Book Description

In this third edition of his classic book, Edgar Schein shows how to transform the abstract concept of culture into a practical tool that managers and students can use to understand the dynamics of organizations and change. Organizational pioneer Schein updates his influential understanding of culture--what it is, how it is created, how it evolves, and how it can be changed. Focusing on today's business realities, Schein draws on a wide range of contemporary research to redefine culture, offers new information on the topic of occupational cultures, and demonstrates the crucial role leaders play in successfully applying the principles of culture to achieve organizational goals. He also tackles the complex question of how an existing culture can be changed--one of the toughest challenges of leadership. The result is a vital resource for understanding and practicing organizational effectiveness. ... Read more

Book Description

This best-selling book captures the dynamics of business communication as no other on the market does. It presents the subject in a fascinating way, powerfully stimulating and motivating readers; this book gives the foundation for excellent, effective, and practical business communication. By offering “On the Job” simulations that feature actual companies, readers apply business communication concepts to real situations and sharpen their problem-solving skills.Incorporating a three-step approach to writing (planning, writing, and completing business messages), Excellence in Business Communication covers letters, memos, e-mail and other brief messages, reports and oral presentations, and employment messages (including resumes and application letters).With its helpful appendices and a “Handbook of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage,” this a must-have desk reference for anyone responsible for writing business letters, e-mail, memos, and reports. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful reference book
I use this book for my primary text in a Business and Professional Communication class that I teach. The students like how the book is organized; I appreciate the examples that we can use in class for discussion.

Beyond that, the AIDA approach to business writing is clear and easy to use once students get the hang of it. My students' major project is to work with an organization in solving a communication problem, they are responsible for writing memos and reports to both the client and me.

However, I guess that the biggest endorsement is the number of students who do not resell this book at the end of the semester. I have had several tell me that this is one of the few books that they will take with them when they graduate because they view it as a good reference book.

Full of It
This book is choc-full of useful techniques for good, solid business communication. The samples are well thought-out and are very true to life. However, the questions, especially the ethics questions do not have any answers provided. Even the instructor copy doesn't have any of the answers, so effectively it boils down to your opinions and whether or not you can defend them. Yee Hah, just like real life.

it is a very good book for a beginning student of BBA OR MB
i am feeling difficulty to understand terminology(glossary required at the end of book) i think all the supported material like test bank or software must be attached with this book in form of CD(ROM) ... Read more

Book Description

After her terrific success revealing the mistakes women make that sabotage their careers, Dr. Lois P. Frankel is back to reveal the 75 mistakes women make that prevent them from achieving financial success. From executive to entry level, single to married, every woman needs to know the subconscious behavior that prevents her from developing a healthy and successful relationship with money--from depending on men for financial advice or support to a reluctance for negotiating. Frankel offers help in recognizing these self- defeating behaviors--as well as financial and investment advice and tips to help women claim wealth and riches. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A Must Read!
This book is excellent and offers many tips on how to save and stop spending your money.In one day I have implemented 5 of her suggestions and all ready I feel better about my self and saving money.A book that all women need to read, and also the high school and college girls.
Definately a must read!!!

Nice Girls Don't Get Rich: 75 Avoidable Mistakes Women Make
Regardless of your age or economic situation this book has something of value for everyone.Dr. Frankel is practical, to the point, and her suggestions for financial freedom are easy to implement. This is the perfect gift to send your newly graduating daughters out into the world as well as your women friends that may need some help.

Buying this book is a great investment for your future!
This is a must read for any "girl" - teenager to senior citizen.Dr. Frankel offers straight forward strategies and advice on how to play the game of getting rich. The book is like a great buffet where you can pick and chose any chapter and feel well nourished.She gives you coaching tips that assure your financial and personal growth. The book is rich in priceless words of wisdom!

Everyone can get richer!
The title really could be amended to, "Seventy-five mistakes that can benefit just about anyone."

Nearly everyone has made at least one of these mistakes (okay, maybe Donald Trump never did).But I think Frankel offers more than a collection of mistakes and "if onlys." She's got some good ideas you won't find everywhere.

My favorites:

Brainstorm with big picture thinkers -- and then get advice from the nitpickers.

Get out of your safety zone (no guts, no glory).

Listen to your intuition.

Just these three could save you the price of the book -- and there are many, many more.

Another winner!
Once again, Dr. Frankel points out the mistakes made by "too-nice" women that limits their wealth and self-esteem, and offers common-sense solutions to help them break out of the old routines and assert and protect themselves. The advice is specific, with examples, and addresses every case scenario. Good, solid advice your mother never told you (or even knew!). ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Worth the time
This book is an excellenct introduction for those who just need to 'catch up' with eveyone else talking Six Sigma. It is an easy-read, well-written synopsis of Six Sigma and Six Sigma implementation. It is not an indepth look at statisitcs, SPC or implementation--there are plenty of books out there for that, several by the same author, but it is a very helpful book that I will keep in my library and have already worn the cover by lending it to colleagues.

Six Sigma Overview
If you are looking for a book to take you from no knowledge of Six Sigma to a very elementary level of knowledge, this could be useful. I found myself feeling like I was reading a company brochure for Six Sigma that was too long. The book falls into a middle ground of not having enough information to be useful in implementing Six Sigma yet might have too much for the average person.
I originally thought this would be a great book to give to people that congratulate me on being a Six Sigma Black Belt, that they once took Karate but never got that far, to understand Six Sigma. After thinking about the level of knowledge of many people regarding basic statistics I think as simple as this book is it may be over the general person's comfort level. I'm afraid it might cause people to shut down from feeling overwhelmed. If they have basic statistical skills, they should have no problem understanding this though.
Maybe the book is perfect for people being asked to participate in Six Sigma initiatives or working with a company that is implementing Six Sigma. I would be uncomfortable giving this to somebody with no Six Sigma knowledge and not being available to discuss it with them, hold their hand through it. If you have a real interest in Six Sigma, pick up one of the "heavier" books, including The Six Sigma Way by the same author. You can skim through it and get this same information. If you want more information it will be there, no need to buy another book.

Interesting, But Apparently Not Sufficiently Persuasive
This book circulated at my company while decisions were being made as to what management consultant vehicle to pursue. I thought it was quite interesting, and was ready to seek the training, become a black belt and so forth -- but our firm decided to go with Three Rho, because it's twice as efficient for half the price. Such is life. Rho Rho Rho.

