the.world.is.flat-第68章

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that　Greer　&　Associates　would　get　an　assignment。　The　client　would　tell　Greer　exactly　
what　sort　of　shot　he　was　looking　for　and　would　〃trust〃　the　Greer　team　to　come　up　with　
the　right　image。　Like　all　commercial　photographers；　Greer　would　use　a　Polaroid　camera　
to　take　a　picture　of　the　model　or　product　he　was　shooting；　to　see　if　his　creative　
instinct　was　right；　and　then　shoot　with　real　film。　Once　the　pictures　were　taken；　Greer　
would　send　the　film　out　to　aphoto　lab　to　be　developed　and　color…separated。　If　a　picture　
needed　to　be　touched　up；　it　would　be　sent　to　another　lab　that　specialized　in　
retouching。〃Twenty　years　ago；　we　decided　we　would　not　process　the　film　we　shot；〃　Greer　


explained。　〃We　would　leave　that　technical　aspect　to　other　professionals　who　had　the　
exact　technology；　training；　and　expertise…and　
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a　desire　to　make　money　that　way。　We　wanted　to　make　money　by　taking　the　pictures。　It　
was　a　good　plan　then；　and　may　be　a　good　plan　today；　but　it　is　no　longer　possible。〃　
Why？　The　world　went　flat；　and　every　analog　process　went　digital；　virtual；　mobile；　
and　personal。　In　the　last　three　years；　digital　cameras　for　professional　photographers　
achieved　a　whole　new　technical　level　that　made　them　equal　to；　if　not　superior　to；　
traditional　film　cameras。　
〃So　we　experimented　with　several　different　cameras　and　chose　the　current　
state…of…the…art　camera　that　was　most　like　our　＇analog＇　film　cameras；〃　Greer　said。　
〃It's　called　a　Canon　Dl；　and　it's　the　same　exact　camera　as　our　film　camera；　except　
there's　a　computer　inside　with　a　little　TV…screen　display　on　the　back　that　shows　us　
what　picture　we're　taking。　But　it　uses　all　the　same　lenses；　you　set　things　the　same　
way；　shutter　speed　and　aperture；　it　has　the　same　ergonomics。　It　was　the　first　
professional　digital　camera　that　worked　exactly　like　a　film　camera。　This　was　a　
defining　moment。　
〃After　we　got　this　digital　camera；　it　was　incredibly　liberating　at　first；〃　said　Greer。　
〃All　of　the　thrill　and　excitement　of　photography　were　there…　except　that　the　film　
was　free。　Because　it　was　digital；　we　didn't　have　to　buy　film　and　we　didn't　have　to　
go　to　the　lab　to　have　it　processed　and　wait　to　get　it　back。　If　we　were　on　location　
and　shooting　something；　we　could　see　if　we　got　the　shot　right　away。　There　was　instant　
gratification。　We　referred　to　it　as　an　'electronic　Polaroid。'　We　used　to　have　an　art　
director　who　would　oversee　everything　to　make　sure　that　we　were　capturing　the　image　
we　were　trying　to　create；　but　we　would　never　really　know　until　we　got　it　developed。　
Everyone　had　to　go　on　faith；　on　trust。　Our　clients　paid　us　a　professional　fee　because　
they　felt　they　needed　an　expert　who　could　not　only　click　a　button；　but　knew　exactly　
how　to　shape　and　frame　the　image。　And　they　trusted　us　to　do　that。〃　
For　a　year　or　so　there　was　this　new　sense　of　empowerment；　freedom；　creativity；　and　
control。　But　then　Ken　and　his　team　discovered　that　this　new　liberating　technology　
could　also　be　enslaving。　〃We　discovered　that　not　only　did　we　now　have　the　
responsibility　of　shooting　the　picture　and　defining　the　desired　artistic　expression；　
we　had　to　get　involved　in　the　
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technology　of　the　photograph。　We　had　to　become　the　lab。　We　woke　up　one　morning　and　
said；　'We　are　the　lab。'〃　
How　so？　Because　digital　cameras　gave　Greer　the　ability　to　download　those　digital　
images　into　a　PC　or　laptop　and；　with　a　little　magic　software　and　hardware；　perform　
all　sorts　of　new　functions。　〃So　in　addition　to　being　the　photographer；　we　had　to　become　
the　processing　lab　and　the　color　separator；〃　said　Greer。　Once　the　technology　made　
that　possible；　Greer's　customers　demanded　it。　Because　Greer　could　control　the　image　
farther　down　the　supply　chain；　they　said　he　should　control　it；　he　must　control　it。　
And　then　they　also　said　because　it　was　all　digital　now；　and　all　under　his　control；　
it　should　be　included　among　the　services　his　team　provided　as　the　photographic　


