E-business – How to Survive the E-business Downturn

Colin BarrowJohn Wiley & SonsChichester2001ISBN 0-471-49831-9Price: £9.99 $14 (Approx.)

After the bubble of e-commerce burst it is not surprising that books on how to survive the down turn have appeared. Indeed for many authors and publishers it is a way for them to remain in business. We all know, some of us with great hindsight, that the collapse of some e-business was inevitable. This book is written by Colin Barrow of the Cranfield School of Management in the U.K., who analyses the events prior to the collapse of some areas of the E-business world. He aims to give practical advice on the protection of a business from what he describes as "the worst excesses of a volatile market".

It is published as a practical manual and supported throughout by clearly described case studies. Management practice is also discussed and readers, we are told, will get a real sense of involvement with the build-up of e-businesses and what they hoped to achieve. Also included in the discussion are some of the reasons why and where some of the e-companies have put themselves at risk. The book is recommended by its publishers because they say it will provide real benefits for those starting out in the e-business world. They say it presents sound management practice coupled with good methodologies, all of which are approached in a new and refreshing way.

C.J.H. MannBook Reviews and Reports Editor