The Brand Mindset: Five Essential Strategies for Building Brand Advantage Throughout Your Company Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Brand Mindset: Five Essential Strategies for Building Brand Advantage Throughout Your Company? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Brand Mindset: Five Essential Strategies for Building Brand Advantage Throughout Your Company. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Brand Mindset: Five Essential Strategies for Building Brand Advantage Throughout Your Company ReviewBrand Mindset is an excellant book! Duane shares his insight and branding expertise in a very easy manner. Many business, and marketing books are "lecture focused", the written version of listen and dictation. Duane's Brand Mindset is written in a conversational manner. You feel included in a discussion, not just black & white text. The case studies used, help put the principles of each chapter into real life context. This book certainly belongs in the library of anyone interested in marketing, branding, or building a strong business. A very important book.The Brand Mindset: Five Essential Strategies for Building Brand Advantage Throughout Your Company OverviewHow Starbucks became Starbucks and other secrets of branding success. Aimed at managers, nt just marketers, a famed consultant presents a powerful prescription for understanding, building, and sustaining brand equity. Duane Knapp demonstrates, from a management perspective, why "a company's brand is the most valuable asset it can have." heshows how the very best practitioners - contemporary household names like Starbucks, Citicorp, Whirlpool, Lexus, Hallmark, and others - shrewdly develop and maintain their brands even in the face of ferocious competition.
Readers can assess and improve their own efforts by adopting Knapp's five proven components of the Brand Mindset that is for brand success: Make a promise to the consumer; make all decisions with the brand in mind; make sure the entire company supports the brand's message; make the brand bigger than the business, and build one specific image for the brand and stick with it always.

Want to learn more information about The Brand Mindset: Five Essential Strategies for Building Brand Advantage Throughout Your Company?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Japan's Software Factories: A Challenge to U.S. Management Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Japan's Software Factories: A Challenge to U.S. Management? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Japan's Software Factories: A Challenge to U.S. Management. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Japan's Software Factories: A Challenge to U.S. Management ReviewThis is one of the earliest in a series of books that Cusumano has written on software technology. In this book he cries "Wolf!": the Japanese are so much better at industrial strength software development than Americans, they have a "software factory", etc., etc.
In his subsequent books, especially those on Microsoft and Netscape, Cusumano slowly discovers that the traditional software development process, requirements/specifications/code, etc., e.g. the waterfall model, is *NOT* the model adopted by successful software companies (and, indeed, not the model adopted by many hardware companies). He learns that designs are not something to be churned out by a factory - indeed, if they can be churned out, then they should be reusing exactly the same software.
In some ways the packaged software industry, e.g. Microsoft, supplanted the custom software industry in this timeframe, the time of the PC; Microsoft's process, which Cusumano calls "synchronize and stabilize", may be considered to be JIT (Just In Time) software specification and development. Or, if not Just In Time, As Soon As Possible and No Earlier than Necessary.
While I cannot agree with the conclusions of this book, it is interesting to have on one's bookshelf, to see the evolution of the author's thought over time.Japan's Software Factories: A Challenge to U.S. Management OverviewThough Japan has successfully competed with U.S. companies in the manufacturing and marketing of computer hardware, it has been less successful in developing computer programs. This book contains the first detailed analysis of how Japanese firms have tried to redress this imbalance by applying their skills in engineering and production management to software development. Cusumano focuses on the creation of "software factories" in which large numbers of people are engaged in developing software in cooperative ways--i.e. individual programs are not developed in isolation but rather utilize portions of other programs already developed whenever possible, and then yield usable portions for other programs being written. Devoting chapters to working methods at System Developing Corp., Hitachi, Toshiba, NEC, and Fujitsu, and including a comparison of Japanese and U.S. software factories, Cusumano's book will be important reading for all people involved in software and computer technology, as well as those interested in Japanese business and corporate culture.

Want to learn more information about Japan's Software Factories: A Challenge to U.S. Management?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Web 2.0 and Beyond: Understanding the New Online Business Models, Trends, and Technologies Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Web 2.0 and Beyond: Understanding the New Online Business Models, Trends, and Technologies? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Web 2.0 and Beyond: Understanding the New Online Business Models, Trends, and Technologies. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Web 2.0 and Beyond: Understanding the New Online Business Models, Trends, and Technologies ReviewNow you may not know much about what is now called Web 2.0, if not then which planet have YOU been living on, but after reading this book you will know more then even that nerdy 16 year old next door.
Tom Funk jumps from topic to topic with the speed of a run-away broad-band connection yet seems to pull from each topic all that you would need to know to talk knowledgeably with your marketing director at work. He shows you case studies of how each area can and is utilized in real-world situations which is nice seeing as most of this stuff sounds like science fiction to the uninitiated.
Just looking at the Index will tell you that there is something different about this book. Starbucks is right next to Strategy Analytics and MMORPGs is next to Mobile Advertising. Huh? But that's not as important as knowing that you will learn how all these come together to get you up to speed in this ever changing world of Web 2.0.Web 2.0 and Beyond: Understanding the New Online Business Models, Trends, and Technologies Overview

