Are you an outsider who wants in on Alibaba’s transformation from a small company into one of the world’s most valuable corporations? You’re in luck, as former Alibaba Vice President Porter Erisman has recently released his memoir titled, “Alibaba’s World: How a Remarkable Chinese Company is Changing the Face of Global Business.”
Erisman, who joined the Chinese company during its early days, gives readers a unique look on the day-to-day operations of one of China's most unlikely tech founders.
"Alibaba's World" is filled with anecdotes about Alibaba's CEO Jack Ma. Painted in a positive light, Ma was portrayed in the memoir as a likable and warm fellow who was occasionally misguided.
Through "Alibaba's World," readers are introduced to Ma's discouragement of nationalism in the global company. But like any other human being, Ma has his flaws. Erisman openly critiqued how the CEO handled Yahoo China when Alibaba took the helm from former leader Zhou Hongyi.
The memoir isn't a fairy tale on how Alibaba exploded onto the tech industry with a record-breaking IPO. Like all companies, Alibaba overcame its fair share of trials and tribulations.
Erisman left the company shortly after its first IPO, which took place in 2007. From that period on, Erisman condensed major plot points and offered some speculations about where Alibaba is headed next.
The former VP concluded the memoir with a section called "Alibaba and the 40 Lessons," wherein Erisman compiled some of the things he learned into 40 business platitudes.
Overall, "Alibaba's World" is an interesting read that provides an excellent overview on Alibaba's early history and the state of the current market.