Book Description

An intimate portrait of Warren Buffet, the world's richest man. With unprecedented access, Roger Lowenstein provides the definitive, inside account of the "Oracle of Omaha, " a true American original. 2 cassettes. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

An amazing American capitalist with principles.
The amazing securities investment analyst Warren Buffett is the focus of this near hagiographic biography that is filled with details about the life of an American capitalist that rivals the likes of Carnegie, Ford, or Morgan. Lowenstein has done a remarkable job in telling the financial story of Buffett's rise to securities fame, although not as much about his actual strategy (that's another story). The early years depict a precocious child adept at numbers in a household rich with a domineering mother and business-minded father. Buffett's early investments, his famous relationship with Katherine Graham of The Washington Post, his role in the Capital Cities purchase of ABC, his rescue of the Solomon Brothers, and his unique personal relationship with his wife all make for a highly interesting, fascinating tale, sure to be a hit in schools of business. Buffett's securities firm stock value has ranged from a meager $7, to an estimated 1994 value of over $20,000 per share, evidence enough of the sagacious leadership of this preeminent securities specialist. During the reckless '80s, Buffett's principle-centered approach to building value never wavered, thus solidifying his fame. James Lurie's powerful reading is dead on, evoking the power of this man's singular character. Highly recommended.

Proof that a book about investing can also be interesting
I picked up Roger Lowenstein's book because I had enjoyed his column in the Wall Street Journal. In a nutshell, he and Mr. Buffett explain the differences between investing and speculation. Purchasing a stock based on a cold-blooded assessment of its VALUE is investment; buying a stock based on guesses about the general market, the economy, the mood of the public or other factors that are inherently unknowable is speculation. Unfortunately, that distinction has largely been lost on the frenzied day-traders, the purchasers of Internet stocks and the legion of "expert" market prognosticators who ought to know better. If you are interested in investing successfully for the long term, you should read this book. Apart from all that, Lowenstein also gives us a highly readable story of Warren Buffett the person, and I came away with a strong sense of Mr. Buffett's personal integrity and intellectual discipline. (In a curious way, though, the laser-like focus and icy rationality that have made Buffett so successful as an investor have apparently made him less successful as a father and husband. Read the book and you'll see what I mean.) The book is worth reading simply for what it has to say about this remarkable man.

Best Buffett Book Ever
I've read a lot of books about Warren Buffett and this is by far my favorite. If you have to read only one, read this one.

Excellent reading
I found that I knew so little about Warren Buffett, and this gave me a wealth of knowledge. Unfortunately, the book was written before the tech boom and subsequent collapse. Therefore, you do not get a sense of what he did during that time of hysteria, but prior to that it gives an insight that most authors aren't capable of relaying.

How Buffett Thinks
This book helps you understand how one of the greatest business thinkers of all time got that way. (How would Buffett approach a paper route as a boy, for example?) If you are interested in getting inside his head, this book is a good way to start. ... Read more

Book Description

Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles, co-authors of the New York Times business bestseller Raving Fans, are back with Gung Ho! Here is an invaluable management tool that outlines foolproof ways to increase productivity by fostering excellent morale in the workplace. It is a must-read for everyone who wants to stay on top in today's ultra-competitive business world.

Raving Fans taught managers how to turn customers into full-fledged fans. Now, Gung Ho! brings the same magic to employees. Through the inspirational story of business leaders Peggy Sinclair and Andy Longclaw, Blanchard and Bowles reveal the secret of Gung Ho--a revolutionary technique to boost enthusiasm and performance and usher in astonishing results for any organization. The three principles of Gung Ho are:

• The Spirit of the Squirrel
• The Way of the Beaver
• The Gift of the Goose

These three cornerstones of Gung Ho are surprisingly simple and yet amazingly powerful. Whether your organization consists of one or is listed in the Fortune 500, this book ensures Gung Ho employees committed to success.

Gung Ho! also includes a clear game plan with a step-by-step outline for instituting these groundbreaking ideas. Destined to become a classic, Gung Ho! is a rare and wonderful business book that is packed with invaluable information as well as a compelling, page-turning story.

Raving Fans brilliantly schooled managers on how to turn customers into raving fans. Gung Ho! now brings the same magic to employees. Here is the story of how two managers saved a failing company and turned in record profits with record productivity. The three core ideas of Gung Ho! are surprisingly simple: worthwhile work guided by goals and values; putting workers in control of their production; and cheering one another on. Their principles are so powerful that business leaders, reviewing the manuscript for Ken and Sheldon, have written to say, "Sorry. Ignored instructions. Have photocopied for everyone. I promise to buy books, but can't wait. We need now!" Like Raving Fans, Gung Ho! delivers. ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Great Book and Here's Another!
Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles have created another classic. In a highly effective parable, they provide a blueprint any leader can use to create organizational excitement in just about any type of organization. The most positive characteristics of this book, like all Blanchard books, are the underlying values and wholesome philosophies that drive the message home at each juncture along the way. Whether a person is leading a small work group, a department, a division, or an entire company, he or she will find many useful ideas in this easy-to-read book.

Another book, with a foreword by Ken Blanchard, that I have just finished is also destined to be a classic alongside GUNG HO! I highly recommend everyone - not just people in leadership positions - read WINNING WAYS: FOUR SECRETS FOR GETTING GREAT RESULTS BY WORKING WELL WITH PEOPLE, by Dick Lyles. Dr. Lyles is a protégé of Blanchard and Bowles and this book proves that he, also, has mastered the art of parable writing. This book contains tips that will help anyone be more powerful and charismatic in their dealings with other people.

It will make you believe in yourself and your staff
I joined a new company almost two years ago. Many management people over me were required to read "Gung Ho". I asked to read it and found it thought-provoking, but the three concepts exciting. I've lived those three concepts for the past year and just recently was put in charge of a group seven staff-members. As I recalled the book and the basic concepts, I took it down and read it afresh. As I had practiced, I began teaching the three basic concepts without telling my staff what they are doing. Now my next step is to let them in on the secret. I know "people" are watching me and that's okay. My team is succeeding. With these three concepts in my daily plan of action, I know I will pass the test of a new supervisor as well as have helped create a great winning team. The staff themselves are the winners. The book explains in extremely simple but motivating language how to work together, take control of your actions, and praise one another when we "do good". The book "Gung Ho" is a great birthday or Christmas gift.

