Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Hidden Champions reveals the strategies & practices of hundreds of low-profile high-performance German companies. How do these companies--small- & mid-sized niche firms like Brita, the world leader in point-of-use water filters--do it? They are all great innovators; many have created their own markets. They have expanded a narrow product focus to meet the needs of customers around the world. They avoid outsourcing, diversification, & strategic alliances, instead creating unmatchable internal competencies. They are extremely close to their customers but have no large marketing departments. They are led by executives who are both authoritarian & participative. Their hallmark is continuity, with almost no employee turnover & an average CEO tenure of 24 years. This groundbreaking & contrarian book lends extraordinary insights into building & defending market leadership. It is a compelling wake-up call for back-to-basics management. "Offers a blueprint that most businesses would be wise to follow."

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Booklist Review

German business consultant Simon suggests that there is much to learn from studying the practices of lesser-known companies that have quietly succeeded in unique or specialized market niches. Because Simon is based in Bonn, most--but not all--of his examples are German. They all are, however, relatively unknown, small or midsize, and worldwide leaders in their markets, making mundane products, such as bottle-labeling machines, model railways, incense, potting soil, and museum display cases. Using secondary sources, printed company materials, a mailed questionnaire, and personal interviews, Simon discovered that these companies grow slowly, compete in stable markets, are long-lived, tend to be family owned or closely held, and prefer to shun publicity to avoid attracting competition. They also concentrate on developing their own specialties, avoiding such currently popular management practices as diversification, strategic alliances, and outsourcing. Simon's findings run counter to much of what today's management literature advocates, and they should attract attention! --David Rouse