Real profit after taxes is the most important management target. Profits are the cost of survival and the creators of new value. In this book, celebrated management thinker Hermann Simon brings clarity to the jungle of profit concepts and balance sheets. He sheds light on the performance of numerous companies and industries in international comparison and looks at the key profit drivers: price, sales and costs. Hermann Simon derives practical consequences from his astute analysis and offers a convincing guide to profit-oriented and sustainable corporate management!   The book pleads for a reconsideration of profit as the guiding concept of management and entrepreneurship, and it showcases how profitability can ensure the long term health of a business. Questioning the fact/dilemma, why more than 80 percent of companies in the US are going public have never turned a profit, this book is invaluable inspiration and a powerful guide for responsible and resilient managers and entrepreneurs.