A hotbed of activity for far-sighted thinkers and determined doers, the high technology industry has given rise to a pioneering group of entrepreneurs and executives which is not only behind today's most innovative technological advances, but at the forefront of a dynamic new movement in business. Armed with groundbreaking management philosophies and practices, the members of this visionary group are changing the way corporate structures are modeled and altering conventional conceptions of how companies should be run. Having helped their own organizations survive and thrive in a highly competitive, pressure-filled arena, they offer invaluable lessons for executives and managers in all industries. Now, in Silicon Gold Rush, their inspirational stories are told and their strategies for success revealed. Written by Karen Southwick, editor of Upside Magazine's book division, this enlightening behind-the-scenes account spans the gamut of emerging technology management styles, from proven successes such as Cisco Systems to new kids on the block like Crossworlds Software. Providing valuable insights into a myriad of key issues, from nurturing creativity and motivating employees to finding new markets and weathering tough times, Silicon Gold Rush examines the modi operandi of the technology world's emerging stars and heavyweights. The book reveals the maverick leadership techniques that are finding their way into mainstream corporate culture with far-reaching consequences. As Southwick points out: "Everywhere you look today, you will see older companies and those in traditional industries adopting the organizational structures, business strategies, and operational methods of the Silicon Valley gang. . . . [These] technology companies are changing more than the markets in which they operate, they are transforming the way America does business." Along with an overview of the high-tech environment, Silicon Gold Rush delivers in-depth coverage of the changing role of the high-tech CEO, the growing importance of the customer in the development and marketing processes of technology companies, the essentials of internal corporate organization, and the increasing frequency of mergers and alliances. To illustrate the dynamics of the technology industry that make it so exciting and instructive to watch-the scramble for financing, the feverish move of product from design to delivery, the constant risk of failure-it tracks the progress of CrossWorlds Software Inc., a start-up venture headed up by Katrina Garnett, founder and chief executive. Delivering insider analysis of the thinking and motivations that drive today's cyber-Powerhouses, this eye-opening volume presents illuminating interviews with more than twenty trailblazing CEOs and senior executives, including Yahoo!'s Tim Koogle, 3Com's Eric Benhamous, PeopleSoft's Dave Duffield, Cisco's John Chambers, and Novell's Eric Schmidt. A one-of-a-kind book that delves into the management ideas and strategies of high-tech leaders who are "rewriting the rules of business," Silicon Gold Rush is essential reading for anyone-in any industry-seeking the inside track on contemporary business transformations.

Silicon Gold Rush: The Next Generation of High-Tech Stars Rewrites the Rules of Business

Business & Money

Southwick, Karen

Biography & History

wiley

In 1982, a little upstart named Sun was making waves in the high-tech industry with its groundbreaking workstation technology, even as early competitors dismissed the company as not worth losing sleep over. Since then, Sun Microsystems has become a formidable presence in the industry, making its own rules and taking no prisoners, and is currently poised to reach the highest point of its ascendancy--the challenge of Microsoft's dominance over the future of computing. The driving force behind this once fledgling company is a man who has been described as brash, unconventional, ambitious, forward-looking, and sometimes even his own worst enemy. Scott McNealy turned Sun into the multibillion-dollar success it is today--a developer of innovative software like Java that is revolutionizing the computing landscape. High Noon is the inside story of Sun's rise to power, from its shaky start in Silicon Valley through its transformation under the aggressive and inspirational leadership of McNealy. Karen Southwick reveals the behind-the-scenes maneuverings of McNealy and Sun, with candid interviews from the key players and insights into the inner workings of the high-tech industry. This book examines how scrappy underdog Sun overcame its larger and supposedly tougher competitors, combining hard work, tenacity, and talented people to build a more innovative and flexible company. You'll learn how McNealy moved Sun up the industry food chain, challenging more established companies like Hewlett-Packard and Digital Equipment by expanding Sun's product line and refocusing the business. High Noon expertly chronicles McNealy's triumphant history with Sun, from his early days as vice president of manufacturing to a CEO known for shooting straight from the hip without regard for the consequences. You'll discover how "Javaman"--as Fortune magazine dubbed McNealy--prompted Sun to take risks that ultimately allowed it to survive, thrive, and dominate--making Microsoft stand up and take notice. And you'll see how Sun's looming showdown with this industry giant promises wide-reaching implications for businesses and consumers alike. Among High Noon's revelations: * A new perspective on how the complex, contradictory McNealy shaped his company and fashioned its strategy * Insight into central issues facing the high-tech industry, such as network computers and the future of the Internet * An insider view of the maneuverings of industry powerhouses, including Microsoft, Oracle, Netscape, IBM, and Intel * Both entertaining and instructive, High Noon offers valuable lessons for taking charge of your destiny and succeeding in a fast-paced, unpredictable, and even hostile environment. Advance Praise for Karen Southwick's High Noon "High Noon captures the electricity and drama of one of the most important high-tech sagas of our time. Rich with insight as well as previously undisclosed stories."--Jim Moore, Founder, GeoPartners Research, Inc. Author of The Death of Competition "High Noon reveals the inside story of one of the companies Microsoft fears most, Sun Microsystems. Southwick uses her keen insight to tell the story of how four twenty-somethings created a company that has grown from a small seller of scientific computers to one of the most dominant high-tech firms in the world."--Eric Nee, Editor, Fortune "Scott McNealy is one of the most complex, fascinating individuals in high tech. Karen Southwick captures the contrarian spirit of Sun Microsystems and the intriguing personalities that run it."--Howard Anderson, President, The Yankee Group "High Noon takes us on a straight path to the future."--Dr. Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Novell, Inc. "High Noon illustrates how a company can succeed in the technology industry through a delicate balance between drive, talent, and timing."--Carol Bartz, Chairman and CEO, Autodesk

