Book Description

In Launching New Ventures, Allen prepares students to spearhead new initiatives—paying special attention to the process and activities required before a start-up can open for business. A conversational approach engages and encourages students to rely on this text as more than just a reference book. Real-world case studies, new venture checklists, plus Allen's own firsthand experience guide students through the logical process of recognizing an opportunity, testing a business concept, and implementing a formal business plan.

• Stressing the early stages of the process, Allen outlines the importance of completing a feasibility analysis prior to developing a business plan—unlike other texts that focus immediately on business plans.
• The Third Edition covers change management, deal structure, database and guerrilla marketing, emerging business models, and business failure.
• Internet Resources, an annotated list of URLs at the end of each chapter, refer students to relevant web sites for more information on chapter concepts.
• Hands-on tools appear at appropriate points throughout, such as outlines for a feasibility plan, a business plan, and an operational plan—plus a 20-point test to verify the status of independent contractors, an incorporation checklist, and a new products checklist.

Reviews (1)

Most informative book in 8 years of business college
This book fully explains how to start a real entrepreneurialventure and make it a success! The author is the bestexpert in the field. I was introduced to this book throughan instructor who had made this book required readingfor a credit class. Instead of wasting hundreds of dollars on some seminar to start a small business, purchase and use this book to discover how much success you canachieve by thinking "outside" of the box. Launch a venture that can give real financial support to you and your employees. Who knows, you may be the next Bill Gates just needing some basic tools to start. Here are those tools. .......... Michael Taylor .......... V.P. Students in Free Enterprise ..........University of North Florid ... Read more

Book Description

Discover how wealth is actually created, the psychology of personal success, how to think and live as an entrepreneur, and how to succeed in network marketing. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Dare to Dream, Work to Win
I've just recently gotten into the networking business and found this book to be very helpfull! I have increased my sales and more! I would recommend this to anyone getting started in networking. The book was in great shape when I recieved it and the service from amazon is awesome!

Wish I have heard of this book long ago! But glad I found it
Great amazing book about the in and out of Networking Marketing!
IT is NOT PYRAMID SCAMS.. but it is a legit business opporunity and this book help you determine which company is legit and not legit...

u do not get rich overnight.. you have to work hard and as a result of hard work you get compenseate CEO's salary...that is a fact... sure beats slaving away for a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.. I feel that the present economy, high unemployment's rates and corporate's scandals left a bad taste in everyone. So go into business for yourself and as an IBO.. the sky is the limit and you can only go as far you can go!

Anyway - this book is awesome! Very informative and honest and direct!

For those looking into a Direct Sales opportunity.. pls call Donna Harris @ 404 510 7972 and she will get back to you. A small investment is require for nothing is free in life!

Thanks!

Great book about the "Ins and Outs" of Networking
This is, hands down, one of the best books I have read on Network Marketing. If you have never encountered MLM or perhaps have had a "bad" experience in MLM or have some preconceived negative notion about MLM, then read this book and it will help clear up the "bad" and confusion.

Dr. Barrett had spent years researching the different MLM systems and the people who work them (both successful and those who have been unsuccessful) and compiled his final research in this book.

Dr. Barrett describes how those who have been successful in MLM gained that success, what they did "right" to be successful and describes it in great detail in part one. In part two, he moves into the psychology of failure, doubt, etc. and how to overcome some of these "obstacles" in order to be successful in MLM. Finally, in part three, Dr. Barrett discusses the various approaches used to help others be successful - good leadership skills. Teach, lead and coach is the right track and Barrett details this. Putting others first is the principle behind Dr. Barrett's leadership method.

This is a great book for those who are considering a Network Business. In fact, this is a great book for those who are considering any type of business because what is taught in these pages is practiced by every major chain corporation in the world.

Dare to dream, work to win
Anyone considering network marketing as a career needs to read this book. It is insightful and gives specific steps to a plan to be successful. Definitely one of the most useful books I have read on the subject.

This book tackles the issues of why most people quit MLM!
I literally couldn't put this book down. Dr. Barrett tells readers frankly why most people quit MLM. Whenever I feel down, I go to a highlighted place in my book and read it and I am completely boosted! I help my team members do the same. Because of this book, I don't doubt my success ... I KNOW I will be successful in MLM. As Dr. Barrett says, it's simple (not easy, but simple) to become successful beyond your wildest dreams. ... Read more

Book Description

Offering a unique balance of industry and academic experience, this unique author team presents the latest in financial theory while maintaining a strong real-world connection. Aiming to engage rather than intimidate, they offer a book that is reader-focused yet does not water down content. Their consistent approach focuses on value: what creates value, what destroys it, how value is measured, and how value and risk are related.Offers web-based Interactive Modules that provide extensions of the material presented in the book, such as Excel spreadsheets and Internet links. Bundles with the book Prentice Hall's Mastering Finance CD that includes video clips and other material to illustrate concepts. Features an earlier presentation of the cost of capital (to Chapter 9 from Chapter 12), preceding capital budgeting and cash flow estimation chapters. Provides all-new material on business valuation techniques.Perfect for the financial analyst, marketing manager, or information technology manager who wants an updated reference on financial topics. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent book for starters!!! Great job....Gallagher
This is an excellent book for those who want to delve into finance. It is equivalent to 2nd year material. Finance, most often offered in 3rd year here in Canada, requires knowledge of statistics (i.e. stats, econometrics...etc Intermediate level; 2nd year) when reviewing certain budgeting options; you won't need this for the book. Don't be dismaid, your not missing key information by using this 2nd year stuff (you get all of the math too at an easier to comprehend level).
The disk included with mine helps to build your financial knowledge through a website connection and with practice, but this is not mandatory and is designed for the hardcore finance junkies like myself.
It is only a 4-star because I want more challenging material, but being a 2nd year course I have to wait until 3rd year. ... Read more

