Book Review, Chapter 1

Book: Clutetrain Manifesto: Internet Apocalypso

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon.com Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Cluetrain-Manifesto-End-Business-Usual/dp/0738204315

Quote:

The Internet became a place where people could talk to other people without constraint.

Learning Expectation:

            I expect that I would learn how businesses evolved in the communities.

Review:

This chapter talks about businesses, as well as the market itself.  It focuses on how these businesses evolved that brought it to its current position in their respective industries, communities and even to the people.

Change is a very important factor to consider in this tremendous evolution.  And that is the only thing constant in this world.  Resilience among people has been part of it.  We learn to live with change.  We simply understand and accept how change takes place in any aspect, in any way.

As an effect, change makes us nostalgic about things.  We long for connections between what we do for a living and what we really care about.  We search and do things to be part of a world that makes sense rather than indulge in alienation that deprives us to be part of any change.  It is human nature that we look for what brings good and benefits to us and what really makes us happy and content.

Just the same with companies; they makes use of their resources (be it technology, methods and strategies, materials, of course man, etc.) to stay ahead and advantageous of others in the industry.

According to Locke, companies cannot live without controls.  Yes I agree with when he said this.  Because companies, just like people, are afraid of losing those things they have put up and have been the source of their income, they initiate ways to stay competitive and even reach the top over the others in the industry.

What is needed nowadays is for companies to face their fears.  They need to see what is really happening and do away with it.  Some things must be done and should be done right away.  But the most important of all is to have trust – using the internet is a very helpful tool to converse and bring back trust.  Trust that they can do better; that they can stay in the competition by facing the problems; that they can face these problems by making remedies and avoiding to do it the next time and humbly and simply organize the corporation.

 Communication is a vital means of achieving and proving trust.  This intensely could be a onset of accomplishing confidence.  And simple and sincere conversations could start it.  Simple advertisements could start communicating with people.  They can get what the company wants to imply by interpreting the simple and understandable message from the ad.  This is one of the most useful today unlike in the past when conversations make markets. 

            Moreover, the internet is a significant tool to communicate.  This became a place where people can talk about anything without restrictions.  So from those conversations in the early days where internet was used in corporate politics, it evolved to people using it harshly nowadays.  The internet has been remarkably used , not just to keep a conversation but even to flame wars against others.

            Nevertheless, if we cannot prevent those from slamming the internet, we need to see the good it brings.  A lot of monetary rewards have been presently gotten from the internet.  E-commerce today is utilized by companies to sell their products and services.  They offer attractive entertainments using the web.

            Business definitely has evolved a lot.  This is not merely a scene of buying and selling goods and services.  We rely in this as the workers who create products and services as well as the customers who purchase them, to get the things we want and afford to get them. 

What I Have Learned:

            I learned that we, people are living in a world that is full of technologies or machines. We live in a world that people have their communications not face to face but through different technology. We feel convenient with it but still, we are longing for a real conversation, a conversation that would satisfy us that we close a deal, a conversation that we know that we had put something, a conversation that had successfully exchange our ideas.

Book Review, Chapter 2

Book: Clutetrain Manifesto: The Longing

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon.com Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Cluetrain-Manifesto-End-Business-Usual/dp/0738204315

Quote:

            As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods. They kill us for their sport.

Learning Expectation:

            I expect that I would learn of what is the web for.

Review:

            This chapter speaks of longingness.  What is the Web for?  Management is the key to overcome this.  There should be a balance in managing anything because less or too much of anything is not good and more often than not helpful.  However, resentment towards being managed by others caused our longing for the web.

Therefore, for management to be achieved, professionalism among us is a requirement.  What is the web really for?  Our voice is a part of who we are; in fact, it is the strongest and most direct expression of ourselves.

Moreover, management is a powerful force that creates prosperity, harmony, peace and unity among people and the environment.  Besides, we have adopted it faster than any technology: we access information, connect with other people, and broadcast our own ideas.

Through the web, we are able to speak, are able to be heard.  There is eagerness to bring back voices of people, to show who we really are, our opinions, point of views and reactions, as well as our ideas over things makes sense and are appreciated.

There is communication.  One very important tool is through the web.  We express what we really think and feel.  We relate to other people as well as build and maintain good relationships with them.

The web’s integral content is the voice and it has gone far beyond.  Though there may be predicaments of using the web, it is simply a place in which we can be who we are or how we chose to be.  It is how we present ourselves to others.

Presenting oneself to others.   It is a public place that we wish we could always be, a place we were never before.

            Through the Web, these things are possible.  But management and professionalism should be practiced to be able to use this tool very productively and efficiently.

