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The rich are different from the rest of us, if for no other reason than U.S. tax and securities laws allow them to invest in ways that keep us from catching up to them. That's why 90 percent of all corporate shares of stock are owned by 10 percent of the people. Kiyosaki believes it's possible for anyone to move up into that 10 percent, but it takes a different view of investing than most people have: it takes a plan to be a successful investor. And a plan is more than simply buying and selling, or collecting "assets" that bring in no cash and are thus more akin to liabilities. The way most people invest, "they might as well be pushing a wheelbarrow in a circle," he writes. A plan is "mechanical, automatic, and boring," a formula for success that has worked historically for most of those who've used it. Kiyosaki's "rich dad" (actually, the father of his best friend) tells him the simplest analogy is the game Monopoly: buy four green houses, trade them for one red hotel, and repeat until you become rich.

The overall message of Rich Dad's Guide to Investing is that this is an abundant world, full of opportunity for the sophisticated investor. However, it sometimes takes a while to find this point. Much of the book is told in dialogues between young Kiyosaki and his rich dad, and these conversations can ramble. There are rewards for the careful reader--for example, in the middle of a section on the basic rules of investing, Kiyosaki's rich dad compares investor education to toilet training: difficult at first but eventually automatic. But getting to these inspired metaphors means wading through a lot of repetitive dialogue. It's a bit ironic that someone who advocates investor discipline should show so little as a writer. But by the end of the book, even the rambling starts to make sense. By the hundredth time you read that the rich don't work for money, and that you don't need money to make money, both concepts start to make sense. It still looks difficult to apply these ideas, but Rich Dad's Guide to Investing certainly makes the case that they'll work for anyone bold and smart enough to practice them. --Lou Schuler ... Read more

Reviews (143)

A must for those who want to be Financially Independent
This book continues from where Kiyosaki left off in Cashflow Quadrant, his 2nd book in the trilogy (now complete with Rich Dad's Guide to Investing).

In his 1st book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Kiyosaki addressed the differences in mindsets between the Rich and the Poor. Then, in his 2nd book Cashflow Quadrant, he spoke on the 4 quadrants from which one can generate income. To be wealthy, Kiyosaki recommended that we learn to generate our incomes from the "B" (Business-owner) and "I" (Investor) quadrant as opposed to the "E" (Employee) and "S" (Self-employed) quadrant.

In his 3rd book Rich Dad's Guide to Investing, Kiyosaki tells how he got started in his investment journey, starting with nothing, and in fact at one stage, with a negative net worth. Most of us, having read his first 2 books, would have wondered if we could have embarked on our journey to become financially independent without much resource at hand. In this book, Kiyosaki shows how anyone can get started and how it does not take money to make money. He teaches how time is more important than money; how investing in one's self and getting an education and experience precedes excessive cash; how having a plan is more important than being in a hurry to make money.

This is not a book for those who want hot tips and quick fixes. This is a book on mindsets. Kiyosaki plants ideas and provides a road-map. The reader must take the first step and learn to navigate his/her own journey.

What I like about this book, is Kiyosaki's concept of being an Ultimate Investor, a "selling-investor". The Ultimate Investor creates deals and businesses that the public hunger for and are willing to pay a premium to acquire a share of. With the internet, it has never been easier to create businesses and deals which one can take public.

As in all his other books, Kiyosaki's book is worth reading again and again. I would also recommend that one reads Robert Allen's Multiple Streams of Income in conjunction with Kiyosaki's Rich Dad's Guide to Investing.

RDGTI is the Ultimate Investors Guide
This book is about the 90/10 investor difference. As Kiwosaki explains [quoting Rich Dad] "If you want to be rich, just find out what everyone else is doing and do the exact opposite"RDGTI explains the differences between the 10% of investors who make 90% of the money and the 90% who make only 10% of the money.It's not what they invest in, but how they think.The RDGTI goes against standard, accepted dogma. To me, the greatest revelation was when I realized that by changing my thoughts, as espoused by Rich Dad AND told to Kiwosaki, I could [and did] change my investment results.The average investors philosphy is to not take risks and buy and hold [actually buy and pray--average down]I like the fact that this book is written in an easy to read format. The story telling and metaphors help drive the ideas home. The mental attitude quizzes clears the cobwebs from your head and gets you thinking like an entrepeneur, champion investor. While some of the information is repeated from the RDPD and CFQ--so what? Ever taken a class? Don't teachers review previous material before moving on to newer studies? This book builds on the prior books Kiwosaki and Lechter will tell you some things that you don't want to hear and blow holes wide open on typical misconceptions.So where do you want to be, in the 90% who go nowhere or the 10% who succeed. I have chosen to be inthe 10%. Care to join me? Start by reading this book.

