book does not address any of the issues I have with the system. It does even try to discuss why businesses today have stopped reinvesting their profits, why business today carries so much debt, why business these days spends record high amounts on lobbying and record-low amounts on pay. Conscious Capitalism is, instead, a manual on how to manage retail businesses.

The most important point the authors make is that first you need to honestly and wholeheartedly embrace a purpose, a set of core values, and then the rest will flow, profitability included. The second most important point the authors make is that you should look after all stakeholders of a business: The third and fourth big points I could not tell apart, they concern "conscious" management, leadership and culture.

That's where the going got a bit heavy with me. Like, a good manager should meditate, allegedly. I suppose if he's got the spare time it's a free country go ahead and meditate, but I would not list it in my top ten thousand priorities when I used to run my company. Hell, I skipped going to the dentist, I seem to remember. Here's my big problem with the book: The authors say "no, it should do all these other things first and what's good for the shareholder will follow.

But I was not convinced. I was never sold on why Milton Friedman is wrong practically or morally and I was never sold on why a cigarette company, for example, will deliver better results to its shareholders if it goes all moral on us, when its very purpose is not what I would consider moral. On the other hand, the book did actually convince me that a company that buys from many suppliers and sells to the wider public can benefit from being all crunchy like the authors of the book seem to be.

So if you're in that type business, do read the book, you'll get some good pointers. And be prepared to deal with long strings of adjectives. Under this scheme, lives become" long, healthy, vibrant, productive and meaningful," for example. The scheme itself entails "living a life of meaning and purpose, service to others, striving for excellence, growing as an individual, friendship, partnering, love, and generosity.

Oh, and prepare to LOVE Whole Foods, the Container Store, Medtronic and a few more companies that the authors like, while other companies you might actually have heard of I'm thinking Google and Amazon, for example only get brought into the discussion when it suits. That said, if you have a good stomach for this type of hype, this is not a bad book about how to win in retailing. It's probably a very good book on that narrow topic.

And it's got nothing to do with reforming capitalism, I'm afraid. That entails change to tax laws, regulations, property rights, intellectual property rights in particular, immigration laws, world trade agreements, foreign policy etc. And one last thought: I'm probably wrong about this. But I could not kick the feeling, it did color my reading of the book. Apr 07, Anne rated it liked it. Well, this was interesting in terms of the case studies racked up.

Cause CC doesn't have one.

Not really a page-turner, though, on a scale of 1 to robber-baron-fire-and-brimstone, though one suspects an equally secularized religious subtext underwrites it all. I hate that Mackey hates guaranteed health care, and hate that he hates unions; workers should be allowed to hate unions. More ethnographically which is to say, anecdotally: Jan 16, Fred Forbes rated it really liked it. Capitalism has probably raised the standard of living of more people than any system yet devised by man but even Adam Smith, renowned champion of the free market folks, realized that pure capitalism of "bloody tooth and claw" needed some restraint, usually via regulatory action.

Still that has not prevented the type of excess we now see throughout the system as "gunslinger" management with the focus on their pocketbooks to the expense of others and the short term focus which has ground the middl Capitalism has probably raised the standard of living of more people than any system yet devised by man but even Adam Smith, renowned champion of the free market folks, realized that pure capitalism of "bloody tooth and claw" needed some restraint, usually via regulatory action.

Still that has not prevented the type of excess we now see throughout the system as "gunslinger" management with the focus on their pocketbooks to the expense of others and the short term focus which has ground the middle class to a pulp. A major proscription is inherent in the philosophy of this book - run corporations with an eye to fairly balancing the needs of the various stakeholders in the enterprise. Firms that seem fairly enlightened in the regard are some of my personal favorites - Costco, Southwest Airlines, The Container Store, Whole Foods, etc.

The most encouraging aspect, to me, is the fact that when profits are the by product of great products and services as opposed to the only objective, the numbers are usually superior from nearly any business measure, be it stock price, return on equity, profitability, etc. A worthy read and a worthy approach to the world of business. Jan 10, Rachel Terry rated it liked it Shelves: I really enjoyed the first third or so if this book.

