The Support Economy

Business is broken and can't be fixed because today's 'managerial' capitalism has grown hopelessly out of touch with the people it should be serving. This fascinating book explores this chasm between people and the corporations. On one side are companies stuck in a century-old business model. On the other is a new society of individuals no longer content to bend to the old adversarial rules of commerce. Instead, they seek relationships of advocacy and trust that provide support for their complex lives. Unlocking the frustrated needs of today's individuals can unleash the next great wave of wealth creation. This will require radically new approaches to commerce and capitalism. "The Support Economy" provides a profound new framework for these innovations. It is an urgent call to action for consumers, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate visionaries, mavericks, public officials, and every citizen who cares about the future.

About the Author

Shoshana Zuboff is the Charles Edward Wilson Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. Called 'the prophet of the information age', she is the author of the critically acclaimed In the Age of the Smart Machine: The Future of Work and Power. James Maxmin was Chairman and CEO of Volvo-UK, Thorn Home Electronics, and Laura Ashley PLC and is currently the Advisory Director at Mast Global Ltd. Dr. Maxmin has been a non-executive director of major companies on both sides of the Atlantic.

From The Publisher:

Today's "managerial" capitalism has grown hopelessly out of touch with the people it should be serving. The Support Economy explores the chasm between people and corporations and reveals a new society of individuals who seek relationships of advocacy and trust that provide support for their complex lives. Unlocking the wealth of these new markets can unleash the next great wave of wealth creation, but it requires a radically new approach--"distributed" capitalism. The Support Economy is a call to action for every citizen who cares about the future.