The core idea behind this book, and the author's previous book 'Herd', is that we are not rational, straightforward decision making machines who cooly judge all of the available options and select the best fit. No, we are copying machines. We will seek to find comfort in our actions by copying others around us.
It's a big idea. It fundamentally changes how you perceive a lot of things in and around business. It's tricky to get your head around at first too, but this book really lays out a splendid, concise take on the idea that strips away as much unnecessary complexity as possible, and starts you thinking about how it might apply to what you do.
What's more, there's also a really useful model for looking at the patterns in the data of your business, and seeing to what extent you might in in an individual choice market, or indeed a market in which social choice and the copying of others is an intrinsic part.
Thought-provoking, enlightening and useful. Copy me and read it before everyone else does... ;)