Want to learn more information about Web 2.0 and Beyond: Understanding the New Online Business Models, Trends, and Technologies?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture ReviewThis should have a much snappier title to convey the usefulness and readability of what in other hands, can be a very dry subject. Kappelman brings out the important issues and ideas, and does it with some professional flair and personality, with input from some of the best in the field. This is an excellent overview of a complex subject. The starting roundtable synopsis sets the stage, and your brain, for the content that follows. A very useful work for bringing these ideas into management discussions and practice.The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture OverviewEnterprise architecture is leading IT's way to the executive boardroom, as CIOs are now taking their place at the management table. Organizations investing their time, money, and talent in enterprise architecture (EA) have realized significant process improvement and competitive advantage. However, as these organizations discovered, it is one thing to acquire a game-changing technology but quite another to discover ways to use it well.A project of the Society for Information Management's Enterprise Architecture Working Group and edited by Leon A. Kappelman, The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture provides insights from leading authorities on EA, including John Zachman, Larry DeBoever, George Paras, Jeanne Ross, and Randy Hite. The book supplies a solid understanding of key concepts for effectively leveraging EA to redesign business processes, integrate services, and become an Information Age enterprise. Beginning with a look at current theory and frameworks, the book discusses the practical application of enterprise architecture and includes a wealth of best practices, resources, and references. It contains the SIM survey of IT organizations' EA activities, which provides important metrics for evaluating progress and success. Successful businesses exploit synergy among business functions and push the boundaries of process design. IT's cross-functional position uniquely qualifies it to lead process innovation. EA lets CIOs integrate technology with business vision and is the roadmap for implementing new systems, changing behavior, and driving value. This book explores the vision, foundation, and enabling technology required to successfully transform organizations with enterprise architecture.

Want to learn more information about The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Creative Genius: An Innovation Guide for Business Leaders, Border Crossers and Game Changers Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Creative Genius: An Innovation Guide for Business Leaders, Border Crossers and Game Changers? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Creative Genius: An Innovation Guide for Business Leaders, Border Crossers and Game Changers. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Creative Genius: An Innovation Guide for Business Leaders, Border Crossers and Game Changers ReviewCREATIVE GENIUS: AN INNOVATION GUIDE FOR BUSINESS LEADERS, BORDER CROSSERS AND GAME CHANGERS provides a key to new ideas, technologies and directions and offers business leaders ideas for exploring creative places to further business. It introduces the Genius Lab, offering practice tools to locate these potentials and ensure best solutions from strategies of innovative companies from Apple to Samsung and IDEO. The concept of 'innovation drivers' is often talked about in business books, but this uses specifics and exercises on how to actually recognize - and act upon - the 'bigger picture', and is a pick for any innovation-oriented business collection!Creative Genius: An Innovation Guide for Business Leaders, Border Crossers and Game Changers OverviewTime and space. Genetics and robotics. Education and fashion. Possibilities limited only by our imaginations. The future is yours to create. Could you be the Leonardo da Vinci of our times?
Most ideas are incremental, quickly copied and suffocated by conventions. "Future back" thinking starts with stretching possibilities then makes them a reality "now forward". The best ideas emerge by seeing what everyone has seen, and thinking like nobody else. Newness occurs in the margins not the mainstream. Solutions emerge through powerful fusions of the best ideas into practical, useful concepts. Creative people rise up. Visionaries, border crossers and game changers. Engage your right brain, open your eyes, think more holistically... intuition rules.
From Apple to Blackberry, GE to Google, innovative companies stand out from the crowd not so much for their exceptional products, despite what one might assume, but for the way they challenge conventions, redefine markets, and change consumer expectations. Apple didn't just create the iPod; it envisioned the future of music and then made a product to service that future. And the same holds true for every highly innovative company. In Creative Genius, Peter Fisk presents ten tracks for innovation and provides business blueprints for making that innovation happen.Creative Genius is inspired by the imagination and perspective of Leonardo da Vinci, in order to drive creativity, design and innovation in more radical and powerful ways. It includes practical tools ranging from scenario planning and context reframing to accelerated innovation and market entry, plus 50 tracks, 25 tools, and 50 inspiring case studies.
Creative Genius is "the best and last" in the Genius series by bestselling author Peter Fisk. Others include Business Genius, Marketing Genius and Customer Genius.

Want to learn more information about Creative Genius: An Innovation Guide for Business Leaders, Border Crossers and Game Changers?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers ReviewI have long understood the importance of putting customer desire up front when developing new products. "Built to Love" has given me several new tools to help capture and ponder what our customers might respond to. More importantly, the book has given us a better way to TALK about how our designs will be experienced by the user and what we might change to heighten that experience. Excellent examples from across a wide range of products give the reader a way to personalize the material.
"Built to Love" is that rare business book that offers insights and techniques that can be applied immediately.Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers Overview

Built to Love reveals how companies can create captivating products that energize the marketplace and set the standard for what customers want and expect. Firms often hope the answer is to produce the latest high technology devices – only to find that they fail to light up the marketplace. Or firms rely on ads that overstate or mislead, leaving the customer disappointed and disillusioned. Instead, a deeper emotional engagement between the customer and product is required, regardless of whether the products are physical products, services, technologies, software, systems, or brands.

Using a combination of industry-based research and laboratory experiments, the authors demonstrate that customers will richly pay for products that authentically provide emotional fulfillment. They uncover the science behind successful products that create an avid and loyal following, and they present evidence that product emotions increase a product's success in the marketplace as well as a firm's success in the stock market (even when the economy is down!).

A practical how-to guide, the book next shows how to analyze customers' emotional needs and translate those needs into features that galvanize customers. Throughout, the book uses revealing case studies that show how to energize customers in both consumer and business-to-business worlds, in both large and small firms.


