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Rating: 
Summary: To all of those who paid full price at the bookstore
Review: He's been there. That's the difference between Roger Blackwell and the rest. He's one of the most quoted marketing professors of all time and he's sat on the boards and consulted for some of the world's top companies. I saw Blackwell giving a presentation twenty-five years ago talking about the world we would live in today. From his prediciton of mobile telephones and palmtop computers, my notes from that day could have been written today - he didn't miss on one point.
'From Mind to Market' is a wonderfully insightful look at marketing in the digital age. Blackwell writes about the collection and analysis of customer information in a way that any expert will find appealing and any novice will find illuminating. This is a good read - a 'can't put it down' type of book. I particularly like the way Blackwell translates the latest scientific thoughts about retailing and marketing into easy to understand observations about marketing and management practice in some of the world's leading firms. Stories about the Limited, Banc One, Kinko's, Max and Erma's, Ford Taurus and others bring his exciting thoughts about marketing excellence to life.
If you buy one book about marketing this year, buy this one.
Prof Steven M Burgess
Association of Marketers Professor
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Rating:
Summary: A tour-de-force from one of marketing's most quoted authors
Review: He's been there. That's the difference between Roger Blackwell and the rest. He's one of the most quoted marketing professors of all time and he's sat on the boards and consulted for some of the world's top companies. I saw Blackwell giving a presentation twenty-five years ago talking about the world we would live in today. From his prediciton of mobile telephones and palmtop computers, my notes from that day could have been written today - he didn't miss on one point. 'From Mind to Market' is a wonderfully insightful look at marketing in the digital age. Blackwell writes about the collection and analysis of customer information in a way that any expert will find appealing and any novice will find illuminating. This is a good read - a 'can't put it down' type of book. I particularly like the way Blackwell translates the latest scientific thoughts about retailing and marketing into easy to understand observations about marketing and management practice in some of the world's leading firms. Stories about the Limited, Banc One, Kinko's, Max and Erma's, Ford Taurus and others bring his exciting thoughts about marketing excellence to life. If you buy one book about marketing this year, buy this one.
Prof Steven M Burgess
Association of Marketers Professor
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Rating:
Summary: To all of those who paid full price at the bookstore
Review: I am a student taking Dr. Blackwell's marketing 650 at OSU fall 98. (GO BUCKS) The book is really well written and is full of interesting and informative information -- I just wish he would have told all of us about Amazon.com at the start of the class so we could have saved 1/3 off the inflated OSU bookstore price!
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing earthshattering. Could've been said in one chapter.
Review: Somewhat disappointing read in that there really wasn't any synopsis at the end of the book to bring all of the cases in point and related ideas together to make a coherent "call to action." While the information presented is interesting, educational, and valuable, the concept of "demand chain management" is not all that radical. The fact the more companies do not engage in the practice is what's really radical! There is no excuse for not conducting rigorous market research and analysis and gaining an intimate understanding of the customer base being served (or disserved in some cases). Mr. Blackwell's information could have been summed up in a 15 page article in a respectable journal. There was no need to produce an entire book on this.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing earthshattering. Could've been said in one chapter.
Review: Somewhat disappointing read in that there really wasn't any synopsis at the end of the book to bring all of the cases in point and related ideas together to make a coherent "call to action." While the information presented is interesting, educational, and valuable, the concept of "demand chain management" is not all that radical. The fact the more companies do not engage in the practice is what's really radical! There is no excuse for not conducting rigorous market research and analysis and gaining an intimate understanding of the customer base being served (or disserved in some cases). Mr. Blackwell's information could have been summed up in a 15 page article in a respectable journal. There was no need to produce an entire book on this.
Rating:
Summary: Listen to your customer! Is this the "radical" new approach?
