THE CORPORATION STATES

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31676, 11 May 1968, Page 4

THE CORPORATION STATES

Management and Machiavelli. By Anthony Jay. 224 pp Indexed.

The central thesis of this book is that industrial corporation* of today function in very much the tame way a* autocratic government* of past centuries. From this basic assumption the author uses the lessons of political science and political history to formulate rules for today’s corporation managers, when under a variety of circumstances. For example, the power politics associated with take-overs of other firms are Identical to those for ruling an annexed territory. Similarly, the problem* of handling senior subordinate managers are essentially the same a* th* problem* a king had in handling hi* baron*. The reference in the title to Machiavelli spring* from that author’s book “The Prince,” which was essentially written as a practical manual of how to exercise political power. “The Prince" is therefore very much a reference, “mutatis mutandis," of practical worth to today’s corporation manager and subordinate*. Antimony Jay, who is better

known for hi* television Work on current affairs, ha* managed, in' this book, to cover all aspect* of the struggle for power within a large business empire. Hl* analysis, which 1* always Interesting, can answer in outline what each participant in the “power game” should do at each level of the struggle. On the face of it, the book is rather light hearted, and ean be construed a* an interesting

approach which should perhap* be treated with caution te application. A more sinister interpretation is poaslbte- however, if the eerporatien* of today are truly like small feudal states la their power structure, what doe* th* future hold for. the normal citizen-employee, as the corporation-state grows in size? Will it become more democratic through an increase of shareholder power, or will it become more autocratic as th* firm* become fewer and their size larger? This is a question which Mr Jay doe* not give hi* view* on; the answer could *ay much about our future w*y of life. ’ .

MR CAMPION’S CLOWNS i* the third omnibus of the detective stories of Margery Alllngham to be published. The three stories tn the omnibus in which the chief “clown" is Albert Campion’s factotum,. Lugg, are “Mystery Mile," “Coroner’s Pidgin** and “Mere Work For The Undertaker.” A touching memoir to Margery Alllngham, who died in 196 A 1» written for this volume by her husband, Youngman Carter.