About the book
George Stalk Jr. and Thomas M. Hout argue that time has become as important a competitive weapon as cost, quality or innovation. Like cost, they contend, the time a company consumes can be measured and therefore managed, whether in production, in developing new products or in sales and distribution. Their time-based competitors run flexible factories located near their customers, use rapid-response systems that widen variety, and organize for speed rather than for low cost and tight control. Drawing on Japanese and American examples, the authors show how firms cut delays and use faster response to win the most profitable customers.
Tim Cook is reported to hand out copies to colleagues and to recommend it to new hires, and FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith called it one of the few profound business books. John Sculley praised it as provocative and well researched.
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This book has 4 recommendations
Tim Cook (CEO/Apple)
Cook loves this book so much that he often gives out copies of the same to his colleagues and recommends this book to the hires.
John Sculley (CEO/Apple)
The best opportunities always come from changing the ground rules. "Competing Against Time "is a provocative and well-researched book with some insightful ideas for competing in the 1990s.
Frederick W. Smith (Founder/FedX)
There are few profound business books. "Competing Against Time "is one of them. Stalk and Flout demonstrate conclusively that organizations must adopt fast cycle methodologies or succumb to those that do.
Donald Petersen (CEO/Ford)
In "Competing Against Time" George Stalk and Tom Hout make a compelling case, supported by extensive research, that a new, time-driven paradigm differentiates successful companies from the "also rans." Through the use of numerous examples, the authors demonstrate that customers seek "the most value for the least cost in the least elapsed time," and that customers are willing to pay a premium for less elapsed time. This book is essential reading for businessmen who want to set, rather than follow, the pace in their industries.
This book is part of our collection:
– Best Productivity Books
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Tim Cook, John Sculley, Frederick W. Smith, Donald Petersen