How do you reposition the business of today to react to oncoming disruptive technologies so that you have a business for tomorrow? That is the thorny question posed by the authors who seek to help the reader prepare their business for a possibly bumpy, uncertain ride.

The book sets out to offer practical, sustainable and actionable help that may see the business emerge as a stronger entity, whether it is impacted or not by oncoming technologies and their disruptive waves. In any case, it may be something you cannot afford to ignore, so whilst no guarantees can be given for future success, it does not hurt to consider the alternatives. In fact, there may be no real option to do anything else.

Case studies from many top companies and even one of the author’s own companies has been mixed in with experience, insight and research to describe a process and adapted business model that can help respond to disruption with a three-prong new value proposition. It made for interesting, thoughtful reading and the reader is given sufficient information to work on their own reactions.

It was an enjoyable, informative read that was easy-to-follow thanks to the open, accessible and often humorous language deployed. This narrative-style worked well, something other business books could well consider. The book should be something senior executives consider, viewing it at least as an insurance policy to verify that their metaphorical house is in order, and for those who need it, it may be a new set of architect’s drawings to urgently renovate the company before the harsh winds of technological disruption start blowing around the neighbourhood.

Dual Transformation, written by Scott D. Anthony, Clark Gilbert & Mark W. Johnson and published by Harvard Business Review Press. ISBN 9781633692480. YYYYY

Dual transformation is a bridge between today and tomorrow. It describes how to maximise resilience in today's businesses, and make it your core, (transformation A), develop new growth engines (transformation B), and obtain unique advantages of your core by linking capabilities to develop the future (transformation C). Transformation A is beyond the traditional cost cutting exercise, but to rethink about the existing business model, the value proposition of the customer, to find the competency gaps that needs to be filled to achieve a long-term sustainability in business. Transformation B, on the other hand, is to ideate and progress on the moonshots such that once the existing core becomes defunct the newer business will drive the progress of the organisation. In doing so, the existing core competency and strength will have to be leveraged. But all these interlinkages should not lead to tightly enmeshing A and B, nor both are too apart that it is orphaned. Multiple real life examples have been used to introduce one to the need for transformation and the right way of planning for a transformation. Indeed an outstanding book to ready for any business person, at any level, as the present uncertain world can be only then understood and navigated. The book uses scores of real life live examples, like Amazon, Google, BYU, SingPost, SingTel, Xerox, etc. and engages us in a thought provoking manner.