In the century since its founding, Harvard Business School has become the single most influential institution in global business. Twenty percent of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are HBS graduates, as are many of our savviest entrepreneurs (e.g., Michael Bloomberg) and canniest felons (e.g., Jeffrey Skilling). The top investment banks and brokerage houses routinely send their brightest young stars to HBS to groom them for future power. To these people and many others, a Harvard MBA is a golden ticket to the Olympian heights of American business.

In 2004 Philip Delves Broughton abandoned a post as Paris bureau chief of the London Daily Telegraph to join 900 other would-be tycoons on HBS's plush campus. Over the next two years, he and his classmates would be inundated with the best - and the rest - of American business culture, which HBS epitomizes. The core of the school's curriculum is the "case" - an analysis of a real business situation, from which the students must, with a professor's guidance, tease lessons. Broughton studied over 500 cases and recounts the most revelatory ones here. He also learned the surprising pleasures of accounting, the allure of "beta", the ingenious chicanery of leveraging, and innumerable other hidden workings of the business world, all of which he limns with a wry clarity reminiscent of Liar's Poker. He also exposes the less savory trappings of business-school culture, from the "booze luge" to the pandemic obsession with PowerPoint to the specter of depression, which stalks too many overburdened students.

With acute and often uproarious candor, he assesses the school's success at teaching the traits it extols as most important in business: leadership, decisiveness, ethical behavior, and work/life balance.

Listening Length

10 hours and 7 minutes
Author

Philip Delves Broughton
Narrator

Simon Vance
Audible release date

March 18, 2011
Language

English
Publisher

Tantor Audio
ASIN

B004SL8OZK
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	10 hours and 7 minutes
Author	Philip Delves Broughton
Narrator	Simon Vance
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	March 18, 2011
Publisher	Tantor Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B004SL8OZK
Best Sellers Rank	#177,352 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #1,562 in Business Education & Reference (Books) #2,628 in Job Hunting & Career Guides #4,078 in Career Success

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4.3 out of 5

234 global ratings

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The story was fun, the author was a pain, and the context of the reader's situation matters

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2020

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I'll start with the GOOD: The story was entertaining. It was fun to hear about the details of HBS and to imagine myself in the classes. If you're looking for a great story with quirky characters, then you should read this.

Now for the BAD: The author was such a PAIN. He complained the ENTIRE book. He's a professional journalist but his take on the experience is surprisingly judgmental. The best way to describe his opinion of HBS and its students is its like hearing someone who's allergic to peanuts describe peanut butter. Like, no S*** you don't like this! It wasn't meant for you! And therein lies the problem:

The author of this book, a journalist by trade, went to HBS, a school that is famous for churning out consultants and investment bankers, with an attitude of, "I despise finance and consulting people and I'd never become one of them". Then why'd you go to HBS bro?!

It's true, HBS is really just for people who want to work in: PE, VC, IB, consulting, etc. It's a place for your "typical brainy people" who don't like taking any risk but who are willing to sacrifice their entire personal lives for ungodly amounts of money (and, by the way, there's nothing wrong with that - it's just how it is. Different strokes, different people).

If I remember correctly, I think the author went to HBS to transition from journalism into a different industry, but he probably would have been better off specializing in something that he actually enjoyed. For example, instead of getting an MBA from Harvard he should have gone for a grad program that taught "the business of media" or something like that. He's a classic case of someone who thinks an elite MBA is a silver bullet and has no goal or focus for after graduation.

Anyway, that's my high-level take on the author. Super jaded, super judgmental, clearly picked a school and a program that wasn't a good fit for him or his career goals and then got upset when the system didn't work for him.

Now about the actual content:

Like I said earlier, it's a fun story; but it's just that...a story.

If you're someone genuinely considering applying for HBS you shouldn't read this. It's through the eyes of a technologically-illiterate old-soul who joined the school with next-to-no finance background. If you're looking to actually learn about the program, you should ask the school to put you in touch with their alumni network.

If you're someone who thinks this book will be the equivalent of a Harvard MBA....L. O. L. Like I said, this is literally just a book about a technologically-illiterate journalist complaining about the kinds of people that Harvard attracts.

All in all, I'm not upset that I read this book because it did make for a fun adventure, but I was hoping the book would be a little more objective and not so judgmental.

