Funky Business: El talento mueve al capital

by Jonas Ridderstråle, Kjell Nordström

Oh dear. A book called Funky Business by two Swedish academics. At first glance, it has all the allure of Benny and Bjorn's (from Abba) sadly never-released concept album about life as a middle manger in a multinational conglomerate. There is something earnestly hip about the way Kjell Nordström and Jonas Ridderstråle of the Stockholm School of Economics present themselves. "They do gigs not seminars. These gigs sell out. They have shaved heads and wear black," says the blurb.

But that's what makes Funky Business worth reading. It's not so much the novelty of the authors' argument, which boils down to the notion that in an oversupplied world, ideas are what separate successful companies and individuals from failures. Rather, it's the vitality of their argument and the rhythm of their language that make their ideas so compelling. "Traditional roles, jobs, skills, ways of doing things, insights, strategies, aspirations, fears, and expectations no longer count. In this environment, we cannot have business as usual. We need business as unusual. We need different business. We need innovative business. We need unpredictable business. We need surprising business. We need funky business."

The book, which is almost a virtuoso display of rhetoric and intellectual power, bursts at the seams with the force of its argument and the weight of its colorful evidence. Sources quoted range from the pope to the British band the Prodigy. Funky, Inc., they say, "isn't like any other company. It is not a dull, old conglomerate. It is not a rigid bureaucracy. It is an organization that actually thrives on the changing circumstances and unpredictability of our times."

This is great entertainment. But the slick veneer does not invalidate the way the book pulls together many existing strands of thought about how business is developing and evokes a coherent and intriguing vision of a future whose main feature will be incoherence.

This really is one for the whole family. Or at least those old enough to have a job. --Alex Benady

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Management, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Society

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Ilona · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are a younger reader, you might hardly understand why this book was so popular back in the day. Here are some examples for you which might correlate to possible experiences for you today and in the future:
- The authors are as excited as you will be when you will have the first all-included trip to a skiing resort on Mars.
- The authors are as enthusiastic as you will be during your first hologram "call" (probably there will be another name for this).
- The authors are using word "Funky" so much because they think it's a cool word, just like you did two years ago with YOLO.
- The authors are telling obvious things in a overly pumped-up tone because global internet was a new thing back in 2003 and it was (and is) so crazily exciting. If you wonder how it feels to be a part of this, just remember the first time you were about to have sex: it's a mixture of confusion, happiness and need to share your feelings with all of the world. But instead of posting on Instagram, you write a book that pretends to be about economics.

I've left the book somewhere around p. 105, and usually I do not do that, but the book is outdated. It is great to see how excited the authors are about this whole World Wide Web thing:) and yet for someone who was in there as well, it's a bit nostalgic but as well irrelevant.

[Bogdan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not taking any step forward from the line of "management and business" books promoted in US. For me it just another one from the series of Alvin Tofler, Stephen Covey, Denis Rivers and others. It is just a mix of known facts, but presented systemically, lots of quotes and "evidence" supporting one main idea.
I cannot say I totally agree their argumentation, but perhaps it is just the fact that I come from a different culture. Indeed the world has changed in the last 300 years dramatically, and this has influenced everything in our lives. And the sparkle that triggered this change was the protestant revolution, fueling it even up to our days. I am part of a more traditionalist society and I do not subscribe totally to some of the trends they believe will shape in the near future the life and work place.
Overall, an interesting book, that should not be read as if it holds the absolute truth.
My copy of this book is in Romanian.

[Alexandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Left this one somewhere halfway through and am not planning on going back. Either it was my translation, or ...

[Nenad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I may be a bit too hush but the book is, in many ways, like reading one of those believe in yourself cheap psychology books.

it's pop economics.

Nevertheless it makes some valid points, though do not expect an eye-opener.

The problem for me, maybe was that I expected much more due to the hype around the book and the authors - it was a bit of a let down.

[Alberto · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great book for entrepreneurs, but you must consider the context it was written at (before the whole dot-com boom), so it's outdated but the core idea is valid and enthusiastic.

[Kiersten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started it, didn't finish it--couldn't get into it.

