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Abilene paradox, 107–12
adaptation/adjustment strategies, 20–27, 53, 63, 77, 95, 99, 137–39, 177, 217
Adobe, 114–15
Advanced Television Committee (ATV), 41–42
Advanced Television Test Center (ATTC), 43, 44
Aereo, 176, 178
Air Force One: DVDs for, 91–92
Allies, 25–26, 217–19
Amazon, 3, 35, 40, 58–59, 66, 91, 96, 97–99, 144, 145, 190–91, 217
Apple: being first to market and, 73; California as home for, 126; consumer electronics industry impact on economy and, 3; delayed gratification strategies at, 76, 77; early successes of, 24; Flash feud and, 114–15; as garage start-up, 35, 36; IBM compared with, 20, 24, 25; inner sanctum at, 189; innovate or die message and, 144–45; iPad of, 3, 73, 95–96, 115, 138; iPhone of, 73, 76, 115, 138, 171, 189; iPod of, 144–45; lobbying by, 117; as mobile phone manufacturer, 193; reputation of, 24, 27; risk factors and, 54; status quo as short-term and, 138; stealth innovation at, 189; as TWG member, 22
Arab Spring, 164–67
art of war: basics of business and, 96, 97–99; great ones and, 95–96; impact of politics on ninja innovation and, 99–103; never-ending battles and, 87–90; overcoming the odds and, 93–94; process and, 90–93
artificial intelligence, 22–23
AT&T, 21, 191–93
ATMs, 146–47, 148
atomic bomb, 182–83, 184, 188
audio-video equipment: for White House, 92–93
battles: never-ending, 87–90; preparing for, 71–86
belief: risk and, 57–59
Best Buy, 91, 99, 217
Betamax decision, 176
Bezos, Jeff, 35, 58–59, 66, 97–99, 190
Boeing, 121–22, 158, 159–60, 161
brainstorming, 136–37
breaking the rules: in California, 126–33; innovation by design and, 139–41; playing with the competition and, 141–42; status quo as short-term and, 137–39; too big to succeed and, 133–37
broadcasting industry, 115, 149–58, 172, 176–77, 178
Brooks, Jack, 89–90
bullies, 88–90
Bush, George W., 91–93
Bushido, 10, 125
business: basics of, 96, 97–99; and government bailouts of failed companies, 179; jobs and, 148; purpose of, 96, 97–98, 148, 199. See also specific industry or business
California, 100, 103, 126–33
camcorders, 141–42
Campbell, Tom, 45, 92
Care4 Stations, 147–48
Cashman, Steve, 147–48
CDs (compact discs), 3, 144, 151, 152
cell phones, 4, 5, 153–54, 155, 167, 170
CEOs (chief executive officers), 57, 58, 96, 115, 135, 145–46. See also leadership; specific person
Chamber of Commerce, U.S., 30, 32–33
Chambers, John, 58, 135, 215
chances, taking foolish, 67–70
change: innovate or die message and, 145; Innovation Movement and, 180; people-powered, 170–78; resistance to, 95, 137; risk and, 53; social, 163–67; status quo as short-term and, 137–39; technology as engendering, 164–70
Chicago, Illinois: CES show in, 202, 203–4, 205, 206, 209, 215
China/Chinese, 28–34, 62–63, 65
Chupka, Karen, 214, 215
Cisco, 58, 126, 135
“co-opetition,” 116, 217–18
code of conduct: Bushido as, 10, 125; as characteristic of ninja innovation, 15, 104–24; “co-opetition” and, 116; culture and, 107–9, 111; deception and, 16; equality of rules and, 116–22; ethics distinguished from legal behavior and, 105–6; failure and, 112–16; government and, 110–11, 117–21; honesty and, 104–12, 209–12; invisibility and, 16; long-term orientation and, 112; sharing wisdom with others and, 122–24; winning and, 112–16. See also ethics
COMDEX (Computer Dealers’ Exhibition), 200–201, 205, 207, 208, 209, 212, 214, 215, 221
community: innovation as fostering, 170
Compaq, 21, 22, 72–73
computing market, 25. See also laptop computers; personal computers; tablets
Congress, U.S., 28, 44, 111, 117, 119, 146, 153–54, 156, 172–74
consumer electronics: definition of, 214, 215; importance of, 7; primary purpose of, 71
Consumer Electronics Association (CEA): Brooks-Shapiro deal and, 90; Digital Patriots of, 6; goals/mission of, 20, 115, 214; killer strategy of, 200–224; leadership-team relationship at, 111; Lee and, 94; mistakes of, 202–6, 221; Shapiro’s interviews as president of, 81; Share the Love program of, 220–21; and strategy as process, 92–93; too big to succeed concept and, 136; Virginia as home for, 99, 100; and working with opponents, 115, 217–19. See also specific topic