Book Description

- Turn beans into bucks -Build a winning sales team -Deliver WOW! customer service ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Best book for the beans
We are opening a coffee house in 4 months and, needless to say, I have been reading and researching tons of books. Not just on the coffee world, but on insuring a small business as well as other legal insights. This book has been a HUGE resource for our venture. It is an easy read, meaning, it doesn't numb your mind for countless pages discussing, say, insurance. Let me add that it does talk about insurance, and I thank the authors for that. They explain complicated business talk with clear and consise examples. They also tend to weigh situations against other situations. For example, when drawing up the plans, they give you three ways of doing it (yourself, a draftsman, and an architect) and explain the pros and cons of each. This is consistent throughout the book and they go on to explain why or why not certain things work. They discuss marketing, staffing and the interview process, equipment tips, design layout, decor, etc. This is obviously written from the stand point of people who have been there. They cover all the bases about getting your shop up and running while touching on some potential pitfalls and how to avoid them. And if you get in a bind, they discuss how to get out of it. My highlighter has gotten a workout and I am passing this on to my co-owners to read. I am grateful to have found this book and only wish I had found it sooner to save money on the previous "coffee house" books I have purchased. This book exceeded my expectations as it went beyond the basics and truly is the only book you'll ever need. I was impressed to see that they covered LLC's, C corporations, and, S corporations...where people can't sue and go after your homes, bank accounts, personal assets, etc. Our attorney recomended an LLC for our type of operation and I was relieved to see that this book brought the topic up. Thanks to the authors for being the most complete work out there (in my opinion) on starting your business THE RIGHT WAY from the start.

Excellent book.
I found "Start and Run a Profitable Coffee Bar" an excellent book for restaurant novice such as myself. I have operated a business but not a restaurant or coffee shop. This book is excellent. It provided many different forms which would be useful in running a coffee bar. The book also included in an appendix coffee organizations and suppliers, helping the novice tremendously. I would definitely recommend purchasing this book if you are interested in starting a coffee bar or shop.

Not Worth the money
This book did not really come up with anything that one can not find at the public library or the internet. It tells you about the good things that you would like to hear and thus painting a rosy and an unrealistic picture. The information is somewhat general, and for the most part not realistic and/or outdated. In short, it's not worth the money.

GREAT!!!!!
This book was absolutely wonderful! I did not want to put it down. The authors put a lot of thought into what you should know about opening and running your new or already established coffee bar. Very detailed! I wanted to run out and open my business right after I read this book. :-) But, research, research, research will have you better prepared. It wouldn't hurt to have this book under your arm the whole time either!

I am so glad I bought it! It was well worth my time and money! Thanks for the reviews on this book. They played a huge part in purchasing this book.

Very good book for beginners.
This book offered different ideas and suggestions that I had not thought of while planning for my new business. It was well written and easy to understand for a beginner. I really enjoyed learning about different coffees and roasting techniques without getting so much information that I thought that I was in school or something. It gave just enough information and helped provide a good starting point for my business plan. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

A good way to view your future
Book Review: The Art of the Long View

¡®The Art of the Long View¡¯ by Peter Schwartz is a book about planning our future. Different to the past, which we already knew, and the present, which is going on, it is impossible to tell what the future will be. However, people, companies, cities, and states, as well as the world like to know about their future. Thus, we could plan the future with a forecasting skill, scenario writing.

Schwartz suggests a long view for the future planning. He argues that scenarios are tools for helping us to take a long view in a great uncertainty rather than simply predicting the future. Admitting the uncertainty of scenario, the author insists that it is possible for us to prepare for the future.

The purpose of this book is giving a guideline to build scenarios. The author explains uncovering decisions, information hunting and gathering, creating scenario building blocks, composing plots, and writing scenarios. Moreover, he suggests the eight steps of developing scenarios (Step 1. Identify focal issue or decision, 2. Key forces in the local environment, 3. Driving forces, 4. Rank by importance and uncertainty, 5. Selecting scenario logics, 6. Fleshing out the scenarios, 7. Implications, 8. Selection of leading indicators and signposts) which are helpful for scenario writers.

I agree with the author in terms of that scenarios are tools for long view. Although scenarios have much of uncertainty, they are needed for planning. It is better to have plans for people and organizations even the results are different to plans. With social, economic, political, and technological points of views, scenarios could be sufficient alternative future.

Liberate your insights!
In "The Art of the Long View," Peter Schwartz, one of the world leading futurists introduces the concepts of scenario planning. He argues that scenario thinking is an art not a science, and people in general has an innate ability to build scenarios, and to foresee the future. From the book, the readers can learn how to build their own future scenarios. They are neither predictions nor mere extrapolations of the present trends. They help us to know the shape of unfolding future reality. A good scenario must have surprised elements with power to break the stereotypes.

The general principles of scenario planning are neatly summarized in the appendix, "Steps to Developing Scenarios." They compose of: Step One: identify the focal issue or decision; Step Two: list the key Micro-Factors relevant to that issue or decision; Step Three: list the key Macro-Driving Forces; Step Four: cross-rank Factors and Forces in terms of importance and uncertainty; Step Five: select Scenario Logic; Step Six: flesh out Scenarios; Step Seven: identify Probable Implications; and Step Eight: select Leading Indicators and Signposts. However, the order of the steps may be muddled in some cases.

For me, as a former employee of Shell in Cambodia, it is an eye-opening reading. I wish I had read this book before I started to develop the promotion plan for Shell Cambodia. The great pleasure of adopting a constant futurist's perspective on things is that it forces you to think of different possible ways things may happen and have at hand the answers to the "what if...?" questions either plausible or implausible. Then comes a mindshift that leads to the change in behavior in managing organization, let it be global corporation like Royal Dutch Shell or AT&T and small family businesses. It is an excellent read if you want to liberate your insights from your existing "mental map".

