The Long Tail. Chris Anderson. 2006. ISBN 1401302378. Editor of Wired,
Anderson wrote the seminal article The Long Tail a few years ago.
It sparked an immediate response, as has this book ( even more so pro
and con). The original article forms the bulk of Chaps 1 and 8. It is
worth the read as the discovery of this powerlaw is important to many
visions of the future. It also has ties into the Web 2.0 all power of
content to the visitors model. You should not ignore this work. He is a
journalist, so the book is an easy read and quite compelling. He “wrote”
the book in stages through his blog, so that is also following the most
recent trend in publishing.
Chris has a blog. http://longtail.typepad.com/the_long_tail/

The original wired article
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail.html

and the Slate counter argument
http://www.slate.com/id/2146225/fr/rss/

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

Direct From Dell. Michael Dell. 2000.ISDN 0887309143. This book gives you insight into what Dell has really achieved. Of course it is a bit vainglorious, but so would be Ellison and others if they wrote their tale. He explains a lot in a very simple easy to read and hard to put down style. (He used a journalist to co-write). There is much new here to read and understand. If you have a COO and or strategy bent, then read this. Currently remaindered at Book Warehouse. Perfect for a plane ride to New York. (He even predicted the current pressure they are getting now that they are ~50% market share)

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

Storytelling. Fog, Budtz, & Yakaboylu. Branding in Practise. 2005. ISBN
3540235019. This book makes so much sense, it makes you wonder why
someone from Europe had to write it! If you have been following the
Rocket Builders journey building an integrated and sales and marketing
model you will recognize how this books fits so well. The premise is
unifying all your messages around your core story. It could be Harley
Davidson wrto “Freedom” or Nike “the Will to Win”, whatever you need a
core story ti unify all your efforts. (We talk about helping the client
“discover” how they need you to help them achieve a core goal). Download
a chapter at http://www.sigma.dk/pages/sneak_preview.html
Very easy read, well organized and it flows wonderfully. A library keeper.

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.

Discover your sales strengths. Smith & Rutigliano. 2003. ISBN
0446530476. Thanks to Chris Jordan for mentioning this book. A
follow-up to Buckingham and Clifton’s Now, Discover Your Strengths.
But, written with the sales person in mind. The chapter on sales
management is very valuable. I have always agreed that you spend your
time developing your gifts and folks improve their performance most
when you tell them what went well. It worked in coaching sports and
supervising people. The insights on spending your time with winners more
than the weak performers is very well done. If you do not have either
of these books I advise getting one of them, plus you get to do the
on-line test with the Gallup Org which helps you find your own
strengths. File this under personal development and management. Easy
read.

Book reviews for the business side of the technology industry.