A Knight's Code of Business: How to Achieve Character and Competence in the Corporate World [Hardcover]

Gene Del Vecchio (Author), Roderick Fong (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0972529004 | ISBN-13: 978-0972529006 | Publication Date: January 8, 2003

This clever and insightful book reveals the depth and breadth of high moral character and competence in the corporate world. The good news is that the corporate world, by and large, is in good shape. The bad news is that the bad apples number enough to make the rest of us vulnerable to their whims. A Knight’s Code of Business is one of the first books to arrive in the aftermath of high profiles disasters such as Enron and WorldCom. It presents both the misadventures that befall corporations, as well as guidance to help upcoming managers achieve high moral character and competence in the corporate world. It’s a fun and insightful read. The lessons discussed come from the author’s 20+ years of experience, stories contributed by nearly two dozen other business professionals all across America, and the new survey of marketing executives.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A rare business book that is as much about how to do it right as how to do it well. -- Brad Fornaciari, President, Managing Director, J. Walter Thompson Los Angeles

Read this book quickly, and then keep it nearby as a valuable reference for the rest of the journey! -- Charles W. Jermy, Jr., Dean, School of Continuing Education, Cornell University

The Knight’s Code is a rock solid foundation for success and fulfillment in an increasingly complex and competitive business world. -- Kenton Low, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, Vivendi Universal Net Technologies

From the Publisher

When Gene Del Vecchio first proposed to us a book about silly misadventures in business, we wondered whether the subject would interest readers. That was in late 2001. As Gene was writing, he realized that the silly misadventures he was writing about had dramatic implications that shed light on deeper problems in the business world. By early 2002, news events had caught up with Gene. Stories of greed on the part of corporate executives stemming from feelings of entitlement were almost daily headlines. It was clear that many companies were suffering from a lack of character or competence or both. Gene’s manuscript was originally due to Paramount Market Publishing in January 2003. But with headlines catching up with us, Gene agreed to advance the deadline to September 2002 to make the book available as soon as possible.

We were delighted with his efforts. Not only does the book contain wisdom and insight from a survey as well as from many middle-level managers who contributed their own "tales of failure," it is also witty and highly readable. The original drawings by Roderick Fong contribute to the fun, as does the character quiz at the end. However, underlying the fun is as one advance reviewer said, " a shot between the eyes for integrity, leadership, and personal responsibility."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 238 pages
• Publisher: Paramount Market Pub (January 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972529004
• ISBN-13: 978-0972529006
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #827,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gene Del Vecchio is a longtime entertainment researcher, writer, and the president of his own consulting firm in Valencia, California. He has helped entertainment giants create, develop, and market blockbuster entertainment for over 30 years. He has researched and consulted on well over a hundred TV shows, films, and franchise-based product lines from toys to apparel.

He's the author of six books, the latest being Creating Blockbusters! which details key principles that lead to blockbuster success in films, TV shows and books. Gene is also the author of two fantasy novels for young adults; The Pearl of Anton which received a Starred Review in Booklist and The Sword of Anton which received the Young Adult Choice Award by the International Reading Association. His clients over the years have included The Walt Disney Company, Paramount Pictures, Starz, PBS Kids Sprout, Mattel, MGA Entertainment, Nestle, Kraft Foods, Procter & Gamble, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A knight in shining armor, March 3, 2003

By 

M. S. levinson (los angeles, california United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Knight's Code of Business: How to Achieve Character and Competence in the Corporate World (Hardcover)

Recently, the armor of the corporate knight has been tarnished by corporate scandals. Gene Del Vehcchio's book, aimed primarily at mid level managers (I used to be one!), is a manual for those who want to retain their honor and dignity. It is a "manual" in the sense that it covers a variety of pitfalls a manager can fall into, as well as a code of conduct which would help the manager avoid them. Thus it is a book one can keep on hand and refer to again and again. Yet it is not written as a dry "how to"; rather, it combines objective data culled from a survery of 100 mid level managers across various industries, with lively, "juicy" and sometimes amusing anecdotes. So many times, while reading the book, I thought: "Oh, so it didn't just happen to me". You will most likely recognize yourself and your company in these stories. The book is therefore a fun, easy read, with important and useful lessons to all of us. I highly recommend it.