Shortform Books

Netflix: Innovation Is a 4-Step Process

What is it like to work at Netflix? Does Netflix have an innovative culture? As a company with no vacation or expense policy, Netflix is no stranger to taking an unorthodox approach to management. One of Netflix’s more unique policies is the freedom it gives to its employees to innovate and make risky decisions, despite the chance that they won’t pay off. Keep reading to learn about Netflix’s method of inspiring innovation (what the company calls the “Netflix Innovation Cycle”).

The 1980s AIDS Crisis: A Humanitarian Disaster

How did humanitarian aid help Africa during the AIDS crisis? Could have the crisis have been handled better? In his book The White Man’s Burden, economist William Easterly believes that the AIDS crisis could have been dealt with more effectively if the humanitarian aid programs had focused more on prevention and less on treatment. This stance is controversial because the utilitarian viewpoint basically ignores those who are already sick. Continue reading to learn about Easterly’s take on the AIDS crisis.

The Virtue of Humility: Why Disciples Don’t Take Credit

How is the virtue of humility part of the Christian life? What does it mean to keep your good deeds secret from yourself? Dietrich Bonhoeffer believes that humility is an indispensable part of being a disciple. That means that you do good for God’s sake, not yours. You realize that the credit for anything good belongs to God alone. Keep reading to learn about Bonhoeffer’s view on the virtue of humility.

Blue Ocean Strategy: Best Quotes and Passages

Are you looking for Blue Ocean Strategy quotes by Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting? In Blue Ocean Strategy, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne suggest that the answer to competitive problems is to create a “blue ocean.” A blue ocean is a brand-new market for an innovative idea, allowing your company to avoid competing with rivals—because it has no direct rivals. Below is a selection of quotes with explanations to help you put them into context.

Algorithms to Live By: Book Overview

What is Brian Christian’s and Tom Griffith’s book Algorithms to Live By about? What is the key message to take away from the book? Algorithms to Live By is an instruction manual for life: a collection of unconventional wisdom drawn from the field of computer science. Computers and humans share many of the same problems, and the same solutions that have allowed us to optimize the field of computing may be the ticket to optimizing our own lives. Below is a brief overview of Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions.

The Virtue of Helping Others in Need

Why is it important to help others in need? How can helping others solve their problems ease your own suffering? According to Ryan Holiday, the author of The Obstacle Is the Way, working to solve the problems of others is one of the most effective ways to solve your own problems. However, many people narrowly focus on themselves and their problems, which clouds their perspective and makes it difficult to see things as they are. Here is what Holiday has to say about the virtue of helping others in need.

How to Clarify Your Values With ACT

You can heal with love. Discover how the love you feel in your heart can improve your physical health and help you overcome illness.

What are values in ACT? How do values differ from goals? In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (aka ACT), values are the principles that govern how you want to act. Unlike goals, values are never accomplished. Rather, values involve continuous behavior—they guide your choices and decisions according to the kind of person you strive to be. Keep reading to learn about the ACT method for clarifying your values.

Netflix’s Vacation Policy: They Don’t Track Time Off?

How does Netflix’s vacation policy of unlimited time off work? How can managers prevent employees from taking too much time off? One of the non-policies Netflix is known for is its “no vacation policy.” This means that all employees can take as many vacation days as they want without being tracked. Of course, they had to put some safety measures into place to prevent bedlam. Let’s go over how Netflix’s unlimited vacation policy works.

The Failures of the Top-Down Aid Model

Why are the problems with the top-down aid model? Why is the humanitarian aid system flawed? In his book The White Man’s Burden, William Easterly posits that the top-down aid model is disconnected from its recipients and is a recipe for under-delivering. However, there are cases to be made for both sides of the argument. Continue reading to learn more about the flaws in the global aid system.

Blue Ocean Strategy: Review & Critical Reception

What is Blue Ocean Strategy about? What is the key premise of W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne’s blue ocean business model? In Blue Ocean Strategy, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne argue that the key to building a successful business is to create a blue ocean—a brand-new market for an innovative idea. You can create such a market by focusing on your product’s characteristics that customers really care about while discarding the characteristics they don’t. This creates a new product offering that doesn’t currently exist, in a space without direct competitors. Here is our review of Blue Ocean Strategy.