High Noon: The Inside Story of Scott McNealy and the Rise of Sun Microsystems

John Wiley&Sons, Inc.

A noted journalist and author gets close to the key players in a hush-hush field The Kingmakers reveals the world of high-powered venture capitalists, following them as they interview hopeful entrepreneurs, select boards for funded companies, shepherd companies toward an IPO, and decide which industries and what companies to invest in. This is the first time a journalist has been given total access to this highly guarded business for a book-length work. It offers insight into what companies and industries will hold the key to our economic future, as well as the inner workings of the venture capitalists and investment bankers. Author has access to the key players in high technology and some of the venture capitalists profiled include Ann Winblad, Roger McNamee, Dick Kramlich, and Andy Rappaport. Karen Southwick (San Francisco, CA) is a professional journalist and Managing Editor of Forbes ASAP, a bimonthly magazine with a circulation of 850,000. She is the author of Silicon Gold Rush (0-471-24646-8) and High Noon

The Kingmakers: Venture Capital and the Money Behind the Net

Economics

Karen Southwick’s unauthorized account provides the full story of Larry Ellison’s brilliant, controversial career. Ellison’s drive and fierce ambition created Oracle out of the dust and built it into one of America’s great technology companies, but his unpredictable management style keeps it constantly on the edge of both success and disaster. The hostile bid for PeopleSoft is just the most recent example. With one clever strategic move, Larry Ellison threw much of the business software field into play. The saying “It’s not enough that I succeed, everyone else must fail” has been so often used by or associated with Ellison that most people think it originated with him. It’s actually attributed to Genghis Khan, but it’s a dead-on way to describe not only the way Ellison thinks about competitors but the way he runs Oracle. His weapons are not marauding hordes, but Oracle’s possession of database technology that is crucial for keeping mission-critical information flows working at thousands of organizations, corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies. Inside Oracle, Ellison has time and again systematically purged key operating, sales, and marketing people who got too powerful for his comfort. Most notable was Ray Lane, Oracle’s president for nine years, who was widely credited with bringing order out of the chaos that was Oracle in the early nineties and growing it into a ten billion dollar company. Ellison got rid of the one key person who was building confidence with Wall Street, business partners, and customers that Oracle was no longer flying by the seat of its pants and had its act together. Ellison’s mania for absolute control and his inability to coexist with the very lieutenants who bring much-needed stability to the company have brought Oracle to the brink of collapse before, and may well do it again. Ellison is a throwback to an earlier, much more freewheeling version of capitalism, the kind practiced by the nineteenth-century robber barons who ran their companies as private fiefdoms. Larry Ellison is one of the most intriguing and dominant leaders of a major twenty-first-century corporation, and Everyone Else Must Fail raises the question of whether Oracle’s products and the reliance placed in them by so many are too important to be subject to the whims of one man. While giving credit to Ellison’s brilliance and devotion, the book sounds a warning about an ingenious man’s tendency to be his own company’s worst enemy.

Everyone Else Must Fail: The Unvarnished Truth About Oracle and Larry Ellison

Biographies & Memoirs

Professionals & Academics

Crown Business

Mathan, Sneha

Literature & Fiction

Blackstone Pub

Blackstone Audiobooks

The coauthors are uniquely suited to bring this important issue to light. Marc Benioff is CEO and chairman of Salesforce.com foundation. Salesforce.com has received the Award for Excellence in Corporate Community Service by the Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Center National Network and the first ever U.S. Chamber of Commerce Corporate Stewardship Award. A former sales and marketing executive at Oracle Corporation, Benioff is now devoting his considerable talent and energy to building an integrated technological business and philanthropic models.

Compassionate Capitalism: How Corporations Can Make Doing Good an Integral Part of Doing Well

BENIOFF, MARC

Business Culture

Weiser

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