In his first international blockbuster Built to Last, which rode the business bestseller lists for five years, Jim Collins and his co-author, Jerry Porras revealed the success secrets of companies that were outstanding at their founding and then sustained greatness. In his new book, Collins has chosen to research an entirely new line of inquiry. Is transformation really possible Are there mediocre companies that have turned themselves around and achieved sustained excellence after a decade or more of ordinary performance And what is it about these companies that can explain their success Collins and his research team undertook a massive four year study of every company that has made the Fortune 500 since the advent of that listing in 1965—more than 1400 companies in all. The result of that research was astounding—only 11 companies had successfully turned a mediocre enterprise into a true long term champion. The surprising secrets of how they did it—and how any company can—are brilliantly unlocked in this visionary volume.