The Invisible Continent: Four Strategic Imperatives of the New Economy

by Kenichi Ohmae

During the past 15 years, civilization has changed at an unprecedented rate - it's as if a new continent has been discovered and the impetus for exploration has come from business. People with courage and curiosity are changing the way of life on the old continents irrevocably. The only difference is that the new continent - the new, interlinked, web-shaped economy of the 21st century - has no land. Yet its economic, political, social and business consequences are real. The new and "invisible continent" where Microsoft's business far outweighs the GNP of most nations has been commented on, but until now the links between the forces that created it have not been fully understood. This book sets out to provide solutions to successfully integrating the old and the new, and outlines strategies to settle the new continent by building "golden platforms" - standards and agreements that set its limits and structures.

Genres: Management, Business, Nonfiction

262 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

a Japanese organizational theorist, management consultant, Former Professor and Dean of UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, and author, known for developing the 3C's Model

Reviews

[Ridzwan]

I first picked up this book about seven years ago at the height of the dot-com boom. In it, best-selling author of The Borderless World, Kenichi Ohmae talks about how new economy giants like Cisco, Dell and Microsoft would be the new super powers of the world, instead of nation states. These, and the products they create, are defined as the invisible continents.

He further ventured that old economy titans such as Westinghouse, General Motors and other slow moving legacies would one day be devoured by these '"new economy" entities. An impressionable student at a local polytechnic, I was swayed over by these romantic soothsayings and was looking forward to a whole new economy once I graudated from University.

His various predictions have obviously not materilaised. The "old economy" entities that he mentioned in his book have not only failed to give way, they have indeed evolved and entrenched their positions in their various niches. Strong fundamentals still hold triumph over innovation and adventure.

The Invisible Continent remains a 262-page testimony of the euphoria and that was consuming the general public at the height of the dot-com optimism. While his prophecies may be off -mark, Kenichi Ohmae must be given credit for his highly convincing and entertaining style of writing.

[Saku]

留学していた当時、数多く読んだ本の中でも秀逸の部類に入る作品でした。当時、大学の授業で、『 国家の概念とグローバル経済 』と銘打った20数ページのレポートを書いたのですが、その際の参考文献にもさせていただきました。

　確か、ユーロ経済が米経済と拮抗する際のシチュエーション（Capital Flight etc.）を想定されていたと記憶しているのですが、今のユーロ経済の強さを考えると、大前氏の先見性はさすがだと感じます。その他、大前氏が昔から提唱されている道州制についても論議されています。最近ふるさと納税の議論が沸き起こっていますが、そういった問題提起はぜひ積極的に行うべきだと思いますし、この東京への一極集中を根本的に改善する仕組みづくりが急務だと思います。議論の場に上げながらもう何年もほったらかしにしてきたツケが、これから出てくるような気がします。リスクは大きいと思います。

　本書はそういったことも含めて、グローバル経済、アメリカ、欧州、日本がどのように絡みあっていくか、これから経済活動はどのように展開されていくのかということが2000年頃に論じられたものですが、現時点で読んでも強い説得力を持ち、見識眼に優れた名著であると思います。

[Paul Bard]

It was actually kind of mindblowing, to be honest. Not simply the concept of the invisible continent alone, which is tremendous, but the insight into the Japanese business scene and Japanese cutting edge of thinking is of overwhelming interest.

The notion of arbitrage here becomes an all-embracing metaphor for a variety of leveraged strategies. It's interesting but I'm feeling there's something lost in translation. I wish I could learn more about Ohmae's ideas, because this is pretty compelling stuff.

Highly recommended for politics and economics students.