Review: There is nothing radical, or ground-breaking in this book. Contrary to what the cover or any of the previous comments may imply.. The basic (and almost the only) point is that "one should always listen to the customer," which is nice but not new or radical. No matter how hard you look, you will not be able to find any more "ideas" on retail marketing beyond this basic point.Chapter 6 (Shifting Functions among Supply-Chain Players) has a very timely topic, however the content is extremely poor. Short of examples, Professor takes on the universities as inefficient supply-chain members. Apart from being disappointed by the conceptual content of the book, I also feel fooled by the "real world" examples generously sprinkled throughout the text. In none of these examples, there is enough relevant knowledge to be able to say (at least roughly) this is how they did it. In fact, most of the descriptions of real-world practices are full with irrelevant knowledge with only one discernable purpose: To advertise a bunch of companies under the disguise of a serious book. That maybe why there are so many of those success (!) stories. So, this book itself is an example of setting up too high and inaccurate expectations on the mind of consumers, and failing badly to abide by the implicit contract created by those expectations. It is a huge marketing mistake! Finally, I must also mention that my faith in Customer Reviews has weakened tremendously. I simply cannot believe this repetitive dribble got all 5's! (PS. Don't be fooled by its curious, nicely designed cover. It reflects a pathetic "brave new world" vision of marketing: People barcoded for collecting consumption information.)
Rating:
Summary: Listen to your customer! Is this the "radical" new approach?
Review: There is nothing radical, or ground-breaking in this book. Contrary to what the cover or any of the previous comments may imply.. The basic (and almost the only) point is that "one should always listen to the customer," which is nice but not new or radical. No matter how hard you look, you will not be able to find any more "ideas" on retail marketing beyond this basic point. Chapter 6 (Shifting Functions among Supply-Chain Players) has a very timely topic, however the content is extremely poor. Short of examples, Professor takes on the universities as inefficient supply-chain members. Apart from being disappointed by the conceptual content of the book, I also feel fooled by the "real world" examples generously sprinkled throughout the text. In none of these examples, there is enough relevant knowledge to be able to say (at least roughly) this is how they did it. In fact, most of the descriptions of real-world practices are full with irrelevant knowledge with only one discernable purpose: To advertise a bunch of companies under the disguise of a serious book. That maybe why there are so many of those success (!) stories. So, this book itself is an example of setting up too high and inaccurate expectations on the mind of consumers, and failing badly to abide by the implicit contract created by those expectations. It is a huge marketing mistake! Finally, I must also mention that my faith in Customer Reviews has weakened tremendously. I simply cannot believe this repetitive dribble got all 5's! (PS. Don't be fooled by its curious, nicely designed cover. It reflects a pathetic "brave new world" vision of marketing: People barcoded for collecting consumption information.)
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Insights to Parties within Demand Chain
Review: This book shows a lot of cases quoted from customer-centric winning retailers. These are very realistic and helpful information to the parties related to supply chain. The expression by "Do the right things right" means the desired and normal management style. However a lot of companies are difficult to do so. "From Mind to Market " leader challenges to do so. This is a major key success factor. Finally, the case of Manco moved me too much. Because their customer services are not to be assumed cost center, but to be invested proactively. This is extremely excellent concept. Most of the companies don't think it right.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Insights to Parties within Demand Chain
Review: This book shows a lot of cases quoted from customer-centric winning retailers. These are very realistic and helpful information to the parties related to supply chain. The expression by "Do the right things right" means the desired and normal management style. However a lot of companies are difficult to do so. "From Mind to Market " leader challenges to do so. This is a major key success factor. Finally, the case of Manco moved me too much. Because their customer services are not to be assumed cost center, but to be invested proactively. This is extremely excellent concept. Most of the companies don't think it right.
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening Read into the Retail Industry!
Review: This has been a most gratifying read...only just finished reading all the valuable insights into how retailers have been reinventing themselves in the tight marketplaces and carved strong niches for themselves with the detailed database knowledge accrued from their existing and would-be customers. Amazing the lengths to which companies, especially the SMEs, go to garner a strong fellowship of loyal customer base.
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