Book Description

This collection explores the subject of conflicts of interest. It investigates how to manage conflicts of interest, how they can affect well-meaning professionals, and how they can limit the effectiveness of corporate boards, undermine professional ethics, and corrupt expert opinion. Legal and policy responses are considered, some of which (e.g., disclosure) are shown to backfire and even fail. The results offer a sobering prognosis for professional ethics and for anyone who relies on professionals who have conflicts of interest. The contributors are leading authorities on the subject in the fields of law, medicine, management, public policy, and psychology. The nuances of the problems posedby conflicts of interest will be highlighted for readers in an effort to demonstrate the manyways that structuring incentives can affect decision making and organizations' financial well-being. ... Read more

Book Description

Curiously, economists, whose discipline has much to do with human well-being, have shied away from factoring the study of happiness into their work. Happiness, they might say, is an ''unscientific'' concept. This is the first book to establish empirically the link between happiness and economics--and between happiness and democracy. Two respected economists, Bruno S. Frey and Alois Stutzer, integrate insights and findings from psychology, where attempts to measure quality of life are well-documented, as well as from sociology and political science. They demonstrate how micro- and macro-economic conditions in the form of income, unemployment, and inflation affect happiness. The research is centered on Switzerland, whose varying degrees of direct democracy from one canton to another, all within a single economy, allow for political effects to be isolated from economic effects.

Not surprisingly, the authors confirm that unemployment and inflation nurture unhappiness. Their most striking revelation, however, is that the more developed the democratic institutions and the degree of local autonomy, the more satisfied people are with their lives. While such factors as rising income increase personal happiness only minimally, institutions that facilitate more individual involvement in politics (such as referendums) have a substantial effect. For countries such as the United States, where disillusionment with politics seems to be on the rise, such findings are especially significant. By applying econometrics to a real-world issue of general concern and yielding surprising results, Happiness and Economics promises to spark healthy debate over a wide range of the social sciences.

Reviews (1)

Anti globalists and classical economists, wake up!
Anti globalists, the serious ones, aim for a happier world. Classical economists see no place for happiness in economics. Both will improve the quality of their thinking by reading this book. It provides in just 200 pages an excellent overview of concepts in economics and their consequences on motivation and happiness, supported by statistical evidence. The presentation of the evidence can be improved by using more tables and less graphs, or graphs with the corresponding tables in an appendix. Even though references are given with the graphs it is impossible to find the original data in the Internet. It is also of interest to policy makers in business and government. For governments some well-founded recommendations are made concerning participation of the electorate, referenda, and decentralisation. For business the ideas about the link between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are useful concepts. ... Read more

Book Description

Expanded, revised, and more reader-friendly, the second edition of this well-researched book again provides its exceptional coverage of the philosophical foundations of counseling. This is one of the most comprehensive, thorough, and readable books on the market today. After a thorough discussion of ethical principles and standards, the authors conscientiously examine ethical issues as they manifest themselves within several specialty areas—family counseling and school counseling, for example. They again include their highly-praised compendium of ethical codes—ideal for study by future counselors or as a reference for practitioners.This book addresses high interest topics such as genetics, eugenics, and managed care. It examines the variables and nuances of counseling clients of various ethical and cultural backgrounds. It also covers everything from office layout to maintaining records, from setting fees and billing to handling disagreements, computer-assisted counseling, online forums and computer-assisted assessment.For professionals in the field of counseling. ... Read more

Book Description

This new text provides students with the tools necessary to make ethically sound decisions in the professions they choose for themselves. The text combines lucid explanations of leading philosophical moral theories with detailed discussion of how those theories are to be applied. Each chapter concludes with short cases and questions to engage students in solving perplexing professional ethics issues. ... Read more

Book Description

The first edition of this textbook was the first to focus comprehensively on corporate governance - the most important development in business over the last decade. The abuses and excesses of the takeover era and the exponential growth of the institutional investor have transformed the roles of the shareholders, managers, and directors of publicly held companies. Corporate Governance explains how it happened, where it is going, and what the impact will be. Including extensive case studies and selected outside materials, this is an indispensable resource for students of business, law, and public policy.

For the second edition the authors are planning the following revisions:

Complete reworking of the international chapter, including excerpts from OECD, Hemphill, Mckenzie, and World Bank reports plus comparisons of international corporate governance best practices.

Excerpts from NACD reports on board professionalism and CEO succession.

