"The Prince" by Machiavelli is a political treatise written in the 16th century by Niccolo Machiavelli, an Italian diplomat. He postulates that a ruler needs to be concerned about their reputation, but also should not shy away from using brute force or deceit in achieving one's goals. Many elements of 'Machiavellianism' are used to get ahead in today's business world, where the focus is on the stock exchange and market capitalisation of one's firm. The Board Room, a business simulation developed by LearnBiz, helps participants understand many of these principles. Check it out at http://learnbizsimulations.com/page/gametbr.php