All The 6 Sigma Basics and Just the Basics
Of the Six Sigma books I've read, this is the one I'd recommend most highly. It will give you the basic "tools" of Six Sigma in a compact, useable form. I feel that this would be an excellent text for corporate training on Six Sigma, certainly for an introductory course.

A quick read of the reviews on Amazon will give you a feel for why people are skeptical of 6 Sigma: the feel-good tone of most writing on 6 Sigma and the insistence that it "is not a flavor-of-the-month management trend" make many of us suspect that 6 Sigma is not much more than hollow jargon and acronyms.

Lets accept that these criticisms are valid and further that many "practitioners" are just self-aggrandizing or worse. But that still leaves us with the essential difficulties of positive change in any organization: you need to overcome assumptions that your organization's subculture may not even realize it has. What a corporation does by accepting Six Sigma is that it empowers people to gather data to challenge what "everybody knows". Most importantly, it sets a very high quality standard, which reinforces the sanctioning of data-driven change.

The authors of "What is Six Sigma" put it very well early on: "proactive management means making habits out of what are, too often, neglected business practices: defining ambitious goals and reviewing them frequently, setting clear priorities, focusing on problem prevention rather than firefighting, and questioning why we do things instead of blindly defending them."

I feel that the greatest flaw in Six Sigma is that many practitioners and even the books permit the basics to be lost in the shuffle. If one listens to people talk about Six Sigma, its easy to forget that a critical part of Six Sigma is that the data comes first, not the solution. I often hear co-workers say "we need to finish this project to improve our six sigmas" or "if we could get rid of this server we'll all get our green belts".

The term Six Sigma is derived from statistics and many books gloss over the statistics and move right on to basic project management techniques or how to overcome objections to Six Sigma. This book gives a clear and brief explanation of how to calculate standard deviations and includes a handy table to help with determine "sigma levels". Every Six Sigma book should respond to the challenge raised by this book and also include this information in the first 10 pages.

Finally, I recommend this book because it is concise and to-the-point. I feel that the fluff and/or Machiavellian advice in many of the other books just feed into people's healthy skepticism and distract people from the beauty of Six Sigma: the challenge to strive for near-perfect quality and the sanction to use statistics to cut through the inertia in our work lives.

I would also recommend Michael Lewis' "Moneyball" (ISBN 0393057658) as a companion book. Lewis (author of "Liar's Poker") uses Wall Street trading as an analogy to explain why the Oakland As baseball team is one of the successful teams with much less money than most. But I also see an analogy relevant to the topic of Six Sigma. "Moneyball" shows how one can achieve superior results by testing what everyone thinks they know with fact gathering and rigorous analyses. Moneyball and "What is Six Sigma" may prove to be an inspiring combination.

Perfect Company Primer
This short but insightful guide is the perfect reading assignment prior to a Six Sigma implementation. The book provides a brief overview of what Six Sigma is, who does what and how the most successful companies have implemented Six Sigma using the DMAIC process (Define, Measure, Analyze, Input, and Control)
If you are thinking of implementing Six Sigma. Keep this little book on your desk or in your back pocket for immediate reference. We use a copy at my office to gain an organizational understanding of Six Sigma. In the future we will implement Six Sigma, using some of the basic principles outlined here. ... Read more

Book Description

Introduction read by the author
4 cassettes: 0-553-52595-6
6 Hours

Peter Senge's national bestseller, The Fifth Discipline, revolutionized the practice of management by introducing the theory of learning organizations.Now Dr. Senge moves from the philosophical to the practical by answering the first question all lovers of the learning organization ask: What do they do on Monday morning?

The Fieldbook is an intensely pragmatic guide.It shows how to create an organization of learners where memories are brought to life, where collaboration is the lifeblood of every endeavor, and where the tough questions are fearlessly asked. The stories here show that companies, businesses, schools, agencies, and even communities can undo their "learning disabilities" and achieve superior performance.If ever a work gave meaning to the phrase hands-on, this is it.Senge and his four co-authors cover it all including:

        Reinventing relationships
        Being loyal to the truth
        Building a shared vision
        Organizations as communities
        Designing an organization's governing ideas

The Fieldbook is designedto have you creating a learning organization right from the very beginning!Listen to it anywhere: in meetings, planning sessions, during reflections, or anytime a conflict or challenge arises. Listen to The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, take notes, and watch your own guide to mastering the disciplines of organizational learning evolve. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A second dose of Inspiration...
Senge's second serving of the Learning Organization is filled with practical tips and real-life examples from companies and organizations that have embraced the teachings of the Learning Organization successfully.

The Book is a collaboration of several writers who do a superb job of unraveling the web that is the learning organization. At times, it may seem to the reader that the book is a labyrinth of disjointed concepts and ideas. However, if you have read 'The Fifth Discipline' you will find no problems following the concepts introduced. In fact, you will even understand why the writers have chosen to introduce them in that fashion. If you have not read "The Fifth Discipline', do not despair, it will take a little longer to get 'the whole picture'.
The Book is divided into 8 main sections:

1) Getting Started addresses the basic concepts and ideas of the Learning Organization.
2) Systems Thinking (the fifth discipline) - Many people have argued that Senge should have delegated the fifth discipline until the end, however, without Systems Thinking, your vision is disjointed and incomplete.
3) Personal Mastery covers the area of individual development and learning. The chapters here are among the most valuable in the area of self-growth and self-improvement.
4) Mental Models - These are the pictures that you have in your head which represent reality.
5) Shared Vision - You've seen the whole picture, you've developed and you understand how you see the world. Now you need to find a common cause with the rest of the people in your organization, something that you all work for.
6) Team Learning - As you work with other people in teams or groups, you need to pass the stuff that you have learnt and the wisdom you've acquired to others. At this stage, the learning is no longer that of the individual, but the group.
7) Arenas of Practice - (Self explanatory)
8) Frontiers - Where do we go from here.

If you are interested in development, learning, growth, leadership, gaining a competitive edge whether at an organizational or personal level, then this book is for you. In fact, I'd venture to say that this is book is for everyone.

