New Book Offers Expert View of Information Age

In Managing in the New Economy (1999 Harvard Business School Press), a new book edited by Joan Magretta, 13 Harvard Business Review articles by authors ranging from Peter Drucker to Michael Porter provide insights on what it takes to be a successful manager in the Information Age. In her introduction Magretta identifies three long-term trends that are shaping competition and strategy: the rise of networks, the growth of knowledge work, and the globalization of trade. The book is divided into three sections. The first explores how the three trends are shaping competition and strategy. The second, which addresses leadership and organization issues, offers insights into the new demands placed on managers in a global, knowledge-based economy. The final section features interviews with Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Computer Corp.; Robert Shapiro, CEO of Monsanto Co., and Victor Fung, chairman of Li & Fung, an export trading company headquartered in Hong Kong. Each describes how he and his organization are tackling the challenges of managing in a new economy.