What a great book?
You have to buy The Art of the Long View. I don't know how to explain how great the book is. Don't hesitate to grap one

Open Your Brain and Reperceive the World
This book will help you to learn the scenario planning process. At the beginning, the author presents a short but insightful example how scenario playing an important role for starting up a gardening tool company. The author also shares an "information hunting and gathering process" which tell you where to get some helpful data. Various factors influencing the futures are also discussed (including socials, politics, economic, technologies, and environment). In addition, at the end of the book, the author provides a user's guide (eight steps of how to hold a strategic conversation) and eight steps to develop scenarios which I found very useful. The book enables us to use scenario planning as a tool to deal with uncertain futures. Scenarios help us to awake and "reperceive" others possible and impossible alternative futures including both short and long term. The author also believes that a good scenario leads you to ask better questions. The point of scenario-planning is "to help us suspend our disbelieve in all the futures: to allow us to think that any on of them might place. Then, we can prepare for what we DO NOT think is going to happen." (p.195)

However, one annoying thing in this book is that the author keeps referring to chapters (e.g. look in chapter 7) but physically, there are just no chapters number indicated in the book. There are just short titles in the table of content and at the beginning of each chapter. You have to go back and forth between the TOC and chapters to to see which one is actually being referred. However, I consider this is a minor issue comparing to what you will learn from this book.

You may find this book useful if you are preparing for your strategic plans, making decisions having critical impacts to your firm or your personal life, or even you are just an ordinary reader, this book will open your mind to a new level of critical thinking and imagination about unfolding futures. Highly recommend.

Scenario for personal life
As an international student who stays in Hawaii for a while, Peter Schwartz's The Art of the Long View inspired me to make planning for my future whether in Hawaii or other places. His explanations about scenario building may be adapted to my personal life as well as in business to plan my better life in future. Moreover, as a human being, we have an innate ability to build scenarios and to forecast the future. He said that scenarios are apparatuses for helping us to acquire a long view in a great uncertainty rather than simply predicting the future. Therefore, it is possible to prepare for our future.

In real time, the eight steps of developing scenarios which he suggested in his book are used in many fields. Most websites about forecasting adopt his idea as a basic foundation to prepare alternative future with social, economic, political, and technological points of views. Although he said scenario building as "art" not "science", it may not reduce the important of scenario building to identify alternative dimensions of future by recognizing the driving forces and composing the plots.

I recommend for a beginner in particularly non-native English speaker in forecasting or in future planning reading this book as a guide. His guide is easy and simple to apply for everyone to anticipate unexpected changes. ... Read more

Book Description

Provides a rare look at the situational framework used in building a project management toolbox.
* Includes real-world examples of toolboxes used in a variety of project situations.
* Bridges the gap between theoretical and applied project management. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"Project Management Toolbox" Helps Win Projects!
I don't share many of my consulting "know-how" secrets, but in this case I will, because I think the field of PM will benefit from the ideas presented in this book. After working 20 years in the consulting and project management field, I felt I was as knowledgeable as one could be about managing projects. Then one day, I came across Dragan's PM ToolBox. WOW! Every page is an eye opener. And this book really is a toolbox because its filled with detailed examples, report layouts, checklists, and figures which I have personally incorporated into my projects management and documentation. And those work examples have helped me win additional PM business many times over.

If you think this is just another "Here are the PM process steps" book, then click on by. But if you do, you will miss out on the chance to reach a higher level of excellence in the field of project management that will set you apart from the rest.

Thanks Dragan for a job well done!!

Put This Book on Your Desk, Not on Your Bookshelf!
Prof. Milosevic's Project Management Toolbox is to the practitioner of Project Management what the Physicians' Desk Reference is to practitioners of medicine. As the name appropriately implies, this book contains just about every tool and technique one can imagine to be used to manage, and assess projects effectively. But not one or two tools for every phase of a project, but several -- or to quote a cliche -- "a tool for every occasion".

Sound project management techniques are clearly described, substantiated by research, and presented in an easy to understand format. But Milosevic goes even further -- he details how to use each tool, when to use each tool, and when the use of a particular tool may not be appropriate. He even goes so far to present comparisons (pros and cons) of comparable tools (complete with sample form templates that can be put to immediate use), so that the project manager reading the book can select the most appropriate tool or technique to use for his/her particular project and/or organizational environment.

The book is organized logically, and in such a way that after you read the first chapter (which explains the theory & structure of the book), it isn't really necessary to read the book sequentially to put the concepts to practical use.

Whether you're a seasoned project manager, or a manager without much practical experience managing projects, you'll find this book useful and informative. Not merely from an academic point of view, but from a practical one as well.

That's why I recommend that you don't put the book on your bookshelf. Put it on your desk and you'll use it constantly to resolve immediate project management issues, as well as serving as an indispensable project management desk reference. ... Read more

Book Description

Pearls from The LITTLE BOOK OF BUSINESS WISDOM

"The man who starts out simply with the idea of getting rich won't succeed; you must have a larger ambition."-JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER

"Think about the customer, not the competition: Competitors represent your industry's past, as, over the years, collective habits become ingrained. Customers are your future, representing new opportunities, ideas, and avenues for growth."-MICHAEL S. DELL

"You've got to be out in front of crowds, repeating yourself over and over again, never changing your message no matter how much it bores you." -JACK WELCH

"Always break orders to save owners. There never was a great character who did not sometimes smash the routine regulations and make new ones for himself." -ANDREW CARNEGIE

"Don't speak up at a meeting until you have something meaningful to contribute. Talking to attract attention may call attention to your blank spots." -JO FOXWORTH

"Make 'em feel guilty when they do nothing. One thing I can't stand is people who don't act on a situation. I'd rather that people make mistakes than sit around and not do something."-DAVE THOMAS ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A good read and very thought provoking
I gave this book 4 stars because, while it was refreshing to read and I definitely learned quite a bit, it wasn't a paradigm-shifting book, which is what I am increasingly moving towards for my 5 star books.

