Re-think - A Business Manifesto For Cutting Costs And Boosting Innovation By Ric Merrifield
Re-Think: A Business Manifesto For Cutting Costs and Boosting Innovation by Ric Merrifield was a good quick read with some interesting examples of how different companies learned to cut costs, strengthen innovation and profit from change. The author's objective is for people to Re-think their business to improve efficiency and productivity and I believe this book will get readers to Re-think the what and how of their respective businesses. While this book can't give you all the answers and reading it should stimulate your thinking process to create ideas for your own business.
One of the main ideas in this book is to get businesses thinking about the bigger issue of What the business is doing and why and due to getting swamped down with the How to do the job. Merrifield calls for readers to get back to the big picture and exam what they are doing and why and then worry about how to get it done.
Another important theme you will notice throughout the case studies is that of Change. Successful businesses must change with the times. Technology and other advances have made it a must for successful businesses to be innovative to not only keep up with the changing tides but to lead them. Re-Think is about leading the change.
A simple formula that can be interpreted from this book consists of identifying the whats or things that are valuable, determining what you are good at, making connections, predicting what you can and then making your own rules.
I enjoyed reading the case studies and found them motivating and a spark to ignite thinking about what can be done with innovation and determination. Some of the companies used as examples include ING Direct, Eclipse and Cranium (I especially liked this chapter due to being a fan of this company's games and but never having known the story behind them), Amazon, and Procter & Gamble.
At the end of the book there is a short chapter ON key concepts accompanied by questions and maps to assist the reader in using the key concepts in their own rethinking endeavors. Over all I felt this was a good book to get people thinking about their businesses in a different way. It should help readers focus ON what is important. The examples were fun to read. If you want a quick business read that will help you think of new ideas and innovations for your own business, Re-Think by Ric Merrifield is a book you will like.
Alain Burrese and J.D is a mediator/attorney and an author/speaker through his own company Burrese Enterprises Inc. He teaches people to live with the warrior's edge and make things happen through his writing and speaking ON a variety of topics focusing ON the business areas of negotiation and success principles as well as self-defense and safety topics. He is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks, several instructional dvds and numerous articles. You can find out more about Alain Burrese and read many more reviews and articles and more at his website http://www.burrese.com
