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CS

Company stories and CEO memoirs

Management and Organisational Design

Insider accounts, chief executives' memoirs and case histories of particular companies such as GE, IBM, Southwest Airlines, the Detroit carmakers and McKinsey.

85 books on Company stories and CEO memoirs, recommended by 40 people including Mohnish Pabrai and Patrick Collison.

85 books · 46 experts

Start here

  1. Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal SuccessKevin Freiberg, Jackie Freiberg, 1996
  2. Plain Talk: Lessons from a Business MaverickKen Iverson, 1997
  3. The Big PictureEdward Jay Epstein, 2005
  4. Setting the TableDanny Meyer, 2006
  5. Brick by BrickDavid Robertson, Bill Breen, 2013

The best books on Company stories and CEO memoirs 85

Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for BNuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success
T2 Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success
Kevin Freiberg, Jackie Freiberg · 1996
The best-known account of the Kelleher-era culture.
Open Library
Plain Talk: Lessons from a Business MaverickPlain Talk: Lessons from a Business Maverick
T2 Plain Talk: Lessons from a Business Maverick
Ken Iverson · 1997
Nucor's chief executive on flat structure, incentive pay and minimills
Open Library
“Another great builder of our time was Kenneth Iverson. In just a few decades, Iverson transformed a small, nearly bankrupt company into the largest and most profitable steel company in the U.S…”Francois Rochon
Recommended byFrancois Rochon
The Big PictureThe Big Picture
T2 The Big Picture
Edward Jay Epstein · 2005
Where studio money actually comes from, line by line.
Open Library
Setting the TableSetting the Table
T2 Setting the Table
Danny Meyer · 2006
Restaurateur on hospitality as an operating system for service businesses
Open Library
“He has reviewed and recommended Meyer's hospitality memoir on AVC.”Fred Wilson
Recommended byPatrick CollisonFred WilsonNiki ScevakPatrick O'ShaughnessySimon Sinek
Brick by BrickBrick by Brick
T2 Brick by Brick
David Robertson, Bill Breen · 2013
LEGO's near-bankruptcy and turnaround; the one real Danish business book.
Open Library
Transforming NOKIATransforming NOKIA
T2 Transforming NOKIA
Risto Siilasmaa · 2018
Insider account by the chairman who sold handsets to Microsoft.
Open Library
The Sporty GameThe Sporty Game
T3 The Sporty Game
John Newhouse · 1982
Classic on the bet-the-company economics of airliner programs.
Open Library
Xerox: American SamuraiXerox: American Samurai
T3 Xerox: American Samurai
Gary Jacobson, John Hillkirk · 1986
The parent company's quality turnaround against Japanese copiers.
Open Library
Prophets in the darkProphets in the dark
T3 Prophets in the dark
David T. Kearns, David A. Nadler · 1992
Insider account by Xerox's CEO of the quality-driven turnaround.
Open Library
Control Your Destiny or Someone Else WillControl Your Destiny or Someone Else Will
T3 Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will
Noel M. Tichy, Stratford Sherman · 1993
The admiring contemporary account of Welch's restructuring.
Open Library
Music, Money, and SuccessMusic, Money, and Success
T3 Music, Money, and Success
Jeffrey Brabec, Todd Brabec · 1994
The publishing-side reference on royalty streams and licensing income.
Open Library
Rapid DescentRapid Descent
T3 Rapid Descent
Barbara Sturken Peterson, James Glab · 1994
Open Library
At Any Cost: Jack Welch, General Electric, aAt Any Cost: Jack Welch, General Electric, and the Pursuit of Profit
T3 At Any Cost: Jack Welch, General Electric, and the Pursuit of Profit
Thomas F. O'Boyle · 1998
The contemporaneous dissent, twenty years ahead of the consensus.
Open Library
Jack Welch and the GE WayJack Welch and the GE Way
T3 Jack Welch and the GE Way
Robert Slater · 1998
Contemporary admiring account; useful as a record of what people believed.
Open Library
The McKinsey WayThe McKinsey Way
T3 The McKinsey Way
Ethan M. Rasiel · 1999
The delivery method behind the fee.
Open Library
The Airline BusinessThe Airline Business
T3 The Airline Business
Rigas Doganis · 2005
The standard academic text on airline economics.
Open Library
Winning Across Global MarketsWinning Across Global Markets
T3 Winning Across Global Markets
Dan Steinbock · 2010
Nokia's emerging-market operating model at the turn; Open Library unreachable.
Open Library
The IKEA EdgeThe IKEA Edge
T3 The IKEA Edge
Anders Dahlvig · 2011
Insider account: the CEO from 1999-2009 on the operating model.
Open Library
The Amazon WayThe Amazon Way
T3 The Amazon Way
John Rossman · 2014
Insider account by the executive who launched Amazon Marketplace.
Open Library
The Samsung WayThe Samsung Way
T3 The Samsung Way
Jaeyong Song, Kyungmook Lee · 2014
Insider-access management study of Lee Kun-hee's reforms; Open Library unreachable.
Open Library
Innovating Out of Crisis
T3 Innovating Out of Crisis
