Ayn Rand and Business

I read A LOT. A friend bought me this book just before I left on holiday for Cuba, and I read it in the last socialist bastion in the world. If you're in business, this is the book that most clearly defines the ideal philosophy for entrepreneurial success. I have read and loved all Ayn Rand's books, and this one really puts everything into perspective. Get a philosophical "check-up from the neck up" and share it with your partners and associates. If they don't love this book, they're probably not ideal business partners! Easy, fun read, that reveals any roadblocks in your thinking. Robin J. Elliott www.DollarMakers.com

This book is an excellent introduction to Rand's philosophy examined from the point of view of its applications in business. Not a how-to, really, but a good launching point for further study and consideration. Well-written and very readable.

When I first scanned "Ayn Rand and Business," I was a little skeptical about where this book was going and where its authors were coming from. But after reading it, I say it is stupendous.I'd subtitle it "Applied Objectivism," in the same sense that one would speak of applied electronics where principles are applied to create all kinds of devices and equipment run by electricity. "Ayn Rand and Business" applies the principles of Objectivism to the business of marketing, capitalization, management, customer service, etc.The book presents a brief biography of Ayn Rand covering her years in Russia, her coming to America, her struggles, her triumphs, the Objectivist "movement," that started with NBI (Nathaniel Branden Institute), the 1968 "break" between Branden and Rand and the ensuing excommunications, schisms and rifts that led to the sad decline in the "movement" and the quantity of her writings. But, more importantly, the focus of the book is on the application of Objectivist principles to business life. (And to personal life, which comes before but also runs parallel with business life.) The authors take the Objectivist values and virtues, explain them so very clearly and illustrate them with concrete examples how they apply in the business world. They use characters from Ayn Rand's novels as models, but they also use real-life business people who practice these virtues and values.Their presentation of Objectivist principles is clear and concise. This is not a treatise, but outside of the business focus, the book could be considered an excellent introduction to Objectivism. They deal with all of the heavy philosophical subjects and issues in what we used to refer to as "layman's terms." You don't have to be a philosopher to understand Ayn Rand. Her writing is crystal clear. Nonetheless, jumping into metaphysics and epistemology cold turkey may not be the best way to get an introduction to Objectivism or any other philosophy. When, as a kid, I started to read about relativity and physics, many books that put those ideas in "layman's terms" were invaluable. "Ayn Rand and Business" does this superbly. Fans of Ayn Rand and long time readers will find nothing new, philosophically, in the book though they should be impressed by its clarity and thoroughness in explaining Objectivism. I would particularly recommend it to people who show an interest in ideas and who might be prime candidates to become Objectivists. And because it is focused on Objectivism in business, I would highly recommend it for such prime candidates in the business world. It's not clear where the authors discovered Ayn Rand. The biographical information is silent on this subject. But it is obvious from the sources they cite and the bibliography that they know their subject. They quote from virtually every book, article and newsletter Ayn Rand ever wrote. They appear to have read every book by or about her and Objectivism.The only flaws I see in the book are in editing. In several

Free-Market.Net's Freedom Book of the Month--------------------------------------------Edited by Thomas L. Knapp. (....)November 2001Ayn Rand and Businessby Donna Greiner and Theodore KinniTexere 2001, hardcover, 209 pp.One thing that separated Ayn Rand from many other philosophers was her insistence on that morality and practicality are not mutually excusive. Where other schools of thought dismiss commercial enterprise as either a necessary evil to be tolerated, or an unnecessary evil to be dispensed with, Objectivism celebrates trade as one of man's highest virtues._Ayn Rand and Business_ turns its sights to this unique aspect of Objectivism, and in so doing functions as an excellent guide for those interested both in the root principles of business ethics and of Objectivism.Donna Greiner and Theodore Kinni begin with a short discussion of Ayn Rand and her work, including the movement that she began and which has experienced such tumult and schism. They don't pull any punches, but the view is positive overall.From there, the book moves into its main body with sections on "Randian Work" and "Randian Management."The section on work is a tour de force in the application of individualist principles to our everyday endeavors. Subdivided into chapters on key virtues and values including rationality, independence, integrity, honesty, justice, productiveness and pride, the book zooms in on how each of these values fits into our work and lives. It draws examples from real individuals and their real experiences and shows the application of Objectivist ideas to real situations.By contrast, the section on management is more general, concentrating on three topic areas: "Winning Through Innovation," "Managing People to Their Ultimate Potential," and "Leading With Purpose.""If there is one book that we'd like to see on the packed shelves of bookstores," the authors write, " it is _The Objectivist Manager_ by Ayn Rand. Unfortunately, Rand never wrote that book." While it might go a bit far to proclaim that _Ayn Rand and Business_ is such an animal, the book will be of immense value to businesspeople interested in the principles of Objectivism, and to Objectivists or those interested in Ayn Rand's philosophy who have long sought to understand the real application of Rand's ideas to the world of enterprise.------------------------------------------------------------- Please forward and copy freely, and include the following: The Freedom Book of the Month is a feature of Free-Market.Net (....)------------------------------------------------------------

Ayn Rand made a mark for herself as a philosopher, as an author, and as leader of a philosophical movement called Objectivism. Her books still sell well today, twenty years after her death. Best known are "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged," required reading for many high school and college students. I enjoyed reading those two masterpieces by Ayn Rand. Good stories, well-told, with some interesting points. But, truth be told, I didn't really get the whole message. Perhaps I was too young, too inexperienced, too sheltered, or too something. Part of my has always been curious about who Ayn Rand was, where she was coming from, and what lessons she was trying to teach. What was this Objectivism concept, anyway?Now, I understand. No, I won't claim to be a philosophical scholar of Objectivism and comparative schools of thought. But, from reading this book I have a much greater appreciation of the Objectivism approach. I enjoyed reading "Atlas Shrugged" and have recommended the book many times over the years. As a result of reading "Ayn Rand and Business" I have a much better idea of the motivations behind the characters and the theme.I really like the way Greiner and Kinni put this book together. They teach us quite a bit about Rand, her life, and the personal side of this controversial acclaimed author and her followers. Fascinating! (Did you know that Allan Greenspan was one of Ayn Rand's disciples? Reading this volume was an enjoyable journey; I hated to put the book down and was always eager to return to its pages. The authors reach into history and into Rand's writings to explain how her teachings relate to business, and they use modern (very recent) examples to illustrate how Objectivism concepts apply to business today.The book is simple in its organization: three sections. The first section devotes three chapters to Ayn Rand and Objectivism to give us a platform for understanding. The second section, Randian Work, presents eight chapters on Rand's philosophical principles applied to business. Included are rationality, independence, integrity, honesty, justice, productiveness, and pride. All are linked to the reality of today. This book really connects for students-of all ages-of business philosophy.The third section of the book, Randian Management, delivers leadership-focused chapters on Winning through Innovation, Managing People to Their Ultimate Potential, and Leading with Purpose. The value of the book is enhanced with a comprehensive bibliography of Rand's writings and an index. The smaller size of the book, 5 inches by I inches, gives a feeling of reading something from a long time ago, like the book should be leather-bound. There is "long ago" in the book, wonderfully linked to right now.If you enjoyed any of Ayn Rand's writings, you'll get a lot from this book. If you are in business-as an owner or a leader or a manager, you will also benefit from "Ayn Rand and Business." And if you like to read though-provoking writing, spend some