Book Reviews

Don Tapscott, bestselling author of Paradigm Shift, The Digital Economy, and Growing Up Digital is arguably today's foremost expert on the topic of information technology.  Picking up where The Digital Economy left off, this groundbreaking new book provides a much-needed framework for understanding the digital revolution and the impact it is making on today's businesses.  Based on seminal research conducted by The Alliance for Converging Technologies, which brings together over 30 world-class organizations, Blueprint to the Digital Economy provides important insights into the emerging digital environment and how it is changing today's workplace.  Together with executives from the world's leading technology, manufacturing, services, and government organizations, Tapscott and co-editors Alex Lowy and David Ticoll unveil the latest and most exciting applications of network and multimedia technologies and the impact they are already having on the way we do business. Following Tapscott's introduction, each chapter of Blueprint is authored by a member of the Alliance, all senior strategists and CEOs from today's most influential businesses--companies such as General Motors; Hewlett-Packard, IBM, MCI and Nortel.   Each covers a core area of digital revolution, such as the transformation of financial services or the use of networks to improve organizational agility.  In doing so, each of these leaders presents a vision and strategy for growth into the 21st century, Blueprint is sure to become a major resource for managers seeking help in responding to the tremendous changes technology is imposing on their organizations.   From the bestselling author of The Digital Economy and Growing Up Digital--the definitive guide to succeeding in the digital age. Building on the message of Don Tapscott's highly successful book, The Digital Economy, Blueprint to the Digital Economy offers breakthrough insights and strategies designed to help today's businesses succeed in an emerging and highly competitive digital buisness environment.  Based on a multimillion-dollar series of research programs designed to investigate the Internet and its impact on business, the book brings together the best thinking and strategies of the world's leading technology, manufacturing, services, and government organizations.   Top executives at global corporations like General Motors, IBM, MCI, and Nortel offer provocative examples of how their businesses will use emerging networking and multimedia technologies to change the competitive stakes in their respective industries.   Blueprint to the Digital Economy delivers a wealth of powerful strategies to help any business transform digital promise into bottom-line reality.

Des Dearlove is no stranger to singing the praises of the corporate great and good.  As an author and journalist, Mr Dearlove has also undertaken a study of the mighty Bill Gates in the same BigShots series.  Here, as with Gates, a top businessman is anatomised through the medium of a business guide.   We are promised "10 secrets of the world's greatest brand-builder" but what we get is more hagiography than inside track.  This is somewhat surprising given the book's opening challenge, viz. do we "see him (Branson) as the bearded crusader or simply capitalism with a hairy face?"  After 160 pages of almost unadulterated praise, agreeing with the second statement might well be prosecutable under crimes against the state.  Mr Dearlove, you are well named indeed.

This book examines for the first time the impact of the electronic shopping revolution on the major retailers and manufacturers of today.  It identifies which companies will feel the greatest impact of the changes and how that will vary by industry sector.  It describes the strategic options available and how they can best be pursued and made successful.  It sets out a roadmap for retailers and manufacturers to think and plan their way through this new revolution and master the changing needs and expectations of the twenty-first century consumer.

"A leading authority, he's able to bridge the opportunites of tomorrow with the customer needs of today." - Paul Malschaert, Decision Support Manager Europe, Compaq.

Sometimes a single word can make the difference between a runaway success and sure-fire death wish.  Small, evocative, and extremely potent, the balance-tipper is the brand name.
And that’s good news.  Because it means that any size company with a fabulous brand name can leap ahead of the mega-corporations.  What’s even better news is that naming products doesn’t have to be a mysterious hit-or-miss proposition.   With Frank Delano’s masterful new guide, The Omnipowerful Brand, it’s a clear-cut science.
Delano is one of America’s top branding strategists and the creative genius behind such superstar names as Nissan’s "Pathfinder" sport utility vehicle, Pfizer’s "Zoloft" antidepressant, GMC’s "Yukon" utility truck, and "Primerica" financial services.  In this book he completely reveals -- for the first time -- the secrets to finding a winning name.
Step by meticulous step, Delano uncovers the seven proven principles and a breakthrough process for branding companies, products, services, or new business ventures.   Readers learn how to channel creativity into productive directions; measure the appropriateness of the names developed; evaluate names for use and availability; and more.