Shigetaka Komori · 2015
Fujifilm CEO memoir; the counterfactual to Kodak. Open Library unreachable.
Open Library
Smart Business: What Alibaba's Success ReveaSmart Business: What Alibaba's Success Reveals about the Future of Strategy
T3 Smart Business: What Alibaba's Success Reveals about the Future of Strategy
Ming Zeng · 2018
Insider account: Alibaba's chief strategy officer on platform design.
Open Library
BezonomicsBezonomics
T3 Bezonomics
Brian Dumaine · 2020
Business-model analysis rather than a life.
Open Library
Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great AmeHot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company
T3 Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company
Jeff Immelt, Amy Wallace · 2021
Insider account: Immelt's defence of his sixteen years as CEO.
Open Library
My Life in FullMy Life in Full
T3 My Life in Full
Indra Nooyi · 2021
Insider account: Nooyi's memoir of twelve years as CEO.
Open Library
The Man Who Broke CapitalismThe Man Who Broke Capitalism
T3 The Man Who Broke Capitalism
David Gelles · 2022
Polemic treating Welch's GE as the template for shareholder primacy.
Open Library
When McKinsey Comes to TownWhen McKinsey Comes to Town
T3 When McKinsey Comes to Town
Walt Bogdanich, Michael Forsythe · 2022
Investigative account of who pays for consulting advice.
Open Library
Business AdventuresBusiness Adventures
T4 Business Adventures
John Brooks · 1969
Twelve New Yorker case studies; the reason Buffett lent it to Gates.
Open Library
“Business Adventures remains the best business book I've ever read.”Bill Gates
Recommended byBill GatesMohnish PabraiPatrick CollisonWarren Buffett
Talking StraightTalking Straight
T4 Talking Straight
Lee Iacocca · 1988
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Team ZebraTeam Zebra
T4 Team Zebra
Stephen J. Frangos, Steven J. Bennett · 1993
Insider account: a Kodak manager on turning around the film unit.
Open Library
ComebackComeback
T4 Comeback
Paul Ingrassia · 1994
Detroit's early-1990s crisis and the GM boardroom coup.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Hard LandingHard Landing
T4 Hard Landing
Thomas Petzinger · 1995
Deregulation-era industry history; Southwest and Kelleher throughout.
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
The HP WayThe HP Way
T4 The HP Way
David Packard · 1995
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Forbes Greatest Business Stories of all TimeForbes Greatest Business Stories of all Time
T4 Forbes Greatest Business Stories of all Time
Daniel Gross · 1996
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Memos from the ChairmanMemos from the Chairman
T4 Memos from the Chairman
Alan C. Greenberg · 1996
Greenberg's own memos; the cost culture Bear ran on before it broke.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiJeff Bezos
Matsushita Leadership: Lessons from the 20thMatsushita Leadership: Lessons from the 20th Century's Most Remarkable Entrepreneur
T4 Matsushita Leadership: Lessons from the 20th Century's Most Remarkable Entrepreneur
John P. Kotter · 1997
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Jack Welch Speaks: Wisdom from the World's GJack Welch Speaks: Wisdom from the World's Greatest Business Leader
T4 Jack Welch Speaks: Wisdom from the World's Greatest Business Leader
Janet Lowe · 1998
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
JackJack
T4 Jack
Jack Welch · 2001
Insider account: Welch's own version of the GE method.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiJamie DimonWarren Buffett
The POSCO StrategyThe POSCO Strategy
T4 The POSCO Strategy
William T. Hogan · 2001
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Shaw Industries: A HistoryShaw Industries: A History
T4 Shaw Industries: A History
Randall L. Patton · 2002
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The Southwest Airlines WayThe Southwest Airlines Way
T4 The Southwest Airlines Way
Jody Gittell · 2002
Academic study of relational coordination and turnaround times.
Open Library
Recommended byRyan Peterson
Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? Inside IBM'sWho Says Elephants Can't Dance? Inside IBM's Historic Turnaround
T4 Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? Inside IBM's Historic Turnaround
Louis V. Gerstner · 2002
Insider account by the CEO who ran IBM's 1990s turnaround.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiAaron Levie
DEC Is Dead, Long Live DECDEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC
T4 DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC
Edgar H. Schein · 2003
Open Library
Recommended byDavid Kadavy
America's Corner Store: Walgreen's PrescriptAmerica's Corner Store: Walgreen's Prescription for Success
T4 America's Corner Store: Walgreen's Prescription for Success
John 19 U. Bacon · 2004
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Bare EssentialsBare Essentials
T4 Bare Essentials
Dieter Brandes · 2004
