Book Description

All New Preface by the Authors

For years pundits have predicted that information technology will obliterate everything-from supermarkets to business organizations to social life itself. But beaten down by info-glut, exasperated by computer crashes, and daunted by the dot com crash, individual users find it hard to get a fix on the true potential of the digital revolution.John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid argue that the gap between digerati hype and end-user gloom is largely due to the "tunnel vision" that information-driven technologies breed.We've become so focused on where we think we ought to be-a place where technology empowers individuals and obliterates social organizations-that we often fail to see where we're really going. The Social Life of Information shows us how to look beyond our obsession with information and individuals to include the critical social networks of which these are always a part. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

A View of IT from a Social Context
I enjoyed reading this thoughtful book, which evaluates and analyzes the role of technology in a balanced social context. I learned to appreciate a different perspective - a perspective where information technologies are placed in a balanced contextual relationship to social values, and to human needs and relationships. Other books I have read survey technology from the standpoint of technological determinism, or as the book says, from the standpoint of the "blinkered euphoria of the infoenthusiast." This book is a good reading and it seeds deeper discussion and thought.

Since I work in the field of distance learning, I found Chapter 5, "Learning - in Theory and in Practice," Chapter 6, "Innovating Organization, Husbanding Knowledge," Chapter 7 - "Reading the Background," and Chapter 8, "Re-education," particularly interesting and relevant. The authors identify three differences between information and knowledge: 1) knowledge usually entails a knower (the person who knows), 2) knowledge appears harder to detach (than information), and 3) knowledge requires assimilation. So these days, with all the talk about hot distance education trends and increasing on-line and other technology-mediated educational programming, we need to remain mindful of the need for technology-mediated programming to empower folks to learn, i.e., acquire and assimilate knowledge.

I also appreciated Brown and Duguid's insightful discussion regarding changes in higher education. It is true that an opportunity exists to provide greater access to higher education through the expanding use of information technologies. But, it is important to distinguish the current hype about distance learning from the reality of what really is currently available and accessible. The authors also draw distinctions between social distance and geographical distance and the dangers of polarization. I also agree that the goal should be access to higher education.

Full of ah-ha moments, though a bit of a slow read.
I just finished reading The Social Life of Information, by John Seeley Brown and Paul Duguid. This was not the quickest read; it's a business book with the obtuseness of vocabulary that implies. However, if you're a computer person with any desire to see your work in a larger context, this is a book you should read. In it, they examine eight separate areas in which computers, and the internet in particular, have supposedly changed our lives (this is typically called 'hype', though the authors don't use the word) in the latter years of the 20th century. (This book is copyright 2000.) You probably remember some of these claims: the death of the corporation, of the university, of paper documents, of the corporate office. In each chapter, they review one claim, show how the claim's proponents over-simplify the issue, and look at the (new and old) responses of people and institutions to the problem that the claim was trying to solve. They also examine, in detail, the ways in which humans process information, and how the software that is often touted as a replacement simply isn't.

I really enjoy 'ah-ha' moments; these are times where I look back at my experiences in a new light, thanks to a theory that justifies or explains something that I didn't understand. For example, I remember when I started my first professional job, right out of college, I thought the whole point of work was to, well, work. So I sat in my cube and worked 8 solid hours a day. After a few months, when I still didn't know anyone at the office, but had to ask someone how to modify a script I was working on, I learned the value of social interaction at the office. (Actually, I was so clueless, I had to ask someone to find the appropriate someone to ask.) While examining the concept of the home office, the authors state "[t]he office social system plays a major part in keeping tools (and people) up and running." It's not just work that happens at the office--there's collaboration and informal learning.

I've worked remotely in the past year for the first time, and anyone who's worked remotely has experienced a moment of frustration when trying to explain something and wished they were just "there," to show rather than tell--the authors refer to this process as 'huddling.' When someone is changing a software configuration that I'm not intimately familiar, it's much easier to judge correct options and settings if I'm there. The authors explain that "[huddling] is often a way of getting things done through collaboration. At home with frail and fickle technologies and unlimited configurations, people paradoxically may need to huddle even more, but can't." This collaboration is even more important between peers.

Reading about the home office and its lack of informal networks (which do occur around the corporate office) really drove home the social nature of work. After a few years at my company, I had cross-departmental relationships (often struck up over beer Friday) that truly eased some of my pain. Often, knowing who to ask a question is more important than knowing the answer to the question. It's not impossible to build those relationships when you're working remotely, but it's much more difficult.

Another enjoyable moment of clarity arose when the authors discussed the nature of documents. I think of a document as a Word file, or perhaps a set of printed out pages. The explicit information (words, diagrams, etc) that I can get from the document is the focus (and this is certainly the case in document management systems sales pitches). But there's a lot more to a document. How do I know how much to trust the information? Well, if it's on a website somewhere, that's a fair bit sketchier than if it's in the newspaper, which is in turn less trustworthy than if I've experienced the information myself. Documents validate information--we've all picked up a book, hefted it, examined it, and judged it based on its cover. The authors say "readers look beyond the information in documents. ... The investment evident in a document's material content is often a good indicator of the investment in its informational content." Just as if someone says "trust me" you should probably run the other way, information alone can't attest to its own veracity. The authors also look at aspects to documents (like history, like feel, like layout) that simply aren't captured when you treat them as streams of bits.

And there are many other examples of 'hype' that are deflated in this book, and a few other 'ah-ha' moments as well. As I stated above, this is a great read for anyone who thinks there is a technical answer to any problem (or even most problems). By taking apart various claims, and examining the truth and untruth of those claims in a real world context, these two authors give technology credit where it's due, while at the same time explaining why some of the older institutions and important factors in our lives will remain around. Reading this book was hard work, but understanding what the authors say gives me yet another way to relate to non-technical people, as well as fend off the zealots who claim, in a knee-jerk fashion, that more software solves problems. I majored in physics, in college, but minored in politics. It always seemed that the people problems, though more squishy, were more interesting. This book is confirmation of that fact.

Valuable idea towards the new IT century
Living in this new century, Information Technology plays a very important part in our daily life. However, as the world is flooded with information, meaningless of the mass information become a questionable matter in return.

This book is just about some ideas concerning the new technology and the new world information. People nowadays know the importance of information but they always missed the limitation of it. As mentioned by the author, increased in information is not necessary equivalents to increased in the value and meaning of it. Controlling the flow of mass information became a critical issue and solutions like better processing and improved data are suggested for improvement.

