Writing

Rochlin Hunter or Hunted

Hunter or Hunted: Technology , Innovation, and Competitive Strategy
Thomson / South-Western Publishing
ISBN: 0324261284
Visit The Hunter or Hunted Website
Order from Amazon

The land may be extremely cold or dry, yet there will be competition between some few species, or between the individuals of the same species, for the warmest or dampest spots.

- Charles Darwin

After spending twenty plus years in the business world, I’ve realized that I am hopelessly fascinated by the new.  While I am by no means a technophile (or an engineer for that matter), I have tended to gravitate professionally towards new products, processes and technology, whether for saving the planet or selling movies. In teaching an executive MBA-level technology strategy,  I have found it necessary to dig for explanations on why some firms and technologies thrive, while others do not. It has also been necessary to help my students develop a toolset that they can use as practitioners, in order to make better decisions vis-a-vis technology. As executives, practical application rather than theory is the primary expectation of the program and my class. There certainly is not a lack of work done in the area of technology strategy…the research, writing, and general body of knowledge that exists is extensive. What I found lacking has been single cohesive and organized sources that distills the competitive dynamics surrounding technology and innovation. As a technology executive, I can’t help but wistfully imagine how I might have managed certain efforts differently had more of this information been better organized and easily available to me.

The result was a three year research and writing odyssey. The book is targeted towards both the business and engineering classroom, as well as the conference and boardroom. It combines practitioner tools, academic frameworks, and historical observation, and approaches technology strategy from three perspectives:

* The systemic and contextual perspective (with a heavy emphasis on both modularity and the view of the business as a ‘value network’ as key drivers)

* The lifecycle based perspective (with emphasis on dominant design, diffusion, horizontal enablers, and cost curves)

* The impact of technology on traditional and non- traditional sources of competitive advantage

The project was developed with the help of the editors at Thomson Learning one of the leading publishers of business and economics academic and trade texts. In addition to my industry feedback, the publishers have gathered academic feedback from professors at RIT, Boston College, UCLA, UIC, Clemson, Pitt, and several other institutions.

The book can be for ordered online (see above) and I encourage you to visit the official website Please sign up for the mailing list to stay informed, or email me if you’d like a sample chapter.

I started writing seriously in 1989, and have published primarily in industry and trade journals, including Marketing News. Most recently,  I wrote a blog on Fair Trade and Corporate Social Responsibility (which can be found at fairtradecertified.blogspot.com) and I now write about sustainability related issues, and contribute to the ClimatePath site.   I have published in  SAP Netweaver Magazine,  and prepared a submission for the Economist/Shell Future Thinking Competition on outsourcing that re-energized my interest in corporate social responsibility, but sadly did not win.  In the future, I plan on re-engaging in a book project started last year on the impact of leadership on organizational culture, and am also considering a book on corporate social responsibility. I also have several fiction and screenplay projects in various states of disrepair. Of course I also plan on revising Hunter or Hunted.

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