The Art of Profitability

By: Adrian Slywotzky

Narrated by: Scott Mosenson, Jack Ong, Adrian Slywotzky - introduction

Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

What do Barbie dolls, Nokia phones, and American Express credit cards have in common? They all represent a powerful business model called pyramid profit. How about Intel, Microsoft, and Stephen King? They all exploit another model called value chain position profit.

The Art of Profitability reveals the invisible but important governing principles that can mean the difference between business failure and success. Writing with wit and provocative insight, best selling author Adrian Slywotzy tells the story of eccentric strategy teacher David Zhao and his young student. Each of the book's chapters presents a lesson from the exuberant and always challenging master - and a profit paradigm that will open your mind to the many ways to make profit happen.

You'll understand - from a different perspective - how your company and your competitors generate profit, which business models can be best applied to your profit-making strategy, what specific actions your organization can take in the next ninety days to improve its bottom line, and more.

With scores of examples from today's global marketplace, a weekly assignment, and an eclectic business reading list ranging from Obvious Adams to Einstein's Dreams, The Art of Profitability invites anyone in business to engage in the lively exchange between mentor and protégé.

Enter the classroom. Discover the art. And learn which form of profitability will help your company succeed today and grow tomorrow.

©2002 Mercer Management Consulting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (P)2003 Time Warner AudioBooks. A division of the AOL Time Warner Book Group.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Winner, Business Information/Educational, 2003

"It's an attractive and refreshing concept that taps into the Zen of business." (Publishers Weekly)
"Harvard professor Adrian Slywotzky...brings a holistic approach to the making of money." (AudioFile)

I did not want it to end

Subjects that would have made me fall asleep in an instant were made so captivating,tantilizing and wanting to learn more. I love the format. Making into a script-like dialogue allowed me to follow what was being discussed. I couldn't help imaging myself in the same room with the characters. I look for same format as this on other audio books of same interest. Great job!

Corny, but very well worth a listen

The concept was good. But a fiction writer this guy is not.

I think it is still worth listening to, however. Slywotzky is a great thinker. The format is actually useful. The ideas are eye-opening. It's hard to look at businesses from now on with out categorizing them. I highly recommend this book, and will be looking for more books from this author.

2 thumbs up

Excellent Read. And worth listening to over (and over). I wonder if Slywotzky gets a cut of the incremental revenue on the additional books he recommends? Oh, he wrote a couple of them himself...

Worth while all the more since it looks like he definitely practices what he preaches. I will be looking for the 'homework' reading list titles on Audible.

Rich Content, Easy Listen

This book is written and narrated in a very engaging style that takes the listener through 23 different profitability models. It weaves exercises for assimilating the concepts and learning more about each model with "assigned reading" given the fictional apprentice in the book. I'm a few months away from completing my MBA and am familiar with a lot of the material referenced, but have already added more "must reads" to my list. I'm an entrepreneur and my companies have been lucrative, but picked up a few new tactics and ways of looking at things that will make my next venture even better. Can't attend business school right now? Get this book and do the work assigned the apprentice and you will be getting the core info you need to succeed.

Good way to learn simple business models

Simple, interesting way to learn about business models. I read it for school and much preferred listening than reading.

The Art of Profitability (Unabridged

Great Audiobook!! I liked the format and the information.

Marc v

I have heard the term business model many times through out my career and have always felt a bit mysified by the term. This book helps you understand what that means and how to think about the general problem of making a profit.

I have listened to it twice and am very sure I will do so twice more before year end. Great book

A Must For anybody serious about business

After being in business for the past 12 years and reading and listening to a lot of business building material, i thought I had heard it all.

Then I listen to the art of profitability.
This book will truly expand the growth of your business with actually methods.

9/10 from me.

Unique engaging approach is terrific!

I was hooked from the start. The master teaching the student characters brought the lessons to life. The book reinforced the importance of reflection and application to really understand a concept. The need to bounce ideas and quick numbers at the start of an investment decision worked well to shape further study. Thank you for your creativity.

why does the Asian guy have a lisp?

srsly that part was hard to ignore. overall good information but I had a hard time with the format of a juvenile sounding executive and this Asian consultant(?) that is stereotyped.