The book raised an essential element in the IT world, that is the social network, which in fact is playing the core role in this new technology world. Without the help of socialization, technology cannot grow so fast into our daily life. Think about facing problems about how to operate a new version of Microsoft windows, majority of new users would seek advice from those they knew rather than seek helps from the ¡§help¡¨ menu or instruction guidelines on the internet. Therefore, social context plays an important role in helping information and technology become more valuable to human.
It is the truth that even the professional technicians cannot solve problems by themselves sometimes and what they would do is to discuss with colleagues and share experience and knowledge with each other.

I agree that information itself has little meaning; it becomes valuable only after we digested and changed them into knowledge. Without doubt, technologies can ease our learning of knowledge and save much time. Therefore, they all have close relationship with each other.

This book is worthwhile to read and I have several learning insights from it. For instance, the difference between information and knowledge, IT is not as powerful as what I think before and there are still many rooms for improvements. The author pointed out an important term, Tunnel Vision, which means looking at a particular thing in a narrow vision and ignoring other things around. Whenever we try to focus on a certain issue, we should mind the thing around, broader vision is better to help us in getting a more objective view.

In addition, it is informative in clearing our misunderstandings on IT development and there are some good points raised by the author like those I have mentioned before.

Lets go forward to the past
This is a remarkable book, not simply in terms of its insights on how technologies can be misguided if they do no recognize the underlying social structure that they are there to support, but also with regard to the release of this book in March of 2000 at the height of the dot-com boom.

In this book you will not find technological evangelicalism or ideas about how the Internet can change the world, but you will find thoughtful discussion about why online universities need the value of the offline university, why a knowledge economy cannot be understood in terms of a manufacturing paradigm of inter-changeable parts, why Chiat-Day's unstructured office design was an interesting concept but a failure in supporting the social structure of an office, and why groups of like-minded businesses will cluster in the same geographical area even though new technologies would elminate the need for proximity.

This book is positive about technology, but asks to look first at the real impact and real opportunity. While this is an amazing book that I would highly recommend to everyone interested in this subject, I did think the delineation of new technology and existing social context did not explore emergining social patterns as a result of technological change. We can only hope for a book in the future on this topic by these authors

Engaging Introduction to a Neglected Topic
This book offers a counterargument to the claim that more information (and more Information Technology) will magically make life easier. It is not an argument against technology, but it is a call for more realistic expectations when it comes to things like telecommuting, the "paperless office", and the virtual university.

The authors' engaging tone helps to overcome the dryness of some of the material. As someone who has spent a good deal of time in online communities, however, I felt that the book (and its authors) might have benefitted from a closer look at some of the more social online communities.

Like any book on technology, of course, this book faces the problem of quickly becoming dated, particularly when the authors look into the (possible) future, but it serves as an excellent introduction to the topic. It also includes a bibliography, for readers wishing to delve more deeply into the history and studies behind the book. ... Read more

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, here are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe.

This collection of cutting-edge articles will help organizations understand how to build customer loyalty through unique relationship-building strategies such as partnerships, branding, and superlative customer service. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Customer service, not CRM
This Harvard Business Review title is not about Customer Relationship Management, but about customer service. If you are interested in Customer Service I must say there are at leat 3 articles very useful and interesting. If you are searching for CRM, this is not going to fulfill your expetations

Brilliant and Eloquent Delineation of Basics
This is one in a series of several dozen volumes which comprise the "Harvard Business Review Paperback Series." Each offers direct, convenient, and inexpensive access to the best thinking on the given subject in articles originally published by the Harvard Business School Review. I strongly recommend all of the volumes in the series. The individual titles are listed at this Web site: www.hbsp.harvard.edu. The authors of various articles are among the world's most highly regarded experts on the given subject. Each volume has been carefully edited. An Executive Summary introduces each selection. Supplementary commentaries are also provided in most of the volumes, as is an "About the Contributors" section which usually includes suggestions of other sources which some readers may wish to explore.

Some of the most valuable benefits in this volume are provided by comprehensive charts which, all by themselves, are worth far more than the cost of the book. Here are a few examples.

• The Evolution and Transformation of Customers (page 4) and The Shifting Locus of Core Competencies (page 7): both are provided by C.K. Prahalad and Venkatram Ramaswamy.

• Are Your Retail Pillars Solid -- or Crumbling? (page 52): Leonard L. Berry identifies the major differences between inferior retailers from superior retailers.

• The Three Dimensions of Synchronization (page 90): Mohanbir Sawhney explains how any organization can present a single, unified face to the customer -- one that can change as market conditions warrant -- without imposing homogeneity on its people.

• One Destination, Five Roads (page 111) and Teams and Work Groups: It Pays to Know the Difference (page 123): Jon R. Katzenbach and Jason A. Santamaria explain how five practices followed by the U.S. Marine Corps enable it to outperform all other organizations in terms of "engaging the hearts and minds of the front line."

These and other charts are especially helpful whenever a reader wishes to review the key points in any of the eight essays, each of which provides cutting edge thinking and eminently practical advice. Although no bibliography is provided, those who wish to consult other sources need only read the About the Contributors section which will direct them to those sources.

CRM or customer service?
I bought this book willing to find essentials about CRM as a Philosophy as a System not by pieces. I cannot qualify this as a coherent book about CRM but as a compilation of eight articles of eight valuable authors writing about Relations with Customers not CRM as an integrated system of Human Resources, Technology and Philosophy into an organization's life. If you see this book as a group of articles gathered to give you different points of view about customers and service (not CRM) this is a good book, if you buy it considering the title "Customer Relationship Management" and "Harvard Business Review" it will not full your expectations.

Nevertheless I have to recommend the article written by Fournier, Dobscha and Mick about preventing the premature death of Relationship Marketing. Very interesting point of view. ... Read more

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, here are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe.

This collection of classic and cutting-edge articles, and case studies provides a broad range of perspectives on affirmative action, career development for minorities and women, and other HR-related policies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Yale professors Barry Nalebuff and Ian Ayres engage readers in an intriguing oxymoron. They believe invention can be automated. Why Not? outlines a populist high-octane approach to creative problem solving. "We aspire for this book to change the way people think about their own ability to change the world." The authors' ideas and examples--from adopting British water conserving toilets to having telemarketers pay you to listen--bristle with energy, conviction, and occasional loopiness. Their approach upends cliched problem solving models by asking, "What would Croseus (the ancient rich king) do?" They take Edward de Bono'slateral thinking out for a spin, suggesting pay for view television might include a fee for eliminating commercials.

