In 1936, as the clouds of war gathered once again over Europe, a 24-year-old Cambridge University mathematician named Alan Turing invented themodern digital computer. At least, he invented the idea of the modern digital computer, which, as it turned out, was far more important than constructing any particular physical manifestation of that computer.

In August, Apple started holding classes in its AppleMusic Stores to help people operate the iPhone. Asmany of you know, the iPhone doesn't come with an instruction booklet. Instead, there is a little pamphlet, 12 or so pages, with drawings like something fromIKEA. A National Public Radio programinterviewedme about the phenomenon—Apple teaching classes instead of just including instructions lik...

A business cannot succeed without customers. What’s a product without a customer to buy it? Or a service without a customer to serve? It’s how companies use those products and services to get, keep and grow customers that counts. For this reason, the ability to more effectively market to, sell to and serve customers has made its way to the center of corporate strategy.