Kjell Nordström

Dr. Kjell A. Nordström is the enfant terrible of the new world of business. He talks to audiences all over the world, he writes books and articles and reads –everything from Playboy to Architectural Digest to Pinter. His performances are high touch, dynamic, highly interactive, thought provoking and always in line with time. In 2007, Thinkers 50, the world’s first ranking of management thinkers, ranked Nordström and his partner Dr. Jonas Ridderstråle at number thirteen in the world. His dynamic style makes him a highly appreciated speaker through out the world.

Dr. Kjell A. Nordström has 20 years of experience of working with multinational companies and has served as an advisor/consultant to several large multinationals throughout the world. He holds a doctoral degree in International Business from the Stockholm School of Economics. His research and consulting focus is on the areas of corporate strategy, multinational corporations and globalization.

His book, Funky Business - Talent Makes Capital Dance (co-authored with Jonas Ridderstråle), is a manifesto of what our time requires from business firms and their leaders.  It has been an international best seller, and is available in 32 languages.

Nordströms second book, Karaoke Capitalism: Management for Mankind (co-authored with Ridderstråle), is a new manifesto for how to make it in the world of Karaoke Capitalism. To date, Karaoke Capitalism has been contracted for publication in 23 languages. He recently co-authored, Funky Business Forever, the long awaited update to the international bestseller. Funky Business Forever takes a look back on the later half of the millenniums first decade and provides evolved thinking and commentary in a way that is truly funky and down to business

Nordström and Ridderstråle are rebels with a cause. With their unorthodox combination of academic rigor, forceful logic and funky freethinking they once again re-write the rules for revolutionaries. This is a true work-out for the wits. In March 2004, the authors appeared on CNN's program Global Office for a long interview, recorded in Stockholm, on the ideas behind Karaoke Capitalism.

Kjell A. Nordström is an extremely sought after lecturer. He enjoys keynote presentations as well as smaller work shops.

• Karaoke Capitalism: Management for Mankind

  Capitalism has won. There is only one small problem. Is this what we want? Perhaps we should ask ourselves what price we are prepared to pay for prosperity. The opportunities for a richer life and for societies in which people have a genuine chance of realising their dreams have never been greater. It is an entrepreneurs heaven.
  
  The democratic market economy is now the preferred choice. However, global market capitalism is not a political ideology. It is neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong – it just is. It is a set of principles or rules of the game. For most companies this new reality means that they are both under siege by increasingly powerful customers and held hostage by competent individuals who are free to know, go, do and be. To thrive, organisations need to take on the simultaneous task of taming talent and creating new customers.
  
  Against this backdrop, Dr Nordström will: ·Outline an overview of the present socio-economic landscape.
  ·Highlight the key drivers behind this development.
  ·Analyse and discuss the overall implications for business firms.
  ·Doing business in a bazaar - economy.
  ·Provide an overview of how the formation of competitive advantages has changed over time. The art of earning money is truly a moving target.
  

• Funky Business

  Funky Business tells us that the new world is different. Forget the old world order. Forget what you knew yesterday. The revolutionary reality is that 1.3 kilograms of brain holds the key to all our futures. Competitive advantage comes from being different. Increasingly, difference comes form the way people think rather than what organizations make. Today, the only thing that makes capital dance is talent. In such times we cannot have business as usual--we need funky business.
  
  Technology, institutions and values are being subverted and overturned. They are the triad, the inter--linked drivers of change, transforming each other and creating a global village of turbulance, tribes and fusion. We are deregulating life for ourselves and our children. Whether you like it or not, we are all condemned to freedom-- the freedom to choose.

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  October 2007

  Funky Business Forever: How to Enjoy Capitalism

  Funky Business tells us that difference rules, and difference comes from the way people think. In this world, we can no longer do "business as usual" - we need funky business.  With its fresh thinking approach and updated with the latest business messages and new examples, Funky Business will ensure you are always on the right side of change.  Only talent will allow you to be unique. Forget what has come before. The new edition of Funky Business will rewrite the future for organizations and leaders.

  
  
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  April 2005

  Karaoke Capitalism: Daring to Be Different in a Copycat World

  "Karaoke" capitalism refers to the philosophy of imitiation, engrained into the corporate mindset by such popular concepts as benchmarking and best practice. For Ridderstrale and Nordstrom, the only way to survive is to chuck convention, to embrace your company's individual personality and promote it through everything you do, constantly honing what works and abandoning what doesn't. Ultimately, the authors argue that armed with imagination it is possible to sustain profitable businesses while contributing to the well-being of customers, communities, and the society at large. Visit the authors' Web sites at www.karaokecapitalism.com and

  
  
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  March 2000

  Funky Business: Talent Makes Capital Dance

  This book outlines that how in a successful economy, talent and bright ideas are what separates the successful companies and people from the failures.  Anecdotes and proofs included range from the pope to the British band Prodigy, making this book a colourful and interesting read.