Customer Reviews

New Rules For The New Economy

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I tend to give a book **** stars when it should be read and ***** when it must be read. This book remains a good read even after the dot-com implosion. Perhaps even a better read afterward since the hype and frenzy are long since gone and the work can better live and die on its own.

Kevin Kelly, as founding editor of Wired magazine, has long been one of the new economy's chief advocates. In New Rules for the New Economy, Kelly tries to encapsulate the characteristics of this emerging economic order by laying out 10 rules for how the wired world operates. It is very well thought out and well written. A superb synthesis of new economy thinking. Right or wrong, it does a phenomenal job of putting forth the premises and substantive arguments that make the new economy such a provocative topic. Kelly manages to do this while maintaining a fluid and natural story telling style. Here is a representative sample excerpt:

"Communication is the foundation of society, of our culture, of our humanity, of our own individual identity, and of all economic systems. This is why networks are such a big deal. Communication is so close to culture and society itself that the effects of technologizing it are beyond the scale of a mere industrial-sector cycle. Communication, and its ally computers, is a special case in economic history. Not because it happens to be the fashionable leading business sector of our day, but because its cultural, technological, and conceptual impacts reverberate at the root of our lives."

This book both informs and, more importantly, inspires. Its powerful message has no doubt launched careers and changed lives. It will remain an important read for many, many years to come.

Kevin, like all good pioneers, has taken more than his fair share of "arrows in the back", but don't be mis-led by the naysayers, this one is the real deal.

I bought the book about a year ago and thumbed through it, it was a little boring at first, it gets better towards the end. It's not a long book. It's interesting to have read it again after the dot-com bust, to see how many of his points are still valid. Check it out.

The book adresses almost all of the questions that one can wonder about the concept of "new economy". It not only addresses the questions, but also gives strategies for success in this new economy. As you go further in the book, you understand that the concept is not actually new but it is another stage of the continuously changing/improving economic and business world. The most important lesson that I have derived is, understanding the external environment and its dynamics is vital for designing the corporate strategy. Moreover the businessmen must learn that adoption to the new business world is not enough, but being able to adopt to the world that is in a continuous flux is also important. After you read and understand the logic behind this book, you become a good analyst of other different models that are proposed by others.

I enjoy this work, lots of fresh observations and connections.... but having read it in the light of recent trends in the e-biz world, it sounds thin and delusional...a lot like Tom Peters after way too much espresso. There ARE consequences from CONTINUALLY embracing change...and, in my experience ALL of them are BAD. I wonder on what real-world EXPERIENCE Mr. Kelly bases his thinking. My advice, embrace chaos and change, but do it VERY CAREFULLY...because it will definitely have consequences. Truth & Beauty! -BvK

Mr. Kelly's book was well written and pretty easy to read. I work in the E-Commerce industry, and did not find this book particularly interesting. It is certainly relevant and the information is accurate, but not for someone who is familiar with the industry. I would recommend this as an intro to the field and revolution, but is not particularly insightful for the more experienced. But there are still a few interesting points to ponder...

Mr Kelly brings the man in the street up-to-date on the new economy. The book gives a very quick introduction to what the new age is all about. In relatively short chapters you get a glimpse of the changes taking place. He uses down to earth examples like how a farmer or a truck driver can benefit from the new technology and informational era. Mr Kelly has shared some strategies for thriving and succeeding in the 3rd millennium. He introduces you to basic concepts like Moore's Law & Gilder's Law. He even advices that if you want to go from one peak to another peak of success, you must go downhill first before travelling up! Read it to find out more strategies for thriving in 2001 & beyond!

In the short list of favorites, small but wide in concepts, very clear and illustrative, all you expect in few pages, very well organized and written, with a funny style a very serious book. Interesting from first to last page, without the boring redundances and long void explanations present in other books about the same matter. You can learn these fundamental principles and enjoy a quick and wealthy book. Save a lot of time reading others, read this, here's all.

Kelly's book is a great overview of how the internet will and is now affecting the world and especially the economy. Clearly written, easy to follow along, and quick enough to read, it serves as a good executive overview and thought generator. If, as he maintains, you follow along these 10 guidelines, you'll prosper in the times ahead. But not without a few bumps in this most dynamic, chaotic world.

The New Rules presents an absolutely riveting long view of where our information-saturated world is headed. Kevin has seen the future and the news is good. How big a deal is it? Well, in essence he says the world has been around for about 6 billion years. Single celled life forms showed up after 4 billion years. One billion years ago neurons allowed the development of multi-celled creatures and BOOM! 2,000 some days ago the World Wide Web came effectively on line. Reading this book expanded both my confidence and ability to dream big dreams about the future of humanity. Kevin talks about swarms, hives, schools and how we humans share some of the same drifts. How do the birds in the sky, the ants in the earth and the fish in the sea communicate with such immediacy? How does the herd turn You will never look at society in exactly the same way again. There is a lot of talk these days about a new organic life form emerging and Kevin pulls back the curtain for look at this idea. Some folks are very worried about the humans being lost in a technological Armageddon. Some of these are thinks of substance and some are chicken littlers. Kevin presents a frank assessment of the potential for us all to become better people in this new age

Perhaps the most important books ever written have two qualities: 1. They apply to, and are accessible to, a large audience. 2. They provoke the reader enough to spark action. This book qualifies on both levels.

1. This book is the work of a man who has read all the important works of economists, computer scientists and historians regarding the "new economy" and has distilled it into his own version of applicable rules. Whether his distilled version is the best version is debatable. But his writing is concise, easy to read, and profound. It is very accessible to most readers, unlike the larger textbooks that many in his field write. This is important, because clearly the new economy affects everyone, not just the academic elite.

2. If you are a student of life, Kelly will provoke you to some action. His statements are all bold. He doesn't state the obvious; he makes predictions that may or may not come true, and he grounds them in fact and theory--albeit vaguely some times. But his message applies to everyone.

One of the most underappreciated parts of the book is his bibliography at the end with his comments on how relevant he found each book. The action that Kelly sparked in me was my resolve to read more books--specifically the ones listed in his bibliography. If you want to study how the world is going to work in the future, my advice is to start with this book. It will open you eyes to a whole new world of writing.