You may be able to take something from it
Managers may not be able to enact all of the principles of Gung Ho, but they will be able to walk away with some valuable insight in the world of motivation and performance. If your not sure if you really want this book or not I would recommend that you go for it. There is truly nothing to lose and the reading is entertaining and informative. Every person will be able able to take something from this book and be able to apply it to their work environment.

economics class
The book gung Ho by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles is a great book for managment. It is excellent in the way it simply defines a way to significantly improve your management skills by focusing in the 3 principles. the principles could be used in personal life as well as your profesional life. It is so great that it helps create organization and to use practice using techniques on a daily basis. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in improving their work style. This book is also easy to read and understand.

Simple But Useful
Gung Ho! is a book related to management. Although the concepts in the book are simple, it is important to everyone, especially those are in the management field. The three underlying principles are The Spirit of the Squirrel, The Way of the Beaver and The Gift of the Goose. They are parables of the importance of making employees understand their roles, the conflict between directing the tasks to employees and empowerment by management, and the importance of appreciation to employees respectively.

In my view of point, I think Gung Ho! is a revolutionary technique to boost enthusiasm and performance and usher in astonishing results for any organization. The principles are the tips to increase productivity by fostering excellent morale in the workplace. For example, employees will be loyal to the company if they gain job satisfaction from their worthwhile work. Positive reinforcements such as appreciation (i.e. say ¡§well done¡¨ when those have good performance) and empowerment can motivate employees to improve and have a better performance.

To conclude, Gung Ho! is easy to read but useful for everyone. The writers convey the important management strategies to the readers by using simple story and parables. I think it is a good time for the company, the management team and the employees to refresh and understand their roles so that they can have a good relationship which can benefit as a whole. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fish! Tales is Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen, and Harry Paul's follow-up to Fish!--their enormously popular fable that draws lessons aimed at combating dysfunctional workplaces from the happy fishmongers at Seattle's Pike Place Market. In Fish! Tales the authors show how these lessons were put into practice at businesses both big (a major hospital and long-distance carrier) and small (a local car dealership and roofing company). Anyone who enjoyed Fish! (or, for that matter, Who Moved My Cheese?) or is looking for a motivational tool to help energize their own workplace, should find this short, upbeat primer worthwhile. --Harry C. Edwards ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Insightful!
Things are going swimmingly in Fish! land. In the latest volume, Fish! Tales, authors Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen, Harry Paul and Philip Strand build on the successful training program that evolved from their first Fish book. Tales shows how four companies - a long-distance call center; a hospital neural-renal unit, a car dealership and a roofing company - have applied Fish! theories effectively. They also provide short examples from other companies to show how well the Fish! function. The four main principles are familiar by now - keep the work fun, seek to serve others, stay focused on your customers and have an enthusiastic attitude - but the examples in the book bring them alive. Along the way, the authors heavily sell their Fish! courses and merchandise - that's just good salesmanship - but the real catch of the day is the final how-to section, showing ways to apply these principles in any organization. The lively writing style helps keep you hooked. We from getAbstract suggest that if you haven't yet caught any Fish!, start with this one. Its cheery, accessible methods should lure you in, hook, line and sinker.

Insightful!
Things are going swimmingly in Fish! land. In the latest volume, Fish! Tales, authors Stephen C. Lundin, John Christensen, Harry Paul and Philip Strand build on the successful training program that evolved from their first Fish book. Tales shows how four companies - a long-distance call center; a hospital neural-renal unit, a car dealership and a roofing company - have applied Fish! theories effectively. They also provide short examples from other companies to show how well the Fish! function. The four main principles are familiar by now - keep the work fun, seek to serve others, stay focused on your customers and have an enthusiastic attitude - but the examples in the book bring them alive. Along the way, the authors heavily sell their Fish! courses and merchandise - that's just good salesmanship - but the real catch of the day is the final how-to section, showing ways to apply these principles in any organization. The lively writing style helps keep you hooked. We suggest that if you haven't yet caught any Fish!, start with this one. Its cheery, accessible methods should lure you in, hook, line and sinker.

"Real" It In
I enjoyed reading Fish, but Fish Tales is even better because it has real world success stories. While the original Fish! seemed like a business theory, Fish! Tales shows how several companies actually benefited from implementing these ideas instead of just reading about them. Fish! Tales enhances the credibility of the original book. Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey is another great book for companies to share with employees because it offers entertaining stories and goal oriented advice about improving your workplace and your life.

Disappointing
While the message is a good one, it nearly gets lost in this very poorly written book.

Integrating Fish and optimizing the workplace
The Fish philosophy isn't new but the unique context and delightful presentation makes it effective. I got a lot out of this book because I saw how the concept is integrated into organizations. We have found that the best companion for the Fish philosophy is to train employees in Optimal Thinking. Optimal Thinking is the simple, realistic mental resource to empower individuals to be their best and bring out the best in others. I recommend both of these books. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

One of the best Economic textbooks I've read
Heyne begins w/ the first principles of economics: how human beings interact on a mass scale, and the positive consequences of those actions, and the negative consequences of interferring w/ voluntary human interaction. He then carries the reader through the traditional economic concepts of Supply and Demand, Specialized Labor, Externalities...all focused through the lens of the "Economic Way of Thinking".

Make no mistake--this book is a substantive, philosophical refutation of "Statism". Heyne hits Comparative Advantage, Price Theory, Rule of Law, and Private Property hard (in the affirmative), and if you're for tariffs, regulated prices, arbitrary Gov't intervention, and public property, your views won't be validated. All the more reason for you to read this book, and understand why so many stamp their foot down against politicized economic policies that superficially sound and feel so good. Heyne's lesson is to think on a macro-scale, think about the unintended consequences of mass social change, for that is the Economic Way of Thinking.