I personally love the art of business. Yeah, you read that right........business is an art...

The Little Book of Business Wisdom has tons of useful information (over 50 different short stories/essays) that you could apply to your business or to understand what differentiates average companies from great companies. I underlined more than average when reading this book. I read this book hoping to learn some insightful comments and business practices to apply to my business once I get it up and running. I am trying to plan for the future and all of these business leaders have experienced phenomenal success and growth or trained those business leaders. This book is definitely worth picking up and is a KEEPER! If you are interested in a comparable book worth picking up you may want to look at Every Mistake in the Book by F.J. Lennon as I found this book to be a very straight book from a guy that ran his own company.

Another "Classic" Resource from Krass
I really admire the talents of Peter Krass who has brilliantly edited a number of "Wisdom" books, this being the most recent. Once again, he has assembled a collection of more than 50 essays written by what are correctly referred to as "business legends." Here is how the material is organized:

Part I: Management Principles (eg Lee Iacocca and John Erik Jonsson)

Part II: Leadership Secrets (eg John F. Welch, Jr. and Robert Townsend)

Part III: Qualities for Personal Management (eg David Ogilvy and Andrew S. Grove)

Part IV: Wall Street Wizards (eg Sir John M. Templeton and Peter Lynch)

Part V: Gunslingers and the Entrepreneurial Drive (eg P.T. Barnum and Lillian Vernon)

Part VI: The Gurus (eg Warren Bennis and Peter F. Drucker)

Part VII: Builders of Culture (eg Howard M. Schultz and Mary Kay Ash)

Part VIII: Maxims for Life (eg Carley Fiorina and Benjamin Franklin)

You get the idea. I should add that some of the specific titles are probably not readily available anywhere else. For example, J.C. Penney's "Six Principles for Winning", Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield's "Our Aspirations", and Al Neuharth's "An S.O.B.'s Ten Secrets to Success." This would make a terrific holiday gift for your business associates, customers, etc. but also (especially) for recent or imminent graduates who are committed to a career in business.

Please do not ignore Krass's Introduction. As always, he offers excellent insights of his own as well as remarks which help to create an appropriate context for the essays which follow. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Games, and more games!
This book is nothing more than a collection of games. Practice must be based on theory. The authors' approach will not lead to lasting change.

It's a very helpful.
I think this book is very available for lecturers and practicioners. I would like to know about some additional materials such as VIDEO CASES, Accumen personal computer softwate, and Louts 1-2-3 templates. Please give me the above information. I want to puchase these materials. sincerely yours. ... Read more

Book Description

In e-Learning and the Science of Instruction authors Ruth Colvin Clark and Richard E. Mayer— internationally recognized experts in the field of e-learning— offer essential information and guidelines for selecting, designing, and developing e-learning courses that build knowledge and skills for workers learning in corporate, government, and academic settings. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A great deal of research in e-learning summarized
Over several million years, humans have learned from other humans, by speech, action and observation. It can be strongly argued that this is hard-wired into our genes, as the survival advantages of communication and learning from each other are obvious. In the last few decades, a new and fundamentally different form of learning has emerged. This form of learning requires only one human, the learner. Instruction is carried out via a computer, which has the advantage that it never grows frustrated or impatient with the student and will repeat the lesson an indefinite number of times.
However, the first attempts to replace the human instructor were not successful. Early programs that were little more than drill and practice were dull and students lost interest very quickly. The repetitive nature and lack of originality proved to be a near-fatal weakness. The first online courses were little more than correspondence courses, where the correspondence was electronic rather than via letters. As was the case with correspondence courses, a small percentage of the students did well, but most found them inadequate.
It turns out that the successful electronic delivery of learning material is very hard, much harder than the traditional method. It requires new forms of thought and a great deal of attention to detail such as colors and sounds. Electronic delivery also requires a level of sensory stimulation, such as a combination of visual and audio, which is consistent with traditional modes of learning.
Therefore, until computers reached the point where the instruction could be multimedia and user-driven, e-learning could never really be a viable alternative. Now, that has changed and this book contains a large amount of collected wisdom about how to construct and evaluate quality lessons. The authors summarize an enormous amount of research in the field, presenting it in an easy to understand manner. I created online courses for a college and instructional material for my corporate training classes before I read the book and I found their pointers to be right on the mark. They described many of the problems I encountered and their proposed solutions were generally similar to those I found through trial and error.
If you are considering either the development of online courses or are evaluating some for purchase, then you should read this book. The current power of computers can easily convince you that electronic education is much easier than it actually is, and this book will help you avoid making errors.

excellent content, okay readability
Although I agree with the reader from Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada that the book reads like a university textbook, I have found it very useful for designing and justifying my designs of online instruction. When someone wants you to change your design, you can respond by saying, "According to Clark and Mayer, people who learn from integrated text and graphics performed 68% better." Stats like that help to justify budgets!

One of the very best
I have been developing and teaching online courses for several years and have an extensive library that I have collected over that time. I have found this book to be one of the four or five I return to on a regular basis.

As a person who serves as a reviewer for other faculty work, I lament that this book is not required reading. In addition to discussing how to correctly use technology it also spends significant time looking at how students learn and how we, as faculty, should adress students in an online environment.

Too Boring and Academic
I found this book boring and not all that practical. It reads like a university textbook rather than a helpful resource for e-learning designers and developers. The example screens are often busy and it is often difficult to perceive the point that is being made. I live by the 80/20 rule, and wish that this book focused on the 20% of the content that will give 80% of the benefit.