consumer electronics industry: in California, 129–30; changes in, 1–3; COMDEX and, 201; future products in, 4; indispensability of products of, 5; innovate or die message and, 145; Innovation Movement and, 179; in 1967, 1; pace of innovation in, 3; as prime mover of economy, 3–4, 144; sales in, 3
Consumer Electronics Show (CES)/International Consumer Electronics Show: Arab delegation at, 166–67; attendance at, 204, 206–7, 209–12, 216, 219–20; audiences for, 217; beginning of, 1–2, 202; in Chicago, 202, 203–4, 205, 206, 209, 215; COMDEX and, 200–201, 205, 208, 209, 221; consumers/customers of, 212–14; definition of consumer electronics and, 214; delayed gratification strategy and, 76–77; DVR introduction at, 155; Ford Motor at, 162; Gates as speaker for, 109–10, 214–15; Intel participation at, 56–57; iPad introduction at, 95; keynote speakers at, 214–15; killer strategy for, 200, 208, 209–22; in Las Vegas, 2–3, 166–67, 202–3, 204, 205, 206–8, 215–16, 217, 218; as major industry event, 214–15; Monster Cable at, 94; in Orlando, 205; personal component of, 207; ratings surveys at, 220; as reinventing itself, 215–16; Sanyo camcorder at, 141–42; Shapiro’s onstage questions at, 81; staff at, 220–21; tablet introduction at, 138; too big to succeed concerns and, 136; video games and, 204–5, 206, 209
consumers/customers: of CES, 206, 212–14; of COMDEX, 212; importance of, 206; information gathering about, 73, 74, 77, 212–13; knowing your, 98; and learning what consumers want, 73, 74; as purpose of business, 96, 97–98, 199; telling versus selling and, 213
conversationalists, 78–82
copyrights, 172–73, 176
courts, federal and state, 176–77
creative destruction, 145, 186
credibility, 210, 211
Cuban, Mark, 45, 47
culture: acquisitions and, 135; attitude toward failure and, 53–54; China compared with U.S. and, 31; code of conduct and, 107–9, 111; at Ford Motor Company, 161; in France, 59–64; “groupthink,” 107–9; of honesty, 111; impact of innovation on, 178; ninja characteristics and, 224; at Nottingham Spirk, 140–41; risk and, 59–64; too big to succeed and, 135
Defense Department, U.S., 5–6
“defensive strategy”: in France, 59–64
delayed gratification, 74–77, 82–86. See also long-term orientation
discipline, 7–9, 14–15, 19, 24, 72, 75, 76, 86, 105, 224. See also code of conduct
DISH Network, 90, 155, 177
Disney, Walt, 35–36, 39, 183–84
Disney World (Orlando, Florida), 183–84
disruptive innovation, 13, 185–86
domination strategies, 20–27
Drucker, Peter, 96, 199
DVDs, 91–92, 144, 145
DVRs, 71, 155, 176, 177
e-commerce, 26, 99, 190–91
eBay, 39–40, 50–51, 67, 145
economy, U.S.: consumer electronics industry as prime mover of, 3–4, 144; innovate or die message and, 145–46, 148; Innovation Movement and, 178–80
Edison, Thomas, 18–20, 36–38
education, 31–32, 84, 85, 86, 102–3
eG8 Conference (Paris, 2011), 65–66
Electronics Industries Association (EIA), 1, 41–42
enemies: as allies, 217–19
Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee (U.S. House of Representatives), 153–54
entrepreneurs, 69–70, 126–27, 178, 179
environmental regulation, 129–30
ethics, 15, 105–6. See also code of conduct
Europe: HDTV debate in, 46, 47, 51, 77
European Union (EU), 63–64
evolutionary innovation, 12, 185
Facebook: acquisitions by, 135; Arab Spring and, 165; broadcasting industry and, 158; California as home for, 126; failures of, 134; as fostering community, 170; government regulation of, 170; letting someone else win and, 113–14; lobbying by, 117; movie about beginnings of, 36; risk and, 54; Sarkozy’s Internet proposal and, 66; and too big to succeed, 134, 135
failure: acceptance of, 53–55, 68; appreciation of, 223; in Asia cultures, 53; characteristics of ninja innovation and, 13, 15, 34; code of conduct and, 112–16; and competitors looking at same market, 95–96; essential traits of success and, 224; as fatal, 15; fear of, 54; government bailouts and, 179; of IBM, 21, 27; as learning experience, 34, 54, 55, 110, 116, 156, 221, 223; lenient culture toward, 53–54; mentoring and, 123; at Microsoft, 110; at Nottingham Spirk, 140–41; risk and, 53–55, 68, 110
Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 41, 42–43, 44, 149, 151–52, 155–56, 192
First Amendment, 31, 102, 131
first as not always best, 71–74
Flash technology feud, 114–15
flexibility: learning, 48–50
Ford Motor Company, 13, 18, 158–62
France, 59–66, 69–70
freedom/free-market system: being number one and, 29; can-do attitude and, 31; China’s authoritarianism versus, 33, 34; evolution of retail and, 217; government and, 118, 122; HDTV debate and, 48; India and, 84; innovate or die message and, 146; and innovation as breeding more innovation, 169; innovation as central to, 180; stealth innovation and, 186; technology as friend of, 164–67
Friedman, Thomas, 28–29
Friendster, 113–14
garages: start-ups in, 35–40
Gates, Bill, 20, 72, 109–10, 207, 214–15
General Instrument (GI), 43–44
Gibson Guitar Corporation, 118–21
Gilmore, Jim, 101–2, 103
goal(s): adapt, adjust, and dominate strategies and, 20–27; allies as important to attaining, 25–26; and being number one, 27–34; as characteristic of ninja innovation, 14, 15, 17–34, 224; essential traits of success and, 7–9; need for clear idea of, 19–20; useful not nifty, 18–20; winning as, 116
Google: Apple-Adobe feud and, 115; California as home for, 126; failures of, 134; as garage start-up, 35, 36; Groupon and, 87–88; lobbying by, 117; Motorola sale of mobile handset business to, 139; natural disasters and, 170; PIPA/SOPA legislation and, 173; risk and, 54; Sarkozy’s Internet proposal and, 66; social/political change and, 165; and too big to succeed, 134
government: authoritarian, 28–29, 33, 34; bailouts by, 179; breaking the rules and, 117; broadcasting industry and, 149–58, 172, 178; code of conduct and, 110–11, 117–21; and defenses of innovation, 170–78; and denial about financial problems of U.S., 110–11; in France, 59–66; free-market system and, 118, 122; Gibson Guitar case and, 118–21; HDTV debate and, 42, 46, 48; impact on ninja innovation of, 99–103; in India, 85; infrastructure investments by, 85; innovate or die message and, 146; Innovation Movement and, 178–80; Internet regulation by, 65–67; stealth innovation and, 187–88. See also Congress, U.S.; specific state
gratification: delayed, 74–77, 82–85; instant, 70–71, 82–83
great ones: art of war and, 95–96
Groucho mask strategy, 89–90
Groupon, 87–88, 134, 157
“groupthink,” 107–9
Hanzo, Hattori, 163, 222
Harvey, Jerry B., 107–9
HDTV (high-definition television), 4, 40–48, 51, 77, 154, 223
HealthSpot, 147–48
Hewlett-Packard (HP), 21, 22, 25, 35, 40, 126
Hoffman, Bryce, 160, 161
Hogan, William“Billy,” Jr., 203, 204
honesty, 104–12, 209–12
Huiyao, Wang, 31–32
IBM, 20–27, 139, 145, 212
“idea” conversations, 80–81
India, 83–88
information gathering, 73, 74, 77, 78–82, 86, 212–13
innovate or die message: broadcasting industry and, 149–58; characteristics of ninjas and, 143; in consumer electronics industry, 144–46; Ford Motor Company and, 158–62; government and, 145–48
innovation/innovators: as basic function of business, 96; as begetting more innovation, 169, 186–87; as challenge to status quo, 30; China as next center of, 30; definition of, 12; by design, 139–41; as fostering community, 170; freedom and, 180; and innovate or die, 143–62; ninjas as, 12, 13; risk as driver of, 68; as saving lives, 169–70; self-defenses of, 170–78; types of, 12–13, 185–86. See also ninja innovation; specific topic
Innovation Movement, 178–80
instant gratification, 70–71, 82–83
Intel, 22, 55–58, 126, 195
Internet, 5–7, 26, 64–67, 158, 167, 168, 173, 174
Internet, 5–7, 26, 64
Isaacs, Eric D., 37–38
Isaacson, Walter, 17, 114, 189
Japan: HDTV and, 41, 42–43, 46, 51, 77; lack of openness in, 126; natural disasters in, 169; ninjas in feudal, 104–5, 143, 163–64, 182, 222–23; organizational culture in, 107; tradition in, 133
Jennings, Ken, 22–23
Jeopardy (TV program), 22–23
