Product Description

The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49 in Books
• Published on: 2002-01-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Amazon.com Review
"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.

For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.

Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan

From Publishers Weekly
The premise of this facile piece of pop sociology has built-in appeal: little changes can have big effects; when small numbers of people start behaving differently, that behavior can ripple outward until a critical mass or "tipping point" is reached, changing the world. Gladwell's thesis that ideas, products, messages and behaviors "spread just like viruses do" remains a metaphor as he follows the growth of "word-of-mouth epidemics" triggered with the help of three pivotal types. These are Connectors, sociable personalities who bring people together; Mavens, who like to pass along knowledge; and Salesmen, adept at persuading the unenlightened. (Paul Revere, for example, was a Maven and a Connector). Gladwell's applications of his "tipping point" concept to current phenomena--such as the drop in violent crime in New York, the rebirth of Hush Puppies suede shoes as a suburban mall favorite, teenage suicide patterns and the efficiency of small work units--may arouse controversy. For example, many parents may be alarmed at his advice on drugs: since teenagers' experimentation with drugs, including cocaine, seldom leads to hardcore use, he contends, "We have to stop fighting this kind of experimentation. We have to accept it and even embrace it." While it offers a smorgasbord of intriguing snippets summarizing research on topics such as conversational patterns, infants' crib talk, judging other people's character, cheating habits in schoolchildren, memory sharing among families or couples, and the dehumanizing effects of prisons, this volume betrays its roots as a series of articles for the New Yorker, where Gladwell is a staff writer: his trendy material feels bloated and insubstantial in book form. Agent, Tina Bennett of Janklow & Nesbit. Major ad/promo. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
This genial book by New Yorker contributor Gladwell considers the elements needed to make a particular idea take hold. The "tipping point" (not a new phrase) occurs when something that began small (e.g., a few funky kids in New York's East Village wearing Hush Puppies) turns into something very large indeed (millions of Hush Puppies are sold). It depends on three rules: the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context. Episodes subjected to this paradigm here include Paul Revere's ride, the creation of the children's TV program Sesame Street, and the influence of subway shooter Bernie Goetz. The book has something of a pieced-together feel (reflecting, perhaps, the author's experience writing shorter pieces) and is definitely not the stuff of deep sociological thought. It is, however, an entertaining read that promises to be well publicized. Recommended for public libraries.
-Ellen Gilbert, Rutgers Univ. Lib., New Brunswick, NJ
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Want to know what takes ideas over the edge?
If you work in marketing, like me, you know that traction for a brand is critical and good products have tipping points en route to skyrocketing sales. Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point is a fascinating exploration of makes ideas explode. His anecdotes and research are fascinating, and some of his exploration focuses directly on consumer products, such as the resurgence of Hush Puppies.

Excellent source for recognizing upcoming shifts and what makes them stick.
Gladwell eloquently illustrates how little things make a big difference. It only takes one different approach or element to dramatically change the way people view the world, how we react to certain information and more. I think most of us have embraced this notion at least to some degree.

One of my favorite ways to look at change is to consider this quote that I've heard used throughout Glazer-Kennedy. "Little hinges open big doors." I also like the fact that this particular quote is a more positive approach to change. A hopeful look at what's behind the big door.

Gladwell explores the three rules of epidemics, how they manifest themselves and more. The basic premise of the book is that it only takes three elements to create an epidemic.

1) The Law of the Few: This follows the basic rule of thumb that 20% of people do 80% of the work. The same it true of creating epidemics. Thought leaders ban together to present and distribute information that sways public opinion.

2) The Stickiness Factor: This isn't new to most seasoned marketers - your message must have some staying power, create interest and become contagious in a sense. It's all about restructuring messages to make them appealing with more impact.

3) The Power of Context: The key to connecting with others, making them want to change behavior or buy into a particular train of thought is in the smallest details pertaining to immediate situations. Simply put it's all about presentation and doing so in a way that evokes emotion and buy in.

This sounds surprisingly familiar to most marketing strategies yet it is a bit more complex. According to Gladwell, there are three types of personalities that are instrumental in bringing topics, trends, and more to the tipping point; Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen. Each possesses special gifts and goals that contribute to the tipping point (you'll have to read the book to find the characteristics of each).

The theory of the Tipping Point requires reframing the way we individually think about the world to forge change.

There are two big lessons of The Tipping Point:

The first is that starting any epidemic requires concentrating on a few key areas to gain momentum. This is easily illustrated by word of mouth marketing and the energy it creates to effortlessly spread the word about individual topics or issues of importance.

The second is the realization that the world does not accord with our intuition no matter how much we want it to. Those who are successful at creating epidemics know they must go beyond doing what they think is right and actually test their intuitions and ideas. This combination ensures success.

It stands to reason that focusing on more positive approaches, solutions and mindsets will in turn create an epidemic of abundance and at the same time the opposite is true depending on YOUR world view. I encourage you to read this book and ask yourself:

"What is my worldview?"

"What am I doing to create positive change?"

The World We can not See
If you are a sociologists probably you would not think that this is an interesting book, but if you don't have a specific education in social sciences, you may learn a lot.
The book depends on many famous articles which may be familiar to scientists but the way the author presents them is very sensible for the unspecified reader.
As in many books some ideas are unnecessarily repeated, but it is nearly impossible to find a book without this boring feature.
The book helped me to figureout the "connectors", "mavens" and "salespersons" around each of us and the impact they make on the population. How can some people change many things? Why does a restaurant become unexpectedly popular? Why do we decide to do something immedistely and find out that many people are doing this at the same time?
Why are some people very popular and know many people?
I think nearly all the idease are supported by some scientific articles. I recommend the book for everyone who are not experts in this field. Enjoy the book...