Almost unreadable...a quaint artifact from an earlier time   September 16, 2003

Beyond providing insight into internet/technology mania of the mid to late 90's, I see no reason to invest time to read this book.


New Economy Genre   December 30, 2002
  1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Tapscott helped create the genre of new economy books with this effort. If he did not coin the term new economy he certainly helped to popularize it. Tapscott is an internationally sought after consultant, writer, and speaker on the subject of information technology. Technology related issues of the new economy are prominently featured in this book. Tapscott's clarity and broad domain expertise make The Digital Economy an extremely informative read.

He was one of the first authors to introduce the idea that communications, computing, and content were all converging into new media. His business transformation through new media model wherein the effective individual leads to, the high performance team which leads to, the integrated enterprise which leads to, the extended enterprise which leads to, the inter-networked business which leads to ..., clearly anticipated the current eBusiness model rage, where the integration/collapsing of the supply chain is the road to competitive advantage.

Even though (at the moment) New Economy thinking has fallen out of favor, Don will be proven correct on many fronts and this book will stand out as one of the most relevant portraits of this (still) emerging landscape.


To understand how Digital Economy is transforming businesses   July 5, 2002
  0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Even if the book was written in the mid 90 it still gives the bases to understand how Digital Economy is transforming our businesses and lives. Don Tapscott is clearly explaining that after Total Quality Management TQM, Business Processes Reengineering BPR we enter a new era where we will be asked to literally transform our businesses and lives.

The convergence of computing, telecommunications and content is a real revolution, giving access to a networked economy working in real time and without knowing distances. This means that boundaries are exploding. Learning is becoming a continuous process and part of our day to day work it is why Digital Economy is often called Knowledge Economy. Customer is integrated in the production process and organizations are moving from a vertical integration to extended networks including customers, suppliers and more and more often competitors. We are far from the industrial hierarchical organizations where we are working now.

Don Tapscott is helping us to understand the New Economy 12 themes supported by the 10 technological shifts and the move from individual effectiveness to the internetworked businesses through high performance teams, integrated organizations and extended enterprises. But finally he is convincing us that as part of an internetworked leadership, we are collectively responsible to achieve the transformation of our businesses for a better life promised by the New interactive Economy.

Don Tapscott is also helping us to evaluate impact of the Digital Economy on our business work, on our education systems, and on our governments. The interactivity is transforming the media industry and asking a new leadership for our businesses.
Don Tapscott doesn't forget to discuss the peril of the Digital Economy from privacy protection to electronic democracy.

Digital Economy is a real knowledge spring where you come back regularly to improve your understanding of the surrounding growing New Economy.


Fundamental reading   November 6, 2001
  0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Fundamental book that reveals everyday changes in our life. Must reading for everyone who wants not to be left out.


A Good Read!   May 30, 2001
  2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Don Tapscott provides an overview of the way the digitalization of information is transforming the economy and projects the likely changes ahead from his perspective in 1996. The book suggests ways to exercise leadership effectively in this transformed, networked world. However, since this thoughtful, well-organized book was written several years ago, it is mainly of historical interest now, because of the rapid changes in the digital world. Still, it is useful to apply some of the themes Tapscott developed when you consider how the digital economy is continuing to evolve. ...recommend this well-written book for a general audience as well as executives and managers who are interested in the unfolding of the new economy.