job interviews, 79–80
Jobs, Steve, 13, 17–18, 19, 20, 25, 35, 114–15, 189
Judiciary Committee (U.S. House of Representatives), 89–90
Juszkiewicz, Henry, 119–21, 122
Kasparov, Gary, 22, 23
knowing your terrain, 78–82
labor unions, 121, 131, 132, 162, 203–4
Lacey Act, 118–21
Landier, Augustin, 68–70
language: French culture and, 61–62, 63
laptop computers, 4, 21–22, 73, 215
Las Vegas, Nevada: CES show in, 2–3, 166–67, 202–3, 204, 205, 206–8, 215–16, 217, 218
leadership, 58–59, 111. See also CEOs
learning: delayed gratification strategy and, 77; from failure, 34, 54, 55, 110, 116, 156, 221, 223
Lee, Noel, 93–94, 95
legal behavior, 105–6, 121–22
Lenovo, 22, 25, 72–73
Levy, Joel, 163–64
listening, 78–80, 82, 86, 123
lobbyists, 117, 172–73
long-term orientation, 97–98, 112, 113–14. See also delayed gratification
Manhattan Project, 182–83, 184, 188
marketing/branding, 56–57, 96
Mason, Andrew, 87–88
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 32, 83, 84
McDonald, John, 200, 205
mentoring, 122–24
mergers and acquisitions, 134–35, 193
Microsoft: being first to market and, 72–73; California base of, 126; Dancing Paper Clip at, 110; early operating systems of, 20, 21; early successes of, 24; failures at, 110, 134; Kinect unveiling by, 2; lobbying by, 117; partners of, 72–73; reputation of, 24, 27; risk and, 54; tablet PCs of, 72–74; too big to succeed and, 134; trade shows and, 2, 207; as TWG member, 2. See also Gates, Bill
mobile phones/technology, 12, 13, 25, 71, 144, 152, 167, 168, 169–70, 176, 191–93
Monster Cable, 93–94
Motorola, 138–39, 191–93
Mulally, Alan, 158–62
Myspace, 113–14
National Aeronautic and Space Agency (NASA), 138, 159
National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), 149, 156
natural disasters, 169–70
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 130–31
Navy Seals, U. S., 103, 169
ninja innovation: characteristics of, 14–16, 17, 72, 86, 223–24; impact of politics on, 99–103; ninjas as innovators and, 12, 13; participants in, 16; political structures and, 163–64; risk and, 52–70. See also specific topic
ninjas: characteristics of, 11–12, 13, 86, 143, 177, 181–82, 222–24; energy and passion of, 219–20; in feudal Japan, 104–5, 143, 163–64, 182, 222–23; as following the law, 121–22; heart of, 222–24; as innovators, 12, 13; as legends, 222; modern, 14–16; modern-day myth of, 36; as philosophy, 224; popular use of, 52–53; as a profession, 10; samurai compared with, 10–11, 15; as shadow warriors, 163–64, 222; as spies, 78, 143; stealth of, 181–82, 198; as teams, 36; way of the, 10–13. See also specific topic
No Labels organization, 110–11
Northrop Grumman, 100, 128
Nottingham Spirk, 139–41
number one, being, 27–34
Obama, Barack, 22, 119, 146, 148, 154, 155
Occupy Wall Street (OWS), 168–69
Omidyar, Pierre, 39–40, 50–51
Orlando, Florida: CES show in, 205; Disney World in, 183–84
overcoming the odds, 93–94
overconfidence, 67–70, 113
overoptimism, 69–70
Oxford Economics, 208
Pandora, 153, 171–72, 174
passion, 58–59, 219–20
patents, 198–99. See also copyrights
people-powered change, 170–78
personal computers (PCs), 3, 4, 20–27, 55–57, 139, 165, 215
playing with the competition, 141–42
politics, 99–103, 146, 163–64, 178–80. See also Congress, U.S.; government
preparing for battle: delayed gratification and, 74–77, 82–86; first as not always best and, 71–74; importance of, 86; information gathering and, 73, 74, 77, 78–82, 86; knowing your terrain and, 78–82; listening and, 78–80, 82, 86; patience and, 85–86; public policy and, 82–85
Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act (PROTECT IP/PIPA), 172–75, 178, 180
prison system, California, 131–32, 133
process: art of war and, 90–93
professional investors, 69–70
public policy: delayed gratification in, 82–85
questions, asking, 81–82, 213
RCA, 65, 202
regulation: broadcasting industry and, 149–58; Innovation Movement and, 179. See also government
relationships: importance of, 207, 212; “what’s in it for me?,” 26; win-win, 218
respect, 8, 55, 86
revolutionary innovation, 12, 185
