The Oracle of Oracle

The Story of Volatile CEO Larry Ellison and the Strategies Behind His Company’s Phenomenal Success

Author: Florence M. Stone
Pub Date: 2007
Your Price: $24.95
ISBN: 0814406394
Format: Hardcover

• Overview
• Ellison Speaks Out
• Press Release
• Sample Chapter
• Table of Contents
• Winning Strategies the Oracle Way
• Request an Evaluation Copy, INSTRUCTOR ONLY!

WINNING STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING PRODUCTS THE ORACLE WAY

Create a seamless product strategy. Way before a product is in development, the oracle of Oracle, CEO Larry Ellison, is thinking about its positioning in the marketplaceóand about successive products.

.  Anticipate the next wave. Oracle strives to stay ahead of market needs by eighteen months.

.  Have a sense of customers' needs. Oracle makes it a priority to know its customers, and works to develop programs that have strategic value to them.

.  Create a new business unit for new markets. Oracle now has a group that specializes in the development of programs for its new e-business market, in addition to a group that continues to develop its flagship database products.

.  Build programs with failure in mind. Acknowledging the possibility of technical failure, Oracle designs programs to ensure minimal damage if failure should occur.

.  Hire well. Oracle accepts only the best to work on its products, particularly its kernel groupsóthose devoted to the company's core database software programs.

.  Keep successful teams intact. Oracle's annual reorganization doesn't apply to the vital members of its kernel program development teams.

.  Keep the kernel team focused on core technology. Improving the technology fundamental to business always comes before experimenting with extensions.

.  Reward the kernel team. Top kernel team players get more stock options and lots of attention from Larry Ellison. Rewards encourage hard work and loyalty.

.  Implement quality assurance practices. Oracle's new programs are beta tested with real customers to identify as many bugs as possible before final release into the marketplace.

.  Release early, release often. By continually releasing products, Oracle gets an edge on competitors. Excels at fine-tuning features, one version after another.

.  Build a culture to support product development. Oracle employees are flooded with information about product plans, releases and schedules. This sustains a sense of urgency, and adds to the pride of hardworking developers.

From THE ORACLE OF ORACLE: The Story of Volatile CEO Larry Ellison and the Strategies Behind His Company's Phenomenal Success by Florence M. Stone.

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