The Future of Competitive Advantage

What It Is: A 2026 book by retail futurist Doug Stephens (founder of Retail Prophet) arguing that declining institutional trust, eroding economic fairness, and a weakening education system aren't just societal problems but an untapped source of competitive advantage, laying out a step-by-step business plan for companies to invest in strengthening democracy, fair capitalism, and public education in order to set strategy for the next era of business. 

Why It Matters: Stephens frames the stakes directly: "no company can thrive in a society that is failing." He argues that the postwar engines of trust, fair capitalism, and education that powered prosperity are now seizing up, and that companies which help restart them can build investor confidence, employee commitment, and customer loyalty in the process. In Chapter 30, he makes the business case for reinforcing democracy and the need for corporate political responsibility, where companies conduct themselves "in a manner that supports and reinforces the rules of play necessary for a free market.” 

How to Use It: Use the book's step-by-step business plan as a starting framework for connecting your company's civic and democracy-related investments directly to competitive strategy. Refer to Chapter 30 as you craft and apply a reasonable set of rules to guide political advocacy, donations, and lobbying, to ensure you are reinforcing and strengthening the foundational systems that contribute to a healthy free-market and well-functioning democracy.