Rebecca Henderson

A renowned Harvard professor debunks prevailing orthodoxy with a new intellectual foundation and a practical pathway forward for a capitalism, a system that has lost its moral and ethical foundation. Free market capitalism is one of humanity's greatest inventions and the greatest source of prosperity the world has ever seen. But this success has been costly. Capitalism is on the verge of destroying the planet and destabilizing society as wealth rushes to the top. The time for action is running short. Rebecca Henderson's rigorous research in economics, psychology, and organizational behavior, as well as her many years of work with companies around the world, gives us a path forward. She debunks the worldview that the only purpose of business is to make money and maximize shareholder value. She shows that we have failed to reimagine capitalism so that it is not only an engine of prosperity but also a system that is in harmony with environmental realities, striving for social justice and the demands of truly democratic institutions. Henderson's deep understanding of how change takes place, combined with fascinating in-depth stories of companies that have made the first steps towards reimagining capitalism, provides inspiring insight into what capitalism can be. With rich discussions of how the worlds of finance, governance, and leadership must also evolve, Henderson provides the pragmatic foundation for navigating a world faced with unprecedented challenge, but also with extraordinary opportunity for those who can get it right.

Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire

Shortlisted for the FT and Mckinsey Business Book of the Year Award 2020

Danielle Allen

Yochai Benkler

Leah Downey

Joshua Simons

"If we all agree that our current social-political moment is tenuous and unsustainable (and indeed, that may be the only thing we can agree on right now), then how do markets, governments, and people interact in this next era of capitalist societies? In A Political Economy of Justice, a team of luminary social scientists consider the strained state of our political economy in terms of where it can go from here. "We look squarely at how normative and positive questions about political economy interact with each other," the editors write. "From that beginning, we aspire to chart a way forward to a just economy." Across 14 essays that blister with relevance to our moment as a society and polity, A Political Economy of Justice sketches the boundaries of a new theory of justice: the measures of a just political economy; the role of firms; the roles of institutions and governments. The editors' introduction makes clear that these are no half-effort book chapters from busy luminaries; they are wholly original works born of a set of guiding principles and deeply, communally edited. The result, they hope, is something greater than what is typically achieved by an academic volume"--

A Political Economy of Justice

Anyone who suffers at the hands of an abuser already knows that survival is of the very essence of what powers each day. Rebecca Henderson knows all too well what it is like to live within a turbulent childhood filled with chaos, beatings, and mental illness-and in an adult world fueled by alcohol abuse and violent crime. In her poignant memoir, "becki justbecki," Rebecca Henderson shares a compelling glimpse into the world of abuse, survival, and her eventual healing, ultimately seeking to teach others to trust their intuition, take chances, and make good choices. For the first time in her life, Rebecca has found her voice. In celebration of her survival, she shares her reflections and recalls how painful events have shaped her life. Rebecca begins with the story of how she was badly burned at age two and subsequently endured teasing for years, teaching her a valuable lesson that facing humiliation head-on provided her with the knowledge that there was nothing she could not recover from-ever. As she details traumatic incestuous experiences that caused her to begin self-destructive behavior that would last for years, Rebecca provides an eye-opening perspective into how abuse extensively affects a life long after it has stopped. "becki justbecki" shares one woman's incredible, inspirational journey from the darkness of abuse into the light of healing that will inspire anyone who has ever been abused to never give up.

A Glimpse Inside My Bag of Abuse

Becki Justbecki

WHAT IF BUSINESS COULD HELP SOLVE THE GREATEST PROBLEMS OF OUR TIME? Free market capitalism is one of humanity's greatest inventions and the greatest source of prosperity the world has ever seen. At the same time, its single-minded pursuit of profit has led to rampant inequality and the looming threat of climate catastrophe - and now threatens to destroy the society on which it depends. Rebecca Henderson, John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard University, argues that business can simultaneously make a positive impact on the world by confronting the realities of our environmental crisis and the need to address social and economic inequality, while also delivering the sustained economic growth that brings prosperity and wellbeing to society as a whole. Drawing on lessons from companies from around the world who are already making a positive difference, REIMAGINING CAPITALISM shows that this new approach is not only a moral imperative but also an extraordinary opportunity to drive growth and innovation in an increasingly competitive world. And, perhaps most critically, she suggests that it has the potential to balance the power of the market with the power of democratic, accountable government and strong civil society - the only long term solution to the problems that we face. "This powerful and readable book is a clarion call for reimagining and remaking capitalism. We can have a more moral and more innovative capitalism. There is hope!" -Daron Acemoglu, coauthor of Why Nations Fail "A must-read for every person with a stake in our economic system since change or die is the inescapable reality confronting capitalism." -Hiro Mizuno, executive managing director and chief investment officer, GPIF "A smart, timely, and much-needed reimagining of what capitalism can be." -Yancey Strickler, cofounder and former CEO, Kickstarter, and author of This Could Be Our Future: A Manifesto for a More Generous World

How Business Can Save the World

Reimagining Capitalism

Free market capitalism is one of humanity's greatest inventions, and the greatest source of prosperity the world has ever seen. But it's also on the verge of destroying the planet and destabilizing society in its single-minded pursuit of maximizing shareholder value. Rebecca Henderson, McArthur University Professor at Harvard University, argues for a new framework; one that can simultaneously make a positive societal impact by confronting the realities of the environment and the need to address social and economic inequality, while also delivering sustained financial performance to ensure economic growth that brings prosperity and wellbeing to society as a whole. Drawing on the lessons of companies from around the world who are acting on this responsibility - who are not only surviving but are thriving, becoming leaders in their industries and beginning to drive the wheels of change - Professor Henderson proves that this is not only a moral imperative for business but also the only way to remain competitive in our changing world.

Rebecca Henderson

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