Four Strategic Imperatives of the New Economy.
The ideas and vision of Kenichi Ohmae will change the way managers and leaders view the world and their businesses, how they invent, commercialise, and compete.
During the past 15 years, civilisation has changed at an unprecedented rate - it's as if a new continent has been discovered and the impetus for exploration has come from business. The only difference is that the new continent - the new, interlinked, web-shaped economy of the 21st century - has no land. Yet its economic, political, social and business consequences are real.
The new and "invisible continent" where Microsoft's business far outweighs the GNP of most nations has been commented on, but until now the links between the forces that created it have not been explored or fully understood. Many recognise that the world has shifted, but still cannot operate effectively within it. Even great companies with roots in the old world, like General Electric and IBM, must explore the new continent if they want to grow. The Asian crisis was a vivid manifestation of both gold-rush optimism and head-in-the-sand pessimism resulting from a lack of understanding. Throughout the world decision makers are making choices based on now defunct geopolitcal sensibilities, often with devastating results.
Kenichi Ohmae provides solutions to successfully integrating the old and the new, and outlines strategies to settle the new continent by building "golden platforms" - standards and agreements that set its limits and structures.