Nalebuff and Ayres are at their best in exploring "Idea Arbitrage," a tool for applying one solution to a host of other problems and yielding day care at IKEA, corporate vanity stamps, and library coffee houses. Some promising concepts, such as the technique of leveraging mistakes to create new solutions, are not as clear as others. Overall, the authors make an entertaining case for the idea that innovators are made and not born. --Barbara Mackoff ... Read more

Reviews (9)

There is a major mistake in Chapter 7
Judging from the Chinese translation, this book is ok if it didn't have a major slip in Chapter 7. The approach taken to find the solution to the triple-line puzzle was incorrect and misleading. And it's a serious mistake for a book on creativity. The authors made the use of this puzzle to convey their message of never giving up easily in problem solving and to demonstrate a good application of the principle of symmetry.

However, the authors readily gave up on the first approach came to anyone's mind of first connecting the pair of block B by a straight line. Authors then gave up on a second approach, which certainly failed to work either. A solution was finally found in the 3rd try. Most of the readers would have been happily convinced and moved on to the rest of the book. But I for one didn¡¦t give up easily on the first approach as I was encouraged by the authors:
1. Be persistent. I didn¡¦t give up on the first approach.
2. Don't settle for a solution; pursue the best solution. The solution provided by the authors is not as elegant as I like.
3. And apply the principle of symmetry. The authors forgot to apply it to the first approach.

It turned out that the first approach can lead to a solution which is also most elegant.
The solution is:
1. First connecting the pair of Block B by the shortest straight line.
2. Connecting the pair of Block A by a curve line. The line, starting from the left Block A, heads south and goes in between the bottom Block B and C. Once it hits the boundary, it moves along the boundary. It curves up and heads toward the right Block A once it has passed the bottom Block B.
3. Connecting the pair of Block C by applying the principle of symmetry, or rather anti-symmetry.

A good book for product inventors
This book introduces some techniques for coming up with creative ideas and (esp.) products, and then describes many examples of innovative products or product ideas which can be derived from application of the techniques. The example products and ideas were really interesting, and I got a number of "nice idea, I can use that in my business problem" thoughts (my business is software development), but not nearly as many as I got when I read "Whack on the Side of the Head", which for me is still the king of creativity books. "Why Not?" seemed a good book for someone who wants to invent products, whereas "Whack..." is pure fuel for how to think more creatively.

A different perspective
Why Not? is an innovators thinkbox in how to make things better in our everyday lives/business. The book goes into great detail in providing examples that think outside of the box when designing products, programs or inventions. This book may not be for everyone, as the two authors intelligence level is superior to most (and I do not mean that to offend anyone!!), and even though they convey their book in an easy to understand manner, you can tell these two gentlemen think on a different level. Therefore, this book should be an enjoyable read, but don't get frustrated if you are not on the same level as them. I consider myself a smart cookie, and a few things were above my head.

White Caps on Gray Matter
To me, the subtitle of Nalebuff and Ayres's book is especially significant because few of us understand how to use everyday ingenuity to solve problems big and small. So often we ask, "What didn't I think of that?" I wholly agree with Nalebuff and Ayres that we could have, had we been willing to view a given situation (need, problem, irritation, etc.) from several different perspectives. For whatever reasons, we seldom do so. That is, we see and hear what we expect because our mental "filters" perpetuate fixed mindsets.

Let's pretend that you have entered the Nalebuff and Ayres Executive Hardware Store. Either Nalebuff or Ayres greets you, offering a complimentary toolbox rather than a cart to use while shopping. "If you need anything or have any questions, please let me know." You then thoroughly explore each of the store's three main departments.

Problems in Search of Solutions: Tools which enable you to take the perspective of an unconstrained consumer and internalize the external effects the external effects of decision-making

Solutions in Search of Problems: Tools which help you to identify "idea arbitrage" and experiment with "things the other way around"

Problem Solving with a Purpose: Tools which enable you to think effectively and productively "inside the box"

The proprietors realize that no visitor to their store needs all of these tools at the same time, nor will all visitors use any one of the tools in precisely the same way. The central purpose of Nalebuff and Ayres' book is to offer various "tools," then explain what each can do and how to use it properly, thereby to change "the way people think about their own ability to affect the world. Our goal is to make it natural -- even expected -- for everyone to challenge the status quo and ask, Why not do it this way instead?"

They cite countless examples from a wealth of real-world experiences, many of which illustrate what I call "the invisibility of the obvious." I agree with Nalebuff and Ayres that innovation can be taught. Many of the most innovative consumer products (e.g. Post-Its as well as those derived from Velcro and Gore-Tex) were created by technology and fabrics already available. To ask "Why didn't I think of that?" is to acknowledge the invisibility of the obvious.

Heightening our awareness of potentialities within the so-called commonplace, thereby enabling "everyday ingenuity," is precisely why Nalebuff and Ayres wrote this thoughtful, thought-provoking, and eloquent book. It will be of greatest value to decision-makers in literally any organization (regardless of size or nature) who are in urgent need of generating new and better ideas, perhaps re-configuring mature products or services, and generating ideas which will be the seed of entirely new products and services.

The quotation from George Bernard Show with which they begin the first chapter seems especially appropriate to the conclusion of my brief commentary: "Some men see things as they are and say, 'Why?' I dream of things that never were and say, 'Why not?'"

Fill your own toolbox and then have at it!

Easy to read ¿ the enthusiasm is infectious
This is very well-researched - a collection of anecdotes of innovative products and processes from around the world - UK, Australia, Italy, France, Canada, Germany, Sweden etc - whether they be financial, medical, transport etc.

However, it's probably only of real use to a US Audience - comparing the US processes to the best foreign innovators. Everything they describe was already familiar to me (as I've worked in over 30 Countries).

Where they talk about localised innovation, such as Lojack versus the Club, its well written - but if you'd never been to the USA and seen adverts for either Product, it'd be very hard to appreciate what they were comparing.

I do like the US practice of being allowed to turn right on a red light - I wish we had that in the UK (obviously on a left turn for us), but this book taught me that it came from California originally. I think turn right on red is the best thing to come out of California since the Beach Boys.

Also, for its dozens of ideas, the book has no Index - so impossible to dip back into for that great idea.

