Book Reviews

Our coverage opens with a review of the fourth edition of C. Merle Crawford's book, which continues the comprehensive coverage of previous editions while adding important topics. The next review discusses the second edition of Robert Cooper's book. This new book updates his exposition of success and failure determinants, and reemphasizes the utility of a stage‐gate development process. The third review comments on a long‐term study of five innovative high technology firms. The review identifies five critical lessons for other similar firms. This is followed by the positive review of a recent book co‐authored by one of the book review editors. Appropriately, this review was managed by Thomas Hustad, without any contact with its authors. The fifth review examines a book that combines two modern, popular management tools. The reviewer finds that these can be useful for product developers. Next, another reviewer comments favorably on a recent textbook that emphasizes the value creation process associated with effective product development and management practices. The seventh describes a book that examines and contrasts international practices. Although the material comes from a 1990 conference, our reviewer concludes that it still provides important lessons. The eighth review covers a strategy book. The book has some useful information but will be of limited help to most practitioners. The ninth review discusses a book about change and the need for organizational modification. Our reviewer feels it is of limited value to practitioners but will be of interest to academics. The reviews conclude with brief notes about three other books.