this book is a very practical book that offers advice about how to deal with different organizational behavior issues in the workplace.

i'm an MBA student hoping one day to advance up the corporate ladder. i definitely recommend this book to people who want to improve their professional relationships with those around them.

This book gives you a insight into the working of a multinational company like Intel. Through the nine chapters you will learn how the Grove felt the changes, recognised them and reigned them for the benefit of Intel. It shows the foresightedness of the company executives, how they changed from memory business to microprocessor and become leader in the new field too.
With the help of Strategic Inflection Points, Grove has clearly described, how a problem can be solved.

Handling the Floating Point problem of microprocesser chip, speaks well of the quality conciousness of Intel.

This book is an enjoyable read that is written by the CEO of Intel, this book is noteworthy in that it describes in detail a rare event: the successful change in business models of an already large and successful company. Grove describes the influences of the overall business environment (and in particular addresses the concept of a "strategic inflection point"), the political dynamics and drama within Intel, and a candid view of what went on in his own head as Intel faced a crisis that could well have ended in disaster rather than triumph. Grove does a great service to other executives by reflecting on what he learned from this and related events at Intel. There is much to learn from here.

Written by theformer president and CEO of Intel Corporation, located here in Santa Clara, California. I could not put this book down. The 10X power concept and Strategic Inflection Points apply to all of us in business. Well-written, fascinating, easy to understand; a reflection of the company. Also very thought provoking. If you are an executive or entrepreneur or in a decision making position, I strongly recommend you read this book. You will not forget what you read here.

...Intel Chairman Andrew Grove Reminds Us of Our Roots

It is a rare book by a corporate CEO that isn't either a trumpet blasting his visionary insight and strategic brilliance or a dramatic and mawkish retelling of his climb to the top from unimaginably humble origins. Swimming Across: A Memoir - Andrew Grove's simple, elegant recounting of the first 20 years of his life - is that rare exception.

Grove, one of the founders of Intel and still its chairman, was born Andras Grof in Hungary in 1936, the only child of parents who were in the dairy business. We tend to forget that prior to 1945 there was no Iron Curtain, and countries we think of now as post-Communist had vital histories of their own before the Soviet Union stitched together its empire following World War II.

Grove recounts a happy childhood in Budapest, the country's largest and most cosmopolitan city. The specter of war loomed large in Europe in the late 1930s, but Grove was too young to be aware of its darker aspects. His family was Jewish and even as a young child he knew that many Jews were forced to live separately in ghettos. But to the young Grove and his playmates, this reality was simply material for another schoolyard game, much to the horror of their kindergarten teacher.

Grove's early years, before the full force of the war descended upon Europe, were comfortably middle class. Budapest was actually two distinct communities, the wealthier Buda on one side of the Danube River and the more commercial Pest on the other side. Grove's family moved to Pest in 1938 when his father expanded the dairy business.

In 1942, Grove's father was drafted into the Hungarian army. He and other Jewish conscripts were sent to the Russian front not as regular soldiers, but rather as part of a support team sent ahead to clear roadways and build camps, fortifications and other facilities. In 1943, Grove and his mother learned that his father "had disappeared at the front." The Hungarian army was unable to provide the family with any additional information regarding his father for the balance of the war. While his mother never gave up hope, Grove, who had been six at the time of the draft, had a more difficult time holding onto memories of his absent parent.

In one of the book's most moving moments, Grove tells us of the doorbell ringing in their apartment one day in the fall of 1945. His mother opened the door and found "an emaciated man, filthy and in a ragged soldier's uniform standing at the open door." As his mother embraced the man, Grove thought, "this must be my father."

Scenes like this, however poignant, are the book's chief disappointment. The writing is bland and devoid of emotion. Grove describes everyday life in the middle of a war zone and under the tightening noose of communism and even tells of his mother's rape by Russian soldiers, but all in prose that is more redolent of a corporate brief than an evocative memoir.

The meatiest part of the book can be found in Grove's recounting of life in Hungary in the middle 1950s. We see a country that was being slowly strangled by the politburo in Moscow. In 1956, Grove, who had found his passion for chemistry, was looking forward to starting his second year at the university. He was already part of a small class of individuals destined for leadership within Hungary. But in October 1956, Russian troops and tanks rolled into Budapest and clamped down on what had been an incipient, but weak, effort to throw off the Soviet chains.

We can imagine the agony Grove felt at watching his country being overrun by soldiers intent on enforcing a police state. He knew that many of his friends were in fact fleeing Hungary; Grove's parents urged him to get out before the borders were sealed. He and two friends made the difficult decision to leave, undertaking a journey to Austria and eventually to America that is the stuff of movies.