Want to learn more information about Built to Love: Creating Products That Captivate Customers?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Staying Power: Six Enduring Principles for Managing Strategy and Innovation in an Uncertain World (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Staying Power: Six Enduring Principles for Managing Strategy and Innovation in an Uncertain World (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Staying Power: Six Enduring Principles for Managing Strategy and Innovation in an Uncertain World (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Staying Power: Six Enduring Principles for Managing Strategy and Innovation in an Uncertain World (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies) ReviewProfessor Cusumano's "Staying Power" is a major contribution in the field of business strategy.
I am in the business of technology and management strategy consulting and think his ideas have enormous value to any executive grappling with the implications and opportunities of cloud-computing enabled business. His six principles are easy to grasp. They are deceptively simple and are particularly powerful in a commercial and public sector business climate of austerity where new business models are emerging that will fuel our next growth cycle, but are disrupting incumbents. The introduction of cloud computing is beginning to have a disruptive effect on a wide range of business. Living through that disruption in day-to-day business can make it hard to see the bigger patterns at play and think through what the future state will look like. Professor Cusumano's elaboration of the platform/complementer services model with his excellent historical context and current market analysis makes it much clearer where we are headed in my industry and to seize emerging opportunities.
I purchased the book based on an Amazon recommendation and I am very grateful I did. The book is written in a more academic style than is typical of the more popular style business and management books. In fact, I picked it up and sat it down several times before committing to the book. It is not a book designed to skim. It requires concentration and focus to understand how Professor Cusumano has reached the conclusions he has. His ability to characterize the current disruptive innovation cycle in the information technology business using his analysis of the history of both the information technology and automotive industry is excellent. It is a fascinating story leading up to today's new business models.
Once I started really focusing on the book, I could not put it down. My copy is full of highlighter pen marks and 3M stickers. Kudos to Professor Cusumano for a valuable tool for business executives trying to figure out how to proactively take advantage of the cloud-enabled business models that are emerging. I hope that he extends this work with additional video and supplementary blog or presentation materials to continue to expand on his ideas and share more examples of the ideas in action. I have already begun converting his ideas into execution in my business.Staying Power: Six Enduring Principles for Managing Strategy and Innovation in an Uncertain World (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies) OverviewBusiness news tends to focus on the travails of a handful of giants: Apple's iPad, the Toyota recall, the controversy over Google's book-digitization program. Whatever the day's headlines, though, most of these firms have been there before--up and down, written off and overpraised--yet they endured and triumphed. What is their secret? What is it that has lifted them to preeminence and allowed them to come out of each crisis stronger than before?In Staying Power, Michael A. Cusumano provides the answers. A bestselling business author and leading scholar, Cusumano has spent a quarter of a century studying the world's most successful companies--many of them from the inside, by serving as an advisor to more than one hundred firms. He identifies six critical principles that have driven the success of today's foremost companies, including Google, Intel, Apple, JVC, Toyota, and Microsoft. He argues that companies today must develop distinctive organizational capabilities, not just business strategies; focus on platforms and services, not just products; pull information from the market, responding to real-time changes in demand and competitive conditions, and not just push products out; achieve economies of scope, not just scale, by creating efficiencies across all a firm's activities; and acquire flexibility, in addition to efficiency, to quickly adapt to a volatile marketplace. Drawing on real-life examples, he illustrates how the best companies put these principles into practice, identifying precisely how these ideas have lead to concrete success time after time.Business books, the author notes, often promote short-lived fads in management thinking. But Staying Power is different. Written by a bestselling international expert, this book focuses on lasting success, analyzing the fundamental elements common to the leading competitors in the world today.

Want to learn more information about Staying Power: Six Enduring Principles for Managing Strategy and Innovation in an Uncertain World (Clarendon Lectures in Management Studies)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Motivate Like a CEO: Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Motivate Like a CEO: Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Motivate Like a CEO: Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Motivate Like a CEO: Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act ReviewI figured since I am a CEO, I should figure out how to motivate like a CEO so I read the book called, "Motivate Like A CEO Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act!" by Suzanne Bates.
The first chapter resonated a lot with me. The gist of the message is summarized by one of the quotes, "Purpose is necessary, critical to a happy, healthy, and successful life". The message is that purpose is essential for motivation. The challenge is that people are motivated by different things. People work for a pay cheque but they live for a purpose. The first step in leading an organization is to be in touch with your own purpose.
The second chapter talks about the eight principles of motivating others through communication. In her previous book, Bates wrote "Speaking Like a CEO" and much of her topic was on communications. This book further re-emphasizes that with eight principles which include:
1) Begins with you -- your purpose and passion.
2) Communicate a clear powerful mission.
3) Learn what motivates people.
4) Make personal connections with others.
5) Make the conversation about them (like Stephen Covey's first law -- Seek first to understand).
6) Praise recognize and reward.
7) Walk the talk.
8) Empower people (I am big on this one. I don't believe any organization is scaleable unless people are empowered to do the right thing). Any leader is very limited if they expect to control and do everything themselves.
The book has exercises on how to discover your purpose; how to connect with people to purpose; link the what with the why, etc.
The book absolutely needs to be written. It is clear that good leaders need to inspire people and the book gives a lot of the reasons why they need to be inspired and some examples on how some people were inspired. I think in some cases it is harder to put into action some of the ideas in real-life.
I found the book to be an easy read and very well laid out. I like the summaries at the end of the chapters and you could read just the insert boxes to understand the book.
It is a good, well written book for any leader.
Motivate Like a CEO: Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act Overview
"An exciting read, you won't want to put Motivate Like a CEO down until you've mastered all of its secrets!"Marshall Goldsmith, New York Times bestselling author of What Got You Here Won't Get You There

"Motivated leaders are rare, yet everyone seeks to become one. The greatness of this book is that it breaks down the process by giving you the ideas and the tools to motivate and inspire yourself first, and then others second. If you're in a leadership position or hoping to get to the next level, make the decision to buy this book, study this book, and put it into practice."-Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Little Red Book of Selling
The most successful leaders seem to possess a remarkable gift for inspiring and motivating people. They are not only hard workers who possess great business minds; they rally others to drive forward with a powerful, common vision. Motivate Like a CEO demonstrates how leaders at every level can develop this skill and use it to bring their teams together around a common purpose.

