What I Didn't Learn in Business School

How Strategy Works in the Real World

By: Jay Barney, Trish Clifford

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Meet Justin Campbell. He’s a newly minted MBA who’s landed a coveted job in consulting. He’s headed to Chicago to serve HGS, a large client with an intriguing new technology its executives haven’t yet decided how to exploit. Constrained by a short timeline and limited information, Justin and his team use state-of-the-art strategy tools to analyze various possibilities.

Justin is energized by this challenging assignment, but soon finds the application of his strategy toolkit isn’t as straightforward as he’d expected. The political and organizational forces swirling within HGS complicate his analyses and test his fundamental understanding of important strategic concepts.

Justin and his cohorts aren’t “real” - What I Didn’t Learn in Business School is a business novel. But they’re realistic: they’re just like us. They are humans, not human resources, and they each have their own personality, motives, and skills. Their story reveals both the strengths and the limitations of common strategy tools. And it demonstrates tactics for navigating the messy organizational dynamics that can make or break a company’s efforts to craft successful strategies.

This engaging audiobook uses the power of story to present potent lessons for anyone seeking to excel at strategy management. The action moves quickly, and at the end of each chapter, you’ll find provocative questions that help you tease out vital insights that you can apply in your own work.

What I Didn’t Learn in Business School is a compelling listen - whether you’re a recent business school grad struggling to apply your new knowledge or an experienced leader who already knows that no strategy is created in a vacuum.

©2010 Jay B. Barney, Trish Gorman Clifford (P)2010 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

“What an excellent and enjoyable way to gain knowledge. From Justin’s amazing transition from business school to the real world, great lessons learned effectively - and in a less painful way than firsthand experience. As a former chairman and CEO, I kept thinking ‘so true’ as I listen to this audio book.” (Jeff Rodek - Former CEO and Chair, Hyperion Solutions Corporation)

Business Fiction Brilliance

I love the fact that this provided a more realistic use of business tools and the reality of bias and politics I’m corporate settings.

Prefer audio over hardcopy.

So glad there is an audio version of this book. It's easier to listen to than read.

Engaging lesson on strategy

The novel style of writing helps in understanding application of strategy lessons in real life in an engaging manner. I would recommend it if you are thinking of starting a career in consulting.

Reality = Better Than Theory

This book was a great story on the realities of consulting straight out if business school. I became a fan of Justin as he trudged along and his stories, insights and interactions are great for a newbie to business school and the business world in general. I recommend this book to MBAs who think their case competitions are the bread and butter of their B-School education. Perhaps it is, but this book is better than theory.

Instead of just asking questions, provide some more insights

Lots of case study examples but not a lot of definitive statements on things that should definitely be considered

decent book. peek into consulting partice

The book has decent content expected more examples. Author tried to included more novel style. Performance was good.

Must read

Great book with a lot of perspective, gives the reader lots of critical thinking. Walks through problems and shows the objective nature of business.

Good for starter.

The performer is good and the content is easy to understand. I think it's good for career starters to have an overview about what's the consulting work looks like.

Strong story, healthy but subtle concept teasing

It's worth the read - or listen - if you're the right audience (it's in the title), but be aware that unless you actually have a strong business concepts foundation, then you might feel misled in what it offers. The premise of the book is that the concepts and tools of an MBA are insufficient for the real work they are often applied to, because the real work involves people, persuasion, leadership, incentives, and time (deadlines - known and unknown). The more you are prepared for this book, the more it will deliver in showing you an accurate picture of experience, and what follows is the only downside: It's a story without much provocation for the same audience. you know what's coming.

Interesting and unexpected style of writing

Writing about strategy, consulting, problem solving, team dynamics et al through the experience of a rookie consultant brings a completely new dimension and insight into how and why such important decisions are (or are not) taken.
Perhaps the detailed descriptions of the characters, their clothing, appearance, the rooms etc went a little overboard but overall a very good read