The Slingshot Syndrome: Why America's Leading Technology Firms Fail at Innovation

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This Book Was a Bargain Bin Steal (I paid $3.95)

Powerful ideas, powerful analysis

A timely solution to the high tech turmoil

The Slingshot Syndrome: Why America's Leading Technology Firms Fail at Innovation
Reid McRae Watts
Manufacturer: Writers Club Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595208134

Book Description

Is it possible for large corporations to innovate at the speed of a startup? The Slingshot Syndrome by Reid McRae Watts constructs a convincing, and for some, a shocking argument that explains how, as technological change continues to accelerate, startups and corporations can succeed together. Through an analysis of the failures of America’s great technology firms of the past and present, The Slingshot Syndrome presents a unique and uncommon solution that rescues the corporation from the otherwise inescapable: death by creative destruction. "One of the best descriptions and explanations I have read of the failure of large U.S. corporations to develop and exploit new products and services. I particularly liked the description of the failure of the development of the communications industry within the typical corporate structure and the analogy of the history of the U.S. product development to the movie industry. I also agree that distribution and management of services can probably only be efficiently performed through large corporations, a direction that appears to be in the process of being taken by companies originally noted for technological development as illustrated. The recommendation that new products can best be incubated in small independent entrepreneurial startups is intriguing." - DeWitt Bowman, Chief Investment Officer (retired), California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) "This is excellent! I think Reid has it all figured out. The Slingshot Syndrome is easy to read - very clear and to-the-point. Revolutionary ideas presented clearly, strongly and simply. A real winner in my opinion! " - Terry McPherson, Intellectual Property and Technology Management Director (retired), Lucent Technologies. "Very good. Interesting historical perspective, provocative thesis." - Stephen Socolof, New Ventures Vice President, Lucent Technologies. "I'll be among the first purchasers for a dozen or more copies!" - Susan Gauff, Senior Vice President, Sarnoff Corporation

Customer Reviews:

This Book Was a Bargain Bin Steal (I paid $3.95).......2006-02-27

I probably would not have given this book a chance at its cover price of $15.95. I did not know who Reid McRae Watts was and the title seemed cryptic to me at first. I never really thought of "America's Leading Technology Firms" as truly failing at innovation. I did not hold them deeply responsible for stock collapses during the "dot-com collapse," assuming that it was a bad period for all investors and companies.

This book indirectly paints a different picture of the media's coverage of the "dot-com collapse" although the author strays away from discussing the bubble burst. For good reason, of course: Reid McRae Watts is a venture capitalist and venture capitalism is synonymous with the dot-com failures. I don't want to give away the plot and potentially discourage someone from buying the book. However, what Watts essentially says is that mature corporations with world-wide sales forces and world-wide distribution channels destroyed themselves by protecting their main products in favor of newer technologies. He proposes an interesting solution and something I will probably account for when I think about investing in stocks. I won't tell you his solution here.

You should want to know that Watts position is supported by many footnotes referencing other publications from famous authors as well as anecdotes from his early career experiences working in Research & Development for Bell Labs. The part of the book I enjoyed most was Watts reflecting on his youth at Bell Labs without getting off-topic.

The first five chapters of the book probably make buying the book worth it for folks who like to hear about the 1970s and 1980s of the computer industry.

The book probably could be a lot more shorter, but Watts has a "Summary" section at the end of each chapter which makes refreshing what you learned -- even well after you read the chapter -- easy.

Powerful ideas, powerful analysis.......2003-05-22

This book is an eye-opener. Watts presents a plausible and well-supported analysis of why mature established companies find themselves unable to create and develop disruptive technology innovations, and why startups often succeed. He goes on to propose approaches and models for effectively managing these dynamics.

I strongly recommend Clayton Christensen's "The Innovator's Dilemma" as required preparatory reading. Without that background, readers may not fully understand the critical importance and significance of the problems that Watts is describing.

