By John Mackey & Raj Sisodia

cover of conscious capitalism
Editions:Hardcover
ISBN: 1422144208
Pages: 368
Paperback: $ 22.00
ISBN: 1625271751
Pages: 368
ePub

In Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business (2014) Whole Foods Market co-founder John Mackey and professor and Conscious Capitalism, Inc. co-founder Raj Sisodia argue for the inherent good of both business and capitalism. Featuring some of today’s best-known companies, they illustrate how these two forces can—and do—work most powerfully to create value for all stakeholders: including customers, employees, suppliers, investors, society, and the environment.

These "Conscious Capitalism" companies include Whole Foods Market, Southwest Airlines, Costco, Google, Patagonia, The Container Store, UPS, and dozens of others. We know them; we buy their products or use their services. Now it’s time to better understand how these organizations use four specific tenets—higher purpose, stakeholder integration, conscious leadership, and conscious culture and management—to build strong businesses and help advance capitalism further toward realizing its highest potential.

As leaders of the Conscious Capitalism movement, Mackey and Sisodia argue that aspiring leaders and business builders need to continue on this path of transformation—for the good of both business and society as a whole.

At once a bold defense and re-imagining of capitalism and a blueprint for a new system for doing business grounded in a more evolved ethical consciousness, this book provides a new lens for individuals and companies looking to build a more cooperative, humane, and positive future."

Reviews:Anthony J. Sadar on Washington Times wrote:

"The optimistic expectation of the authors is that eventually, for the betterment of society and the environment, the major business model will incorporate the principles and practices of 'Conscious Capitalism.' Hard data shows that, in the long run, conscious businesses outperform traditionally run companies by a wide margin. In fact, through all the practical advice and insight proffered from successful and compassionate entrepreneurs and businessmen, Conscious Capitalism demonstrates conclusively that in business, nice guys don’t always finish last. They may finish first."

Christine Bader on Huffington Post wrote:

"Those looking for rigorous analysis and informed inspiration will be disappointed. Conscious Capitalism speaks some truths that are too often left unsaid. But the book falls prey to the same fatal flaw of other business books and CEO treatises: namely, promotion of an oversimplified framework that ignores the complexities of the real world. [...] The starting premise of Conscious Capitalism will be enough to turn off many: that business is 'fundamentally good and ethical.' It is true that economic development has lifted millions out of poverty. But business has also harmed individuals and communities around the world [...] if business was inherently good, why should it matter whether its leaders are enlightened or not?"

Allen R. Sanders on his personal website at the University of Chicago wrote:

"Conscious Capitalism is a book, but it is also the name of a nonprofit organization --perhaps even an ashram somewhere dedicated to being a pacean for free-market capitalism. As Jerry Seinfeld would have said, and this reviewer would concur, not that there is anything wrong with that. In fact, there is a lot to be said for it, and the volume's subtitle, Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business, certainly conveys that unabashedly pro-business message. Whole Foods cofounder and CEO Mackey and marketing professor Sisodia (Bentley Univ.) have teamed up to produce a feel-good, how-to volume for 'with it' (or wannabe) business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors. Eighteen stand-alone chapters grouped in four sections or tenets--'Higher Purpose,' 'Stakeholder Integration,' 'Conscious Leadership,' and 'Conscious Culture and Management'--spread the gospel about how to develop a prosperous business that also benefits society. The book contains many examples of successful companies that employ these tenets in their business operations, e.g., Southwest Airlines, Google, Patagonia, and UPS. Decent notes and index. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers and practitioners."


Short Talk by Author John Mackey


Related Book

Sisodia, Raj; Henry, Timothy & Thomas Eckschmidt (2019). Conscious Capitalism Field Guide; Tools for Transforming Your Organization. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press.

"John Mackey and Raj Sisodia's iconic book, Conscious Capitalism, introduced business leaders to a set of core principles that are being widely adopted. This "Field Guide" codifies these best practices, with a systematic process and proven tools.​ This practical guide provides hands-on materials--exercises, assessments, and checklists--used to implement the tenets of conscious capitalism and build conscious leadership in companies such as Whole Foods Market, Southwest Airlines, Life is Good and many others.​"

Table of Contents of Conscious Capitalism

  1. Introduction: Awakenings
  2. Capitalism: Marvelous, Misunderstood, Maligned
  3. Conscious Capitalism and the Heroic Spirit of Business

Part One - The First Tenet: Higher Purpose

  1. Purpose: The Corporation's Search for Meaning
  2. Discovering and Growing Purpose

Part Two - The Second Tenet: Stakeholder Integration

  1. Loyal, Trusting Customers
  2. Passionate, Inspired Team Members
  3. Patient, Purposeful Investors
  4. Collaborative, Innovative Suppliers
  5. Flourishing, Welcoming Communities
  6. A Healthy, Vibrant Environment
  7. The Outer Circle of Stakeholders
  8. The Interdependence of Stakeholders

Part Three - The Third Tenet: Conscious Leadership

  1. The Qualities of Conscious Leadership
  2. Becoming a Conscious Leader

Part Four - The Fourth Tenet: Conscious Culture and Management

  1. Conscious Cultures
  2. Conscious Management
  3. Becoming a Conscious Business
  4. The Power and Beauty of Conscious Captitalism

Appendix A: The Business Case for Conscious Capitalism
Appendix B: Conscious Capitalism and Related Ideas
Appendix C: Misconceptions about Conscious Capitalism