…is a question I was recently asked. E-business was very broadly defined beyond the commercial world to include related fields such as e-learning, e-government etc. It got me thinking beyond the latest crop of rock star offerings (great though many of them are) to try and come up with classics that have not only shaped the digital agenda, but also have truly stood the test of time. Not so easy is it? Anyway, after some pondering while walking the dog I came up with these:

Anything by Clayton Christensen on Disruptive Innovation (I’m looking forward to his new book on the Innovative University which is out soon, and apparently not an oxymoron)
Information Rules: a strategic guide to the network economy by Carl Shapiro and Hal Varian
Permission Marketing by Seth Godin
The Cluetrain Manifesto by Levine, Locke, Searls and Weinberger
Groundswell: winning in a world transformed by social technologies by Charlene Li and Josh Bernhoff

I’m sure there are many others…I’d be interested to get some feedback on these choices, or any alternative suggestions…?

William Dampier explored and mapped the coast of Western Australia fully 80 years before James Cook encountered Botany Bay. Largely forgotten today, Dampier landed in Shark Bay, Western Australia in 1699. He was a true pioneer with lasting influence upon such diverse fields as evolution, exploration, meteorology, navigation, commerce and travel writing. He was also a pirate who could have faced the same grisly fate as his contemporary Captain Kidd. But what does Dampier’s story have to do with Web Science in the 21^st Century? Please bear with me while I outline his achievements…

Dampier was the first man to sail three times around the world, and his best-selling accounts of his adventures inspired Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. The description of his travels and the potential he identified for trade with unknown lands helped to stimulate the South Sea Bubble.

Dampier’s maps of trade winds and ocean currents were relied upon by James Cook and even later by Horatio Nelson. Indeed, Dampier’s ‘Discourse’ of navigational detail was still in use by the British Navy well into the 20^th Century. As the first naturalist to encounter all five continents, Dampier was able to compare and contrast animals and plants across the globe, introducing the world to theories of migration and likely relationships between species. The famous red notebook in which Darwin developed his theory of natural selection quotes extensively from Dampier’s observations of 150 years earlier.

Dampier is responsible for more than 1000 entries in the Oxford English Dictionary, giving the language such words as avocado, barbeque and chopsticks. His comparison of the flat ocean to a “millpond” is an expression that would have conjured up a rich image to contemporary readers who might themselves have never seen the sea, and it is still in popular use today.

These achievements in the early days of exploration and scientific discovery provide many parallels with the position of Web Science today. Under the umbrella of the newly created Royal Society, developments in such diverse subjects as chemistry, astronomy and mechanics were debated by the best minds of the day, and Dampier was invited to address the Fellows on several occasions. The full extent of his influence is apparent when a view is taken across disciplines – from the practical to the intellectual, and from the literary to the scientific. Dampier could see the big picture and think laterally to make comparisons and connections – a skill that was very opportune at a time when the boundaries of the physical world were being rolled back in so many directions. He was dismissive of traditional hierarchies of expertise and was not afraid to operate outside the “establishment” of his day.

William Dampier died (in debt) in 1715, and his final resting place is unknown. Today, he is largely forgotten in England. A small town has been named after him on the north west coast of Australia, but there is no mention of his exploits in Fremantle’s Maritime Museum. Thanks to the research of Diana and Michael Preston, detailed in their compelling book “A Pirate of Exquisite Mind”, Dampier’s legacy can continue to inspire a new generation of explorers and writers in the diverse fields of Web Science.

Based on a $4 million research project, Grown Up Digital investigates how the ‘Net Generation’ is beginning to redefine work, education and government. The book builds upon Tapscott’s earlier work Growing up Digital which showed how young people growing up with the Internet were starting to behave in a very different way from previous generations. Now turning 30, this generation is starting to make its mark in the job market and society as a whole, and so the generation gap is becoming increasingly significant, particularly within large corporations. The book is particularly timely given the recent success of Obama’s election campaign which highlighted the role of social technologies such as Facebook and Twitter in raising funds and in connecting with and engaging young people on a massive scale.

While some commentators have criticised the Net Generation for being apathetic, mollycoddled and anti-social (wasn’t it ever thus?!) Tapscott’s research provides a different perspective, arguing that prolonged exposure to digital technologies has led to faster reaction times, an enhanced ability to multitask and a healthy scepticism for the status and authority of traditional ‘experts’. He draws upon a number of personal stories to demonstrate that the Net Generation is actually focused upon innovation, collaboration and personalisation. Anecdotes from his own family members liven up the research results, but also lay it open to accusations of US middle class bias and not fully acknowledging the ongoing reality of the digital divide.

