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As U.S. nonprofits take on an increasing share of society's work, they face mounting pressure from stakeholders - donors, boards, employees - to show results. To make the greatest possible impact, they need to explicitly state the outcomes they're aiming for and how they plan to accomplish those goals. The authors, of the Bridgespan Group, say organizations should start by rigorously addressing a few interdependent questions: Which results will we hold ourselves accountable for? How will we achieve them? What will the results really cost, and how can we fund them? How do we build the organization we need to deliver those results? Together, those questions provide a framework for developing pragmatic, specific plans of action. Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families stepped up its performance by using such a framework. Ten years ago, the agency offered a host of programs - including an initiative called the Harlem Children's Zone - designed to improve the lives of poor children in devastated U.S. communities. Despite Rheedlen's efforts, supported by a $7 million budget, the prospects for Harlem's children appeared to be getting worse. So the organization changed its name simply to the Harlem Children's Zone, and linked its mission to a concrete statement of intended impact: namely, that 3,000 children, ages 0 to 18, living in the zone should have demographic and achievement profiles consistent with those found in an average U.S. middle-class community. HCZ's leaders discontinued or transitioned out of activities that were not in line with that outcome and took on new ones that were. They also diversified HCZ's funding, shook up and expanded the management ranks, and invested money in evaluating results. Over the past five years, HCZ has added 10,500 children to the population it serves and almost $40 million dollars to its budget.

Chairman and CEO Alain Gomez discusses Thomson, the French leader in TVs and related products since its 1987 acquisition of the GE/RCA consumer electronics business. In order to overtake Asian competitors European companies must consolidate through acquisitions or ventures. Thomson has expanded market share through acquisitions and has backed joint ventures with competitors to gain access to critical technologies; invested heavily in its own R&D; and participated in European R&D consortia. Cultural diversity is one asset that both Europe and the U.S. must learn to leverage more aggressively. It is also time to rethink old assumptions about markets, states, and economic success.

In Women's Quest for Economic Equality, Victor R. Fuchs argues that women's continued economic inequality is a reflection of the conflict they experience between family and work. He is encouraged by the number of women investing in their careers, but alarmed by the country's low birthrate and the number of children whose futures are at risk. In the Second Shift, Arlie Hochschild finds that women do most of the "second shift" work of caring for children and home. She looks at how and why and suggests ways to improve hours at home for everyone. Both authors support public policies to help children and working families. They challenge readers to examine some prevailing norms.

As "1992" approaches, Europeans must compete in world markets or see their businesses fail. Wisse Dekker looks at the forces that have led Europeans to realize that it is companies, not countries, which must compete. He foresees widespread industry shakeouts and heightened competition for all companies. Dekker does not envision a European "fortress" closed to Japanese and U.S. companies, but believes that reciprocity should be the guiding principle in trade negotiations and that value added and the transfer of technology should be paramount in evaluating investments.