The 5 best books on economic history Politics & society: 100 years of learning from successful companies {reading tip}

To do something Companysthat have existed for more than 100 years, actually different from the less successful ones? Why did some stock market crashes and world wars survive, others don't even make it through the first year? Christian Stadler and Philip Wältermann investigated this in their book “The Century Champions” and uncovered astonishing things.

The larger, the longer the service life?

Why do some companies grow old while others don't even survive the first few years? The average age of companies in Europe is only 12,3 years.

Exchange-listed companies are already better off with an average age of 28 years. And the oldest are the very large tankers (via 10.000 employees) with an average of 48 years.

Learning from the successful

Christian Stadler and Philip Wältermann have digged deep into the facts and figures. Her interest was to find out whether we can learn something today from the most successful companies of all time, from the “century champions”.

What is a Century Champion? And how is it different from the other companies? The first question is light to answer. A Century Champion must have existed for at least 100 years.

100 years successful - despite world wars and stock crash?

The authors of “The Century Champions” answer the second question with the condition that they beat the most important stock indices by a factor of 15.

And in a time when there were two world wars, the global economic crisis, oil crises, globalization, digitalization and the current financial crisis.

Discounts for your success (advertising)!

The duel of the first against the second

To find out what these companies have done differently than the others, Stadler and Wältermann choose an interesting way. They compare the champions with the second best in the market. From this approach, the book develops its own drama.

Siemens is against AEG. Galaxo vs. Wellcome. The alliance against the Aachen and Munich. Lafarge vs. Ciment Francais. Legal and general against prudential. The Munich against the Cologne Re. Nokia against Ericsson. And Shell versus BP. “Duels” at a high level, which nevertheless produced clear “winners”.

The five principles of success

The keys to the success of the champions were found in the archives by the two authors, Christian Stadler and Philipp Waeler. For several years, they have been rolling company data and reports.

Stadler and Wältermann have molded the commonalities of the champions and what sets them apart in terms of second-best in the market in five principles:

• Efficiency prevails Innovation: Even the most successful pioneers fail if they fail to exploit their performance.
• Diversification into related business areas: “Companies cannot play different games at the same time and win in the process”.
• Learning from mistakes: “Century champions create the right framework”, for example the “willingness of managers to learn from others.
• Manage finances conservatively and manage risks: “Only the best companies resist the temptation to throw caution overboard and constantly expand.
• Change the way culture is organized: The champions create the balancing act between continuity and change by taking the culture of the company seriously.

Central questions of corporate management

They are the very central ones Ask of corporate governance, which are unfolded and answered in this very well written and exciting book to read. And from the unique Perspektive of the really big superstars among companies. Conclusion: absolutely worth reading for entrepreneurs, managers and everyone who has something to say to the company.

It seems that Twitter has taken all of these tips to heart: With 165 million users worldwide, the new hype-Network to become. Long old hat for veteran social media bunnies, the founding story behind Twitter is all the more exciting. Because it began in 2006 in a shabby barrack.

From the shabby barrack to the stock market

In November 2013, Twitter successfully went public on the New York Stock Exchange. The microblog service has long been owned by Facebook and YouTube among the most important social networks worldwide. Over 165 million People send more than 90 million status reports every day.

The limitation to only 140 characters is the secret of the success of the Zwitscher service. Such a rapid success story was not to be expected when Evan Williams and some friends in a shabby shack somewhere in San Francisco brought the little bird to the home in 2006 Welt brought.

The founding history of Twitter: company biography and milieus research

In his book “Twitter”, Nick Bilton tells the story behind the scenes of the news service - from birth to the present day. He “conducted hundreds of hours of interviews” and “eMails, presentations and newspaper articles” evaluated to a unique to draw a detailed picture of an unusual start-up.

This succeeded very well because Bilton completed his notes with fictional elements to create an atmospherically dense narrative. “Twitter” reads like a novel, is a company biography, a crime thriller and a milieu study by West Coast hackers and programmers of the early 21st century.

Looking for the business model

The author takes you back to the windowless backyard rooms near South Park where Ev, Noah, Jack and Biz were new friends over beer and pizza Online-Find and discard business models until the Idea stands for Twitter. More accidental than planned.

The Internet service has long since registered a six-digit number of users, when the question of the actual business model is still open. As a company, Twitter is only slowly groping its way to the laws of the global players Internet-Business approach.

