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Why did United Airline's TED and Delta's Song fail while Southwest's similar model for low-cost air travel thrived? According to the author, it all comes down to company culture. Culture is one of those fuzzy terms that makes business analysts roll their eyes, he says, but its true power lies in the fact that, unlike other competitive advantages, it is nearly impossible to copy. He defines culture as 'the things that people in an organization do without thinking, often because of a precedent set by management'. As he shows, the roots of culture go very deep, and they lead companies like Southwest, Costco and IBM to the top of their industries.

The social sector could learn a lot from the "just do it" approach of design firms. When designers want to explore a new strategy, product, or service, they don't waste time describing it to dozens of groups and trying to get them to adopt it wholesale. They build prototypes, test them with small sets of users, and then roll out what works.

Recent economic turmoil has forced companies around the globe to re-evaluate their core business strategies. In order to thrive - indeed, to survive - organizations have to carefully consider how to remain relevant going forward. To do this, the author explains that firms must pay close attention to their customers and what they are demanding. We are now in the Age of Meaning, he says, where businesses and their brands create value and competitive advantage only when they deliver a compelling, holistic experience that is authentic, unique and relevant. Recent behavior on Wall Street has only deepened this trend, amplifying the desire for authenticity and meaning on Main Street. The author provides four key strategies for thriving in the Age of Meaning.