| A historian's training might seem inappropriate for a writer attempting to chronicle business news, such as the saga of Steve Jobs's NeXT, Inc., or Microsoft's post-1990 growth. Randall Stross, however, has found that a historical perspective has proven useful when looking at subjects who tend to regard the year-earlier quarter as contemporaneous with the Peloponnesian Wars. A historical outlook has led him to adopt a revisionist view of Microsoft's power, dismissing the proposition that Microsoft poses a fundamental threat to either the functioning of markets or the long-term interests of consumers. Stross will bring an asbestos-lined jacket, prepared for a spirited discussion.
Randall E. Stross has been Professor of Organization and Management at San Jose State University since 1986. He received his B.A. from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, and M.A. and Ph.D. in history from Stanford University, where he presently is a research fellow with the Center for East Asian Studies. He has authored or edited five books on the social or business history of technology, the most recent of which is "The Microsoft Wat: The Real Story of How the Company Outsmarts its Competition", just published by Addison-Wesley. In September, U.S. News & World Report appointed Stross as a contributing editor specializing in technology. |