The Voltage Effect; How to Make Good Ideas Great and Great Ideas Scale

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Why do some ideas take off while others fade away? A leading economist reveals the key to scaling success.

"Brilliant, practical, and grounded in the very latest research—this is by far the best book I’ve ever read on the how and why of scaling." —Angela Duckworth, CEO of Character Lab and New York Times bestselling author of Grit

LONGLISTED FOR THE PORCHLIGHT BUSINESS BOOK AWARD

In the world of startups, business, and policymaking, "scale" is more than just a buzzword—it's the difference between a great idea that changes the world and one that never gets off the ground. But what determines whether an idea that works on a small scale can succeed on a larger one?

In The Voltage Effect, University of Chicago economist John A. List uncovers the science behind scalable ideas. Drawing from his groundbreaking research and compelling real-world examples, he reveals five essential traits that scalable ideas share—and the warning signs of those doomed to fail. You'll discover:

• How celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's restaurant empire thrived—until it collapsed due to a crucial oversight about scalability
• Why a flawed early approach led the Reagan-era drug-prevention program to backfire at scale
• How governments could deliver more services efficiently by focusing on the last dollar spent
• How a community education center harnessed "spillover effects" to close the achievement gap
• Why the right incentives, when applied correctly at scale, can drive positive change—from boosting voter turnout to increasing clean energy adoption

By understanding what makes an idea truly scalable, we can create lasting impact in business, education, healthcare, and beyond. Because real change doesn’t just happen—it scales.