Modern Beatles: Between Management Mistakes and Family Problems

The company does that sympathisch and especially his Founders, Ev, Noah, Jack and Biz, to whom Nick Bilton lovingly dedicated portrait studies. Regardless of whether it is about the first attempts at programming by the founding team (“Rabble often programmed with one Hand on the keyboard and scratched his testicles with the other”).

Or about the self-image of the founders (“modern Beatles, whose instruments laptops and their music were programming languages”). Or about the many "family" misunderstandings, conflicts and hair-raising management mistakes ("there was total chaos internally"): Bilton's descriptions are always very close to that

A sensitive history of coincidences, friendship and disappointment

“Twitter” is a wonderful book: Touching, exciting, sometimes tongue in cheek, Nick Bilton describes how Twitter could become one of the most important internet companies of our time. Not an X-any company biography, but the sensitive story of coincidences, friendship, big deals and great disappointment. And of course good ideas at the right time at the right place.

So it is a good idea to take a look at German economic history - an incredible piece of German past. Overall, a very interesting book on the history of the Volkswagen. Because mechanical engineer Paul Schilperoord stumbled upon the name Josef Ganz in an American magazine. It read, it was said, long before Ferdinand Porsche developed a small car that had all the essential characteristics of the beetle.

The most productive inventor in the history of the automobile

The mechanical engineer did some research – and discovered one of the most productive Developer in the history of the automobile. Josef Ganz not only drove through Frankfurt in 1933 with a self-built "Maikäfer".

He also presented the "Standard Superior", the first series-produced "Volkswagen" at the "International Motor Show and Motorcycle Exhibition" (IAMA). Why the name Josef completely disappeared from the annals of automotive history, Paul Schilperoord traces in this book frighteningly and meticulously.

Innovation around the new mobility.

Just like today the innovations from the IT- Laboratories around the world set the pace, at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries everything revolved around the development of new mobility. Josef Ganz witnessed the replacement of the old, horse-drawn tram by the steam tram.

And he witnessed the car moving away from the motorized carriage into a self-contained vehicle. The car was to become the absolute passion of Josef Ganz. Inspired by Henry Ford, he early developed the idea of ​​a car for all. And he also implemented this idea!

Public Relations

On the one hand, as editor-in-chief of the magazine Motor-Criticism for Courage for Innovation, on the other hand he was instrumental and involved with many patents in the development of the future-oriented independent wheel suspension.

The preliminary highlight was the production of the “Maikäfer” prototype. An extremely stable car with excellent driving characteristics, which shone through the reduction to the essential. Quite propagated the Volkswagen in his magazine, demanding that the industry finally switch from the production of the old, expensive monsters to innovative, inexpensive cars.

Small cars with the power of politics

He had one too klare asking price. The car was to cost 1.500 marks and not a penny more. He supplied the design drawings in his magazine almost free of charge. But the corporations balked. Why would they ruin the expensive car market with small cars?

Hitler, who knew the demands and work of the prominent motor critic and developer Josef Ganz, made short work of it after taking power. He dictated that to the automotive industry Projects "Volkswagen". But he didn't turn out differently than Josef Ganz had hoped Executive a cross-company development team. Ferdinand Porsche got this post. Because Josef Ganz was a Jew.

An incredible piece of German past

During his research, Paul Schilperoord discovered unpublished footage and countless documents. He describes how Josef Ganz, pursued by the Gestapo, landed in Switzerland. How the Nazis seized not only the property of Josef Ganz, but also his patents.

And it shows how Ferdinand Porsche continued essential developments in the Volkswagen. "The true story of the VW Beetle" describes an incredible piece of German past. Although Schilperoord writes quite wood and sometimes you want a historian instead of an engineer as an author, what Schilperoord serves is enormous.

Success stories on the stock exchange?

He deserves to have brought photos and documents to light that would otherwise have remained in the dark forever. Last but not least, “The True History of the VW Beetle” is also a late reference to the brilliant designer and inventor Josef Ganz.

Who does not get with so many success stories Lustto become entrepreneurial yourself - for example on the stock exchange? So here is a “stock market hit” – a topic on which Information still need. The economic crisis has that Trust many investors in stock market products were badly shaken. What can help are tips from real experts. For example "Börse für Dummies" by the managing director of the Munich Stock Exchange. Now revised and reissued.

Do not worry about the stock market

The Germans are still a nation of stockbrokers. The lion's share, ie about two-thirds of private financial assets is (supposedly) risk-free, but not very profitable - on savings accounts, as fixed-term deposits or with insurers. The share of total assets has been stagnating in the single-digit range for years.

