Enterprise.com: Market Leadership In The Information Age [Hardcover]

Jeff Papows (Author), Geoffrey Moore (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 6, 1998

The ultimate insider’s guide to the information economy, Enterprise.com offers the most incisive and powerful vision to date of the technology revolution. From his vantage point as CEO of one of the most progressive and widely known software companies, Jeff Papows offers a rare glimpse into the future of business, society, and culture in a truly networked world.Papows begins with the assumption that information technology (IT) has already permeated all facets of business—from automating systems and processes to empowering teams to redefining the most basic concepts of commerce (such as “customer,” “market,” and “industry”)—as organizations come to grips with the dynamics of a truly borderless, twenty-four-hour world. He then takes these trends to their logical, and inevitable conclusion: the rise of the “market-facing enterprise,” in which all relationships and functions are enhanced—even defined—through technology, and the focus moves from inside the company to its vast network of suppliers, distributors, customers, and partners.But Enterprise.com goes far beyond the traditional boundaries of business. Drawing from the pioneering contributions of Lotus, as well as showcasing examples from innovators in such diverse industries as insurance and aerospace, Papows explores the profound implications of the IT revolution.At his most provocative, Papows considers the challenges that lie ahead, especially as individuals, businesses, and governments clash over issues such as privacy, encryption, common standards, and regulations.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Early on in his book, Enterprise.com, Jeffrey Papows cites this often-quoted statistic: annually 42 percent of the investment-capital base in the United States goes to information technology (IT). This 42 percent is something Papows should know about. As CEO of Lotus Corporation, Papows has a vested interest in the future of IT, and in Enterprise.com he sketches out the transformation of what he believes will affect the enterprise for years to come--the advent of the "market-facing enterprise." Thanks to the World Wide Web and the Internet, Papows asserts, this transformation will fundamentally recast the core activities of today's corporation and turn a company's focus from processes that are driven from within (i.e., back-office and front-office activities) to relationships with customers and suppliers outside the company. Papows discusses many examples of the shaping of this transformation, and also touches on issues important to IT professionals, such as productivity and standards.

Review

"'No nonsense' is the expression that comes to mind when I think of Jeff Papows, so it's no surprise that it characterizes this book, which offers some compelling perspectives on what we are getting from technology today and what we can expect it to deliver in the decades to come." -- Larry Ellison, Chairman and CEO, Oracle Corp

"Jeff Papows has been a leader in the information technology revolution of the '90s, first in groupware, then web-based e-commerce, and now knowledge management. His perspectives should be of tremendous value to anyone looking to use IT for strategic and competitive advantage." -- Mitchell Kertzman, Chairman and CEO, Sybase, Inc.

"The information revolution for business has just begun. No one tells it better than Papows, who led it!" -- Eric Schmidt, President and CEO, Novell Corp.

"The next big wave of information technology is breaking over the competitive landscape. Enterprise.com is a refreshingly clear guide to understanding and navigating it." -- Michael E. Porter, Professor, Harvard Business School

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; First Edition edition (November 6, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738200646
• ISBN-13: 978-0738200644
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,837,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Evangelical tripe!, December 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Enterprise.com (Paperback)

I was excited to get started reading this book because one got the feeling that this was a work by an important "insider" looking at the information revolution. It was singular disappointment. Much too much time has been spent talking about his experience at Lotus and far too little on the specifics of what the information revolution entails. Th examples are uninspiring, old news. I was terribly disappointed although it did show very brief flashes of excellence. Don't waste your money.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surviving a Blizzard of Information, December 29, 1999

By 

Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Enterprise.com (Paperback)

Those in need of a strategic guide to the network economy will find a wealth of valuable material in this book. The titles of its ten chapters suggest the nature and extent of subjects covered: The Information Economy, Pricing Information, Versioning Information, Rights Management, Recognizing Lock-In, Managing Lock-In, Networks and Positive Feedback, Cooperation and Compatibility, Waging a Standards War, and Information Policy. In effect, Information Rules combines all of the benefits of an operations manual with the counsel of two renowned experts who accompany the reader, step by step, through the manual.

According to the authors, the thesis of their book is that "durable economic principles can guide you through today's frenetic business environment. Technology changes. Economic laws do not. If you are struggling to comprehend what the Internet means for you and your business, you can learn a great deal from the advent of the telephone system a hundred years ago." That's true. The interdependence of information (software) and infrastructure (hardware) will always be important, indeed imperative. Therefore, interconnection battles are won only if, for example, local telephone companies in 1900 were interconnected with Bell to provide long-distance service and, 100 years later, browsers are interconnected with operating systems.

Who will gain the greatest value from this book? Owners/CEOs of small-to-midsize companies which are struggling to decide what to do...and what not to do...with opportunities created by the Internet and, more specifically, the WWW. Also, senior-level executives of much larger organizations (both for-profit and not-for-profit) who must formulate long-term strategies to achieve sustainable prudent growth.

For thousands of years, there has never been a shortage of available information but until the printing press, access to it was severely limited. Since then, a variety of media have broadened and deepened that access and, indeed, the volume of available information has increased exponentially.

Which strategies will be most effective when one faces such challenges? Those discussed and illustrated in Enterprise.com are worthy of careful consideration.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars VG intro to success in "dot.com" using "real world" exp!, June 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Enterprise.com: Market Leadership In The Information Age (Hardcover)

Let's start at the top - sure Papows was booted out of office for, among other things (such as non-performance), claiming to be a "Top Gun" Navy war hero pilot (complete with flightsuit that he kept in his office)- when he wasn't ... oppps! But then again, he did help build build Lotus into a world leadershipship position (before it crumbled after its acquisition - like most do).

While his personal inegrity leaves much to be desired, this is actually a very good book (testimony to a split personality or a *&#$ good ghost-writer). It clearly outlines how internet businesses need to capitalize upon the advantages of technology, while building their business upon the basic principles of good business anywhere. If only Mary Meeker, et al had read this book before the internet "bubble" burst ...!

While slightly dated, this is a worthy read for those interested in what the internet can and cannot do for their business.