Comparative Advantage in Price Theory
Heyne's text explains what it explains well. It is a good Freshman level price theory text. Its strengths are in explaining informational and coordination issues in markets. It does more to explain how the price system works as a communications network than any other text I have seen. It also explains the issues of property rights and transactions costs clearly.

When it comes to the public sector, it is vastly better than many other texts. There are other texts, like Gwartney and Stroup, and Ekelund and Tollinson, which are arguably better at explaining the public sector.

The biggest weaknesses of this book are in macro and international economics. Its chapters on money are ok, but it explains far too little about trade cycles. It has some good material on growth, but could explain more and in more detail. The chapter on international economics could go further as well. The shortcomings of this book likely reduce its sales. So, it seems that the marginal benefits of such revisions exceed their marginal costs.

Heyne is no longer around to revise this book, but the co-authors who took over for him could improve this book greatly for the next edition.

Outstanding
Dr. Heyne was an outstanding professor. In fact, the most memorable and influential of my college "career." You will understand from reading his books how brilliant he was.

Excellent
This book makes the complex subject of economics very easy to understand, and will cause you to think very differently about social issues. Paul Heyne is also one of the best teachers I've ever had.

Very usefull book. VERY USEFULL ONE!
If you need a textbook on Economic, and you do not know the theory, you HAVE to read it before you get started. It's also very usefull for businessmen. I've read it in Russian ... Read more

Book Description

Interest Rate Models Theory and Practice In implementing mathematical models for pricing interest rate derivatives one has to address a number of practical issues such as the choice of a satisfactory model, the calibration to market data, the implementation of efficient routines, and so on. This book aims both at explaining rigorously how models work in theory and at suggesting how to implement them for concrete pricing. This is an area that is rarely covered by books on mathematical finance. The book is meant both to help quantitative analysts and advanced traders price and hedge with a sound theoretical apparatus, and to encourage academics to develop a feeling for the practical problems in the interest rate market that can be solved with the use of relatively advanced tools of mathematics and stochastic calculus in particular. Advanced undergraduate students, graduate students and researchers should benefit from seeing how mathematics can be used in concrete financial problems. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Best book on interest rate models
This is the best book available on interest rate models. Very detailed. Much more focused and readable than Rebonato's book. More pragmatic and explicit than Musiela and Rutkowski. Not as theoretical as Hunt and Kennedy. James and Webber also looks very good, but I'm not that familiar with it. All other books have only bits and pieces on interest rates.

The best book I have read on the subject
With all the due respect to the other authors I would say that if one is interested in a good theoretical book whihc is also good on the implementation side then the book of Brigo and Mercurion is definetly the best book I have ever read on the subject.

Anyone interested in implementing the LMM/BGM/MSS model in practice is well advised to read it.

I would just say that this is certainly a must have in the field.

New stuff and nice overview: hard to beat!
In the late nineties I went through Brigo's innovative work on stochastic nonlinear filtering with differential geometry techniques. I was favorably impressed by results and style, particularly in his dissertation and in his 'geometry in present day science' very readable overview. Interesting results are found and nicely told with accurate - but not pointlessly complicated - advanced mathematics for the problems at hand, I reasoned.

I've followed a similar path from control to finance, and having worked with interest rate models, I couldn't help but order this Brigo-Mercurio book. I had high expectations 'cause these two guys are working in a bank on the real thing.

Sure enough I'm not disappointed.

1-factor models are handled with great care, a ton of formulas and recipes are given. I've never seen this kind of analysis of pricing with Gaussian 1-f models. The new upgrade of the CIR model is interesting and accurate. "CIR++" is now my favorite 1-f model. I like the treatment of lognormal 1-f models and the explanation of Monte Carlo and trees -- the flow-chart for Bermudan swaptions is crystal clear! Plots of market implied structures and volatility calibration are useful additions.

The chapter on 2-f extensions has one of the best discussions on volatility, and two tons of useful formulas/recipes. Two dimensional trees!

The HJM chapter size is OK. I agree - the useful models embedded in HJM are short rate models and market models.

Market models - these three chapters alone are worth the book. You'll find yourself nodding as you read the guided tour. They make it look easy all the time. The exposition is focused, clear, intuitive, detailed. There's also new stuff, just check the calibration discussion! Smile modeling begins with a brilliant tour and ends with Brigo-Mercurio's new approach - the mixing dynamics - deserving a whole chapter if expanded.

The detailed explanation on products is a much welcome original addition. Cross currency derivatives!

Quotes - as in Brigo's old work - are a pleasant diversion while reading. The 500 and more pages are a treat given the competitive price.

Still there's room for improvements - more "CIR2++"! Something on 3-f models. Historical estimation of the correlation matrix and low-rank optimized approximations. Expand smile modeling! More hedging. Something on structured products. Cross currency libor model. chapter 9 - other interest rate models - sounds out of place and can be suppressed for other things.

This book rings true and has useful teachings for students, academics and practitioners. Although it requires some background in stochastic calculus, it's hard to beat on the pricing front. Kudos to Brigo and Mercurio! It only harms there aren't enough books like this.

Nicely written overview of interest rate models
This recent book, written by two Italian "quants" Mercurio & Brigo, gives a nice and accessible overview of interest rate models which is a compromise between the practitioner viewpoint, expressed for ex. in Rebonato's book "Interet Rate option models"
and the theoretical viewpoint such as the one in Musiela & Rutkowski.
The authors, themselves PhDs in quantitative finance/ applied maths, wrote this book while working as quants in an Italian bank and this first hand contact with the market gave them a
practical view on the subject which markes this book very interesting.

The book contains a "rational" catalogue of models used in practice ( as opposed to models which are impossible to implement!).

In contrast with academic books on interest rate modeling which deal with HJM formulation, there is a lot of emphasis here on LIBOR and Swap market models
(BGM -Jamshidian models) which reflects the current market practice. This is a positive point since there are not many books with details on implementing and using these "market models".

Part II: Interest rate models in practice is particularly useful because it deals with implementation and calibration which, as any practitioner knows, are important and usually delicate issues.
However calibration issues are dealt with somewhat lightly, especially recent developments on modeling cap/swaption smiles
are not included here.

