Clockspeed : Using Business Genetics to Evolve Faster Than Your Competitors

by Charles H. Fine

Presenting an approach designed to help companies to master and manage their organizational evolution, this book argues that today's businesses have a simple choice - evolution or extinction - and that, unless they not only choose, but understand and predict their own evolution, they will die. Using a Nobel Prize-winning study of the lifecycle of fruit flies, and creating a business double-helix, the author sets out to show how the discipline of genetics harnesses the power of clockspeed - a company's or an industry's actual rate of evolution - to do nothing less than predict the future. Offering specific mechanisms to prepare for that future, the book crosses disciplines and draws lessons from a wide spectrum of well-known international companies and industries.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Reference, Leadership

Paperback

First published September 22, 1998

Reviews

[Saravana Sastha Kumar]

Had been long pending in to-read list. The author makes a convincing argument on the parallels of evolution to the fast-paced progress in product technology, process technology and organisation purpose. While the examples are from the turn of the millennium and has no anticipation of the tectonic shift digital era can bring to organisations, it is still a fantastic read particularly the double-helix concept and the classification of organisation based on clockspeed. Would be interesting to see if the author comes with another edition taking into account the evolutionary leap the world has seen in the last decade.

[Spence Byer]

Enjoyed the first third of this book about competitive dynamics and life cycles within products and industry. The last 2/3 is a highly in depth supply chain analysis, much of which seemed highly repetitive. The last chapter and epilogue were solid.

[Michael Boerman]

nice

[Izzy]

Had to read this for class. Definitely outdated examples, however the overall ideas make sense for Supply Chain tactics.

[Cristobal Soto]

Bien ingenieril, buenos casos de los 80 90s, esta interesante, aplicable, vigente en gran medida.

[Adam Smith]

Very informative. The first half read very conceptual and I enjoyed that a lot. However, the second half (as could be expected) became much more applied theory and it just didn't interest me. If I happened to be a CEO or some other high end decision maker in my company, I may have felt differently. But as the case is, it just didn't have a lot in it that I cared about. Overall, it was still good.

[Kacey]

really interesting, easy read on business dynamics and interdependencies that can be translated between industries

[Jose Espín]

A comprehensive analysis of how an integral strategy for product, process and supply chain concurrent design can set a Company in the right course for value creación.

[Matt Mayevsky]

Very inspirational book about competition based on supply chains. Worth reading.

[Michael Ingram]

Great read on supply chains and changes in the markets.