In this follow-up to her bestselling Speak Like a CEO, Suzanne Bates explains how you can become a powerful force of influence within your organization and position your company for greatness. You'll learn how to translate simple, effective concepts into brilliant execution; get people working together on the highest priorities; and align warring factions to channel energy into the efforts that make your company profitable.

Inside, you'll discover secrets to generate excitement all the way down the line to achieve superior results. Real-world stories of leaders who have transformed their organizations will inspire you to move your own organization to a position of strength. And, you'll find helpful, easy-to-follow advice on how to communicate ina way that inspires people to act.

Motivate Like a CEO teaches you how to:
Inspire people to embrace and share your vision
Speak with energy and confidence in tough situations
Turn challenges into opportunities
Get your team engaged, in the loop, and tracking real results
Make time in your schedule for sharing your message of motivation throughout your company

Even a well-positioned, strategically sound company will fail if its messages and focus are not clear. Successful leaders must be able to move the strategic plan from words on paper into the hearts and minds of the people who make it happen.

Motivate Like a CEO can help you significantly improve bottom line results, create a happier, more unified team of people, and allow you to leave a legacy of leadership.


Want to learn more information about Motivate Like a CEO: Communicate Your Strategic Vision and Inspire People to Act?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Future of Competition: Co-Creating Unique Value With Customers Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Future of Competition: Co-Creating Unique Value With Customers? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Future of Competition: Co-Creating Unique Value With Customers. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Future of Competition: Co-Creating Unique Value With Customers ReviewThe future is here. Competition is getting tougher and customers are more difficult to please. On the other hand everything is connected, objects are embedded with sensors and software and information flows instantly to all corners of the world , thanks to the communications revolution. This book essentially looks at a networked world where customers and companies are inseparable and are constantly in interaction. In this paradigm, the framework of DART - Dialogue, Access, Risk Assessment and Transparency is introduced and the book proceeds to explain each of these in detail.
The word Co-creation will get included in your daily vocabulary sooner than you expect. Lots of diagrams and case studies are thrown into every chapter. But frankly, there is no concept that is radically different from some of the pioneering works on similar topics already published. To list a few :
-Customer.Com by Particia Seybold
-How to Grow when Markets Don't by Adrian Slywotzky
-The Innovator's solution by Clayton Christensen
-Adapt or Die : Turning your Supply Chain into an Adaptive Business Network by Bob Betts , Claus Heinrich
-Experimentation Matters: Unlocking the Potential of New Technologies for Innovation by Stephen Thomke
-Priceless: Turning Ordinary Products into Extraordinary Experiences by Diana Lasalle, Terry A. Britton
-The Agenda: What Every Business must do to Dominate the Decade by Michael Hammer
Most of the case studies in this book are repetitions from these or are similar in concepts or processes in creating value for ( or along with) the customer. The authors have duly acknowledged and referred to an elaborate list of books and articles under "Aids to Exploration". But my point is that after going through some of the key works listed above, this book fails to impress on originality.
Towards the end of the book, Knowledge Management is brought in as one of the strategic tools that can be integrated into the co-creation framework.
It is certainly interesting to go through the book though it is a combination of old ideas in a new packaging. Young MBAs will find lots of new jargon that can be put to profitable use in job interviews.The Future of Competition: Co-Creating Unique Value With Customers Overview

