- Unbound
- Publisher: Harvard Business School Press (Jun 2000)
- ISBN-10: 1578515297
- ISBN-13: 978-1578515295
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
God forbid that doing business and making money on the Internet should bear any resemblance whatsoever to the past millennium of capitalism before our clunky bricks-and-mortar marketplace started going virtual--that would be too easy. Nope, it's a whole different ballgame now, and the new rule is: adapt or die. At least that's the message behind Digital Capital.
From the three principles at cyber consultant Alliance for Converging Technologies (one of whom, Tapscott, authored the bestsellers The Digital Economy and Growing up Digital), the book's pet paradigm for global takeover is what they call the business web, or "b-web" for short--in their words, "strategically aligned, multi-enterprise partner networks of producers, suppliers, service providers, infrastructure companies and customers that conduct business communication and transactions via digital channels." In our words, that's more like an eBay, a Cisco, a Dell, an MP3.com, a Linux ...in short, any enterprise that a) knows how to form lateral partnerships with other goods- or service-providers, and b) eliminates the role of planes, trains and automobiles--not to mention lots of time, money and human energy--by doing almost everything over the 'Net. Not only do the authors provide a wealth of b-web case studies (including Schwab, Priceline, Webvan, AT&T Solutions and OptiMark in addition to those mentioned above), they outline in the latter part of the book a step by-step process for "weaving" a b-web of one's own.
Too often,Digital Capital's smart, sound ideas come marinated in think tank jargon so alienated from plain English as to be near-impenetrable. Consider: "Disaggregation leads to 'disintermediation' and 'reintermediation'", which, believe it or not, isn't a line French film theorists use in pick-up bars, but the simple fact that business webs manage to cut out a lot of the traditional intermediary steps between producers and customers--now why couldn't they just have said that? After you nibble through the self-important MBA-ese, you'll find a smart look at how online shops are rewiring early-21st century capitalism.--Timothy Murphy, Amazon.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Internet Business, July 2000
'An impressive read...'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
Digital Capital is one of the few business books that dare address the central issue for most companies today: How to establish competitively-advantaged business models for serving customers that capture the power of the Internet to work with others. Anyone who doesn't know what they want to do for an Internet-based business model or doesn't like the one they have will get great benefit from this book.
Like Blown to Bits, Digital Capital looks squarely at the economic impact of the Internet on existing business models. But Digital Capital goes further in laying out the necessary steps to build on five business models that have been working that involve creating business networks that are Internet enabled (b-webs in the parlance of this book).
You will instantly recognize the five business model types, because the authors provide lots of examples (at least some of which will be familiar to you) and lists of characteristics of each type.
You will also know how to go from where you are to reaching one of these archetypes by the strategy directions the authors provide. The only drawback of this section is that the language gets a little b-schoolish (and full of very long words).
The conceptual basis of the work is sound. The only two points that were not discussed were (1) how these models might evolve into more powerful models in the future, and (2) how they might merge with each other.
Where the book is at its best is in helping you think through how to add other companies into a related web of interests to get more done -- thinking that goes well beyond the well-known outsourcing mindset.
Good luck with improving your Internet-based business model! Keep in mind that technology will evolve rapidly and enable some new business models that can only be dreamed about today in just 3-5 years. So be sure to look at the irresistible forces of technology development in thinking ahead. The current crash of the dot coms is just the beginning of what will be a period of enormous innovation and progress.
Format:Hardcover
Digital Capital is one of the few business books that dare address the central issue for most companies today: How to establish competitively-advantaged business models for serving customers that capture the power of the Internet to work with others. Anyone who doesn't know what they want to do for an Internet-based business model or doesn't like the one they have will get great benefit from this book.
Like Blown to Bits, Digital Capital looks squarely at the economic impact of the Internet on existing business models. But Digital Capital goes further in laying out the necessary steps to build on five business models that have been working that involve creating business networks that are Internet enabled (b-webs in the parlance of this book).
You will instantly recognize the five business model types, because the authors provide lots of examples (at least some of which will be familiar to you) and lists of characteristics of each type.
You will also know how to go from where you are to reaching one of these archetypes by the strategy directions the authors provide. The only drawback of this section is that the language gets a little b-schoolish (and full of very long words).
The conceptual basis of the work is sound. The only two points that were not discussed were (1) how these models might evolve into more powerful models in the future, and (2) how they might merge with each other.
Where the book is at its best is in helping you think through how to add other companies into a related web of interests to get more done -- thinking that goes well beyond the well-known outsourcing mindset.
Good luck with improving your Internet-based business model! Keep in mind that technology will evolve rapidly and enable some new business models that can only be dreamed about today in just 3-5 years. So be sure to look at the irresistible forces of technology development in thinking ahead. The current crash of the dot coms is just the beginning of what will be a period of enormous innovation and progress.
Format:Hardcover
"Digital Capital" introduces the importance of e-commerce, business web, business models, its key features, changes that presently occur in the global economy. If you wish to become or stay a successful solo trader, or as a small or medium firm, or a corporation, and become a market leader, this book is a must read, not just for employees but also for managers, executives, and CEO's who might learn few things and change their attitude towards employees and businesses. I gave 5 out of 5 stars as the book is well written, and the authors also referring not just to practical facts but also to academic and research journals.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Provides a framework for thinking &acting in the new economy
Finally, a book with real substance about the emerging world of business. Based on solid research and thoughtful analysis this book carefully unravels the complex dynamics of... Read more
Published on 24 July 2000
Very perceptive but also rather repetitive.
This book provides a useful method for the reader to conceptualise the emergent business models in the 'new economy'. Read more
Published on 30 Jun 2000
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