The Invisible Continent: Four Strategic Imperatives of the New Economy [Hardcover]

Kenichi Ohmae (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 3, 2000

The Invisible Continent offers invaluable insight for individuals and companies seeking success in the twentyfirst century, Kenichi Ohmae, the bestselling author of the groundbreaking book The Borderless World, looks ahead to the future of business in the age of the Internet and sees a rapidly changing landscape-one to which we must adapt or face the consequences. Ohmae unveils this new economy's four basic forces-the visible, invisible, cyber, and high multiple dimensions-and shows how a dramatic and volatile battleground is forming between companies and the countries that try to regulate them.

Replacing countries (and their borders), Ohmae anticipates a world where the most powerful forces are "platforms." These invisible platforms are the universal standards that dominate the market. For example, Ohmae shows why English has become the de facto official language of the Internet, giving English-speaking countries an enormous advantage in e-commerce. He explains why investors must seek out and find these emerging platforms and shows what criteria they should look for.

Looking at today's hottest industries like e-commerce, banking, and telecommunications, Ohmae distinguishes between the old-world titans, like IBM, GM, and CBS, and the new-world Godzillas, like Dell, Cisco, and Microsoft. It's the Godzilla companies that grow fast, move fast, and devour everything in sight. Together, they will forge the economy of the future.

Just as The Borderless World foresaw a globally interlinked economy, The Invisible Continent maps out the coming technological revolutions and the impact they will have on businesses around the world. It is a must read for anyone seeking to attain and keep a competitive advantage in today's markets.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Kenichi Ohmae's invisible continent is a moving, unbounded world, consisting of four dimensions: There's what you can see (old economy commerce, like bricks-and-mortar retail); a borderless world in which capital moves around, chasing the best products and the highest investment returns regardless of national origin; the cyber-world, which has changed not only the way we do business but the way we interact on a personal level; and the high multiples awarded to new economy stocks, which are the basis of not only present wealth but what anyone with a retirement plan hopes will be future comfort.

By Ohmae's reckoning, the invisible continent was born in 1985. Microsoft released Windows 1.0, CNN launched, Cisco Systems began, the first Gateway 2000 computers were shipped, and companies like Sun Microsystems and Dell were in their infancies. Back then, the economic outlook was gloomy and few saw this embryonic continent forming. Now, of course, it affects virtually every business. Ohmae throws his arms around the entire continent and looks at how decisions are made on the invisible continent (the "platforms," which are created by businesses rather than governments), how money moves around the globe, how old-economy monoliths can become new economy Godzillas, and even how all of it might collapse. (Imagine that the Euro overtakes the dollar as the currency of choice; arbitrageurs "short" American currency; inflation soars; the stock market crashes.) The Invisible Continent is a bold and visionary attempt to not only explain the present, but project the future. (Bill Gates as U.N. secretary-general? It could happen.) The possibilities he raises--good and bad--are equally mind-blowing. More important are the practical questions that arise: Who's running this new continent? To what end? And for whom? We'll have to wait and see what the real answers are. But for now, Ohmae's speculation is nothing short of fascinating. --Lou Schuler

From Library Journal

In this timely, well-written, and well-organized book, Tokyo-based Ohmae, a well-known corporate strategist and author (The Borderless World) discusses the four dimensions that influence the new economy. The economy is visible because consumers will still have local services delivered; it is borderless because products are made with components that are provided both here and abroad; it is cyber because platforms such as Microsoft Windows and the Internet have influenced both communication and the manner in which business is transacted; and, finally, the soaring stock prices of some e-commerce companies give them the capital to take over and/or merge with other companies (i.e., AOL and Time-Warner) to further economic gains and perpetuate growth in this sector. After explaining in detail the four dimensions, he offers scenarios about their implications, elaborating in areas such as organizational change, deregulation, and information technology. A good consideration for large public and academic libraries.DSteven J. Mayover, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperBusiness; 1st Edition, 1st Printing edition (July 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060197536
• ISBN-13: 978-0060197537
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,007,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The View from the Rear, August 2, 2000

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Invisible Continent: Four Strategic Imperatives of the New Economy (Hardcover)

This is a very unusual visionary book, because it primarily comes from the perspective of how countries that are lagging can begin to catch up. As a result, this book will be very interesting to those in countries that have done relatively little to embrace the Internet compared to the most advanced countries. The fundamental criticism is that many are trying to embrace the new without abandoning the old (India) while others are not trying to do enough of either one (lesser developed countries).