Grove found his way to this country through the combined efforts of numerous relief and charitable organizations. Relatives in New York City took him in and helped him adapt to his new life. Grove entered City College of New York and graduated in 1960 with an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering followed in 1963 by a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley. The rest, as they say, is history. Grove ends this memoir with his move to California.

In an interview in Esquire magazine in 2000, Grove spoke about his life as an immigrant in this country. In an era when many would have the U.S. close its borders and eject every "foreigner," Grove's presence and success is a reminder that the U.S. has been the place for those seeking a better life for almost 400 years. "It is a very important truism that immigrants and immigration are what made America what it is," Grove writes. "We must be vigilant as a nation to have a tolerance for differences, a tolerance for new people."...

Andrew Grove was a founder of Intel Corporation and is the company's CEO today. His memoir tells the story of his childhood and early college years in Hungary. Grove survived World War II and emigrated to the United States following the Revolution.
Andrew's parents seem remarkably strong. His family enjoyed a comfortable life as owners of a dairy business. His father survived, improbably, a stint in a prison camp during World War II and later saw the business dissolve into state ownership. His mother's spirit kept him alive during the War.

Both parents worked hard but gave Andrew what we would call "quality time." Even when money was tight, he had English and music lessons.

After reading so many stories of growing-up-in-wartime-Europe, I was surprised to find myself drawn into the story. I wanted to keep reading and actually wish the book had continued into Andrew's early years.

What works is Grove's straightforward, matter-of-fact style. He conveys a sense of, "I did what had to be done," with no time wasted on emotional fallout. As a result, his story can seem cold.

For instance, when escaping from the Austrian countryside to Vienna, Grove and his boyhood friend decide to leave early to avoid "procedures" of the local gendarmes. They do not awaken the two girls who traveled with them from Hungary, and these girls are never mentioned again. Indeed, the only women Grove mentions are his mother, his occasional dates and -- in two sentences -- his wife and daughters.

Apart from the compelling narrative, Grove's book shows how qualities of a future CEO emerge in childhood. Grove continually sought to learn and grow. At one point he even signed up for singing lessons. He had a clear sense of what he wanted and seemed to take for granted his success in school, particularly his talent for chemistry. Ironically, surviving in a Communist society turned out to be excellent preparation for capitalist corporate life. Both, for example, punish those who speak too freely.

Grove's teachers predicted his success. The book's title comes from a teacher's prediction that Grove would "swim across" the river out of Hungary to success. Grove did swim across, and eventually he was able to fly.

I loved this clear, accessible memoir about a boy (and later young man) who grows up in Hungary during the WWII and Revolution years, escapes to the West and comes to the United States to start a new life. I'm biased because my father is from Hungary and is of the exact same generation; he even had experiences similar to Mr. Grove's, going to preparatory high school, university, getting caught up in the Hungarian Revolution and escaping in the middle of the night to Austria. How wonderful to have some of the history and experiences of the times described in such an accessible way. The story is clear and straightforward and yet extremely moving, almost haunting. I loved how the title becomes clear when you read the book (an allusion to swimming across the lake of life and how not everyone makes it to the other side). How glad I am that Mr. Grove made it (across the Atlantic, at any rate) and wrote such a lovely book. It means a lot to at least one daughter of a Hungarian immigrant.

Prof. Burgelman is no Michael Porter.

Where Prof. Porter communicates complex ideas in simple terms, Prof. Burgelman finds extremely complicated ways to obscure simple ideas.

Luckily, this book is chock full of quotes and examples that Burgelman largely leaves untouched.

If you factor out Burgelman's poor organization, unbridled love for Intel, and penchant for incomprehensible prose, this is a great book. Burgelman was indeed provided unparalleled access to one of the most successful companies of the 20th century. The stories he tells are true. The quotes and examples are not self-serving.

The only thing missing here is a control group. Intel has entered the 21st century riding at least one strategic inflection point (a favorite term of Dr. Grove's). It would have been interesting if Burgelman would have stopped being a cheerleader for a moment and compared Intel to its closest analog: IBM of 10-15 years ago. Dr. Grove and Intel's "ESM" would be well-served to follow Dr. Grove's own advice and learn lessons from the past.

Still, a fascinating book, particularly for the competitive strategist. Not for the faint of heart.

This is mainly an academic book, yet it can be insightful for CEOs or high and middle level executives too. The book describes and analyzes the extensive work of Prof. Burgelman in Strategy Process. Strategy-making cannot be considered as a pret-a-porter suit, yet Prof. Burgelman's model provides means to understand how to taylor one's suit.

