Rushkoff contends that business managers all too frequently embrace change and shift the strategic direction of their companies in a mad rush to remain competitive and innovative. Instead, he recommends that corporate executives think "inside the box" in order to stay true to their companies' core competencies and best serve their customers.

Unlike cookie-cutter business-advice books that are filled with mini case studies of customer successes to back up the author's premise, Get Back in the Box intersperses historical examples of corporate blunders and accomplishments that are designed to provoke introspection.

For instance, Rushkoff points to how James Dyson, the inventor of the high-end Dyson vacuum cleaner, ignored suggestions from focus groups prior to the product's launch that consumers would be disgusted by having to see the filth that piles up in the machine's transparent collection bin. Instead, he followed his instincts that such a visual "would give people a certain sense of satisfaction after they vacuumed." The feature became a great selling point.

Whether or not you agree with Rushkoff's insights, the book is delightfully written and challenges its readers. Although Rushkoff relies a bit heavily on historical perspective to get his points across, the book will be useful to IT managers who are trying to align themselves with their business peers.

IT Portfolio Management Step-by-Step: Unlocking the Business Value of Technology, by Bryan Maizlish and Robert Handler (John Wiley & Sons, 400 pages, $49.95).