Positive Sum

A practical framework for building inclusive prosperity through positive-sum economics

Zero-sum thinking has cost the American economy an estimated $50 trillion over the last 30 years. Positive Sum: How Zero-sum Thinking Broke Capitalism — and How We Can Fix It reveals why this primitive instinct continues to cost businesses $600 billion annually and offers a practical roadmap for recognising the economic power of fairness to create broadly shared prosperity.

Drawing on his experience heading the Ford Foundation's Mission Investments programme and his earlier Wall Street career, Roy Swan demonstrates that the belief that someone must lose for another to win is economically inefficient. Through personal narrative, historical insight, and practitioner experience, the book presents concrete investment strategies delivering proven 28% returns while advancing inclusive growth.

Readers will also find:

• Evidence showing how zero-sum assumptions undermine both corporate profits and national prosperity, backed by rigorous economic analysis
• Practical implementation strategies for impact investing that align financial returns with social outcomes across global markets
• Real-world case studies from the Ford Foundation's Mission Investments programme demonstrating market-rate returns alongside measurable impact
• A distinctly American framework for stakeholder capitalism that resonates across political divides while remaining globally applicable
• Actionable guidance for business leaders seeking sustainable models that create value for shareholders, employees, and communities simultaneously

Positive Sum offers essential reading for business leaders seeking sustainable economic models, investors looking to align values with returns, policymakers addressing inequality, and anyone concerned about building an economy where prosperity is broadly shared rather than narrowly concentrated.