THE BIG IDEA: The beginning of the century is a time for bright ideas and optimism about the future, a brave new world where everyone will be happier. This is where The Big Idea is coming from: the time for a new kind of capitalism has arrived.

If giant corporations such as Ford and General Motors characterised the 20th century with their massive output and global reach, the new age is epitomised by companies that stand out because they have a "big idea" - Orange, IKEA, Virgin, Apple, Amazon, Body Shop, Starbucks and the like.

A big idea has more than quality; it has depth. It can reach out to become a social property in which people feel they have a stake. It is something that is hard to copy and hard to resist.

Jones argues not only do consumers now demand quality, they also want beauty - think of Apple's iMac.

If consumers don't like what you're doing in Africa, such as Shell in Nigeria, they can boycott you. He says consumers have more information and, therefore, more power than they ever had.

The Big Idea is an interesting argument about capitalism and goes beyond talking about the potential of the internet.

The book's main flaw is its persistent optimism. It is more than a little too bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for us as we watch economies struggle out of the wreckage of September 11th.

The arguments in the book are persuasive but not flawless. Nike has created sexy products and markets them beautifully, but what about its record on labour rights? These inconvenient facts of economic life do not sit well with Jones's brave new capitalist dawn.

But The Big Idea is a refreshing and considered contribution to the ongoing debate on where we go from here.

The Big Idea

By Robert Jones

HarperCollinsBusiness

£7.99 (UK)