Business @ the Speed of Stupid: Building Smart Companies After the Technology Shakeout

by Dan Burke and Alan Morrison

Book Overview

Business @ the Speed of Stupid brings to light many of the myths that stymie unwary investors, entrepreneurs, and managers who are seeking to turn a profit in the digital economy. It highlights why smart entrepreneurs buy into dim-witted business beliefs and exposes the "big lies" that have crippled so many companies. With ultimate know-how, verve, and humor, Dan Burke and Alan Morrison reveal why brilliant engineers don't always make brilliant business...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0738207683
• ISBN13: 9780738207681
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Still Relivant in 2005

This book was written in the shadow of the 2000 Internet bust. So, why write a review in 2005? My answer, memories are short. As the economy continues to expand people will again become courageous and begin to try new technologies. Much of it will turn out great, but a lot is bound to be the same stupid mistakes made half a decade ago. . . You may think that because you are in a non-internet company, you are safe. Two words: you're not. Technology is already integrated in every business-even the mom-and-pop outfits depend on it. To remain competitive requires increasingly skillful use of technology. In 2000, the technology experts bombed. In 2005 it's everyone's turn. This book is a great way to jump-start your move towards making good technology choices--by examining bad ones. The teaching method employed in this book is to tell stories, then explain what went wrong. Most chapters are organized along those lines and stand quite well by themselves. Thus, it's easy to simply read a chapter, set the book down for a few days and pick it up for another chapter. (I like books that cater to a busy schedule!) As such it's easy to read and the narrative format brings the drier aspects analyzing business technology to life. Currently I see that it's selling used-with shipping for under $5! I'll give that 5 stars!

A comedy and tragedy in every chapter!

To Dan & Alan.I wanted to thank you for writing such a good book. Now I understand that I am not the only techie who has to experience these frustrations, and that makes me feel a little better, but I will feel even better when I have implemented the teachings in the second half of the book. I loved the title! The title of the book caught my eye, because I had heard about a book titled "business at the speed of light(?)", and being a bit of a rebel, I laughed when I read the title and thought "that's the truth". After a few scans of various pages, I wanted to buy it. And I am not disappointed yet.I would not feel stupid telling someone to read this book based on it's title, and if you do, then you may need to get out the environment you are currently in. Everyone needs to lighten up a lot. That theme is illustrated several times in this book.Dan & Alan, please send me an email when your site is revised (ExecuThought.com), I would like to find other tech people to converse with about your thoughts and lessons in this book, and I think your online dicussion board would be an excellent place to do it.Again thanks for the book, I haven't enjoyed reading a "business" book like this since reading the "E-myth revisited". Each chapter is a comedy, adventure and tragedy wrapped in a valuable lesson.

Thought provoking

Although most of this book consists of scenarios where you say "well of course...", they are excellent, focused examples of the points made. I wish the title were different; I can't imaging handing this to someone and saying "here, you should read this". But most IT people should! Great book, easy to read.