Bezonomics

How Amazon Is Changing Our Lives, and What the World's Best Companies Are Learning from It

By: Brian Dumaine

Narrated by: Dan Bittner, Brian Dumaine - introduction

Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

An “illuminating, lucid, and finely detailed” (The Washington Post) look at Amazon’s world-dominating business model, the current competitors either imitating or trying to outfox Amazon, and “how Jeff Bezos turned Amazon into the world’s lockdown necessity” (The Times, UK) - from an award-winning Fortune magazine writer.

Like Henry Ford, Sam Walton, or Steve Jobs in the early years of Ford, Walmart, and Apple, Jeff Bezos is the business story of the decade. Bezos, the richest man on the planet, has built one of the most efficient wealth-creation machines in history with two person of US household income being spent on nearly 500 million products shipped from warehouses in 17 countries. Amazon’s business model has not only turned the retail industry and cloud computing inside out, but now its tentacles are squeezing media and advertising and disrupting the state of technology, the economy, job creation, and society at large. Amazon's impact is so pervasive that business leaders in nearly every sector around the world need to understand how this force of nature operates.

Based on unprecedented behind-the-scenes reporting from 150 sources inside and outside of Amazon, Bezonomics unveils the underlying principles Jeff Bezos uses to achieve his dominance - customer obsession, extreme innovation, and long-term management, all supported by artificial intelligence - and shows how these are being borrowed and replicated by companies across the United States, in China, and elsewhere. Including tips for Amazon-proofing your business, Bezonomics answers the fundamental question: How are Amazon and its imitators affecting the way we live, and what can we learn from them?

A goldmine for some, and a threat for others, “Bezonomics” has proven to be a life-shaping force in our lives both now and in the foreseeable future.

©2020 Brian Dumaine (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio

Master Piece

I loved every chapter. A must listen to anyone looking to understand how to survive/compete in the automation age.

Thought Provoking

This is one of those rare business books that is not fawning or overly critical

49% balanced

Very thorough recap of amazon past present and future. The first half reminds me of Goodfellas when you get the sense that all is fun and glamorous with the mob. I was initially concerned that this was a puff piece put out by the Amazon PR Dept. The 2nd half was more balanced and insightful. My takeaway is that omnipotent near monopolies like amazon and facebook need viable competition. We know that the hot or not Zuckerberg from an early age, unequivocally cannot be trusted and ironically is a sociopath under the guise of connecting the world. Bezos ambitions, like Gates seem more transparent. All totaled, this read is worth the time.

Thorough, plainly explained, and yes - fun

Great history lessons and present-day context that uniquely brought these business stories to life.

Someday

Someday I would like to see a real comparison of market makers comparing apples to apples not a whitewash braggadocio of someone wealthy to get a writer more attention. What about a deep dive into supply chain management, hiring, employee turnover, feedback, growth in cardboard box industry, landfill ... upgrades, and of course my favorite the process for Suggestions. Why because as a long time books on tape creator I have so many suggestions not only for their Audible Arm but Public Relations, World Income disparity smoothing (Politics), Market Growth, population engagement, B2B relations all for “free” but no one wants anything for free just the lowest price in a highly comparative market. Again apples to grass with potential for grass to sand or just opening up S. American markets, relations with China, age peer engagement to Africa, Educational textbook progression for Career and knowledge development with group monitoring and mentioning yet the Big G, among many others just want the release of rights signed; yes my desk is full of forms to sign away the rights so they can file... or not. When all I see is ideas for a positive future!

So how about at least read the Annual Statement for each sector and compare it then add the personality that made it so, or it could be just another carpet square.

great book, talks about the future

Big data for sure, Amazon is a mammoth company, someday could rule the entire world!

Bezos fanboy feigns objectivity

The book itself was excellent well researched & written. The fanboy author feigns objectivity until the end of the book by accurately reporting undeniable facts and pretends that's the same as being objective.

Everyone should read this book to become aware of the inner workings of Amazon both good & bad, how it works and the highly unethical standard practices unapologetically engaged in by Amazon. They allow third party sellers to do the hard work of finding winning products and business models, taking their data and using it to drive them out of business and overtake their hard earned markets, all the while profiting from the fees they charge said sellers.

To be clear, I'm an almost daily customer of Amazon living in Japan where shopping can be a hardship for those illiterate it n Japanese.

That said, I'm under no illusions as to Amazon's many, frequent and highly unethical practices.

Read this book copy the best practices, and apply them ETHICALLY to your own business.

I've worked on the inside for a third party start up so I can tell you from direct experience that the bad stuff in this book is all true.

tim #bgreen

A great Amazon book!

i loved this book about Amazon and the narration was superb as well. I recommend this as a great Business book.

Good Story but not enough Critical Debate.

Personally liked the book but could have done more deeper critical thinking and discussion on what ifs. Such as competitive nature and bad things that can happen as Amazon tries to take over your world.

Great chats

I enjoyed each one of the chapters shared in this audio, looking forward to my next Jeff book.