Why the Bottom Line Isn't!: How to Build Value Through People and Organization

Dave Ulrich, Norm Smallwood

Wiley, Apr 9, 2003 - Business & Economics - 290 pages

Advance Praise for Why the Bottom Line Isn’t!

"Dave and Norm tackle a tough objective–putting together a comprehensive approach to the ‘soft side’ of business, to build long-term market value–and succeed with a captivating mix of ideas, analysis, and real-world examples. They offer real insight into what works, what doesn’t work, and why."
–Rick Wagoner, CEO, General Motors

"This wonderful book makes clear what great leaders have known for years–that a company’s capabilities are heavily influenced by factors that are sometimes seen as intangible. But Ulrich and Smallwood’s greatest contribution is demonstrating that intangible doesn’t mean undefined. They provide a clear map of how leaders can build their own organization’s impact and capabilities. This is not just a book for HR professionals, but for all leaders in any industry who are trying to improve overall performance."
–Paul McKinnon, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Dell

"Why the Bottom Line Isn’t is the essential book for leaders of the future, who accept that building intangibles is a leadership imperative that permeates the entire organization and is equally applicable in the public, private, and social sectors. The concepts and tools in this book are a timely gift to leaders who are ready to see the whole picture."
–Frances Hesselbein, Chairman, The Leader to Leader Institute

"The burst of the tech bubble swept intangibles with it. This book renews confidence in the intangibles phenomenon, and charts a new direction for research and application."
–Baruch Lev, Philip Bardes Professor of Accounting and Finance at the Stern School of Business, New York University, and Director of the Vincent C. Ross Institute for Accounting Research

"It’s refreshing to see that business success does not in fact begin and end at the bottom line. This book helps us better understand the multiplicity of factors that drive business vitality and value growth, but make no mistake–it’s as practical as it is insightful. In very clear terms, Ulrich and Smallwood provide business advice that can easily be applied to effect change."
–Don Hall, CEO, Hallmark

About the author

DAVE ULRICH, PhD ([e-mail]) has been listed by BusinessWeek as the top "guru" in management education. He has coauthored ten books and over 100 articles, serves on the Board of Directors of Herman Miller, and has consulted with over half of the Fortune 200. He is currently on professional leave as professor at the University of Michigan to serve as Mission President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Montreal.
NORM SMALLWOOD ([e-mail]) is cofounder of Results-Based Leadership (www.rbl.net), which provides education and consulting services based on this book as well as the ideas in Results-Based Leadership: How Leaders Build the Business and Improve the Bottom Line, which he coauthored with Ulrich. He has led leadership development, business strategy, organization capability, change management, and HR projects for a wide variety of clients spanning multiple industries.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Why the Bottom Line Isn't!: How to Build Value Through People and Organization
• Authors: Dave Ulrich, Norm Smallwood
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Wiley, 2003
• ISBN: 047144510X, 9780471445104
• Length: 290 pages
• Subjects: Business & Economics / Leadership; Business & Economics / Management