Classics: Recommended reading for students, entrepreneurs, executives

A classic is defined as something that has lasting significance or worth. Knowledge@W. P. Carey offers a selection of books that have passed the test for a group of W. P. Carey School of Business faculty. Most of these works would not be filed under "business," yet they examine strategy, organization, technology, service and other topics, albeit through a variety of lenses. The lessons and ideas within these books win them a place on the required reading list of any business person who values a broad and deep perspective — in private life as well as at work.

What books should every business person read as part of a comprehensive education? Here, a group of W. P. Carey School of Business faculty identify a few key volumes. The list is diverse, ranging from a 2,000-year-old treatise on strategy to some very current thoughts on service.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu

The ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu is universally recognized as the greatest military strategist in history, a master of warfare interpretation. This condensed version of his influential classic imparts the knowledge and skills to overcome every adversary in war, at the office, or in everyday life.

Amy Hillman, professor of management, comments that "The Art of War" was "…written 2000 years ago and is still at the top of strategy books."

"It has important lessons for business strategy in today’s competitive environment," she explains. "While business strategy is more cooperative/collaborative at times than war, the number of business executives relying on lessons from this book is a force to be reckoned with."

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Making as his territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us. The result is a sometimes profound, sometimes funny, and always clear and entertaining adventure in the realms of human knowledge.

Robert St. Louis, professor of information systems, says "I think it is the most interesting book that I ever read."

La Place de la Concorde Suisse by John McPhee

This is John McPhee's rich, journalistic study of the Swiss Army's role in Swiss society. The Swiss Army is so quietly efficient at the art of war that the Israelis carefully patterned their own military on the Swiss model.

"Many people mistakenly assume that Swiss neutrality represents the absence of strategy," says Amy Hillman. "What this book points out in fascinating detail is just how prepared the Swiss must be to fight in order to remain neutral. For business executives, it is an important look into the details associated with successful and credible strategy implementation."

The Control of Nature by John McPhee

McPhee's bestselling account describes places where people are locked in combat with nature. Taking us deep into these contested territories, McPhee details the strategies and tactics through which people attempt to control nature. Most striking is his depiction of the main contestants: nature in complex and awesome guises and those attempting to wrest control from her.

"Strategy is about dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity and in many ways gives the impression of trying to control the uncontrollable," comments Amy Hillman. "This books portrays several examples of when and how controlling the uncontrollable is possible."

Discovering the Soul of Service: The Nine Drivers of Sustainable Business Successby Leonard L. Berry

In a world where customers regard flawless products as a given, service is the key differentiator between competitors in any field. This book by Leonard Berry, a leading service expert, moves far beyond his pioneering work in services marketing and service quality to explain how great service companies meet their toughest challenge: sustaining long-term success.

"This book is a gold mine for any organization serious about building or sustaining a service culture," says marketing Professor Stephen Brown. "Berry offers compelling and in depth insights from outstanding service organizations. The work is especially on target for firms offering labor intensive services."

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond

Diamond argues that geographical and environmental factors shaped the modern world. Societies that had a head start in food production advanced beyond the hunter-gatherer stage, and then developed writing, technology, government, and organized religion — as well as nasty germs and potent weapons of war — and adventured on sea and land to conquer and decimate preliterate cultures.

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

This allegory of man's religious journey in search of salvation follows the pilgrim as he travels an obstacle-filled road to the Celestial City. Along the way, he is confronted by monsters and spiritual terrors. "The Pilgrim's Progress" is a 17th-century classic, universally known for its simplicity, vigor, and beauty of language.

"George Bernard Shaw said 'Pilgrim's Progress' is one of the most powerful books in the English language," comments Professor Daniel Brooks. "It should be considered a regular read and of particular value for people involved in market economies."

In "Margin," Swenson provides a prescription against the danger of overloaded lives. Focusing on margin in four key areas — emotional energy, physical energy, time, and finances — he offers an overall picture of health that employs contentment, simplicity, balance, and rest.

Brooks highlights an important issue for people who schedule every minute of each day with activity. "Our time is totally full, our budgets tight, our emotional energy all spent at the end of the day, our physical energy drained," he says. "It's interesting because the anecdotes ring so true and the implications are pretty sobering."