F
rom the time that goods
and services began to be
traded in early civilizations,
people have been thinking about
business. The emergence of
specialized producers and the use
of money as a means of exchange
were methods by which individuals
and societies could, in modern
terms, gain a “business edge.” The
ancient Egyptians, the Mayans, the
Greeks, and the Romans all knew
that wealth creation through the
mechanism of commerce was
fundamental to the acquisition of
power, and formed the base on
which civilization could prosper.