The limits of silicon valley: a critique of network theory

During the 1980s, the idea ofthe dynamic network was putforward as a new model of flexible production and applied to Silicon Valley, the home ofthe US semiconductor industry. This paper arguss that the Silicon Valley network (a collaborating group of high technology firms incapable of realizing the main rewards from its innovations. Although the dynamic network may be appropriate for the early stage of the product life cycle, it lacks the necessary complementary assets to secure the Profits generakd during the growth and maturity stapes. The network lacks the scale-intensive process capabilities, the global marketing outbts and the large financial resources needed to capture the rewards om mass market innovations. These assets, by necessity tend to be embodied in large integated corporations. A simple model is offered to show the limits of the networkform compared with the integrated 'Chandlerian' corporation. During the 1990s, large firms will continue to capture the profits from innovation, not only in saiconductors but also in other important global industries.     

The importance of product positioning: successful entry in the national newspaper market

You cannot afford to get positioning wrong, but there are limited rewards for getting it right. That is the rather pessimistic conclusion you can draw from this account of recent entry into the British newspaper industry. The authors use the experience of that industry to illustrate some principles of good and bad positioning.     

Reviews

GRAND STRATEGY OR DRAINING LAKE WINDERMERE WITH A TEASPOON?

Chandler, J.A. and Lawless, P. 1985: Local Authorities and the Creation of Employment. Aldershot: Gower, £14.50 hardback only.

HOW IT'S DONE IN HAMMERSMITH.

Allan, M., Fenton, M. and Flockhart, A. 1985: Creating a local economic development network. A case study of Hammersmith and Fulham. Dundee Park Place Publishing/The Planning Exchange, £7.50 paperback.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR THE UNEMPLOYED?

Nabarro, R., Davies, R., Cobbold, C. and Galley, N., 1986: Local enterprise and the unemployed. London: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. £4.00 plus 60p postage.

THE CO-OP BANK LOOKS AT CO-OPS.

P. A. Management Consultants Ltd. and Co-operative Bank plc, 1985: Workers Co-operatives Past, Present and Future. Manchester: P. A. Management Consultants (Manchester), £20.00.

HOUSING LAND: ARE PLANNERS LOSING THEIR GRIP?

Rydin, Yvonne, 1986: Housing Land Policy. Aldershot: Gower, £15.00 cloth.

MONETARISTS LOOK AT LIVERPOOL.

Liverpool Research Group in Macroeconomics, 1986: Merseyside Economic Prospect Vol. 1, No. 1 February 1986. Liverpool: University of Liverpool, £6.00.

THE FORGOTTEN DEPRIVATION OF RURAL AREAS.

Association of District Councils, 1986: The Rural Economy At The Crossroads—A Review of Rural Needs and Problems in the '80s. ADC,

9 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LE. £5.00.

THE LONDON FINANCIAL STRATEGY.

Greater London Council, 1986: London Financial Strategy London: Greater London Council, £3.50 (now available from London Strategic Policy Unit, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1).     

Habermas and information systems research: New directions

Habermas' critical social theory has proven to be an important and useful lens in information systems research, especially in understanding the communicative potential of information systems and in conceiving alternative approaches to information systems development. As communication and engagement have become increasingly important in the context of today's information systems, his work has perhaps even greater applicability. However, concerns that it is too utopian to apply in organizational settings have led to skepticism regarding Habermas' work. Participation by all, the “ideal speech situation” and the consensus ideal are each Habermasian requirements that have sparked this criticism.However, Habermas' work has continued to grow and evolve since the Theory of Communicative Action, the basis of much IS research drawing on his work. His contributions in discourse ethics (1990, 1993) and deliberative democracy (1998) have offered us new and important theory, and have brought to light Habermas' own clarification and evolution of his original ideas.The intent of this paper is to reopen a communicative dialog about Habermas' work. After summarizing his critical social theory, we turn to addressing our two main objectives: first, to demonstrate that evolutions in Habermasian thought have renewed its empirical possibilities and, second, to show that this new understanding constructively informs future IS research. As an illustration, we sketch out the conditions for a Habermasian-inspired requirements process and show their application to a well-studied IS development model, ETHICS (Mumford, 1983). We conclude by suggesting that Habermas' theoretical ideas can no longer be dismissed as naive, but as a constant guide to critical action — as a reference point for opening up new possibilities for communicative action in IS research and activity.