This book can also be used for a graduate level/PhD course on interest rate models.

There are a lot of numerical examples in the book and mathematics is kept to the necessary level while keeping the
approach both rigorous and understandable.

Overall, it is one of the best books written on the subject.
I highly recommend it to PhD students, quants and researchers interested in this field.

Well written and useful book
In my humble opinion, this is the best book on Interest Rate modeling out there. The writing style is clear and focused and the appendices are fantastic. The book is rigorous but someone with some background in Stochastic Calculus will find it easy to follow. If you need refresher, dont worry the authors have you covered, see the appendix on Stochastic Calculus. Not an introductory book. Very exciting book. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Interesting Model
The model presented is an interesting and for the most part effective one. For an alternative model see O'Reilly, Chatman and Caldwell's OCP Method and in particular the commercially available web tools from ThinkShed (www.thinkshed.com) that leverage the method.

Whichever method you use, culture change is ultimately about the application of a consistent approach...my personal preference is the OCP because of the availability of robust web based tools that enable one to penetrate the organization to a much deeper level than is otherwise possible with a paper based model or an interview based model. This can be important if you are wanting to get at deeply rooted and/or problematic sub-cultures.

Smith

Great book, plus...
This is a great book. In addition, I recommend "Strategic Organizational Change" by Michael Beitler.

The most helpful book...
This is the most helpful book available on organizational culture. Their OCAI instrument (for diagnosing organizational culture) alone is worth more than the price of the book. I use Cameron & Quinn's material with every one of my clients.

Dr. Michael Beitler
Author of "Strategic Organizational Change"

A remarkable tool
The authors provide a great model for understanding and diagnosing organizations. Their cultural quandrant methodology also provides a common language for people within an organization to talk about what they have and what they want. I recommend this for everyone who wants to understand their own organization. Their instrument (OCAI) is both easy to understand and easy to use.

A very useful framework and tool for changing org culture
I took Prof. Cameron's course on "Navigating Change" at the U of M Business School and this book was used as ONE of the tools that could be used in understanding and managing change in an organization's culture. There are many ways to look at organizational culture. This one gives you a means to measure various aspects and get a view of where you are and where you think you need to be. It can elicit helpful discussion and real insights into your organization.

The book gives helpful background and context for the model (what each quadrant means and doesn't mean), the instrument itself, instructions for administering it, and instructions on how to interpret it. It also provides a condensed formula for organizational change and helpful hints on how to begin change in each of the quadrants.

As we used it in class and our term project it helped us understand the organization our team studied and why it was different than its competitors. I think Competing Values Framework is a powerful model that is backed by up with a lot of research and can be very useful when used seriously. This is a very helpful book. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Solid Introduction to Law and Economics
In a sense, this book is quite curious. Because law and economics is a discipline in its infancy, a book of this nature has to tread the fine line between serving as a distanced text and engaging in the dialogue of current research. And in both respects, Cooter and Ulen do a magnificent job of doing just that.

Law and economics is a branch of jurisprudence that aims to frame legal questions in terms of economic efficiency. While some maintain that legal questions can purely be reduced to economic ones, Cooter and Ulen take - rightly, in my view - the more conservative stance that economics can describe at least part of the legal question. It turns out, however, that the methodologies presented in this book are useful in reducing most legal problems to ones of economic efficiency.

This is a textbook for beginners. It presupposes virtually no knowledge on economics or law -- a brief synopsis of microeconomics and English common law system is presented at the outset. The rest of the book utilizes economic methodologies in analyzing legal problems of property, contract, torts, common law and criminal law.

However, there is a caveat. As law and economics is a burgeoning and diverse field, many important details are omitted. Most notably, the distinction between different schools of law and economics is saliently missing. This book adopts the "Posnerian" or "Chicago" school of law and economics; that is, analyzing legal questions using the framework of wealth maximization. This scaffold is one of many schools of law and economics, including the "Virginia School" and the "Rochester School."

Taking this into note, however, does not mitigate this book's clarity or exposition. This is a solid although incomplete introduction to law and economics. Recommended.

Fast delivery and excellent quality...
The book arrived really fast. It is brand new as promised. I am very satisfied.

Expensive, but a good investment
This is a nice textbook. If you're looking for a good introduction to the field of law and economics intermediate between Mercuro/Medema's _Economics and the Law_ (low brainstrain) and Thomas Miceli's _Economics of the Law_ (high brainstrain), this one is a good choice.

One of the things I especially like about Cooter and Ulen's approach is that they are careful _not_ to reduce law to economics (or vice versa, for that matter). Their claim is simply that law and economics have a lot to learn from one another. And this claim is hard to argue with, no matter what other criticisms I might make about some parts of the law-and-economics movement.

For example, people who work with the law may tend to think of law as a means (solely) of securing justice, unaware that law also provides a complex structure of what economists would call "incentives" which promote what economists would call "efficiency". On the other hand, economists may tend to take for granted the existence of such institutions as property rights and contracts, and the meaning of such terms as "voluntary." These things are not as simple as they appear (as any first-year law student could tell you, although lots of "pop libertarians" probably couldn't), and legal scholarship has developed a lot of machinery for dealing with them.

So this textbook, after a short opening chapter, devotes two not-overlong and altogether mainstream summary-and-overview chapters to, respectively, microeconomic theory and law. This means that a reader from either discipline can learn the basics of the other before proceeding to the meat of the analysis.

Then the real work starts. Cooter and Ulen do a thorough job of presenting, in a readable and accessible manner, the basics of the economic analysis of the law of property, torts, contracts, legal procedure, crime, and all the other neat stuff on which the law-and-economics movement has based its reputation -- i.e., the application of economic theory to the study of law beyond the traditional bounds of, e.g., antitrust and other areas of law directly concerned with economics.