New in-depth case studies on Stone and Webster and waste management.

Impact of the internet on shareholder communications and disclosure.

New cases - Daimler-Benz; Dow-Jones; Saatchi & Saatchi; Furr's/Luby's; Mirror; Brazil; Political contributions (US/UK).

Updated cases - Inc General Motors; Sears. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An academically oriented book.
Would be an excellent tome for students of business. Also would be applicable for folks who are more interested in the corporate governance from a policy side. It's focus is publicly held companies, so if you're looking for a practitioners guide on how to 'get things done' in a startup world, this book doesn't address any of that. That doesn't make it a bad book, it just has it's focus on public companies.

This fascinating governance "encyclopedia" has it all!
If you want a single-volume resource on the topic of corporate governance, I urge you to beg, borrow, steal--or better yet, in the spirit of free enterprise, buy with a click from Amazon--Corporate Governance, now heading for another printing due to popular demand.Monks, a former Labor Department official, and Minow, an attorney by training, go beyond the "letter" of corporate governance and into its spirit in this monumental work, a sequel to their Power and Accountability (1991). Whether you are searching for sweeping theories, or simply want a place to look up key phrases from "agency costs" to "zones of ambiguity;" whether you want to travel through General Motors history or revisit Ross Perot's "pet rocks" quip, you will find what you are looking for here. "What is a corporation?" the authors begin. "It is the relationship among various participants in determining the direction and performance of corporations." Monks and Minow go on to define these participants as the shareholders, management, and board of diretors, devoting a section to each.Then comes an overview of corporate governance in over a dozen countries. One of the best features in the book is the series of Socratic questions that appear in italics throughout. One follows:"How do we create a governance and ownership structure that gives employees the optimal role, from the perspective of fairness (to maximize their contributions) and productivity (to maximize their future contributions?)" How indeed? Read this book to find out. ... Read more

Book Description

Showing clearly why traditional leadership strategies are no longer appropriate, this unique, visionary text addresses leadership development for police officers in the 21st Century--with a focus on the leadership competencies required of line police officers in community policing environments. Blending leadership theory with real-world practices (examples, case studies, problems and applications), it explores the full range of leadership competencies--in communications, problem solving, planning, organization, and human relations--and provides concrete examples of both effective and ineffective leadership. A "how to" section in each skills chapter discusses techniques for developing leadership curricula in the skill in police academies, college-level leadership courses, and continuing education programs.The Challenge of Modern Police Leadership. Who Is a Leader? Communication: Key to Interpersonal Relations Problem Solving. Motivation: Key to Success. Planning and Organizing. Actuation and Implementation. The Ethical Leader.For Criminal Justice professionals and practitioners. ... Read more

Book Description

The annual survey of American Corporations conducted by Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations Inc. revealed the top 20 security threats to businesses.Those threats are compiled into this comprehensive loss prevention manual.You will learn the ways people can destroy your profits and what you can do to eliminate the threats.It details shoplifting, credit card fraud, identity theft, employee theft, vendor theft, workplace violence, and many topics you won't find in any other loss prevention book.Most importantly, it gives you strategies to reduce or stop these losses.Learn how to: guard against robbery, theft and burglary in your business: fight fraud; protect your information from espionage, hacking, and disasters; increase safety procedures to decrease accidents; stop violence and harassment; conduct background checks including criminal, credit, driving, and drug tests; avoid litigation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An absolute "must-read" for any business owner
The collaboration of business security experts Thomas N. Monson and Sarah Kaip, Loss Prevention Threats & Strategies: How People Steal From Your Business And What You Can Do To Stop It is a detailed analysis of the top 20 security threats to American corporations, and means by which business owners and executives can prevent shoplifting, credit card fraud, identity theft, employee and vendor theft, embezzlement, workplace violence, and much more. A solid, practical guide emphasizing the crucial importance of instituting policies to protect from both external and internal theft, as well as lawsuits that can result from everything from accidents to sexual harrassment, workplace violence, employee discrimination, neglegent hiring, and much more. An absolute "must-read" for any business owner in today's dangerous, litigatious, and all too greedy world. ... Read more

Book Description

First published in 1973, the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook has become the essential source for fair prices and practice. Assembled by the national organization for graphic artists, this 10th edition contains the latest information on business, pricing and ethical standards for nearly every discipline in the visual communications industry, from advertising to publishing to corporate markets. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Useful, but time for a new edition
I find the book very useful for many purposes, and it was right on the mark when it came out four years ago. However, considering how quickly technology and the internet change, I think it's time for a new edition; a lot of the "digital design" information is woefully out of date. For instance, under "Questions to ask when designing a web site," the book asks, "Does the client understand the difference between the Web and an online e-mail service such as American (cq) Online?"