Tapscott does criticise the Net Generation – for only paying ‘continuous partial attention’ to what is going on around them, for having unrealistic expectations about the world of work, and for a lack of loyalty to companies. However, on the whole he is very positive about the prospects for society, and the book presents his arguments in a thorough but also an accessible way. One minor gripe concerns the rather inconvenient grouping of notes by chapter at the end of the book rather than inserting them into the text where relevant, but the lessons to be learned from the content make it well worth the effort.

Technorati Tags: tapscott,grown up digital

With many thanks to The Web Pitch for this review.

Tribes is the newest addition to Seth Godin’s ongoing work of easily readable ideas on “Changing The World”. Godin uses a number of real world examples and a number of short stories to underpin the ideas within Tribes.  There is nothing in the book that many of us don’t already know, at least on a subconscious level.  In certain situations, we must find the initiative to lead. Many of us lead tribes, even if we don’t always see it that way.

The book leads the reader into thinking about how we can all challenge the status quo in our everyday personal and professional lives by taking the lead. Godin is a master at dusting off conventional concepts and presenting them in an enlightening and refreshingly new way. He demonstrates the importance of not only leading a tribe of followers, but also nurturing the relationships within it. One of the most powerful aspects of the book is how it is written to speak directly to the reader.

Tribes is not written as a conventional book with chapters. The book is written more in the style of a conversation, resulting from ideas and conversations from Godin’s blog. The book is essentially a collection of those thoughts, presented beautifully in print. It is a quick read and does inspire the reader to look at ways where he/she can make a real difference and empower groups of people.

Controversially, Godin describes most people within organisations as “sheepwalkers” – those who “have been raised to be obedient” and those that are comfortable “with brain-dead jobs and enough fear to keep in line.” For at least a few, leadership brings empowerment and brings opportunities to challenge traditional ways of doing things for the better.

There is a feeling that Godin is in fear. Fear of a world without “everyday” leaders who continue to change things for the better. These everyday leaders are not big CEOs, but rather people like you and me. The book is indeed a call to action.
Godin cites five different reasons as to why people should look for everyday opportunities to lead:

1. “Everyone in an organisation, not just the boss is expected to lead”.
2. [Today] “it’s easier than ever before to change things [and] individuals have more leverage than ever before”. (Especially with tools such as Facebook and Twitter.)
3. Individuals, and their organisations that “change things and create remarkable products and services” are rewarded in the marketplace.
4. Change is a catalyst and can empower each of us to do something truly remarkable. It is “engaging, thrilling, profitable and fun”.
5. Finally, there is a ‘tribe’ of other people waiting for a leader, “to connect them to one another and lead them where they want to go.”

Godin states that great leaders “create movements by empowering the tribe to communicate” and “they establish the foundation for people to make connections, as opposed to commanding people to follow.”  Powerful leaders connect members of a tribe by a common interest (e.g. by sharing a passionate goal), and a determination to create things that did not exist before.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that Tribes is a technical manual, or a practical step-by-step guide. Because while it encourages you to “lead”, it doesn’t go into specifics, (which is a good thing). Godin challenges the reader to accept full responsibility for becoming a tribal leader:

“No one gives you permission or approval or a permit to lead, You can just do it. The only one who can say no is you.”

Critics may argues that the book lacks “concrete data”. However, long-time Seth Godin readers will understand that his books are a presentation of ideas. Ideas that spread and win. Tribes is no different. The book could also be criticised for being too short. However,  it is extremely well written and in my opinion the right size for the material it covers.

After reading the book, I was left thinking that Tribes was Volume 1. Certainly, another book could soon become a follow up. For example, what effects are realised when tribes collaborate with other tribes forming a “Super Tribe”?  Or, what does the leader do when his role is challenged within the tribe?

It’s hard to escape the religious metaphors in the book. References to “heretics” and “fundamentalists” echo throughout. In centuries past, heretics were burned for their religious views. However, in Godin’s 21st Century world, heretics may just be the ones that save us from an unremarkable world.

Overall, Tribes is an inspiring read and well worth adding to your Seth Godin collection!  Get your copy of Tribes from Amazon

[UPDATE]

Seth was kind enough to answer my three quick questions below:

Q.  What inspired you to write Tribes?

A. I see a world where just about everyone is pushed to conform, to fit in, to do what we’re told. A workforce filled with sheepwalkers… at the same time, I see people desperately in search of leadership, eager to be connected and to matter. I was hoping to point those two things out and encourage people to take a breath and lead.