A former Aldi director on radical simplicity as the cost model.
Open Library
DisneyWarDisneyWar
T4 DisneyWar
James B. Stewart · 2005
The Eisner years and the boardroom war that ended them.
Open Library
Recommended byKara Swisher
Lessons in LoyaltyLessons in Loyalty
T4 Lessons in Loyalty
Lorraine Grubbs-West · 2005
Insider account: former head of people on hiring and retention.
Open Library
The Wal-Mart Way: The Inside Story of the SuThe Wal-Mart Way: The Inside Story of the Success of the World's Largest Company
T4 The Wal-Mart Way: The Inside Story of the Success of the World's Largest Company
Don Soderquist · 2005
Insider account by the long-serving chief operating officer.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Andy GroveAndy Grove
T4 Andy Grove
Richard S. Tedlow · 2006
Full-scale biography by a Harvard business historian.
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick CollisonKeith Rabois
High Performing Investment Teams: How to AchHigh Performing Investment Teams: How to Achieve Best Practices of Top Firms
T4 High Performing Investment Teams: How to Achieve Best Practices of Top Firms
Jim Ware · 2006
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The Starbucks ExperienceThe Starbucks Experience
T4 The Starbucks Experience
Joseph A. Michelli · 2006
Consultant's distillation of Starbucks service principles.
Open Library
A Savage Factory: An Eyewitness Account of tA Savage Factory: An Eyewitness Account of the Auto Industry's Self- Destruction
T4 A Savage Factory: An Eyewitness Account of the Auto Industry's Self- Destruction
Robert J. Dewar · 2009
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Why GM Matters: Inside the Race to TransformWhy GM Matters: Inside the Race to Transform an American Icon
T4 Why GM Matters: Inside the Race to Transform an American Icon
William J. Holstein · 2009
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Crash Course: The American Automobile IndustCrash Course: The American Automobile Industry's Road from Glory to Disaster
T4 Crash Course: The American Automobile Industry's Road from Glory to Disaster
Paul Ingrassia · 2010
Pulitzer-winning reporter on the bankruptcy and bailout.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Leading with LUV
T4 Leading with LUV
Ken Blanchard, Colleen Barrett · 2010
Insider management account from Southwest's long-serving president.
Open Library
Sixty to Zero: An Inside Look at the CollapsSixty to Zero: An Inside Look at the Collapse of General Motors--and the Detroit Auto Industry
T4 Sixty to Zero: An Inside Look at the Collapse of General Motors--and the Detroit Auto Industry
Alex Taylor, Mike Jackson · 2010
Fortune correspondent's inside look at the collapse.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
American Wheels, Chinese Roads: The Story ofAmerican Wheels, Chinese Roads: The Story of General Motors in China
T4 American Wheels, Chinese Roads: The Story of General Motors in China
Michael Dunne · 2011
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for tCar Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business
T4 Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business
Bob Lutz · 2011
Insider account: Lutz on product culture versus finance control.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Once Upon a Car: The Fall and Resurrection oOnce Upon a Car: The Fall and Resurrection of America's Big Three Auto Makers--GM, Ford, and Chrysler
T4 Once Upon a Car: The Fall and Resurrection of America's Big Three Auto Makers--GM, Ford, and Chrysler
Bill Vlasic · 2011
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The Shipping ManThe Shipping Man
T4 The Shipping Man
Matthew McCleery · 2011
Novel, but the standard introduction to how ship finance actually works.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight toAmerican Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company
T4 American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company
Bryce G. Hoffman · 2012
The 2006-2010 turnaround told with close management access.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality
T4 Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality
Jacob Tomsky · 2012
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Insanely SimpleInsanely Simple
T4 Insanely Simple
Ken Segall · 2012
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew WilkinsonAusten AllredKeith Rabois
Management in Ten Words: Practical Advice frManagement in Ten Words: Practical Advice from the Man Who Created One of the World's Largest Retailers
T4 Management in Ten Words: Practical Advice from the Man Who Created One of the World's Largest Retailers
Terry Leahy · 2012
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
100 Days: the rush to judgment that killed N
T4 100 Days: the rush to judgment that killed Nortel
James E Bagnall · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
