The Tao of Alibaba

Inside the Chinese Digital Giant That Is Changing the World

By: Brian A Wong

Narrated by: Brian Nishii

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

From a long-time Alibaba executive and former special assistant to Jack Ma, this is the first book to articulate how Alibaba's unique culture and “tai chi” management principles are providing a business and economic development model for the rest of the world.

If you took the economic might of Amazon, and added the penetration of Facebook, the ubiquity of Google, and the cultural significance of YouTube, you might have something starting to resemble Alibaba. Commonly mischaracterized as a kind of Chinese eBay for businesses, Alibaba and its interlinked network of products and services have exploded into global markets, disrupting conventional businesses and creating previously unimaginable opportunities for millions of small businesses worldwide.

This book reveals the Tao of Alibaba—the company’s “secret sauce”—a consciously cultivated ethos and spirit that has enabled Alibaba to weather tough times (including its recent setbacks with the Chinese government) and persist toward a common mission. It is a blueprint of the company’s management philosophy, crystalized into the most important elements that have driven its success, and it provides a road map for how to incorporate these principles into any organization’s operations.

Wong distills his nearly two decades of experience inside the company to show listeners how to align their organization’s capabilities with performance-maximizing tools in order to achieve success. But most importantly, the Tao of Alibaba teaches the pursuit of greater purpose and meaning, steering entrepreneurs to view their ventures as a vehicle for having profound and lasting impacts on their communities. Ultimately, the lessons shared in The Tao of Alibaba will serve as timeless tools for any entrepreneur seeking to configure their organization toward purpose and impact.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Brian A Wong (P)2022 PublicAffairs

Well-written, candid perspective

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this. Brian did a great job of showcasing the culture and history of Alibaba through his unique lens.

Good inside look at one of China’s top tech firms

I’ve known the author for almost twenty years and have found him to be one of the most thoughtful people I know. He’s taken great care to share an inside look at how Alibaba achieved the success it has and the process and mindset that made it happen. If you are an entrepreneur or a business leader, you’ll find much value in it.

Book sheds enlightening perspective for entrepreneurs

The Tao of Alibaba is a great way to get a glimpse into how one of the largest Chinese tech giants began and evolved. With his wealth of experience,
the author Brian Wong offers solid advice to entrepreneurs that is practical and can easily be applied.

An Inspiring Journey Through the Tao of Alibaba

I recently had the pleasure of reading "The Tao of Alibaba," and I must say, it was an absolutely inspiring and transformative experience.
This book offers a unique and fresh perspective on the integration of business and sustainability in the pursuit of a better world for all.

The author skillfully narrates the formation of the Alibaba behemoth, where vision, perseverance, and the hard work of a team with a shared mission managed to transform e-commerce through a win-win strategy focused on supporting small businesses, rather than taking the easier path of catering to large accounts. They chose the more challenging route, and ultimately succeeded.
The author masterfully weaves a tapestry of global mission and vision, capturing the essence of sustainable economics and the significant opportunity that corporations have in shaping the world's future. As a reader, I was captivated by the concept of responsible capitalism and how it can serve as a positive force for global development.
Moreover, The Tao of Alibaba shows the power of a mission and vision and conscious capitalism to inspire innovation and drive progress. Through vivid examples and real-life cases of Alibaba's path, the author demonstrates that adopting responsible, lean practices does not impede growth, but promotes a more resilient and adaptive business model.
In conclusion, "The Tao of Alibaba" is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of business, sustainability, and global development. It is a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of the potential for capitalism to be a force for good in the world.
Isabel Fidalgo Carvalho

Not a deep dive

I was hoping a better inside look. Either he was tight lipped or didn’t have much inside info. Not the book I wanted.