The Company of the Future: How the Communications Revolution Is Changing Management

Cairncross outlines ten critical capabilities for surviving what may be the most revolutionary, even frightening period in corporate life. Managers must be ready and able to: Recruit, motivate and manage talent; Cater to their best customers and fire unprofitable ones; Make fast, yet flexible, decisions under great uncertainty; Filter, structure, and leverage knowledge; Run collaborative alliances with a variety of partners; Manage relationships with suppliers, customers, and employees; Communicate effectively both online and offline; internally and externally; Set protocols and standardize processes; Foster a culture of openness and learning; and, Lead with strength, knowledge, confidence, and courage. Setting the new agenda for managerial success, this insightful guide will help managers at all levels to anticipate and cope with the extreme challenges ahead in our networked world. Frances Cairncross is the Management Editor at The Economist and author of The Death of Distance: How the Communications Revolution Is Changing Our Lives (ISBN 157851438X, HBS Press). She resides in London, England.