Tarzan's Economy

A fresh and fascinating look at how the most important lesson you can learn in today's challenging business environment is how to change the fundamentals of your business, rather than continuing to fight a losing battle. The near-destruction of the music industry at the hands of piracy, followed by its subsequent revival thanks to digital streaming platforms, isn't just a story of radical change and reinvention in the digital age. It's also a treasure trove of insights into how to navigate the transformation we all face in the era of COVID-19, as accelerating technological and economic changes reshape our work, our play, and our minds. Will Page, Spotify's first chief economist, summarizes music's journey in eight guiding principles for navigating sweeping change across nearly every industry. Expect the unexpected with applicable lessons from Starbucks, Tupperware, and even Groucho Marx. The concept of "Tarzan Economics" ties these principles together: a framework for recognizing and dealing with disruption by abandoning the old and embracing the new. Page joyfully captures these ideas, offering a guide to knowing not only how to embrace the new, but also when. It assesses the new "long tail" dynamics, identifies friends and foes in the battle for scarce attention, and provides a practical tool for discovering the appropriate role each of us plays to succeed in this new modern world. As we emerge from the unprecedented turmoil caused by a global pandemic, "Tarzan Economics" shows all of us—individuals, organizations, and institutions—that if the vine we cling to is withering, we can be confident that we will seek a new vine in 2022 and beyond.