Congratulations to Jagdish Sheth for providing invaluable insights into the self-destructive habits of good companies that so often lead to business failure. Every day brings news of painful restructurings at companies once thought to be indestructible—in most cases brought on by the very habits Dr. Sheth analyzes. This book is a must-read for executives and managers everywhere—and especially at the fast-rising global corporations in developing nations.

Azim Premji
Chairman, Wipro Ltd.

As an advisor to many large Indian corporations and industrial groups, as well as a manager of traditional businesses, I seen up-close many of the bad habits Dr. Sheth so brilliantly analyzes. Yet Dr. Sheth goes further than merely pointing out these destructive habits; he clearly articulates strategies for avoiding and/or breaking them. Since I’m convinced that leadership is all about discerning such problems early and intervening to make the necessary changes, I find this aspect of Dr. Sheth’s remarkable book to be especially valuable.

Dr. Bharat K. Singh
Managing Director, Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd.
Director, Aditya Birla Group

There are many pitfalls on the road to building a global company from the ground up, and, once it’s built, to keeping it running smoothly. Every business leader should be indebted to Dr. Sheth for so clearly pointing out the warning signs that tell us something is amiss, that destructive behavior is in evidence, and that corrective action is called for. I would advise executives and managers to ignore this book at their own peril.

Arthur Blank
Co-founder, The Home Depot
Owner and President, The Atlanta Falcons

Jag hits another home run. He literally provides a handbook on how not to fail in business.

W. Cliff Oxford
CEO, The Home Shoppe

When the going is good, it is indeed very easy for leaders to fall into the trap of success and lose sight of reality. Dr. Sheth has captured this truth beautifully, and his many examples make the book an interesting read. What is even more important is that the book could not have been better timed. For enlightened leaders this book can serve as a good warning signal and provide valuable insights in managing the future of their business proactively.

Harsh Mariwala
Chairman & Managing Director, Marico Limited

Professor Sheth is ranked amongst today’s top management thinkers. His latest book describing how good companies self-destroy is extremely timely and relevant to both Old Economy as well as New Economy enterprises. Professor Sheth’s observations and analysis are internationally relevant and serve as a timely wake-up call for managers and leaders.

Ashok Ganguly
Chairman, Firstsource Solutions Ltd.

You can read many books telling you how to make your company great. But if you succeed, remember that success is a potential poison. Thanks to Jagdish Sheth, one of the keenest observers of the business scene, you now can avoid the seven slow poisons that can undo your good work.

Philip Kotler
S. C. Johnson Distinguished Professor of International Marketing
Marketing Department
Kellogg School of Management
Northwestern University

This masterpiece, written by one of the most insightful thought leaders and strategists in global competition of our time, is a 'must read' for all those, who wish to achieve not just 'success' but 'sustainable success'. The two messages that come across through this scholarly researched book are ' change proactively or perish' and 'those who can anticipate the change can lead the change’.

R.A. Mashelkar
President, Global Research Alliance
President, Indian National Science Academy

Jagdish Sheth is a skilled pathologist of dysfunctional patterns of corporate behavior. His prescriptions for anticipating and treating these familiar conditions ring true, and offer a path to recovery.

George Day
Geoffrey T. Boisi Professor of Marketing
The Wharton School
University of Pennsylvania

Once again, with his sharp insight and inimitable style, Dr Sheth has dealt with the challenges every company confronts, in a profound and pragmatic manner. This book forces you to think differently.

Vinita Bali
MD & CEO
Britannia Industries Ltd
India

It is so very often that successful companies develop delusions of invincibility, and let the weeds of failure grow unchecked. In his inimitable and easy style, Dr. Sheth weaves new lessons from his perceptive analysis of the rise and fall of well known companies around the world. The identification of what Sheth calls “Bad Habits” and his practical prescriptions for prevention and cure are relevant not only to corporate leaders but leaders of political parties and countries as well.

C.N. (Madhu) Madhusudan
President
NIIT Ventures, NIIT Technologies, Inc.

Jag Sheth has a well-earned reputation as one of the most sage commentators on the world's corporate stage. This book is bound to enhance that reputation, by providing important, fresh insights into the destructive, eventually fatal habit patterns of generally well managed firms, and how to keep these habits from developing in the reader's organization.

Steve Kerr
Senior Advisor
Goldman Sachs

This book will help every manager who thinks they are doing just fine.
Bad habits can creep up on a company until they sap its effectiveness and
destroy its profitability. This is the right check list to make sure you
are not crippling your own company.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich

Dr. Jagdish Sheth is a master story teller! Through his fascinating narration of how good companies failed, we learn "how not to" run companies. His insight and wisdom flow right through this must read book which will reshape management thinking in what constitutes good practices.

Tan Chin Nam
Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
Singapore

Jagdish Sheth has written a tour de force for leaders who want to successfully shape the future of their organizations by avoiding the self destructive fate of companies like Digital Equipment, Compaq and the near death of Sears. The essence of leadership is making good judgments about people, strategy and crises. Jagdish’s book Self-Destructive Habits of Good Companies is a well grounded practical guide for creating the self-constructive organization.

Professor Noel M. Tichy
University of Michigan
Co-author, Judgment: How Winning Leaders Make Great Calls

Dr. Sheth presents an innovative roadmap for sustaining excellence in this ultra-competitive era. This is no cookie-cutter business book filled with bromidic "insights". It's the real thing. I hope my competitors don't read this book.

Jim Lanzone
CEO, Ask.com