Strategies for the Green Economy: Opportunities and Challenges in the New World of Business

by Joel Makower, Cara Pike (Afterword)

Businesses are entering the green marketplace at breakneck speed to keep pace with customer and societal demands to reduce their environmental impacts. But greening one's business is no small feat. While clear opportunities abound in this new economy, business leaders pursuing a green strategy are finding few roadmaps and established rules and plenty of hidden twists and turns. So, how does a company succeed in a world gone green? In Strategies for the New Green Economy , Joel Makower, one of the world's foremost green business experts, provides a clear roadmap for this challenging terrain. Makower offers insights and inspiration gleaned from his 20 years' experience helping Fortune 500 companies and start-ups alike formulate strategies that align environmental and business goals. Providing a comprehensive and realistic look at both the opportunities and challenges, Strategies for the New Green Economy shows how leadership companies are finding their way in the green economy, while their competitors struggle. Strategies for the Green Economy systematically tackles the central issues of greening your business:

Genres: Business, Sustainability, Nonfiction, Green, Economics, Environment

312 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2008

Reviews

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would've loved to have read this book before I wrote my thesis. In my opinion it is a good book for anyone interested in the environment and how marketing can help the environment.

[Thang Tran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to green business (sustainable business/environmentally friendly business) and its practice, though it's hard to define what is "green" nowadays. I still don't find any universal set of rules or standard for the word "green", though the book does inform me of certain standards for a building to be considered green (i.e. satisfying LEED standards). New marketeers who want to position their firms to appear green or be seen as green will find the book valuable, with ample example case studies of giant retailers (i.e. P&G, Walmart). Their successful campaigns as well as mere "green washing" shenanigans will inform you of the consequences of lost trust. Consumers nowadays are smart and with the help of social media the truth can be exposed more easily. What I want to know more is political debates over the practices of green business. The title "green economy" seems ambitious and overarching, making an introduction book rather than an in-depth discourse for a specific field under the economy umbrella. How do you know how much the top politicians and consumers really care about the environment? How do government of developing countries satisfy both the green movement and the massive consumerism that seems to speed up economic competitive advantage? Is green marketing a sham - since reducing consumption is antithetical to marketing, and diverting customers to buying more "green" is another way to, well, boost consumption? Will teaching about green marketing practices and ethics become a lucrative business? I want these questions discussed brutally and straightforwardly. Overall, you can use this book as the start for numerous conversations about green economy and expand into these critical issues.

[Shannon Parnham · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated and info is a bit overstated, but full of good information.

[Nell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though this book is aimed at business people, as a consumer I found it interesting to learn about what keeps businesses from becoming greener or from advertising whatever steps they've taken in that direction. It is almost impossible to judge a product's or service's greenness because of the lack of definitions and standards and the myriad (and often not obvious) factors that go into sourcing, production, transport, and disposal. This poses problems both for business and for consumers who try to put their money where their mouth is. Makower also talks about the scale of change in our current practices required to make enough difference to alter the outcome, both industrial processes and consumer behavior. Easy reading for such weighty matters: not dry, short chapters, parts can be skimmed without losing the gist. Recommended for both producers and consumers.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best, most comprehensive, and current primer on the meaning of green in 2009. Published in 2008, I think the election has become part of a vast cultural shift toward sustainability and things have changed momentously even since the publication of this book, but I'd recommend Makower's discussion to EVERYONE, because it's vital information for all of us, for our health and the hope of our planet, determined by our conscientiousness.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another entertaining read. Makoer shows his vast knowledge of how a business can survive, adapt and succeed in a world that is becoming greener each day. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to gain a better perspective on how being green in both business operations and strategy is not a must.

[Stefan Martiyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative on the subject matter of lots of stuff green -- short chapters keep the reading light and easy to rip through = no problem.

[Catalina]

A great book for innovators and entrepreneurs who think more about sustainable business models than profit.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

hardcover; stickers and stamps; clean text, solid binding, some wear on dust jacket.