"The Slingshot Syndrome" presents powerful and thought-provoking analysis and ideas, and I strongly recommend it. It is unfortunate, therefore, that the book's presentation leaves much to be desired, and I personally found that shortcoming very distracting. The book would have benefitted greatly from the involvement of a ghostwriter or collaborator. The work has a disorganized feel and the material is repetitious. The author tries to illustrate his points with a couple of lengthy fictional stories, and although it seems like a good idea it frankly doesn't work. The stories have a corny flavor and the illustrative intent is too diffuse.

Much of the prose is lumpy and awkward, and much of the rest pedestrian at best. Indeed, the copy-edit process seems to have been skipped entirely, allowing frequent malapropisms ranging from the common (for example, "principal" for "principle," "council" for "counsel") through the creative (such as "precedence" for "precedents") to the almost comical (such as "duel" for "dual," "roll" for "role").

However, presentation problems aside, the book is well worth the effort.

A timely solution to the high tech turmoil.......2002-01-19

Unlike business books that simply preach to corporations to change their cultural ways, Reid Watts proves why the culture of a startup is not transplantable to an established corporation. With the author's diversified background in corporate positions covering 25 years as well as his current role in venture capital, he gives his insights and prescriptions from the vantage point of a experienced practitioner rather than that of the consultants or professors who usually write this type of book. He shows convincingly why the inability to innovate and commercialize new technologies has caused corporations such as Lucent and Xerox to disappoint investors and degenerate enormously in value. Instead of the usual culture-changing approach, which does not work, Watts proposes structural changes that effectively combine the strengths of the startup, with its agility and speed, and the strengths of the established corporation. By doing that, the author argues that the current creative destruction cycle in the high tech can be tamed, with everyone obtaining the benefits of rapid trechnological innovation without the current turmoil we are experiencing. The large corporation may be afraid of what the startup can do in terms of commercializing new technologies with speed that it cannot match, but the truth is, they both need each other to survive. A must-read business book for anyone from the CEO level to the first year business student who is interested in the future of the high tech industry.

Book Description

This book provides an essential historical framework for understanding global business. The author shows how entrepreneurs built a global economy in the nineteenth century by creating firms that pursued resources and markets across borders. It demonstrates how firms shifted strategies as the first global economy disintegrated in the political and economic chaos between the two world wars, and how they have driven the creation of the contemporary global economy. Many of the issues of the global economy have been encountered in the past. This book reveals how entrepreneurs and managers met the political, ethical, cultural, and organizational challenges of operating across borders at different times and in different environments. The role of multinationals is placed within their wider political and economic context. There are chapters on the impact of multinationals, and on relations with governments. The focus on the shifting roles of firms and industries over time provides compelling evidence on the diversity and discontinuities of the globalization process. The book explores the history of multinationals across a wide spectrum of manufacturing, service and natural resource industries. By providing an accessible survey of the history of international business worldwide, this book will be key reading for students taking courses in International Business, Business History, and Entrepreneurship; and of interest to academics and researchers working in these areas.

Book Description

The book provides an international overview of developments in public-private partnerships (PPP) in different countries, and addresses the various characteristics and approaches to PPP. Drawing on a number of international studies carried out by the authors, the book describes the rationale behind various PPP approaches, looks at the process aspects and dynamics of PPPs and aims to stimulate a more strategic discussion of PPP.

International Management: A Strategic Perspective

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International Management: A Strategic Perspective
Rajib N. Sanyal
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0201471531

Book Description

This comprehensive book uses a conversational writing style to focus on managing business in a global environment, and how management is affected by key environmental factors—such as international politics, cultural differences, and the expectation of corporate social responsibility. It provides readers with up-to-date coverage of contemporary managerial issues, a look at different types of international business activities, and an understanding of how international firms are organized to achieve their strategic goals. A seamless transition between theory and practice is achieved with the use of academic research and real-life business applications throughout the book. Chapter topics include cultural variables; management of political risk; strategy formulation and implementation; exporting and importing; licensing and franchising; strategic alliances and equity investments; operations management and logistics; organizational design and control; human resource management; and managing ethics and social responsibility. For the managers and senior managers in consulting firms.

From Local Champions To Global Masters: A Strategic Perspective on Managing Internationalization

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How to think global and hire local in China and Hong Kong?

