Performance Without Compromise: How Emerson Consistently Achieves Winning Results [Hardcover]

Charles F. Knight (Author), Davis Dyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 25, 2005 | ISBN-10: 1591397774 | ISBN-13: 978-1591397779 | Edition: 1st

In today's volatile marketplace, it's rare for firms to last--much less consistently increase earnings--for more than four decades. That's what makes the story of 115-year-old global manufacturing and technology leader Emerson so remarkable, and so valuable, for today's managers. How does Emerson do it? And what can other companies learn from its success? Celebrated business leader Charles F. Knight--who was CEO of Emerson for 27 of its 43 consecutive years of increased profits--says the secret behind Emerson's long-term competitiveness is a dynamic management process carried out with unrelenting discipline. In Performance Without Compromise, Knight breaks down the key components of the Emerson management process in detail for the first time, and shows how this core process enables Emerson to address and overcome major challenges ranging from technological discontinuities to intense global competition. A remarkable success story, Performance Without Compromise is filled with insightful lessons about leadership, management, and competitiveness that can be applied in any company or industry.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charles F. Knight is Chairman Emeritus of Emerson and serves on the boards of Anheuser-Busch Companies, IBM, and other major corporations. He was CEO of Emerson from 1973 to 2000. Davis Dyer is the author of Rising Tide: Lessons from 165 Years of Brand-Building at P&G (HBS Press, 2004).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press; 1st edition (August 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591397774
• ISBN-13: 978-1591397779
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,616 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you want to lead and not follow, read this book, December 1, 2005

By 

Paul Hansen (Maui Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Performance Without Compromise: How Emerson Consistently Achieves Winning Results (Hardcover)

Aloha,

I worked at Emerson and knew most of the people that Chuck mention in the book and just their names show that this man was a great leader in he knew the most important part of leadership, selecting talent, leading them on the right path and getting out of the way.

I would recommend this book to anyone thinking of going into business or in business. I think coaches of sports teams would benefit from reading this book.

I was in several companies in my career but none that I respected more than Emerson. Chuck and his leaders are firm but fair. I came away from Emerson a better manager.

I was specially moved by the words Chuck had for Bill Rutledge as this showed the Chuck we all knew even when he was chewing us out for what we most of the time deserved. He cared.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overview of the Emerson business planning systems, but could have included some more interesting stories!, August 11, 2006

By 

V. Putin (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Performance Without Compromise: How Emerson Consistently Achieves Winning Results (Hardcover)

This book clearly lays out the Emerson business planning model, which is the process used to run the business. I work at Emerson, so i aready know a lot about this planning cycle. I think the average reader will not find this book that interesting, but it will useful to know the great information inside it. I wish that Mr. Knight would have shared some more stories about inside the board room and some of the more exciting history of his career. It would also have been interesting to get more about what he personally went through at Emerson and before. Finally, he should have included more about management and the HR side of developing the people.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great inspiration for managers, March 21, 2006

By 

Edward L. Randolph - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Performance Without Compromise: How Emerson Consistently Achieves Winning Results (Hardcover)

This book is a clear exposition of why Charles Knight is one of the great CEO's of the last fifty years. Emerson is a focussed, consistently profitable company. Any manager, or person who wants to be a manager, deserves to read this book and learn how it's done.