Christopher G. Worley is Senior Research Scientist at the University of Southern California's Center for Effective Organizations. He is also professor of management at Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management.
Thomas Williams is a Senior Executive Advisor at Strategy& (formerly Booz & Company) where he consults to large global companies on issues of strategy, organization, and management systems.
Edward E. Lawler III is Director of the Center for Effective Organizations at the University of Southern California and Distinguished Professor of Management and Organization in the USC Marshall School of Business.

Foreword by James O'Toole ix
Preface xiii
Chapter 1 Searching for Sustained Performance 1
Chapter 2 Organizing for Agility 25
Chapter 3 Strategizing and Perceiving 53
Chapter 4 Testing and Implementing 83
Chapter 5 Transforming to Agility 111
Afterword: Some Reflections on Agility 139
Notes 147
About the Authors 157
Acknowledgments 159
Index 161

A research-based approach to achieving long-term profitabilityin business
What does it take to guarantee success and profitability overtime? Authors Christopher G. Worley, a senior research scientist,Thomas D. Williams, an executive advisor, and Edward E. Lawler III,one of the country's leading management experts, set out to findthe answer. In The Agility Factor: Building AdaptableOrganizations for Superior Performance the authors reveal thefactors that drive long-term profitability based on the practicesof successful companies that have consistently outperformed theirpeers. Of the 234 large companies across 18 industries that werestudied, there were few companies that delivered sustainedperformance across the board. The authors found that acrossindustries, the most successful companies were not the "usualsuspects" found in the media, but companies who possessed a quietagility that allowed them to quickly perceive and respond tochanges so that they could continue to grow. Agility givesorganizations the ability to adapt to fluctuations in theenvironment, test possible responses, and implement changesquickly. This book offers specific, research-based case studies tohelp organizational leaders use agility to achieve sustainedprofitability and performance while also becoming more adaptable toa changing marketplace.
For executives, leaders, consultants, board members and allthose responsible for the long-term health of organizations, thisinsightful guide outlines:
* The components of agility for business organizations
* How to successfully build agility within an organization
* How agility has its foundation in good managementpractices
* How to use agility to gain a competitive advantage in themarketplace