Using an enormous quantity of examples and anecdotes, this book describes the author’s experiences consulting for major corporations on information systems (usually, but not exclusively, enterprise resource planning (ERP)). The author also shares about two decades worth of the conclusions he has drawn from those consultations.

The book briefly describes some of the history of information systems, and how they have been budgeted for and purchased over the years. The general issues with this, and the problems that occur, are described in detail. This is all well augmented with anecdotes, graphs, and charts, to illustrate not only what occurs, but also how it occurs, and the reasons why. The author then proceeds to describe where he believes the industry is headed, including the general trends that he perceives in the ways in which major information systems are to be funded, budgeted, purchased, and installed in the coming years.

Does that mean that I agree with everything that the author says? Of course not! However, there is nothing here that is not worthwhile reading. Even the parts that I disagreed with, either because of the author’s data or his conclusions from that data, were well worth my time to read. The book is so well written that one can disagree with it, even vehemently, and still enjoy both the “good read” that the author offers, and the thought provoking ways in which everything is presented. This is one of those cliché books: no matter how short your short list of management books to read this year is, this ought to be on that list. Every page is of value.

The book is not a textbook, and should not be used as such. However, the book might be useful in two possible classroom environments. In a master’s program in business, with a specialty in information technology (IT), where the ills of the industry and how they may best be addressed are to be taken up, this book would be useful to illustrate the state of the art. This should not be the text for the course, but it may very well augment a textbook. The other use for this book would be in a course discussing how reports such as this ought to be written (in some sort of English literature situation, devoted to technical or semi-technical literature); it really is that well written.

The book’s value may be time limited. It is certainly relevant for the next year or two. I am not certain how much value the text will be after that.