Want to learn more information about The Future of Competition: Co-Creating Unique Value With Customers?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Business of Software: What Every Manager, Programmer, and Entrepreneur Must Know to Thrive and Survive in Good Times and Bad Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Business of Software: What Every Manager, Programmer, and Entrepreneur Must Know to Thrive and Survive in Good Times and Bad? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Business of Software: What Every Manager, Programmer, and Entrepreneur Must Know to Thrive and Survive in Good Times and Bad. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Business of Software: What Every Manager, Programmer, and Entrepreneur Must Know to Thrive and Survive in Good Times and Bad Review---> To swing for the fence, entrepreneurs must avoid the shark-infested red water and sail into the deep blue sea.
If you're even thinking of creating a software startup, I highly recommend you read The Business of Software as soon as possible. Doing so will save you much pain and suffering from senseless mistakes. When there is such a large body of existing knowledge, there is no cause for trial and error mentality. There's plenty of other opportunities for trailblazing. Read this book as a bare minimum before starting your venture.
Cusumano, offers an in depth study of what it takes to succeed in software. Of particular value are critical questions to contemplate:
1) Do you want to be mainly a Products company, or a Services company?
2) Do you want to sell to Individuals, or Enterprises | Mass market, or Niche market?
3) How horizontal (broad) or vertical (specialized)is your product or service?
4) Can you generate a recurring revenue stream that will endure both good and bad times?
5) Will you target mainstream customers, or do you have a plan to avoid the chasm?
6) Do you plan on being a Leader, Follower, or Complementor?
7) What kind of character do you want your company to have?
Cusumano also offers eight Critical Success Factors that are necessary for Software Start-ups to succeed as a business and raise investor money:
1) Strong Management Team
2) An Attractive Market
3) A Compelling New Product, Service, or Hybrid Solution
4) Strong evidence of Customer Interest
5) A Plan to Overcome the "Credibility Gap"
6) A Business Model Showing Early Growth and Profit Potential
7) Flexibility in Strategy and Product Offerings
8) The Potential for Large Payoff to Investors
Don't reinvent the wheel. Read this book as soon as possible, preferably "before" you create that software venture you so boldly dreamed.
Michael Davis, ByvationThe Business of Software: What Every Manager, Programmer, and Entrepreneur Must Know to Thrive and Survive in Good Times and Bad OverviewThe world's leading expert on the global software industry and coauthor of the bestseller Microsoft Secrets reveals the inner workings of software giants like IBM, Microsoft, and Netscape and shows what it takes to create, develop, and manage a successful company -- in good times and bad -- in the most fiercely competitive business in the world. In the $600 billion software industry it is the business, not the technology, that determines success or failure. This fact -- one that thousands of once glamorous start-ups have unhappily discovered for themselves -- is the well-documented conclusion of this enormously readable and revealing new book by Michael Cusumano, based on nearly twenty years of research and consulting with software producers around the world. Cusumano builds on dozens of personal experiences and case studies to show how issues of strategy and organization are irrevocably linked with those of managing the technology and demonstrates that a thorough understanding of these issues is vital to success. At the heart of the book Cusumano poses seven questions that underpin a three-pronged management framework. He argues that companies must adopt one of three basic business models: become a products company at one end of the strategic spectrum, a services company at the other end, or a hybrid solutions company in between. The author describes the characteristics of the different models, evaluates their strengths and weaknesses, and shows how each is more or less appropriate for different stages in the evolution of a business as well as in good versus bad economic times. Readers will also find invaluable Cusumano's treatment of software development issues ranging from architecture and teams to project management and testing, as well as two chapters devoted to what it takes to create a successful software start-up. Highlights include eight fundamental guidelines for evaluating potential software winners and Cusumano's probing analysis, based on firsthand knowledge, of ten start-ups that have met with varying degrees of success. The Business of Software is timely essential reading for managers, programmers, entrepreneurs, and others who follow the global software industry.

Want to learn more information about The Business of Software: What Every Manager, Programmer, and Entrepreneur Must Know to Thrive and Survive in Good Times and Bad?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Leading Organization Design: How to Make Organization Design Decisions to Drive the Results You Want Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Leading Organization Design: How to Make Organization Design Decisions to Drive the Results You Want? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Leading Organization Design: How to Make Organization Design Decisions to Drive the Results You Want. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Leading Organization Design: How to Make Organization Design Decisions to Drive the Results You Want ReviewThis is an extremely insightful and highly useful guide for designing organizations prepared to succeed in today's competitive marketplace. I was expecting a ten thousand foot, theoretical examination of necessary constructs and thought parameters, but instead found something very different and refreshing. While Kesler and Kates' book is well researched and thoughtful, it also provides an experience and example-based road map that is both logical and clear. The authors present a planning and implementation guide that specifically outlines participation, tasks and milestones. Want to design an organization that is customer focused, efficient, scalable, and achieves results? This book is not only a must-read, it's a must follow.Leading Organization Design: How to Make Organization Design Decisions to Drive the Results You Want Overview
Praise for Leading Organization Design

"Designing organizations for performance can be a daunting task. Kesler and Kates have done an admirable job distilling the inherent complexity of the design process into manageable parts that can yield tangible results. Leading Organization Design provides an essential hands-on roadmap for any business leader who wants to master this topic." -Robert Simons, Charles M. Williams Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
"Kesler and Kates have encapsulated their wealth of knowledge and practical experience into an updated model on organizational design that will become a new primer on the subject." -Neville Isdell, retired chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company
"In today's world of global business, organizational design is a critical piece of long-term success. Kesler and Kates have captured multiple approaches to optimize global opportunities, while highlighting some of the keys to managing through organizational transition. A great read for today's global business leaders." -Charles Denson, president, Nike Brand
"Leading Organization Design has some unique features that make it valuable. It is one of the few and certainly only recent books to take us through an explicit process to design modern organizations. This is accomplished with the five-milestone process. The process is not a simple cookbook. Indeed, the authors have achieved a balance between process and content. In so doing, Kesler and Kates show us what to do as well as how to do it."-Jay Galbraith, from the Foreword
"Sheds light on the challenges of organization design in a complex enterprise and more importantly provides aninsightful and practical roadmap for business decisions."-Randy MacDonald, SVP, human resources, IBM

Want to learn more information about Leading Organization Design: How to Make Organization Design Decisions to Drive the Results You Want?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Innovation Happens Elsewhere: Open Source as Business Strategy Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Innovation Happens Elsewhere: Open Source as Business Strategy? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Innovation Happens Elsewhere: Open Source as Business Strategy. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Innovation Happens Elsewhere: Open Source as Business Strategy ReviewThe authoors have made this book available for reading online under a creative commons license at:
http://dreamsongs.com/IHE/IHE.html
This is very generous of the authors and thankfully is happening more and more with FOSS related books. - see Karl Fogels "Producing Open source" or Lessigs "Free Culture".
By all means buy the hardcopy if you like the online version. Personally I'm more likely to want to support an author who is good enough to make the material available online.Innovation Happens Elsewhere: Open Source as Business Strategy Overview