The Fifth Discipline
This book is a collection of theoretical summaries, reports, analyses, and strategies all quite useful to anyone interested in generating some thinking and action around change. The team of five writers (Peter Senge, Richard Ross, Bryan Smith, Charlotte Roberts, and Art Kleiner) provide some original work, but also serve as editors to a vast quantity of material drawn from practitioners, theorists, and writers in the field of organizational improvement. According to Senge, "great teams are learning organizations - groups of people who, over time, enhance their capacity to create what they truly desire to create." (p.18) This book is really about creating and building great teams. The learning organization develops its ability to reflect on, discuss, question, and change its current and past practices. To do this, people and groups in the organization need to meaningfully pursue the study and practice of the five disciplines - personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking.

The learning organization - Senge's vision for the productive, competitive, and efficient institutions of the future - is in a continuous state of change. Four fundamental questions continuously serve to check and guide a group's learning and improvement (see page 49): (1) Do you continuously test your experiences? ("Are you willing to examine and challenge your sacred cows - not just during crises, but in good times?") (2) Are you producing knowledge? ("Knowledge, in this case, means the capacity for effective action.") (3) Is knowledge shared? ("Is it accessible to all of the organization's members?") (4) Is the learning relevant? ("Is this learning aimed at the organization's core purpose?") If these questions represent the organization's compass, the five disciplines are its map.

Each of the five disciplines is explained, and elaborated in its own lengthy section of the book. In the section on "Systems Thinking" (a set of practices and perspectives, which views all aspects of life as inter-related and playing a role in some larger system), the authors build on the idea of feedback loops (reinforcing and balancing) and introduce five systems archetypes. They are: "fixes that backfire", "limits to growth", "shifting the burden", "tragedy of the commons", and "accidental adversaries". In the section on "Personal Mastery", the authors argue that learning starts with each person. For organizations to learn and improve, people within the organization (perhaps starting with its core leadership) must learn to reflect on and become aware of their own core beliefs and visions. In "Mental Models", the authors argue that learning organizations need to explore the assumptions and attitudes, which guide their institutional directions, practices, and strategies. Articles on scenario planning, the ladder of inference, the left-hand column, and balancing inquiry and advocacy offer practical strategies to investigate our personal mental models as well as those of others in the organization. In "Shared Vision", the authors make the case for the stakeholders of an organization to continually adapt their vision ("an image of a desired future"), values ("how we get to travel to where we want to go"), purpose ("what the organization is here to do"), and goals ("milestones we expect to reach before too long"). The section offers many strategies and perspectives on how to move an organization toward continuous reflection. In "Team Learning", the authors rely mostly on the work of William Isaacs and others, and make a case for educating organization members in the processes and skills of dialogue and skillful discussion.

This book is enlightening and informative. It has already found a place on my shelf for essential reference books.

A follow up to the legend
The Fieldbook attempts at making the esoteric concepts of the fifth discipline more down to earth and contains a treasure trove of strategies, tools, methods and explanations on how to make the learning organization into a reality.

Thus people who have read The fifth discipline will gain the most from this book. It's a must read for people who want to make their organizations transition into a 'learning organization'

Less than I expected!
Purchased this item used as it was recommended by a work colleague. The book arrived in an paper envelope with damage to the spine and a wrinkle on the paperback cover. Damage could have been avoided if seller had placed this heavy book into a padded envelope. Price was only slightly less than new purchase price. Beware when purchasing used items from 'vendors' stating "excellent condition"!

Absolute must for instructional designers
I do love this book. I constantly refer to it. I honestly can't imagine the world without Peter Senge's work. This book is very accessible. The format of the content is an excellent example of good instructional design. It is incredibly user-friendly. If you are involved in education, business, corporate training or anything remotely related and wonder how you can make a difference, read and use this book. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Political Savvy - An Employee's Best Friend
Mr. DeLuca has written a wonderfully insightful manual for success in the work place. A lightning fast and enjoyable read, this book will soften the battle scarred heart of even the most jaded and cynical Dilbert fans. The topic is the politics of the workplace, which is undoubtedly the leading cause of employee dissatisfaction everywhere. Joel DeLuca provides a wonderful case for recognizing human nature, and making a positive change in one's outlook to cherish the irrationality of the human organization that presently causes so much frustration and angst for the vast majority. I believe this book will be most beneficial to those who are experienced with, and distrustful of, organizational politics. I could tell you that I wish I read this book years ago, but I'm not sure that it would have had the same impact on my life had I not already seen office politics at its worst. This book provides some practical relief from the pressure of organizational politics, as well as a toolkit to help the reader participate in the workings in a proactive and benevolent way. This book is the culmination of a very sincere scientific investigation, presented in a manner that is not overly academic. Enjoy.

Insightful. Practical. Ethical.
Even the best managers can sometimes feel frustrated at an inability to get things done in their organization. All too often they attribute "office politics" as the excuse for their failure. If you have every felt like this, or know someone else who is going through it, read "Political Savvy" by Joel DeLuca, Ph.D.

Through a series of case studies coupled with easy to understand explanations, DeLuca explains the ins and outs of office politics. DeLuca attributes names to types of people we may encounter such as Protector, Speculator, Advisor or Machiavellian. "Machs" are the bosses who rule by intimidation and believe life is a game to be won or lost at any cost.

The highlight of the book is the Organization Politics Map, which shows how you can evaluate folks within the organizations as supporters or non?supporters; in other words, you can figure out who's for you and who's against you. As DeLuca points out, many successful and insightful managers do this intuitively, the map simply makes the process accessible and explicit.

Dr, DeLuca also provides a handy summary at the close of the book about how to become a politically savvy. His two guiding principles are "Choose to be an active, ethical player" and "Work the human system." Good advice for anyone who cares about gaining influence the right way! I recommend this book highly.

A very good book, though perhaps not exciting reading
I just finished the book and I learned a great deal from it. I found it a little hard to get through, which is probably a good indicator that I needed it. I am one of those who have always had a basic distaste for organizational politics.

But what I found here would have helped me immensely had I read it earlier. Very little in the book does not pass the common sense test, and much of it causes you to look at things in a way that not only removes the 'politics? Yuck' factor but makes you realize that organizational politics is really how things are done, so you better at least have a working knowledge of it.

I thought the organization of the book was among the best I have seen and thought the summary sections were excellent.

A strategy for survival in the corporate world
Anyone involved in the leadership aspect of the business world would do well to read Political Savvy. It provides a fruitful strategy for survival in a macrocosmic world of never ending change and chaos. These winds of change have created a frontier of challanges and work environments that, before this time, never existed. The practice of Political Savvy can really make a difference in the effectiveness of an organization. It's excellent reading for anyone serious about surviving in the corporate world.
A ten star book!