In essence, the book is just a collection of anecdotes such as what imaginative people have been doing for 100's of years since Marco Polo and before - travel with your eyes, ears & mind open, and observe how others have approached that problem that is so irritating back home.

For example, if I was writing the equivalent of this book for a UK audience, I'd be pushing for 'turn on red', and to clone the USA's 529 College Tuition Savings Plans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's possible to look like a leader, say all the right things to shareholders, make employees feel good about themselves, and still not produce the sorts of results everyone expects and wants from your company. A previous generation might have called this winning the battle but losing the war.

Directing employees is harder than it looks, since past performance isn't really an indication of how a leader will do in the future. As the authors say, "The half-life of knowledge grows ever shorter in most professions, requiring even high performers to unlearn what they know and do."

The authors--a university professor and two heads of consulting firms--divide leadership priorities into four areas: employees, organization, customers, and investors. A company head generally has to focus on one responsibility over the other three, but can't get away with ignoring any of them for very long. They explain each of these four priorities in depth--noting, for example, that keeping employees committed and productive means "mass customizing" the workplace to fit individual employees' needs while keeping everyone working toward the same goal. That customization may require adjustments unheard-of a few years ago--allowing an employee to work from home in a different city, for example--but pays off in the retention of valuable human assets that would otherwise take their training, experience, energy, and creativity to other companies, possibly competitors.

People who already have leadership positions in their companies can certainly find a lot of important information, but the book may be even more valuable to those who want to move into management roles. It certainly shows what challenges to expect. --Lou Schuler ... Read more

Reviews (15)

"I felt that I was reading the 'Rosetta' stone."
I read and re-read Results-Based Leadership over the fourth of July weekend, along with some additional materials provided by Provant, and I truly believe this book is a major management 'hit'! I took 50 pps of notes, and even bought a copy for a friend of mine (truly a rare event) who is about to start up a major division for a large local firm. I love the way the authors integrated Kaplan's Business Scorecard Process with the Leadership Development process. Truly a marriage of employee development and strategic 'results'. The 'so that' and 'because of' virtuous cycle is especially clever. I've subtitled the book 'The Missing Linkage'. You've solved so many conceptual issues I've had over the years that I felt that I was reading the 'Rosetta' stone.

Finally...a book that focuses on what matters.
I have read close to 100 management and leadership books and found this to be one of the best. It stands apart because it looks at both halves required for leadership, whereas most of the other books focus on one or the other. The halves are Results and Character. The authors also provide a framework called the Model of Balanced Outcomes, which I am actually using in my organization. In fact, I just completed a diagnostic and prescriptive paper for my MBA program, which focused completely on this model. This book is one of the few that provides practical application without a whole lot of theoretical mumbo jumbo. Highly recommended!

One of the best books on leadership & implementation...
Together with Kotter's "Leading Change" and Fogg's "Implementing Your Strategic Plan," this is one of the best books ever written on leadership and strategy implementation. Contrary to what an earlier reviewer stated, this book only mention's Enron on two pages (out of 234). And, in each instance, is very specific about what can be learned from the ill-fated company (this book is far from a "cheerleading session" for Enron). Instead, the book focuses on the mechanics of leadership and strategy implementation. As a strategy consultant, I find myself recommending this book to clients again and again. I believe it should be a part of any serious manager's business library -- particularly if you are a senior manager. Overall grade: A/A+.

A "leadership" book that trumpets Enron
... Spare yourself [the money] and to talk to the manager of your local Denny's restaurant for some real inspiration.

"Leadership is all about results."
"The quest to become a more effective leader will neither begin nor end with this work. However, we want to shift how to think about and become a better leader. It is faddish to think of leaders as people who master competencies and emanate character. While agreeing with this perspective, we believe that it falls short of assuring that leaders lead. Leaders do much more than demonstrate attributes. Effective leaders get results. This book refocuses and reframes the search for effective leadership by connecting attributes to results...By so doing, this book makes a bold statement about the next generation of leadership thinking. This does not mean less attention to the leader's attributes, but it does mean making sure that leaders understand and commit to the results they must produce-and how they are produced" (pp.1-23).

In this context, D.Ulrich, J.Zenger, and N.Smallwood suggest the following fourteen specific actions described in Chapter 7 can help leaders make results a major part of their leadership equation, at whatever level they function in their companies:

1. Begin with an absolute focus on results.

2. Take complete and personal responsibility for your group's results.

3. Clearly and specifically communicate expectations and targets to the people in your group.

4. Determine what you need to do personally to improve your results.

5. Use results as the litmus test for continuing or implementing leadership practice.

6. Engage in developmental activities and opportunities that will help you produce better results.

7. Know and use every group member's capabilities to the fullest and provide everyone with appropriate developmental opportunities.

8. Experiment and innovate in every realm under your influence, looking constantly for new ways to improve performance.

9. Measure the right standards and increase the rigor with which you measure them.

10. Cnstantly take action; results won't improve without it.

11. Increase the pace or tempo of your group.

12. Seek feedback from others in the organization about ways you and your group can improve your outcomes.

13. Ensure that your subordinates and colleagues perceive that your motivation for being a leader is the achievement of positive results, not personal or political gain.

14. Model the methods and strive for the results you want your group to use and attain.

Ulrich, Zenger, and Smallwood argue that these suggestions which may be implemented right now by any leader occupying any position, will modify behavior and improve performance- all without a month-long absence from work or expenditures of large sums of money.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very poorly written
I found Arditti's writing to be simply attrocious. What the marketplace needs is a clear, concise guide to instrument structure and valuation, and Mr. Arditti writes in circles. As an example, his chapter on option pricing refers to "using the methods used previously in this chapter" without referring to how to apply these to the method just introduced. The method just introduced was explained using numbers that were presumably fabricated, but lord only knows, because the author can't be bothered to specify how his example was structured.

In trying to explain things simply, the author fails to explain anything clearly. "Derivatives" is an extreme disappointment. As a reference, this book may have some use, but if you're looking to learn something from it, stear clear.

He knows how to design derivatives and make them work
I am completely satisfied with this book. He knows how to design derivatives and make them work. This book does a remarkable job of explaining the theory and practice of derivative securities.

EXCELLENT AND IN PATCHES OUTSTANDING
This book is an excellent resource for beginning and intermediate level fund managers who want to understand the derivatives to be able to use them in risk hedging and income maximization.

