Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies (Good to Great, Book 2)

Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

Jim Collins & Jerry I. Porras

What separates companies that endure from those that fade away?

In Built to Last, Jim Collins and Jerry Porras explore why some organizations thrive for decades — even centuries — while others struggle to survive change. Based on a six-year research study conducted at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, the book examines companies that have demonstrated exceptional longevity and impact.

The authors studied eighteen visionary companies and compared each one directly with a close competitor. Rather than focusing on short-term success, they analyzed these organizations across their entire life cycle — from early beginnings to large, established enterprises — to uncover the principles that allowed them to last.

Through real-world examples and clear frameworks, Built to Last reveals that enduring companies are built on strong core values, long-term vision, and disciplined practices — not charismatic leaders or fleeting strategies. These organizations succeed by preserving what truly matters while continuously adapting to change.

Designed for leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, and anyone building an organization, this book provides practical insights that can be applied at every stage of growth.

Because great companies aren’t built to win today — they’re built to endure.