Political Savvy - A Real Eye Opener
A profound and informative look into the corporate mindset of today. An ethical approach to the spirit that dominates a workplace. For anyone interested in surviving in the corporate world this book is "A Must." It is a handbook for success in the often frustrating and chaotic world of the corporation. I am grateful for the valuable insight it has given me. I found it, not only enjoyable reading, but most valuable as well.
My gratitude to Dr. Deluca for a very worthwhile and informative creation! ... Read more

Book Description

Richard Daft's best-selling text, Organization Theory and Design, integrates the most recent thinking about organizations, classic ideas and theories, and real world practice, in a way that is interesting and enjoyable for learners. This edition includes many updates including a new chapter on international issues and revisions of other chapters to include the most recent ideas and events.While organization studies and real world examples are insightful for understanding organizations and solve real-world problems, Daft also integrates numerous features that give learners the opportunity to apply concepts and develop skills and insights. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Strong Guide in Organization Theory
This is a well-designed and comprehensive book in the area of organization theory. From introduction to the end, this book aims to teach the foundations of organization theory to readers.

There is a great awareness of new developments in the area of organization theory. The new developments such as team-based management models are integrated into the conventional wisdom wonderfully in the book. We are living in a world in which globalization and stiff competition dominates. We name this age as Information Age and corporations need new mentality and practices to adapt to challenging conditions this era brings about. This book presents some new approaches in global competition perspective to readers.

A Look Inside, Bookmark, In Practice, The New Paradigm and Case for Analysis are excellent peculiarities of the book.

Diagrams and other visual characterizations involved in the book give readers a big opportunity to digest topics recounted. Since this book is a detailed investigation of organization theory, you may miss some parts and feel confused. I can recommend another book, that is, Designing Organizations (Robey, D. and Sales, Carol A.), which is a summarized organization theory book with excellent cases.

If you want to understand organization theory with its basic foundations and details, this book is a must. You must exploit the rich knowledge of Professor Daft.

Strongly recommended.

Readable and great information
Daft out did himself in this edition of his text. He includes book reviews and company profiles throughout each chapter to illustrate the theories he's describing. I read this for an MA course and found it easy to learn from. I'm even putting the information into practice at work! Not all textbooks are that helpful. *grin*

team-based structure
Application of organization design about Team-Based Structures and The boundaryless Organization.

Gripping, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, watch out...
I'm using this text for my HRM course and it is, without a doubt, the most straightforward text I have ever read. Coming from a senior, whose read my share of textbooks, if you are teaching HRM, this book makes it conducive to learning the elementary ideas of HRM. This is one text I'll be keeping instead of selling back to the bookstore.

The most meaningful book I have ever read
As a student, I think this book is the most meaningful book I have read. it is easy to read, easy to grasp. If you are someone who wants to grap the most important ideas out of whatever you read, then this book is good one for you. If you like to dive in, and read in details, you also can do that. The way this book was written gave it this unique previlage. ... Read more

Book Description

In the bestselling tradition of Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman comes the breakthrough book that teaches women how to stop sabotaging their careers--and start getting ahead.For every professional woman who wants to get ahead--but feels she is at an impasse--NICE GIRLS DON'T GET THE CORNER OFFICE comes to the rescue. When overlooked for that special assignment or promotion, many women point the finger outwardly, looking for someone else to blame. Now, Lois P. Frankel presents a different view in her empowering career primer that helps women identify ingrained habits they learned as girls that may be holding them back, such as couching statements in a question, smiling inappropriately, tilting the head while speaking, and others. Only by overcoming these self-defeating behaviors will the "nice girl" learn to leverage her power in the workplace--and claim the corner office she so richly deserves. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mist
This book has been all that I hoped for and more. The book, in a nutshell, basically says that to get ahead in life, in career, in everything, women need to stop acting like little girls.

Replete with examples from Ms. Frankel's consulting clients, this book gives practical, no-holds-barred evaluations of such behaviours as feeding people at the office, working too hard, asking questions instead of making statements, and "asking permission." That last was a revelation to me.

As Ms. Frankel points out, we are all raised in a society that says you should get proper approvals before taking a step---any step. But men learn when to ask and when to just go ahead. Men learn how to apply the rubric "It's easier to get forgiveness than to get permission." Ms. Frankel pointes out that children, not adults, ask for permission to do perfectly rational things. I had never considered how detrimental to my career the habit of asking permission had been. But I decided to give Ms. Frankel's suggestions a try. I went to my boss and said, "I cannot come in on Friday." My boss looked nonplussed. I was petrified, but proud. I had done it. I had Made A Statement instead of Seeking Approval. And he didn't demur. He said, "Okay," and we went on with the day.

If you are feeling frustrated by the glass ceiling, if you feel stuck and can't figure out why you can't get further in your career ambitions (and if you're a female), this book is definitely worth the investment. It opened my eyes to things I did that I never even thought about, things that presented an image of an incompetent child---not a competent, composed, and capable woman. My image is now improving, and yours can too.

More Than Rosie the Riveter:
Men are men. Women are women. Right? The matter of gender is easy enough to establish, but in Lois P. Frankel's book, "Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers" we learn there are underlying mores and premises to follow if women want to be at the top of a company. These rules are unspoken, but Frankel demystifies the process by which some women hurt their success by playing into the cultural roles prescribed to them growing up.

Frankel presumes most women grew up in a home that oppresses women from growing up into full adults. What may have been true for 1954 is not as true today. However, her challenge is still with merit, and in 2004, it crosses the gender barrier. e men should be taking notes from Frankel. There are plenty of little boys among us who need to work as men.

"Rosie the Riveter" ads during WWII encouraged women into the workplace, but often as factory and shipyard works. There was no "Annie the Accountant" or "Sally the CEO" campaigns. Being all you can be means being more than you were as a child. Frankel helps show how women can be more than little girls in the office place, and garner success as a result.

It is important to note that as much as this is an important book for women who esteem to be seen as professional should read, men also should read it. Not every man has reached his potential, and some fall to the same problems, in a masculine variation, as do some women. Fear, exhibited through the lack of initiative and an overborne, unnecessary kindness, holds many people back.

Objective, straightforwardness is much of what Frankel asserts.