[Bryce · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the future of business. The book was written in 2002 so is a little outdated however the principles in the book still apply to the real world today. If you have limited knowledge about how business is changing and transforming into the future then you’ll get some great info out of this book. If you’re well versed on the the state of the future of business then a more up-to-date book on the future of business would be more beneficial.

[Mikhail Konstantinov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Старовата книжка, в конце есть несколько идей про то, какой должна быть компания - записал в миссию компании.

[Nat Ziv · Rating 1 out of 5]

OUTDATED AND BIASED, don't waste your time

Not thought provoking at all. There is no thought.
A lot of provocative name dropping for the sake of name dropping, very "funky" way of telling History.

On the back cover of the book:"FB is rigourously researched..." - Business voice

Now, see p. 73 "The bureaucratic firm is dead. It is just too small for effective exploitation and too big for energetic experimentation". They are confusing wishful thinking and the reality. This is not research. For instance, Banks will never work like startups. After this financial crisis, we see they are still there (thanks to taxpayers' money) and behave bureaucratically. Everyone who works for a big company is in a bureaucracy.

p78: "when stokke launched it tripp trapp children's chair in France it discovered that families did not sit down for meals together any more". What a lie! French mothers might be the most rigid mothers concerning meals. Moreover, if it were true, Tripp trapp would have disappeared. Some 15 years after publishing this book, it seems tripp trapp still sells well, whereas this book doesn't. Very good scientific research!

This book is full of preremptory statements that are just the opinions of authors very fond of globalisation and new trends. It's a neomaniac book that hasn't passed the test of time.

After a hundred pages, I just stopped because I felt insulted. They really take the reader for an idiot

[TarasProkopyuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Название книги отпугивало, считал что это очередная попсовая книга, которая наполненная низкосортным материалом, но ошибся.

Оказалось классная и очень хорошая книга. Авторы очень хорошо систематизировали новые тенденции в бизнесе и на мировом рынке, чётко показали потребительские направленности, стирание множеств ценностей и границ как и у людей, так и у сотрудников самих компаний, а также переориентацию и смену ориентиров последних.

Только тот кто поймёт, что именно изменилось, насколько и куда всё движется - сможет удержатся в седле стремительных перемен, не допустит до банкротства компанию и принесёт хорошую ей прибыль.

[Serge · Rating 3 out of 5]

прошло больше 10 лет, а бизнес не стал таким как пишут эти ребята. По крайней мере в России. Тем ценнее почин отдельных компании быть не такими как все, быть лучше, веселее, изобретательнее и свободней. Спасибо им за то, что они пытаются менять реальность! Мне повезло, я знаю таких ребят!

[Matthew Poyiadgi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book I read in 2007 - hugley inspirational and a pleasure to read.

[Joe Raimondo]

I saw Nordstrom speak at a conference -- very insightful. Everyone needs to create temporary monopolies.

[Tania · Rating 2 out of 5]

over use of the word 'funky'.

[Natasa Tovornik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess it is true what the authors write at the beginning - this book is not gonna tell you what to think, it is going to make you think.

A classic to star thinking differently.

[Pola · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Добиться успеха может лишь тот, кто отличается от других. Для этого нужно понять, что ты можешь делать лучше всех и делать это.
- Люди одевают не кроссовки, они носят бренд. Отождествляют себя с чем-то: найк, аддидас, пума.
- На первое место выходят знания. Кто владеет наибольшей информации, тот и победил. Но знания не долговечны, поэтому нужно шевилиться.
- Глоболизация развилась. В настоящее время хорошие компании открывают свои филиалы в других странах. Все конкурируют со всеми. Иностанные компании конкурируют с госсударственнви.
- Технологический прогресс. Технологии сжимают пространство и время.
- Институт семьи изменяется. Это не признак упадка, а доказательство изменений.
- Если хотите сделать что- либо неординарное, не слушайте людей, а делайте. Не ошибается только тот, кто ничего не делает. Без ошибок нет прогресса. Если бы люди не делали глупостей, ничего умного так и не появилось бы. Никто пикасо не говорил, что делать, а был сам чудаком, а сейчас все ходят в музей и смотрят его работы.