Finally!
THIS is the book I have been looking for! It seems that most of the other books on e-learning start with instructional design principles and cover basic HTML and multimedia aspects of moving a course to the web. This book covered researched principles on what on the web helps and hurts learning. Although I do recommend learning instructional design as a starting point for all your on-line classes, this book will be invaluable when it comes to deciding how to present the content. ... Read more

Book Description

Campbell outlines a blueprint for a world class maintenanceprogram by examining, piece by piece, its essential elements -leadership (strategy and management), control (data management,measures, tactics, planning and scheduling), continuous improvement(RCM and TPM), and quantum leaps (process reengineering). He explainseach element in detail, using simple language and practical examplesfrom a wide range of industries. This book is for every manager whoneeds to see the "big picture" of maintenance management. In additionto maintenance, engineering, and manufacturing managers, all businessmanagers will benefit from this comprehensive and realistic approach toimproving asset performance. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Uptime is tops for understanding Maintenance Management.
A must read for anyone in or about to enter the vast realm of Maintenance Management. John Campbell takes you through the strategies with easy to understand terms and concepts. All the buzz words are there TPM, RCM, CMMS, .. etc.

If you need a maintenance big picture, it is the book
This book is a very good introduction in order to know what the maintenance meaning ... Read more

Book Description

In this absorbing tale, you watch the timeless principles of servant leadership unfold through the story of John Daily, a businessman whose outwardly successful life is spiraling out of control. He is failing miserably in each of his leadership roles as boss, husband, father, and coach. To get his life back on track, he reluctantly attends a weeklong leadership retreat at a remote Benedictine monastery.
To John's surprise, the monk leading the seminar is a former business executive and Wall Street legend. Taking John under his wing, the monk guides him to a realization that is simple yet profound: The true foundation of leadership is not power, but authority, which is built upon relationships, love, service, and sacrifice.
Along with John, you will learn that the principles in this book are neither new nor complex. They don't demand special talents; they are simply based on strengthening the bonds of respect, responsibility, and caring with the people around you. Perhaps this is why The Servant has touched readers from all walks of life—because its message can be applied by anyone, anywhere—at home or at work.
If you are tired of books that lecture instead of teach; if you are searching for ways to improve your leadership skills; if you want to understand the timeless virtues that lead to lasting and meaningful success, then this book is one you cannot afford to miss. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

A Must Read for Everyone!
What do you think about attending a week long retreat at a small, relatively unknown Christian monastery built on a magnificent sand cliff a couple of hundred feet above and overlooking lake Michigan? While there, you will attend classes on leadership taugh by the legendary Fortune 500 executive turned monk, Len Hoffman. I've attended the seminar and I'm inviting not just you but all of my family and friends to go. Actually, I don't know if such a seminar exists, but what I described above is the setting of this superbly written, easy to read book. True to claim, it is a quick read! I could hardly put it down. I felt as if I, too, was there at the leadership retreat along with the characters in the book. Everyone should read this book because it not only teaches us how to be good leaders, it also teaches (or reminds) us how to be good people. Thank you, James C. Hunter, for your invaluable contribution!

Spend a life developing others!
This book is a lesson in maturity. John Daily is sent by his psychologist wife to a seminar at a monestery as a last ditch effort to get a grip on his life. The reader is allowed to reflect on the experiences there that bring him to the notion of true leadership- - - Developing others. Developing others is a selfless task, turned into a way of life. John first learns he must give up his ego, then how to encourage, reward, and coach others to be the most they can be. He leaves the seminar believing he has shortchanged all the people in his life and is motivated to make it up to them. He has a new inner voice to follow, and can once again think out of the box. The book does have some religious overtones, but they are very subtle. Whatever your role in life, this book can make a difference for you. It is the type of book that can be re-read at a different point in your life and bring new awareness to an old problem.
If you are involved in motivating individuals at work, at home, school or in any community setting, this is the book for you.

If you humble yourself, the book can teach you something
I read through all the reviews. It seems to me that there are some who had benefited quite a lot from reading this book and then there are those who don't.

I would just say this: This is a good book. It's built upon sound principles. If you allow yourself to be taught by it, you would gain from it. But if you take on the attitude of "I have read tons of leadership books, you better impress me in less than two paragraphs or else..." Well, we all know what the outcome would be. The principle of humility and the willingness to be taught is mentioned also in the book.

The most important thing is, now that you know the principles, go practice immediately or else you never really gain anything.

Those who humble themselves will be taught
I have read through all the various reviews from other people. I discovered one recurring theme and that is, people who rated the book positively are those who had humbled themselves and allow the material to speak to them and be taught by it. And those are did not profit or gain much from the book are those who had started the book from the beginning with a mindset of "I have seen a lot, not another leadership book, you better impress me in less than two paragraphs or else...."

It's interesting to see how some would benefit tremendously while others would not. In fact, that very same principle of humility and willingness to be taught are mentioned inside the book.

I would just say this: go read the book, it's worth the time and effort. I would recommend it.

Inspiring.
This may be one of the best books on leadership I have ever read. It certainly rang a chord within me and has prompted me to begin a leadership training program at my job using some of the examples from this book as the basis.
The Servant is a story of a ragged businessman having trouble in his personal and professional life. He's on the edge emotionally, mentally and spiritually. (Sound like anyone you know?) He winds up at a program in a monestary and finds one of his teachers to be a former Wall Street hot-shot executive. He initially works diligently to find the secret to instant success from the former Wall Streeter but learns that true leadership, true success comes from giving, not getting; from being a servant instead of being served. As you might know, Jesus is the model for servant leadership and the thesis of the book is based on principles illustrated by Christ while on earth.
Whether you are a Christian believer or not, the stories and principles found here are beneficial and can help you be a better person/boss/employer/husband/father. If you really want to find out what the top of the ladder is like, read The Servant. It will help you climb every step of the way. ... Read more

Book Description

Product Management is a lean, defining text that covers three major tasks facing today’s product mangers:analyzing the market, developing objectives and strategies for the product or service in question, and making decisions about price, advertising, promotion, channels of distribution and service.Product Management utilizes the familiar Marketing Plan as the unifying framework for its lessons, and takes a “hands-on” approach toward preparing graduates to assume the position of product manager. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Too basic to be helpful
This book is seriously too basic to be of any help to a practitioner.