Being professional doesn't mean you need to convert into a stomping intimidator, but it does mean being firm, not wincing when rejection is forthcoming, and thinking about more than immediate relationships. It is about getting the job done well, in concert with others, but never becoming weak while doing it all. You have expertise. You have training. You have what it takes.

Although Frankel is a professional coach, her book itself shows a coach is not needed. You need to be in control of your career, without worrying about the next person. Retain your ethics, your integrity and your aplomb, but it is your job to lead the way through your professional life. No parents, no coach, no friends are responsible for this.

I fully recommend "Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers"
by Lois P. Frankel. Follow it up with the classic Dale Carnegie book, "How To Win Friends And Influence People," to learn the other side of the professional relationship balance.

Anthony Trendl

Good Book.
This book does a fine job of exploring gender issues not just in the corporate world but also in other relevent aspects of life. It was a good read. I got a good kick out of this book and also suggest reading the book "Stumbling Naked in the Dark" to understand how men can benefit and learn from us women.

Oh Come On
No excuses. I read this book and it has a few obvious choices for altering behaviors male or female, but I despise books like this because the premise is failure before you even begin! This book is only for you if you're think you're "behind" somehow. You're not and if you think you're not others will see that confidence. Do you think women who succeed in business begin with the premise they're NOT going to get a corner office? Are women "flawed" to begin with? No. I wholeheartedly disagree with this author. Embrace what makes people different.

If you're not doing well in business of course you re-evaluate how you're handling your career and professional demeanor. If your career is all important to you then by all means do whatever you have to do to reach your goals, male or female.

Here's the real white elephant in the room. Women have babies. Moms will always be torn during their reproductive years between advancement in business and raising a family and those same years are typically the most productive years for a career. You can still be yourself and have it all, just not all at the same time. Make time for children and husbands and friends. They're worth the time too. If you let your business relationiships be just business relationshihps the level of respect you have for yourself will advance you further than just no longer "apologizing too much" or no longer being "naive" whatever that means.

Nice Girl's Don't Get The Corner Office
The single most important book I have read on gender issues. Not only are the tips and insights readily applied to the corporate world, but also apply to every aspect of life.
Thank you so much Dr. Frankel. I can't wait to see the new results I get from using your suggestions! As the saying goes, "If you keep on acting the same old way, you will get the same old results!"
Heartfelt Appreciation,
Robin in Denver
Also, I love the writing style, very to the point, no hype or glamour, just real usable meat! ... Read more

Book Description

Now revised to address the recent changes in the workplace, Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn’s Organizational Behavior, Ninth Edition sets organizational behavior within a framework of personal and organizational transformation, while retaining its solid base of theory and application. Prepare yourself for the changing workplace. The Ninth Edition features the theme of organizational behavior in changing times, anchored by a new Chapter 2 that introduces you to current issues in organizational behavior. Edition after edition, this text has established a reputation for its effective presentation of current theory and research in a student-centered context. The Ninth Edition further strengthens that tradition with new Research Insight boxes in each chapter that summarize relevant cutting-edge research reports. Changing times offer new insights from real-life change agents. Leaders on Leadership features for every chapter in the Ninth Edition bring you face-to-face with the experiences and perspectives of today’s change leaders––Rudy Giuliani, Carly Fiorina, Earl Graves, and others. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

There are much better books out there
· Very little focus on individual behavior in organizations - I know this is not a psychology text, but, Jex (2002), or one of the other psych authors (Osland, 2000) could have used for this course with much better coverage and not alter the course objectives to a great extent.
· For a 2003 edition of text, the citations were very much out of date. The chapter on leadership for example (Chapter 14, which had a total of 53 citations) had only seven references within the last five years; 1998 or greater.
· I am not of the opinion that this was a graduate text. The stories, pictures, essay and "effective manager" were not intellectual in their added information. In many cases the added material didn't correspond to the text (see chart on page 48 and subsequent text explanation). Another example would be on page 157 they ask the reader to refer to Figure 8.2 and then explain the chart with text that isn't even related to the major sections of this chart.
o Not one of the Effective Manager boxes has references; where did all this good advice come from?
· Typo's abounded in the text, they always do - but check out page 233 Chapter summary - it's not the right chapter; this appears agan with chapter 19. I really had the feeling that this was written by three people who did not do a line-by-line update of the 7th edition.
· Of very serious concern would be the author's inclusion of sources in their writing. This infuriated me to no end. Page 63 under Gender "However, women are reported to be more conforming and to have lower expectations of success than men do." That is a very serious statement and it contains no citation - what reports, who, where, when? Another example is on page 85 when discussion perceptual differences in managers and employees - not citations given, even when stating that the differences are significant.
o Just to show that I did not cull these examples only from the front of the book, Pg 274 "Recent work on the linkages among corporate culture and financial performance reaffirms the importance of an emphasis on helping employees adjust to environment." What recent work, by who, saying what? This is just poor scholarship in my humble student estimation.

Boring to death
This textbook is so boring that although I made an A in the class, I couldn't wait to finish it. It uses too many technical words, it makes reference to subjects that students with a few courses in Human Resources know already. It would be better if it offered some real life examples. If you are a teacher looking for a textbook, please keep looking! If you are a student whose teacher assigned you this book..... I am sorry for you!

Adjunct Professor Uses For All His Classes
This is an outstanding book.It is very easy reading, organized and it communicates information to the student.It is loaded with easy following diagrams which reinforce the material, and it is loaded with real world Corporate America and Military Organizational Behavior examples to support the text work.It has an OUTSTANDING CASE Section which again reinforces the material and makes the student apply the concepts learned in the chapters.Also, this text is complete with alot of Personal Assessment Exercises which make you think about the type of person you are, how to improve yourself in working with others.I've used in now for 3 different schools and the students enjoy it...Mainly for the Easy Reading and the way it introduces the concepts.Price is IRRELEVANT.You can go spend $40 on an Organizational Behavior text and you won't get anything out of it because it is poorly written, no cases and no assessments.Highly recommend for any instructor who wants his students to learn.Great reference book also.Don't sell it!!!

Excellent book
I'm reading this book only because it is required for my class, but inreading it, had I known about its quality, I would have purchased itanyhow.It's a very expensive book (and I do doubt whether it's worth$100--but then, I think books are overpriced nowadays)--but the content isvery good.Maybe the difference between the previous reviewer and me isthat I don't know much about organizational behaviour and haven't comparedit to other books in this field.