Although most applicable for improving management of a manufacturing concern, this book is worthwhile reading for anyone trying to run their own business better. I am a partner of a small CPA firm, and found several parts that were useful in running my practice better. I read, re-read, and underlined the chapters on job interviewing and employee reviews. Grove's style has obviously been successful for Intel, and this gives his comments tremendous credibility. I appreciated this, as opposed to the myriad of management books written by authors whose track record is unclear, questionable, or non-existent.

Grove describes his management techniques in a controlled, predictable environment. After reading Tim Jackson's book ("Inside Intel"), I saw the other side of the coin (less rational...). Grove is always coerent and clear. This is a must read, specially for middle-managers, but read Jackson's book for the full story...

This book made its way onto the short list of books that I have picked up and read cover to cover in one sitting. Andrew Grove helped create a small memory chip manufacturer, and in the face of increased foreign competition, turned his company around to create the largest producer of computer processor chips to date. This book is a concise explanation of the methods and tactics he used to make Intel what it is.

This book provides some interesting and many uninteresting details about Intel's history. Though well-researched, it is of little educational value and reads more like a soap opera. Worst of all, unlike what the title would suggest, the book discusses Andy Grove very little and provides few insights into the reasons for success of Intel. In fact, much of the book is dedicated to Intel's petty & vindictive spats with former employees.

This book is excellently written!! With personal knowledge of the Grove style to personnel management, Mr. Jackson couldn't be more accurate. There were MANY things written in this book regarding the early history that were hazy to me but now I understand much more clearly. It's a great and innovative company in which many people devote themselves and their families too. Unfortunately, it definitely does take it's toll on family lives. One mistake or disagreement in the eyes of someone with power and your long lasting successful career at Intel is doomed for a short life. If you've lost your family along the way as well........then when the shoutings over - you are on you own, literally. Mr. Jackson did a wonderful job of writting such an accurate book with only a few interviews and court documents. This is journalism at its best. A recommended read for anyone who works in the integrated circuit industy (especially at Intel). I think most [people] will be surprised to see how this large Corporation conducts in external and internal business. Intimidation is the key word and burnt out employees are becoming more and more common.

Very nice book about the US semiconductor industry. It gives us a rare look into the world of corporate America. Very interesting, well-written, and non-technical. Anyone with an interest in the entrepreneurship and computer industry would enjoy this book. This book provides many interesting and some uninteresting details about Intel's history.

This book can give an authentic taste both of the history of ingenuity and energy inside Intel. Mr. Jackson did a wonderful job! But there's a little too much on Intel's battles with AMD and not enough on its unique relationship with Microsoft.

May be you never believe it, that such a small silicon thing as Intel's microprocessor was a one of the main media to manifest the impotence of the communist regime in the USSR. In fact, I'm sure this technology turned out more dangerous for the Soviet Union than Reagan's Star Wars.

While this book is well written, it should be looked upon as a history and not as a formula for success. It offers more in the soft-and-feeling area than in something that can be taken to the bank. It does throw light on how well placed and open Grove is inside his business, and that should be a call to arms for all CEOs. I found the book called Value Migration printed by the Harvard Business School more systematic on finding your edge competitors. In fact there are a number of books on this same topic which are more useful. I also think Grove's reason for the unseating of DEC, etc. from pre-eminent position leaves one questioning. I can't see a difference between Intel and Microsoft (Wintel) and DEC: Microsoft wants to own everything except the hardware (which it has given to Intel) and the applications, which for the most are specific to a company and industry. This seems like DEC, except it wanted the hardware as well. My own experience is that DEC had just plain bad marketing, and you need only look at the Alpha debacle to see the truth

Andy Grove has verbalized the mindset that we must all develop to survive in the 21st Century. While his idea of constantly looking over your shoulder has always been applicable, the speed of the Internet economy requires that we do it much more frequently and penalizes us much more quickly if we do not.

Grove does a great job of showing how one man's crises is another's opporuntity and uses the term strategic inflection points to describe these periods of 10x change.

This book is a good reminder for anyone who thinks that what made them successful to this point is any guarantee that they will be successful in the future.

Having personally worked (and plan on working for after I graduate from college) for Intel, Corp. Mr. Grove offers some of the insights to the success of Intel. Strategic Inflection Points (SIP) are applicable in any business, but in a high tech world, SIP's tend to occur more often. Mr. Grove, currently also teaching at Stanford Business School, offers examples of SIP's and how he, and Intel, has dealt with these market changing pressures. In addition, through his book, he also gives insight to the type of company, and corporate culture that is present at Intel, and how only through this type of verticle cooperation can a Santa Clara start-up become the techology giant it is today. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever heard of the name "Intel" and discover what it really means to be "Intel Inside"