It's designed to be eminently readable. Judgments like the one I'm about to render are notoriously subjective, but overall, the text strikes me as a good mix of clear expository prose, a well-chosen range of helpful examples, sound theory, and audience-appropriate mathematics (algebra and graphing). More advanced texts -- e.g. the aforementioned Miceli, and _Introduction to Law and Economics by A. Mitchell Polinsky -- are harder to read than this one unless you've got some math background. (Polinsky doesn't actually _use_ all that much math, but I think readers without some mathematical experience will find his book more difficult reading than this one.)

References abound; every chapter closes with at least a handful of them. So the text also doubles as a bibliography and introduction to what is rapidly becoming a vast literature.

If you're introducing yourself to the field, this book is a good investment. If you have a sufficiently strong background in mathematics, you _may_ be able to start with either Miceli or Polinsky (or both) and give this one a pass. But you'll miss a lot of helpful introductory discussion.

Besides, this book has been something of a classic in the field ever since it was first published. If you have any interest in this field at all, you'll probably want to pick up a copy eventually.

(It will probably _not_ help you much in law school, by the way, at least in the beginning. If you're just looking for an introduction to law and economics sufficient to get you started as a law student, I recommend Mercuro/Medema. You can go on to Posner and Landes and Shavell and Calabresi and the rest of them later.)

A Great Book On A Great Topic
Originally, I bought this for a class in college and it remains one of the few texts that I kept. I was studying economics and had always imagined that I would go to law school some day so I took this class. The result was I went back sooner and fell in love with concept of looking at law through an economic lens. To this day, I will pull this book down from the shelf to rethink about a question using the tools this book provides.

The best part about this book is that is not overly complex or attempting to over simplify. Rather, its beauty is found in Cooter & Ulen's use of a well-timed example, beautifully simple diagrams, and realizing that this book is only an introduction to a controversial and complex subject matter. If you want to read Judge Posner's treatise I highly recommend it, but if you want to begin to understand why Posner and those like myself argue for this type of analysis-start here.

This book is expensive, but I would buy it again. If you're even remotely interested in this beautiful hybrid of human though, I strongly recommend you buy this. If you have to buy it for a class as I did, I would hold on to it and read it again without an eye toward the exam. I know it will be a good beer resale at the end of the semester, but I think in the long-run you'll be glad you kept it.

Good intro to Law & Econ
As one who both read this book and studied under Professor Ulen, I found this book to be an excellent introduction to the field. No, this is not a huge treatise on the subject, nor is it meant to be. It is designed to reach people familiar with either law or economics and broaden their understanding of the other field. In this, it succeeds quite well. ... Read more

Book Description

PRAISE FOR It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish!

"Along her journey, [Hennessy-Ortega] has inspired, motivated, and encouraged thousands of women to believe they too can turn their dreams and goals into realities. You will love this book; it will produce incredible results in your life."
—Rena Tarbet, Independent Senior National Sales Director Mary Kay Inc.

"With a refreshing style all her own, Gillian Hennessy-Ortega uses her down-to-earth wit and wisdom to ignite your belief in what's possible, raise your level of expectation for your future, recognize your potential, and empower you to take a step ahead of the crowd and into a lifetime of success. A must-read for anyone committed to living their dreams!"
—Lisa Diane, author, When You Can Walk on Water Why Take the Boat?

"Gillian inspired me to reach for the level of excellence I had dreamt of. This book will encourage you, at all levels of your life, to reach for your highest accomplishments. You won't be able to put this book down. Inspiring!"
—Albert Pujols, First Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals 2001 National League Rookie of the Year

"In It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish!, Gillian shares the nuggets of truth that ensure both starting and finishing with results and excellence. As someone who uniquely knows what it means to live the American Dream, she has made herself a master of life and business. Now, as master teacher, she is passing it on to you."
—Pamela Waldrop Shaw, author, Design Your Life 90-Day Planner Independent National Sales Director, Mary Kay Inc.

"Gillian inspires people to reach farther and stretch beyond the comfort zone and into greatness. She has practical, straightforward ideas and tools to help any organization or individual move to the next level of success. I would recommend this book to anyone who desires success in their life."
—Guy F. Hulen, Director of Human Resources Hong Kong Shanghai Banc Corp. (HSBC) ... Read more

Book Description

Essentials of Economics is the market leader for the one-semester survey course.In just about 400 pages, it provides a solid introduction to the core concepts of economics with an emphasis on real-world examples and current events.Essentials has earned its popular success because, unlike other books on the market, it is free of the abstract and complex theory that require more time than this course allows.Instead, the text is clean and concise, with many examples of significance to students today, including Headlines and Policy Perspectives that use current events to help illustrate the topics discussed.This real-world policy emphasis is a distinctive feature of Schiller’s text and is integral to its dominance of the survey text market. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful
I don't study Economics in college but i have loved this topic since high school. I was looking for a book that enriches my knowledge to Economics without much complexity. This book was exactly like i wanted. It has a very easy approach to many aspects of Economics so that the reader can be comfortable with both easy and advanced topics in microeconomics and macroeconomics.

Understandable
I am currently taking and Inro to Economics class. I read this book when ever I get the chance. I never really want to read books that have to do with my classed, but this book i don't mind reading. It's taking me a little while to get through it but I can pretty much understand everything that I am reading. The only thing I don't like about this book is that many of the definitions are worded in complicated ways. But if you read the book it explains in a different way that you can understand. This book also uses real like situations in order for you to understabd it too.

Not just for college.
I recently took an Economics class and used this book for class. I found the book very easy to use along with the instructors notes. Key terms and definitions are provided alongside the text for easy referral later.The summary at the end of each chapter hits upon key points and helped with studying. The problems and exercises at the end of the chapters were helpful also, and the book provided the answers in the back, just in case. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good Graphs, but a bit thin on explanation.
I use this textbook in my Managerial Economics course.Personally, I think the graphs are very well done, but the material covered is somewhat more challenging than a typical intermediate-level textbook and requires an understanding of calculus.The verbal explanations could be better.Waldman makes somewhat ambitious efforts to cover advanced topics such in utility theory, the number of firms in monopolistic competition, and bundling.

