"I am a boomer. Born in 1960, I was ushered into the modern era decades before the information age altered our lives forever. For me, the innovation of the personal computer and the Internet were the twin defining events of my generation."
Thus begins the introduction to this unique tale of two contrasting thoughts: Bungee Jumping and Cocoons. Bungee Jumping is "our present culture's predilection for embracing all things extreme," the author explains. "In our advertising and in our leisure, we want bigger, better, more." Cocoons represent "our willingness to nest within our homes with no need or desire to come out and mingle with the wicked world."
How do these dual ideas play out in our society? How do they illuminate our industrial marketplace and ecommerce activities? Investigating these ideas, the author uses illustrative case studies, pointing to diverse resources such as futurist Faith Popcorn, fantasy adventure giant The Walt Disney Company, Barnes & Noble, Allen-Bradley, the book The Cluetrain Manifesto, and more.
This book sheds some light on how to get beyond the crossroads we are seemingly at - in terms of industrial maturity, economic transition, and societal metamorphosis. Venture into this dual world of extreme fantasy adventures and isolation and be prepared to alter the way you think about the future. But first, you must take the headlong leap into the abyss – the bungee jump.
Introduction : Bozos of Diminishing Size
Chapter 1 : Bungee Jumping : Experiencing Life
Chapter 2 : Cocoon : Insulation not Isolation
Chapter 3 : Case Study 1 : BN vs Barnes & Noble
Chapter 4 : Case Study 2 : Disney Theme Parks vs Disney Home Video
Chapter 5 : The Bungee Jump in the Industrial Marketplace
Chapter 6 : The Cocoon in the Industrial Marketplace
Chapter 7 : Case Study 3 : A Quadrant of Ecommerce Models
Chapter 8 : Case Study 4 : Covisint/Source Alliance
Chapter 9 : Post-it Notes on the Monitor - the Synthesis
