Business Books

Why most companies fall into identity traps. Shut up and listen, will you? Celebrating the benefits of failure

TERRY ALLEN FOR TIME

Trade-Off: Why Some Things Catch On, and Others Don't

By Kevin Maney

Broadway; 217 pages

Imagine two restaurants, one at each end of a block. One is a famous four-star establishment, known for its fine cuisine; the other is a McDonald's, popular for its low prices and speedy service. If the élite restaurant opens a branch on every nearby block, it will lose its cachet as well as its customers. Likewise, if the McD's starts serving pricey, five-course meals, its fans will take a hike. That's the central notion of this illuminating book. Maney, a veteran business journalist, calls this dichotomy...

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