Stay away from this book
To any instructor considering this book, don't use it.Currently, we are using this book in our Microtheory class.99% of the class hates the book and 75% of the class is barely passing.1.) The book is extremely dry, hard to understand, and requires reviewing the concepts at least 5+ times a week.2.) The author doesn't provide a thorough explanation for each concept.3.) The author uses calculus and algebra for majority of the concepts. ... Read more

Book Description

Author of the Business Week million-copy bestseller, 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, Bob Nelson is the motivational specialist who helps businesses stay competitive by teaching them how to inspire their employees to excel. Now joined by Dr. Dean Spitzer, senior consultant and performance improvement expert for IBM, Nelson distills the knowledge, experience, and ideas gained from working with thousands of organizations into a hands-on, practical fieldbook.

Beginning with the basics of motivation, including the decline of traditional incentives and the trend toward empowered employees, the book lays the groundwork for developing and managing a rewards or recognition program in any work situation: how to recognize an individual or a group; how to develop a low-cost recognition program; how to sell it to upper management, prevent and fix common problems, and assess its effectiveness. There are planning worksheets, templates for different purposes-improving morale, improving attendance, increasing retention-plus perforated reference cards for immediate guidance, and 101 new low-cost/no-cost recognition ideas. Running through the margins are Nelson's answers to the questions most frequently asked since the publication of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What a treasure!
Motivation of employees through rewards and recognition is critically important for organizational success. This topic is vital for supervisors, managers, executives, human resource professionals, business owners...the list goes on. Your power in this essential part of business is based on how much you know about what works, what doesn't work, and why. The more examples you can glean about what others are doing, the stronger you will be.

Nelson and Spitzer are internationally known experts in rewards and recognition. They both know their topic extremely well, and that high level of expertise comes out in this book. Readers familiar with the field will think they already have the answers if they have previous books written by these authors. Guess again!

This book is packed with information, insights, tips, ideas, case studies-you name it. Have you ever packed a suitcase so full that it was almost impossible to close it? That's the experience you'll have with this field book. You'll wonder how these gurus ever got this much stuff packed in between those two covers. Just a few pages of reading and you'll already be on information overload!

There are so many features in this publication, I'll probably not be able to name them all. (Do you hear enthusiasm in my review?) Case studies. End of chapter summaries. Good table of contents. Vignettes describing positive-and negative-experiences. Over 40 no-cost ideas. Worksheets. Resources. Training designs. Reminder cards. Comprehensive index. On and on and on. There are at least four separate books in these pages, all jammed into one tremendous resource.

Bob Nelson's "1001 Ways to Reward Employees" has sold over a million copies. This book is even more of a value...especially at the surprisingly modest price. There is no question that this volume will have an impact on readers and the organizations they serve. Even just modest application of the knowledge found in this tool chest will return many more times the investment of the purchase and the time to read all that the authors share.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Look in Mickey's Briefcase . . .

Now, an outsider takes you inside the incredible Disney service culture and presents simple, powerful concepts in a fun, memorable waythat just may change the way you conduct business.

Based on hours of interviews and discussions with present and former Disney employees, Inside the Magic Kingdom discloses the secrets behind Disneys success . . . and explains why, of its more than 30 million guests each year, over two-thirds are repeat customers.

This upbeat, easy-to-read book illustrates clear, solid principles with examples that are well-known to Disney insiders but virtually unknown to outsidersuntil now. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Good. For a seven year old.
This book explains the customer service and overall business philosophies of The Walt Disney Company. The lessons and anecdotes it includes are very good, however the way they are presented is ridiculous. A tour guide who is not at all affliated with Disney takes a group of business people through the Magic Kingdom pointing out various interesting things and showing them just how great Disney is. Of course it all ends up with the stubborn, uptight last man coming around to see what a great company Disney is. How touching. This book was an incredibly easy read. Almost along the lines of; See Spot. See Spot run. Spot likes Disney. Anyone who would find this book useful should be insulted by the level at which it is written. It is worth borrowing for an afternoon quick read but definatly not worth buying.

McDisney
Inside the Magic Kingdom is a great book when read just to get information about why Disney does what it does with its company and theme parks from the standpoint of customer service.

The real power, as I see it, of this book come from seeing that, like McDonalds, Disney has discovered how to apply a customer service attitude across all areas of their business operations. Moreover, these principles are not proprietary and can be learned and applied by anyone seeking to improve his or her company's (or personal) customer service strategy.

Read the book and apply the lessons and don't get too hung up on the dialogue of things.

Good reminders of things companies tend to forget
I thought this book did a great job of conveying its message. To the reviewer who said "The sophisticated executive will not get past the first chapter. Both my husband and I are in upper management and have returned this book", I think you need to give it a chance. I'm sure some of the executives at my company would say the same thing, but as a 20 year employee, I can see many lessons that they could learn from this simple book. Many execs have blinders on - the point of the book is to help remove them!

INSIDE THE MOUSE'S HEAD
INSIDE THE MAGIC KINGDOM is a terrific read just to have a look at how Disney does what it does with its company and theme parks from the standpoint of customer service. Incredible stuff. You won't believe what pains Disney takes to make us more comfortable and, of course, amenable to making a return trip or purchase.

The real "magic" of this book are the applications that anyone can make of its principles to a customer service or to attention to detail that one intends to make in ones own life. Disney does not own the principles here and they can be learned and used by anyone who wants to improve his organization's (or personal) customer service strategy.

THE HORSEMAN

I normally don't like books like this, but...
I normally don't like books like this, but...

this one by a noted customer service guru seemed to please me.

This is one of those books you buy to read on a one hour airplane trip. It's an easy-to-read, fictional story about customer service. Kinda hokey, cute. But it wasn't too cute as this genre often can be.

The book is organized around 7 major customer service concepts. But you'll end up with maybe 20 thoughts that trigger ideas. Many of them will be stupidly simple, but most businesses don't do them. Several of them will be embarassing. Several will be important.

There was one point that I thought was particularly important: Your competition is whoever your customer would compare you to... whoever raises your customer's expectations. So that means FedEx on fast delivery reliability, or in other areas: L.L. Bean, or GE's answer center. So, don't benchmark your industry competition, benchmark the best in each area of your services.