[Artsalnov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Всё-таки, читая этих ребят не по порядку, теряется необходимый шарм «накопительного эффекта». Они опять пророчествуют (причём вангуют очень метко) про повышение компетенций, ускорение всех процессов, постоянное «догоняние» всего и всея в работе, в жизни и вообще.
При этом «Караоке капитализм» получился задорнее, злее и интереснее. Хотя может сказывается достаточно серьёзный временной интервал между книгами.
Ну и поскольку, темы затронуты примерно те же, что и всегда в их творчестве, есть ощущение самоповтора.
В связи с этим всего три звезды.

[Sintija · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got to page 160 and all I got was “funky world, so cool, customers dictate everything, yay funky world”! I suppose I got tired of this reading it in year 2019, it probably was spot on when the book came out. Some interesting facts but all in all I expected more actionable recommendations or something. I’m not fond of the “This is so cool, look at some cool examples, then figure out how to be cool” way.

[Irina Starodubtseva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though the book was written more than 20 years ago, it is still relevant to modern economy. The possible reason for that is the fact that it deals with philosophical questions much more than with practical ones and has a special poignant language. There was no plot whatsoever and nothing revolutionary, but a bit of funny revelations...

[Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still a good read after nearly 20 years. Perhaps not as current as some modern business books but still contains relevant and interesting ideas. Technology has progressed quicker than anyone had expected and had a greater impact on business. However their theories on globalisation, tribalism an "new" organisations have come to pass...

[Hermano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, I wish I had read this book 17 years ago. These guys were dead on as to what was going to happen in the business world. I saw them speak at a conference in Toronto years ago, and they are funny live.

[Olga Pascal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Очень неординарно написанно. Много интересного пытается донести автор до читателя некоторые вещи меня очень вдохновили. Спасибо за содержание!

[Lorena Cervantes silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me imagino que hace algunas décadas este libro fue un hit.. hoy en día ya está desactualizado.. sin embargo rescato algunas muy buenas ideas que siguen vigentes!!

[Vale Berumen]

bye bitch

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Un libro sin fuste hecho por y para posturear en LinkedIn

[Jaime Portillo De la O · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite business books at the time.

These two academics nailed what business would be like in the future... At least in a few selected industries. A must-read.

[Narek Manukyan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rather interesting in its time-frame though also rather long and twisting (the first 150+ pages could be summed up in about 50 max).

[Dasha Vakhina · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I read this book in the first year of the business school and was excited about the new for me corporate world and business future. But the flow of ideas was too wide, so I couldn't get any clear conclusion from it. The I decided to read (actually to listen on my way to work) the book again upon my graduation...and after four years of university and some work experience I see these guys (btw I think they are really interesting and inspiring professors) mostly as theoretics. Their view of the world is too simplistic and ideal, they want it to look like they write about it but the book doesnt have much in common with what the real business is. At least in Eastern Europe.
Anyway the book is nice to read exactly for the freshmen to get excited about the business. The language is too simple, as I call it "western business type of books", I mean the reading isn't challenging, so it is just ok to listen to audioversion on your way.

[Franco Arda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the funky (business) world we are living in. All three books written by the authors are such a pleasure to read ... so informative ... unconvential ... and non-conform. The reader will take many notes about funky business is truly global, working values, globally linked society, senseless supply, deregulated life, tribalisation, innovation etc. We live in a winner takes all world where normal = nothing. It's funky out there, very funky.

PS; This book is an up-dated version of their fantastic first book 'Funky Business; Talent Makes Capital Dance'. One controversial part of the first book is left out for more general acceptance :-)

[Olena Pravylo · Rating 4 out of 5]

[e] You need to read it to know more about the world we have now. This book explaining the new models of workflow and actually it was not like this too much in a time book was created, but now is our reality - project based processes. Less and less classical office work for new startups and for big corporations.

[u] Вам треба її прочитати для того щоб ще більше зрозуміти світ в якому ми тепер живемо. Ця книжка пояснює моделі бізнес процесів, які базуються на проектній діяльності. У момент коли книжка писалась це було дуже мало розповсюджене. Але сталось саме так як передбачали автори - зараз модель діяльності через проекти використовують і стартапи, і великі корпорації.