Great book
Explains the steps in product management in extreme detail. Not good for IT products (software), but general. Applies more to non-IT for sure.

Good book.

Fantastic!
This is the ideal book for the product manager/product planner. I have been looking for such a book for years and here it is. What I liked about the book was its no non-sense direct approach to product management. The book covers all topics required to jump start the process. You will learn "what" to accomplish quickly. To learn about the process of product development and that sort of thing you should look into Cooper's "winning at new products" book.

this text covers it all in an very easy to read & grasp style. Topics include defining the competitive set, category attractiveness analysis,... pricing decisions (for a thorough treatment on pricing, I would highly recommend "the strategy and tactics of pricing"), channel management, promotions and financial analysis for product management. The newly added chapter marketing metrics is bang-on.

***Good introductory book for the first line product manager / product planner. Very highly recommended. ***

This book shares some text with the other books these authors have jointly written ("analysis for marketing planning" - another excellent book), but has been changed significantly enough to make reading those shared chapters worthwile if you happen to have both texts.

A blend of product and pricing...
Lehmann proved that product and pricing are the two sides of a coin called Management. Its a must read book for any level of person in Production, Accounting, Warehousing, Marketing and Management. Its an excellent blend of knowledge. ... Read more

Book Description

Secrets for developing leadership and competitive advantage in any organization

The Extraordinary Leader is a research-based book about leadership. It analyzes 200,000 assessments from 20,000 managers and presents new insights that demystify this complex subject. It clearly establishes the importance of developing great leaders versus being satisfied with merely good ones, and highlights the link between leadership behavior and an organization's performance.

From the authors' research, a new model of leadership emerges that challenges long-held beliefs about leadership competencies. The authors identify 16 competencies that tower above all the others-­­the ones that separate great leaders from the average. One of the book's major breakthroughs is its focus on the importance of maximizing strengths as opposed to merely correcting weaknesses. Further, the importance of balanced strengths is introduced: when strengths are clustered in one area, the leader is less effective than he or she could be with strengths in different areas.

Reviews (3)

Packed With Knowledge!
In this volume, two battle-scarred veterans of what might be called "The Leadership Wars" - that is, the exhaustive effort over several decades to define the elusive nature of leadership and how it can best be nurtured - present insights on leadership that are based on a series of formal surveys conducted with companies nationwide. They also present 16 core competencies that affect the perception of whether you are, or aren't, a great leader. In many ways, they demystify leadership. Being a great leader, they tell us, isn't a matter of genetics or tea leaves: by studying what it takes to be a great leader, you can become one yourself. We strongly recommend this book for followers who want to become leaders, and for leaders who would like to be a little less lonely at the top.

Rich in Facts, Excellent in Examples
Unlike many studies of leadership and management, this book roots out how human behaviors affect results - with robust research and anecdotal evidence that provides readers with progressive but comprehensible logic. It is the best business book I have encountered, because it balances reality against theory, and effectively reconciles the two. It is a bonus that the authors did not impose academic terminology on those of us in the real business world.

The great thing is that the authors took the time to quantify and then explain how perceptions of leaders translate into actions by those they lead. The best thing about the book is that it lists specific levels of characteristics and competencies that distinguish adequate from excellent. A reader can quickly paint a self portrait (or picture of fellow leaders, for that matter) that reveals strengths and flaws. Then, one can easily identify what is needed to move up the ladder of respect and esteem. The hard part is that many leaders, as they say in the book, "think that being 'good' is good enough". For those who truly have an interest in greatness, this book gives the recipe.

Easy to follow, it thoughtfully breaks down the elements of leadership, starting with broad categories that are boiled down into actionable behaviors and traits. The Extraordinary Leader also gives some surprising insights based on findings that will hopefully change how business leaders establish value systems and shape company culture.

This book has become an extremely valuable tool in my consulting practice!

The best book on developing leaders - by far!
For the past two years I have been working as a consultant on the creation of an executive service for the UN. More recently I have played a similar role for the US federal government. I have become a student of the thinking and the books on developing leaders. This book is by far the most important book to read. Its based solidly on research findings but more importantly on intuitively valid conclusions. It makes practical sense.

It takes the current state of the art and moves it forward. It also raises important questions about prevailing beliefs and practices. The ideas developed in this book make you realize why most executive development is not productive.

I see this book as a companion piece to another of the great books on the subject, Results-Based Leadership. Jack Zenger is one of the authors of both books. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Change. It's fast, furious, relentless--and we're all in the midst of it. Indeed, it's the topic of choice for most business books on the market today. The problem, however, is that so many of these books merely warn managers how to plan for and anticipate change, rather than giving useful guidance on how to react to it successfully.

That's where the authors of The Minding Organization have made a difference. Rubinstein and Firstenberg believe that the real issue for businesses dealing with change lies in developing a truly adaptable organization. Being able to adapt, they argue, is the key not only to coping with a continuously changing environment but to addressing the problems that arise within that environment with innovative, successful solutions. An adaptable organization is a living, breathing organism, a "minding organization" that coordinates its goals and efforts as a single being. Each part of the organization knows what the other parts are doing, and is committed to creating a cohesive unit that maintains a unified focus for the future, shares information, articulates and learns from the individual errors of its members, continually seeks to strengthen its powers of perception, and is able to express itself creatively in a variety of ways. By developing this unity, an organization can bring the future closer to the present; it will be able to respond to events in real time, thereby transforming change from a threat to continued existence to a catalyst for improved performance. This type of organization won't shy away from the chaos of change but will embrace its opportunities, ready and well equipped to respond quickly and effectively.

