The Oracle of Oracle

by Stone, Florence M.

• ISBN13: 9780814406397
• ISBN10: 0814406394
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: Amacom Books

Summary

"Admired as a visionary leader and brilliant business mind, feared as a ruthless and formidable competitor, and loathed as an egomaniac with an explosive temper, Oracle founder and CEO Larry Ellison has emerged as one of the most controversial figures in a sea of brilliant, eccentric Silicon Valley luminaries. But for such a high-profile character, Ellison maintains an enigmatic air, and his superachieving, multimillion-dollar company remains a rarely studied entity. Now, The Oracle of Oracle goes behind the scenes to uncover the breakthrough ideas and winning strategies that have propelled Oracle's phenomenal growth and breathtaking success. The book walks readers through Oracle's fascinating history since its relational database hit the market in 1977, identifying and explaining strategies such as: * Forge ahead and fix weaknesses--lessons from the early 90s when Oracle derailed, but was nursed back to health. * Grow the Oracle way--by making new products, not acquiring new companies. * Crush the competition--it's not enough to succeed; all others must fail. * Sales today make markets tomorrow--tap into the sales force to develop products, promote a vision, beat competitors. The Oracle of Oracle is an intriguing, illuminating read for entrepreneurs who wonder what it takes to build a world-class company from scratch...for managers and executives who want to integrate Oracle's philosophies and culture into their own...and for business readers who relish an up-close report from the battle zones of the software industry."

Author Biography

Florence Stone (New York, NY) is the author of nine books, including Coaching, Counseling, & Mentoring, The High-Value Manager, and (under the pen name Rebecca Saunders) Business the Amazon.com Way and Business the Dell Way.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Acknowledgments	xiii
PART ONE: A MAN, A COMPANY, A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER
A Brief History: Larry Ellison and the Company He Made	3	(24)
The Modest Beginnings of a Silicon Valley Star	9	(1)
California, the Early Years	10	(2)
Oracle's Three Founders	12	(3)
Oracle, the Early Years	15	(2)
Ellison as Top Salesman: Half Truths and Empty Promises	17	(1)
Ellison's Competitive Spirit	18	(1)
Going Public	19	(1)
Success Distracts	20	(1)
The New Oracle-And Oracle of Oracle	21	(2)
Business Problems, Too	23	(4)
Silicon Valley: The Setting for Two Oracles	27	(20)
Welcome to Silicon Valley	29	(2)
The Lifestyle of the Rich and Richer	31	(2)
The Valley Economy, Post-Millennium	33	(3)
Pickup Trucks and Mansions	36	(1)
A $40 Million Conceit?	37	(3)
The New Economy's Leaders	40	(3)
Management Analysis	43	(4)
PART TWO: ORACLE'S VALUE SYSTEMS AND STRATEGIES
The Spirit Behind Oracle: Would You Want to Work for This Man?	47	(24)
The Look of Success	51	(2)
Dress to Impress	53	(1)
Long Hours	54	(2)
Performance Management	56	(4)
Recruitment	60	(5)
Oracle's Organization	65	(3)
Management Analysis	68	(3)
Crush the Competition: More Than a Marketing Slogan	71	(24)
Kill or Be Killed	75	(1)
Targeting Competitors	75	(3)
Gloves-Off Campaigns: From Sharks to Crib Death	78	(4)
The Battles Wage On	82	(4)
The Battle with Microsoft	86	(1)
IBM's Negligence	87	(1)
Personality Conflict	88	(3)
IBM Enters the Picture	91	(2)
Management Analysis	93	(2)
Locking in Clients for Life: Sales and Service Support	95	(20)
Larry as Top Salesman	97	(3)
Making Contact	100	(3)
Crushing That Competition	103	(1)
Market Leadership	103	(2)
Decentralized Sales Support	105	(1)
Centralized Selling	105	(3)
E-Consulting	108	(3)
The Educational Side of Oracle	111	(2)
Management Analysis	113	(2)
Product Development: Looking Beyond Today	115	(18)
The Obstacles in Software Development	119	(4)
Oracle's Strategies	123	(8)
Management Analysis	131	(2)
Crises and Missteps: The Perils of Fast Growth	133	(24)
Dell's Growing Pains	138	(3)
The Case of ``Growth at All Costs''	141	(6)
Lessons Learned from Oracle and Dell	147	(1)
Consolidation	148	(2)
The Dream of the Network Computer	150	(3)
Management Analysis	153	(4)
PART THREE: WHERE DO THE ORACLES GO FROM HERE?
Walking the Talk: Oracle Moves to the Web	157	(22)
A New Commitment	164	(5)
Eat Your Own Product	169	(3)
Oracle Goes Web	172	(2)
Silos	174	(3)
One-Stop Shopping	177	(1)
Management Analysis	177	(2)
An Extraordinary Man: Ellison as Manager, Leader, Visionary	179	(18)
What Makes a Good Manager, Leader, A and Visionary	182	(2)
Larry Ellison, Excellent Manager	184	(3)
Larry Ellison, Excellent Leader	187	(5)
Ellison as Visionary	192	(3)
Leader/Visionary in the Software Industry	195	(2)
Looking Ahead: What's Next for Oracle and the Software Industry	197	(14)
The Other Players	205	(1)
Oracle's Answer	206	(5)
Appendix: Timeline of Events at Oracle	211	(4)
Notes	215	(4)
Bibliography	219	(4)
Index	223