The book is excellently organized in four sections and each section is self sufficient. Each of the sections begin with basics, illustrates the concepts with example, introduces the mathematics of pricing and methodology of hedginag of risks

Every section has also a nice subsection on terminology and definitions.

The book is an excellent attempt to explain a highly technical and complex subject.The section on Interest Rate swaps is outstanding. A must read for all corporate money managers and a must addition to all financial libraries. ... Read more

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series brings managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. Gathered in a highly accessible format are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for forward-thinking businesspeople worldwide.

Managers at every level, and in every industry, must balance various working styles, build efficient management teams, and develop sharp negotiation skills to remain competitive. Harvard Business Review on Negotiation and Conflict Resolution offers a selection of the best thinking on negotiation practice and managing conflict in organizational settings. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must!
The Harvard Business Review has done it again. A very useful tool for negotiation. ... Read more

Book Description

THE HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW PAPERBACK SERIES is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world.Here are the landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious business people in organizations around the globe.

From managing diversity to exploring alternative workplaces to debunking myths about compensation, the topics covered in this collection address how to build organizations with judicious and effective systems for managing people. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

HBR Managing People
Definitely one of the better books in the series. Discussion of common corporate issues. Provides good solutions. I've read 4 in the series and like this one the most. ... Read more

Book Description

How do you develop the people who will one day lead yourcompany?

This book challenges conventional wisdom about how togroom executives for the top positions in your firm. It presents astrategic framework for identifying and developing future executivesthat senior managers can use to find the "hidden" talents in theirmidst. The key is to look for the people with the capabilities to runthe business tomorrow--not today.

McCall demonstrates that the bestexecutives aren't necessarily managers who possess a previouslyidentified, generic list of traits or who have risen to the top throughsurvival of the fittest. Rather, the real leaders of the future arethose who have the ability to learn from their experiences and remainopen to continuous learning. If these people get the right experienceson the job, they will have the ultimate opportunity to learn newexecutive skills--and it's the responsibility of the firm's currentleadership, especially line management, to make that happen.

Fullof vivid real-life examples, High Flyers explains how senior managerscan create an environment that supports the development of talent andlink the firm's business strategy with the kinds of experiences peopleneed if they are to lead a company in fulfilling its mission. The bookalso shows how individuals can take charge of their own development andavoid common pitfalls that lead to falling off the executivetrack.

This revealing guide is for everyone in the organization whohas responsibility for developing people--as well as for aspiringmanagers who want to learn what it takes to become truly effectiveleaders. For companies, High Flyers demonstrates the power of executivedevelopment as a competitive advantage and the way to ensure the bestleadership for the future. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

More about executives than leaders...
The author is a professor of management at USC, so his perspectives on leadership are limited to those qualities found in executives and in very large businesses that support the training of executives. The most helpful aspect of his book is that McCall urges large companies to develop systematic training for executive leaders, rather than leaving younger executives in a sink-or-swim situation. He also has a bias against ruthless, cut-throat competition and male testosterone-driven demonstrations of power and wealth that executives can get drawn into or promote.
Nevertheless, the book is limited: it says very little about leadership as a quality found in other people, other settings; implies that leadership is a unique quality of exceptional people that can be taught to those up-and-coming risers primarily; and supporting data is quite limited. He stumbles when he talks about leadership per se by using an example of a child violin prodigy, as if this child-becoming-virtuoso should be our model of leadership development.
It also is overwritten, the way stuff from Harvard Business School Press is overwritten: breathless, breathtaking, fawning over winners, etc.

Decent book, especially if you are new to the field
This is a pretty good book for those new to the leadership literature. Its main point is that leaders are made, not born. I found it a little long for the point it was making, but thats probably because I've read other books in the area.

A Process for Strategy-Driven Leadership Development
You will find a thoughtful, thorough process here for using a company's strategy to delineate what kind of leaders you will need, identify the leadership experiences that can create that type of leader, then to locate those who have the highest potential to develop those capabilities (those who learn rapidly and well), and to monitor progress. This is a very humane book that will help many avoid the painful career derailments that we read about all too often when a top performer suddenly crashes and burns in public.

By comparison, most companies are looking for executives with the right stuff for today, not the future. Then in a Darwinian process of survival of the fittest, those with the best track records win the leadership roles. Professor McCall points out a very serious flaw in this model, in that many people progress without developing any better leadership skills. With more and more success, leadership skill may actually drop as strengths and competencies are more and more likely to turn into weaknesses as they become exaggerated and weaknesses stay weak. He uses a detailed case history of Horst Schroeder, who was fired as president of Kellogg's after only 9 months, to make these points.

On the usually-correct assumption that your company has not yet brought this new model to bear, the author presents an excellent appendix for helping an individual executive to plan and implement one's own development.

"The message of High Flyers is that leadership ability can be learned, that creating a context that supports the development of talent can become a source of competitive advantage, and that the development of leaders is itself a leadership responsibility." I suggest that you consider Jack Welch at General Electric as the embodiment of the truth of this statement.

Now let me share my concerns about this book. Most companies change strategies at least as often as they change CEOs. Many do it even more often. The average life of a strategy has to be about 3-5 years. That's too short a time to be the context for a leadership development program, unless the new strategy requires exactly the same kind of leaders -- which is unlikely to be the case. In such environments, leadership recruiting probably deserves more attention than leadership development. On the other hand, strategy should not change so often. As my co-author and I point out in The Irresistible Growth Enterprise, it is possible to have a constant mission, vision, and strategy in the midst of a rapidly changing business environment if you think through the issues of potential volatility in advance. In that sort of company, this book's approach will prosper, as will the company and its stakeholders. I urge you to combine these perspectives and approaches in that way.

My other concern is that mission, vision, and emotional context are more important than strategy to success. Professor McCall unaccountably ignored those other important "fit" and "development" issues. They should certainly be added back into this general model by anyone who is interested in systematically developing and providing more and better leadership.

After you have finished reading this excellent book, consider the next governmental election you are asked to vote in. How could government leadership be improved by using a similar process to develop the next generation of elected candidates? Certainly, the task of governing is becoming ever greater yet the current process has all of the flaws of "survival of the fittest" that Professor McCall describes here. We can do better. How should we?

How can this process be used in a nonprofit organization that you do volunteer work for?