Want to learn more information about Innovation Happens Elsewhere: Open Source as Business Strategy?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Analysis Without Paralysis: 10 Tools to Make Better Strategic Decisions Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Analysis Without Paralysis: 10 Tools to Make Better Strategic Decisions? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Analysis Without Paralysis: 10 Tools to Make Better Strategic Decisions. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Analysis Without Paralysis: 10 Tools to Make Better Strategic Decisions Review'Analysis without Paralysis: 10 Tools to Make Better Strategic Decisions', by Babette Bensoussan & Craig Fleisher;
I reckon, to complete the strategy repertoire of a 21st century manager in today's competitive marketspace, & to serve as quick handy references to a broad spectrum of tools, strategies & tips, there are only two books that really stand out in the field of business (BI)/competitive (CI)/strategic intelligence (SI).
They are actually compendiums, as follows:

1) 'Strategic and Competitive Analysis: Methods & Techniques for Analyzing Business Competition' (published in 2002), by Craig Fleisher & Babette Bensoussan;
I recap its content tapestry as follows:
PART 1. ANALYSIS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE AND STRATEGY:
1. The Strategy & CI Process.
2. Analysis & Its Pitfalls.
3. The FAROUT System.
PART 2. THE TECHNIQUES OF STRATEGY & COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS:
Section 1. Strategic Analytical Techniques:
4. BCG Growth/Share Portfolio Matrix.
5. GE Business Screen Matrix.
6. Industry Analysis.
7. Strategic Group Analysis.
8. SWOT Analysis.
9. Value Chain Analysis.
Section 2. Competitive and Customer Analysis Techniques:
10. Blindspot Analysis.
11. Competitor Analysis.
12. Customer Segmentation Analysis.
13. Customer Value Analysis.
14. Functional Capability & Resource Analysis.
15. Management Profiling.
Section 3. Environmental Analysis Techniques:
16. Issue Analysis.
17. Macro-environmental (STEEP) Analysis.
18. Scenario Analysis.
19. Stakeholder Analysis.
Section 4. Evolutionary Analysis Techniques:
20. Experience Curve Analysis.
21. Growth Vector Analysis.
22. Patent Analysis.
23. Product Life Cycle Analysis.
24. S-Curve (Technology Life Cycle) Analysis.
Section 5. Financial Analysis Techniques:
25. Financial Ratio & Statement Analysis.
26. Strategic Funds Programming.
27. Sustainable Growth Rate Analysis.Index.

2) 'Business & Competitive Analysis: Effective Application of New & Classic Methods' (published in 2007), by Craig Fleisher & Babette Bensoussan;
I recap its content tapestry as follows:
1. Business and Competitive Analysis: Definition, Context, & Benefits
2. Performing the Analysis Process
3. Avoiding Analysis Pitfalls
4. Communicating Analysis Results
5. Applying the FAROUT method
6. Industry Analysis (The Nine Forces)
7. Competitive Positioning Analysis
8. Business Model Analysis
9. SERVO Analysis
10. Supply Chain Management (SCM) Analysis
11. Benchmarking Analysis
12. McKinsey 7S Analysis
13. Shadowing
14. Product Line Analysis
15. Win/Loss Analysis
16. Strategic Relationship Analysis
17. Corporate Reputation Analysis
18. Critical Success Factors Analysis
19. Country Risk Analysis
20. Driving Forces Analysis
21. Event and Timeline Analysis
22. Technology Forecasting
23. War Gaming
24. Indications & Warning Analysis
25. Historiographical Analysis
26. Interpretation of Statistical Analysis
27. Competitor Cash Flow Analysis
28. Analysis of Competing Hypothesis
29. Linchpin Analysis
Combined, both compendiums discussed, compared, analysed & evaluated, with a seemingly strong bias towards application, almost 50 classic & popular contemporary tools & strategies in the BI/CI/SI field.
The two authors have apparently selected them out of 300 using their own prioritisation scheme to evaluate. [More information about the prioritisation can be found on the authors' weblog on Amazon.]
For each tool, the authors, backed with their own impeccable credentials in the BI/CI/SI arena, have presented clear descriptions, step-by-step instructions, & case study examples. For me, I have been quite impressed by their systematic & rigorous treatment.
Frankly, the first time I had encountered the authors' debut book (1), my managerial mind was blown as I have had real-world experiences with only a limited number of the tools & strategies, namely SWOT, STEEP/PEST Analyses, & GE's Nine Block Matrix (an adaptation of BCG's), plus strategic issues management.

