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The Starfish and the Spider by Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom
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The Starfish and the Spider

The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations

The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations

The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations

By Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom

By Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom

By Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom

By Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom

By Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom
Read by René Ruiz

By Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom
Read by René Ruiz

Best Seller
Paperback $20.00

Jul 29, 2008 | ISBN 9781591841838

Ebook $13.99

Oct 05, 2006 | ISBN 9781101216408

Audiobook Download $15.00

Aug 20, 2019 | 345 Minutes

All Formats
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    The Starfish and the Spider by Ori Brafman and Rod A. Beckstrom
    Paperback $20.00
    Jul 29, 2008 | ISBN 9781591841838

    Buy from Other Retailers:

    See All Formats (2) +
    • $20.00

      Jul 29, 2008 | ISBN 9781591841838

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    • Oct 05, 2006 | ISBN 9781101216408

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    • Aug 20, 2019 | ISBN 9780593172162

      345 Minutes

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    Buy the Audiobook Download:

    About The Starfish and the Spider

    If you cut off a spider’s head, it dies; if you cut off a starfish’s leg it grows a new one, and that leg can grow into an entirely new starfish. Traditional top-down organizations are like spiders, but now starfish organizations are changing the face of business and the world.

    What’s the hidden power behind the success of Wikipedia, craigslist, and Skype? What do eBay and General Electric have in common with the abolitionist and women’s rights movements? What fundamental choice put General Motors and Toyota on vastly different paths?

    Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom have discovered some unexpected answers, gripping stories, and a tapestry of unlikely connections. The Starfish and the Spider explores what happens when starfish take on spiders and reveals how established companies and institutions, from IBM to Intuit to the U.S. government, are also learning how to incorporate starfish principles to achieve success.

    About The Starfish and the Spider

    If you cut off a spider’s leg, it’s crippled; if you cut off its head, it dies. But if you cut off a starfish’s leg it grows a new one, and the old leg can grow into an entirely new starfish.

    What’s the hidden power behind the success of Wikipedia, Craigslist, and Skype? What do eBay and General Electric have in common with the abolitionist and women’s rights movements? What fundamental choice put General Motors and Toyota on vastly different paths? How could winning a Supreme Court case be the biggest mistake MGM could have made?

    After five years of ground-breaking research, Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom share some unexpected answers, gripping stories, and a tapestry of unlikely connections. The Starfish and the Spider argues that organizations fall into two categories: traditional “spiders,” which have a rigid hierarchy and top-down leadership, and revolutionary “starfish,” which rely on the power of peer relationships.

    The Starfish and the Spider explores what happens when starfish take on spiders (such as the music industry vs. Napster, Kazaa, and the P2P services that followed). It reveals how established companies and institutions, from IBM to Intuit to the US government, are also learning how to incorporate starfish principles to achieve success. The book explores:

    * How the Apaches fended off the powerful Spanish army for 200 years
    * The power of a simple circle
    * The importance of catalysts who have an uncanny ability to bring people together
    * How the Internet has become a breeding ground for leaderless organizations
    * How Alcoholics Anonymous has reached untold millions with only a shared ideology and without a leader

    The Starfish and the Spider is the rare book that will change how you understand the world around you.

    About The Starfish and the Spider

    If you cut off a spider’s leg, it’s crippled; if you cut off its head, it dies. But if you cut off a starfish’s leg it grows a new one, and the old leg can grow into an entirely new starfish.

    What’s the hidden power behind the success of Wikipedia, Craigslist, and Skype? What do eBay and General Electric have in common with the abolitionist and women’s rights movements? What fundamental choice put General Motors and Toyota on vastly different paths? How could winning a Supreme Court case be the biggest mistake MGM could have made?

    After five years of ground-breaking research, Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom share some unexpected answers, gripping stories, and a tapestry of unlikely connections. The Starfish and the Spider argues that organizations fall into two categories: traditional “spiders,” which have a rigid hierarchy and top-down leadership, and revolutionary “starfish,” which rely on the power of peer relationships.

