Digital Darwinism: 7 Breakthrough Business Strategies for Surviving in the Cutthroat Web Economy

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Over the last few years, the big bang of the World Wide Web has shaken the realm of commerce. Today on the Internet, you can get everything from phone numbers and dancing babies to golf clubs and custom-built computers. Some of these Web sites are businesses that found their genesis in the advent of the Web itself, while others are longstanding companies trying to adapt to the reality of this new digital marketplace. Who will survive and who will be rendered extinct? That's what Evan I. Schwartz tries to answer by dipping into the Internet's "primordial soup" to discover the characteristics of the winners that will eventually emerge.

In Digital Darwinism, Schwartz identifies seven strategies that will separate the winners from the losers. These include building a brand that stands for solving something, elastic pricing, affiliate partnerships, and integrating digital commerce with every aspect of business. Schwartz buttresses his arguments with analysis of dozens of companies already competing on the Internet, including Yahoo!, Peapod, Priceline, E*Trade, Dell Computer, and Recreational Equipment, Inc. Schwartz views these early years of the Web as largely "irrational," but anticipates a general rationalization. He writes, "As each successive generation of Web commerce passes, there will be more rational companies and fewer irrational ones, more fit business models and fewer unfit ones. In the future, there may be no such thing as an Internet company. The Internet is becoming so important that all companies will eventually become Internet companies."

Like his previous book, Webonomics, Digital Darwinism is succinct and easy to read. His analysis of the current state of Internet startups, their stock prices, and their probable fate is provocative, especially when viewed from a Darwinian perspective. For managers, investors, and anyone interested in Internet commerce. Recommended. --Harry C. Edwards

Book Description

Don’t let the rapid evolution of the Internet economy leave your business extinct before its time! Here are the key strategies you need to keep your company alive, growing, and profitable in today’s volatile Web climate.

The dramatic boom that took place in the Web economy is over. The glory days when companies with strong ideas and weak business plans could easily get millions to launch their businesses are long gone, and in today’s tougher, more cutthroat economic arena, natural selection is rampant. Companies need to be smarter, faster, more innovative, and more adaptable than ever before just to survive, let alone succeed. In Digital Darwinism, Evan Schwartz provides seven business strategies that can make or break any Web business. In a new preface and updated case studies, Schwartz discusses the dramatic rise and fall of the Web and analyzes the companies that have made it and those that haven’t, from Priceline to Pets.com, and spells out step-by-step techniques such as building your brand, remaining flexible as supply and demand fluctuate, and integrating the Web into every part of your business.

The perfect source for everyone from novice entrepreneurs to corporate CEOs, Digital Darwinism provides a comprehensive and unflinching look inside the highly competitive world of e-commerce and distills the critical strategies that Web-based businesses need to follow in order to survive in what has become the world’s fastest, and most dangerous, marketplace.

Customer Reviews:

The Internet - The Fittest Survive - This is Your Guide !.......2006-03-08

Evan Schwartz is the former editor of Business Week and is a regular writer for Wired magazine.

The landscape of the free market has certainly changed over the last 200 years through the 'survival of the fittest' mechanism. Schwartz shows how these hard-earned systems don't necessarily apply to the new online markets. He shows how the internet has evolved with attention to what hasn't worked and what has. He differentiates the business plan of a conventional corporation with that of an online presence and shows how the two could work together synergistically. He covers brand building, price fluctuations, affiliate parnerships, bundle selling, cybermediation and digital integration.

Five Stars and two thumbs up.

Ignore the Darwin reference.......2001-10-13

Schwartz is no authority on Chuckie Darwin but his handle on technology is solid. His work is worth the time to read and the addition to a technology / web / Internet library is worthwhile.

Surviving the cutthroat web economy........2001-06-05

Mr. Schwartz is the author of Webonomics. In Digital Darwinism, we are presented with "7 breakthrough business strategies for surviving in the cutthroat web economy." They are:

1. Build a grand that stands for solving problems 2. Allow your prices to fluctuate freely with supply and demand. 3. Let affiliate partners do your marketing for you. 4. Create valuable bundles of information and services. 5. Sell custom-made products online, then manufacture them. 6. Add new value to transactions between buyers and sellers. 7. Integrate digital commerce with absolutely everything.

From a technical point of view, I found little new in these strategies, but perhaps that is because I work in a technology field. For those who are trying to bring a "old economy" business into the "new economy," this book will be a valuable source of ideas for the inevitable culture shock.

The writing style is clean and concise, and the ideas are clearly presented, illustrated with examples, and brought to us in a believable story form. Even the typeface and page layout make this book easy to read. At the end of each chapter appears a short summary of the key points which can easily serve as a quick refresher when thinking through the implementation of new strategies.

In the end, one must remember that the very lessons of the author will also render his book short lived. Things will change (and are already)! But there are definitely some principles for how to think about this new, evolving digital world that will help us move forward and maintain our position in the evolution of this digital world.

