Rating: Summary: Good info. to face real world, not to emulate it... Review: I agree with all who wrote that this book is a satire (sadistic if you will). I see this book as a reality check of corporate behavior that we all have to be cautios about. I higly recommend readign this book to be better prepared for the real world, but not to emulate and/or adopt the author's opinion.
Rating: Summary: Over rated and boring! Review: I am told that Bing is a very humorous author. He tried too hard here, had nothing to say but tried anyway, and it shows. Very boring and not a bit funny.
Rating: Summary: A VERY DANGEROUS BOOK! Review: This book is no less dangerous than a satirical book on bomb making would be, in the hands of Tim McVay. This would not be a very nice thing to give a young graduate if you wanted them to grow up and ever know what it's like to have friends. But if anyone wants the skinny on what makes a CEO tick, or Sadam Hussein for that matter, get your saftey glasses ready. There's more blood and gore in this than a Stephen King novel. Chainsaw - Al Dunlop plays the role of the satanic clown living in the sewer and there's a special cameo by Ken Starr as Cujo. An inspiring book on how to get a head in the business world - and having it mounted to hang in your den.
Rating: Summary: Bing-o Review: Bing's book is a dead on satire and pedagogy all wrapped in one.
Rating: Summary: Reality Check, Business is War, like it or not. Review: Bing is awesome, this book is great. Anyone who can not handle what is writen in the book is a whimp and would be instantly crushed in my market by our team. You play hard and you play to win. You must go for it. There is no free lunch you must seize opportunity, crush the competition and win. Each battle in business is determined by the samtest, meanest, toughest and most ruthless. That is the way it is in politics, business, war and sports. Business is all of those put together. Forget your MBA, they do not teach you the reality check. Humor is often funny because it is so close to truth.Everywhere I look the things described in the book take place in our markets. You are either in it to win it or you are not. If you cannot handle this book, Bing is right you are weak and have no business being in business. Except to be crushed by people who do understand the reality. Professors, ethics experts and mothers should not read this book. You do not get it. Professors teach that this attitude is wrong which is fine by me because those little MBAers I eat for lunch. Idiots. Stop being such a bunch of whimps and look out the side of those rose covered sun glasses. You little matrix lovers. Business is a game and a war. Do not stand there and wave your bible at me, or our steam roller will crush you as we shift into high gear. You are either part of the steam roller or you are a competitor soon to be part of the pavement. Bing is serious and although some of the suggestions in the Prince do not fit exactly into the context presented. I think he did an excellent job relating it to modern business context. I would like to see any of these other wannabe reviewers do any better. The book was fun and real and had great comic relief. And yes he is serious to those of us that are in it to win it and That is all. It is 180% go, no prisoners, no time outs, fight to the death or watch in the stands, either way you get on my field in my industry and you are history. This is a great book and if you do not buy it, you better watch out for those who do. Market leaders and those quoted in the book. Ted Turner, larry Ellison, Gates, Andy Grvoe, Nolan Bushnell, Fred Smith, etc. are not exactly linght weights in their industries. Maybe you should learn from them and pay attention. There are certain traits which make great genrals, great leaders, great Princes and great business Titans. Those traits are real and those human Beings possessing those traits to the degree discussed have a much higher probability of winning in their respective markets. Buy the book, if you do not like it, stay out of the way, you are not one of us, you will get crushed.
Rating: Summary: Is this serious? Review: The subtitle is "The End Justify the Meanness". This book is supposed to be getting ahead in business, but I found that it constantly hampered its own purpose. You see, at times in the book, Mr. Bing succeeds in bringing his own meanness to the reader. This includes calling the reader a loser, and other such unnecessary comments. I was totally put off by his style, treating its reader like a third grade child. Also, the book is a little heftily priced for a 150 page paperback-sized hardcover. Other than these complaints, though, there are some good things to be said about the book. I found that his view on getting ahead to be very revolutionary, by calling to the foreground the dirty sides of doing business, instead of playing it clean. Although I did not agree with all that was said (example: a pie chart that put friends and family as the least important thing in a business tychoon's life), it was interesting to see another's point of view. And, yes, there were some things in the book that can help get your way in the office. I would reccomend this book to all those who are constantly being stepped on at the office. For all those comfortable with their current position, though, don't bother buying the book: just think about being as mean as possible, and you will get the jist of it.
Rating: Summary: Simplistic Review: The ideas put forth by the author at times seemed like trying to force a square peg into a round hole. On the whole, it is too general, simplistic and naive for anyone to implement and would do so at one's own peril. Read another book.
Rating: Summary: Bing Steps Out of The Corporate Box Review: Oh please, how can anyone with two brain cells to rub together not "get" this book? Like it or not, the "Machiavellian Way" is indeed Corperate America. Most people simply don't have the self-confidence, work ethic and guts to admit that this is exactly how they should behave in their work environment. To bring this subject to light in such a brazenly honest and humourous book is sheer genius, Bing steps out of the Corporate Lie Box and tells it like it is. I own a small business and I do not hire my employees so I can help them to build better lives for themselves, I hire them to make money for my company. Why does society glorify the workplace slug (think MSN Messenger commercial "I need fifteen copies of the A.S.A.P!") and revile the boss? Jelousy I think, because those slugs don't have the chops to succeed on their own and spend their pitiful lives riding other people's coat-tails complaining all the way. This book tells you one thing, if you want to be someone in this life, get off the pot and get to work. Do away with the sniveling babies in the office who should do themselves a favor and quit thier jobs and join the Peace Corps, the rest of us have work to do.
Rating: Summary: Enjoy for what it is Review: I agree with the reviewer from Raleigh, NC (3/26/00). The book is a satire -- great humor based on a perceived reality of corporate America today. To see it as ANYTHING else is to completely miss the theme (and value). To see it as a handbook to use today -- well, it proves there are many dangerous people out there. As for those who gave it one star (or less than four) -- maybe it WASN'T for everyone -- the serious business types it pokes fun at. And the bigger point is that if we can't see the humor in such otherwise tragic behavior (and beliefs), and if we can't laugh at this portrayal, then we do have serious problems. Forget the handbook -- enjoy the pointed satire.
Rating: Summary: Bing can do better Review: I'm a person who never misses Bing's articles in Fortune. I believe in the way he looks at things and the way He analyzes things. I like Machiavelli as well and I think that it is a pitty that he does not live with us today becasue i think he would have written a book better then his "The Prince" because he would have already see some of his beliefes already implented and Machiavelli would have elaborated more or thought of new ideas for the generations after us. Moreover, I could see Machiavelli's shadow in Bing's articles in fortune. Therefore, I thought this book would be my all time favourite and I could wait to read it but I was wrong. I consider this a humor comic. Not Informative at all and Bing's interpretation are very qoustionable.
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