The world of business is in the throes of a new revolution. It is, paradoxically, both the best and worst of times. Opportunity abounds, but the economic, societal, and technological foundations of the Machine Age are crumbling. Confounded by chaos and heavily pressured for results, most Western managers have no better ideas for how to compete than to endlessly copy each other, cut costs, and buy up rivals. Downsizing is epidemic and decline common.

Clearly, the world is going though a major transition. When this transformation is completed, it will look very different. This upheaval will change everything, but the focus and maximum stress point is economic. In the future world power and national prosperity will increasingly depend on the ability to compete in high value added product-market areas. The winners will develop new societal models for business, economics, government, and education.

This current and authoritative book is the joint product of an academician and a business practitioner, both of whom share a deep concern about the inadequacy of current models and practices. It examines the new environment and explores the underlying drivers � the "Engines of Prosperity" � that set the new rules of competitive rivalry. It provides timely advice for managers on how to operate in a world characterized by Information Age technology, rapid change, deepening global linkages, increasing returns to scale, and the continuous unbundling of value chains.

Contents:

• Environments and Models:
• Introduction
• The Emerging Knowledge-Based Economy
• The Drawing of Global Markets
• The New Technology
• Examples, Rivals, and Philosophies:
• The Engines of Prosperity � Foundations
• The Engines of Prosperity � Application
• The Engines of Prosperity � Implications
• Actions and Attitudes:
• The Management Challenge � What To Do?
• The Leadership Challenge � Where to Aim?
• The Institutional Challenge � What to Reflect On?

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Readership: Business executives, policy setters, senior professionals, and graduate students.

"Executives, management consultants, professors, students: If you're confused about what's happening in business, where you are, what you're doing, and what you need to do to survive and prosper in these very unsettling times, read Engines of Prosperity. It's a perceptive analysis of the information age, and a provocative guide to deciding what we must change in order to move on in a sure and effective way."

Curt Kampmeier, Certified Management Consultant, and Columnist and Editor for the Journal of Management Consulting

"As mankind sits on the cusp between the Industrial Age and the Information Age, we must rethink almost all aspects of society and commerce. Ungson and Trudel provide an insightful analysis of successful techniques for building sustainable engines to drive information age businesses."

Dr Richard LeFaivre, Vice President, Technology, Apple Computer, Inc., USA

"Every day, Scott Adams' DILBERT shows us how business, work, and product planning can be HELL, when you do them wrong. John Trudel's new book, Engines of Prosperity, not only shows us many WRONG ways that people do these - but explains the RIGHT way."

Robert A Pease, Staff Scientist, National Semiconductor Corp., USA

"This is a well-presented guide on how to compete in an age in which information technology is the driving force. It analyses the main issues which must be faced if firms are to succeed in a global market. It provides many ideas on coping with a rapidly changing situation and most managers will find it a very useful reference tool."

Aslib Book Guide

"... success with new technology depends as much on good new management thinking as good technology. This book could help and encourage that good new management thinking."