I hope you don't have to read this book.
The only reason you should buy and read this book is if it isrequired reading for a class. You are buying an advertisement for Fast Company Magazine. The writing is sketchy at best, and the examples are vague. Youget access to their Web site for online tests, but the site is poorly donewith typographical errors. There are other better texts on organizationalbehavior. ... Read more

Book Description

Over 2 million copies sold!Used by thousands of companies and hundreds of business schools!Required reading for anyone interested in the Theory of Constraints.This book, which introduces the Theory of Constraints, is changing how America does business.The Goal is a gripping, fast-paced business novel about overcoming the barriers to making money.You will learn the fundamentals of identifying and solving the problems created by constraints.From the moment you finish the book you will be able to start successfully addressing chronic productivity and quality problems. ... Read more

Reviews (189)

Informative and Entertaining
Told in first person in the form of an entertaining novel, Goldratt's "The Goal" is a popular book that explores ideas valuable to managing numerous business situations. We are placed into the life of plant manager Alex Rogo as he faces an immediate production crisis and the threat of plant closure. During a business trip, he has a chance encounter with manufacturing guru Jonah.

Rogo's dialogue with this teacher as he wrestles with his own plant and it's manufacturing problems serves up a rich body of material that requires no background in manufacturing or assembly line processes. It remains interesting even as inventory management, assembly throughput, and bottleneck analyses take place in his quest to keep his plant in business. The use of a hiking trip to discuss fluctuations and dependencies as a scout troop progresses through the woods is superb, making "Herbie" a recognized name among many manufacturers. The book also provides a valuable illustration of the importance and impact of "choosing what to measure," that is, which numbers (production data) one should track to determine the effectiveness of an operation.

Reading "The Goal" is well worth the time for anyone managing a business. Its principles are far-reaching and applicable in a wide variety of situations. Given its popularity, you can pretty much bet that your competitors have read it.

The Goal: Book of Plenty or Plenty of Book?
The main objective of the text is to present Goldratt's theory of constraints. The story is meant to present what would otherwise be a boring and dry text in an easy to read, interesting format. As stated in "Here today, wrong tomorrow" by Daniel Butler, many of these types of books are not even opened, much less read. Goldratt actually adds a compelling story, making the book much more palatable, and also better showcasing the natural flow of the theory of constraints. The story is also inspirational, as it details a man who saves his factory and his marriage at once, as well as the moment when he took a six-pack on the hill to overlook his town trying to sort his thoughts. Those real details make Alex much easier to identify with, and make the book a much more interesting read. The inter-office politics and the scout trip are also two really good areas of the book just for the entertainment value. The late night escapades with co-workers are also mildly fun to read, but I especially liked the way that Goldratt hinted at Alex developing feelings for a co-worker before getting back with his wife. A plot twist like that is far more than I expected from the book by simply looking it. I would recommend this book to any students interested in learning about the fundamentals of the theory of constraints or managerial accounting in general. The fluidity of the book (I read it in about 2 days, a shockingly fast rate of page turns for an assigned book) and the general principles behind the book make it a good choice for an introduction to accounting, or at least far better than a textbook. I would also recommend this book to a manager just because knowledge is power. The theories prescribed in this book may or may not work for an individual corporation, but it is at least worth a read because the said manager's company could really benefit from implementing such a system. If the company would not benefit from it, the manager still read a pretty good book.

I stopped ready after 33 pgs. & found reviews and summaries
The concept is good. But the marriage details that surround it were TOO MUCH. The points could have been given in overview format and much more concisely stated.

I got tired of this fast, because I don't have time to read it all. I read about 2 books a weeks, but not when I have to sit through a bunch of boring details.

Intead, I like the setup of "Mastering the Rockefeller Habits." The first chapter was designed for executives who won't spend the time reading the whole thing, but instead want an overview to quickly grasp the point of the book. These busy readers are then instructed to find the chapters that they are interested in and read up as needed. I recommend reading the whole book, "Mastering the Rockefeller Habits" but I like the option to read or just review!

Unfortunately, I didn't have this option with "The Goal."

Easy read, but tends to drag at end
Straight forward & easy to follow reading. The Theory Of Constraints portion was a bit dumbed down and a the romance thread was a little tiresome, but all in all it was a decent read. The last 50 pages are a complete bore...just kept dragging along so I suggest you close the book once you think the hero has saved the town - you won't miss a thing.

The Best Introduction to Operation Management
"Common sense is not so common." -- Voltaire

The beauty of this work is that it is able to distill complex but dry operational management issues and transform them into easy to follow conceptual framework that is both enlightening and entertaining. The solutions to the problems are stated in plain language that appear almost like common sense, but "common sense is not so common."

This book is a must-read for operation consultants, VCs, and restructuring artists. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a "must have" for anyone whose job requires writing clear, professional reports, memos, e-mail, or letters.Helps readers refine their existing communications skills while learning how to communicate effectively via various mediums, including the Internet and other technologies. Listening, working in teams, and understanding nonverbal communication are also covered and a handy appendix includes grammar and usage fundamentals.For readers in all levels of business interested in improving their communications skills. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great for reference
Although I owned the 6th edition, I can say this book is a must have for everyone. Actually I was a silent person and everytime I wanted to talk, I was a bit trouble sometimes, and this book has help me communicating easier, whether it is business or general.

With this book, started with easy to understand short-theory, move into non-verbal communications, divided by step-by-step preparations, suggestions, how-to-practice, then into verbal communications with letters, from routine & persuasive messages into how to deliver bad news (one of the hardest task), how to create report, how to make visual aids, how to make presentations, and how to make a job letter.

One of greatest feature is it provides many sample letters include few other culture or other countries' style letters, and along with it, there's a reason why he or she write that. There's also some tips how to write in e-mail, or make recorded voice for telephone systems.

This is a must have for everyone, include those who never attended this lecture.

Buisness Communication today
This is a fantastic book. It can be used for reference at home and at work. It helped me fine tune my job resume and also helps in communications between companies at work. Keep this book, you never know when you need a letter format or an outline for some other form of written communication.

Comprehensive and easy to understand
This book is really good to help me understand my course. It was well developed and accounted for basic skills needed for people to develop their skills. It was full of useful, colourful illustrations and easy to comprehend. The exercises were excellent and it did make me really able to detect my mistakes. The book would be helpful for future references (example: attending interviews, writing letters). I wouldn't even trade this book with another since I found it will help me to improve my skills in communicating and writing.