In addition, pricing is based on "screens" or "pages" for web sites. The overall rates in the book seem to be realistic, but it would be helpful to know exactly how projects are priced. In the rapidly evolving world of database-driven and fully animated sites, "pages" don't mean much anymore. This is a fine reference, but don't expect it to keep you on the cutting-edge of technology. Go into a client's office and talk about "American Online" and I can almost guarantee you won't get the job!

A Must Have Resource Guide
The GAG Handbook rates high on my list of must have resources for the novice graphic designer. The information is valuable in setting standards for pricing and ethics in the Graphic Design industry. As an educator I recommend this book to all my graphic design students for the print graphics and web graphics information. The benefit to the novice is the contracts that have been well written specifically for a large number of specializations within the industry.

the best of what's available
Pros: Covers a lot of ground; defined creative terms and boundaries for the profession, fees, moral issues, client relationships, salaries, photographer relationships, illustrator relationships, etc. Rare is the book that has the guts to put actual numbers on project fees, rarer still to see it in this field. The only guide of its kind available.

Cons: Shape/bindery of the piece. It's a pain to even open it wide. (This was designed by the guild?) Some of the fee quotes/ideas are too vague, to the point of offering little guidance. The flow of the chapters is odd. Example: It starts with illustrator relationships(?!), when you'd think the first chapter would be an overall state of industry, issues facing communication arts employees and employers, trends, etc. The section on digital/non traditional media is still a little shaky, but better than it was.

Last thoughts: To the review that said they need a new version, they've done two in the last 3 or 4 years. The most recent being 2003. To everyone else: it's a guide, not a law book. The prices are at once too high and too low. Fees/salaries will vary no matter how accurate it is.

Updated again and more useful than ever!
The 11th edition is out,(although Amazon may not be displaying the most recent cover) and they did it again. The Graphic Artists Guild has produced the definitive industry resource for designers, illustrators and anyone even remotely interested in making a living in the graphics field. The book provides a terrific introduction to professional practices for anyone expanding their existing business to include web projects. This is a publication that keeps improving with age. Trying to encapsulate all situations is impossible, but the care taken in putting this survey together shows. Ta da! Even the web design section catches up to the situation on the ground.

At first glance it seems slimmer than previous editions, but a deeper look reveals that more information makes it onto each page, with a more efficient typographic treatment, and some judicious editing deleting duplicate information in some chapters

Please note: The prices reported in the book are the results of a survey of real working professionals. A spot check reveals that some reported price ranges have increased over the intervening years since the 10th edition. Some are the same, or similar. In the end, the producer (that's you!) has to insist on higher prices, you can't expect a book to negotiate for you, can you?

Some of the charts are improved. For instance, the Chart and Map Design section is more useful, including ranges for 4 different possible uses for a piece: advertising, in-house, editorial and textbook. this replaces the not-always-useful "client annual revenues" breakdowns in the 10th edition.

In the age of easy image stealing a new cease and desist form letter is included on p. 250 for you to use. May you never need it!

Hats off to the Guild for putting facts and figures at every working graphic artists disposal. It's a lumbering, exploding field where standards are in short supply on the fringes, but solid guidance is only a bookshelf away. I'll say it again... If you're unsure about what to charge, or how to structure an agreement (you're using an agreement aren't you?), it'll pay for itself with your next job.

The Unreal Pricing Guidlines
I found that the prices given in this book were way off for my demographic and line of work. With the knowledge of bidding my own freelance jobs and hiring designers for the firm that I work for that the pay scales in this book are way out of wack. I'm not saying that they are all over priced like other readers might assume. I found that many estimates to be quite low.

You run the risk of losing a job because your bidding estimate is to high in some instances and in other given estimates you are going to lose a lot of money. The given freelance hourly rate for an Art Director is $55.00. That is way under what the market pays in the area and industry that I work in.

You will also find pricing like this: National advertising campaign (Print Media) between $11,000-$25,000. There are no specific variables given to this enormous disparity in pricing.

