How the Mighty Fall, and Why Some Companies Never Give Up, Jim Collins’ latest book, identifies the stages of decline: “hubris born of success; undisciplined pursuit of more; denial of risk and peril; grasping for salvation with a quick, big solution; and capitulation to irrelevance or death.”

For a recent article on Jim Collins, see the 5/24/09 issue of The New York Times, For This Guru, No Question is Too Big.