Customer Reviews

Winner Take All: How Competitiveness Shapes the Fate of Nations

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book, first of all, is a great read. It tells an alarming story regarding the fate of US competitiveness that is the result of errant business decisions that seemed like a good idea at the time because they bolstered short-term profit margins. But in surrendering involvement in key technology markets, Elkus argues, the US has lost its competitive edge. And the cost of getting that edge back is very dear.

Elkus knows what he is talking about. A long-time technology executive, Elkus has witnessed this first hand and has testified eloquently on the subject for many years.

The book is organized according to 10 principles of competitiveness, which one might dub "Elkus's Rules of Competitiveness", and indeed, they could be a proverbial 10 commandments.

This is a serious book executed with a light touch- it is written in a way to be accessible and interesting, told through many personal stories and anecdotes. Anyone with an interest in technology, history, strategy, and global competition and cares about the future of America should pick up this book.

This book is an absolute must read for anyone affiliated with the US technology industry. The author paints a very interesting picture, that becomes more and more clear as you get thru the book - that the US is systematically losing its edge in technology, whether it realizes it not. Whether you are a US tech executive (or any US industry executive), starting your own tech firm, are a policy maker affiliated with the industry, a consultant, or an investment professional, the book is very insightful and a quick read. I think this book should be a required read at every top MBA program in the country. Kudos to the author for hopefully shedding some light on a serious issue facing the US and its future.

As a professional who has been in the semiconductor and related industries, I agree wholeheartedly with the thesis of the book. We are losing more than "technologies"; we are losing economic viability as a nation. Elkus addresses several facets of this crisis, including the educational aspects: after all, why would one work hard to get through a master's degree in the sciences or engineering if there is no job out there? (to contradict another reviewer's proposition that we no longer have the student talent: if that were the case, then how and why are medical school slots all occupied? that is highly competitive, too - so it shows that American students can and do compete. We have to give them something to compete FOR!).
I would have wanted Mr. Elkus to explore the great tragedy I see in the scenario (first hand): the destruction of what I call "the professional technical middle class". We have worked long and hard to attain our respective expertise(s), only to spend weeks and months on end in Asian factories effectively "downloading" and concentrating all that knowledge and experience as we hand over our jobs. This is true - I and my colleagues have all had to do this. As our economy rebuilds in these challenged times, more policy needs to be built to give technical professionals a path to something other than the unemployment office.

This is an excellent book. It is a great discussion on the evolution of the high technology industry. It analyzes the way America in the last decades has lost the leadership in key industries.

The timing of this book may be close to perfect, for in a moment of a great crisis in the American Economy, it may contribute to the discussion on how to develop the right strategy for the future. A crisis is a good moment to think about past mistakes.

The key conclusion of Mr.Elkus is that America needs a coordinated strategy to keep key technologies in the hands of American Companies. This may mean a new way to think the hole of America in the World Economy.

The ideas expressed by the author are not perfect. For example, He sees Bruce Henderson of BCG as an strategist that did believe only in cash, but this is not Henderson's full vision in terms of strategy. Many of Henderson thoughts were based on the fact that the economy is similar to the envinronment for living organisms, so he tried to create a new branch of economics, under the name of "Bionomics" drawing concepts for the economic system from analogies to the behavior of living organisms in terms of competition. Henderson, understood very well that key industries and corporations create envinronments where many technologies, smaller companies, creative individuals can develop their competencies and capacities. I point to this, because using the concepts related to Bionomics would generate quite different strategies than the one pursued by major American Companies. Corporate America should have paid more attention to Henderson's thoughts. (think about the Quality movement in Japan... it was triggered by American Engineers!!! and today the Japanese are the teachers!)

I also like this book because it presents several stories related to the evolution of companies that are very interesting (like Ampex and the VCR).

for the success of US Technology future. The book does make a valid point.
But it is very difficult because education is the main avenue for the tech success. As of July 2008, there are very few college students that majored in Computer Science, IT, or Engineering. The total for all of them are less than 7 percent.

Young people love IPod, Iphone, sidekick, Samsung cell.. They surfed on MySpace, YouTube and FaceBook all the time. But major in CS, IT, or Engineering? No way! We want to get the easiest degree so we can get out. College is for sport, fun, games, girls, party, party...

It turned out, Business is still number one (25%) and Social Science #2 (13%). What do they do when they graduate? Back to jobs paying minimum wages.

It is OK. Parents said proudly, my son just graduated from Ivy League.
This statement is impressive. No one asked, "What is he doing now?"
It is difficult to change the mind set.

Look at Russia, China, India, majority of young people studied physics, engineering, CS, IT, now finance. They are getting ahead of us. No doubt. Look at the Forbes world richest 10 billionaires: India 4, Russia 1, Germany 1, Mexico 1, Sweden 1 and US only 2 (Buffett and Gates).

None of the international leadership was mentioned in this book.