Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air"

Essay # 50426

This paper reviews Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air", which is about mountain climbing as a metaphor for successful business management.

1,285 words () | 1 source | 2004 Canada

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that mountaineering, as depicted in Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air", can be a set of goals and ideas that need to be achieved using your experience and skills to further your ambition, similar to what drives the mountaineers to reach the top and return safely. The author points out that the perils of the mountain that challenges the climbers can be perceived in direct relation to today's market, where there is much uncertainty and fluctuation in the business cycle. The paper stresses that, in order to overcome the challenges, it is strategic to resort to teamwork and team spirit.

From the Paper:

"If we analyze the challenges faced by the author in his expedition we begin to see parallels to that of the challenges that the manager face in today's business world. All the aspects of a manager's business ordeal are encompassed in his climb to the top and his descent. A good manager seeks to minimize costs while not affecting quality. Hence, we see the exploitation of human resources in the example of the Sherpa porters, who are paid an insignificant bare minimum amount to risk their lives which is a direct parallel to the cost minimizing decisions made by managers of multi national companies of today that take advantage of the third world countries to produce their products cheaply and efficiently. Such efficiency combined with advertising takes us into the realm of branding."