Powerfully impacted my investment results
Prior to reading (...and applyiny) the advice in Rich Dad's Guide to Investing I was like a gerbel in a cage going nowhere with my investing. I was loosing money, not making money and my broker wasn't making me feel any better by reminding me that all of his clients were loosing money, everybody is loosing money, the market is down and so on.

I recalled a saying by Will Rogers:

"I am not so worried about the return on my investment as I am on the return of my investment."

Listening to brokers was causing me to loose money.

Rich Dad's Guide to Investing gives you all the keys you need to get to where you want to go. It's not theory, it's how the rich invest. It is how the rich become rich.

I also recommend Rich Dad's Prophecy which since it has been written has been 100% accurate. That is a pretty good batting average. I'd count on the rest to be accurate as well.

If you are serious about making money investing, read and apply Rich Dad's Guide to Investing and Rich Dad's Prophecy my two favorite Rich Dad books after of course Rich Dad Poor Dad.

Great advice that really works
If you were one of those 80 million Americans who lost over a trillion dollars following your stock brokers or convential advice, then you will love this book.

While no one has a time machine, we can't correct the past, we can certaintly plan for the future and this great book by Robert Kiyosaki will show you how to do just that---plan for your future and actually make some money investing...and in more than just the stock market too.

CAUTION: Brokers won't like this book and in fact will hope you never read this book, but then, you know why they are called brokers don't you? It's because they are usually broker than you are! The massive downsizing of brokers by so many brokerage firms shows just how valuable these guys really are.

By the way, I also recommend Rich Dad's Prophecy.

ANOTHER WINNER BASED ON AUTHOR'S WISDOM
I am a fan of Robert Kiyosaki. On the book shelf next to me is his CD and workbook course titled "Choose To Be Rich" (produced by Time Life) bought at a live lecture in 2002 in Fresno, California where he took the time to autograph the course for me after he spoke even though he was trying to get away to get to the airport. So I have made it a point to read all the books he has written as he has walked his talk. In addition to this book, I would recommend that readers have on their bookself to read and constantly refer to "Making Dollars With Pennies: How The Small Investor Can Beat the Wizards On Wall Street," by R. Max Bowser. This book is also by an author who after many years created a system that enables investors to become wealthly over time. It is available used and new on Amazon.com. ... Read more

Book Description

Accessible to non-finance and finance professionals alike, this book explores 10 easy-to-understand core principles (axioms) that drive the practice of corporate finance. Eliminating non-essential material and keeping mathematics to a minimum, it features an intuitive approach that helps readers develop a solid understanding of the logic that drives finance—rather than concentrating on easily forgotten formulas and calculations which may not neatly fit all the situations encountered in the real world. Features in-the-trenches interviews with business professionals, a refresher on Understanding Financial Statements and Cash Flows, and frequent Financial Management in Practice boxes.The Financial Markets and Interest Rates. Understanding Financial Statements and Cash Flows. Evaluating a Firm's Financial Performance. The Time Value of Money. The Meaning and Measurement of Risk and Return. Valuation and Characteristics of Bonds. Valuation and Characteristics of Stock. Capital-Budgeting Techniques and Practice. Cash Flows and Other Topics in Capital Budgeting. Cost of Capital. Determining the Financing Mix. Dividend Policy and Internal Financing. Financial Forecasting, Planning, and Budgeting. Introduction to Working-Capital Management. Liquid Asset Management. International Business Finance.For anyone involved in Corporate Finance and Financial Management. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

difficult read
it seems like the writers of this text's intentions were to confuse the hell out of finance majors and intimidate them so that they would stay away from the finance 'game'.

I'm sure the book is chockfull of information, but using it for the two past semesters, i havent learned as much as i wanted to. Perhaps in the next edition they will be able to make the text easier to understand and read.

Finance can be a very intimidating subject, and the writers of this book seemed to have no intention of making the book easy to understand.