It convincingly refutes the current popular notion that business is evil by laying out the incredible advances in the human condition since free market capitalism has been around vast reductions in poverty and illiteracy and incredible advances in education and standard of living. He points out that the things people don't like about capitalism are actually the result of what he calls, "crony capitalism," which is capitalism tainted by gover I really enjoyed the first third or so if this book.

He points out that the things people don't like about capitalism are actually the result of what he calls, "crony capitalism," which is capitalism tainted by government interference meant to favor a few. While government ought to legislate just enough to ensure fair competition, when it starts to favor certain industries or companies or require people or organizations to support certain companies Common Core, Obamacare, etc.

The rest of the book is a how-to manual for businesses, and while there are some interesting case studies and quotes, I had a hard time staying absorbed. Feb 27, Linda rated it really liked it Shelves: The title of Conscious Capitalism: The Bottom Line The idea of all stakeholders, including the environment, benefiting from conscious capitalism is compelling.

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It appeals to the human desire to work togeth The title of Conscious Capitalism: It appeals to the human desire to work together towards a common purpose with other people who value humor and compassion just as much as brains or brawn. The old way of doing business is burning out our people and killing our planet. Conscious capitalism provides a viable alternative.

I recommend Conscious Capitalism to anyone who either owns, works for, buys from, supplies, or invests in a business, in other words all adults. Read the whole review at: Jun 18, The American Conservative added it Shelves: Feb 12, Chad rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is a book that needs to be read by those that think capitalism is a blight on the world and those who tend to idolize profit as their God.

Mackey and Sisodia show effectively how the break down in capitalism is truly not a pure capitalism but a bastardized crony capitalism. At the same time, they are able to show how business is truly at it's best when it is motivated not just by profits but by having a 'conscious' while striving to bring value to all stakeholders. This is the business mode This is a book that needs to be read by those that think capitalism is a blight on the world and those who tend to idolize profit as their God. This is the business model of many thriving and celebrated corporations and I believe that model for the future.

This is highly recommended for anyone in business or aspiring to be. Mar 18, Jewel Miller rated it it was amazing. This book illustrates how the word "Capitalism" has evolved to be said with a sneer. There is a negative emotional reaction to the thought. Conscious Capitalism describes a way of doing business that removes all positions of "Us v. Now who wouldn't want that? Jan 18, Alyce rated it it was amazing. Loved it, but then again I was already down with the philosophy.

I had high hopes for this after reading the intro and the first couple of chapters. It is a concept that is near and dear to me. The author's thoughts on Purpose and Stakeholders are excellent. Unfortunately, it becomes a little preachy around diets and other topics that could have been avoided. It also lacks some of the practical application I was seeking. Finally, this could have been about pages shorter. Read with considerable interest, from beginning to end, in the wake of Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods.

Several important ideas, the most important probably being that a business should be about creating value, not about maximizing shareholders' wealth. How value is shared amongst stakeholders is discussed, yet no magic formula exists. Whole Food's story, with its highs and lows shows the limits of the CEO's intent.

Feels at times like a book written by a guru. Four very well deserved stars.

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• Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business by John E. Mackey.

Even though profit is what pays taxes, makes innovation possible and improve the quality of life, in today's society for profit, capitalistic businesses continue to be slammed as uncaring, greedy entities. John Mackey as the co-author of this book takes the reader through his own personal evolution regarding how capitalism is not evil.

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What makes this book different than some others is the authors demonstrate the practicality of how by being intentionally conscious about one's behavior, any business from the smallest to the largest can be make money and be a positive contributor to all stakeholders through the 4 tenets of: The authors adding a four ideal purpose of Heroic reaffirmed the necessity of businesses to identify and define their purpose. Additionally, the authors present some very strong facts about how capitalism is good especially South Korea that went from one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the richest in approximately 50 years.

This is truly a practical, hands on book that can support any business to Be the Red Jacket and propel that organization ahead of the flow. See all reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway. Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business.

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Set up a giveaway. Customers who viewed this item also viewed. The B Corp Handbook: How to Use Business as a Force for Good. The Whole Foods Diet: The Lifesaving Plan for Health and Longevity. Conscious Capitalism by Mackey, John Paperback. Pages with related products.

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