A MODEL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS
MCCALL INTRODUCES A MODEL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE WILL LEARN THE NECESSARY LEADERSHIP SKILLS, IF THEY ARE EXPOSED TO THE RIGHT KIND OF EXPERIENCES, AND IF THEY RECEIVE THE RIGHT KIND OF SUPPORT IN THEIR LEARNING EFFORTS. HE POINTS OUT, THAT IT HAS TO BE THE BUSINESS STRATEGY AS DEFINED BY THE TOP-MANAGEMENT THAT DETERMINES WHICH LEADERSHIP SKILLS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ORGANISATION, AND WHICH KIND OF EXPERIENCE WILL BE KEY FOR THE INTENDED PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (188).

McCall starts by discussing the nature of leadership skills: are they a set of skills, that one either does have or not, or can they be learned? Based on his previous research he holds, that executive leaders are more made than born. Therefore he asserts that leadership potential can not be identified by looking for a profile of "competencies", but by looking for the ability to acquire the skills that will be needed in the future. Only this approach will insure leadership capability in a world of rapid change (4/5). McCall goes on by contrasting a "selection perspective" and a "developmental perspective". If leadership requirements are seen as a finite set of positive attributes, or "competencies", a leader either has them or not. Experience will be a test to verify whether one has them or not. On the other hand, if leadership requirements are seen as something that can come in multiple possibilities, a leader might obtain them, but also loose them, over time. Experience will be a source of the required attributes.

To build the case for a developmental perspective, McCall analyses "derailment" cases, were things went wrong. Using the example of the president of Kellogg Co., Horst Schroeder, he names five factors of initial success, which are common to people who failed at a later stage of their career: track record, brilliance, commitment, charm and ambition (29). When looking at the causes for the turn from success to failure, he lists four elements: 1) strengths can become a weakness, 2) blind spots or weaknesses that did not matter initially, later do matter, 3) success can lead to arrogance and 4) bad luck. (36).

McCall then sets out to define what would be the "right kind of experience". He outlines sixteen developmental experiences, coming in four groups: 1) assignments, 2) other people, 3) hardships and 4) other events (68). McCall emphasises, that there is no such thing as a generic development path, however, meaning that many different experiences can be useful. Development, therefore, is about a rational use of experience (81).

McCall holds that executive development should be determined by business strategy: the business strategy has to suggest which experiences are the most important for development (108). He points out that there are already processes at work, that have to be identified first. He than uses a case study (99) to describe the path from strategic intend to executive development: strategy, e.g. "sustained growth", was translated into leadership challenges, e.g. "dealing with increased complexity effectively". These leadership challenges were subsequently translated to possible developmental experiences, e.g. "lead an expansion that requires adding something new or different".

As McCall believes that leadership talent should not be identified by using a list of end-state attributes, but by looking for the ability to learn what needs to be learned from experiences, he introduces a growth model for talent (130). First, talented people will have to pay the "price of admission" for getting the organisational attention and investment. This involves being committed to making a difference, seeing things from new angles and having the courage to taking risks. Then, talented people will take advantage of the opportunities generated by the visibility. The next difference that characterise talented people is that they increase the learning opportunity. Finally, they take learning to heart, and change as a result of the experience.

Because of the central role of "the right kind of experience" in the development of the next generation of leaders, the mechanism to move people from one assignment to another is McCall's next focus. Succession planning can be more productive from a developmental perspective, if replacement candidates for key assignments are not identified on the basis of their current readiness for the job, but on the basis of how much they could learn from it. He predicts, that decision makers would only dare to do so, if they are not only held accountable for short-term results, but also for development of talent to meet future strategic needs (149). In organisations, were no formal system for movement exists, tactics for development could include making deals with other managers, influencing individual executives and counselling talented people to play a more active role in their own development (153). Yet another approach would be reengineering or corporate restructuring, presenting opportunity to redesign jobs without necessarily reassigning people (157). In conclusion, McCall underlines that people learn most by doing things they have never done before.

McCall defines three catalysts as the right kind of assistance for the learning efforts of leadership talent: 1) improvement of feedback, 2) provision of incentives and resources, 3) support of the change effort (181).

In his final chapter, McCall summarises the case for strategic executive development: 1) leadership makes a difference for the successful change of organisations, 2) leadership can not always be found or bought outside, 3) derailments are expensive and therefore should be avoided, 4) "survival of the fittest" is not the same as "survival of the best", meaning that leaving leadership development up to chance is foolish, 5) development cost are already sunk for the larger part, so at least the return on the investment should be sought for, 6) creating a learning environment is consistent with employee empowerment, 7) it is good business practice and good for stakeholder relations.

The book is certainly worth reading.

A strong argument overstretched.
Many celebrated leaders were high flyers. So was Icarus.

If experience teaches us anything, it's that we learn most effectively from experience. Such is the conclusion of Morgan McCall, whose years of work with leaders and organizations are encapsulated most recently in High Flyers. In McCall's view, leaders achieve success (and therefore promotion) because they have profited by experience, or at least proved themselves equipped to meet the challenges thrown at them. The emphasis here is on experience, not talent: although ability clearly plays a part in the ascent of the high flyer, it's the capacity and even eagerness to learn that distinguishes the eagle from the penguin.

Unfortunately, the shift from star-rise to nose-dive can strike even the highest flyer, and often does. Using extensive research and restrained gusto, McCall recounts cautionary tales of top corporate leaders, seemingly destined for greatness, who alarmingly and disastrously derailed. Initially successful for their track record, brilliance, commitment, charm, and/or ambition, these leaders were all perceived as having the "right stuff". However, as their power and authority increased, so did the importance of what McCall calls "the darker side of strengths", until - all too suddenly - the strengths became weaknesses, the arrogance and blind spots grew, the luck ended, and the house of cards came crashing down.

So what is to be done? McCall makes a persuasive case that if experience is the best teacher, then experience can be planned developmentally. In Chapters 3 and 4, the strongest of the book, he offers a series of figures and descriptions that identify (a) what makes an experience powerful, (b) which experiences can be planned as developmental interventions, and (c) how organizations can link their strategic intent to leadership challenges, and the challenges in turn to specific experiences for executive development. Here again McCall focuses on assignments, such as leading a turnaround, participating on an expansion team, or working for an effective leader several layers up. Training receives short shrift, other than the occasional passing reference to formal programs as substitutes for experiences that are unavailable or nonexistent. For the most part, leaders are made - not born - because their "talent [is] honed by experience over a long period." Give them the experience, create a learning culture, and the talented leaders will rise.

