Digital Darwinism

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Summary: Essential Internet Reading
Review: If you only have time for one Web book this year, this is the one. Through well explained, good examples and a strong metaphorical device, Schwartz illuminates the Internet landscape and points to the ways in which the digital future will change businesses and users' behaviors.

Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended!
Review: In this book, Evan I. Schwartz examines competition in the world of Web commerce, today's most rapidly changing business environment. He compares this competitive struggle to the battle between species that occurs in the natural environment. He concludes that the companies that succeed must be better to survive, much like the survival of the fittest in nature. Whatever market niche they select, they have to be "smarter, faster, more innovative, and more adaptable" than ever, so that they do better than their competitors. After examining the successes and failures of many different e-commerce competitors, the author identifies seven key strategies to survive and thrive on the Web. Digital Darwinism uses detailed case studies and examples to show how different companies have employed the stated principles successfully. Each chapter concludes with a brief summary of the major points to apply, based on these examples of success. It is a kind of example of "digital Darwinism" itself, in that the author applies the value-added principles he advocates to create an easy-to-read book. We [...] recommend this well-organized book to executives who manage or do business with Web-based corporations.


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Summary: Surviving the cutthroat web economy.
Review: Mr. Schwartz is the author of Webonomics. In Digital Darwinism, we are presented with "7 breakthrough business strategies for surviving in the cutthroat web economy." They are:

1. Build a grand that stands for solving problems 2. Allow your prices to fluctuate freely with supply and demand. 3. Let affiliate partners do your marketing for you. 4. Create valuable bundles of information and services. 5. Sell custom-made products online, then manufacture them. 6. Add new value to transactions between buyers and sellers. 7. Integrate digital commerce with absolutely everything.

From a technical point of view, I found little new in these strategies, but perhaps that is because I work in a technology field. For those who are trying to bring a "old economy" business into the "new economy," this book will be a valuable source of ideas for the inevitable culture shock.

The writing style is clean and concise, and the ideas are clearly presented, illustrated with examples, and brought to us in a believable story form. Even the typeface and page layout make this book easy to read. At the end of each chapter appears a short summary of the key points which can easily serve as a quick refresher when thinking through the implementation of new strategies.

In the end, one must remember that the very lessons of the author will also render his book short lived. Things will change (and are already)! But there are definitely some principles for how to think about this new, evolving digital world that will help us move forward and maintain our position in the evolution of this digital world.

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Summary: need to know where to start in understanding the logistics..
Review: Of Ebusiness? Here is your read. I am an MBA student who was in desperate need of understanding the power and nuances of web based principals of business. I found that many of my professors simply refused to acknowledge, let alone embrace, this emerging business modality. Fortunately, I found this! Marketing, branding, value added product and services components are described as they specifically relate to the web. It describes and explains through proven or failed examples specific take-aways for the web. Schwartz has captured the essential elements of Web based business in an understandable, matter of fact way. Perfect if you are a student in search of knowledge on the matter, and the classroom isn't enough or your professor has not quite grasped the significance of web based business.

Rating:
Summary: This is one you do not want to miss!
Review: Schwartz has clearly written an enticing and incredibly insightful piece which is a must read for anyone and everyone looking at the future of e-commerce. You owe it to yourself, and to your business, to read Digital Darwinism.

Rating:
Summary: Ignore the Darwin reference
Review: Schwartz is no authority on Chuckie Darwin but his handle on technology is solid. His work is worth the time to read and the addition to a technology / web / Internet library is worthwhile.

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Summary: Natural Selection in the New Millennium
Review: Schwartz provides what the subtitle describes as "7 Breakthrough Strategies for Surviving in the Cutthroat Web Economy." Unlike so many other subtitles, this one understates the importance of the strategies discussed. The objective is really not survival; rather, to achieve and then sustain a position of dominance or at least primacy. In business, obviously, there is an on-going process of "natural selection" which determines which companies are sufficiently fit and which are not. Schwartz is dead-on when suggesting that it is a "logical" process: "Fear naturally gave way to experimentation....Successful experimentation soon led to confidence....Confidence inspired trust....Trust led to faith...Faith led to mass acceptance."

Schwartz devotes a separate chapter to each of the seven "breakthrough strategies":

Build a Brand that Stands for Solving Problems

Allow Your Prices to Fluctuate Freely with Supply and Demand

Let Affiliate Partners Do Your Marketing for You

Create Valuable Bundles of Information and Services

Sell Custom-Made Products Online, Then [italics] Manufacture Them

Add New Value to Transactions Between Buyers and Sellers

Integrate Digital Commerce with Absolutely Everything

Obviously, with all due respect to Schwartz's excellent insights and suggestions, it remains for you to determine (1) which of these (and other) strategies are most relevant to the specific needs of your own organization, and (2), the nature and extent of resources which can be allocated to their implementation. Also, obviously, as needs change (and they will), the combination of strategies must be modified to accommodate them. One final point: Whatever the initiatives may be, it is imperative to have "buy in" throughout your organization by everyone involved, from top to bottom. Otherwise, your organization will be eliminated by a "natural selection" process measured in years and even weeks, not centuries or even years.

Rating:
Summary: e-commerce, shme-commerce
Review: The catchy title is just a title, and it drew me in to a fun and fantastic read. A bright spot is the examples of entrepreneurs (the real E in e-commerce) finding the Web as an ally in contrast to examples of subsided businesses that relied solely on the Web and Web hype (those with a hammer always seeking a nail; those with a computer seeing business as data). Includes keen admonishments toward certain companies that tout the Web yet deny Web-users access to their products or services (initials are B&N, CompUSA). The lesson delivered is not in the list that frothed to the top but the personalities behind the steps, along with some vernacular mixed in with good narrative. (Dell newbies attentive to low badge numbers; Seven Cycle chapter alone could inspire someone to just start a business; REI chapter makes me want to try out their store.) Nowadays companies with Web sites scream customer-service-this, customer-service-that.... The brightest spot in this book is the back-to-the-future (back to the past?) notion of customers driving business, people service, craft, artisan and manufacturing jobs instead of automation--people can do this kind of thing since the Web allows efficiency (customized products) so companies aren't concerned so much about stocking warehouses as entrepreneurship. Nowadays companies with Web sites tout "customer- service-this, customer-service-that." This book will show why that phrase appears on some companies as a glossy add-on, and why on others it stands for delivering to the customer.

Rating:
Summary: good participation !
Review: The strateiges of web business could find by case study,interview and self-participation. I specially like this way of participation to explore more and deeper thinking in this book. That is an author experience. Maybe is yours.

Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful Review of Early Internet
Review: This book is a thoughtful analysis of the e-commerce boom during its start-up period. Most insightful point is to identify e-commerce as "the sale of a process" rather than a product or brand. Author should do a sequel to update his analysis.