American Turnaround: Reinventing AT&T and GMAmerican Turnaround: Reinventing AT&T and GM and the Way We Do Business in the USA
T4 American Turnaround: Reinventing AT&T and GM and the Way We Do Business in the USA
Edward Whitacre, Leslie Cauley · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Full Upright and Locked Position: Not-So-Com
T4 Full Upright and Locked Position: Not-So-Comfortable Truths about Air Travel Today
Mark Gerchick · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The FirmThe Firm
T4 The Firm
Duff McDonald · 2013
How the modern consulting partnership was invented and priced.
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew Chen
Driving Honda: Inside the World's Most InnovDriving Honda: Inside the World's Most Innovative Car Company
T4 Driving Honda: Inside the World's Most Innovative Car Company
Jeffrey Rothfeder · 2014
The best modern account of Honda's decentralized engineering culture.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
How Google WorksHow Google Works
T4 How Google Works
Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg · 2014
Insider account by the former CEO and product chief.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiCynthia JohnsonKeith RaboisSophie Bakalar
The Antidote: Inside the World of New PharmaThe Antidote: Inside the World of New Pharma
T4 The Antidote: Inside the World of New Pharma
Barry Werth · 2014
Open Library
Recommended byLaura Deming
The Caterpillar Way: Lessons in Leadership, The Caterpillar Way: Lessons in Leadership, Growth, and Shareholder Value
T4 The Caterpillar Way: Lessons in Leadership, Growth, and Shareholder Value
Craig Bouchard, James Koch · 2014
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Lessons from Century Club CompaniesLessons from Century Club Companies
T4 Lessons from Century Club Companies
Vicki TenHaken · 2016
What firms surviving a hundred years have in common
Open Library
“''Lessons from Century Club Companies, Managing for Long Term Success'' by Vicki Tenhaken”Prem Watsa
Recommended byPrem Watsa
Connecting the DotsConnecting the Dots
T4 Connecting the Dots
John Chambers · 2018
Open Library
Recommended bySafra Catz
ConspiracyConspiracy
T4 Conspiracy
Ryan Holiday · 2018
The secretly funded litigation that destroyed Gawker.
Open Library
Recommended byBrian KoppelmanJeff JordanJoel ConnollyMarc AndreessenRaoul Pal
Merchants of TruthMerchants of Truth
T4 Merchants of Truth
Jill Abramson · 2019
Open Library
Recommended byBalaji S. Srinivasan
The Ride of a LifetimeThe Ride of a Lifetime
T4 The Ride of a Lifetime
Robert Iger · 2019
Insider account: Iger on the Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm deals.
Open Library
Recommended byBill GatesAlexis OhanianAli AbdaalAnu HariharanBrian CheskyJason CalacanisMichael BloombergMorgan Housel+3 more
Kiewit: An Uncommon Company
T4 Kiewit: An Uncommon Company
Jeffrey L. Rodengen
unverified
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Lessons from the TitansLessons from the Titans
T4 Lessons from the Titans
Scott Davis, Carter Copeland, Rob Wertheimer · 2020
Sell-side analysts comparing Boeing, GE, Honeywell and Danaher.
Open Library
“A direct "I highly recommend this book" endorsement on industrial-company case studies.”Patrick O'Shaughnessy
Recommended byPatrick O'Shaughnessy
Perspective on McKinsey & Company
T4 Perspective on McKinsey & Company
Marvin Bower
unverified
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Pleased But Not Satisfied
T4 Pleased But Not Satisfied
D.L. Sokol
unverified
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Southwest Airlines Co. Case Study
T4 Southwest Airlines Co. Case Study
Andrew T Johnson
unverified
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The 3G Way: An introduction to the managemenThe 3G Way: An introduction to the management style of the trio who's taken over some of the most important icons of American capitalism
T4 The 3G Way: An introduction to the management style of the trio who's taken over some of the most important icons of American capitalism
Francisco Souza Homem de Mello · 2014
The Lemann-Telles-Sicupira management system, written for operators.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Ticket Masters: The Rise of the Concert InduTicket Masters: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped
T4 Ticket Masters: The Rise of the Concert Industry and How the Public Got Scalped
Dean Budnick, Josh Baron
unverified
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Working BackwardsWorking Backwards
T4 Working Backwards
Colin Bryar, Bill Carr · 2021
Insider account by two long-serving executives; the mechanisms manual.
Open Library
“Written by Bill Carr and Colin Bryar, two Amazon veterans, this is effectively the operational manual for Bezos-era Amazon: the PR/FAQ process, the six-page narrative memo, the 'working backwards' from the customer. Bezos endorsed it publicly.”Jeff Bezos
Recommended byJeff Bezos