    The Starfish and the Spider explores what happens when starfish take on spiders (such as the music industry vs. Napster, Kazaa, and the P2P services that followed). It reveals how established companies and institutions, from IBM to Intuit to the US government, are also learning how to incorporate starfish principles to achieve success. The book explores:

    * How the Apaches fended off the powerful Spanish army for 200 years
    * The power of a simple circle
    * The importance of catalysts who have an uncanny ability to bring people together
    * How the Internet has become a breeding ground for leaderless organizations
    * How Alcoholics Anonymous has reached untold millions with only a shared ideology and without a leader

    The Starfish and the Spider is the rare book that will change how you understand the world around you.

    Listen to a sample from The Starfish and the Spider

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    About Ori Brafman

    Ori Brafman is coauthor of The Starfish and the Spider and is a renowned organizational expert who regularly speaks before… More about Ori Brafman

    About Rod A. Beckstrom

    Rod A. Beckstrom is a serial start-up entrepreneur. He founded CATS Software Inc, which he took public and has helped… More about Rod A. Beckstrom

    About Ori Brafman

    Ori Brafman is coauthor of The Starfish and the Spider and is a renowned organizational expert who regularly speaks before… More about Ori Brafman

    About Rod A. Beckstrom

    Rod A. Beckstrom is a serial start-up entrepreneur. He founded CATS Software Inc, which he took public and has helped… More about Rod A. Beckstrom

    About Ori Brafman

    Ori Brafman is coauthor of The Starfish and the Spider and is a renowned organizational expert who regularly speaks before… More about Ori Brafman

    About Rod A. Beckstrom

    Rod A. Beckstrom is a serial start-up entrepreneur. He founded CATS Software Inc, which he took public and has helped… More about Rod A. Beckstrom

    Product Details

    Category: Business | Psychology

    Paperback | $20.00
    Published by Portfolio
    Jul 29, 2008 | 240 Pages | 5-1/2 x 8-7/16 | ISBN 9781591841838

    Category: Business | Psychology

    Ebook | $13.99
    Published by Portfolio
    Oct 05, 2006 | 240 Pages | ISBN 9781101216408

    Category: Business | Psychology | Audiobooks

    Audiobook Download | $15.00
    Published by Penguin Audio
    Aug 20, 2019 | 345 Minutes | ISBN 9780593172162

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    Praise

    “The Starfish and the Spider is a compelling and important book.” —Pierre Omidyar, CEO, Omidyar Network and Founder and Chairman, eBay Inc.

    “The Starfish and the Spider, like Blink, The Tipping Point, and The Wisdom of Crowds before it, showed me a provocative new way to look at the world and at business. It’salso fun to read!” —Robin Wolaner, founder, Parenting Magazine and author, Naked in the Boardroom

    “A fantastic read.  Constantly weaving stories and connections.  You’ll never see the world the same way again.” —Nicholas J. Nicholas Jr., former Co-CEO, Time Warner

    “A must-read.  Starfish are changing the face of business and society.  This page-turner is provocative and compelling.” —David Martin, CEO, Young Presidents’ Organization

    “The Starfish and the Spider provides a powerful prism for understanding the patterns and potential of self-organizing systems.”  —Steve Jurvetson, Partner, Draper Fisher Jurvetson

    “The Starfish and the Spider lifts the lid on a massive revolution in the making, a revolution certain to reshape every organization on the planet from bridge clubs to global governments. Brafman and Beckstrom elegantly describe what is afoot and offer a wealth of insights that will be invaluable to anyone starting something new—or rescuing something old—amidst this vast shift.” —Paul Saffo, Director, Institute for the Future  “The Starfish and the Spider is great reading.  [It has] not only stimulated my thinking, but as a result of the reading, I proposed ten action points for my own organization.”—Professor Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum

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