The Barnes & Noble Revival: A Cautionary Tale for Centralized Power Barnes & Noble's remarkable turnaround under CEO James Daunt has defied conventional wisdom by decentralizing power and giving frontline employees the freedom to make decisions.
This approach is a refreshing departure from the company's previous business model, which prioritized uniformity and central control.
Daunt abandoned the "pay for display" system, where publishers dictated what books would be stocked and displayed, allowing store managers to choose and promote titles as they see fit.