How anyone can be more effective with less effort by learning how to identify and leverage the 80/20 principle--the well-known, unpublicized secret that 80 percent of all our results in business and in life stem from a mere 20 percent of our efforts. The 80/20 principle is one of the great secrets of highly effective people and organizations. Did you know, for example, that 20 percent of customers account for 80 percent of revenues? That 20 percent of our time accounts for 80 percent of the work we accomplish? The 80/20 Principle shows how we can achieve much more with much less effort, time, and resources, simply by identifying and focusing our efforts on the 20 percent that really counts. Although the 80/20 principle has long influenced today's business world, author Richard Koch reveals how the principle works and shows how we can use it in a systematic and practical way to vastly increase our effectiveness, and improve our careers and our companies. The unspoken corollary to the 80/20 principle is that little of what we spend our time on actually counts. But by concentrating on those things that do, we can unlock the enormous potential of the magic 20 percent, and transform our effectiveness in our jobs, our careers, our businesses, and our lives.
In 1897, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, in his study of the patterns of wealth and income, observed that the distribution of wealth was predictably unbalanced. He first discovered this pattern in 19th-century England and found it to be the same for every country and time period he studied. Over the years, Pareto's observation has become known as the 80/20 principle.
Now in 1998, Richard Koch takes a fresh look at the 80/20 principle and finds that the basic imbalance observed by Pareto 100 years ago can be found in almost every aspect of modern life. Whether you're investing in stocks, analyzing company sales, or looking at the performance of a Web site, you'll find that it's usually 20 percent that produces 80 percent of the total result. This means 80 percent of what you do may not count for much. Koch helps you to identify that 20 percent and shows you how you can get more out of your business, and life, for less.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
A Solid Principle and a Solid Explanation:
There are few self help/achievement books covering only a single topic that provide as in depth an analysis as the 80/20 Principal. Koch does an admirable job explaining the principle from many perspectives, providing convincing rational regarding the impact of the 80/20 principle and its ensuing significance. The 80/20 principle is not overly complicated; however, it has profound affects substantiated by numerous samples and situations. Knowing that the majority of results come from the minority of... more info
80/20 for beginners:
Hello. My name is Gary Shane McGill and I have an MBA from Wilmington University in Delaware (I also sell patented ice cream and milkshake dispensers internationally), so I have heard of The 80/20 Principal both academically and professionally, which is why I bought the book. It is something mentioned, but not really elaborated in any great depth at graduate school, so the ideas are so simple that we sometimes overlook the obvious. I cannot say that I personally like Richard Koch's writing style... more info
Change the way you look at your life!!!!:
After reading hundreds of business books.....80/20 is one of the five I recommend. The book is based on the Pareto principle also know as the 80-20 rule. While telling the tale of success in big and small business the reader begins to understand it isn't just a concept....it is a lifestyle. If you are sick of things being the same....chasing your tail in life and business....this is the book for you. In keeping with the principle, after the first few chapters, there isn't much use in finishing the... more info
THE 80/20 PRINCIPLE IS 90% ACCURATE:
There are a lot of great reviews on this book but none of them state this fact: 80 percent of the real content in this book can be found in twenty percent of its pages. While I certainly appreciate context, the use of examples, illustrations, and hypothetical diagrams, most of the information could have been condensed to make it much shorter; in particular, the end of the book that deals with relatiohships and happiness? Aside from that, it's a must have book - even for MBAs who may be familiar with many of... more info
