“Anybody who thinks the Chinese just copy or steal technology from the West should read this book and think again. Jack Ma is part Bill Gates, part Steve Jobs, part Larry Page, part Sergei Brin, and part Mark Zuckerberg all rolled into one.” — Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP
“Useful, business-minded reporting on an unconventional corporate magnate, containing both corporate and human-interest perspectives.” — Kirkus Reviews
“This absorbing and well-written portrayal of Ma’s character, and his role in Alibaba’s development will appeal to a wide range of readers.” — Library Journal
“A clean and compelling narrative…[Clark] tells the story with flair.” — Wall Street Journal
“A fascinating new book.” — The Economist
“A must-read for anyone hoping to navigate China’s new economy”. — Financial Times
A fascinating new book.
Anybody who thinks the Chinese just copy or steal technology from the West should read this book and think again. Jack Ma is part Bill Gates, part Steve Jobs, part Larry Page, part Sergei Brin, and part Mark Zuckerberg all rolled into one.
A must-read for anyone hoping to navigate China’s new economy”.
A clean and compelling narrative…[Clark] tells the story with flair.
A clean and compelling narrative…[Clark] tells the story with flair.
A must-read for anyone hoping to navigate China’s new economy”.
Useful, business-minded reporting on an unconventional corporate magnate, containing both corporate and human-interest perspectives.
This book provides excellent insight into the world of Jack Ma... Duncan Clark is a real China ‘Old Hand,’ unique in his knowledge of the Jack Ma generation. This book is definitely in the short list for those who wish to understand the Chinese economy today.
A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the present China and the heartbeat of a great entrepreneur.
03/15/2016
Alibaba became famous in the United States in 2014 when it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and became the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history. In China, the company has radically changed the way people shop and even created a national shopping holiday that surpassed Black Friday in sales. This book concentrates on the unique character and ambition of founder Jack Ma, while simultaneously chronicling the development of Alibaba from an apartment where you "could count the number of cofounders…by the toothbrushes jammed into mugs on a shelf in the bathroom," to the multibillion dollar corporation that has transformed life in China. As an advisor to Alibaba in the early years, Clark (chairman, investment advisory firm BDA China) is qualified to provide riveting stories about Ma, including his becoming a Tai Chi master to his role in boardroom spats. The study will appeal to those interested in business, China, ecommerce, and readers who are curious about the vibrant personality behind one of the world's greatest success stories. VERDICT This absorbing and well-written portrayal of Ma's character, and his role in Alibaba's development will appeal to a wide range of readers. [See Prepub Alert, 10/19/15.]—Casey Watters, Singapore Management Univ.
Narrator Jim Meskimen brings an unassuming charm and perfect timing to his performance of this engaging book about the Chinese ecommerce hub Alibaba. Alert to every nuance in the writing—he’s a longtime associate of Jack Ma—Meskimen delivers this fast-moving narrative with appealing authority. Starting out as an English teacher in China, Jack Ma found the path to becoming a superstar entrepreneur in the days when the Internet was young and much of China’s business took place in street markets. He overcame cultural, technical, and governmental obstacles to reel in the financial partners necessary to grow his Internet sales platform and ultimately defeat U.S. competitors. The story’s texture and detail explain the personal and administrative challenges of this entrepreneur’s journey, and provide a colorful overview of how China has become an economic juggernaut. T.W. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
2016-02-16
A study of the multibillion-dollar Chinese e-commerce conglomerate and its charismatic founder. Technology and financial expert Clark astutely profiles Jack Ma, the 51-year-old entrepreneur behind Alibaba, "the Amazon of China" that has become the world's largest online shopping mall. Having met Ma in 1999, the author recalls the former English lecturer's remarkably ambitious spirit and his intentions to overthrow the giants of Silicon Valley with the development of an unrivaled Internet-based business. Ma was backed by only a small handful of co-founders (his wife included), but the author pitched in and became an adviser to Alibaba in its infancy as it developed and gained a competitive edge through what Ma calls the "iron triangle" business plan: e-commerce, logistics, and finance, all of which Clark outlines in lucid detail. Further embellishing his portrait, the author also draws on his 20-year tenure living and working in China, and he shows the great impact of the multifaceted online experience on the country's financial and cultural climates. Clark cites the 2008 global financial crisis as the tipping point when China's economic focus turned inward to boost its own economy instead of primarily exporting goods overseas. Alibaba took the lead, launching itself with an online payment system and a host of subsidiary sites, which attracted small businesses to sell merchandise through their Web portals with no fees. Noting that the company remains governed by a "customer first, employees second, and shareholders third" philosophy, Clark contrasts Alibaba's camaraderie-centered campus culture, including employee incentives and commitment awards, with its initial struggle to find startup investors and earn commercial credibility. The author frequently highlights Ma's quirky, often contrarian personality and risk-taking management style. A particularly vigorous chapter on the struggle between Alibaba and e-commerce titans eBay and Yahoo for profitability and marketplace saturation in China dramatically demonstrates the volatility and competitiveness between businesses seeking to harness Internet consumerism. Useful, business-minded reporting on an unconventional corporate magnate, containing both corporate and human-interest perspectives.
