The Invisible Continent: Four Strategic Imperatives of the New Economy (Paperback)

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!

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.

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.