Co-Opetition [Paperback]

In fact, we are not talking about some recent business book, and therefore the potential reader should not expect to see very recent cases as support to arguments discussed. But still, the issues are very systematically, clearly and simply explained, although the examples that are used to support the arguments are "old".

I met this "potential classic business book" (or maybe already a "classic business book") as I began to be interested in game theory. Therefore I can easily declare that "Co-opetition" is very appropriate for a person who would like to see solid, practical and especially business-oriented application areas of game theory. With this book, a "101 game theorist" can try and improve herself easily. But on the other hand, this doesn't mean that the only target readers of the book are the ones that are interested in game theory. The authors have achieved to develop and illustrate practical recommendations for business world by utilizing game theory concepts. So anyone who is business life will benefit from the concepts for sure.

The language and the methods of explanation are very clear, far from being complicated and straightforward. The authors have supported all the major concepts and conclusions by using real-life examples. This way, the reader has more "reasons" to learn and remember the arguments discussed throughout the book. The logical order and the simple modular approach used to lead the discussions also help the reader understand everything explained easily. Although the book is in fact a "strategy book", the reader does not have to be someone with background information on strategy. But still, if the reader already has some background in strategic analysis, then the book offers a much more beneficial and enjoyable read. On top of everything, the nice but "not-so-difficult-to-handle complexity" of game theory itself is the real pleasure of the book.

I recommend this book to college students who are to enter business life shortly, to people with active roles in strategic decision making processes of their corporations and to people who are interested in game theory but who don't want to cope with the mathematical models of it. Have a nice read...

They acknowledge that people instinctively start out by trying to get an equitable slice of a reasonably sized pie, and protect everyone else's pie at the same time - but you know what? With a little judicious ridicule, you can cure people of that attitude.

Suppose we don't want to be cured?

Nalebuff & Brandenburger regard business as both war and peace. But they see war only in its 'territory & asset-grabbing' sense, and peace, well, only in its 'territory & asset-grabbing' sense.

War on want? What's that? Real peace? What's that?

One person, in one of their audiences, proposed that business was neither war, nor peace, but marriage. Note that 'marriage' is not mentioned in the index. Note that 'divorce, threat of' is.

Co-opetition is what happens if you use co-operation to serve competition. If you'd like to see - in the interests of fair-mindedness - what happens if you put competition in the service of co-operation (comperation?), go read 'Banker to the Poor' by Mohammad Yunus. If you'd like to see the friendly face of big business, go to Amazon.co.uk (this edition not listed on Amazon.com) and put 1854105779 in the search field.

Better yet, put 'grameen' into Google, and find out why 2,300,000 people of a whole variety of faiths remember this man in their daily prayers. I'm a Quaker, and I do.

In short, while these guys were trying to teach people to make a killing, Muhammad Yunus was busy trying to help people make a living.

Comperation forever.