The only complete book of business communication
I did enjoy every page of this book, although I haven't read all of them. It's more an encyclopedia, which you may use in your day-to-day business, than something you will read straight through over the weekend. Very valuable and up-to-date were the chapters about intercultural and e-mail communication. Strong recommendation. ... Read more

Book Description

This Sixth Edition of Business and Administrative Communication by Kitty Locker is a true leader in the business communications field. Beyond covering the broad scope of topics in both oral and written business communication, Locker’s text uses a student-friendly writing style and strong design element to hold student attention. Real-world examples and real business applications underscore the relevance and importance of the material presented to the classroom experience and to the students’ careers. Kitty Locker’s text also conveys the best possible advice to students through its research base; the author’s reputation as a contributor to this field of study lends an even greater element of teachability and relevance to this market-leading title. Locker continues to lead the pack with innovative technology offerings – the BComm Skill Booster, PowerWeb, and the Toolbox CD-ROM – round out the learning experience with Business and Administrative Communication. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good Communication good business
A good primer for a student or review for the experienced manager who wants to hone communications skills.It includes information and exercises on just about every mode and type of communication.I will not give it 4 stars as the web site does not have much worth looking at and the CD is pretty useless as well.

Effective Business Writing Text
Kitty Locker's Business and Administrative Communication, 5th ed. is the most considerate educational text I've reviewed for my business writing course. My classes typically include upper level English majors, but it is not uncommon for business majors and ESL students to register too. This student diversity usually presents difficulties because their writing abilities vary tremendously. Thankfully, I found Locker's text. It provides examples of real-life business writing and Internet communication situations highlighted with graphics, sidebars, tables and pictures colorfully presented. This textual consideration, I found, enables students to grasp both the theory and the reality of business communication outside their academic walls.

business communication
it's good!But I don't know if it's true

Locker provides quality advice on business communication.
Kitty Locker's latest edition of Business and Administrative Communicationincludes the writing basics as well excellent information on usingelectronic media.The strongest part of this book? The examples.Theyreliably demonstrate the principles she introduces.Although expensive, Ibelieve this book provides excellent value.I use it in a junior-levelcollege business communication class. ... Read more

Book Description

Organizational Behavior clearly illustrates how a sound understanding of organizational behavior can help students successfully navigate the complexities of today's organizations. The text itself is grounded in the theory of the field, cultivating an understanding of the scientific foundation of organization behavior. That foundation is then applied to the contemporary realities of today's business environment through in depth and insightful explorations of some of today's most compelling organizations. Throughout the text students are challenged to think critically about the material at hand and their own attitudes, refining the organization behavior tools that they will continually develop and employ throughout their careers. The prevailing theme of the text is change and the demands it places on people and organizations to grow and adjust while maintaining well being in an environment of constant and rapid change. Expertly written with a vibrant illustrations and design, Organizational Behavior, Fourth Edition is sure to engage your students. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Decent for learning
This book is very good. It is best suited for a student who is willing to put a good amount of time into his/her studying. The reason I say this is because it is very detailed, the diffenitions are very thorough and at times confusing, and there is a wide range of topics covered. It probably would not be good for a first year student unless they really want to learn the material which is a little dry at times. I thought that the opening cases in each chapter was a good way to tie the material to real life situations. Overall, this is a great tool for learning.

Organizational Behavior
We used this book as our textbook for Organizational Behavior this semester, and I found it to be extremely helpful.The writing is clear and concise, and the chapters are divided into four parts that make the distinction between individual and group study clear.There are plenty of graphs, tables, and diagrams, which illustrate the theories and statistics clearly.Most helpful, however, were the vocabulary definitions and the chapter summaries, which alleviated some of the pre-test stress.

Org. Beh. review from Kate Sirko in Harlaxton, ENGLAND
The book, Organizational Behavior: Foundations, Realities, and Challenges by Debra Nelson and James Quick is a good source for anyone interested in learning about the behavior in organizations.It involves everything from the general concepts of organizational behavior to the detailed structure and processes within an organization.The graphs and charts help the visual learners, such as myself to better understand important concepts and theories.After each chapter, the authors displays summaries for the learner to review important key terms and concepts before reading on to the next chapter.Unfortunately, the defintions of the majority of the terms throughout the book can be described in a simple, easy to understand way, but the authors fail to do so. On the other hand, various case studies fill the book for students to get involved in class discussions and debates.Overall, this book is a good source for professors and teachers to utilize in their classrooms.

Evan's Insight
This book provides a very clear, simple difinition of Organizational Behavior.The subheadings and bold words make it easy to understand what is necessary for comprehension.Also the current issues and up to date examples make it easy for the reader to engage in the material at hand.However, the books multiple use of models can be somewhat confusing.I also feel that the author uses over-detailed deffinitions of words that could be much easier defined.The chapters are somewhat lengthy and need to be more concise.The review sessions at the end of each chapter were very helpful and porvided good key's to what was neccessary for retention.If anyone doesn't know what Organizational Behavior is they should definaltely check out this book!

Evan's Insight
This book provides a very simple and clear layout of Organizational Behavior.The headings and bold words make it easy to understand what is important and necessary for comprehension.The current issues and real life examples also make this book user friendly.However, the multiple use of models in this book can be somewhat confusing.The chapters are somewhat lengthy packing a lot of informatin in.I also feel that this book gives over-detailed definitions of words that can be much simpler defined.Overall this book does a good job of engaging the reader in the material at hand.The review sessions at the end of each chapter were very helpful and a definate bonus to help the reader learn necessary information.If anyone is unclear of what organizational behavoir is then they sould deffinately check out this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Ole!

If you think you smell something at work, there's probably good reason -- "bull" has become the official language of business. Every day, we get bombarded by an endless stream of filtered, antiseptic, jargon-filled corporate speak, all of which makes it harder to get heard, harder to be authentic, and definitely harder to have fun.

But it doesn't have to be that way. The team that brought you the Clio Award-winning Bullfighter software is back with an entertaining, bare-knuckled guide to talking straight--for those who want to climb the corporate ladder, but refuse to check their personality at the door.

