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Leading a Surgical Revolution

The AO Foundation – Social Entrepreneurs in the Treatment of Bone Trauma

  • Describes the history of the AO foundation, its philosophy, business approach, and impact on the treatment of bone trauma
  • Shows how an organization successfully revolutionized common treatments and set a new global standard in an important field of surgery
  • Presents a uniquely successful case of social entrepreneurship in healthcare
  • Details the successful collaboration with industrial partners to produce lasting economic effects

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Table of contents (54 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxvi
  2. Prologue: Orchestrating A Cast of Thousands

    • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
    Pages 1-7
  3. Launching a Surgical Revolution

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9
    2. Osteosynthesis Explained

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 11-13
    3. A Brief Overview of the AO Organization

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 15-19
    4. Treatment of Bone Fractures Prior to 1960

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 21-31
    5. Enter Maurice Müller (1918–2009)

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 33-43
    6. Recruiting a Circle of Friends

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 45-52
    7. The AO Kick-Off Meeting

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 53-59
    8. AO Formulates Its Credo

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 61-72
    9. Pillar One: Developing the AO Instrumentarium

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 73-83
    10. Pillar Two: Teaching Osteosynthesis

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 85-92
    11. Pillar Three: Maintaining Complete Documentation

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 93-98
    12. Pillar Four: The Research Mission

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 99-106
    13. Pitching the AO Philosophy to Hostile Audiences

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 107-113
    14. In Search of a Business Model

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 115-120
    15. Broadening the Supplier Base

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 121-128
    16. A Commission to Steer the Enterprise

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 129-133
    17. AO Vision, Mission, Values, and Strategy

      • Jean-Pierre Jeannet
      Pages 135-137
  4. Growing the Organization

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 139-139

About this book

This book describes the 60-year history of the AO Foundation and its impact on the treatment of bone trauma.

Originally founded by a group of Swiss surgeons, the AO has since established its osteosynthesis treatment approach to trauma, using surgery and implants, as the global standard. The AO successfully convinced the medical community that surgery of bone trauma was superior to the standard conservative treatment using plaster casts. This new technique meant that patients no longer had to spend long weeks at the hospital in traction, and prevented many disabilities.

This book describes the struggle with the medical community, explains how the AO surgeons enlisted the support of an entire industry for their advanced tools and their research and teaching efforts, and details the AO’s evolution into a non-profit foundation that now trains more than 50,000 surgeons, on all continents, every year.

The efforts of the AO’s affiliated surgeons, undertaken largely on a volunteer basis and with their own financial resources, serve as a stellar example of social entrepreneurship. Today the AO Foundation numbers over 20,000 surgeon members worldwide, and the industry that emerged to produce related implants and tools employs thousands of skilled staff. Professionals in consulting as well as in healthcare can use this book as a source of successful strategies, and as a blueprint for active social entrepreneurship.   



Reviews

“The AO journey through 60 years tells the amazing success of a group of determined Swiss surgeons which developed solutions to overcome traditional techniques of fracture repair that meant splinting or traction over a period of many hundred years. A must read for any orthopedic surgeon.” (Univ. Prof. Dr. med. Florian Gebhard, Director Department for Orthopedic Trauma, Vice Dean Medical Faculty, Ulm University, Germany)

“Professor Jeannet’s chronicle of the development of the AO Foundation’s game-changing innovation in the medical treatment of musculoskeletal trauma is inspiring and insightful. It illuminates a potential path forward to transformation of the global healthcare industry through the application of principles and practices of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.” (Professor Mark Rice, Provost and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Babson College, USA)

“Jean-Pierre Jeannet has written an important book on an important organization. AO’s story is a remarkable case of entrepreneurship-with-a-purpose, as well as an inspiring illustration of how a few determined individuals can end up positively impacting the lives of millions!” (Jean-François Manzoni, President  IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland)

“The History of the AO Foundation is also a story of how the Canton of Solothurn turned into a Medtech hotspot with its unique concentration of leading orthopedic implant firms. This book is a testimony to the innovative impact of this sector on the Swiss economy at large.” (Roger Graber, Economic Development Canton of Solothurn, Solothurn, Switzerland)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Professor Emeritus Babson College, Wellesley, MA, USA; Professor Emeritus IMD Institute, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Jean-Pierre Jeannet

About the author

Professor Jean-Pierre Jeannet served on the faculty of Babson College, USA (1974 – 2013), where he last held the FW Olin Distinguished Professorship, while simultaneously serving on a joint appointment at the IMD Institute, Switzerland (1981 – 2010). His teaching and research focused on marketing, strategy, and globalization. He holds the title of Professor Emeritus from both Babson College and the IMD Institute.

He was a frequent consultant in management development and strategic development with companies in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. His consulting practice spanned many industry sectors and included multiple assignments in the healthcare and life science industries.

Professor Jeannet is the author or co-author of a number of books, including Managing with a Global Mindset, Global Marketing Strategies, Global Account Management, and From Coal to Biotech: The Transformation of DSM with Business School Support.   


Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access