What I Have Learned:

            I learned that even if what happen to a person, you can’t take the power of human voice off of him or her. Even if technology has everything that would make humans life more convenient, you can’t still take the power of face to face conversation from him or her.

Book Review, Chapter 3

Book: Clutetrain Manifesto: Talk Is Cheap

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon.com Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Cluetrain-Manifesto-End-Business-Usual/dp/0738204315

Quote:

            When experienced potters describe their craft, they often talk about seeing the form theyíre creating in their mindís eye, applying force to make the spinning clay match its virtual, internal archetype.

Learning Expectation:

            I expect to learn just like what I have learned in chapter 1 and 2, the importance of face to face conversations.

Review:

The voice emerges literally from the body as a

representation of our inner world. It carries our

experience from the past, our hopes and fears for the

future, and the emotional resonance of the moment. If

it carries none of these, it must be a masked voice,

and having muted the voice, anyone listening knows

intuitively we are not all there.

David Whyte, The Heart Aroused

            This summarizes the entire chapter. 

Just the same with businesses, these simple and cheap yet attractive talks are seen through the help of people who conceptualize ideas and apply their artistic identity by creating ads.

Ever Web page has a person behind it.  Before publishing an ad or page, ideas need to pass through people’s approval, edits and criticisms or compliments as well.  There is always a direct personal touch from artists and people who conceptualizes ideas to make the Web as attractive and perfect as possible.

Reinforcement of feelings of these artistic people is always an important part, whether directly or indirectly shown for Web creations.           Moreover, communication and open conversation is always welcome.  People involve themselves in this by incorporating even their littlest ideas.  And these littlest ideas make a difference too.  There is a connection between inside and outside conversations; people talk to each other.   These conversations serve as bridges distance and touches lives of people.

Hence, electronic mail, internet and the Web are a few most-used and fastest means of having these conversations.  People can talk not only to one but to a lot of people in one message or posting.

Therefore, if one wishes to fake his ends in any of these conversations, it definitely becomes obvious because we can tell is someone is really committed in the engagement.  It must show that he is listening attentively, responding honestly and uses his resources in being an effective conversationalist or respondent.   It would always be vivid when he tries to cover himself, when he is just acting out what should be acted upon, when he tries to hide her feelings and opinions on such matters.  And his voice is a sign if he has a personal attention or he is inattentive.  The voice can tell the difference between people. It can tell how you process your thoughts and how one speaks about it.

Genuineness and honesty is shown in a personal voice.   Truly, our voices literally represent our inner world, considering our past experiences, our present feelings, and even our hopes and aspirations.  Therefore, why hide our thoughts and remain masked when it would be more productive to express our voices.

What I Have Learned:

            I learned that people should not do their job just by talking; we should do our job by the combination of talking and applying. Just like in politics, when election time, politicians have slogans and promises, people elects those politicians that are not just in words, slogans and promises but also those that prove their words, slogans and promises.

Book Review, Chapter 4

Book: Clutetrain Manifesto: Markets Are Conversations

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon.com Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Cluetrain-Manifesto-End-Business-Usual/dp/0738204315

Quote:

            The first markets were filled with people, not abstractions or statistical aggregates; they were the places where supply met demand with a firm handshake.

Learning Expectation:

            I expect to learn that this chapter will answer the question what is the market is for.

Review:

            The first markets were places for exchange.  It was a place where people converse while buying the sold goods of others.  More often, they talk about the goods sold and sometimes gossips and opinions are also included in their short or long conversations.

            As industries develop, the means of conversing also develop.  It was not just a talk about the goods sold.  Sellers involve themselves in conversations at the market to promote their products and get people’s patronization; on the other hand, buyers relay how they want the products be improved.  Demand and supply became also topics. 

            Nowadays, the internet becomes an important tool in the movement and development of markets as conversations.  Using the internet, markets are getting more connected and more vocal about demands and supply.  The internet becomes a place as well.  From simple to complex products, people can discuss, argue over and share opinions.   The values of the products and the producers or manufacturers are often talked about during these conversations.  These uses the people’s voice once again.  These voices are telling the truth about their real-life experiences about the product, as well as their expectations for improvements of the product.

            Market conversations, moreover, can make or break a product.  The internet is a place built by pure conversations.  How powerful conversations are?  The answer relies on its ability to affect consumers, businesses and the industry as a whole in its production and innovation of its products and services.

            Moreover, the internet makes a drastic change in market conversations.  And change is not temporary.  Therefore, whatever conversations markets make while using the web would significantly affect other people’s view of what is offered.

            Advertising using the net is one innovative tool used today in promoting products and services.  Let us admit it advertisements are used by markets on how they are going to make money.  They make simple and understandable ads to keep and attract more consumers.

