Entrepreneurs are the key to any successful new business. But having a good idea is not enough . . . too many good ideas fail at the execution level. Meticulously researched with fresh insights into the entrepreneurial process, Transformative Entrepreneurs provides a fascinating perspective on those enterprises and entrepreneurs that have changed the landscape of society, and highlights the challenges and excitement of launching new innovative businesses. Jeff Harris brings in-depth perceptions from his nearly thirty years of venture capital experience to provide a thorough understanding of the transformative ideas and leadership abilities that separate the winners and losers. From Fred Smith's Federal Express to Hugh Hefner's Playboy, and Ted Turner's CNN to Herb Kelleher's Southwest Airlines, the pioneering business models and execution skills of the founders come to life providing an inspirational lens for those chasing the dream.

To achieve progress in society and business practices, more entrepreneurship is needed to encourage action and enhance social capital in society, and transformational entrepreneurship may be the key. Transformational entrepreneurship offers a way of integrating sustainability practices whilst focusing on sustainable future trends. This book discusses how transformational entrepreneurship uses novel business practices to reduce inequality in the marketplace and how it transforms society through creative solutions that enable change. The book provides useful insight into better understanding this emerging concept.

Assisted by globalization and the rapid application of advanced technologies, the transformative power of urbanization is being felt around the world. The scale and the speed of existing and projected urbanization poses several challenges to researchers in multiple disciplines, such as computer science, engineering, and the social sciences. Optimizing Regional Development Through Transformative Urbanization provides emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of applications within urban growth interventions. It also explores the strategies for new urban development tools such as the rise of new platforms for digital activities, concepts of sharing economy, collaborative economy, crowdsourcing, and crowdfunding. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as cryptocurrencies, public-private partnership, and urban governance, this book is a vital reference for city development planners, decision makers, policymakers, academicians, researchers, and professionals seeking current research on the delivery of transformative urbanization changes.

From the Dachis Group—the global leader in social business—comes the groundbreaking book on transformative social business strategies. Social Business By Design is the definitive management book on how to rethink the modern organization in the social media era. Based on their research and work through the Dachis Group, thought leaders Dion Hinchcliffe and Peter Kim deftly explore how the social, cultural, and technological trends provoked by the social media explosion are transforming the business environment. Designed as both a strategic overview and a hands-on resource, Social Business By Design clearly shows how to choose and implement a social business strategy and maximize its impact. Explains the mechanisms, applications, and advantages of a strategic array of social media topics, including social media marketing, social product development, crowdsourcing, social supply chains, social customer relationship management, and more Features examples from high-profile companies such as SAP, Procter & Gamble, MillerCoors, Bloomberg, HBO, Ford, and IBM who have implemented social business strategies Draws on the extensive research and expertise of the Dachis Group, which has helped numerous Fortune 500 clients plan, build, and activate effective social business solutions Containing actionable, high-impact techniques that save time and the bottom line, Social Business By Design will transform any organization's strategy to ensure success and avoid disruption in a fast-moving world.

Strategic Business Transformation The seven deadly sins to overcome What can Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela teach us about running businesses that face transformation in their markets. This book courageously offers that businesses that transform markets or respond to transformation know that they must transform themselves before they transform others. Great companies find a cause greater than themselves, organizes this cause into executable momentum and conquers the imagination of the market. Transforming your business requires a recipe powered by a cause not missions. Read and see how and why.

Formica explains why public policy needs to shift towards the entrepreneurial economy and how this can be done. This book focuses on the crucial role of policies to support entrepreneurs and establish the right environment for new business development and rapid conversion of ideas into enterprises that contribute to booming economic growth.

There has been immense worldwide excitement about the potential of Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) businesses to help impoverished societies escape poverty. Unfortunately, many BoP firms are locked in a "survival trap" that keeps them small, inefficient, and unprofitable. Now, Eric Kacou identifies breakthrough business models, operational techniques, and leadership approaches that can help BoP businesses grow rapidly, successfully, and profitably. Drawing from his immense on-the-ground experience in Africa’s most challenging business environments, Kacou shows how companies can overcome the Survival Trap mindset that breeds dependence, mistrust, and failure. Next, he takes readers inside the Rwandan metamorphosis: the economic miracle that CNN’s Fareed Zakaria calls Africa’s biggest success story. Kacou shows how to address the needs of all core stakeholders. He concludes with integrated recommendations for local entrepreneurs, global businesses, governments, and international organizations: guidance that can truly launch a "virtuous cycle" of prosperity creation. For all entrepreneurs, policymakers, NGO professionals, and leaders who want to make BoP businesses work.