EUGENE, Ore. -- (April 15, 2010) - You can judge this book by its cover. "Companies on a Mission: Entrepreneurial Strategies for Growing Sustainably, Responsibly and Profitably," a new book by University of Oregon business professor Michael Russo, offers just what the title advertises.
The book, published today by the Stanford University Press, chronicles a movement toward sustainability by companies such as Patagonia and Oregon's Kettle Foods. It also provides guidance for entrepreneurs and managers seeking to join the movement.
"Michael Russo documents both the direct economic benefits of taking a mission-driven approach (toward sustainability) and the intangible benefits of brand value, product positioning, customer satisfaction and more," Andrew Winston, author of "Green Recovery," said in a review of Russo's book.
In the new book, Russo makes a case for putting environmental consciousness to work as a means of gaining market advantages. Companies that put their values first tend to build their brands on authenticity, which in turn creates customer loyalty, he says. Businesses built around principles of sustainability also are more difficult to imitate and less vulnerable to competition, according to the book.
Russo also finds in the book that "mission-driven" firms often develop in geographic clusters - Portland and the San Francisco Bay area are used as examples - and the companies most often complement each other rather than compete.
"Companies on a Mission" uses the stories and experiences of more than 100 companies to support its premise. Some are well established, such as Patagonia, the outdoor clothing empire founded in 1972 by rebel rock-climber Yvon Chouinard; and Kettle Foods, the Salem company that in 2003 installed the largest solar array in the Pacific Northwest. Others are emerging companies introducing inspiration to traditional fields, such as Revolution Foods, founded by Kristen Richmond and Kirsten Tobey, which brings nutritious school lunches to underprivileged school children in California, Denver, and Washington, D.C.; and Freitag, a Swiss company founded by Markus and Daniel Freitag, which sells fashion-forward bags and purses made from recycled truck tarps.
"'Companies on a Mission' is a book that can be appreciated by anyone with an interest in how small- and medium-sized businesses can be a force for positive change," Russo said. "Larger, established companies have also found that there is much to learn from these companies."
Russo is the Charles H. Lundquist Professor of Sustainable Management at the UO, and academic director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices at the Lundquist College of Business. He is an award-winning researcher and frequent lecturer on the topic of environmental management strategy. He is editor of "Environmental Management: Readings and Cases," and has been a member of the university's business faculty since 1989.
About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization made up of the 62 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada. The University of Oregon is one of only two AAU members in the Pacific Northwest.
Contact: Michael Russo, professor of sustainable management, University of Oregon Charles H. Lundquist School of Business, (541) 346-5182, mrusso@uoregon.edu
Links: Stanford University Press, http://www.sup.org/book.cgi?id=12336
Media contact: Joe Mosley, media relations associate, jmosley@uoregon.edu, (541) 346-3606