Assuming that you have identified the talent, of course. It's on this point that McCall himself derails, or switches to a slower and less certain track. The author dislikes and distrusts competencies; indeed, in referring to HR's over-hasty attempts to identify leadership talent, he asserts that "thus was ushered in the age of competencies, leadership development programs, and belief in miracles." Yet although he's correct that "end-state" competencies too often verge on the inflexible and vague, McCall ignores the potential of future-focused competencies and level-specific behavioral definitions. Furthermore, having denigrated leadership competency models, McCall falls back on nebulous notions of assessment that stress learning over performance and development over immediate results. But by admitting that (a) these notions differ merely in the competencies' orientation, (b) competency models provide the most consistent assessment criteria, and (c) competency-based assessments provide a progress report for development, McCall by book's end has gradually abandoned his stance in favor of inconclusive recommendations.

Ultimately, High Flyers poses a strong argument for planned, experience-based executive development. Other recommendations remain less clear, in part because McCall's "Prescriptive Matrix" appears in the last ten pages of the main text without room for full elucidation. One could wish that McCall had targeted his audience more precisely; for the relatively knowledgeable HR/OD professional, much of the second half of the book will tease rather than satisfy. But read High Flyers nonetheless, and use it to reexamine and reinvigorate the developmental path of your organization's leadership talent. Even better, give a copy to the reluctant senior executive who thinks leadership development is a waste of time. The research and business case will help you alarm, and even inspire. ... Read more

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, here are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe.

The latest thinking in the field of leadership is collected in this volume. With all-new articles published in the last three years and two articles from leadership guru, Daniel Goleman, this collection is a must have for CEOs and top level managers. The volume also pays special attention to leadership succession issues. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Given the Quality, an Exceptional Value
This is one in a series of volumes of articles which previously appeared in the Harvard Business Review. They offer direct and relatively inexpensive access to cutting-edge thinking on a major business subject. This volume provides eight essays, each preceded by an "Executive Summary." The first selection "What Makes a Leader?") was written by Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, Working with Emotional Intelligence, and the most recently published Primal Leadership. After years of wide and deep experience with all manner of executives, Goleman has found that "the most effective leaders are alike in one crucial way: they all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence [which Goleman asserts] is the sine qua non of leadership." He then identifies and briefly discusses what he calls "The Five Components of Emotional Intelligence at Work": Self-Awareness. Self-Regulation, motivation, empathy, and Social Skill." These are the titles and authors of the other seven essays:

"Narcissistic Leaders: The Incredible Pros, the Inevitable Cons" (Michael Maccoby)

"Leadership That Gets Results" (Goleman)

NOTE: Those especially interested in this subject are urged to check out Bossidy and Charan's Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done (June 2002).

"Getting the Attention You Need" (Thomas H. Davenport and John C. Beck)

NOTE: Davenport and Beck later developed their ideas in much greater depth in The Attention Economy.

"The Successor's Dilemma" Dan Ciampa and Michael Watkins)

"The Rise and Fall of the J. Peterman Company" (John Peterman)

NOTE: To "Seinfeld" fans, yes, he is that Peterman.

"Why Should Anyone Be Led by You?" (Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones)

"Leading Through Rough Times: An Interview with Novell's Eric Schmidt" (Bronwyn Fryer)

No brief commentary such as this can do full justice to the rigor and substance of the articles provided. It remains for each reader to examine the list to identify those subjects which are of greatest interest to her or him. My own opinion is that all of the articles are first-rate. A majority were later developed into books. For me, one of this volume's greatest benefits is derived from sharing a variety of perspectives provided by several different authorities on the same general subject. In terms of value, if all eight articles were purchased as an individual reprint, the total cost would be $56.00.

Some valuable insight
This book contains a collection of essays about the makings of a great leader. Some essays, particularly the one about emotional intelligence, I found invaluable. Others, were interesting, but not new news. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A 'must-read' for the whole family !!
"Generation to Generation", published by Harvard Business School Press, is an attempt to model how family businesses work in essence. The authors' research include interesting vignettes and 'lessons-learned' from a variety of families; how they achieved their goals, how they resolved conflicts between family members etc. Since the topic of family business in academics is fairly new, this book can be considered as one of the best in its field.

Important topics (such as succession, development stages and inter & intragenerational issues) are covered in detail to enlighten the reader. Contrasting viewpoints are also included to make the reader think for his or herself.

In general, the book is fairly easy to read since it explains the modeling theory with examples from numerous enterprises.
I strongly recommend it all who are destined to work in the complex system called family business.

Packed with Knowledge!
Most businesses in the world today are owned by families, but only a small percentage of these companies will survive and grow into major corporations. The unique challenges posed by family ownership can undermine even the best-performing small business, as issues of control and succession permeate the generations. In Generation to Generation, the authors apply the simple premise that managing a family-owned business to a large extent means managing the family itself. To that end, they provide a rich compendium of research and strategic suggestions for those charged with making a family business work, including the consultants who guide them. We from getAbstract highly recommend this book for these applicable measures and methods, which will help the performance of both business and family.

A perfect blend of theory and practice!
The authors effectively present a theoretical, as well as practical model of family business dynamics, incorporating the complexities of development over time. This book is a must-read to gain a deep understanding of families in business from the key perspectives of familiy, business, and ownership. Their use of case examples effectively illustrate the practical application and relevance of theory. To sum it up, it's steak AND sizzle!

An excellent book for anyone interested in family businesses
I think this is one of the best books available on family businesses! I found it insightful and informative. I think anyone interested in the subject should read this book. I strongly disagree with the review that describes this book as "too theoretical." I found it immensly practical.

Nice, but too theoretical
Provides a very thorough framework for understanding and theorizing about family owned / managed businesses. When the rubber meets the road, the book does not provide enough practical advice to be useful outside of business school. ... Read more

Book Description

Managers today are understandably skeptical of the promises of new technologies. During the 1990s, vendors of both enterprise applications and Internet platforms promised enormous benefits. Companies invested large sums, but the benefits either failed to materialize, or came at a high price. Managers sacrificed flexibility and struggled to collaborate with business partners—a crippling disadvantage in today’s marketplace.

Now, leading business strategist John Hagel III has a refreshing message for managers burned by over-hyped technologies, yet pressured to find innovative ways to deliver more value with fewer resources. He focuses on a new generation of technology—known as Web services. This technology connects existing IT platforms in more automated and flexible ways, leading to much lower operating costs.