Highly Recommended!.......2001-05-10

In this book, Evan I. Schwartz examines competition in the world of Web commerce, today's most rapidly changing business environment. He compares this competitive struggle to the battle between species that occurs in the natural environment. He concludes that the companies that succeed must be better to survive, much like the survival of the fittest in nature. Whatever market niche they select, they have to be "smarter, faster, more innovative, and more adaptable" than ever, so that they do better than their competitors. After examining the successes and failures of many different e-commerce competitors, the author identifies seven key strategies to survive and thrive on the Web. Digital Darwinism uses detailed case studies and examples to show how different companies have employed the stated principles successfully. Each chapter concludes with a brief summary of the major points to apply, based on these examples of success. It is a kind of example of "digital Darwinism" itself, in that the author applies the value-added principles he advocates to create an easy-to-read book. We [...] recommend this well-organized book to executives who manage or do business with Web-based corporations.

A good beginners's book on webonomics.......2001-03-28

I picked up Digital Darwnism from a library to get an understanding of what the e-strategies are and how some internet businesses successfully implemented them. This was one of the books recommended by my professor at MBA school to read as part of an eCommerce class.

This is really a great book on e-strategies whether one is a novice with respect to internet businesses or an avid entrepreneur who's waiting to strike it big. The seven strategies - solution branding, dynamic pricing, affiliate marketing, value bundling, selling custom-made products online first before manufacturing them, cybermediation and integration of digital eCommerce with absolutely everything- that Schwartz presented are very interesting and truly practical.

He has a narrative approach throughout the book. He compares and contrasts many companies, for e.g., AOL, Priceline, Yahoo, eBay etc who have or have not implemented the seven strategies and expands upon the success stories. It's like reading a story book. He also presents opinions of some of the highly successful entrepreneurs like Tim Koogle, Mark Andressen, Jim Barksdale etc which can give a good insight to the reader on the past, present and the future state of eCommerce.

The main drawback that I found in the book is it's a little outdated when it comes to the implementation details of some of the companies. This is because the book was written couple of years back and there have been humungus changes in the internet infrastructure, software, hardware and a variety of paraphernalia which may prove costly factors if one wants to follow what has been presented in the book. It can be a good reference book for early stage internet business strategies. I haven't read too many books of such kind but I do like reading stuff off the internet as it's more up to date and current compared to Digital Darwinism.

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This digital document is an article from The Review of Metaphysics, published by Philosophy Education Society, Inc. on March 1, 2004. The length of the article is 986 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly Vol. 77, No. 3, Summer 2003.(Philosophical Abstracts)(Critical Essay)
Publication: The Review of Metaphysics (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 2004
Publisher: Philosophy Education Society, Inc.
Volume: 57 Issue: 3 Page: 659(3)

Article Type: Critical Essay

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Believing in evolution.(The public square: a continuing survey of religion, culture, and public life)(Uncommon Dissent: Intellectuals Who Find Darwinism ... Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life

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Believing in evolution.(The public square: a continuing survey of religion, culture, and public life)(Uncommon Dissent: Intellectuals Who Find Darwinism ... Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life

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This digital document is an article from First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, published by Institute on Religion and Public Life on May 1, 2004. The length of the article is 815 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Believing in evolution.(The public square: a continuing survey of religion, culture, and public life)(Uncommon Dissent: Intellectuals Who Find Darwinism Unconvincing)(Book Review)
Publication: First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life (Refereed)
Date: May 1, 2004
Publisher: Institute on Religion and Public Life
Issue: 143 Page: 65(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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But Is It Good for the Conservatives? Darwinism and its discontents.: An article from: The Weekly Standard

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But Is It Good for the Conservatives? Darwinism and its discontents.: An article from: The Weekly Standard
Andrew Ferguson
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ASIN: B000R383U4
Release Date: 2007-05-21

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This digital document is an article from The Weekly Standard, published by Thomson Gale on May 14, 2007. The length of the article is 1559 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: But Is It Good for the Conservatives? Darwinism and its discontents.
Author: Andrew Ferguson
Publication: The Weekly Standard (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 14, 2007
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Volume: 12 Issue: 33 Page: NA

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Can a generalized Darwinism be criticized? A rejoinder to Geoffrey Hodgson.(Notes and Communications)(Report): An article from: Journal of Economic Issues

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Can a generalized Darwinism be criticized? A rejoinder to Geoffrey Hodgson.(Notes and Communications)(Report): An article from: Journal of Economic Issues
Christian Cordes
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ASIN: B000NO3CQM
Release Date: 2007-02-21

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This digital document is an article from Journal of Economic Issues, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2514 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Can a generalized Darwinism be criticized? A rejoinder to Geoffrey Hodgson.(Notes and Communications)(Report)
Author: Christian Cordes
Publication: Journal of Economic Issues (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2007
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Volume: 41 Issue: 1 Page: 277(5)

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"The civilized uses of irony": Darwinism, Calvinism, and motherhood in Ellen Glasgow's Barren Ground.(Critical essay): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly

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"The civilized uses of irony": Darwinism, Calvinism, and motherhood in Ellen Glasgow's Barren Ground.(Critical essay): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly
Lisa Hollibaugh
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ASIN: B000WMIFQ2
Release Date: 2007-09-27