There is a heap of useful information in this book, but pricing isn't one of them. In fact it's bloody useless. ... Read more

Book Description

In two previous books, Janet Malcolm explored the hidden sides of, respectively, institutional psychoanalysis and Freudian biography. In this book, she examines the psychopathology of journalism. Using a strange and unprecedented lawsuit as her larger-than-life example -- the lawsuit of Jeffrey MacDonald, a convicted murderer, against Joe McGinniss, the author of Fatal Vision, a book about the crime -- she delves into the always uneasy, sometimes tragic relationship that exists between journalist and subject. In Malcolm's view, neither journalist nor subject can avoid the moral impasse that is built into the journalistic situation. When the text first appeared, as a two-part article in The New Yorker, its thesis seemed so radical and its irony so pitiless that journalists across the country reacted as if stung.

Her book is a work of journalism as well as an essay on journalism: it at once exemplifies and dissects its subject. In her interviews with the leading and subsidiary characters in the MacDonald-McGinniss case -- the principals, their lawyers, the members of the jury, and the various persons who testified as expert witnesses at the trial -- Malcolm is always aware of herself as a player in a game that, as she points out, she cannot lose. The journalist-subject encounter has always troubled journalists, but never before has it been looked at so unflinchingly and so ruefully. Hovering over the narrative -- and always on the edge of the reader's consciousness -- is the MacDonald murder case itself, which imparts to the book an atmosphere of anxiety and uncanniness. The Journalist and the Murderer derives from and reflects many of the dominant intellectual concerns of our time, and it will have a particular appeal for those who cherish the odd, the off-center, and the unsolved. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Zero stars - pointless exercise...
I'd have a bit more respect for Ms. Malcolm if:

a) she had actually attended MacDonald vs. McGinniss, so that she could write from an informed viewpoint instead of relying on second- and third-hand accounts;

b) she had spent less time oohing and ahhing over MacDonald's personal magnetism, and stuck to the facts of the case at hand;

c) she had bothered to read the literary releases to McGinniss's publishing company, SIGNED BY MACDONALD HIMSELF, that gave McGinniss license to write any type of book he wished (including, one presumes, a book that might actually say that McGinniss himself had concluded that MacDonald was guilty, despite the friendship the Journalist may have felt for the Murderer);

d) she hadn't stated - repeatedly - the total fiction that the jury hung 5-1 in MacDonald's favor. The fact is, the jury hung on ONE QUESTION OUT OF THIRTY-SEVEN, never actually voting on the other 36, because one juror believed that MacDonald had violated his agreements with McGinniss by cultivating other journalists and by ignoring his agreement not to sue McGinniss.

Or is MacDonald next going to sue Malcolm, because in her very title, she herself calls him a murderer?

Let's call an egg an egg, Dr. Jeff. You killed them. Pay the price. Be done with it.

Looking at the murky world of journalistic ethics.
In 1970, Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald's pregnant wife and two daughters were brutally murdered in the family's apartment in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. MacDonald was a respected army physician at the time, and his story was that four strangers broke into the MacDonald residence and committed the murders. He was tried by an Army tribunal and cleared. Years later the case was reopened, and MacDonald was convicted of the murders. He is still serving his jail sentence.

Janet Malcolm does not reopen the MacDonald case in her book, "The Journalist and the Murderer." Rather, she examines the issues behind a libel case that MacDonald brought in 1984 against his supposed friend, Joe McGinnis, author of "Fatal Vision." Joe McGinniss posed as a friend of Jeffrey MacDonald for years. McGinnis lived with MacDonald for a while and even joined his defense team. McGinniss sent MacDonald many sympathetic letters in support of his cause; in his letters, he frequently expressed his belief in MacDonald's innocence.

It was only after "Fatal Vision" was published that MacDonald discovered the truth. McGinniss did not believe in MacDonald's innocence. On the contrary, in "Fatal Vision," McGinniss portrays MacDonald as a psychopathic murderer. McGinniss posed as a friend for the sole purpose of keeping MacDonald in the dark about the nature of the book that McGinniss was writing. McGinniss's main motive was to continue to have access to MacDonald until the book went to press. "Fatal Vision" became a best seller and it was eventually made into a miniseries.