From Local Champions To Global Masters: A Strategic Perspective on Managing Internationalization
Paul Verdin , and Nick Van Heck
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0333947304

Book Description

Globalization. What exactly does it mean for ordinary citizens? Drawing on their extensive experience of internationalisation and globalisation in practice, the authors focus on the obstacles faced by companies making the transition from local champions to global masters and provide a simple but structured framework to think about how it will affect your business. Examining the mistakes and successes of real companies, the book links questions regarding if and how companies should internationalize, the opportunities, challenges and threats and the strategic framework and tools for thinking about internationalization.

Customer Reviews:

How to think global and hire local in China and Hong Kong?.......2003-08-13

When you are thinking of Global and you must learning how to " Hire Local ". In the year of 2003, All the major business big firms in Western; they will step by step to " China's Home Market " ? After the agreements of CEPA between China, Hong Kong and Macau. All of the business SME and Big firms will try to learn, think and walk into the Home Market of China.
Hence, Think Global and Hire Local are the major management concept from today. Hire your local elite people in China, Hong Kong and Macau can help to build up your networks between Governments and Officials in the short period. Save your times, Save your costs..... and Save your health.
After the development of WTO and Globalization in this decade, we need to learn and re-fresh your business structures in time.
American and European models in China will not work if move all from your Home.
Open your window's offices and bases in Hong Kong or China so you can know more on this development.
Although China will not run the road for the " World's Factory " in the coming decade, they are the major bsuiness models as at today.
As you knew that there have more products are exported from China in the very cheapest prices, so it can make all the local factories in the USA closed. NO works for Local people and they will walk the same way as Hong Kong's highest percentage of un-employment in 2003.

Book Description

Bob De Wit and Ron Meyer's innovative and extremely successful strategy text encourages critical and creative strategic thinking. By introducing articles from key strategists to present differing perspectives on each strategic issue covered, the authors stress and contrast the diversity of views in the subject without endorsing any one approach.

Customer Reviews:

Intelligent, fresh, ground breaking..........2007-09-28

For my work, I do change, leadership and strategy research for a number of consulting firms so it would be an understatement to say that I've read a lot. Regardless of the domain, I find most work to be highly derivative, unoriginal and based on limited mindsets and thinking. Rarely do I find anything that challenges conventional ways of thinking and is also highly useful and not just another voice shouting out sensationalist ideas so that they can be noticed in a very crowded marketplace.

Recently I signed on to do some volunteer teaching in Cambodia and as is my usual process, I hit the internet, libraries, online databases and do a broad sweep of what's happening in the domains that I'm interested in. I expect that most of what I read will be based on outdated worldviews and limited perspectives so I'm usually happy to dig out the few nuggets of gold in a chapter of a book, an article or left of centre cuff thinking and patch it together into something that opens possibility, provokes thought and powerful mindsets and perspectives.

This book though was an unexpected find and a total gem. Why? If you're a student or a teacher you'll have looked at many books on strategy, and basically they all follow a very similar approach. They treat strategy as something that's fixed, logical, linear, formulaic and relatively simplistic (follow the steps or recipe and you're assured of success). As one of my mentors so often says... it's a nice idea... pity it doesn't work in the real world. If it did and people weren't so unsatisfied with how poorly most current approaches to strategic planning perform, we wouldn't have so many `new' books on strategy coming out each year.

Books that are groundbreaking and challenge conventional paradigms are difficult to write... and the authors have done a first class job of this one and are to be commended for the result. It's organized into a series of paradoxes, which cover the major issues of strategy formulation and execution.

If you can check out the introduction and first chapter you'll have a good sense of whether the book was for you. The table of contents alone sold me, and after reading their conceptual frame and introduction I was excited to read more.

To use some of the comments from the preface of the book to illustrate its structure and value, they discuss how most books on strategic management follow a recipe type approach. They present a limited number of perspectives and theories as accepted knowledge from which prescriptions can easily be described. If you've looked at more than 3 books on strategic management you'll know this to be true. The next use a simple step by step strategic planning approach as the books basic structure. They rework original material into the author's own words to create a consistent and easily digestible piece of text. The choice of perspectives, theories and examples is weighted towards the author's own domestic context (and then, slight adjustments are made for overseas editions.)

