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Reviewer: Brad D. Reid

Enterprise transformation is very relevant in these times of globalization, changing customer demographics, and rapidly expanding choices. For example, an August 2006 article in Business Week , "How to Hit a Moving Target," made the following major points: experiment fearlessly, get unique, create new markets, obsess about customers and not rivals, give as good as you get, get personal, and stay hungry. This is but one example of the continual popular treatment of transformation. This collection is suitable for a graduate course and for managers. Editor William Rouse has put together readings that discuss many aspects of this significant topic. One might wish for some definitive treatment of globalization and multiculturalism, especially in the context of the global business enterprise, but perhaps this will be discussed in another edition. What the reader is given is a very good treatment of enterprise transformation, divided into four topical subjects. Part 1 gives an introduction to transformation, including systems and theory. Part 2 provides the elements of transformation, including leadership, organization and cultural change, manufacturing and logistics transformation, service management, value-centered research and development, Six Sigma quality (briefly explained below), and enterprise information technology. Part 3 discusses transformation practices, such as turnaround planning and execution, financing in a crisis, chapter 11 bankruptcy, tax issues, public relations, and lessons from the transformation front. Part 4 contains some very interesting chapter case studies of Newell Rubbermaid, Reebok, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; a chapter entitled "Doing Well by Doing Good"; and a discussion of transformation in academia. It is noteworthy that the chapters are written by a variety of authors and that there is a brief biography of each contributor. The chapters begin with an abstract and most conclude with a list of references. While a brief review cannot discuss every chapter, I would like to note the important discussion of transformational leadership: "for transformational leaders, everything starts with their purpose and the organization's mission and value." For readers unfamiliar with Six Sigma, these are "quality concepts pioneered at Motorola during the early eighties." "Public Relations in a Crisis" emphasizes the fundamentals of "telling the truth, organizing the facts, focusing messages, using irrefutable sources of facts, taking control of communications, getting help for communicating, and maintaining consistent messages." This is essential reading for any manager. "Lessons from the Transformation Front" discusses those "Type I transformations [that] are centered on focus and performance ... [and] Type II transformations [that] are centered on capabilities and advantage." The case studies contain excellent material for any leader and are worthy of careful consideration. One of the book's overall features is that it includes not only a traditional subject index, but also an author index. If the reader wants to find every reference in the book to Peter Drucker or William Deming, for example, this is available. There are no problems or exercises in the book, and this many diminish its usefulness as a textbook. Nevertheless, I commend the editor and contributors for creating a useful and timely collection of materials concerning transformation for students and managers. Online Computing Reviews Service