Science Lessons: What the Business of Biotech Taught Me About Management

Former Amgen CEO Gordon Binder recounts his biotech company's history in clear, articulate prose. He and writer Philip Bashe make the science accessible. They explain technical terms in lay language and spell out the benefits and effects of each biotech advance. Amgen's story includes inspiring accounts of company-wide dedication and demonstrates the utility of the scientific method as a tactic for making business decisions. Yet, some of the book's teachings fall a bit flat. Perhaps driven by an urge to make Amgen's experiences broadly applicable, Binder draws lessons that are so broad in scope that they risk banality and could apply to any industry. That aside, getAbstract recommends this to anyone involved in a start-up and to those who are interested in how companies evolve, change, and succeed.