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John D. Rockefeller famously reduced kerosene prices from one dollar to ten cents

Richard Rumelt · Good Strategy, Bad Strategy | Richard Rumelt · Jan 21, 2024 · at 1:35:26

Business strategist and author Richard Rumelt explains why he recommends reading historical biographies rather than standard strategy textbooks.

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“Rockefeller was a robber baron and he built an empire and all that. You learn that in school, but what you don't learn in school is he dropped the cost of a gallon of kerosene from a dollar to 10 cents.”

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