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This digital document is an article from The Mississippi Quarterly, published by Thomson Gale on December 22, 2005. The length of the article is 13898 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: "The civilized uses of irony": Darwinism, Calvinism, and motherhood in Ellen Glasgow's Barren Ground.(Critical essay)
Author: Lisa Hollibaugh
Publication: The Mississippi Quarterly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2005
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Volume: 59 Issue: 1-2 Page: 31(33)

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Cognitive Darwinism: rational-emotive therapy and the theory of neuronal group selection.: An article from: ETC.: A Review of General Semantics

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Cognitive Darwinism: rational-emotive therapy and the theory of neuronal group selection.: An article from: ETC.: A Review of General Semantics
Shawn F. Blau
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This digital document is an article from ETC.: A Review of General Semantics, published by International Society for General Semantics on December 22, 1993. The length of the article is 8632 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Some concepts in Gerald Edelman's Theory of Neuronal Group Selection, particularly those pertaining to the cognitive realm, are related to Albert Ellis' theory of psychotherapy and personality, the rational-emotive therapy (RET) theory. Together, the two theories may be used to pinpoint emotional disturbances as the end result of some ideas about the world functioning on a specific neurological level of human consciousness.

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Title: Cognitive Darwinism: rational-emotive therapy and the theory of neuronal group selection.
Author: Shawn F. Blau
Publication: ETC.: A Review of General Semantics (Refereed)
Date: December 22, 1993
Publisher: International Society for General Semantics
Volume: v50 Issue: n4 Page: p403(39)

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Created From Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism. (book reviews): An article from: The Hastings Center Report

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Created From Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism. (book reviews): An article from: The Hastings Center Report
Dale Jamieson
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This digital document is an article from The Hastings Center Report, published by Hastings Center on March 1, 1991. The length of the article is 932 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Created From Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism. (book reviews)
Author: Dale Jamieson
Publication: The Hastings Center Report (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 1991
Publisher: Hastings Center
Volume: v21 Issue: n2 Page: p47(1)

Article Type: Book Review

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Darwinism and institutional economics.: An article from: Journal of Economic Issues

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Darwinism and institutional economics.: An article from: Journal of Economic Issues
Geoffrey M. Hodgson
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This digital document is an article from Journal of Economic Issues, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2003. The length of the article is 6279 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Darwinism and institutional economics.
Author: Geoffrey M. Hodgson
Publication: Journal of Economic Issues (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2003
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Volume: 37 Issue: 1 Page: 85(13)

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Darwinism and mechanism: metaphor in science [An article from: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biol & Biomed Sci]

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Darwinism and mechanism: metaphor in science [An article from: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biol & Biomed Sci]
M. Ruse
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This digital document is a journal article from Studies in History and Philosophy of Biol & Biomed Sci, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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There are two main senses of 'mechanism', both deriving from the metaphor of nature as a machine. One sense refers to contrivance or design, as in 'the plant's mechanism of attracting butterflies'. The other sense refers to cause or law process, as in 'the mechanism of heredity'. In his work on evolution, Charles Darwin showed that organisms are produced by a mechanism (natural selection) in the second sense, although he never used this language. He also discussed contrivance, where he did use the language of mechanism. This discussion relates metaphor in general and Darwin's use of the machine metaphor in particular to the problem of the nature of science, concluding that one use of the metaphor reinforces the objective nature of science and the other use reinforces the subjective nature of science.

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As the financial services industry becomes increasingly international, the more narrowly defined and historically protected national financial markets become less significant. Consequently, financial institutions must achieve a critical size in order to compete. Bank Mergers & Acquisitions analyses the major issues associated with the large wave of bank mergers and acquisitions in the 1990's. While the effects of these changes have been most pronounced in the commercial banking industry, they also have a profound impact on other financial institutions: insurance firms, investment banks, and institutional investors. Bank Mergers & Acquisitions is divided into three major sections: A general and theoretical background to the topic of bank mergers and acquisitions; the effect of bank mergers on efficiency and shareholders' wealth; and regulatory and legal issues associated with mergers of financial institutions. It brings together contributions from leading scholars and high-level practitioners in economics, finance and law.

Finance: Introduction to Markets, Institutions and Management

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Finance: Introduction to Markets, Institutions and Management
Ronald W. Melicher , and Merle T. Welshans
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Markets & Institutions: A Contemporary Introduction to Financial Services

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Markets & Institutions: A Contemporary Introduction to Financial Services
William L. Scott
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This text differs from traditional markets and institutions texts by centering around the FINANCIAL SERVICES companies provide rather than on the markets and institutions themselves. The text focuses on both the CREATION of financial services and the USE of financial services. This emphasis provides for a much more integrated, less encyclopedic treatment of financial markets and institutions that better represents today's continuously evolving financial environment.

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This book consists of selected, edited and revised papers from a workshop held at ICRAF in July 2000. It synthesizes existing information on the adoption of natural resource management investments and strategies (such as soil fertility improvements or erosion control) for agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. It also critically examines current analytical methods and generates research and policy recommendations. Contents include: o Farmers' objectives and learning processes o Willingness and capacity to make long-term investments o Economic incentives and the importance of the resource base o The agroecological, institutional and policy context o Towards improved NRM in African agriculture

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