According to the figures of the German stock institute DAI, only 2010 million citizens owned stocks or stock funds in 8,6 - whereby many depots are nothing more than cemeteries for the sad remnants of the “new economy”.

Important topic reissued!

All the more important that Christine Bortenlänger, head of the Munich Stock Exchange and one of the few female faces in the German financial world, and her spokesman Ulrich Kirstein take on the topic.

The now published third and updated edition of "Börse für Dummies" is not necessarily with almost 400 pages fast to cope with, but you will receive well-founded and at the same time easily readable information. And all relevant questions about the stock market are answered.

Where's the money?

How does investing in the stock market work? What do you have to consider? How can you act as a private investor? The time invested in reading will be worth it. You are well on the way to keeping the savings. And educating yourself is definitely better than that decision about their Finance to leave to others.

Because in the end nobody bears the responsibility other than yourself. “Exchange for Dummies” is much more than the small 1 × 1 of the exchange. Because the authors understand the latest findings in stock exchange psychology. And you will also get to know the great stock market gurus from Kostolany to Heiko Thieme in readable and critical portraits.

What's missing: A critical look!

A little more restraint in some assessments of products that are not traded on the stock exchange would have been desirable. For example, when it was pointed out that there was a functioning secondary market for closed shares Funds, i.e. for entrepreneurial investments in ships, aircraft or real estate.

It doesn't exist, as you can easily find out with a few clicks on the relevant Internet platforms. Something more critical would also be desirable Distance to the financial industry, for example to the advisory practice of banks. Because they finance themselves like many free financial advisors through commissions.

Independent advice - no indication!

Independent and objective Consulting quickly falls by the wayside. At least the authors mention that there are alternatives to the expensive services provided by managers of actively managed investment funds. Because passively managed index funds are a very good one, especially for private investors Alternatives.

Overall, however, the project succeeds in inviting people to take a very serious interest in the topic of investment and economic life.

Into the fray

The book is an important contribution to “financial education” in Germany. Very worth reading! And a good first step for you if you think about how you can invest your savings more profitably. And then it's time to try it out. Because, as the authors write in the foreword: "... it is not enough to read a book about climbing and then quickly climb the Eiger north face".

But the wind in Germany can change quickly, both economically and politically. As recently as September 2011, Angela Merkel, together with the Atomic EnergyEconomy decided to extend the lifetime of German nuclear power plants. Now the Fukushima nuclear meltdown could change everything: it is to be hoped that this event will be the final proof of the need for a turnaround in energy policy. But how can it go on?

Use resources more efficiently

One possibility: the more efficient use of existing resources! This is how Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker answered the question 16 years ago in his sensational book “Faktor Vier”. However, little has changed.

Because despite more efficient use of resources, Consumption overall rapidly. In the follow-up volume that appeared a few months ago, von Weizsäcker also included this development. In “Factor Five” he shows what can and must be done technically and politically.

Away from the rebound dilemma

The so-called oil crisis provided the first important impetus for the more efficient use of energy. The effect, however, was the direct increase in energy consumption. This is based on the rebound dilemma or boomerang effect: the more effectively resources are used, the more affordable they become.

For example, when mobile phones weighed several kilos when they were introduced and were only seen in company cars, they weigh only a few grams today. However, the consumption of resources for mobile phones has increased exponentially due to the mass distribution.

sustainable growth

That's why von Weizsäcker's “Factor Five” doesn't just focus on technical issues Solutions, but above all the politically necessary framework conditions for sustainability growth (e.g. long-term eco tax).

The concern of “factor four” was the connection of the market growth perspective with ecologically sustainable production. This perspective is also retained in “Factor Five”.

Changing economic systems

In the first part of the book, the co-authors Karlson Hargroves and Michael Smith look at the essential economic systems “buildings”, “steel and cement”, “agriculture” and “transport”. Here facts are provided which prove that “keep it up” or BAU (Business As Usual) is not necessary because alternatives exist.

And for all important industries! In the second part Ulrich von Weizsäcker then focuses on the politically necessary developments. It shows how market-based mechanisms can be used. And he shows the framework conditions that must be created by the States, so that the property is not sacrificed to individual interests.

The goal: quality of life

A caveat in connecting growth and Sustainability This is what Weizsäcker does in the last chapter when he calls for a new “sufficiency” in addition to efficiency. And he thereby defines a new one, so to speak Life-Style:

A lifestyle of frugality that does not focus on economic development, but "Quality of life as a Objective" Are defined. Conclusion: Factor Five is an important book because it is largely free of ideology and really viable ways from self-destruction.

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