Review of Foundations of Finance by Arthur J. Keown
This is an excellent text. I've read it thoroughly. The material , as presented, assumes a robust course in accounting at the college level. This text is for a student desiring a complete rendition in basic finance topics and techniques. The text is replete with many examples and challenging problems of various complexities. The presentation is easy to read. The book is directed to students perhaps majoring in economics or finance. It is not a purely descriptive rendition of finance. A

considerable amount of so called "numbers crunching" is involved in reviewing this text. As such, the book serves the analytic student optimally. The text is devoid of the most complicated analytics inherent in "quantitatively oriented texts".There is a good appendix on the use of financial calculators,as well as, present value calculations and other useful knowledge supplemental to the study of finance. This book would be most useful to students planning their careers as financial analysts, corporate planners or private entrepreneurs.

Of all those Management books...
This was the best.A very clear and concise book for the serious student being introduced to the subject of Finance.Other books on the subject I've seen are very abstruse or just plain hard to read aside from weighing a ton. I had another book twice as thick to complement this one and my class abandoned it in short order.This book is comparatively light and chalk full of useful ideas and examples laid out in anorganized and methodical manner.The generous use of charts and tables was executed well. Probably as simple as finance can possibly be put while still retaining the rigor and teaching the processes necessary for making financial computations.

Topics included are on basic valuation of various securities and projects using discounted cash flows, capital budget management, liquidity management, etc. I'm still learning from it after school.There simply wasn't enough time to fully cover everything in the book that I would have wanted.Now I'm ready to tackle more advanced corporate finance books/materials.

This is an introductory book for someone who may be interested in becoming a financial analyst but is obviously geared to the educational market for use in schools.The academic slant limits its applicability somewhat.Although it may give a stock market player who wants to start understanding the systematic process involved in the valuation of securities on a cash flow basis some insight for example, discussion on valuation by multiples like P/Es is virtually absent.

Nonetheless a great book.

Best Finance Book It will help You Make $$$
I use this book at the University of Wisconsin Stout.I think this book is excellent.I'm taking a copy with me to London."A must" if your a Finance major. ... Read more

Book Description

Includes a series of end-of-chapter questions for students.
* Explains the subtleties of fixed income mathematics.
* Discusses multi-factor interest rate models and offers four original case studies.
* Covers the latest fixed income securities valuation models and techniques, and their application in real world situations. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Excellent introdution to the world of Fixed Income
Tuckman's book is a lucid introduction to Fixed Income securities. It is an ideal mix of theory and institutional details.The book does not assume high mathematics knowledge, except for basic Algebra. Through the first few chapters Tuckman guides the reader through discount factors, spot rates, forward rates, Yield To maturity , duration and convexity; and with very good introductions to curve fitting, hedging and Term structure models.Part three, in my opinion is the highlight of the book, which is a detailed exposition of Term structure models.If there are any weaknesses in the book, I think they are in Mortgage Backed Securities(MBS). The treatment of MBS seems a little light. Also, the practice problems are fairly straightforward. But, the book is full of examples and practical case-studies. On the whole, this is a very good book,specially for those who are new to Fixed-Income securities.

This book is too simple, mostly words, no in-depth coverage
A big disappointment. I would like to see some coverage of the important fixed income pricing models instead of basic introduction. It is a waste of money. Maybe good for people who have no idea about fixed income AND know nothing about asset pricing. The author is an adjunct professor. Ajunct professors are usually people who have very superficial knowledge in the topic. Good books must be written by the good RESEARCHERS in the field.

I decided to discard the book and choose a better one for my students.

Unmatched clarity
Books like Tuckman's are hard to come by. I'm currently preparing for the FRM certification exam and this is a recommended text. Of all the books listed as required readings for the exam, this is the one I have learned the most from. The first 4 chapters are worth the book price by themselves - from a clear understanding of discount factors to building rate curves - Tuckman always takes pains to illustrate real-world examples, but never skips essential math. I think the section on derivatives has by far the clearest explanation of the oft-used but little understood notion of risk-neutral pricing that I have seen to date. I'm still in part 2, but will take my time and re-read if necessary.
The only other remotely comparable book is by Martellini, Priaulet et al

Great overview of fixed income securities
This book provides a valuable reference for all types of fixed income securities.I lost my previous copy and immediately had to repurchase.

