The Virtual Corporation

Structuring and Revitalizing the Corporation for the 21st Century

William H. Davidow, Michael S. Malone

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1992, 294 pages

ISBN: 0-88730-657-8

Keywords: Knowledge Management, Organizational Development

Last modified: Dec. 3, 2017, 1:34 a.m.

Lessons from the World's Most Advanced Companies.

In this worthwhile prognosis of the successful 21st-century business, Davidow, a venture capitalist, and Malone, a business writer, bring together findings on the effects of information technologies, organizational dynamics, and manufacturing systems on enterprises. The output resulting from these forces is the "virtual" product (most likely a service ) that "can be made available at any time, in any place, and in any variety." The authors' virtual corporation, epitomized by Lenscrafters, Taco Bell Express, and various semiconductor fabricators, harkens back to preindustrial artisans' crafting of pieces to customer specifications — but now with many times the responsiveness of those days. The authors see change as a nutrient in the organizations portrayed and say fostering trust and adaptability in employees will be vital in the new virtual corporation.

  1. A New Kind of Business
  2. An Emerging Idea
  3. Powers of Information
  4. The Upward Curve of Technology
  5. The Future by Design
  6. The Machinery of Change
  7. Shared Dreams
  8. Rethinking Management
  9. A New Kind of Worker
  10. Spreading the Word
  11. Toward a Revitalized Economy

Reviews

The Virtual Corporation

Reviewed by Roland Buresund

OK ***** (5 out of 10)

Last modified: Sept. 28, 2007, 7:37 p.m.

In my opinion a pretty realistic view on the new economy, even though I dislike the terms and its implications. Especially as used by people who don't understand the concept fully. Hint: Keep the Core Competency Inhouse!

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