The Digital Economy Promise and Peril in the Age of Networked Intelligence

Praise for The Digital Economy With the publication of his earlier work on information technology, Don Tapscott established a reputation as one of the world's leading cyber-gurus.' His new book will provide fresh insights into a field in which he has become an expert: the ways [the] Digital Revolution can change the way we live, learn, work, and communicate. -Vice President Al Gore For the business leader overwhelmed by the bombardment of disjointed facts, misinformation, and hype about the digital revolution, Don Tapscott's book is a godsend-and it's fast-paced and interesting reading to boot. -Dick Notebaert, Chairman, Ameritech A fascinating and sobering look at our undeniably digital future. The book is a timely and incisive assessment of the digital revolution: how we got where we are today, where intelligent networks will take us in the future, and, most importantly, why it matters. -Gerald H. Taylor, President, MCI Communications Corporation Tapscott makes the new virtual economy feel real . . . it's a pragmatic guide to the digital world of the future. -Esther Dyson, Chair, Electronic Frontier Foundation An absolute read for all of us struggling to determine the outcome of this dynamic revolution. Tapscott cleverly combines learning, leadership, communication, knowledge, and the advancement of technology to provide us with a possible road map to the new interconnecting society. -A.L. Flood, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce If you plan to be alive during the next decade and want to understand the world you'll be living in, you should definitely read this book. It will scare you and excite you. Best of all, it will teach you how to succeed in a dramatically different environment. -Lewis F. Platt, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Office, Hewlett-Packard Company About the Book: Separated by continents, Boeing aircraft engineers and prospective clients electronically collaborate on the paperless design of the 777 . . . using automated training systems and network-based teams, Federal Express transforms itself from a courier company into a logistics and networking provider for its customers . . . browsing through Levi's interactive home page on the Internet, home shoppers order custom-designed clothing delivered within days to their doorstep. Welcome to the fundamentally new economy-where the paper trail ends and essential information is instead sent racing at the speed of light across networks, and where economic advantage accrues to those individuals and organizations who are able to leverage the capabilities of today's new information technologies to transform business and invent new business practices, not merely rearrange old ones. In this eagerly awaited follow-up to the his bestselling Paradigm Shift, global IT expert Don Tapscott answers the one question that burns on the mind of every forward-looking executive and manager: What does the new technology mean to me and my business? In clear, jargon-free English, using actual examples of leading-edge organizations who are successfully riding the IT wave, Don Tapscott reveals how the new technology and business strategies are transforming not only business processes but also the way products and services are created and marketed, the structure and goals of enterprises, the dynamics of competition, and all the rules for business success. But the remarkable journey doesn't end there. The Digital Economy also takes you to the epicenter of a new convergence of computing, telecommunications, and entertainment. From Wal-Mart's electronically linked purchasing systems to Sun Microsoft's desktop university to Chase Manhattan Bank's consumer video kiosks, and beyond, it discloses how results-hungry organizations are moving past simple reengineering to the complete IY-enables transformation of the corporation. The Digital Economy also tackles the dark side of the information highway-the first frank, balanced, and comprehensive look at the perils of the revolution underway for every business, society, and individual. With this book, Tapscott opens an international debate on the role of business in the transition to the new economy and a new society based on fairness, justice, and democracy. At once a practical handbook and vision for the future, The Digital Economy belongs on the desk an in the briefcase of every executive and manager grappling to make sense of, and profit from, the vast opportunities generated by the new media.