This book takes the opposite approach. It covers ten major strategic themes, those that the strategist must deal with in practice. The strategy process, (strategic thinking, strategy formulation, strategic change); the strategic content (business, corporate and network levels of strategy); the strategic context (industry, organizational and international) and organizational purpose.

It then uses several original readings (sometimes condensed in size but not in terms of their original meaning) that are significant or classics in that field and presents them as a series of paradoxes - one that covers each side of the issue and explores each of the key themes and areas of contention. For example the paradox of globalization and localization in terms of the international context; in the area of strategic thinking the paradox of logic and creativity and in the area of strategy formulation the paradox of deliberateness and emergentness. Thus exposing the reader to a wide range of theories and perspectives to enable the student to hone their own strategic thinking skills rather than to learn a recipe. The book has an international perspective so as to highlight cultural differences and assumptions and to address the true nature and context of many multinational companies today. Case studies are drawn from companies worldwide to give a spread of companies, industries and countries. There's more than 30 cases in the book from over 20 countries.

Challenging... yes. Intelligent... absolutely! Relevant to the needs of people working with strategy... undoubtedly!

If you're a student and this is not your text book, pick it up, read it, use the frames and develop your thinking and you'll be light years ahead of your colleagues. You will have learned how to think, and think in terms of possibilities, examining and challenging assumptions and dynamically and creatively adjusting your approach... rather than just learning a formula or a bunch of ideas that mostly don't work quite nearly so precisely in the real world as they're described in most textbooks by most authors.

The book is also supported by a website for both students and teachers full of additional resources. This book isn't just for students though. Managers, consultants, and others with an interest in practical strategy and the challenges it poses will also find the book very useful. That this book's first edition was written so long ago is a testament to how forward thinking the authors are.

This is an exceptional piece of work. Highly recommended.

Lacking Costs & Decision-Support,, Brilliant in All Other Respects.......2007-06-30

I have left this book at five stars despite its lack of a focus on the totality of the costs picture, and the urgency of decision-support, because I want to cross-fertilize this book into the national, military, and law enforcement strategic regimes (largely non-existent, hence the need), and I consider it to be world-class in all that it presents.

First the gaps: neither "costs" nor "intelligence" (nor "decision-support" appear in the index to this book, which is both a commentary on the content, and a commentary on the index, since I do see the words elsewhere in the book.

"True costs" or "natural capitalism" is emerging as the single most important strategic concept for both political and business leaders. Up to this point corporations have been allowed to privatize profit and externalize the bulk of their "true costs" to the individual taxpayer. That is coming to an end. The public now has a digital memory, the World Index of Social and Environmental Responsibility (WISER) is calculating and posting the true cost of everything (e.g. a T-Shirt from Bangladesh has 4,000 liters of virtual water they do not have to export), and Amazon is positioning itself to provide point of sale "true cost" to the individual buyer via cell phone scan back on the bar code: water, fuel, sweatshop, and tax avoidance content at the point of sale. Revolutionary. It will change the marketplace and who wins, who loses in business, nearly overnight (ten years).

On decision-support, other than refer to my short list of a handful of really important commercial intelligence guides, I will simply note that Ben Gilad, one of perhaps ten really great international commercial intelligence practitioners, says in his first seminal work, "Business Blindspots: Replacing Myths, Beliefs, and Assumptions with Market Realities (Infonortics UK, 1996) that:

"Top managers' information is invariably either biased, subjective, filtered, or late."

This tallies nicely with my own findings over a 30 year career in national and military intelligence: Washinton, certainly, London, Paris, Beijing, and other capitals probably, are operating on 2% of the relevant information. They are ignoring 95% of the information that is not secret, not online, not in their language, and not being collected by either their intelligence agencies or their Cabinet departments, which specialize in staffing stakeholder policies divorced from reality and focused on grabbing budget share.

