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The American Challenge

Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber

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  • Peter ThielRecommendation
    In his September 2014 Reddit AMA, Thiel names The American Challenge among favorite books from the genre of past works about the future.
    Source

Summary

Servan-Schreiber examines the growing influence of American business in Europe in the 1960s. He argues that American firms’ strength comes from management, technology, research and the use of human skill, rather than money alone. The book considers how Europe could respond to that advantage and avoid becoming dependent on American companies.

  • SourceSeducing the French — Richard F. Kuisel, UC Press · Chapter 7 The American Challenge Dollars and Multinationals; discussion of original 1967 book and management/technology argument

Why read it Our view

Useful for examining an old forecast with the benefit of time. Ask what the author saw clearly, what later events changed and which assumptions drove his view of competitive strength. Keep his period and political setting in view.