The key point is summarized as getting rid of the old governmental concepts (protectionism, state-owned industries, and adopting a world competition focus for your industries), and adding the new environment (venture capital, favorable tax environment, electronic infrastructure, expanded information, and high market values). The new is encouraged by globalization, the cyber economy, and extraordinary access to low-cost capital. Those with access to the new will grow at extraordinary rates while those in the old economy will grow at slower or slower rates. The rich will get richer, and the poor will fall behind in relative terms.

The vision of how these factors will come together in the future is purely conceptual, and present no special insight into how the new economy will develop. I was at the EMC Analyst Day today in Boston, and the models presented there were way beyond anything in this book. That raises the question about whether the Godzillas (as defined by Ohmae, strong companies with control over part of the new economy space like Cisco, Oracle, and EMC) may not have significant knowledge advantages that will increase and extend their leads regardless of what lagging governments and the companies that operate in their countries do.

The next 5 years will see the content revolution in the cyber economy. More value will be added during this period of time intellectually, financially, and growthwise than in the rest of human history combined. If countries follow Ohmae's prescription, they will miss the special opportunities of the next 5 years. I think his medicine is too little, too late.

Read this book and see what you think. Being a visionary without explicit models of the irresistible forces driving the new directions can be a disservice. Ohmae mentions that he has tried to develop these new economy models, but with no success.

Although I disagree with the conclusions of this book (they are necessary, but not sufficient), I still rate it as five stars for being the best book I have read from this perspective.

If you live in a country that has done little in the new economy, this will be a valuable book. If you live in the United States, I'm not sure this will help you very much.

Overcome your misconception and disbelief stalls about the new development of the new economy by drawing on the perspectives of the best-in-class companies!

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS IS A WORK OF AWE-INSPIRING BUSINESS GENIUS., July 10, 2000

By 

Laurel Delaney - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Invisible Continent: Four Strategic Imperatives of the New Economy (Hardcover)

As the author of "Start & Run a Profitable Exporting Business," I had the great honor of receiving Dr. Ohmae's endorsement of my book. I have been an admirer of his since starting a global marketing, consulting and web content providing business in 1985. His first book, "The Borderless World," not only inspired me to focus my entire professional career on global trade, but also changed forever the way in which managers throughout the world viewed their business.

Now, looking forward with great anticipation to this new book, "The Invisible Continent: Four Strategic Imperatives of the New Economy," I wondered how Dr. Ohmae could live up to his pioneering work of the early 80's on "globalism" -- a word he coined that is now in everyday use -- and give us an equally ground-breaking text for the 21st century. I'm delighted to report that I read his book and it is Dr. Ohmae's best work ever. He remains a foremost architect of the future of business on (as he describes it) our cyber-enabled continent.

This is a work of awe-inspiring business genius, offering a boundless wealth of ideas about how to thrive in our new economy. The enormity of Dr. Ohmae's intellect and the clarity of focus with which he seamlessly assembles complex ideas about our "continent without land" make this a text that is at once profound, sophisticated and marvelously easy to understand. Here's a characteristic comment, at once colorful and thought-provoking: "The Internet has made it much easier to become simultaneously global and newly born." Dr. Ohmae compels us to think about the conditions of world business not as they are, but as they will be -- much faster than you think -- and what to do about it. I put down the book asking myself, "What just happened here?" -- it was that provocative.

If you want a forecast of the future of traditional and e-business NOW, then you should secure your copy of "The Invisible Continent: Four Strategic Imperatives of the New Economy" TODAY.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine interpretation of recent economic history, February 17, 2003

By 

H. Homaizi "carrotchutney" (Kuwait) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Invisible Continent: Four Strategic Imperatives of the New Economy (Paperback)

One of what I consider the enlightening books that allow you to gain a new perspective on a seemingly complex subject. In one go the author attempts to explain how recent economic, technological, commercial and societal developments have conspired to create a new world order. Decision-makers would do well to use the lessons of this book to analyze their decisions. I sometimes feel that the people making the decisions, universally, are under-educated and naive and would not even consider the wider ramifications of their decisions.

My only complaint is that Mr. Ohmae tends to ramble on topics that may well be more concise. He also pauses every once in a while to complain against the egregious faults of the Japanese government. I don't blame him but it would be better if he treated it in a seperate book on the subject.