Malcolm's book, written in 1990, takes on added significance in 2003, when the ethics of journalists are under fire as never before. Time and again, journalists have been accused of plagiarism and of making up stories that they later presented as fact. The public is beginning to see journalists as fallible people who suffer from the same pressures, ambitions and even psychological disorders as other ordinary mortals. Journalists will sometimes lie and cheat to get their stories in print, and we must take what we read with a huge grain of salt.

Malcolm's book is not merely a condemnation of McGinniss's behavior towards MacDonald. Her premise is that the journalist's relationship to his subject is, in its very essence, a perilous one. The gullible subject babbles away to his "sympathetic" listener, revealing more of himself than he realizes. When all is said and done, the subject has no control over the final product of these interviews. The subject may very well be shocked when he sees that his words have been distorted and that the journalist has made him look bad in print. How will the subject get his reputation back now?

Malcolm portrays the journalist as a con man, who preys on people's loneliness, credibility and narcissism to get a good story. What is the lesson in all of this? Beware of placing your faith in the ethics of journalists. They have their own agendas and the "truth," which is elusive at best, is not always a priority. Malcolm's book is an important one, since it serves as a warning for those naive people who are only too eager to believe everything that they read in a newspaper or a magazine. What you read is only one person's version of the truth.

The ethics of blabbermouths
In The Journalist and the Murderer, Janet Malcolm examines the transactional relationship between a journalist and her subject, especially the dynamic of what happens during an interview. (Why do so many people repeatedly and voluntarily blabber stupidly to the media? Why is it so difficult to refuse a microphone?) And what moral obligation does a journalist have to her subject?

Malcolm answers these questions (as much as she's able to) in the context of a murder trail that journalist Joe McGinniss wrote about, after being given unlimited access to accused murderer Jeffrey MacDonald and his defense team. McGinniss, originally sympathetic to MacDonald, comes to believe that he is guilty of the murder (the jury agreed), but does not reveal his change of heart to MacDonald, in order to maintain access to him. Once McGinniss's book, Fatal Vision, is published, MacDonald is horrified by the portrait presented to him and sues McGinniss for fraud.

Malcolm raises issues that I, a constant reader of journalism, had never considered. Her book gave me insight into what a writer must do to get the story. She's made me a less naïve reader. Those long articles in The New Yorker will never seem the same.

Good Reading
I read this book several years ago. I found it to be extremely intelligent and interesting. It is a book that clearly portrays the relationship between a journalist and a subject. Both sides are manipulative and selfish but only the journalist has the power in this relationship. What McGinnis did in Fatal Vision was grossly unfair regardless of Macdonald's guilt or innocence. I think that is why it made such a huge splash with other writers. In the age of new journalism, most writers will do and say anything for a good story.

POORLY WRITTEN REVIEW OF A VERY INTERESTING PREMISE
Janet Malcolm takes a very interesting premise--the relationship of a journalist to his subject--and turns it into a trite essay on the gruesome MacDonald murders. The book's words seem to indicate that Malcolm, herself, fell for MacDonald's smooth veneer--she waxes longingly about the fact that he can break a doughnut and not drop any of the sugar! Who cares? Had she stuck to her subject matter--the relationship between journalist and the one being written about this could have been a good book. But the book's contents indicate to me that Malcolm had another, hidden agenda that involved her choice of the heinous MacDonald as subject matter. ... Read more

Book Description

 In the true spirit of David and Goliath, financial consultant Keith Schooley takes on his former employer in a stand to expose internal wrongdoing and cover-ups. In Merrill Lynch: The Cost Could Be Fatal—My War Against Wall Street’s Giant, Schooley’s initial excitement for a new career in finance with Merrill Lynch is clear.His enthusiasm is soon overshadowed by blatant wrongdoing in this powerhouse financial firm. In a daring move, Schooley decides he cannot look the other way and writes a lengthy memo to company management. Confident things will be put right, Schooley is shocked at Merrill Lynch’s ensuing attempts to keep him quiet. His eventual dismissal and threat of a lawsuitby his boss are followed by further steps to keep him down.Discover the fascinating details behind:

●What events led to the courtroom and binding arbitration

●Why Schooley’s appeals to regulatory agencies were futile

●How Schooley made the ultimate sacrifice, both financially and personally

●The shocking reason behind Schooley’s move from the courtroom to the court of public opinion

Merrill Lynch: The Cost Could Be Fatal is a must for all investors; anyone employed in the area of securities, insurance, financial services, employment law, or human resources; as well as anyone with an association with Merrill Lynch. This exposé of corruption and conspiracy on Wall Street strikes at America’s very foundation. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

admire Keith's courage to fight against ML by himself
After read his book, I really admire Keith's courage to fight against Merrill Lynch by himself. It tooks him a lot of time, energy, money to fight for his believing. I was a Merrill Lynch empolyee as financial advisor and was wrongfully terminated. After read this book, I was filled with the courage to fight against the giant firm. Email me at YYYY1234YYYY1234@yahoo.com.