Excellent book for novice or practitioner
Tuckman's explanations are practical and clear, his math is elegant, and examples are to the point. Either novice or professional fixed income securities trader can find a lot of interesting material in this book, and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

Selected by Amazon.com and the Financial Times as one of the best business books of the year, Fooled by Randomness is an instant classic.It's uniqueness has drawn to it a wide following - from the New Yorker to the Pentagon.Already published in 14 languages, this new edition, expanded by over 80 pages, includes up-to-date advances from behavioral finance and cognitive science This book is about luckor more precisely how we perceive and deal with luck in life and business. It is already a landmark work and its title has entered our vocabulary. In its second edition, Fooled by Randomness is now a cornerstone for anyone interested in random outcomes. Set against the backdrop of the most conspicuous forum in which luck is mistaken for skillthe world of tradingFooled by Randomness is a captivating insight into one of the least understood factors of all our lives. Writting in an entertaining and narrative style, the author succeeds in tackling three major intellectual issues: the problem of induction, the survivorship biases, and our genetic unfitness to the modern word. In this second edition, Taleb manages to use stories and anecdotes to illustrate our overestimation of causality and the heuristics that make us view the world as far more explainable than it actually is. But no one can replicate what is obtained by chance. Are we capable of distinguishing the fortunate charlatan from the genuine visionary? Must we always try to uncover nonexistent messages in random events? It may be impossible to guard ourselves against the vagaries of the Goddess Fortuna, but after reading Fooled by Randomness we can be a little better prepared. ... Read more

Reviews (206)

One big texas hedge (long implied volatility)
Read the other reviews to get the flavour of the book. I'll only add a few points that haven't been mentioned.

1) There is good advice on avoiding some common mistakes that lead to "blowing up", which will prove useful to inexperienced market practitioners.
2) Taleb's own (claimed) trading methodology (buying OTM options) could easily fall victim to the "black swan" problem. A regime change to persistently higher implied than actual volatility would result in extended losses for his fund (unless he is bluffing us about its methodology).
3) Taleb only focuses on cases where volatility is underpriced - but some of the best opportunities come when it is overpriced, during market panics. Yet according to what he says in the book, one should continue buying such overpriced volatility! As someone whose bread and butter trade is fading market panics, I can confirm that premium selling can be highly profitable - the trick is to sell at the right time, and to employ risk control. Just because some practitioners are incapable of this, does not invalidate the method, any more than OTM options buying is invalidated because many naive speculators buy in a panic just before the VIX is about to collapse.
4) Taleb lumps MBA and businessmen types into the "fool" category. This misses the point. 99% of business is not about risk-assessment, dazzling insight, or grand strategic thought, but about successful *execution* of obvious ideas, and hard work. How many eggheads have had great ideas, but never done anything to put them into action? There is no point knowing that a beach bar in the Bahamas might be destroyed every 10 years by a hurricane, if you aren't even capable of raising capital, employing people, or working 16 hour days getting it off the ground. Good MBAs and CEOs will in any case employ people like Taleb to assess risk for them.
5) Taleb ignores the possiblity of using praxeological analysis (i.e. taking a set of demonstrable a priori truths, then using a logical train of deduction to discover what those truths necessarily imply about reality) to avoid the survivorship bias & noise problems. E.g. you can predict the effect of supply and demand on price without having to test it in the real world. This technique has been used by Murray Rothbard in economics (which has an even greater "non-falsifiability" problem than trading), and Warren Buffett in investing. As an example, you *can* judge if a good track record is "skill" or "luck", by examining the methodology of the trader/investor. If they operated solely during a period favourable to their style, it is probably luck e.g. if they made money buying emerging market bonds from 1994-1998. If they made a bucketload trading a style that was *against* the market regime, then it is almost certainly skill e.g. someone who made good returns as a shortseller of tech stocks from 1997-2000; or someone who has successfully sold premium during market panics. Since Taleb is a follower of Popper, and a hardened quant, it should come as no surprise that he is ignorant of praxeology, but it is a huge oversight all the same.
6) Taleb's scorning of Buffett as a lucky fool is ignorant in the extreme. Buffett clearly did *not* use naive analysis of past data to make his investment decisions, or rely on luck (he did well from 1969-82, a terrible period for equities). Rather he deduced highly probably consequences from demonstrable truths about investment (i.e. firms with pricing power, high barriers to entry, and low working capital requirements are likely to perform very well), and then saw that the market was not pricing these factors efficiently. Anyone reading his writings can see this. And Buffett's approach is ironically more rigorous and less dependent on luck than Taleb's professed trading methods. To elaborate - Taleb is relying on "black swan" events happening more often than people think. Therefore EITHER a reduction in the frequency of these events, OR an increase in people's expectation of them, would be enough to invalidate Taleb's approach - clearly neither can be ruled out. Taleb thinks he is betting on black swan events occuring, whilst ignoring the possibility of the "black swan" of major regime change making his own system unprofitable. Whereas with Buffet, the laws of supply and demand, and basic investment/economics, ensure that certain business methods will *always* work better than others.

