Honda isn't into globalization. Instead, as Jeffrey Rothfeder explains, it's into localization. Rothfeder has spent a lot of time studying the way Honda, which started as a motorcycle maker in 1949, does business. Mel Foster's reading is lively, as listeners would expect of a story that's largely about a man, Soichiro Honda, who started his career by rethinking the wheel. It's upbeat as he discusses Honda's part in communities and its assembly streamlining. By the end, though, Foster takes on a thoughtful tone as Rothfeder offers his opinions on how corporations can do things better. It's an interesting profile, with an argument for the importance of manufacturing that leaves listeners plenty to ponder.
Pub Date: July 31, 2014
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781480586765
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The readers can't compensate for the unbearably pompous prose style of this extended parable about corporate politics and strategy.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An engaging experience.
This audiobook deals with everything from the historic investments that led to world-dominating companies, such as the Chinese technology company Tencent, to predicting the products and services of the future. An audiobook of such complexity requires a narrator who can handle the task, and David Thorpe manages it admirably. Thorpe uses his masterly voice, which sits somewhere between that of a BBC World Service presenter and an easy, relaxed Home Counties accent, to guide listeners through a sea of numbers, acronyms, and terms such as YP, RPS, and market cap. Rather than simply reading, Thorpe presents the work with excitement and enthusiasm, and this enjoyment transfers to the listener.
An engaging experience.Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668103425
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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