October 1, 2001

11:34 AM

Peter Drucker"There have been fundamental shifts in consumer behavior and distribution, but not because of information technology.

"The cultural impact of the Internet is far greater than the economic one."

Great Interview, lots of ideas to spark conversation...spark, spark!
posted by Mick (2 comments total)

I've always admired how Drucker distinguishes tools and metrics from people and products, and defines business in the context of people and products:

"Economists are interested in commodities; I'm interested in people."
"...no financial man will ever understand business because financial people think a company makes money. A company makes shoes, and no financial man understands that. They think money is real. Shoes are real. Money is an end result."

People drive technology, not the other way around. As such, the cultural impact of the internet is also more important than the economic one.
posted by dchase at 2:17 PM on October 1, 2001

hey nice, i really liked his article in the atlantic way back in 1994 :)

his reminisces at the end of the interview rocked! old school and cool:

B2.0: But can't people alter the fate of an organization or even an entire economy?

PFD: Yes. The Depression in this country was totally unnecessary...

rock. on.
posted by kliuless at 3:05 PM on October 1, 2001