The Second Curve

"A REAL EYE OPENER . . . THE FUTURE IS GROWTH AND THAT GROWTH IS ON THE SECOND CURVE."
--George Harvey, Chairman, President, and CEO Pitney Bowes, Inc.

In The Second Curve, Ian Morrison creates a revolutionary new business model that can be used no matter what the market upheaval. His theory is deceptively simple: you must ride the first curve--a company's traditional business carried out in a familiar corporate climate--to the all-important second curve. The second curve is the future--the new technologies, new consumers, and new markets that companies must command to survive and thrive.

In the many companies Morrison profiles, leaders have learned to master both the first and second curves, to anticipate the rate and pace of change, to know when and how to jump from the first curve to the second, and whether and when to play both. This book sets forth all the crucial strategies and explains how businesses can apply them to rapidly changing situations.

"In a highly readable manner, Ian Morrison has pinpointed the key strategic problems facing our company and many others. His broad-ranging examples and insightful analyses are relevant throughout our organization."
--Peter Bury, President and CEO
Cable and Wireless Innovations, Inc.

"This is a book for anyone trying to figure out how to make money on the Internet, what country to invest in, or how to earn profits beyond the next fiscal year."
--World Business


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Perhaps no one has more experience--and success--in long-term forecasting and planning than author Ian Morrison. Serving literally hundreds of corporate clients over the years, he has won recognition for his analysis of social and economic trends. The author of numerous books and articles, a sought-after lecturer and consultant, and president of the Institute for the Future, Ian carries an impressive resume.

The Institute for the Future (commonly called the IFTF) is, in Ian's words, "a unique organization." He describes it as "a think tank structured as a non-profit organization and dedicated to helping organizations, both public and private, think systematically about the long run." Indeed, its list of clients is formidable. In 1985, Ian came to IFTF to serve as a research director; after five years, he was selected to be its president, a position he holds today. Over the years, he has advised such companies as Chase Manhattan, IBM, Volvo, Bristol-Meyer Squibb, and Cable and Wireless.

In keeping with the far-reaching work Ian conducts today, he boasts a rich educational background: a Ph.D. in urban studies from the University of British Columbia, a degree in urban planning from the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England, and an M.A. in geography from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Ian has coauthored several books and contributed to many others, including Future Tense: The Business Realities of the Next Ten Years (William Morrow, 1994) and Reforming the System: Containing Health Care Costs in an Era of Universal Coverage (Faulkner & Gray, 1992). He also has coauthored numerous journal articles for publications such as Encyclopedia Britannica, Across the Board, The British Medical Journal, New England Journal of Medicine, and Journal of the American Medical Association.

Ian Morrison is a member of the Corporate Advisory Boards of Bristol-Myers Squibb and Interim HealthCare. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of Interim Services, a leading temporary-services company.