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Richard Koch, a London-based consultant, entrepreneur, investor, and author of 1998's well-received The 80/20 Principle, contends in his latest work that the code governing the cosmos also controls the way companies run. In The Natural Laws of Business, he convincingly supports that admittedly esoteric contention with a fascinating (and surprisingly accessible) expedition through the biological, physical, and nonlinear wisdom that has shaped our worldview from Darwin and Newton to Moore's law and the tipping point. "We have no other sources of power than those provided by the universe, our own brains and instinct included," he writes. "We need to understand the natural laws, whether these control tiny particles, huge planets, or our own behavior." With that in mind, Koch agilely takes us on a dazzling tour through scientific concepts such as natural selection, genetics, relativity, quantum mechanics, and chaos theory to provide both a specific grounding in these principles and a precise understanding of their explicit relationships to corporate life. In the chapter called "Resolving the Prisoner's Dilemma," for instance, he discusses this famous "game theory" conundrum and the way the self-interest it illuminates can be used to build successful collaborations with competitors like those found at Silicon Valley leaders Sun Microsystems and Cisco. In all, it's an enlightening and enjoyable trek with real-life business applications that can be employed on numerous levels. --Howard Rothman Running a business–any business–is a risky proposition. It often seems that we are being buffeted by random variables in the economy and the marketplace that are not only beyond our control, but impossible to foresee with any true certainty. But in the groundbreaking The Natural Laws of Business, businessman and entrepreneur Richard Koch, author of The 80/20 Principle, reveals a unique and remarkably accurate way in which managers and executives can use fundamental principles of science to anticipate and dramatically improve their chances of success. From Newtonian physics and Mendelian genetics to cutting-edge chaos theories, science explains how and why the world–including the business world works the way it does. Now, Richard Koch provides fascinating, completely accessible explanations of key scientific and economic theories, including their history and development. Through real-life examples and practical instructions he shows us how to successfully incorporate these natural laws into daily business decisions. For instance, drawing on four centuries of scientific progress, Koch explains how Darwin’s theory of natural selection can become the key to enhancing a company’s competitive advantage; how Einstein’s theory of relativity can hold the secrets to improving time management; how the insights of evolutionary psychology can help managers improve their relationship with their employees; and how a Plague Theory formula can help predict the impact of technology or product innovation on your business. First published in the United Kingdom, where it has garnered praise from noted academics, critics, and business leaders, The Natural Laws of Business is a groundbreaking, highly insightful examination–for science lovers and business leaders alike--of the essential tools and techniques for analyzing and dealing successfully with the ever-changing business environment of the twenty-first century.
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