This marketer recommends putting down the marketing books...and picking up one about (global) markets

While I've taken it easy on the blogging beat lately, I haven't completely slacked. Fact is, I've read nearly 6 books on marketing in the last couple months. Even read Cialdin's Influence for a second time (hey, everyone needs a little refresh on the classics).

I must say that many of the reads were extremely good. But this book is the best one of '08. Yet it won't be classified as a "marketing" book. Nope, this one is about markets, specifically about the markets developing all around US--and by "us" I mean the U.S. (yep, I was dabbling in some double-entendre fun).

The book, by Fareed Zakaria, is titled "The Post-American World" and it explores not a pro-American or anti-American World, but one that is not nearly as focused on America as it has been in past decades.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a book about the fall of America, but about what Zakaria coins "the rise of the rest". Yep, there's a big world out there and many countries are making some mighty big moves--but many of us might not be understanding what globalization means, the implications or the opportunities. Even though I live in an oh-so-worldly city like New York, I've certainly been guilty of it. Here's an excerpt:

"Americans—particularly the American government—have not really understood the rise of the rest. This is one of the most thrilling stories in history. Billions of people are escaping from abject poverty. The world will be enriched and ennobled as they become consumers, producers, inventors, thinkers, dreamers, and doers. This is all happening because of American ideas and actions. For 60 years, the United States has pushed countries to open their markets, free up their politics, and embrace trade and technology. American diplomats, businessmen, and intellectuals have urged people in distant lands to be unafraid of change, to join the advanced world, to learn the secrets of our success. Yet just as they are beginning to do so, we are losing faith in such ideas. We have become suspicious of trade, openness, immigration, and investment because now it's not Americans going abroad but foreigners coming to America. Just as the world is opening up, we are closing down.

Generations from now, when historians write about these times, they might note that by the turn of the 21st century, the United States had succeeded in its great, historical mission—globalizing the world. We don't want them to write that along the way, we forgot to globalize ourselves."

As for a changing world--and a shift to several world powers versus one superpower? I don't fear it or find it daunting. Nope, I find it exciting. Then again, I love change (and disruption). I better, without changes to customers, companies, products, technologies, regulations and markets, my marketing smarts would no longer be necessary. Plus I fancy the benefits of a smaller world.

So do yourself a favor, put down the marketing books (for a little while, k?) and pick up this one...ironically, it may be some of the best marketing advice I've given you.

Comments

[David Berkowitz]

I'm about 80% of the way through and I'll second the recommendation. It shares a few things in common with The World of Flat, but it goes in some new directions. Interestingly, the book has me more optimistic about America's prospects in this flat, post-American world.

[Johon Rosen]

CK –

I agree…this is a very good and important book. I read it almost the minute it came out; I’ve enjoyed his other work in the past. While reading it and searching (like you) for lessons for today’s marketers and marketing consultants (like both you and me), I was reminded of some of the passages in the ur-business book of all time, In Search of Excellence, published, I believe, in 1983. Among the things Peters and Waterman, in that book, emphasized, was the need for every business to think. I’m paraphrasing from a memory stretching back to the early Eighties, but they had a line that went something like, “For any business, no matter how small and local it is today, if you aren’t thinking about doing at least 25% of your revenue overseas within the next five years, you’re missing a big opportunity…and risking bankruptcy.”

At the time, of course, I thought that might be relevant for IBM or Ford, but not for me. Fast forward to today, and our little, Connecticut-based marketing consultancy does, indeed, bill nearly 50% of its business with overseas clients. One of them, a Japanese firm, has been a client for seven years and running. We have done business in such rising members of the First World as Malaysia, India, Thailand, Brazil, and Venezuela. These are all the result of an overt strategy of seeking out such global opportunities.

The overriding point for small firms like ours is, I think, that we can neither ignore “the Rest,” nor wait for the business to come to us…one has to aggressively seek and close international business, not as an opportunistic sideline, but as a core strategy.

[Paula Thornton]

Not having read the book, I'm hoping what it does is help marketers reframe their thinking from market-ing to markets and the market economy. The more strategic perspective clearly moves the thinking to the expanded model now required for the 2.0 economy.

[Joe Kutchera]

Good post. I am going to put that on the must-read list especially in seeing how trends like microfinance, cheaper computers, cheaper/better mobile phones, outsourcing, and greater connectivity are enabling the underdeveloped world to grow much quickly than it ever has.