A Securities Industry Whistleblower's Profile in Courage
This book is a profile in courage of how a private attorney general suffered great personal costs while attempting to uncover corporate wrongdoing in order to serve the public interest.Keith Schooley's well-written book is an odyssey of his struggles with Merrill Lynch management that took him on a journey through nearly every regulatory agency, a blue-ribbon arbitration panel, and finally the Tenth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Mr. Schooley describes in detail how the "powerful and mighty" play the game inside and outside of a court of law, including unethical and perhaps illegal activities.It is a powerful story of the personal costs of whistleblowing and doing the right thing as well as an insider's guide to the world of the securities industry.This book provides insights into institutions such as the Wall Street security moguls, regulatory agencies, arbitration, and the court system.

In view of the current climate of corporate scandals - Enron, Arthur Anderson, WorldCom, Adelphia, and others - Schooley's book is an important one that offers a hard and disturbing look at Wall Street's largest securities firm. As a former employee of Merrill Lynch, Schooley gives a backstage view at what goes on behind the impression-managed frontstage.The public relations voice of corporate America differs significantly from the reality. Mr. Schooley documents a pattern of problems at the firm ranging from brokers to senior management, and suggests that the problems could be even be traced to the board of directors.

This is a book that should be read by not only Merrill Lynch clients, but all investors.Law students and lawyers interested in employment law, securities law, and tort law would also find it a valuable case study of corporate wrongdoing.Finally, undergraduate students interested a career in the securities interest will learn about the perils of the securities industry from this insider's guide.

Michael L. Rustad
Thomas F. Lambert Jr. Professor of Law
Suffolk University Law School
Boston, Massachusetts

"The Insider" it is not
This is the kind of self-aggrendizing drivel you should expect in a self published book. I guess no one else was interested in publishing the story.

The author worked in a tiny offie in a backwater town and took it upon himself to contact "senior management" in wiritng. I bet he is writing to Bush about the war in Iraq as we speak. I'm sure he will be self-publishing a new book very soon about how Bush ignored his concerns and tried to get his day in international court in The Hague.

Save your money and by a book from an author who didn't have to pay to get it published.

What Whistle?
Memoirs are necessarily selective and subjective. They simply cannot cover everything as they share the thoughts and feelings as well as the perspectives and opinions of their author. to the extent that author wishes to share them (selectively). My own experience suggests that, in the "alley" of contemporary business, most of the "cats" are gray. It is therefore important to keep in mind that this is Schooley's account of what he believes happened...and did not happen...during his association with Merrill Lynch and thereafter. To his credit, he draws upon as many primary and secondary sources as possible to establish what he calls the "record," one which "can speak for itself."

What does it say? First, that an earnest, eager, and ambitious young man went to work for Merrill Lynch with the proverbial "high hopes" and "great expectations"; by the time he concluded his relationship, he had lost all respect for Merrill Lynch's organizational integrity. In this book, he explains why. Also, various circumstances and developments forced him to conduct rigorous soul-searching. Was he naive? Were his requests unreasonable? Should he have conducted himself differently?Was it all worth it to challenge such a large and powerful organization? Schooley responds to these and other questions in his book. Finally, the book says (to me at least) that it is difficult but not impossible for an individual to initiate and then sustain such a challenge. Perilous? Of course. Doomed to failure? Not necessarily.

Dante reserved the last (and worst) ring in hell for those who, in a moral crisis, preserve their neutrality. According to Schooley, there were many senior-level executives within the Merrill Lynch organization who did so as did officials at various regulatory agencies. I admire Schooley's efforts to act upon his principles when he composed a memorandum for Merrill Lynch's senior managers, informing them of various improprieties and possible illegalities as well as efforts to conceal them. I admire his efforts even more after he was dismissed and then threatened with litigation unless he remained silent (i.e. preserving his neutrality). His personal as well as professional sacrifices were numerous and substantial. Nonetheless, he persevered.

