Putting Purpose Into Practice

This is the first book to provide a precise description of how companies can put purpose into practice. Based on groundbreaking research undertaken between Oxford University and Mars Catalyst, it offers an accessible account of why corporate purpose is so important and how it can be implemented to address the major challenges the world faces today.

In the face of constant change, the nature of business must evolve rapidly if it is to remain relevant to society at large. How then should business change to meet the requirements of the 21st century, in which unbridled globalisation and technological advancements are having profound affects on the wellbeing and prosperity of both the people and the planet? The achievement of purpose is the key to successful transformation - not just having a purpose, but making that purpose real at every level of the organisation. This book provides a precise description of how companies can put purpose into practice. Based on a groundbreaking research project undertaken jointly between the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford and Mars Catalyst, the think tank of Mars Inc., it provides a highly accessible account of how companies should determine and implement their corporate purposes.

Companies can both serve society and generate profit. This book shows how - based on rigorous evidence and an actionable framework.

In a world in which social divisions are widening not lessening, it is essential for community development, or any other practice committed to social justice and sustainability, to understand how power works at every level, from grassroots projects to movements for change. This exciting and practical book is filled to the brim with useful ideas for busy practitioners. Building on the work of Paulo Freire, theories are presented in interesting and straightforward ways to provide an everyday reference for practice. Contained in these pages is all you need to give your practice a critical edge!

A Wall Street Journal Bestseller Named a Financial Times top title How to unleash "human magic" and achieve improbable results. Hubert Joly, former CEO of Best Buy and orchestrator of the retailer's spectacular turnaround, unveils his personal playbook for achieving extraordinary outcomes by putting people and purpose at the heart of business. Back in 2012, "Everyone thought we were going to die," says Joly. Eight years later, Best Buy was transformed as Joly and his team rebuilt the company into one of the nation's favorite employers, vastly increased customer satisfaction, and dramatically grew Best Buy's stock price. Joly and his team also succeeded in making Best Buy a leader in sustainability and innovation. In The Heart of Business, Joly shares the philosophy behind the resurgence of Best Buy: pursue a noble purpose, put people at the center of the business, create an environment where every employee can blossom, and treat profit as an outcome, not the goal. This approach is easy to understand, but putting it into practice is not so easy. It requires radically rethinking how we view work, how we define companies, how we motivate, and how we lead. In this book Joly shares memorable stories, lessons, and practical advice, all drawn from his own personal transformation from a hard-charging McKinsey consultant to a leader who believes in human magic. The Heart of Business is a timely guide for leaders ready to abandon old paradigms and lead with purpose and humanity. It shows how we can reinvent capitalism so that it contributes to a sustainable future.

New Edition Available 12/28/2012 This thorough revision maintains the same basic structure of the first edition of Public Health Leadership. In five parts, it explores the basic theories and principles of leadership and then describes how they may be applied in the public health setting. Leadership skills and competencies, as well as methods for measuring and evaluating leaders are also thoroughly covered. The final chapter has been expanded to cover the future of public health and global leadership. Four new chapters have been added to the Second Edition: a chapter on the interface between management and leadership, a chapter on systems and complexity leadership concerns, and a chapter on employee development. The final new chapter will explore the transition from traditional leadership roles to the new roles required by a focus on bioterrorism and other disasters. New case studies, interviews, and exercises have also been added. The Second Edition also features new sidebar boxes with quotes from classic and contemporary writers on leadership.

The ability of a business to engage in real organizational learning and to do so faster and in a more sustainable way than its competitors is being increasingly seen as an essential component of success. In Making Sense of Organizational Learning, Cyril Kirwan examines the wide range of factors necessary to create and sustain organizational learning and knowledge at all levels. At the individual level, the generation of continuous learning opportunities and reflection on experiences are critically important. At the team level, it’s about encouraging collaboration, team learning and the sharing of knowledge. At the organizational level, the emphasis is on building systems to capture and share knowledge and providing strategic leadership for learning. The book shows you how you can best exploit the knowledge that already exists within your organization while at the same time develop the capability of the people that work there. It deals in turn with individual learning; learning with others; learning in organizations; and in particular the role of the HR function and of line managers. Each chapter provides theoretical background and real-world examples. Diagnostic questionnaires, checklists and other tools are also included. Making Sense of Organizational Learning provides an evidence-based argument for the adoption of effective organizational learning policies and practices, and offers a real opportunity to improve performance. Thinking practitioners working in and around learning and development or organization development will find it invaluable, as will those undertaking post-graduate study in HR and related disciplines.

It is well known the global community is looking towards business to play its role in creating a just and fair economy. This increases the urgency and relevance of new approaches to management education that can engage and foster socially responsible leaders who are resilient, creative and innovative thinkers. Educating for Responsible Management profiles cutting-edge approaches to pedagogy for the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) that go beyond current discussions of sustainability and corporate social responsibility content, to include a wider lens that highlights the processes of educating the next generation of responsible managers. The book draws together leading thinkers, practitioners and management education to share their practice and research on how management educators can prepare themselves, their students, the learning environment, and their teaching resources to meet these challenges. These conversations across practice lines highlight a range of innovative pedagogical approaches and methods used by responsible management educators around the world to provide effective learning experiences.