Recently, I have acquired & read the authors' latest book (3), 'Analysis Without Paralysis: 10 Tools to Make Better Strategic Decisions', published in 2008.
I knew prior to my requisition that this book didn't offer new or fresh perspectives, but I had wanted to keep it as a memento, since I had really enjoyed the authors' earlier work.
For reader's benefit, I recap its content tapestry as follows:
Part I Introduction 1:
Chapter 1 Business Management & the Role of Analysis
Chapter 2 The Analysis Process
Part II Analysis Tools:
Chapter 3 BCG Growth/Share Portfolio Matrix
Chapter 4 Competitor Analysis
Chapter 5 Financial Ratio & Statement Analysis
Chapter 6 Five Forces Industry Analysis
Chapter 7 Issue Analysis
Chapter 8 Political Risk Analysis
Chapter 9 Scenario Analysis
Chapter 10 Macro-environmental (STEEP/PEST) Analysis
Chapter 11 SWOT Analysis
Chapter 12 Value Chain Analysis
All I can say about this book (3) is that it's a cannibalised version of the authors' earlier works, with only 10 selected tools & strategies, out of about 50.
If you have acquired the author's earlier masterpieces, then this book (3) is likely to be a redundant copy, unless of course if you are, just like me, want to have it as a memento.
If you want to access the authors' complete thoughtwares in the field of BI/CI/SI, I suggest getting the authors' two earlier books (1 & 2) as mentioned above. They may be pricey, but they are definitely worth the limited shelf space on your managerial bookshelf.
Reviewed by Lee Say Keng, Knowledge Adventurer & Technology Explorer, November 2008Analysis Without Paralysis: 10 Tools to Make Better Strategic Decisions OverviewIf you're a manager or business owner, you need tools to make better decisions--about business strategy, marketing, competition, positioning, product development, and much more. In Analysis Without Paralysis, two renowned experts on business analysis and strategy bring you those tools, in plain English! Babette Bensoussan and Craig Fleisher teach you exactly what you need to know, without dragging you through unnecessarily complex concepts or advanced mathematics. They start with a practical, realistic introduction to the analysis process; then they walk you through ten core sets of analysis techniques that every manager can use effectively. You'll master classic techniques like SWOT analysis and Porter's Five Forces, in addition to the latest approaches to competitor, financial, issue, and value chain analysis. Next, Bensoussan and Fleisher guide you through analyzing the global social, political, and macroenvironmental challenges that will increasingly shape the future of your business. For each tool, the authors present clear descriptions, context, rationales, strengths, weaknesses, step-by-step instructions, and case study examples. The result: a book you can rely on to address your strategic and business challenges--whatever your role, experience, industry, or environment.Don't just collect data--use it for competitive advantageUncover correlations, assess trends, identify performance gaps, and identify your best opportunities

Want to learn more information about Analysis Without Paralysis: 10 Tools to Make Better Strategic Decisions?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Toolkit for Managers (Columbia Business School Publishing) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Toolkit for Managers (Columbia Business School Publishing)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Toolkit for Managers (Columbia Business School Publishing). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Toolkit for Managers (Columbia Business School Publishing) ReviewThere has been a veritable onslaught of strategy and business 'design' literature published in the past few years. Most of it is interesting but falls into one of two traps: either it's too theoretical to put into action, or it's directed to a choir of the design-familiar and leaves everyone else behind. Liedtka and Ogilvie break the mold with their new book, providing a framework and a tool kit to help almost anyone with interest and motivation explore the power of design thinking.
It starts with a relatively simple point. Most of the time, most of the world sees the design process as messy and unpredictable and nonlinear and twisted and terribly inefficient. In many organizations, that's why design is often considered a black box so impenetrable that it's outsourced to marketers, product developers, and, well, designers. Liedtka and Ogilvie take the mess and unbundle it all into a four-phase, 10-step framework that starts to look more like a process that individuals and organizations can learn and replicate.
While the steps are somewhat familiar, the recommended approaches in each phase sound reasonable but are more challenging for most people to put into practice. (Try explaining to a typical business planner that you're going to generate new business offerings based on research you conduct with a dozen or so customers, and you'll see what I mean.) Lucky for all of us, Designing for Growth provides concrete tools and step-by-step instructions and plenty of real-life examples for each step of the journey so that there's sufficient structure to help the reader navigate the discomfort of trying something new.
I've been fortunate enough to collaborate with Liedtka and she's fond of saying that she's not a designer, and that if she and her faculty colleagues can make good use of the Designing for Growth tools then anyone can. Having watched her in action, I'd say she's more of a designer than she'd like to admit, though perhaps not in a traditional sense. Because for me -- and as illustrated throughout Designing for Growth -- being a designer isn't about being artistic or clever or even all that creative. Being a designer is about approaching a complex problem with curiosity and empathy and patience and then having the discipline to explore many possible answers before selecting a path forward. This book helps bring out that design thinker in each of us.Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Toolkit for Managers (Columbia Business School Publishing) OverviewJeanne Liedtka and Tim Ogilvie educate readers in one of the hottest trends in business: "design thinking," or the ability to turn abstract ideas into practical applications for maximal business growth. Liedtka and Ogilvie cover the mind-set, techniques, and vocabulary of design thinking, unpack the mysterious connection between design and growth, and teach managers in a straightforward way how to exploit design's exciting potential. Exemplified by Apple and the success of its elegant products and cultivated by high-profile design firms such as IDEO, design thinking unlocks creative right-brain capabilities to solve a range of problems. This approach has become a necessary component of successful business practice, helping managers turn abstract concepts into everyday tools that grow business while minimizing risk. (9/7/11)

