Authors: Barry Wacksman and Chris Stutzman
Publisher: Jossey Bass
Reviewer: Lauren Harris, director, North America marketing, Oracle
Connected by Design first introduces and then quickly convinces its reader the value of functional integration far exceeds that of horizontal integration.
‘Taken together, all the pieces of an ecosystem of value are worth more than the sum of their parts – the very definition of synergy.’ This synergy combined with a focus on relationships with loyal groups of consumers is the basis for the concept of ‘Functional Integration’.
Wacksman and Stutzman tell many stories of functional integration, including Apple, Google, Amazon, etc. Though these are well known, I found their examples new, fresh and informative. The evolution of Apple as it turned its focus from Mac sales to ecosystem expansion was a great example of how to embrace the true value of your holistic offering and grow relationships with your best customers. The authors’ selected examples were perfect for driving their point home.
Examples of horizontally-integrated businesses (those that focus on product differentiation and cost) are provided to further complete the picture. They do a good job of showing failure where a company did not choose the path of functional integration.
Overall, I give this book a rating of fourstars. I found it to be informative, a fun read and enlightening. I appreciated that the authors suggested specific models to consider when moving away from horizontal integration, including leadership and organisational structure of teams. However, it is only focused on B2C, suggesting that for full functional integration: an offering needs to be truly woven into the daily fabric of a consumers life. As a B2B marketer, I realise that there are significant limitations on the amount of interaction we can expect from our B2B customers. I would have found examples specifically in a business-to-business context of functional integration at play helpful.
Star rating: 4/5
