The CEO’s alternative summer reading list
Some genre-bending management books
“HE INSPIRED NEITHER love nor fear, nor even respect…He originated nothing, he could keep the routine going—that’s all.” As a description of your typical middle manager, it is hard to surpass Marlow’s view of the boss at a river port in Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness”. The novella is a critique of colonialism in Africa, and an exploration of power and morality. It is also a guide to dealing with corporate bureaucracy. Marlow’s steamboat is in tatters and the manager is useless—Marlow must solve the problem himself. It sounds like an ordinary day at a Fortune 500 company.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Genre bending”
Business July 13th 2024
- America’s giant armsmakers are being outgunned
- Why most battery-makers struggle to make money
- What German business makes of France’s leftward turn
- Europe’s biggest debt-collector has a debt problem
- The EV trade war between China and the West heats up
- The CEO’s alternative summer reading list
- Once high-flying Boeing is now a corporate criminal
From the July 13th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Business
TikTok’s time is up. Can Donald Trump save it?
The imperilled app hopes for help from an old foe
The UFC, Dana White and the rise of bloodsport entertainment
There is more to the mixed-marital-arts impresario than his friendship with Donald Trump
Will Elon Musk scrap his plan to invest in a gigafactory in Mexico?
Donald Trump’s return to the White House may have changed Tesla’s plans
Germany is going nuts for Dubai chocolate
Will the hype last?
The year ahead: a message from the CEO
From the desk of Stew Pidd
One of the biggest energy IPOs in a decade could be around the corner
Venture Global, a large American gas exporter, is going public