To conclude - Taleb thinks he has a great idea, but it was already well known by most experienced market practitioners (see the Market Wizards books etc where multiple traders continually bang on about rare event risk and fat tailed probability distributions). He then goes on as if this idea is the only important thing, which is clearly not the case. Finally, he critiques some people, such as Buffett, who use totally rigorous methodologies, whilst himself employing a strategy that is by no means foolproof, and relies largely on past observation (data-mining!) to form its conclusions. All I can say is that he better watch out for the black swan of long-term declining volatility over the next decade!

Finally, I would just say that I found the book enjoyable, it's just that (luckily for future my P&L) Taleb hasn't got everything worked out just yet :) Looking forward to the follow-up Nassim!

Important topic - flawed explication
I really wanted to like this book because the it discusses an important topic. The role of randomness in our everyday lives versus our innate (lack of) capacity to deal with it without careful education is one that we need to talk about more in the popular culture. However, the problems with this book are several. Its casual and meandering exposition is supposed to make it more accessible, but it actually makes it harder to come to terms with the topic.

Also, Mr. Taleb is a bit difficult to warm to, although there are occasional flashes of wit and humor that help. For example, he is so proud of his personal achievements that he both disparages them (he is ashamed of his Wharton MBA), and uses them as proof of his superiority of almost everyone (he read a lot at the library). He also has some strange peccadilloes such as his passionate and disproportionate dislike of George Will because he interviewed Robert Shiller (Taleb's friend and author of "Irrational Exuberance") in a rather feckless manner.

In the second half of the book he does explain some interesting phenomena about human psychology and randomness in interesting ways, but he goes completely overboard on certain points. On page 173 he states that Khaneman and Tversky have exerted the most influence on economic thinking in the past 200 years. Come on! Name any major economics department that has become behaviorist in any major way. (Taleb might find such resistance to acceptance a proof of concept - but people weighing evidence seriously would find it a chink in Talebs case.

I think the reality is that what Taleb points to is important and does exist, but that it is something like a second order effect in the big scheme of things. It may matter an extreme amount in the narrow world of options trading where Taleb indicates he lives, but for most of us it is a minor issue. Not one of no consequence, but not a determinative effect in the broad sweep of our lives.

So, I continue to look for a really good book on this topic. If you know of one, please email me with information about the book.

loves and hates
so taleb loves
1) Sir Karl Popper
2) The Skeptic philosopher David Hume
3) Michel de Montaigne
4) Charles Sanders Pierce
5) Daniel Kahneman et al.
6) George Soros (with a tinge of patronizing)
7) Bob Shiller
8) Nassim Nicholas Taleb (sometimes; depends on his mood)
9) Constantine Cavafis

Taleb hates
1) George Will (he despises him)
2) Nassim Nicholas Taleb (sometimes, especially when exhibiting superstitions)
3) Myron Scholes Robert Merton, MErriwhether , etc. Notes that he says nothign of Fisher Black
4) Hegel
5) Spontaneous reviewers
6) Lawyers

Etc...

Fun read

Someone at least is still Thinking.....
Nassim's first edition quick became a touchstone in the markets... Rather than looking at someone's fabricated track record one could simply ask have you read Taleb, and understood him....

The answer was and is far more important than any "random" series of returns you show someone..

Happily, Taleb has not stopped thinking, and the new edition goes even further in exploring the basic roots of how we cope with randomness...
The second edition should give those interested a starting point on how to integrate the new "findings" from both Behavioral Finance and the even more exotic Neuroeconomics.....