Again, its a cute book but not too cute. It's fun to read, easily consumed in a one hour flight. You'll end up with a few good ideas. It's a great way to keep reminded on customer service topics. I enjoyed finding out more about Disney.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX ... Read more

Book Description

Comprehensive text with enough background material to refresh and reinforce earlier courses in corporate finance and enough advanced material to stimulate the most advanced learner.The predominant strengths of clarity, current coverage, and friendliness to learner and instructors continues in this new edition.Some of the areas where coverage has been expanded include corporate governance and reform, valuation, value based management, cash flow, and newly updated material on real options.The instructor's resources enable outstanding presentations and learning. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent for Self-Study (Distance Learning) Courses
I used this book for a distance learning course in the principles of macroeconomics (Econ 101) and it is by far the best introductory text in macroeconomics I have encountered. Bade and Parkin explain the theory and concepts very clearly and constantly use examples of a typical consumer or company to illustrate these concepts even though they are describing a macroeconomy. For those of you who have taken Principles of Microeconomics before Macro, this is a HUGE PLUS, and for those of you who are taking Macro before Micro, you will not feel a sense of disconnect when you begin microecon after this class. The authors do a fine job integrating areas of micro and macroecon and not make the two feel incompatible. What's more, they do not leave out crucial explanations to graphs, figures and equations so those who do not have a strong background in mathematics need not be intimidated. The graphs,figures and equations indeed supplement the narrative and sufficient examples are given so you can master the quantitative aspects of the course. Just don't take short cuts and do read the entire chapter and concepts will sink in like you wouldn't believe. This is the 3rd time in my life I have attempted a study of macroeconomics and my efforts have previously been held back because of texts that were too complex or theoretical. I am now pulling a strong A and this is because the text does a good job of lowering the entry barrier to learning economics without sacrificing academic rigor.

Fair - Not a stand-alone textbook
This textbook contained a lot of technical information but offered little connection to real-life macroeconomics. I love economics and feel that it is necessary to emphasize its everyday uses in order to motivate a student's learning.

Further, it is in no means a stand-alone text. By that I mean that it is not a text that can be utilized by a student independent of participation in a traditional classroom setting. Most of the topics are not expanded upon sufficiently to create true understanding of the concepts. ... Read more

Book Description

Robert Ringer's books have created a revolution in the self-development genre and shown millions the way to personal and professional achievement.Filled with humorous and enriching anecdotes Action!, exhorts the reader when you close the book, get up out of your chair and take action now. Action is life, and life is meant to be lived. ... Read more

Book Description

Eight years ago, Dr. Thomas J. Stanley swept aside the mythical magic curtain of wealth to reveal The Millionaire Next Door. America found out just who and how common the truly wealthy were in this country¨and we learned the characteristics and habits that made them so. Now the author of the follow-up The Millionaire Mind focuses on one of the least understood but increasingly rich demographics: Millionaire Women Next Door.¨Why write another book that profiles millionaires?¨ Stanley asks. ¨The vast majority of the millionaire respondents (92 percent) in The Millionaire Next Door were men. . . . I felt that it was indeed time for successful businesswomen of the self-made variety to be heard.¨ And heard they are in this book that is destined to become every bit as informative, quoted, and inspirational as the author¨s earlier works. Readers everywhere will be fascinated by Stanley¨s thoroughly researched findings and conclusions. More than a simple extension of his studies of male millionaires, Millionaire Women Next Door presents groundbreaking concepts involving the nature, lifestyle, and business choices of successful American women that reach far beyond the scope of the author¨s previous studies. The book examines the choice of businesses elected by self-employed women, ranking over 150 categories in terms of their profitability and probability of success. It also describes the women¨s background, highlighting the fact that most millionaire women were raised in nurturing family environments that were literally training grounds for success, instilling the values that make this group one of the most generous in American society as demonstrated by its level of giving to charities, family, and friends. While many characteristics such as frugality and simplicity of lifestyle are similar to those of their male counterparts, Stanley demonstrates that most millionaire women work harder and do better¨at school, in business, and in investment practices. Millionaire Women is sure to be one of the most read, reviewed, and discussed books to come out this year. Make your own wise investment for a wealth of solid sales. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

And now The Millionaire Women Next Door
I bought this book for my wife over two weeks ago at our local Borders. Having been a fan of Stanley & Danko's first great work, The Millionaire Next Door I was anxious to see this new version for the female gender.

I was not dissappointed. Millionaire Women Next Door profiles the most successful women. It shows the businesses they got into and how they achieved their great wealth.

While I know Mothers day is over, guys, I highly recommend this book for your wives or significant other in your life. Let thme see how great wealth is achieved by the gentler gender.

Hopeful, helpful, and riveting book
If you're a woman who didn't quite see yourself in The Millionaire Next Door, there's hope. Women are different than male millionaires in several important ways. For example, the typical male millionaire has married once and remains married, but over half of female millionaires have been divorced. Women are also more generous than men.

The book mainly talks about business owners becoming wealthy, but it also talks about alternatives to business ownership. Stanley profiles a star saleswoman, educators (a wealthier group than you realize), and stay-at-home women who act as managers of their "family office". He also discusses parenting your children so they can develop a millionaire mindset. Many situations are presented in this book, so you can probably find something that will apply to you.

As for helpful advice, the author points out cautions women need to consider. Women need to watch out for the "Marginal Bob" worthless first husbands. Women also often provide continued financial support to their grown children and grandchildren. This "economic outpatient care" hurts both parents and children.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and thoroughly researched. I will buy more copies for graduation gifts.

Did you really read the book 1 star reviewer
When I read reviews like the one that precedes mine and says that this bookis just a rehash of Dr. Stanleys earlier work, I have to wonder why people post reviews who obviously never read the book.

But upon checking reviews on The Millionaire Mind, I couldn't help but notice the same nonsense that The Millionaire Mind was supposedly the same as The Millionaire Next Door. And then upon reading some reviews on The Millionaire Next Door, people were comparing that book to books written by other authors.

