Synopses & Reviews
Douglas Rushkoff was one of the first social commentators to identify the new culture around the internet. He has spent nearly a decade advising companies on the ways they can re-orient their businesses to the transformations the internet has caused. Through his speaking and consulting, Rushkoff has discovered an important and unrecognized shift in American business. Too many companies are panicked and operating in survival mode when the worst of the crisis has already passed.
Likening the internet transformation to the intellectual and technological ferment of the Enlightment, Rushkoff suggests we have a remarkable opportunity to re-integrate our new perspective with the work we actually do. Instead of running around trying to "think out of the box," Rushkoff demonstrates, now is the time to "get back in the box" and improve the way we do our jobs, run our operations and drive innovation from the ground up.
Combining stories gleaned from his consulting with a thrilling tour of history's dramatic moments and clever readings of cultural shift we've just experienced, Rushkoff offers a compelling vision of the simple and effective ways businesses can re-invigorate themselves.
Review
“Get your highlighters out! Theres a worldchanging idea on each and every page.” Seth Godin, author of All Marketers are Liars
Synopsis
Argues that "out of the box" thinking has distracted many businesses from focusing their core competencies, identifies the drawbacks of using consultants and market research, and cites the relevance of worker stimulation and engagement.
Synopsis
Although for years experts have been exhorting the value of "thinking outside the box," Douglas Rushkoff argues that it is distracting too many businesses from what they do best. Having for too long replaced innovation with acquisitions and ad campaigns, many businesses have lost touch with the process—and fun—of discovery. Indeed, for all their talk about innovation, most companies today are still scared to death of it. By returning to their core competencies, companies can offer their employees and customers alike the "social currency" they need to create value, meaning, and fun for one another. With intriguing examples—from the dumbwaiter and open source to Volkswagen and the Gap—Rushkoff shows how we can make business more meaningful and profitable by "getting back in the box."
About the Author
Douglas Rushkoff is the author of 10 bestselling books on media and culture, including Cyberia, Media Virus!, Playing the Future, Coercion: Why We Listen to What "They" Say, and the novels Ecstasy Club and Exit Strategy.