Archive for December 5th, 2004

The Power of Corporate Kinetics. Fradette and Michaud

The Power of Corporate Kinetics. Fradette and Michaud. 1998. ISBN 0684855909. A study of companies that innovate rapidly by two Deloitte and Touche consultants. A regular management consultants book, its value lies in the war stories and employee anecdotes. Get it from the library. It took me over 6 months to finish. Riveting ? Not!

The Innovators Solution , Clayton Christensen

The Innovators Solution , Clayton Christensen’s sequel to the Innovators Dilemma. ISBN 1578518520. A must have book if you are serious about succeeding in the technology field. This is even better than the Dilemma! It was written to teach managers how to use theories put forth in the Dilemma. It does a masterful job. It is relevant to every CEO and manager in every company I can think of. This is not a hard read, not is it a rapid read, and it warrants a thoughtful re-read annually. He lays out the structures and initial conditions required for successful growth. Then he plays it out for small companies, large companies and investors how to achieve success.

  • Start with a cost structure which is profitable at low price pointsand can be carried up market
  • Be in a disruptive position wrto competitors so that they are motivated to flee rather than fight.
  • Start with a set of customers who were nonconsumers so they are pleased with modest products.
  • Target a job that customers want to get done.
  • Skating to where the money will be,not where it was.
  • Assigning managers who have taken the right courses in the school of experience
  • Put them to work within processes and values that are attuned to what has to get done.
  • Have the flexibility to respond as a viable strategy emerges.
  • Start with capital that can be patient for growth, but impatient for profit.

Each chapter has copious notes and you need to read those as well. There are literally dozens of nuggets buried in these chapter notes. He is the best at what he does than anyone I have read to date.

The Innovator's SolutionThe Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book That Will Change the Way You Do Business