It merits comment that this book comes to us from The Netherlands, the unheralded owner of much of US real-estate and much of the world's structured knowledge. Consequently, the authors are not suffering from American naivete, they have avoided the traditional shortcomings of most textbooks in English (myopia, avoidance of complexity, generic presentation from one author) *and* they fully int3egrate the vital importance of understanding cross-cultural differences, the international context, and the value of international cases that do NOT follow normal US "rules of the game" including authorized "reasonable dishonesty."

This book a monster at 950+ pages, is of great value to non-business strategists, the few that are emergent, and below I list some other relevant books from the national side that may be helpful to business leaders and academic theorist-practioners.

I am creating and loading an image of their Figure 1.6 on Strategy topics, paradoxes, and perspectives because in that one image they capture the enormous value of their book and their process. For that image, and the first half of the book on the process, this is a very high value acquisition worthy of deep study.

Other strategic books that I favor, in relative order of importance:
Modern Strategy
Strategy: The Logic of War and Peace, Revised and Enlarged Edition
Strategy: Second Revised Edition (Meridian)
The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition
Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War
High Noon 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them
Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming
Ecological Economics: Principles And Applications
The New Craft of Intelligence: Personal, Public, & Political--Citizen's Action Handbook for Fighting Terrorism, Genocide, Disease, Toxic Bombs, & Corruption
Preparing America's Foreign Policy for the 21st Century

Unforutnately, some of the best books, such as "The Art and Practice of Military Strategy" edited by George Thibault, are published by the National Defense University in limited edition and not listed on Amazon nor available for purchase via normal channels. This is a useful illustration of the concept of "gray literature": very often the most important information is freely available, but not through the traditional channels. The height of strategy, apart from knowing yourself and not wearing blinders, is to know all that can be known about your environment and the other players, not just that which is convenient to know, or that your generally self-preserving subordinates want you to know.+

quick delivery and good quality, thanks.......2007-03-09

It arrived in a short time, a good seller, I would like to do the deal with the seller again.

''The Debates and the Book''.......2000-07-16

This book may not ''obliterates'' what is known about strategy but definitely is not just an additional ''improvement''. It is focused on strategy (theory) but also gives many interesting examples and cases of/for real/mental implementation. It builds a ''network'' of thoughts giving the possibility to visualize the individual ''capabilities'' in the searching of a personal ''core competence''. I think it acts like a ''strong'' or ''weak'' force for a ''continuous learning''; depends on the ''motivation''.

Strategic Management: Global Cultural Perspectives for Profit and Non-Profit Organizations

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Strategic Management: Global Cultural Perspectives for Profit and Non-Profit Organizations
Marios Katsioloudes
Manufacturer: Butterworth-Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0750679662

Book Description

Strategic Management has a unique approach goes beyond the traditional application for the for profit sector to address issues for the non-profit sector. It is the only graduate-level text that approaches strategic management from a global cultural perspective.

* Measures the impact of cultural, organizational, national and global issues on the strategic planning process
* Provides examples, exercises, and solutions to make this key part of international management easier and more successful

Innovative Forms of Organizing: International Perspectives

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Innovative Forms of Organizing: International Perspectives

Manufacturer: Sage Publications Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0761964355

Book Description

This book presents novel theoretical ideas and empirical findings where the fields of strategizing and organizing meet. At this boundary lie many of the most crucial theoretical and practical issues for management and managing.

Innovative Forms of Organizing, the eagerly awaited sequel to The Innovating Organization (SAGE, 2000), draws upon the comprehensive data sets of the INFORM programme of research, to examine the development of innovative forms of organizing and company performance in organizations across Europe, Japan and the United States.

Innovative Forms of Organizing establishes and develops three strong themes: organizing and strategizing; complementarities, change and performance; and the management of dualities in the modern corporation. The book then discusses the implications of its presented ideas for strategizing/organizing in the 21st century firm and the challenges for management researchers of conducting large scale, international comparative research. Innovative Forms of Organizing thereby illustrates 21st Century management research in 21st Century organizations across Europe, Japan and the USA.

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Bahamas Business Law Handbook
USA International Business Publications
Manufacturer: International Business Publications, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0739719114

Book Description

This law handbook contains information on basic business legislation, laws and regulatoins affecting export-import, business, foreign investments, property rights, taxation and banking. (Updated annually)

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