The author acts like he's exposing shocking truths about the program, but he's really just exposing things that everyone already knows, like, the kinds of people Harvard attracts ARE super brainy AND super competitive AND super focused on money AND they have impressive, albeit similar, resumes. It is what it is. If you don't like it, don't go there!

Honestly, it's shocking that he even got into the program...

And, by the way, I didn't go to Harvard and I don't have an MBA, but even still, it's hard to overstate how jaded and judgmental the author sounds throughout the whole book. He acts like the only adult in a room full of children, but he's just bitter that the 20-something kids around him have more drive, more relevant experience, and some level of focus (something that he completely lacks because he's too busy judging other people rather than worrying about his own future).

5 people found this helpful

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louard

Excellent reading

Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2008

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I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ahead of the Curve by Philip Delves Broughton. He offered enormous insight into the day-to-day struggles of business school, while at the same time bringing to light important ideas (my interpretation! I could be reading into the author's points a bit much!! please beware):

1. The business school degree at a place like HBS is much like a sword...if you know how to use it, it can be very effective...ie. if you already worked at a place like McKinsey or Goldman, then you will get a top level job easily...if you come from an unconventional background you are screwed unless you come up with a brilliant idea for an entrepreneurial project or you are a math genius and business math challenges are a joke to you or of course the economy is growing like wildfire and firms hire like crazy...this is something different from what top business schools sell

2. A lot of "PhD" professors are so full of hot air. Has Porter actually run a business other than his own lucrative consulting based on his reputation as a guru..i want to see him manage a real company...in fact, most hbs profs have not even gone to business school or managed real companies (MBA programs are run by PhDs!! this is a sad fact)...

3. The case method has many positive features but it can also be gamed. You can focus on a few points that will get brownie points without even knowing all the important aspects of a case. The classes can be full of hot air as students are desperate to get air time. And the case method is not useful for many subject areas such as finance or accounting where you get people who are CPAs crammed in with people who never took a formal accounting course in their lives.

4. You learn a great deal about the take-away ideas of major business school subject areas.

5. The heroes change overnight after they become convicted felons such as the ENRON HBS team!

I really didnt think this was just a sour-grapes book. THe author was very respectful of the institution. In fact, people who graduate from top schools have it in their interest to promote the magic of the MBA degree from these schools and promote an image that the MBA at a place like HBS will transform you into a business mogul. It is nice to see another point of view.

One last thing: I went to Harvard as an undergrad (many friends in the b-school where I used to study) and the b-school at least makes an excellent effort to create a community. Harvard undergrad is much worse in every way, though they are generous with financial aid for which I will be forever grateful.

The negatives though were manym when i was there!! Huge classes, deans who dont care at all, professors completely INACCESSIBLE! I could not find any professor to be my thesis advisor...Classes as large as 1000 people!! Let me tell you what Harvard undergrad did when I graduated in 88: they gave us 5 graduation tickets to see the ceremony but 3 THREE only THREE LUNCH TICKETS for the reception afterwards. We had to buy the other two!! This symbolizes a good deal of what Harvard was about when I went there. So much of what this author wrote does not surprise me.

8 people found this helpful

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Marco

Nice one!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2015

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This book has provided me with lots of interesting insights on the University.
I have enjoyed it a lot.
I am going to attend HBS next year.
I am curious to see how my experience will be similar to Philip and how the university has changed in these years.

Ankit Walani

A very good buy

Reviewed in India on June 16, 2014

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Very good buy. I am about to set on my journey for MBA and this book is a perfect eye opener. Apart from being a very good read story-wise it also introduces one to various stream and business jargans.

Nice book - well written

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 7, 2011

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I enjoyed reading this book.. Gives a real picture of the Harvard years, the struggle and the emotions that goes with it.. I would definately recommend this book.

F. J. Gonzalez Abalos

Excelente libro sobre el metodo del caso

Reviewed in Spain on December 26, 2013

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Primera persona de una MBA en Harvard. Bien narrado y estructurado. Recomendable para los futuros, presente o pasados por escuelas de negocio. Casos concidos y situaciones familiares.
No es propiamente un libro de negocios pero describe muy bien las escuelas de negocio.

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bearebel69

It was a good read.

Reviewed in India on April 1, 2015

Verified Purchase

I was surprised that the hardcover was way cheaper than the paperback.
It was a good read.

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Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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