Experts 46

The people who wrote this page's books, and the people who recommend them.

Authors 6

Eric Schmidtwrote 1 book here
JB
John Brookswrote 1 book here
JL
Janet Lowewrote 1 book hereRyan Holidaywrote 1 book here
DG
Daniel Grosswrote 1 book hereJack Welchwrote 1 book here

Recommenders 40

MP
Mohnish Pabrairecommends 37 books herePatrick Collisonrecommends 5 books hereKeith Raboisrecommends 3 books hereWarren Buffettrecommends 2 books hereBill Gatesrecommends 2 books hereJeff Bezosrecommends 2 books here
PO
Patrick O'Shaughnessyrecommends 2 books hereMarc Andreessenrecommends 1 book here
MH
Morgan Houselrecommends 1 book herePrem Watsarecommends 1 book here
FR
Francois Rochonrecommends 1 book hereSimon Sinekrecommends 1 book here
Show all 40
Aaron Levierecommends 1 book hereAlexis Ohanianrecommends 1 book here
AA
Ali Abdaalrecommends 1 book here
AC
Andrew Chenrecommends 1 book here
AW
Andrew Wilkinsonrecommends 1 book here
AH
Anu Hariharanrecommends 1 book here
AA
Austen Allredrecommends 1 book here
BS
Balaji S. Srinivasanrecommends 1 book hereBrian Cheskyrecommends 1 book here
BK
Brian Koppelmanrecommends 1 book here
CJ
Cynthia Johnsonrecommends 1 book here
DK
David Kadavyrecommends 1 book here
FW
Fred Wilsonrecommends 1 book hereJamie Dimonrecommends 1 book hereJason Calacanisrecommends 1 book here
JJ
Jeff Jordanrecommends 1 book here
JC
Joel Connollyrecommends 1 book hereKara Swisherrecommends 1 book hereLaura Demingrecommends 1 book hereMichael Bloombergrecommends 1 book here
NS
Niki Scevakrecommends 1 book herePatrick Bet-Davidrecommends 1 book here
RP
Raoul Palrecommends 1 book here
RP
Ryan Petersonrecommends 1 book hereSafra Catzrecommends 1 book here
SB
Sophie Bakalarrecommends 1 book here
RW
The Rational Walkrecommends 1 book hereTim Ferrissrecommends 1 book here
See all 46 in the Experts tab →

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