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| Performance at the Limit: Business Lessons from Formula 1 Motor Racing | 
 enlarge | List Price: $45.00
Buy New: $36.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 1 reviews)
Sales Rank: 634875
Category: Book
Authors: Mark Jenkins, Ken Pasternak, Richard West
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Studio: Cambridge University Press
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
Label: Cambridge University Press
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 238
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6 x 0.9
ISBN: 0521844002
Dewey Decimal Number: 658.4
EAN: 9780521844000
ASIN: 0521844002
Publication Date: August 22, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Although optimum performance is the objective of every organization, its achievement remains unresolved for most of us. This book uses Formula 1 motorracing as an example of how business can achieve maximum performance at all levels--individual, team, partnership and organization. The volume describes many of the challenges facing Formula 1 teams and illustrates them to provide an overall comprehension of performance at an optimal level. Accompanying case histories and examples offer inspirational as well as instructional guidance to those seeking to achieve ultimate performance levels.
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| Customer Reviews:
Solid overview of the sport but don't expect too much detail August 3, 2008
This book is a good overview of what F1 as a business is all about.
If you're an F1 follower and have read other more sport focused books on the topic only half of the content is that new since this is written for business types who've never watched an F1 race. I must say I did find it a little tedious having all the basics explained (this is where the engine is, these are the main manufacturing needs of a team). Yet admittedly just looking at some of that information from a fresh analytical business angle gave me different insights into it.
It basically outlines the main functions within the business and what the key factors are in setting F1 teams apart from other companies and from each other. There's some good interviews with key people saying things I'd never quite heard.
The book also does glorify the sport on the whole and makes it seem like these companies aren't suffering from the same foibles as any. One of the important values of a "no blame culture" and "open communication" (which often isn't an engineer's greatest skill) do seem to be related to some of the right royal cock ups I've heard of in the sport eg. designers from different departments not talking and when it comes time to bolt something on the car it doesn't fit or a driver bringing his own parts to a test because the aero team wouldn't back down from a insufficient design. Probably one of the hardest balances in F1 to get right, for individuals and teams appears to be that of being very strong willed and motivated whilst also being humble at the same time and that didn't get much of a mention in the book.
I think this it's quite worth putting this book next to Collins' Good to Great to understand how F1 teams stay motivated around their core agenda and approach new challenges.
Still I'm only giving this book 3 stars because it really didn't have the depth that I was seeking. There's no org charts or details about what many of the systems are or what the real development process is for their business (of course modern teams don't want to give that away but I was expecting retrospectively through different periods). I want to know how they innovate, I don't really expect them to be sitting around in "creativity workshops" like most companies. I wouldn't be surprised if it's just ideas the engineers have that are jotted in notepads during the long haul flights back to base.
Also this book is awfully short. It's 200 or so pages with a lot of padding (chapter heading pages, photos and charts - that could do with a graphic designer). I really was expecting a lot more for the price. It's an okay book just nothing too special, yet there's nothing better I've found on this specific topic. I'd say only get it if you're really desperate otherwise spend your time on more Jim Collins or Shift by Carlos Ghosn or Jackie Stewart's Autobiography (which is just as much business as racing).
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