I guess the millions of copies that were sold were purchased by people who must be extremely ignorant and naive right? WRONG! DEAD WRONG!

Each one of Sr. Stanleys book's are different. The fact that this book is titled Millionaire Women Next Door should be a hint that this book is different. As a female, I am glad that Dr. Stanley decided to profile the many millionaire women out there. In fact, it's past due time for the female sect to get ample recocgnition for our accomplishments.

And let's not forget that it was and still is more difficult for females to move ahead in corporate America than their male counterparts, even if the females do have better skills. Fortunately, that trend is slowly changing.

Men and women are different. Comparing this book to The Millionaire Next Door which profiled the men is like a doctor giving medication for male sexual disorders to a female.

I am glad that Dr. Stanley wrote this book and grateful that he has given the female sect the recocnition and praise they deserve. To me, this book is an inspiration to achieve in a world dominated primarily by the male sect. Dr. Stanleys great work gives hope and purpose for females who feel overshadowed by the men. It also shows that female gender can kick butt in the business and financial world and in many cases, far outperform men.

Millionaire Women shows the mental makeup as well as other factors that enabled females to achieve great financial success. Dr. Stanley, I applaud you for this work. 1 star reviewer, try reading the book before writing a review and get a life!

Rehashed Bestseller
If you enjoyed , The Millionaire Next Door, skip this book ! This new book, " Millionaire Women" is a rehashed version of the first book. It is written to answer the question, " How are female millionaires different from male millionaires ? ". It gives tidbits about how much more men spend on shoes then women, etc. It would be an interesting magazine article but there is not enough new information to warrant a new book. I was left wondering if the author signed a multi book contract after the success of "The Millionaire Next Door".
The worst chapter has to be the one on part time workers. The two people profiled ( one male, one female ) both own rental real estate. Dr. Stanley gushes that they "... make money even while they sleep !". This chapter reads like a script from a late night info-mercial ! It doesn't cover any of the practicalites of purchasing a rental, finding tenants, legal problems, maintenace issues or what to do if the tenants don't pay the rent. If you believe the description of being a landlord in this book, you will believe that you work less then 20 hours a week and due nothing more then deposit checks.
Another disappointment was the chapter on Stay at Home Moms. The author calls these, Family Office Managers. They are frugal with their spending and invest on a regular basis to accure wealth over time. The chapter was disappointing because it was only 8 pages long and includes a long letter from a woman who created family wealth this way but must give all of the credit to her husband.
If you have never read anything by Dr. Stanley on this topic, It is well worth your time to read one of his books. In our "Spend, Spend, Spend" culture, it is important to know that everyday people create wealth thru a frugal lifestyle and investing. They invest in stocks, bonds, real estate or their own business. They do not get rich over night. They do not have flashy cars, clothing, homes etc. They live a middle class lifestyle and keep their wealth to themselves. They donate to worthy causes, help their families and have financial security in their retirement years.
It is interesting to note that many of the folks he interviewed for this book had read " The Millionaire Next Door". They admitted to checking it out from the library and not buying it. They are too frugal for that !

Outstanding book - Hooray for the wealthy women!
This is vintage Dr. Stanley. Thoroughly researched and accurate. I suspect that the 1 star reviews and unhelpful votes are from men who are jealous of the opposite, but very wealthy and successful gender.

Thank you Dr. Stanley for pointing out that so many women have outperformed men. It's about time. Hooray for the Millionaire Women! ... Read more

Book Description

The dramatic, definitive account of the most spectacular economic meltdown of modern times exposes the dangerous flaws of our global financial system.

In the 1990s, few countries were more lionized than Argentina for its efforts to join the club of wealthy nations. Argentina's policies drew enthusiastic applause from the IMF, the World Bank and Wall Street. But the club has a disturbing propensity to turn its back on arrivistes and cast them out. That was what happened in 2001, when Argentina suffered one of the most spectacular crashes in modern history. With it came appalling social and political chaos, a collapse of the peso, and a wrenching downturn that threw millions into poverty and left nearly one quarter of the workforce unemployed.

Paul Blustein, whose book about the IMF, The Chastening, was called "gripping, often frightening" by The Economist and lauded by the Wall Street Journal as "a superbly reported and skillfully woven story," now gets right inside Argentina's rise and fall in a dramatic account based on hundreds of interviews with top policymakers and financial market players as well as reams of internal documents. He shows how the IMF turned a blind eye to the vulnerabilities of its star pupil, and exposes the conduct of global financial market players in Argentina as redolent of the scandals-like those at Enron, WorldCom and Global Crossing- that rocked Wall Street in recent years. By going behind the scenes of Argentina's debacle, Blustein shows with unmistakable clarity how sadly elusive the path of hope and progress remains to the great bulk of humanity still mired in poverty and underdevelopment. ... Read more

Book Description

This modern principles book has a strong foundation in demand and supply—the most important topic in learning principles of economics. Its improved coverage of change in demand vs. change in quantity demanded (also in supply coverage) enables learners to better visualize and truly understand the difference between these two fundamental concepts. Early coverage of comparative advantage and externalities reflects a more modern approach to comprehending the underpinnings of microeconomics.A six-part presentation covers an introduction and key principles, closer look at supply and demand, market structures and pricing, spillovers and information, the labor market and economic challenges, and the international economy.For individuals using the tools of economics to help them grasp the logic of economic reasoning. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Better textbooks exist...
While experimenting with different textbooks for my Microeconomics classes, I decided to try the O'Sullivan and Sheffrin text. That experiment lasted two semesters.

Portions of the textbook are written at levels which are too low for college/university students, while other portions expect students to go beyond the scope of the material covered in the text. For example, in the chapter on demand and supply, surpluses and shortages are never referred to as such. Instead, they are only referred to as 'excess supply' and 'excess demand'. Too simplistic of a definition is also used for opportunity cost.

At the same time, additional problems inserted near the end of each chapter (not the chapter problems themselves), require students to apply the theory in a way that isn't taught in the textbook. Any student who has been required to complete these questions, on the basis of the textbook alone, may have experienced a lot of frustration from attempting these problems.

In addition,