THE CORPORATE WARRIORS

by Douglas K. Ramsey ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 28, 1987

Business is a martial art in many respects, but NBC-TV newsman Ramsey adds little to either this banal premise or the twice-told tales he uses to support it. The author offers case studies on six consequential corporate conflicts, plus an introductory overview that alludes to military themes all but ignored in the stand-alone narratives. Best of an oddly assorted lot is the vivid account of how Ted Turner fought the television establishment to something better than a draw with his Atlanta-based superstation and Cable News Network. Also worthy is a recap of the often raunchy campaign waged by Penthouse founder Bob Guccione to steal a march on Hugh Hefner's Playboy during the late 1970's. Decidedly less engrossing, though, are reruns of the Coke/Pepsi and AT&T/MCI duels. Even further off target in retrospect are briefings on People Express vs. the airline industry and GM's co-optive strategy for repulsing aggressive Japanese automakers. Indeed, owing to subsequent events (unrecorded in the text), virtually all of the victories in the marketplace battles Ramsey logs have proved either hollow or Pyrrhic. In brief, then, an essentially pointless series of dated reconstructions, competently reported but sorely lacking in perspectives that might make them significant.

Pub Date: Feb. 28, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1987

Categories: NONFICTION