
The Difference
How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
The Difference
How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies
About this book
In this landmark book, Scott Page redefines the way we understand ourselves in relation to one another. The Difference is about how we think in groups—and how our collective wisdom exceeds the sum of its parts. Why can teams of people find better solutions than brilliant individuals working alone? And why are the best group decisions and predictions those that draw upon the very qualities that make each of us unique? The answers lie in diversity—not what we look like outside, but what we look like within, our distinct tools and abilities.
The Difference reveals that progress and innovation may depend less on lone thinkers with enormous IQs than on diverse people working together and capitalizing on their individuality. Page shows how groups that display a range of perspectives outperform groups of like-minded experts. Diversity yields superior outcomes, and Page proves it using his own cutting-edge research. Moving beyond the politics that cloud standard debates about diversity, he explains why difference beats out homogeneity, whether you're talking about citizens in a democracy or scientists in the laboratory. He examines practical ways to apply diversity's logic to a host of problems, and along the way offers fascinating and surprising examples, from the redesign of the Chicago "El" to the truth about where we store our ketchup.
Page changes the way we understand diversity—how to harness its untapped potential, how to understand and avoid its traps, and how we can leverage our differences for the benefit of all.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Epigraphs
- Contents
- Preface to the Princeton Classics Edition
- Preface to the Paperback Edition Prufrock Avoided
- Acknowledgments: The Continuous Life
- Prologue: How Diversity Trumps Ability: Fun at Caltech
- Introduction: Unpacking Our Differences
- Part One: Unpacking the Toolbox
- Part Two: Diversity’s Benefits
- Part Three: Diverse Values: A Conflict of Interests(or Is It)?
- Part Four: The Pudding: Does Diversity Generatebenefits?
- Part Five: Going on the Offensive
- Epilogue: The Ketchup Questions
- Notes
- Index