Table of Contents
Figures viii
Foreword ix
Preface xiii
1 In search of real value 1
"The world's dumbest idea" 5
The real meaning of value 9
A tree full of value 11
The business case for creating real value 16
The roots of creating real value 20
From bottom line to betterment 30
2 Long-term orientation: creating value for generations 33
Over 250 years of real value creation at Faber-Castell 35
Eternity as the business horizon in a Benedictine monastery 48
Beyond monks and aristocrats 56
3 Lasting relationships: cooperation instead of competition 63
Cooperative firms 66
"Humanity at work" - the Mondragon Corporation 70
Equal Exchange: small farmers, big change 81
Conclusion 86
4 Local roots: the place-based enterprise 89
Inis Meáin and the power of place 94
Traditional chíc: Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites 101
The power of place in a globalizing age 105
The place-based enterprise 116
5 Limits recognition: self-restraint works wonders 121
Limits of the environment 125
Limits of people 132
Limits to inequality 136
Limits to growth 139
Less is more 148
6 Learning community: rooting innovation in meaning 152
Illycaffè quality as purpose 156
CHCA: cooperating in care 171
Learning to innovate 179
7 Leadership responsibility: individuals who make a difference 187
The man who turned the desert into a garden 190
A global community of gardeners 201
The qualities of responsible leaders 212
8 Conclusion: business for a better life 216
A different yardstick for business success 220
A new narrative 223
Endnotes 229
References 232
About the authors 251
