From Worst to First - by Gordon Bethune (Paperback)

About the Book

Continental Airlines' CEO Gordon Bethune offers his insights and strategies for successfully turning around a limping company.

Book Synopsis

1994 rangierte Continental Airlines allgemein als schlechteste Airline und stand kurz vor dem Konkurs - das dritte Mal in nur 10 Jahren. Nur wenige Monate nach seinem Amtsantritt als CEO hatte Gordon Bethune einen enormen Erfolg zu verzeichnen: Nie zuvor war die Arbeitsmoral besser, und das Unternehmen war auf dem besten Weg zu rekordverdächtigen Umsätzen und Gewinnen. In diesem Buch erzählt Bethune, wie er und sein Team das wohl dramatischste Comeback in der Unternehmensgeschichte in die Wege geleitet haben. Er zeigt, wie Manager mit gesundem Menschenverstand und dem Mut, Gewinndenken einmal beiseite zu lassen, selbst die verbittertsten Angestellten wieder motivieren und zu neuen Qualitätsmaßstäben anspornen können. Ein lehrreiches Buch, das für Manager in allen Branchen wertvolle und nützliche Lektionen bereit hält. (09/99)

From the Back Cover

The numerous anecdotes alone are worth the price of the book . . . most readers will find themselves asking why everyone doesn't run a business as preached by the chief executive of Continental Airlines.-The Washington Post Book World

. . . in an age where managing seems increasingly complicated, some of Bethune's prescriptions are refreshingly straightforward.-Business Week

From Worst to First outlines Gordon Bethune's triumphs . . . about the turnaround he's led at Continental, a perennial basket case that's become an industry darling.-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

From Worst to First is [Gordon Bethune's] story of Continental Airlines' turnaround under his command . . . The blueprint has worked . . . Fortune magazine named Continental the company that has 'raised its overall marks more than any other in the 1990s.'-The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

All of Gordon Bethune's proceeds from this book will be donated to the We Care Trust, a nonprofit organization that assists Continental Airlines' employees and their families in times of need.

Review Quotes

In his new book FROM WORST TO FIRST, Continental Airlines CEO Gordon Bethune tells how he led Continental's transformation into an award-winning carrier after years as an unprofitable airline that angered employees and customers.-USA Today


"Some of Bethune's prescriptions are refreshingly straightforward... Bethune includes some fresh examples of his plain-spoken management style."-Business Week

About the Author

Gordon Bethune is Chairman and CEO of Continental Airlines. Prior to joining Continental, he was vice president and general manager of customer service at Boeing. Bethune was also a senior operations executive at Braniff Airways, Western, and Piedmont Airlines.

Scott Huler is a professional journalist. He has been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and other leading North American newspapers and magazines.