The Oracle of Oracle: The Story of Volatile CEO Larry Ellison and the Strategies Behind His Company's Phenomenal Success [Hardcover]

Florence M. Stone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2002

A study of Larry Ellison and the business strategies behind his software's remarkable success. This book goes behind the scenes of the multi-million dollar company to uncover the breakthrough ideas and winning strategies that propelled Oracle's growth and success. Discover the history of Oracle since its relational database hit the market in 1977. The author identifies and explains strategies such as: forge ahead and fix weaknesses - lessons from when Oracle derailed in the early 1990s; grow the Oracle way - make new products, don't acquire new companies; crush the competition - other must fail; and sales today make markets tomorrow - tap into the sales force to develop products, promote a vision and beat the competition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stone (Coaching, Counseling & Mentoring) sets out to discuss the business strategies that have made Oracle, the world's leading database software company, so successful. And occasionally she succeeds. She points out that Oracle has, from the very beginning, made every effort to lock customers into long-term contracts, both to guarantee a continuing revenue stream and as a way to lock out competitors. She also notes that Oracle Founder Larry Ellison started his company because he learned early on that he could not work for anyone else. However, like most who have written about Ellison, Stone too often gets caught up in talking about his elaborate Japanese-inspired houses, countless cars and seemingly endless socializing. And when she does turn to the business side of the company, most of her commentary tends toward platitudes, such as that the company tries to hire people with "intelligence and ambition" and that it tries to sell by understanding its customers' businesses. There's nothing wrong with those assertions, but they can be said about most companies, as can the fact that the business was built "with chutzpah, ceaseless work, unrelenting optimism, and ruthless determination." More in-depth analysis, which could have come about through firsthand reporting instead of relying heavily on previously published books and articles, would have helped a great deal. The true business story of Oracle has yet to be written.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Larry Ellison is a playboy, sportsman, and founder of Oracle, currently the world's second-largest software company. Oracle, which specializes in managing databases for businesses, has made Ellison one of the ten richest men on earth. Many in the business and software worlds would also consider him a lightweight, a liar, a braggart, a bully, a hypocrite, and a promoter. Stone (Coaching, Counseling and Mentoring) acknowledges Ellison's "P.T. Barnum" factor and admits that she would not want to work for him, yet she respects his business acumen and makes a good case for others to reconsider their appraisal. As befits a publication of the American Management Association (AMACOM), this is less a traditional biography than a management and strategy guide for software companies using Ellison and Oracle as the model. Like most AMACOM titles, it is both well written and well organized, portraying an excellent manager, fine corporate leader, and industry visionary. A good purchase for academic and public library management collections. Patrick J. Brunet, Western Wisconsin Technical Coll. Lib., LaCrosse
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 17 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 1st edition (January 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814406394
• ISBN-13: 978-0814406397
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #42 in Books > Computers & Technology > Business & Culture > Biographies
  • #48 in Books > Business & Investing > Management & Leadership > Strategy & Competition
  • #58 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > High-Tech

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mindless Drivel, June 2, 2002

By 

Diego Banducci (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oracle of Oracle: The Story of Volatile CEO Larry Ellison and the Strategies Behind His Company's Phenomenal Success (Hardcover)

At the outset, it should be pointed out that the publisher of this wretched little book is the American Management Association. There are those who consider their publications to represent the height of business sophistication; others should consider spending their time and money elsewhere.

According to biographical information on the flyleaf, Florence Stone is the "editorial director of Web management communications" at the AMA, "and previously served as the organization's group editor of newsletters and journals." In other words, a glorified administrative assistant. No other qualifications for writing this book are stated, and the content does not suggest otherwise.

Ms. Stone lives in a remarkably simple world. Her basic premise is "Larry Ellison is rich; therefore he is a genius." She totally ignores the more interesting question of how someone who thumbs his nose at conventional business wisdom (much of which is merchandised by the AMA) could have achieved Mr. Ellison's level of success. Here is a man who routinely violates the law, intentionally misleads his customers, abuses and ultimately fires his key employees, and knifes his business associates in the back, yet new candidates for abuse keep pounding on the door, seeking the opportunity to feed Larry's insatiable ego. Why?

That is the key question that Ms. Stone's sycophantic little book fails to address.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Unsophisticated and Misguided, March 8, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Oracle of Oracle: The Story of Volatile CEO Larry Ellison and the Strategies Behind His Company's Phenomenal Success (Hardcover)

This book was a huge disappointment. The author does not appear to have any previous background on this dynamic industry. This book is not even suitable for a primer as much of Ms. Stone's analysis is not accurate. Having worked for the company, I can attest to the fact that its history is not as simple as portrayed in the book. Stone seems bent on proving that Ellison - despite his rock star ego - is the epitome of a true leader.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of time, March 8, 2002

By 

Aaron Fessler (Mendham, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oracle of Oracle: The Story of Volatile CEO Larry Ellison and the Strategies Behind His Company's Phenomenal Success (Hardcover)

A remarkably shallow read. Failed to live up to the cover hype of "packed with must-read insights" and ultimately delivered a surprisingly little amount of information about Oracle and/or Ellison.

Skip this one.