The premise is practical and devoid of "change the world" promises. That very pragmatism, says Hagel, will drive enterprises to adopt it. In this book, he provides a clear view of the business implications of Web services: its distinct capabilities, its power to deliver near-term profits, and its potential to drive long-term growth.

Drawing from the experiences of pioneering adopters, Hagel shows how Web services will enable companies of all sizes to:

- Realize bottom-line savings quickly with modest investment

- Leverage investments in existing applications and create more flexibility

- Target specific areas for near-term cost reduction

- Establish—or leave—business relationships fluidly and inexpensively

- Create leveraged growth platforms for long-term competitiveness

A landmark book for CEOs, strategists, and IT managers, Out of the Box addresses near-term cost concerns and requirements for future success. As it discusses Web services, it provides deep insights into business strategy. At its core, this book tackles the most fundamental business issue facing managers today: how to continue to create value as competition intensifies. It also outlines innovative approaches to business process management and organization. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A different way of thinking about web services
If you're like me and spend a lot of time with techies and read lots of tech journals, you're well familar with the "nuts and bolts" of how web services work. "Out Of The Box", however, takes a decidedly different approach, exploring not only what web services are, but also how they came to be, and where they're going.

John Hagel's observations are generally high-level and strategic, exploring the ways that web services can change how businesses operate and interact with one another. Hegel's thesis is that web services have the power to transform the fundamental ways in which business is conducted, removing many of the barriers and problems in information management, and allowing business relationships to form and dissolve more rapidly than ever before. As a result, wholly new business models can emerge that allow businesses to respond to changes in customer preferences, compensate for new economic or political realities, and make continuous improvements in quality and value.

A highly readable work, just about the book's only weakness is that it is indeed based largely on conjecture, and the premise that today's web service protocols will form the foundation of long-term IT development. Anyone even remotely familiar with IT knows that change can be sudden and dramatic. However, Hagel presents a lot of sound and creative thinking that is especially helpful for an emerging technology such as web services.

"Out Of The Box" should be essential reading for any manager or executive whose job involves implementation of web services at any level. By contrast, techies will find this book sorely lacking in specifics. But that's okay, as there are a host of other books by O'Reilly and other technical publishers that do an excellent job of "drilling down" into the details of the technology.

Web Services... more spin and hype
John's book is very well written, and the subject matter is timely. But the fact remains that the content is a 200k foot vision. Web services is the next BUZZ and the hype machine is being driven by consultants, software vendors and authors (constantly looking to create case for change).

I have been in front of 30 of the Fortune 100 CIOs, and heavily involved in high tech initiatives. Few production operations do anything beyond traditional EDI, and file transfer. The case studies within this book (ex Dell and Cisco) are very mis-leading. In both cases the suppliers, CMs and 3PLs are largely (90%) translating EDI to hub specific XML formats. Which leads me to believe that: a) the execs at Cisco and Dell don't know what is going on, b) case studies are part of the hype, c) not properly interpreted.

Integration and exposing web services is too expensive, which is why few companies have sucessful hubs or service based architectures. This book confuses business strategy and software "mechanics". I would make the case that there are very few truly "new" things in software.

The connected business models which have matured are prospering in EDI particularly within Aerospace and Automotive. What "new" business models are supported by WebServices? What is the case for change from EDI? What is the cost of implenting now? The opportunity cost for waiting until they are packaged in latest version of ERP? ... Many questions that need to be answered.

If you are looking for a good vision book, on what is possible, then this is a very good book. However, there needs to be some critical mass of success stories before mainstream business starts to act on these ideas. As well as an assessment of cost.

I do agree with John that Business Strategy must be the driver. My question is why are we confusing the software mechanics of interaction with the strategy?

Tom Industry Analyst

Great intro to web services for non-techie
This book did the best job of anything I've read in describing what web services is, the history behind it and what it means for businesses.

Good start but just the beginning
As Hagel has done in his other books, he successfully synthesizes a signficant emerging trend into some provocative concepts and models. The three phases of restructuring, reduced cost of interaction, notions of loosely coupled process networks, unbundling/rebundling, etc. are all provocative and applicable concepts. There is much that I liked alot in this book and many new and interesting examples bring his ideas to life. I have already handed out over 50 copies of this books to friends and associates.

As with Hagel's other books, however, some of the concepts are taken too far almost to the point of being contrived...or to an unpractical level of abstraction. I think he actually could have left the almost "technical" explaination of the Web services grid out entirely. Components of the Web-services architecture don't tie to the rest of the book. A non-technical exec could skip/skim that chapter entirely and not miss much and still gain lot's from the book. Bottom line: Web-services (2nd Generation Web apps) facilitates easy connections between systems and building and extended real-time enterprise(big deal) but is still very much a work in progress...with lot's of value to be achieved today while remainder of grid is maturing.

I think there will be many more books written on this topic. The next logical one would examine and model the economics of process networks and rebundling while providing examples of rebundling and likely incorporate offshore/low-cost sourcing...and illustrate the practical tradeoffs, returnes, risks, against the existing human capital.

Great start!

Exciting Concept Which Could Overpromise
Out of the Box provides a visionary approach to the promises of this new web programming and architecture called web services. In the second chapter he warns the ready about the writing becoming technical challenging but does a fair job of bringing the technology to the beginner's level. Perhaps more business books should help executives understand Internet technology so that the complexity could be appreciated in a realistic light. As with many books which try to predict future trends in Internet technology in business, Hagel works from a limited number of examples and tends to overuse some. The main weakness of the book is what many who purchase IT consulting services understand too well - early applications of new technology can easily be overpromised and deliver disappointing or more costly results. However, the book's strength is its forward-looking application of a technology that does indeed have great potential. ... Read more

Book Description

As companies look for ways to unlock shareholder value, restore investor confidence, and adapt to uncertainty, the project portfolio is a smart place to look. Why? Because companies' project initiatives have grown faster than their ability to manage them-affecting the return on trillions of investment dollars while failing to prepare companies for today's unpredictable environment.

Connecting the Dots argues that the portfolio is a company's future currency-the truest measure of organizational intent. And the best way to leverage this currency is through greater alignment.

Simply put, alignment is about better matching the company's portfolio to its objectives and the uncertain environment. Connecting the Dots employs a practical, "play the hand you are holding" approach, providing a balance of concepts and roll-up-your-sleeves guidance on how to:

* Determine how well aligned-or misaligned-an organization is today