The Minding Organization is a meaty book, packed with inspiring examples, solid analyses, and practical suggestions. Rubinstein, a professor at the UCLA School of Engineering and Applied Science, and Firstenberg, an adjunct professor in UCLA's Psychology Department, make a good team (they also wrotePatterns of Problem Solving). They apply theoretical knowledge and practical experience to the realities of the business world in a timely and useful manner. Forget being the CEO; this book will teach you how to be an OEC, an operator on the edge of chaos, capable of inspiring and leading a flexible, evolving, and thriving organization. --S. Ketchum ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Care and Feeding of Intellect
According to the authors, "To keep up with the complexity and uncertainty of an unconventional and largely unpredictable global business world, organizations must embrace a new metaphor that will transform an organization into a minding organization. The minding organization behaves like a living organism, in which adapting is central to vitality and control." Agreeing with Drucker that organizations must manage the implications and consequences of a future that has already occurred, the authors suggest a number of strategies which will "bring the future to the present and turn creative ideas into business solutions." Their book is organized as follows:

Chapter One: The Minding Organization

Chapter Two: Transforming the Organization into an Organism

Chapter Three: Adapting and Planning

Chapter Four: Structure, Creativity, and Error: The Foundations of the Minding Organization

Chapter Five: Chaos to Order to Chaos: Embracing Uncertainty

Chapter Six: Expanding the Imagination: Frames as Filters

Chapter Seven: Kniht [Think] Backward: Visit the Future in the Present

Chapter Eight: The New Leadership: Operating on the Edge of Chaos

Chapter Nine: The Minding Organization in Action

The authors provide a rigorous analysis of each component of a process by which to "bring the future to the present and turn creative ideas into business solutions." At the conclusion of Chapter Six, they suggest that the minding organization "creates chaos deliberately up front by starting with divergent concurrent perceptions and encourages errors to surface early when the costs of detection and correction are minimal." Immediately in the next chapter, they explain that the "frames" we create "filter the world for us, allowing us to manage the tremendous amount of information available." They then examine various "filters" which could prevent us from formulating the aforementioned "divergent concurrent perceptions." The sequence of the authors' ideas thus flows logically from one chapter to the next.

In the final chapter, the authors identify thirteen "precepts" of the minding organization. By now they have explained the interrelationships between (indeed the interdependence of) these precepts; they have also provided a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective plan by which to apply those precepts to the needs of any organization, regardless of its size or nature.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to read two books written by Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline and The Dance of Change. Rubinstein, Firstenberg, and Senge no doubt agree with Derek Bok's observation, when criticized by parents of Harvard students after a tuition increase: "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." In the minding organization, education is alive and well...and given its relative cost, a bargain.

First "Learning" Organisation, Now "Minding" Organisation
This book taps into the trend of seeing organisations in organic terms and focusing on action-based creativity. It is about creating a "minding organization," one that behaves like a human being-instantly able to adapt to new and ever-changing conditions; where the right hand literally knows what the left hand is doing.

In a minding organization, all of the parties involved in a project-whether it's developing a new product, streamlining a process, or changing a strategy-get together from the start to explore the issues. They bring insights up front that would normally be learned only later on, a kind of high-level connection that is the hallmark of the minding organization and the surest way to gain competitive advantage. The goal of a minding organization is to adapt so readily that it innovates before its competitors do.

This book shows managers how to transform their organisation into one that behaves like a living organism-alive with ideas and instantly able to adapt for survival in an increasingly complex, unpredictable global business world.

Moshe F. Rubinstein is a professor at the UCLA School of Engineering and a frequent speaker at universities and organizations all over the world. Iris R. Firstenberg is an adjunct professor in the UCLA Department of Psychology and has also taught at the UCLA School of Engineering and the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.

Reviewed by Azlan Adnan, Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management Group. ... Read more

Book Description

Cost Management: Accounting and Control emphasizes that changing conditions often require a change in cost management systems.Emphasizing this point stresses the dynamic and exciting nature of the field. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great Condition
the book was just like brand new, no underlining, no torn pages etc. the book is great

Graduate Accounting ARGHHH!!!
Pretty good book that explains complex subject matter in an easy to understand manner. MBA students without an accounting background can easily comprehend the concepts presented. The only fault I found is that sometimes the authors get too wordy trying to make their point. One of the best accounting textbooks I've used in my educational career. ... Read more

Book Description

This text--a combination of Harvard Cases and text-- examines the entrepreneurial process from the initial idea through business operations to harvest.It provides the knowledge and skills required for students pursuing careers as entrepreneurs as well as valuable ideas for those in a more structured business setting.Most importantly, it takes a close look at the process of identifying and pursuing opportunity, which has become increasingly important in restoring the competitive position of many U.S. industries in a global marketplace. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent practical cases from real life!
I require this text in my graduate New Venture course at Western Michigan University. The real life cases and fundamental concepts covered provide a great foundation for New Venture teaching. I also require my start-up consulting clients to read Chpt 1,2 & 3 along with the case study "R&R". Good way to find out if they have what it takes. I first used and enjoyed this book from the other side of the class during my MBA studies at the GSB - University of Chicago. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Insightful!
Donald T. Phillips has written a solid and engaging book. It has been hailed by critics and leaders in business, sports, and every other arena as a common sense masterpiece of historical and character analysis. The book is divided into key lessons, each representing an aspect of President Abraham Lincoln's leadership style, as revealed through his words and actions. A beautifully written intimate history, the book shows Lincoln in action. The discussion reveals clearly how any leader can apply Lincoln's timeless principles about communication, character, endeavor, and people. We [...] recommend this book to anyone interested in leadership, Lincoln, or history.

