Ralph Bauer is Chairman of Franklin Textiles, Northern Ireland. He has led a number of Government sponsored senior management study teams examining the latest developments in manufacturing technology across the world. He is also Deputy Chairman of NEBS Management. Some two years ago a UK management publication's review of a new book stated that whilst it was of some merit, this new Management book from the US was not really worthwhile, that it consisted of many Americanisms' etc. The book was damned by faint praise! But something in the phraseology of the negative review whetted my appetite. So when, some weeks later I was in New York, I visited the renowned Barnes & Noble book store. I had a mission - to view BLUR to purchase. Later that day I browsed and then read this remarkable book. Next day, back to Barnes N and the prose is easy to read. An element of excitement, a positive American spin-tumblers are halffull not half empty - runs through this book Most of all, it encourages the reader to extrapolate into the future, by reference to current events. BLUR poses many stimulating questions: Why are some product or service prices expected to remain constant for months at a time when others are subject to immediate competitive change? Does your organization price according to inflexible lists or in response to customer feedback coupled with market knowledge? Have you ever bought air tickets via the Internet? -now a classic example of flexible pricing that gives the customer decision choice? How current is your market knowledge? What effect does the Internet have on the choices of YOUR customers? How will you differentiate your product; more importantly how will the customer perceive your differential, if at all? This book illustrates that during an era of such rapid technological change a business must often educate the customer and then let the customer educate the business.. Software 'first releases' exemplify this issue. By issuing 'first release software' a business gets and benefits from the technical feedback provided by customers. In so doing the supplier often becomes alerted to new market opportunities. Customers buy products that consist of both tangible and intangible elements. The intangibles are knowledge based what price knowledge? How do you value a product? Any product you are considering buying, or you have bought? How do you value a company? By its Balance Sheet, the standard accountancy practice presents the aggregates ofthe money value of tangible machines, the buildings, the land plus an amount for goodwill based on recent past earnings, as recorded in the accounts. Or do you value acompany on other asset criteria? How do you value a Company which is moving, growing not by the standards of the past where movement was slow? …