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Part - III

Grove also evaluates the value of strategic leadership by comparing people like Dr. Wang of Wang Labs, Brian Sculley of Apple and himself and how they evaluated strategic choices when selecting and pursuing certain future options and how far were they instrumental in strategy implementation. Not only is it problematic to decide upon and plan those changes, it is even more problematic actually to implement.

The evaluation of the RISC vs. CISC option by Intel where it listened to its people who were in actual contact with its customers was strategic management because they are important stakeholders in the organization who have very accurate insight.

The book stresses on the importance of communication and effective leadership because of the higher order of complexity involved during a major change, which might require coming to agreements with other managers who, inevitably, have conflicting viewpoints.

Some very important examples of companies who adapted to changing business environment with excellent strategic management vs. failures who got rooted in their inertia of success are mentioned. The first group has companies like Intel, Next, HP, IBM, Toys-R-Us, Singapore & Seattle ports and the failures included the likes of Wang Labs, Mostek and Unisem who were one time successful ventures which failed to adapt to the changing forces.

Like many popular management books, Andy Groves "Only the Paranoid Survive" is unlikely to knock your socks off with its insightful business advice. Rather, the book is chock full of common sense, backed up with case studies from the world of successful - and not so successful - American businesses. Although Grove wrote this book during the early days of the Internet bubble, he clearly did not get wrapped up in the all of the excitement of that era, much to his credit. His thoughts are measured, sensible and coldly rational, as befits an industry titan and the ex-CEO of the most successful chip company on the planet.

If you haven't read this book, now is as good a time to do so as any. Today's readers have the benefit of knowing how technology and business have evolved since "Only the Paranoid Survive" was published in 1996. The seven years that have since elapsed reveal that Grove really knows what he's talking about. His understanding of how the Internet would affect Intel underscores his management prescience. And his skepticism regarding gee-whiz technological innovations like "Internet appliances" provides an interesting example of how Intel maintained its strategic focus, and emerged from the bubble as strong as ever.

"Only the Paranoid Survive" breaks no new ground in the business-management genre. But the book is well written, well organized, and well worth the read for those who want a glimpse inside the mind of an incomparable American success story.

Concluded.

* Contributed by -
Arnab Pal,
PGP-1,
XIM Bhubaneswar.