New Book Review: "The Limits of Strategy"
New book review for The Limits of Strategy: Lessons in Leadership from the Computer Industry, by Ernest von Simson, iUniverse, 2010:
In my opinion, it is amazing that so few reviews have been posted for this extremely insightful effort by Ernest von Simson, veteran consultant and co-founder of Research Board, an international think tank that investigates developments in the computing world and how corporations should adapt. Ever since an editorial on cloud computing in "The Wall Street Journal" mentioned this book in passing in March 2011, I have been working through the dense but conversational 400-pages that von Simson offers the reader, arriving at the conclusion that not only is this book one of the best business texts I have ever read, it should be considered required reading for the business- and technology-minded in school, as well as anyone involved in strategic decision making in the workplace.
Not only does von Simson present very detailed notes from many of his conversations with business leaders from 1974 through 2000 when explosive changes in the computer industry took place, he provides insightful analysis throughout, while even briefly discussing the initial failed business efforts of he and his wife, Naomi. In the words of the author, their friends prescribed that they "build a group of clients, major companies that needed to mesh their strategies with the exploding world of computing", "investigate what developments were coming, what adjustments they should make, and how to integrate information technology into their operations", and "scrutinize all the major technology companies and advise our clients on what the IT leaders were doing, how good they are, and who was ahead in which new fields."