Review of FREE book!

I thank Blogadda Team for selecting me for reviewing ‘Business Sutra’ by Devadutt

Pattanaik.

Most of the persons put the front cover page photo of the book but I like the back cover photo more. This line explains the Business in the simplest way! The 3B Framework includes ‘Belief’ that determines the choices and decisions of customers and why business should be done? ‘Behaviour’ which is an expression of belief determines how business should be done? And ‘Business’ what is ultimately done. The string that connects these three dots is Sutra. Hence, Business Sutra!

There are simple stories from Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythologies to explain and for better understanding of the management fundas used in successful running of a small scale enterprises to corporate businesses. The write up includes mythology, management fundas and examples which are interesting but the illustrations drawn by the author himself are even more interesting! Illustrations are simple, clear and elucidating. This is the best illustration I like–

The best story I like from this book is –

Over two thousand years ago, Alexander, the young Macedonian, after having conquered the Persian Empire, reached the banks of the river Indus. There he found a person whom he later identified as a gymnosophist : a naked thinker, sitting on a rock staring into space. Alexander asked him what he was doing. The gymnosophist replied, “Experiencing nothingness. What about you?” Alexander said he was conquering the world. Both laughed. Each one thought the other was a fool.

But while the gymnosophist would have allowed Alexander to stay the fool and discover wisdom eventually, at his own pace, on his own terms, Alexander would have wanted the gymnosophist to change, not waste his life without a goal, for the gymnosophist believed that we live infinite lives while Alexander believed we live only one.

What ever Alexander achieves in his one life is his total achievement and his is under constant pressure to achieve more and more where as what ever gymnosophist achieve during infinite lives will always be zero.

The best example I really like is as follows:-

Sameer who works in the corporate communications division has to make a report on corporate social responsibility. The lady who head the department, Rita, who majored in social service at a reputed university say, “Here, it is not about helping people but meeting a target so that the company can tell its shareholders and the media that they have changed the world and contributed to the well-being of society. They hope this will help improve their brand image. Nobody will say this as they are trained to be politically correct in public by their media team. There is no feeling, no empathy, just excel sheets. But at least something is happening at the ground level where the situation is rather dismal, that is why I am sticking around.” Sameer also participated in a meeting where there was a discussion as to what would be more impactful : providing latrines in villages, or laptops? The majority voted in favour of laptops.

Because of increased professionalism, removal of emotions while target achieving and not giving proper attention to human side of development is the weakness in western model whose solution can be found out deep rooted in Indian mythological stories.

Before I wind up this post I would like to thank Blogadda Team once again!

Dear Readers, would you like to borrow this book from me or to buy it from bookstore? ;)