Customer Reviews

Managing in the New Economy (Harvard Business Review Book)

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While the title, Managing in the New Economy, portends an insight into New Economy thinking, the book does not deliver. It is basically divided into 3 parts: Competition and Strategy, Leadership and Organization, and Ideas at Work. There are several excellent articles that will help any business person in their day-to-day dealings with the New Economy: (1) Strategy and the New Economics of Information, (2) The Dawn of the E-Lance Economy, (3) The Power of Virtual Integration and (4) Fast, Global and Entrepreneurial: Supply Chain Management, Hong Kong Style. These articles deal with the issues facing the business world today, focusing on the exhilarating opportunities that have been swept onto the landscape by the New Economy. While the other articles are enlightening (at times), most of them seem out of place (i.e. Global Sustainability? ) in this book. The Peter Drucker article, however, while not linked directly to the New Economy, provides an extremely good assessment of executive leadership for tomorrow. It is an easy read, but disappointing considering the editorial review.

As the Harvard Business Review's strategy editor, Joan Magretta helped readers to see beyond the hype that surrounds the much discussed but frequently misunderstood "new economy". Her work with the world's most influential business thinkers and executives has shaped our understanding of the practical issues of leadership, organization, and strategy that every manager must confront in this emerging era. Now, Magretta selects some of the most perceptive articles and interviews from the Review in a collection that will help readers make sense of the new managerial agenda.

With its balance coverage, Managing in the New Economy helps us sort out what is truly new about the new economy and what endures from the old. The articles are organized around important managerial issues, revealing how the dynamics shaping the new economy are changing both manager's priorities and the tools they use to make decisions. Part 1 addresses the principal issues of strategy, analysis and competition. In Part II, Magretta turns our attention to the new realities of leadership and organization. Part III brings these issues to life as three CEO's describe how their organizations are tackling the challenges of managing in the new economy.

With renowned contributors-from writers such as Michael Porter, C.K Prahalad, and Peter Drucker to business leaders such as Michael Dell-this invaluable collection explores the new mind-set executives in every industry must embrace in order to keep pace with the trends in technology, networks, knowledge, and globalization that are shaping the new economy.

Joan Magretta is a writer and consultant based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was the Harvard Business Review's strategy editor from 1995-1999, and the winner of the 1998 McKinsey award for the best HBR article of the year. Prior to joining HBR, she was a partner at the management consulting firm of Bain & Co.

Reviewed by Azlan Adnan. Formerly Business Development Manager with KPMG, Azlan is currently Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management Group, an education and management consulting practice based in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo. He holds a Master's degree in International Business and Management from the Westminster Business School in London.

I just pulled this book off the shelf again to review. The managing tips were refreshing and helpful. The information about the new economy is pretty outdated. Nevertheless, I found the book a good read.