Much ado about nothing
I found this book enjoyable. However, the salient points could have been written in two pages. The book drags on and seems intent on settling scores with, thinly veiled, former colleagues. A hodge-podge of faux intellectualism. While continually the author dismisses 'middle-brow' colleagues and to tries impress us, I am sure the author has an unread copy of 'A Brief History of Time' on his bookshelf. ... Read more

Book Description

A comprehensive overview of the fixed income investment arena

Investors who’ve primarily purchased equity securities in the past have been looking for more secure investment alternatives; namely, fixed income securities. This book demystifies the sometimes daunting fixed income market, through a user-friendly, sophisticated, yet not overly mathematical format. Investing in Fixed Income Securities covers a wide range of topics, including the different types of fixed income securities, their characteristics, the strategies necessary to manage a diversified portfolio, both domestic and non-U.S. securities, bond pricing concepts, and yield curves. These and other issues will be explored, so that readers can make the most informed investment decisions possible when dealing with fixed income securities.

Gary Strumeyer (New York, NY) is the Managing Director (Bond and Money Market Group) of BNY Capital Markets, a registered broker-dealer subsidiary of The Bank of New York Company, Inc. He was the former adjunct professor (Economics and Finance) of New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. ... Read more

Book Description

Covering the same topics found in more advanced-level texts, Investments incorporates minimal math and is much more student-friendly, resulting in an increased excitement for and understanding of the basic investment course material. It is the text of choice for the College of Financial Planning. It includes a strong focus on the individual financial planner and features a ?Financial Advisor?s Investment Case? at the end of each chapter. These short cases illustrate how text material applies to real investment decisions. Financial calculators are introduced and utilized throughout the text with explanations employing both interest tables and the calculator. It is also ideal for non-majors courses. ... Read more

Book Description

The ninth edition thoroughly involves students with financial statements by using real-world examples. It builds skills in analyzing real financial reports through statements, exhibits, and cases of actual companies. Emphasis is placed on the analysis and interpretation of the end result of financial reporting--financial statements. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Very good for first exposure to financial markets
This book is not an advanced book on financial markets, but it is a good introductory book. I use this book for my undergraduate teaching. Both I and students are happy about the coverage of the book. It is well organized and well written. Improvements will be valuable in the derivatives markets and risk management areas.

Good start
I've used some version of this book for many years now, and I've seen it evolve. I think, as other reviewers have said, that there are some simplified portions of the book, especially those parts dealing with monetary economics. There are other portions which lay out the principles as only these authors can, and those parts are extremely helpful and valuable. This book allows me to teach my notes and thoughts with a textbook serving as a reference and an introduction -- it doesn't get in my way, in other words. I use it along with several other texts, and I think it gets the job done. Students seem to like it as well, mainly for its clarity. For someone wanting to learn the basics, this is an excellent choice.

This book insults the intelligence of all but newcomers
Although this might be a perfect book for those looking for simplicity, I would not advise it to anybody with previous exposure to finance.
The book is a way too simple, and reveals huge ignorance on the markets outside the US.
I think the book is very much a benchmark to reveal ignorant finance - teachers.

Too many errors of omission and commission for a second ed.
Too many errors to be a useful text for a serious course in financial markets. Virtually ignores the market for mortgage backed securities. Ignores the interest on interest component of total return. Discussion of zeroes is muddled. Discussion of YTM is incomplete. Even the chapters on commercial banks and Fed policy contain the same old mistakes seen in most money and banking texts.

Excellent reading
I have never found such a made easy finance text like this before!

A lot of long and hard to understand topics in other textbooks are simplified in plain English.

It is excellent whenever you are puzzled with the topics like Efficient Market Theory and Interest Term Structures in other books and you need a clear understanding! ... Read more

