The Invisible Continent

Four Strategic Imperatives of The New Economy

I first picked up this book about seven years ago at the height of the dot-com boom. In it, best-selling author of The Borderless World, Kenichi Ohmae talks about how new economy giants like Cisco, Dell and Microsoft would be the new super powers of the world, instead of nation states. These, and the products they create, are defined as the invisible continents.

He further ventured that old economy titans such as Westinghouse, General Motors and other slow moving legacies would one day be devoured by these '"new economy" entities. An impressionable student at a local polytechnic, I was swayed over by these romantic soothsayings and was looking forward to a whole new economy once I graudated from University.

His various predictions have obviously not materilaised. The "old economy" entities that he mentioned in his book have not only failed to give way, they have indeed evolved and entrenched their positions in their various niches. Strong fundamentals still hold triumph over innovation and adventure.

The Invisible Continent remains a 262-page testimony of the euphoria and that was consuming the general public at the height of the dot-com optimism. While his prophecies may be off -mark, Kenichi Ohmae must be given credit for his highly convincing and entertaining style of writing.