Book review:
Convergence Marketing
by Yoram Wind, Vijay Mahajan and Robert E Gunther, ISBN 0-13-065075-7

Idly looking at the bookshelves while waiting for a plane, as one does, I spotted this impressive looking tome and determined to read it and write a review. I managed the first 100 pages on a long train journey and put it to one side to finish later - as one does. Needless to say this hasn't happened. The book does explore an interesting topic - how the individual goes about the business of selecting and buying things in a world that offers them a variety of new ways to learn about products and services, choice about how and where to buy and new ways to interact with vendors and other purchasers. The core idea is that we are all centaurs.

Rather than being half human and half horse, we are a mix of traditional and modern when it comes to the way we act as a consumer. This is important stuff but to my mind this isn't the interesting question - the reality is self-evident. Rather, the emphasis should be on understanding the factors that pre-dispose us to behave in one way or the other when faced with a purchasing decision, the ways that we are now learning to mix both approaches and the how these trends will develop. If this was covered in the last two thirds of the book then I apologise to the authors. The summary? This book raises some interesting questions but provides too few answers, or you have to work too hard to get to them. Sadly, when it comes to books the old adage remains true - you can't judge a book by its cover.

Bob Brown

Also in this issue:

Feature Article: A fistful of orders?
Times are tough. The vendors have sent their toughest sales representatives into town, but they've come back bruised from the encounter saying they were beaten by "the user with no budget". What next? Mike Evans has some ideas to share.

Planning for 2003: Still arguing over your 2003 quota?
2003 could be OK for Enterprise Applications vendors, but Engineering Applications vendors will have to focus to avoid the worst of the market downturn according to Dan Roberts.

Hot Topic: Euroland and Pricing Transparency?
The subject of European pricing and the implementation of the Euro-zone have never been more topical, with consumer strikes in Greece and German complaints about the "round-up" effect of the Euro. Nick Ballard takes a closer look.

Cambashi researches best practice and assists IT suppliers in best practice implementation. For more information on Cambashi services please email info@cambashi.com

e-Xpertise in Industry operates as an opt-in email. The opt-in policy means we never intentionally send any email to anyone who does not wish to receive it.

To subscribe: send an email with the word "subscribe" in the subject line to : expertise@cambashi.com

© Copyright 2003 Cambashi Ltd

back to top