creators　of　the　image。　〃The　clients　said；　'We　will　not　pay　you　extra　for　it；'〃　said　
Greer。　〃We　used　to　go　to　an　outside　service　to　touch　up　the　pictures…to　remove　red…eye　
or　blemishes…but　now　we　have　to　be　the　retouchers　ourselves　also。　They　expect　＇red…eye＇　
to　be　removed　by　us；　digitally；　even　before　they　see　it。　For　twenty　years　we　only　
practiced　the　art　of　photography…color　and　composition　and　texture　and　how　to　make　
people　comfortable　in　front　of　a　camera。　This　is　what　we　were　good　at。　Now　we　had　
to　learn　to　be　good　at　all　these　other　things。　It　is　not　what　we　signed　up　for；　but　
the　competitive　marketplace　and　the　technology　forced　us　into　it。〃　
Greer　said　every　aspect　of　his　company　went　through　a　similar　flattening。　Film　
production　went　digital；　so　the　marketplace　and　the　technology　forced　them　to　become　
their　own　film　editors；　graphics　studio；　sound　production　facility；　and　everything　
else；　including　producers　of　their　own　DVDs。　Each　of　those　functions　used　to　be　farmed　
out　to　a　separate　company。　The　whole　supply　chain　got　flattened　and　shrunk　into　one　
box　that　sat　on　someone's　desktop。　The　same　thing　happened　in　the　graphics　part　of　
their　business：　Greer　&　Associates　became　their　own　typesetters；　illustrators；　and　
sometimes　even　printers；　because　they　owned　digital　color　printers。　〃Things　were　
supposed　to　get　easier；〃　he　said。　〃Now　I　feel　like　I'm　going　to　McDonald's；　but　instead　
of　getting　fast　food；　I'm　being　asked　to　bus　my　own　table　and　wash　the　dishes　too。〃　
He　continued：　〃It　is　as　if　the　manufacturers　of　technology　got　together　

with　our　clients　and　outsourced　all　of　these　different　tasks　to　us。　If　we　put　our　
foot　down　and　say　you　have　to　pay　for　each　of　these　services；　there　is　someone　right　
behind　us　saying；　'I　will　do　it　all'　So　the　services　required　go　up　significantly　
and　the　fees　you　can　charge　stay　the　same　or　go　down。〃　
It's　called　commoditization；　and　in　the　wake　of　the　triple　convergence；　it　is　
happening　faster　and　faster　across　a　whole　range　of　industries。　Asmore　and　more　analog　
processes　become　digital；　virtual；　mobile；　and　personal；　more　and　more　jobs　and　
functions　are　being　standardized；　digitized；　and　made　both　easy　to　manipulate　and　
available　to　more　players。　
When　everything　is　the　same　and　supply　is　plentiful；　said　Greer；　clients　have　too　
many　choices　and　no　basis　on　which　to　make　the　right　choice。　And　when　that　happens；　
you're　a　commodity。　You　are　vanilla。　
Fortunately；　Greer　responded　to　commoditization　by　opting　for　the　only　survival　
strategy　that　works：　a　shovel；　not　a　wall。　He　and　his　associates　dug　inside　themselves　
to　locate　the　company's　real　core　competency；　and　this　has　become　the　primary　energy　
source　propelling　their　business　forward　in　the　flat　world。　〃What　we　sell　now；〃　said　
Greer；　〃is　strategic　insight；　creative　instinct；　and　artistic　flair。　We　sell　inspired；　
creative　solutions；　we　sell　personality。　Our　core　competence　and　focus　is　now　on　all　
those　things　that　cannot　be　digitized。　I　know　our　clients　today　and　our　clients　in　
the　future　will　only　come　to　us　and　stick　with　us　for　those　things。。。　So　we　hired　
more　thinkers　and　outsourced　more　technology　pieces。〃　
In　the　old　days；　said　Greer；　many　companies　〃hid　behind　technology。　You　could　be　very　
good；　but　you　didn't　have　to　be　the　world's　best；　because　you　never　thought　you　were　
competing　with　the　world。　There　was　a　horizon　out　there　and　no　one　could　see　beyond　


