Let the organizational walls tumble down.
8/25/2003
Few companies can afford to go it alone these days. The authors, both at Unisys Corporation, coined the term "Jericho Principle" to suggest how collaborative ventures can break down organizational walls. They've come up with a welcome book on strategy that focuses on practical implementation rather than the "easy part" formulation. As Microsoft's Steve Ballmer writes in the foreword, echoing the authors' central thesis, "Collaborations are innovation engines that can curb costs, improve quality, reduce risk, and expedite the movement of new products and services to market." The book outlines a variety of collaborative models, looks at their operational dynamics, and discusses touchy subjects such as intellectual property rights. Though The Jericho Principle is hardly devoid of business jargon, it does use a few popular culture references (Lewis Carroll's Red Queen, for instance) to good effect.