Q.  How does Seth Godin spend his day?

A. I write, answer email, bother people, notice things, and run my company, Squidoo.com and my closed online site, triiiibes.

Q.  For readers who haven’t read Tribes, can you explain the general themes of the book and why you think everyone should buy it?

A. The best thing to do is visit www.squidoo.com/tribesbook and see what other people had to say!

Tags: Seth Godin, Tribes

Groundswell’ by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff is a thoughtful and clearly written book that is as much about attitude as it is about technology. It benefits greatly from the backing of Forrester Research which has provided the hard data illustrating the changing behaviour of online consumers and their growing use of web 2.0 technologies. Although much of this data is from the US, there are also some useful comparison tables profiling European and Far Eastern consumers by age, geography, political affiliation etc.

The book begins with a useful review of a range of web 2.0 tools that includes separate sections on how to use them, how they can help to build customer relationships and also how they may threaten established ways of doing business. It then moves onto the thorny topic of evaluation – how can you assess which of these tools are right for your company, and what should the timescales for introducing them be? Is the kudos associated with being at the ‘bleeding edge’ of a new tool worth the increased risk of failure, or is it better to wait and learn from the mistakes of others?

Next the authors introduce their customer profiling categories which they rather dauntingly term ‘social technographics’. Do you know which of your customers are ‘creators’, ‘critics’, ‘collectors’, ‘joiners’, ‘spectators’ or ‘inactives’? Clearly if most of them come into the final category (yes – the authors do acknowledge that there are still significant numbers of people who are not prepared to engage online) then your new social media strategy is going to be rather wasted…but understanding the profile of your customers allows you to develop appropriate strategies. If a high percentage of them are critics, then have you thought through how you will respond to negative comments they make on your blog posts? And how will you encourage the creators to contribute the sort of content that the spectators will want to read?

The remainder of the book focuses a chapter on each of 5 specific objectives that ‘early adopter’ case studies of the Groundswell are pursing:

• Listening (or ‘research’ in old money)
• Talking (customer communications)
• Energising (sales)
• Supporting (customer support)
• Embracing (collaborative development)

The examples are bang up to date, and additional value comes from the sections in how the new policies will change the organisation once implemented, and also the ROI calculations to help convince the sceptics. The final chapter demonstrates how the Groundswell principles can be applied within organisations as a necessary precursor to effective external application.

In summary, the Groundswell is about attitude rather than technology. Social strategies can flourish only in a culture of openness where criticism is tolerated and responded to in a proactive manner, change is regarded as an opportunity rather than a threat, and senior managers actively support new initiatives. The book is less clear on how progression can be made within the many organisations that do not meet these criteria…and the end notes would give the text more weight if they were integrated within the chapters, but these are minor gripes. If your role involves implementing or teaching marketing strategy, or if you are an entrepreneur developing your own business, then you should read this book and open your mind to the fundamental changes that it recommends.

This timely book contains a number of interesting contemporary case studies of such luminaries as Flickr, Amazon, Netflix, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google. These examples illustrate how Web 2.0 permits the early enthusiasm that exploded with the dotcom bubble to be finally realised, now that network effects are established, capital costs have reduced, high speed broadband access dominates, user engagement is welcomed and the ‘long tail’ has been made accessible.

The explanations of Web 2.0 principles are easy to follow, and each chapter includes a list of practical questions that proactive businesses should be addressing if they are considering whether to venture into what are still largely uncharted waters. For example, an excellent question that Amy Shuen poses to Marketing Managers is “can you identify the 1-3% ‘active uploaders’ in your customer community and then engage them as evangelists for your business?” Clear warnings are also contained within the text for those businesses that fail to see the relevance of Web 2.0, or who regard it as a threat rather than an opportunity.

The real value of this book is provided in the end notes which highlight established books and articles about strategy that have ‘stood the test of time’, and also where traditional academic frameworks have been usefully updated with Web 2.0 thinking. (For example, see the discussion of Michael Porter’s SIX forces and Clayton Christensen’s disruptive innovation.) Pointers are also made towards new research that is now emerging from around the world that directly investigates the business implications of a Web 2.0 world.

Overall this is a well written and thought-provoking book, although a few more European examples would have been welcome