World-renowned expert in creativity Edward de Bono--whose instruction has been sought by major corporations including IBM, NTT Japan, Du Pont, and Ford, and by nations large and small including the United States, Canada, and Singapore--has some shocking news for corporate America: You cannot be competitive if you seek to be competitive.

Competition was fine once upon a time--but times have changed, and so has business. Now businesses must learn to exploit the vast potential of the integral values that surround the purchase and use of their products and services. They must create "monopolies of value" by blending into their offerings the array of attendant conveniences, emotions, and contextual realities in which their products and services exist, are decided upon, and are purchased. Being able to park a car is a value integral to owning one; eating chocolate with or without guilt is integral to the experience of the majority of people who love sweets. Concepts, rather than technology, are coming to the fore. Competition is no longer the key to success--it's the bare minimum for survival. Real success requires a giant leap of the imagination to carry a business beyond competition and turn it into a marketplace leader.

Sur/petition is a fascinating tour through an emerging commercial world in which consumers munch Cadbury's guilt-relieving, air-filled, "light" chocolate bars and walk around on carpets woven with stain-proof fibers. In the new age of "monopolies of value," their cars may come with guaranteed parking, and their insurance companies may pay benefits to terminal victims while they're still alive. Airlines will advertise a new vertical takeoff craft that can operate from city centers. No business reader can afford to miss this amazing book by a consultant to leading corporations around the world and major business strategist. And the thousands who are already fans of Edward de Bono are sure to find Sur/petition "the best de Bono yet."