Want to learn more information about Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Toolkit for Managers (Columbia Business School Publishing)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams ReviewTerry takes a novel look at project management and delivers a book that provides a comprehensive approach to applying the principles of project theory across many industries. The importance of addressing projects from a strategic perspective, something most organizations fail to consider, is clearly demonstrated. The author does an excellent job in detailing a proven approach to completing simple and complex projects, along with showing the importance of managing the strategic action cycle and people dynamics. The Logical Framework, Systems Thinking Theory, the Four Critical Questions, and the Cycle-Logical Approach are clearly described and laid out in a manner that executives, functional management, and project managers at all maturity levels can find immediately useful. Terry provides a very structured yet practical and flexible way to improve project portfolio management. If you follow the steps outlined in this text, your ability to align project activities with higher-level goals and objectives will increase substantially. A wealth of tips, tools, resources, and helpful case studies are given throughout the book. If you see the need for a more structured project management approach, one that will reflect the mission of your organization, department, or personal life, then this book needs to be one of your most often referenced resources.Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams OverviewWhen Fortune Magazine estimated that 70% of all strategies fail, it also noted that most of these strategies were basically sound, but could not be executed. The central premise of Strategic Project Management Made Simple is that most projects and strategies never get off the ground because of adhoc, haphazard, and obsolete methods used to turn their ideas into coherent and actionable plans. Strategic Project Management Made Simple is the first book to couple a step-by-step process with an interactive thinking tool that takes a strategic approach to designing projects and action initiatives. Strategic Project Management Made Simple builds a solid platform upon four critical questions that are vital for teams to intelligently answer in order to create their own strong, strategic foundation. These questions are:1. What are we trying to accomplish and why?2. How will we measure success?3. What other conditions must exist?4. How do we get there?This fresh approach begins with clearly understanding the what and why of a project - comprehending the bigger picture goals that are often given only lip service or cursory reviews. The second and third questions clarify success measures and identify the risky assumptions that can later cause pain if not spotted early. The how questions - what are the activities, budgets, and schedules - comes last in our four-question system. By contrast, most project approaches prematurely concentrate on the how without first adequately addressing the three other questions. These four questions guide readers into fleshing out a simple, yet sophisticated, mental workbench called "the Logical Framework" - a Systems Thinking paradigm that lays out one's own project strategy in an easily accessible, interactive 4x4 matrix. The inclusion of memorable features and concepts (four critical questions, LogFrame matrix, If-then thinking, and Implementation Equation) make this book unique.

Want to learn more information about Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Application Development, 2nd Edition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Application Development, 2nd Edition? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Application Development, 2nd Edition. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Application Development, 2nd Edition ReviewRarely do I get excited about books on workflow modeling. I have a few good books on the subject, all of which provide solid approaches and most of which are well written. This book stands out because it goes beyond merely "solid" or "well written" by giving one of the most comprehensive approaches to workflow modeling I've had the pleasure of reading.
First, like most books on the topic, none of the components of the approach are new. What makes the approach refreshing is the way the authors take standard techniques and tie them together into a coherent process. Second, this book can be used as a workbook during a workflow modeling project, and is well suited to this because of the numerous checklists and diagrams that will prove invaluable every step of the way. Finally, this is the first book of its kind that incorporates use cases, making it invaluable to project teams that have standardized on UML (Unified Modeling Language)or wish to integrate an object-oriented approach into a workflow modeling project. If you're not familiar with use cases I strongly recommend Writing Effective Use Cases by Alistar Cockburn (the best book on the subject in my opinion); UML Distilled by Fowler and Scott is an excellent introduction to that subject if it's new to you.
The approach is straightforward: frame the process and define its scope, understand the existing process (if there is one), design the "to-be" process and develop use case scenarios. I wish to offer one caveat at this point: if you are reengineering a process that is seriously broken you might consider skipping the "as-is" process. Understanding the existing process is useful if your goal is incremental improvement. Reengineering efforts usually radically transform existing processes, making efforts to understand them both moot and wasted.
Some of the highlights of this book include the authors' clear definitions and way of decomposing complex systems into discrete steps and components. For example, they use a five tier view of processes that ensures you have a complete view of all issues and factors. The views are: (1) mission, strategy and goals (I personally extend goals further into Goal-Question-Metric), (2)business processes, (3) presentation, (4) application logic and (5) data. Note that the last three align nicely to a 3-tier client/server architecture. This observation clearly shows how coherent the authors' approach is and how it can foster alignment of technology to business requirements.
I also like how the authors clarify the key issues in process design by pointing out six enablers that you need to account for during the analysis and design phase: (1)workflow, (2) technology, (3) human resources, (4) motivations and measurements, (5) policies and rules and (6) environmental constraints (facilities, external process capabilities, etc.). There is one minor point of disagreement I have between their workflow modeling technique and the one I use. The authors use swimlane diagrams (also called Rummler-Brache diagrams), while I use deployment diagrams. The difference? Swimlane diagrams do not capture phases or cycles. I always place workflows into the context of Entry Criteria-Task-Validation-Exit Criteria (ETVX), which is nearly identical to the TQM Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. I insist on ETVX because it allows me to spot missing validation points in an existing workflow, and ensures that I clearly define entry and exit criteria, as well as validation points in a "to-be" workflow. Of course I am stating personal preferences - following the authors' approach verbatim will definitely result in a workflow design that is not only "bulletproof", but will align information systems and business process almost perfectly.
This book is a gem. It's readable, full of ideas and, with the incorporation of use cases into the approach, completely up-to-date with respect to IS/IT methodologies. If you want a fresh, modern approach to workflow design this book is the only one that will provide it.Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Application Development, 2nd Edition OverviewAt last - here's the long-awaited, extensively revised and expanded edition of the acclaimed and bestselling book, "Workflow Modeling". This thoroughly updated resource provides proven techniques for identifying, modeling, and redesigning business processes, and explaining how to implement workflow improvement, this book helps professionals define requirements for systems development or systems acquisition. By showing how to build visual models for illustrating workflow, the book helps practitioners assess their current business processes and see where process improvement and systems development can take place. Leading author Alec Sharp is an internationally recognized expert in business process management and is in high demand as a speaker and seminar leader in the field.

Want to learn more information about Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Application Development, 2nd Edition?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...