Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Long Tail

This is a book I had to read for my social software class, but I actually quite enjoyed. Chris Anderson, editor of Wired magazine, shares the defining economic theory of our day--that of the "long tail". Basically, the internet has made virtually every book, movie, and song available to us through Amazon, NetFlicks, and iTunes. Of course there are still those items that are "hits" but so many of us now take advantage of things further down the "tail" based on our individual niche interests. The creation of the niche marketplace has had a significant impact on where we shop, how we shop, and what we shop for.

I found the basic premise of the book to be a little beaten over my head numerous times. However, I did enjoy the many stories, case studies, and anecdotes of how these new economics impact our lives and the companies we patronize.

If you liked Freakonomics, this may be a book you well enjoy. Anyone who is interested in the future of business and culture and how it is impacted by our technological advances should definitely read this book.

1 comment:

Lisa R.D. said...

I have to say, I was first impressed to learn that you are taking a social software class... your abilities never cease to amaze me :). This really sounds interesting--a topic I am interested in learning more about, but never would have know that there is a book about it without enlightening posts from booklovers like you. Thanks!