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by Arik Johnson

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The world of business today is characterized by change, rapid and constant, in all areas of the traditional firm. While a focus on core competencies is important to success, there are many other factors contributing to business success at all levels of the modern business enterprise.

In a new multi-part series of hypertext essays we're calling "The Quick and the Dead: Creating and Sustaining Marketplace Hegemony", the analysts of Aurora WDC and other business leaders will examine perhaps the single most important question in business today -- how do organizations create and sustain hegemony -- unchallenged, absolute dominance -- in their marketplace, while other organizations, many with superior resources, ultimately fail? Beginning in January 1999 and added to at least monthly throughout the year, we'll examine, among others we've yet to consider, some of these fascinating topics, from the perspective of analysis and the role of strategy, competitive intelligence, management of knowledge assets, market skills, financial resources, and other factors:

• Definition of Marketplace Hegemony

• Metrics and Measurements

• Tactics and Techniques of Creation

• Means of Sustenance

• Case Studies of the World's Leading Firms

• Best Practices in Recent Business History

• Using Analysis Techniques to Gauge Hegemony

Come with us and explore this fascinating topic as we consider the sources of, not just business success, but wealth and innovation, even dominance in the global fight to become a more fearsome competitor. You'll find discussion resources from the Net set aside to support our dialogue and watch the creation of a network of interests in what makes business today one of the most fascinating studies in modern science.