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Mariner

Sony: A Private Life

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Description

Named one of the best business books of the year (by Fortune and Newsweek), SONY is the "intimate biography of one of the world's leading electronics giants" (San Francisco Chronicle) as well as one of the most fascinating and complex of all corporate stories. Drawing on his unmatched expertise in Japanese culture and on unique, unlimited access to Sony's inner sanctum, John Nathan traces Sony's evolution from its inauspicious beginnings amid Tokyo's bomb-scarred ruins to its current worldwide success. "Richly detailed and revealing" (Wall Street Journal), the book examines both the outward successes and, as never before, the mysterious inner workings that have always characterized this company's top ranks. The result is "a different kind of business book, showing how personal relationships shaped one of the century's great global corporations" (Fortune). Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mariner Books; First Paperback Edition (April 5, 2001)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0618126945


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 41


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.8 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.95 x 8.75 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #1,075,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1,413 in Japanese History (Books) #1,790 in Company Business Profiles (Books) #2,333 in Economic History (Books)


#1,413 in Japanese History (Books):


#1,790 in Company Business Profiles (Books):


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Great for college paper research.
I'm at communication student. I had a project on Sony and how the company is a part of the Web 2.0. This book helped me with research for a paper that I had to complete for my summer 2021 semester. Very interesting and valuable information.
Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2021 by GCA
    • Definitive History of Sony
This is an excellent exploration of the history and evolution of the Sony corporation. It is well-researched and documented, and we get a keen sense of the characters: Morita, Ibuka, etc.
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2019 by jay
    • Not the company, but the people
This book doesn't tell the story of the company SONY, but the career of the people who created and ran it: the Morita's, Ibuka, Ohga, Idei and some US officers - Schulhof, Yetnikoff. The portraits are very favourable, nearly and sometimes really hagiographies (e.g. 'Yoshiko's genius as a hostess' p. 80) For a more critical portrait of Akio Morita, see Ian Buruma's 'The Missionary and the Libertine'. Sony is evidently a big success story, but it is also a tale of egos, ambitions, stress, clashes, strokes, heart attacks and fear of death (Akio Morita: I'll never die). John Nathan gives us a good picture of the defeated Japan after WWII. The Columbia saga is well told, but is better unravelled in Nancy Griffin's 'Hit and Run'. The real story behind the loss of the crucial video battle is not revealed. A good character study of the people who created a world company from scratch. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2003 by Luc REYNAERT
    • What a wonderful read!
Mr. Nathan opens the doors into a world foreign to most people, the apex of the corporate world and all its workings. Not only are we privy to the Japanese business world and culture, but we also glimpse the doings of US companies. It is amazing to me, that Mr. Morita and Mr. Ibuta were able to penetrate the US marketplace given the obstacles they faced. Crossing cultural lines, attitudes, and language must have been difficult; but to succeed so magnificently, especially after our shared history in World War II is mind-boggling. I offer no hesitation in recommending this book. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2000 by J. Fong
    • Revealing close-up of Sony
Great book with profound insights!
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2014 by Giang Nguyen
    • Not a good book for studying Japan
The book is boring. It does not talk about Sony's relationship with the politicians or Sony's investments outside Japan. It does not talk about company's structure or the kind of people working in Sony.
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2012 by Pippi
    • Great Work for Anyone Interested in the Sony Corporation
Although this book was written a decade ago, and in spite of the major events that have impacted the Sony corporation since that time (business, economic, political, and geological) I can easily recommend this work as one of the most interesting I've read in a long time. Certainly any person who has had more than a passing interest in Sony should find a wealth of information not easily pulled together into a single narrative that describes the birth and transformation into a worldwide super company. Its rare to meet a person who has not owned Sony equipment, and, for many of us, LOTS of Sony equipment, lots great, some not so good, but a seeming continuous presence in our offices, homes, automobiles, and trips. The Sony logo is so instantly recognizable, so universally available, so attached to our feelings about quality and innovation, that the opportunity to learn a litte bit more about the company is a welcome and intriguing one, and this work fits that bill admirably. This book is not about Sony equipment. For that, see the truly amazing and unusual work (which you can now find used for a very low price and will be amazed when you see it just what a physically lovely book this is). Rather, this book focuses on the birth of the company in the era of World War II, its initial movements towards certain technologies, and its establishment as an international company. Of particular interest is how the early Sony leaders focused in on the Philips Corporation in The Netherlands, and went to the effort to establish relationships between the two companies so that Sony could learn what Philips could teach them about the electronics industry and international business. Its a fascinating story and one not often told. Other chapters focus on Morita, Ohga, Idea, and Ibuka, each wonderfully woven into a narrative that not only provides insights on each of these luminary Sony figures, but also tells us the story of Sony, its steps and missteps, its successes and failures, its goals and its aspirations. The book then should be of interest to anyone interested in the Sony company, but also to those who are interested in business biographies, and even to anyone interesting in reading about some of the most famous people of the 20th century that you've never heard of. Five stars. Also see: ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2011 by Ray

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