Business the Jack Welch Way: 10 Secrets of the World's Greatest Turnaround King [Paperback]

Stuart Crainer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1999 | Series: Business Way

From a lowly job in the plastics division of GE to the position of chief executive of this $60 billion company, Jack Welch has probably climbed the corporate ladder farther and faster than anyone else.

Now readers can go behind the scenes to find out what makes him tick in Business the Jack Welch Way. This new book traces the successful career--and uncovers the successful business strategies--of the man who's often called the most powerful CEO in America.

What does he most value? How does he compare running gigantic GE to operating a corner grocery store? How did he transform this stodgy company into an exciting and dynamic one? And why is he lauded as a Renaissance man and yet nicknamed, pejoratively, "neutron Jack"? Readers will learn the answers to these questions (and plenty more) as the book unfolds the 10 key secrets of this incredible turnaround king.

Business the Jack Welch Way is part of a new series that charts the rise of business superstars Welch, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Rupert Murdoch. The Business Way Series looks at their deals, schemes, and dreams, revealing how each planned his career, crushed his competitors, and ended up on top. It supplies both a valuable insight into the ingredients of success and a concise source of important lessons for the next generation of winners.

Other "Business Way" books include: Business the Bill Gates Way (0-8144-7036-X) Business the Richard Branson Way (0-8144-7035-1) Business the Rupert Murdoch Way (0-8144-7034-3)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Is there anything new to say about the four high-profile corporate executives featured in this series? The work of Dearlove and Crainer, two British business writers, suggests that there is not. Their texts consist of quotes from previous books and articles held together by statements that appear to have little to legitimize them. The authors give no indication of the source of their opinions, facts, and speculation. For each executive, there are ten "secrets" on which the analysis of his management style is based. Although the other three executives are referred to in each book, there is no attempt at comparative analysis. For example, for Murdoch, ruthlessness is cited as a secret of success, with the belief that "nice guys finish second." But Branson's common touch with customers and staff alike is the key to his popularity and success. Go figure. The quality of the writing is uneven and frequently repetitious, but there is an easygoing approach that makes all four books appealing for a quick read. Undergraduate term-paper writers and casual readers who have heard these names may appreciate the one-stop biography/management style content. Graduate students, businesspeople, and other specialists will pass on these books in search of more solid content.ASusan DiMattia, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover

Jack Welch is one of the most successful and controversial business leaders the world has ever seen. When he took the helm at GE, then a model of the American corporate way, he was 45, the youngest chief the company had ever appointed. Welch transformed a hitherto cautious company, and put his dynamic mark on corporate America at the same time. GE's businesses were overhauled. Some were cast out and hundreds of new businesses were acquired. Fortune called Welch "the toughest boss in America". GE became a leaner and fitter organization: any com-placency was eradicated. This extraordinary change program has become the benchmark for 21st century business.

How does he do it? Now brought completely up to date for this new edition, Business the Jack Welch Way not only reveals the secrets of Welchs' remarkable success but also draws out the universal lessons and identifies strategies that can be applied to any business or career. From killing bureaucracy to talking straight, and from investing in people to dominating your market (or getting out of it)you have in your hands the secret of phenomenal success. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 1 edition (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814470335
• ISBN-13: 978-0814470336
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,340,168 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A decent overview, but perhaps a bit deceptive, August 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Business the Jack Welch Way: 10 Secrets of the World's Greatest Turnaround King (Paperback)

The book is a quick read about how Jack Welch manages. At least how the author thinks he manages. The author cobbles these thoughts from articles and other sources. For the most part it works--the book gives good insights into leadership and motivation. But a lot of it might be deceptive. For instance, the author takes a principle that Jack Welch has espoused in the past, and then fills in the details with his own related thoughts, and those of other management gurus. So, often times you are actually learning what some one else thinks about the topic--not Jack Welch's opinion. As long as this is taken into consideration, the book provides interesting lessons on how to manage and motivation people.

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not Practicable, November 17, 2009

By 

Maxim Masiutin (Chisinau, Republic of Moldova) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Shots: Business the Jack Welch Way (Paperback)

My review refers to 2nd edition of the book, published by Capstone on December 15, 2001. It augments the first 1999 edition by the events that have happened between 1999 and until the resignation of Jack Welch on September 7, 2001.

The book shows a brief history of GE and the career of Jack Welch, analyzing them thought prisms of different frameworks, devised by such famous experts as Chris Argyris, Ronald Heifetz, Peter Drucker, Gary Hamel, to name a few.

The author did not interview Jack Welch. This book is based on various publications that the author has combined. While being a good description of Jack Welch's management principles, and may be a good addition to the book "Straight from the Gut", it is not as practicable (does not provide good lessons how to manage and motivate people) as "Winning" by Jack and Suzy Welch. "Winning" has many workable recipes that you will be able to use to improve yourself. I highly recommend it in addition or instead of this book by Stuart Crainer, who is very familiar with the greates business and management thinkers and books, but not with Jack Welch in particular.

4.0 out of 5 stars A decent overview, but perhaps a bit deceptive, August 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Business the Jack Welch Way: 10 Secrets of the World's Greatest Turnaround King (Paperback)

The book is a quick read about how Jack Welch manages. At least how the author thinks he manages. The author cobbles these thoughts from articles and other sources. For the most part it works--the book gives good insights into leadership and motivation. But a lot of it might be deceptive. For instance, the author takes a principle that Jack Welch has espoused in the past, and then fills in the details with his own related thoughts, and those of other management gurus. So, often times you are actually learning what someone else thinks about the topic--not Jack Welch's opinion. As long as this is taken into consideration, the book provides interesting lessons on how to manage and motivate people.