As Schooley's reader, I have no reason to question his sincerity or integrity and am unqualified to comment on the merits of his allegations. Nor do I presume to suggest that his book will achieve all of the objectives he had in mind when he wrote it. (Organizations as large and complicated as Merrill Lynch remind me of the fact that "jumbo" oil tankers must travel approximately 30 miles to reverse their direction.) I rate this book so highly because I think it raises a number of questions which must be addressed by senior-level corporate executives, especially now as other allegations are made by other Schooleys in their respective organizations. Schooley obviously believes that our society needs more "white cats" and fewer "black "cats," not only in the private sector but in publicly-funded regulatory agencies which have fiduciary responsibility to all citizens. Within the limitations of the memoir genre, I think this is a brilliant achievement.

Nothing sensational and no real dirt
I agree that the story is sad and the author got the short end.That said, this isn't the Greek Tragedy that some seem to imply, nor is it a realistic account of David versus Goliath in the strictest sense.

First, Mr. Schooley brought much of the mess on himself.Not for raising the issues and bringing them to the attention of Merrill Lynch's management, but for hiding behind a facade of ethics and integrity while refusing to meet the company's internal investigators half way.Would that have compromised his ethics or integrity?I don't believe so.

Merrill Lynch's first responses seemed to include a sincere effort to resolve the complaints to the satisfaction of all.While Mr. Schooley refused to budge from his demands which he claims were based on integrity, he also had strange ideas about integrity. While he was rolling dice with his family's future by rocking the boat, he neglected to let his wife in on what he was doing.That is deceit, not integrity and is only different from adultery is degree.

Second, this book is supposed to be evidence placed in the court of public opinion.Yes, the public will side with Mr. Schooley because we always root for the underdog and he was treated unfairly.If he thinks that this book will make a difference in Merrill Lynch's bottom line I contend that he's naive.The public will do what the public does.They'll feel sorry for him, but will not hesitate for a second to follow Merrill Lynch's investment advice if it'll make them money. That's the way life works.

Third, I take issue with the claims made by Mr. Schooley and the attorney who wrote the forward that arbitration is a bad thing.From personal experience I think arbitration is useful, especially in our society where we litigate at the drop of the hat.Of course an attorney is going to oppose arbitration because in most suits the only winners are the attorneys.

I do recommend this book because does have lessons to be learned.What those lessons mean is up to you. The story reads well in spite of bogging down in places in the beginning. It has the usual metaphors reported by others: Greek tragedy, Biblical David versus Goliath, and the more philosophical Good vs. Evil.It even has a bit of Karmic irony. After Mr. Schooley's life started falling apart which included a divorce his ex-wife went to work for Merrill Lynch.What it doesn't have is anything that will cause the same outrage as the Enron debacle. You'll have to look elsewhere for that kind of story. ... Read more

Book Description

"This book's practical orientation, in addition to the conceptual framework, offers practitioners and consultants strategies for effective leadership - such as empowerment - together with how leaders prepare for ethical leadership.It will be of valuable to enhance leadership courses in business schools or executive development programmes." --Financial Express "This volume is a timely, interesting, and courageous call for attention to moral standards that cross organizational and cultural boundaries, making it a worthwhile purchase for comprehensive general and academic management collections." --Choice The beliefs and values, the vision, and, above all, the actions of the leader of an organization set the ethical tone and standards for the organization. It is this fundamentally crucial role of the leader that is the basis of this book. Ethical Dimensions of Leadership proposes that one's understanding of leadership is severely incomplete, if not deformed, if one does not also consider the ethics or morality of leadership. The book examines the various modal orientations of leadership and demonstrates that true, effective leadership is that in which the leader's behavior and exercises of leadership processes are consistent with ethical and moral values. The book argues for an end to the traditional separation of personal and public morality. It also argues that the ethics of leadership is consistent with the spirituality of the different religious traditions. The practical orientation, in addition to the conceptual framework, offers practitioners and consultants strategies for effective leadership--such as empowerment--together with suggestions of how leaders can prepare for ethical leadership. Ethical Dimensions of Leadership will serve the needs of business education programs, business consultants, and researchers. The exhaustive and integrated conceptual treatment of the leadership phenomenon, consistent with ethical and moral values, will greatly enhance leadership courses in business schools or executive development programs. It is also of interest to students in business ethics, organization behavior, and managerial skills development. The inclusion of the cultural contingencies in leadership, in the context of non-Western socioculture environments, extends its suitability and usefulness for courses in international business and international management. ... Read more