risk: adaptation and, 53; age and, 54–55; belief and, 57–59; calculated, 67, 70; change and, 53; as characteristic of ninja innovation, 14, 52–70; culture and, 59–64; definition of, 53; as driver of innovation, 68; failure and, 53–54, 110; French “defensive strategy” and, 59–66; importance of, 53–55; and innovation as American strength, 31; Intel and, 55–58; Internet and, 64–67; mentors and, 123; overconfidence and, 67–70; status quo as short-term and, 138; stealth innovation and, 184, 187; surprises and, 90–91; and taking foolish chances, 67–70; as unavoidable, 52–70
rules: breaking the, 105, 116–17, 121–22, 125–42; characteristics of ninja innovation and, 15, 104–24, 125–42; equality of, 116–22. See also code of conduct
Russia, 5–6. See also Soviet Union
Rutter, Brad, 22–23
samurai, 10–11, 15, 125
San Antonio, Texas: as technology center, 101–2
Sanyo, 141–42
Sarkozy, Nicolas, 65–67
Schmidt, Eric, 66, 67
self-delusion, 107–8
Share the Love (CES proigram), 220–21
Silicon Valley, 126, 127
SiriusXM, 152, 153, 172
smart phones, 12, 144, 145, 151, 165, 174–75, 193, 215
social change, 163–67
social networks, 144, 164–67, 168, 169–70. See also specific network
Sony, 22, 151, 202
Sorensen Institute (University of Virginia), 102–3
Soviet Union, 165, 167, 183
Sputnik, 5–6
Stanford University, 74–75, 127
start-ups: in California, 126–33; in garages, 35–40; Indian tech, 84; stealth innovation and, 193–98
status quo as short-term, 137–39
stealth: Amazon and, 190–91; and definition of stealth innovation, 185–86; Disney World and, 183–84; ease of achieving, 187–90; government and, 187–88; level of secrecy and, 198–99; Manhattan Project and, 182–83, 184, 188; mobile phones/technology and, 191–93; as ninja characteristic, 181–82, 198; risk and, 184, 187; start-ups and, 193–98; as today but maybe not tomorrow, 185–86; as unexpected and unwelcome, 186–87; as yesterday but not today, 182–84
Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), 172–75, 178, 180
strategy: CEO role and, 96; as characteristic of ninja innovation, 15; and letting someone else win, 113–14; never-ending battles and, 87–89; as process, 90–93. See also adaptation/adjustment strategies; specific company/organization or person
strike force: disbanding of, 48; garage start-ups and, 35–40; HDTV, 40–48; and knowing your weakness, 48–51; mission of, 39; selecting a leader for, 48
success: as culmination of hard work, 223–24; essential traits of, 7–9, 224; and learning how to succeed, 221–22; thrill of victory and, 221–22; time and effort and, 223; and too big to succeed, 133–37
Sun Microsystems, 22, 214
Supreme Court, U.S., 131, 176
SURE (Sense of Urgency, Responsiveness, and Empathy) program, 213–14
surprises: risk and, 90–91
surroundings: taking advantage of, 216–17
tablets, 71, 72–73, 95–96, 138, 151, 155, 165, 215
tae kwon do, 8–9, 48–49, 76, 124, 181, 201, 216, 223
taxicabs, 174–75
Tea Party, 168–69
teams: as characteristic of ninja innovation, 14, 35–51; honesty of, 111; importance of, 96; leadership’s relationship with, 111. See also strike force
technology: as engendering social and political change, 164–70; impact on daily life of, 71; primary purpose of, 71; role of openness in development of, 188
Thesmar, David, 68–70
too big to succeed, 133–37
Topol, Sid, 41–42, 43, 45
trade shows, 57, 207–8, 211, 217–19. See also specific show
Transmeta, 194–96
Twitter, 134, 158, 165, 169–70
Uber, 174–75, 178
University of Virginia, 102–3
useful not nifty goals, 18–20
VCRs (videocassette recorders), 3, 176, 186–87
victory: goals as, 14, 17–34; thrill of, 221–22
video games, 131, 204–5, 206, 209, 215
Virginia: impact on ninja innovation of, 99–103
Watson (artificial intelligence), 22–23
Wayman, Jack, 1, 202
weakness: knowing your, 48–51
White House: audio-video equipment for, 92–93
Whitman, Meg, 39–40, 51
Wikipedia, 173, 174
Wiley, Richard “Dick,” 43, 44, 45
winning, 112–16. See also victory
World Wide Web, 4, 5, 6
Wozniak, Steve, 20, 35
YouTube, 166, 168
Zuckerberg, Mark, 66, 113–14, 169