Built to Last, Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, 3rd--------------------------------------------------Drawing upon a six-year research project at the Stanford UniversityGraduate School of Business, James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras tookeighteen truly exceptional and long-lasting companies and studied eachin direct comparison to one of its top competitors. They examined thecompanies from their very beginnings to the present day -- as start-ups,as midsize companies, and as large corporations. Throughout, the authorsasked: What makes the truly exceptional companies different from thecomparison companies and what were the common practices these enduringlygreat companies followed throughout their history? Filled withhundreds of specific examples and organized into a coherent frameworkof practical concepts that can be applied by managers and entrepreneursat all levels, Built to Last provides a master blueprint for buildingorganizations that will prosper long into the 21st century and beyond.