Rome, Inc.: The Rise and Fall of the First Multinational Corporation (Enterprise) (Hardcover)

by Stanley Bing (Author)
Key Phrases: Stanley Bing, Julius Caesar, Alba Longa (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Fortune columnist Bing (Sun-Tzu Was a Sissy) condenses the 1,200-year history of Rome into a slim, wildly entertaining satire for businessmen, particularly those who happen to be fans of HBO's Rome. Irreverent without ever slipping into Dave Barry–style logical anarchy, the volume renders epic history in corporate-speak, providing enough substance and insight along the way to keep readers' attention. As Bing notes, much of Roman history consists of "wars, wars and more wars," and he skips over big chunks of it. "I give up," he shrugs, focusing instead on the decisions and personalities of the colorful leaders, from Romulus to Caligula. Most interesting are the author's discourses on why Rome's "corporate strategy" worked so well for so long ("corporations willing to kill people do better than those which are not") and why its "corporate culture" was sufficiently strong to rally its citizens/soldiers/employees for an endless series of battles. And while wryly acknowledging that the Romans' use of "murder as a business tool" may be excessive in today's environment, Bing endorses many of their strategies as sound: "In any corporate transformation, a good housecleaning is absolutely called for." Word to the wise: if the guy in the next cubicle is reading Rome, Inc., watch your back—especially if it's the Ides of March. (May)
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Review
If the guy in the next cubicle is reading Rome, Inc., watch your back—especially if it's the Ides of March. -- Publishers Weekly

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton; 1 edition (March 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393060268
• ISBN-13: 978-0393060263
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #353,390 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smart and Hilarious (was that the name of a Roman emperor?)--like a historical "Daily Show" , March 27, 2006

By	Jake Loves Books - See all my reviews

This book is a laugh-out-loud funny take on the rise and fall of the Roman empire--or as Bing has it, the world's first multinational corporation. Sure, pundits and historians compare Rome and the United States all the time. But Bing makes it work, because his angle is a fresh one. Organizations, hierarchies, crazed leadership practices--these don't change much over time, and Rome, it turns out, really is a perfect template for the ravenous corporations and pyschopathic CEOs of our era. Bing does all of this with such a perfect voice and a lightness of touch that you don't realize you're actually learning a great deal along the way.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mildly Entertaining, No Lasting Value, July 12, 2006

By	Ubaid Dhiyan "...is trying to understand" (Foster City, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Rome, Inc., by Stanley Bing is a quick 200 page dose of Roman history. It discuses the founding, rise and eventual decline of the empire in short breezy chapters with fleeting references to current corporate and management culture. There are some amusing parallels drawn but nothing earth shattering. This volume won't be creating any managers or CEOs in a hurry; at best, it can perhaps just about sustain you on your next flight from LA to NY.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very witty analysis of the Roman Empire, May 7, 2006

By	JYK (Washington State) - See all my reviews

Like another reviewer, I usually do not find Stanley Bing's writing interesting. I find his writing more of inside jokes and tending toward rambling proses.

Having said that, I really enjoyed his latest endeavor, this time about the Roman Empire. Instead of the usual historical perspective, he draws analogy from the empire's rise and fall to today's businesses, casting new light on the history. A funny and insightful book.