Why Business People Speak Like Idiots exposes four traps that transform us from funny, honest and engaging weekend people into boring business stiffs:

• The Obscurity Trap: "After extensive analysis of the economic factors facing our industry, we have concluded that a restructuring is essential to maintaining competitive position. A task force has been assembled..." These are the empty calories of business communication. And, unfortunately, they're the rule. The Obscurity Trap catches idiots desperate to sound smart or prove their purpose, and lures them with message-killers like jargon, long-windedness, acronyms, and evasiveness.

• The Anonymity Trap: Businesses love clones--easy to hire, easy to manage, easy to train, easy to replace--and almost everyone is all too happy to oblige. We outsource our voice through templates, speechwriters and email, and cave in to conventions that aren't really even rules.

• The Hard-Sell Trap: Legions of business people fall prey to the Hard-Sell Trap. We overpromise. We accentuate the positive and pretend the negative doesn't exist. This may work for those pushing Ginsu knives and miracle Abdominizers, but it's dead wrong for persuading business people to listen.

• The Tedium Trap: Everyone you work with thinks about sex, tells stories, gets caught up in life's amazing details, and judges everyone else by the way they look and act. We live to be entertained. We all learned that in Psychology 101, except for the business idiots who must have skipped that semester. They tattoo their long executive-sounding titles on their foreheads, dump pre-packaged numbers on their audience, and virtually guarantee that we want nothing to do with them.

This is your wake-up call. Personality, humanity and candor are being sucked out of the workplace. Let the wonks send their empty messages. Yours are going to connect.

Fast Company magazine named Why Business People Speak Like Idiots one of the ideas and trends that will change how we work and live in 2005.

So grab your cape and sharpen your sword. It's time to fight the bull! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful
The title of this book should be: Why Business People Speak Like Idiots: And How To Overcome Sounding Like One Yourself.

I'm saying this because the title doesn't accurately describe how many great recommendations and ideas the book contains, for improving communicating, influencing, and relationship building skills. This book is chock full of ideas to strengthen verbal, written and presentation approaches. After reading this book you'll never again sit through another jargon-filled, tedious meeting or presentation without harkening back to the concise, crisp ideas set forth in this book.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Excellent book! Its about time someone cut thru the esoteria
How many times have you read a phrase in a book, financial report, consultant's report, or technical journal that, when you finished, you asked, "What did that just say?" If this esoteric jargon drives you nuts, and makes you wonder why the author uses these terms/phrases, then WHY BUSINESS PEOPLE SPEAK LIKE IDIOTS: A BULLFIGHTERS GUIDE is a book to read. IDIOTS calls to task the disingenuous garbage many corporate types call "reporting." Many just wanting to get by will drink the koolaid and allow these items to pass without exception.

Fugere, Hardaway, Warshawsky are three consultants, "addicts" if you will, who have decided to get off the jargon-riddled bandwagon. They detail how generic corporate atmospheres have mutated business from one of communication and meaning to one of faux intellectual elitism. Those deriding this seemingly overwhelming problem have found that speaking to the masses is much easier when one tries NOT to speak Greek.

The three authors, in an effort to spread the word virally, have created a software program called, appropriately, Bullfighter. The purpose of the program is to scour MS Word and PowerPoint documents to rid them of "jargon-mania."

Every profession creates its own jargon so insiders can discuss their livelihoods in a form of esoteric shorthand. However, jargon becomes a problem when it is used to lord over others or make them feel inferior, Warshawsky said.

The authors have studied the reception to their concept by setting up shop in an ever-busy Starbucks to take a simple survey. They showed patrons one of two actual company writing samples: one was jargon-less, while the other was the typical junk-filled jargon-based smoke and mirrors. The authors asked the patrons to assign adjectives to each communiqué. The jargon-laden sample consistently earned words like "rude and obnoxious" while the clearly written one was called "energetic" and "friendly." 'Nuff said.

In sum, this book cuts directly to the chase of the confusing, mind-numbing rhetoric, and offers an alternative. As one who reads legal and financial documents for a living, this book fits the bill, and none too soon. If you read these types of documents in your work or are just tired of the insanity of double-speak, pick this book up and read it.

Highly recommended.

Great gift for your clients and collegues who are full of it
Easy and fun read on bull... more than just bull actually. Great insight into how things work in corporate america and how bull has affected so much of our lives. Great analogies and comparisons from current events makes the book an interesting and easy read.

This book will make a great gift for your clients, collegues, bosses and others who are full of it and you just can't tell them "Don't gimme none o' that jibba-jabba!".

Finally - it's OK to be "normal" at work...
Read the book cover to cover and have it sitting on my desk (I'm in Human Resources) for my colleauges to pick up, peruse, commit to memory etc.This book could not come at a better time, when being genuine and authentic in this world is so important.People want to forge real and effective connections at work - we spend a lot of time here.When there is a lack of bull, it's amazing how much you can get done.I am recommending our leaders across the company be given the book to read, as well as our new hires.Long live the bullfighters!

A Refreshing Look at Business
I found this book both enjoyable and useful for any businessperson. After reading the authors witty and candid views on business communications, I think of this book before every speaking/writing opportunity I have on a daily basis. I also appreciated the use of humor and the role it plays in making work a more personal and genuine place. The authors advocate a refreshing return to simplicity, which is long overdue inside of all our organizations. Do yourself a favor, read this and get a copy for your co-workers! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In a global economy, it is crucial for business peopleto be sensitive to cultural differences. And although the best reason for doing so may be ethical, it's great for business as well! This is an invaluable book for "doing well while doing good" in your intercultural relations, covering the protocols of appointments, business entertaining, greetings, forms of address, gestures, dress, and gifts in 60 of the nations you're most likely to be doing business. Some interesting excerpts:

• Australia:The "thumbs-up" sign, which in the U.S. indicates "O.K." is considered rude.
  
• Brazil:The colors of the Brazilian flag are green and yellow, so avoid wearing this combination in any fashion.
  
• China:Avoid making exaggerated gestures or using dramatic facial expressions. The Chinese do not generally use their hands when speaking, and become distracted by a speaker who does.
  
• Indonesia:Since it is impolite to disagree with someone, Indonesians rarely say "no"...a clear way to indicate "no" is to suck in air through the teeth.

The authors are very aware that no generalizations apply to all residents of a nation, and are careful not to stereotype or judge. Highly recommended to any business traveler--or any student of the diversity of human cultures.

(Note: a great companion volume for this book is Gestures, which is devoted entirely to explaining the varieties of hand gestures in 82 countries!) ...