Book Description

John Meriwether, a famously successful Wall Street trader, spent the 1980s as a partner at Salomon Brothers, establishing the best--and the brainiest--bond arbitrage group in the world. A mysterious and shy midwesterner, he knitted together a group of Ph.D.-certified arbitrageurs who rewarded him with filial devotion and fabulous profits. Then, in 1991, in the wake of a scandal involving one of his traders, Meriwether abruptly resigned. For two years, his fiercely loyal team--convinced that the chief had been unfairly victimized--plotted their boss's return. Then, in 1993, Meriwether made a historic offer. He gathered together his former disciples and a handful of supereconomists from academia and proposed that they become partners in a new hedge fund different from any Wall Street had ever seen. And so Long-Term Capital Management was born.
        In a decade that had seen the longest and most rewarding bull market in history, hedge funds were the ne plus ultra of investments: discreet, private clubs limited to those rich enough to pony up millions. They promised that the investors' money would be placed in a variety of trades simultaneously--a "hedging" strategy designed to minimize the possibility of loss. At Long-Term, Meriwether & Co. truly believed that their finely tuned computer models had tamed the genie of risk, and would allow them to bet on the future with near mathematical certainty. And thanks to their cast--which included a pair of future Nobel Prize winners--investors believed them.
        From the moment Long-Term opened their offices in posh Greenwich, Connecticut, miles from the pandemonium of Wall Street, it was clear that this would be a hedge fund apart from all others. Though they viewed the big Wall Street investment banks with disdain, so great was Long-Term's aura that these very banks lined up to provide the firm with financing, and on the very sweetest of terms. So self-certain were Long-Term's traders that they borrowed with little concern about the leverage. At first, Long-Term's models stayed on script, and this new gold standard in hedge funds boasted such incredible returns that private investors and even central banks clamored to invest more money. It seemed the geniuses in Greenwich couldn't lose.
        Four years later, when a default in Russia set off a global storm that Long-Term's models hadn't anticipated, its supposedly safe portfolios imploded. In five weeks, the professors went from mega-rich geniuses to discredited failures. With the firm about to go under, its staggering $100 billion balance sheet threatened to drag down markets around the world. At the eleventh hour, fearing that the financial system of the world was in peril, the Federal Reserve Bank hastily summoned Wall Street's leading banks to underwrite a bailout.
        Roger Lowenstein, the bestselling author of Buffett, captures Long-Term's roller-coaster ride in gripping detail. Drawing on confidential internal memos and interviews with dozens of key players, Lowenstein crafts a story that reads like a first-rate thriller from beginning to end. He explains not just how the fund made and lost its money, but what it was about the personalities of Long-Term's partners, the arrogance of their mathematical certainties, and the late-nineties culture of Wall Street that made it all possible.
        When Genius Failed is the cautionary financial tale of our time, the gripping saga of what happened when an elite group ofinvestors believed they could actually deconstruct risk and use virtually limitless leverage to create limitless wealth. In Roger Lowenstein's hands, it is a brilliant tale peppered with fast money, vivid characters, and high drama. ... Read more

Reviews (114)

Engrossing read
The author gives an engrossing read about the LTCM debacle in this book. His writing style, in my opinion, really captures my attention and almost turns the book into a Grisham-style page-turner. After reading the book, you will have a better idea of the reasons why the fund failed. Also, you will gain more qualitative knowledge about hedge funds, derivatives markets and investing in general. However, if you are looking for equations and quantitative stuff, then sorry man, you will be greatly disappointed. Don't expect to find the Black-Scholes equation here. Nor do I think it's necessary. As a finance student, I'm tired of having to know the complex equations and quantitative stuff inside-out, without the slightest idea of how they should be used and their limitations.
If you have the basic idea or training in quantitative finance, the this book is a must-read. It sheds light on the untold stories in derivatives trading. The downfall of LTCM should be a very somber and sobering reminder of the limitations of the derivatives markets. Too much credit is given to "risk management" and "quantitative finance". I think every portfolio manager and derivatives trader should keep this in mind.

BIG MEN MAKE SMALL MISTAKES!
Small traders who break the simple rules are called 'dumb' by the professionals in the industry in their magazine articles, interviews on radio & TV etc. Here we have a group of top academics including Nobel Prize winners in economics who headed a firm that made some of the most silly 'mistakes' that caused them to lose over FOUR BILLION DOLLARS1 The reason: simple over-trading and mis-management of funds - just what the little guy is always told not to do!

This book gives a brief introduction to the various players involved. It gives an indicationl of the greed involved, not only by over-leveraging but by forcing investors to take back their money so the partners could put all their money in the fund and make all the profits for themselves. Interestingly, they did these people a great favor by preventing them from going broke.

Later in the book, when the crisis is really brought forward, we are given a detail day to day account of the stress and problems that the fund managers were creating for themselves and the rest of Wall Street as many banks and other financial institutions had tied up hundreds of millions with this firm. In the end the Federal Reserve arranged a bailout with fourteen major banks to save day.

