Beep-Beep: Competing in the Age of the Road Runner

Everyone is familiar with the age-old cartoon battles between Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner--how the determined but hapless Coyote plots and plans to capture the elusive bird, but never achieves his long-term goal. According to the authors, these classic cartoons offer a powerful metaphor for business managers today who are seeking marketplace victories in the decades ahead. The lesson is that those organizations that emulate the Road Runner will prevail; those who act like Coyote will fail. The truth is, the vast majority of business executives and managers today are a lot more like Wile E. Coyote than like the Road Runner. Coyotes do have admirable traits; they are persistent, focused, hungry for results, and they keep their eye on their target. But that's simply not enough in today's--and tomorrow's--highly competitive business world. Coyotes have to learn how to stop relying upon conventional and outdated resources (like the Acme Manufacturing Company) and learn how to rule the road like the Road Runner does, with instant speed and an extraordinary adaptability to harsh conditions. Bell and Harari offer numerous examples of today's business types who have become Road Runners in their industries and offer advice on becoming the chased in business as opposed to being the chaser.