King of ‘How-to’ Books

A Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi (Translated by Victor Harris); The Overlook Press, Woodstock, New York; 1982; 95 pages; $5.95.

For an American to review this classic 400-year-old Japanese guide to strategy is in some ways an exercise in futility. It’s like a Japanese business observer “reviewing” Machiavelli’s The Prince. In terms of offering practical guidance for what we in the West call “entrepreneurial spirit,” this is the king of the “how to” books.

There’s really only one trouble with this work. As short as it is (and, perhaps, because of its very brevity), it may be difficult for American readers to understand it at a single setting. There are several reasons for this. First, the book was written primarily to explain a fundamental approach to swordsmanship by the greatest Japanese swordmaster of all time. Second, its basis is a combination of Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shintoism…hardly everyday concepts to American business people. Third, in classic Japanese style, the author often makes oblique references to things that are uniquely Japanese. The impact of this style is made less confusing by the translator’s use of footnotes. Even so, there are instances when you feel that something’s missing from the translation.

What has a book about a warrior’s way of life have to do with business? According to Japanese business leaders, quite a bit. That fact, by itself, is important to American business owners. A few quotations from Musashi are even more revealing…

“The Way of the foreman carpenter is the same as the Way of the commander of a warrior house…The foreman should take into account the abilities and limitations of his men, circulating among them and asking nothing unreasonable. He should know their morale and spirit, and encourage them when necessary. This is the same as the principle of strategy.

“To become overly-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well. You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can handle properly. It is bad for commanders and troopers to have likes and dislikes.

“When you and the enemy are contending with the same spirit, and the issue cannot be decided, abandon this spirit and win through an alternative resource.

“If you think only of hitting, springing, or touching the enemy, you will not be able actually to cut him. More than anything, you must be thinking of…cutting him.”

The first quote is the summation of Japanese management theory as practiced today. The second is a reminder to business owners about the dangers of locking themselves into a single management style or marketplace. The third quote is the philosophy behind the Japanese success at high technology manufacturing, though not high technology research (America’s strong point). The final quote reminds all business owners and managers that attaining objectives is the most important fact of business life.

Any business person will find some degree of value in the book. And, if you’re in competition with the Japanese, reading it is something you must do.

Henry Holtzman

Best Selling Business Books

Here are the current top ten best selling books for business. The list is compiled based on information received from retail bookstores throughout the United States.

1. William E. Donoghue’s Complete Money Market Guide, by William E. Donoghue with Thomas Tilling (Bantam Books…$3.50)

Comprehensive “how to” for money market investors.

2. Theory Z, by William G. Ouchi (Addison Wesley…$12.95)

A very important book about boosting business productivity.

3. A Book of Five Rings, by Miyamoto Musashi translated by Victor Harris (Overlook Press…$5.95)

16th Century swordmaster’s advice used by Japanese business.

4. Inflation Proofing Your Investments, by Harry Brownie and Terry Coxon (Warner…$3.95)

How to prevent dilution of invested capital.

5. How to Become Financially Successful by Owning Your Own Business, by Albert J. Lowry (Simon & Schuster…$14.95)

How-to techniques for budding entrepreneurs.

6. The Soul of a New Machine, by Tracy Kidder (Atlantic/Little, Brown…$13.95)

The creation and awakening of the micro-computerized age.

7. Money Dynamics for the 1980s by Venita Van Caspel (Reston Publishing…$15.00)

A guide for money management.

8. What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles (Ten Speed Press…$6.95)

How to change careers and jobs.

9. You Can Negotiate Anything, by Herb Cohen (Lyle Stuart…$12.95)

How to gain the competitive edge.

10. The Money Lenders, by Anthony Sampson (Viking…$16.95)

How international banking affects each of us.