In this assignment, we focus on comparing chapters 2 and 5 from JA Krames' book, What the Best CEOs Know: 7 Exceptional Leaders and their lessons for Transforming Any Business (2003). We meet two top computer technology CEOs; Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Computers and Andy Grove, co-founder and former CEO of Intel. Dell is well known for its personal computers and Intel is famous for its microprocessors integrated into computers and devices for memory. Success began very young for Michael Dell, he was only 12 years old when his first product catalog entitled "Dell Stamps" was advertised in the local trade newspaper. He learned early on to develop a direct relationship with the customer which would later be the key to his success (Krames, p. 58). Andy Grove teamed up with Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore in 1968 after discovering they could create chips with massive memory. Grove used a metaphor to describe the basis of his success: a three-legged stool; execution and strategy (Krames, p. 137). When a leg is torn off, it destabilizes the entire system. Dell's major achievement came when he planned and sold personal computers from his dorm room, leading to the creation of Dell Computers Corporation. At the age of 27, Dell was the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He had clear ideas about how to do business. Both CEOs managed to save their companies from major setbacks. Yet each company received its own strategic inflection points and applied different strategies to achieve its competitive advantage, according to Krames. Both men encountered resistance in presenting and promoting their ideas. Dell faced resistance from its management teams. Management teams have forced their...... middle of paper ...... customers can customize their computers and order online, cutting out middlemen and inventory. The life story of these men is an inspiration for a new entrepreneur or innovator to use as an example of business effectiveness. These two CEOs would make a good team if they joined forces. Each business must find its own niche and the business model that suits it. The key to the success of these two CEOs was listening to the customer. Krames also mentioned that it's important to remember the absence of a customer as well. It took great dedication and commitment from both of these men to stay focused on their company's mission and vision. Both chapters illustrate the healthy fear that a company faces and satisfies the market (Krames, 2003). Works Cited Krames, JA. (2003). Best CEOs Know: 7 Exceptional Leaders and Their Lessons for Transforming Any Business