Solid Leadership History of Lincoln During the Civil War
This book purports to be about business leadership, and if you find it helpful for that purpose, good for you. The author clearly did. The genesis of this book project was an epiphany for the author while taking a management seminar and reading a history of Lincoln during the war years. He realized that the principles in the seminar were all ones that Lincoln employed.

Each chapter explores one broad principle, and then lists subprinciples at the end of the chapter. These subprinciples will feel like leadership or management axioms to most. Few of the chapters have any reference to the management literature or to modern day management situations.

But I found that okay. Whenever I read about Lincoln, I notice things about his leadership and management style that interest me, but I have never seen a book that focused on that element until this one. I thought it was useful to have a history that emphasizes just that slant. I think you will, too, unless Lincoln is someone you don't care for.

The first chapter was especially interesting to me, because it talked about Lincoln's inclination to visit the scene and find out what was going on. There's a very interesting chart that shows how many days a month he was traveling during the war. The author makes a connection to Management by Wandering Around from In Search of Excellence that works.

Everyone will have their favorite part of the book. The sections are divided into things about people, character, endeavor, and communication. I found the communications sections to be unusually good. As outstanding as Lincoln was in many areas, he was probably a better communicator than just about anything else. There is a chapter on public speaking, another on influencing people through storytelling, and one on getting your vision across. These are as timely today as they were in Lincoln's day.

I think that this is the significant aspect of the book for us today: What was important then, that we still resonate to as important today? Whatever themes strike you that way are probably telling you something very fundamental about people and human organizations. Pay attention!

One of the chapters that meant a lot to me personally focused on how Lincoln handled unjust criticism. He often ignored it, but other times he challenged it when it was harmful to the nation not to. The abuse heaped on Lincoln and his wife make today's TV headlines about politicians seem like nursery rhymes by comparison. We can all benefit from thinking about his experiences and how he handled them in this regard.

The book's main weakness is that it makes Lincoln a little too perfect. He had a lot of weaknesses, as we all do. For example, I think a good case could be made for him not being a good judge of people considering the bad results he got from so many generals until he linked up with Grant.

Anyone with an interest in Lincoln will like this book. If you also find leadership lessons you can use, that's a wonderful bonus!

Be sure to banish you stalled thinking about the need to communicate thoroughly and often. This book is a great stallbuster in that area.

Fantastic Study of a Phenomenal Leader
If you want a stimulating and thoroughly researched leadership primer for leaders at all levels, then do not miss this gem of a book by Donald Phillips. The only drawback to reading this book was that I was limited to five stars in reviewing it-it deserved much more.

Donald Phillips wrote one of the best leadership books I have ever read. He skillfully blended many effective historical references (letters, speeches, vignettes, and anecdotes) with modern management and leadership theories to create an easy-to-read performance and character analysis of one of the very best leaders our country has ever known.

This remarkable book could (and should) serve as a "wake-up call" for the many self-proclaimed leaders in all walks of life who fail to understand the adage, "Leadership is action, not position." Some of the book's timeless leadership themes demonstrated and often perfected by Lincoln included:

*Leaders foster trust and build effective relationships with subordinates.

*Leaders are persuasive vice coercive; coercive dictatorships violate the basic rights of individuals.
*Leaders build leaders, not followers, though vision, patience, and persistence for long-term effectiveness vice short-term gains or conveniences.
*A leader who constantly maintains his honesty and integrity, and shows compassion and mercy, will inspire all around him or her to loyalty and great achievements.

Phillips, in his preface, perfectly described the book's value to the leaders of today and tomorrow...

"Since leadership principles are usually expressed rather abstractly, there is a great need for simple, concrete illustrations. Tangible examples make the difference; people relate to them. That's what the study of Lincoln gives us - tangible examples from a widely recognized great leader. Therein lies the basic premise of this book. I hope that present and future leaders in all walks of life will be enlightened (as I was) by the remarkable leadership genius of Abraham Lincoln and then will use that knowledge to improve their own skills."

A Short Education On Leadership
A great book for learning to deal with people. After you finish reading about Lincoln's executive strategies in "Lincoln On Leadership", I suggest you go on to read the plain-talking practical anecdotes on human relations in Dale Carnegie's "How To Win Friends", and learn the philosophical basics of leadership in Norman Thomas Remick's plain-talking book "West Point: Character Leadership Education: Thomas Jefferson", to make the reading experience of Donald T. Phillips' "Lincoln On Leadership" even more useful and enlightening than it is unto itself. It's a short education on leadership.

A Winning Combination
Donald Phillips does an excellent job using history to teach leadership lessons. You can tell he has done his homework on his research;his bibliography contains over 40 books and the notes about the individual chpaters are very thorough in documenting where his material came from. Phillips' research provides the reader with a number of interesting stories about a great leader. In addition, the points of emphasis at the end of each chapter remind the reader of important lessons learned from each chapter. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Based on the authors' consulting experience with numerous Fortune 500 companies, this resource will help you capture the synergies of your next merger or acquisition more quickly and effectively. Augmenting their step-by-step advice with helpful templates, checklists, graphs and tools; Galpin and Herndon provide sound guidance for successfully integrating different processes, organizations, and cultures. The authors also address pre-deal dos and don'ts, people dynamics, common mistakes, communications strategies, and specific actions you can take to create measurable positive results throughout the integration process. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Post-Merger Process Tools for Big Companies
Having been a manager at a large company, I can see how this book would be beneficial for managers at large companies that are doing acquisitions. But from the perspective of a manager at a smaller company that is being acquired, this book was not particularly helpful.

Packed With Knowledge!
This thorough, detailed book focuses on