that　horizon。　But　just　in　the　space　of　a　few　years　we　went　from　competing　with　firms　
down　the　street　to　competing　with　firms　across　the　globe。　Three　years　ago　it　was　
inconceivable　that　Greer　&　Associates　would　lose　a　contract　to　a　company　in　England；　
and　now　we　have。　Everyone　can　see　what　everyone　else　is　doing　now；　and　everyone　has　
the　same　tools；　so　you　have　to　be　the　very　best；　the　most　creative　thinker。〃　
Vanilla　just　won't　put　food　on　the　table　anymore。　〃You　have　to　offer　something　totally　
unique；〃　said　Greer。　'You　need　be　able　to　make　
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Chocolate　Chip　Cookie　Dough；　or　Cherry　（Jerry）　Garcia；　or　Chunky　Monkey〃…three　of　
the　more　exotic　brands　of　Ben　&　Jerry's　ice　cream　that　are　very　nonvanilla。　〃It　used　
to　be　about　what　you　were　able　to　do；〃　said　Greer。　〃Clients　would　say；　'Can　you　do　
this？　Can　you　do　that？'　Now　it's　much　more　about　the　creative　flair　and　personality　
you　can　bring　to　＇the　assignment＇　。　。　。　It's　all　about　imagination。〃　
Rule　#2：　And　the　small　shall　act　big。　。　。　One　way　small　companies　flourish　in　the　
flat　world　is　by　learning　to　act　really　big。　And　the　key　to　being　small　and　acting　
big　is　being　quick　to　take　advantage　of　all　the　new　tools　for　collaboration　to　reach　
farther；　faster；　wider；　and　deeper。　
I　can　think　of　no　better　way　to　illustrate　this　rule　than　to　tell　the　story　of　another　
friend；　Fadi　Ghandour；　the　cofounder　and　CEO　of　Aramex；　the　first　home…grown　package　
delivery　service　in　the　Arab　world　and　the　first　and　only　Arab　company　to　be　listed　
on　the　Nasdaq。　Originally　from　Lebanon；　Ghandour's　family　moved　to　Jordan　in　the　1960s；　
where　his　father；　AH；　founded　Royal　Jordanian　Airlines。　So　Ghandour　always　had　the　
airline　business　in　his　genes。　Shortly　after　graduating　from　George　Washington　
University　in　Washington；　D。C。；　Ghandour　returned　home　and　saw　a　niche　business　he　
thought　he　could　develop：　He　and　a　friend　raised　some　money　and　in　1982　started　a　
mini…Federal　Express　for　the　Middle　East　to　do　parcel　delivery。　At　the　time；　there　
was　only　one　global　parcel　delivery　service　operating　in　the　Arab　world：　DHL；　today　
owned　by　the　German　postal　service。　Ghandour's　idea　was　to　approach　American　companies；　
like　Federal　Express　and　Airborne　Express；　that　did　not　have　a　Middle　East　presence　
and　offer　to　become　their　local　delivery　service；　playing　on　the　fact　that　an　Arab　
company　would　know　the　region　and　how　to　get　around　unpleasantries　like　the　Israeli　
invasion　of　Lebanon；　the　Iran…Iraq　war；　and　the　American　invasion　of　Iraq。　
〃We　said　to　them；　'Look；　we　don't　compete　with　you　locally　in　your　home　market；　but　
we　understand　the　Middle　East　market；　so　why　not　give　your　packages　to　us　to　deliver　
out　here？〃　said　Ghandour。　〃We　will　be　your　Middle　East　delivery　arm。　Why　give　them　
to　your　global　competitor；　like　DHL？〃　Airborne　responded　positively；　and　Ghandour　
used　
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that　to　build　his　own　business　and　then　buy　up　or　partner　with　small　delivery　firms　
from　Egypt　to　Turkey　to　Saudi　Arabia　and　later　all　the　way　over　to　India；　Pakistan；　
and　Iran…creating　his　own　regional　network。　Airborne　did　not　have　the　money　that　
Federal　Express　was　investing　in　setting　up　its　own　operations　in　every　region　of　
the　globe；　so　it　created　an　alliance；　bringing　together　some　forty　regional　delivery　
companies；　like　Aramex；　into　a　virtual　global　network。　What　Airborne's　partners　got　


was　something　none　of　them　could　individually　afford　to　build　at　the　time…　a　global　
geographic　presence　and　a　computerized　package　tracking　and　tracing　system　to　compete　
with　that　of　a　FedEx　or　DHL。　
Airborne　〃made　their　online　computerized　tracking　and　tracing　system　available　to　
all　its　partners；　so　there　was　a　unified　language　and　set　of　quality　standards　for　
how　everyone　in　the　Airborne　alliance　would　deliver　and　track　and　trac