Book Description

The only book in this area that takes a holistic view, Elite Deviance traces the causes of elite deviance to the structure of power and wealth in the United States. This book includes both criminal and non-criminal elite acts that cause great harm. Unique in its scope, Elite Deviance covers not only corporate crime and political corruption in historical and contemporary context, but also the relationship between the two. Readers will enjoy the many interesting and current examples and case studies that reinforce all major theoretical points in the book. For people interested in criminal justice, social problems, and business ethics. ... Read more

Book Description

You're young, ambitious, entering the field of your dreams; you're on your own, the competition is fierce--and then you see your chance: the big story, the big role, the big discovery. But you'll have to cut a few corners, bend the rules, cheat a bit. What choices will you make?

After studying more than a hundred young people launching their careers, these longtime researchers of "good work"--work that is both skillful and honorable--find unsettling answers. Although young workers know what it takes to do good work, they don't always feel they can follow the ethical route. "Later, when I'm successful," is their implicit promise.

Making Good explores the choices confronting young workers who join the ranks of three dynamic professions--journalism, science, and acting--and looks at how the novices navigate moral dilemmas posed by a demanding, frequently lonely, professional life. The authors also uncover striking comparisons between these young professionals and the veterans in their fields--most notably, older workers recall inspiring models and mentors, while today's beginners see themselves as on their own. With extensive insights into how young workers view their respective domains, the nature of their ambitions, the sacrifices they are willing to make, and the lines they are prepared to cross, this study will prove instructive to young employees and employers alike, as well as to those who wish to understand the shifting moral and social character of the working world.

Book Description

This collection of quality cases and essays on business ethics addresses some of the most pertinent ethical issues in today's business environment.It goes well beyond matters of fraud and public relations to consider standards of professionalism, corporate decision- making structure, the interface between ethical theory and economic practice, etc.; contains cases that deal not only with ethical failures, but with ethical successes. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is the first systematic and broad-based attempt to bring to psychology the intriguing work of Emmanuel Levinas. Because contemporary psychology, in its adherence to the philosophical and methodological underpinnings of naturalistic science, too often abandons the questions about morality and ethical obligation, Levinas's writings about the experience of the face of the Other and the ethical obligation therein become particularly relevant.

In ten original essays by distinguished scholars--some philosophers, clinicians, and academic psychologists--the potential and experiential impact of Levinas's work in the understanding of our fundamental human nature and the practice of psychotheraphy are explored. Ultimately, the intention is to create a new discipline: namely, a "science of the ethical." ... Read more

Book Description

Even with the development of codes of ethics and laws, counseling professionals are often left in quandaries when it comes to questions of ethics. In The Virtuous Therapist, authors Elliot D. Cohen and Gale Spieler Cohen provide a systematic, philosophical approach to mental health ethics. Their comprehensive model of ethical decision making is developed as a basis for addressing a number of difficult ethical problems that are raised throughout the book. Many of the issues raised in the second part of the book are timely, ethically engaging, and of practical importance to those working in the trenches. For example, the authors examine how the growing AIDS epidemic has prompted pressing questions about the ethics of counseling sexually active clients who are HIV-positive. In contrast to rule-based approaches, this virtue-based perspective emphasizes the therapists' development of character traits that are essential to working through moral problems in therapy. The Virtuous Therapist is co-authored by a philosopher with training and clinical experience in counseling and by a counselor with a background in philosophy. By combining these professional credentials, the authors avoid philosophical short-sightedness while remaining in tune with the practical realities of psychotherapy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Virtuous Therapist by Cohen & Cohen
Cohen and Cohen provide a refreshing alternative to rule-based approaches to the ethical practice of counseling and psychotherapy.Their backgrounds in philosophy, ethical theory, and mental health practice combine to yield a solid foundation for arriving at ethical decisions in the delivery of mental health services.While the first chapter on ethical theory is quite dense, especially for those not trained in the field, subsequent chapters are reader friendly. The authors clearly outline the basic tenets of virtue ethics and the seven major principles that guide this type of ethical decision making.Each chapter includes case studies that illustrate the authors' analyses of the degree to which therapists acted in accordance with virtue ethics.This book is especially useful for mental health practitioners who need to earn continuing education credits relevant to ethical practice of counseling and psychotherapy. ... Read more