            Further, in achieving a well-managed advertising in the market, the company has to have experts, not only in conceptualization but as well as technical support and united marketing group.

            The Web has reached a long way in advertising, marketing, trading and pricing.  And markets serves the biggest part in this through conversations among each other.

What I Have Learned:

            I learned that we, people are not easy pleased by companies. We do not easily give our trust to companies. We do not easily believe on their words, we believe them by proving it. I also learned that I should hate those companies that just make conversations with their market just to earn profit. A company should not think of people are just their source of money; they should look at us as someone that they should develop and take care of their relationship of.

Book Review, Chapter 5

Book: Clutetrain Manifesto: The Hyperlinked Organization

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon.com Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Cluetrain-Manifesto-End-Business-Usual/dp/0738204315

Quote:

            Fort Business’s assumptions are being challenged by a meek little thing: a hyperlink.

Learning Expectation:

            I expect to learn more about the web.

Review:

The Web has led every person in any organization to have direct conversation with human voices.  People expect to get what they need through the Web.  This has given the people inside the organization easy access to communicating with each other through e-mailing.  They can also post their creative and informative pages that express their interests, opinions and reactions to certain projects, reports or documents.  Also, the Web also facilitates one in finding information about the company and its updates or news, and any competitor or new innovation in the industry, helps in the marketing and sales of products or services.

The Web is not like businesses with buildings, with thick walls, with lots of tables and papers; it is a place where people meet, talk, chat, exchange information and opinions, react and make suggestions.  It is conversation.

The real business relies on the connections among people.  it is the Web. This does not merely mean that of a hierarchy, from top to bottom; instead, this is about people putting minds together and sharing every bit of information throughout the organization.  This is so called as hyperlinks.

Another distinction of the Web is that it replaces the hierarchy, the pyramid.  It brings everyone, from the top management down below, into immediate connection with each other without considering each roles and authorities.   However, responsibility and honesty is expected from all parties. 

Moreover, this is about being human behind those business buildings and organizations.  Management is not in control.  No boundaries, no hierarchy.  And the business here is about the talks made between people. 

This also talks about values.  How one values self and others in the organizations keeps the conversation afloat. 

Further, hyperlinked organizations are closer to the market, are faster in its own way and acquire and involve information exchange from different people in the organization, regardless of hierarchy.

Even the lowest in the pyramid can give his share, may it be big or small, in the information exchange.  He can also make a difference.  In fact, one’s effectiveness depend on how networked he is, how hyperlinked he is.  Being assertive is applied here, no authority is needed to converse. 

Through this, all voices are heard in conversations.  The Web transforms the business world into a more deterministic and global place where everyone in the organization makes a difference.

What I Have Learned:

            I learned that nothing is perfect in this world. I learned that everybody I this world make mistakes; mistakes that would help a person or a company to improve them by avoiding the same mistake again. I also learned that web cannot control everything in this world.

Book Review, Chapter 6

Book: Clutetrain Manifesto: EZ Answers

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon.com Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Cluetrain-Manifesto-End-Business-Usual/dp/0738204315

Quote:

            Tell ‘Em What You Told ‘Em

Learning Expectation:

            I expect to learn how important human voice is.

Review:

This chapter talks about how important voices are.  Conversations are great impacts in an organization.  Ideas, talks and conversations are now encouraged among employees because management needs those inputs for better processing and productivity.  Employee empowerment is but factors considered nowadays to prosper.  New knowledge is needed for expansion, for more marketing and organizational strategies and for continuity and competitiveness.

Just as business find new ways in staying the global economy, then along came many strategies and innovations in the internet.  The internet encourages open conversations.  The human voice is the main factor.  The management along with its employees is crafting and exchanging ideas and establishing conversations.  Hence, this brings change.

Inevitably, through the internet, the market and the workers are already talking among themselves.  They are indeed encouraging and engaging in genuine conversations.

However, again responsibility is expected.  Because everyone is free to speak their minds, the management can take them as negative or constructive or positive.  It would only depend on how the management value quality of mind and heart.

Whether or not there is responsibility among everyone, there would always be questions.  There are a lot of questions which will actually create the future.  Others may not be answered at all.  But we do not need to answer such questions.  The proper answer to those unending queries is a conversation.   And conversations make a difference.

What I Have Learned:

            I learned that it is not wrong to express ones feelings. Feelings should be expressed before it is too late. If you feel something that should be corrected then correct it. If something should be done, do it. If something should be given, give it. Just follow everything that your heart tells you, there is nothing wrong in trying, it could be the way for you to be success.