"The Tipping Point"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains the theme in Gladwell's book about the need for business and social change management practices that are guided by insightful strategies and intelligent action. The paper summarizes the main points in the book and explains the analogy Gladwell draws between the emergence of trends and the emergence of viruses and looks at how Gladwell's approach can help us manage change more effectively.

From the Paper:

"In support of his theory, Gladwell analyzes the inexplicable revival of the Hush Puppies brand and the sudden, dramatic decline in New York City's crime rate in the 1990s to explain why a parallel can be drawn between trends and viruses. As he points out, both types of social epidemics can be seen to share three remarkably common characteristics with common viruses such as the flu or measles: contagiousness; little causes that had big effects; and change that took place not gradually but at one dramatic point. Further, Gladwell suggests that, of the three characteristics, the third or the idea that epidemics can rise or fall in one dramatic moment is the most important since it helps explain the first two and provides the greatest insight into why modern change occurs the way it does. Indeed, this is precisely why Gladwell has chosen to single out this characteristic by branding it and his book as the "Tipping Point."(p. 9)"

More papers on "The Tipping Point":

• Analytical Essay # 38785 : "Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point"
• Book Review # 126556 : "'The Tipping Point' and Social Trends"
• Analytical Essay # 56245 : "The Tipping Point"

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