Ironically, the super-losers went and created another fund after this big crash and sure enough they raised a few hundred millions in trading capital so the 'bright' fellows can get running again!

Not enough Cream on the Coffee
1997, 30 year Treasury Bonds Fell to 5.58; traders were selling short to hedge against riskier bonds, treasuries rallied and spreads increased between bonds; Japanese bonds dropped opposite of the bet by LTCM.

Blame the Asian flu, IMF unresponsiveness, and Salomon Barney Smith abandonment of its arbitrage positions as causes for the evaporation of 4 billion dollars LTCM within months. LTCM was too big, possessing $128 billion in assets and $3.6 billion in the bank and 2/5 of money belonging to the owners. Notation derivates reaching leverage 100 to 1 preventing rapid sell off and bankruptcy out of question, for bankruptcy would have caused a world cascade economic crash and loses reaching above $1 trillion. Bankruptcy was not an option; LTCM was too big to fail and the Fed knew it. LTCM only chance was too secure money from warranties, loans, or a buy out; none of which in the end would save them. In the end, the Feds 16 banks would invest $250 million each with a total accumulation of $4 billion dollars rescuing LTCM and the partners would leave with relatively nothing in their pockets. How did smartest guys on Wall Street fail? How did the impossible happen?

1997, Indonesia, Rupiah dropped 85 percent as currency traders forced devaluation revealing a corrupt banking practices and overextension of bad credit; volatility rose to 27 percent.

1998 LTCM bet that no future recession would occur and believed the Bond margins would narrow. Instead, the world economy were experience new global forces as communism was breaking down, China's GNP was heating up, and East Germany was experiencing new economic freedoms. A U.S - 56 point margin increase on the swap, England - 45 point margin, and German - 20 point margin and LTCM was losing money on all of its markets. LTCM had previously negotiated a warrant by UBS and UBS was being seriously exposed while LTCM was claiming "Future expected returns are good" although Equity Volume was in trouble, Swap margins were increasing, and Treasuries were falling as investors fled to safer securities and as Treasuries were being bought up their rates dropping to 5.56.

With Indonesia falling - all eyes were turned to Russia. There was no rescue by the IMF for the Russian ruble. Shares in Europe and Turkey were weak and Venezuelans were buying dollars all the while swaps margins increased. Aug 21, the Dow fell 280 points and investors continued to prefer the safest bonds, the 30 year treasures, US swaps increased to 76 points, 20 points in one day, Britain swaps increased to 62 points and mortgage spreads spread to 121 points, high yield climbed to 276, and treasurers were at 13. LTCM lost $558 million in a single day, 15 percent of their capital. LTCM was certain the markets would correct rationally and the spreads converge. Losses accumulated faster because leverages increased. Additional $200 million in funding was requested from Merrill Lynch. Hedge funds were not considered a bank and so credit extension regulation was constrained. The drop in LTCM performance caused banks to tighten their credit lines to hedge funds. In fact, the hedge funds poor performance screamed default and banks demanded their entitlement to repayment. LTCM was very close to insolvency. Mattone told Meriwether, "when you're down by half, people figure you can go down all the way" and "your out". Aug 31, the DOW crashed 512 points, Hong Kong Authority stopped supporting local markets by buying local shares. For the month of Aug, LTCM had lost $1.9 billion, 45 percent of its equity capital, and still had $125 billion in derivative assets. Death was imminent, the leveraging could not be stopped, LTCM was immobilized by its size, and Bear was threatening to suspend trading. After reviewing LTCM books, Bear allowed LTCM trades and gave a harsh warning, if they dropped below $500 million all trades would halt.

Sep 10, LTCM experiences a sum lose of $500 million dollar for five days of trading. LTCM still has 7,000 derivative contracts totaling $1.4 trillion dollars.

In 1987, Alan Greenspan was appointed as chairman of the Federal Reserves. Greenspan did not totally understand hedge funds, they were fairly private, and the Fed had no authority over them. Greenspan was nervous about the credit lines extended too these funds. Some call the funds, banks. What were the hedge funds? What is a bank?

The New York Fed keeps in touch with its branches and they talk with private industry, so supposedly the Fed keeps a pulse on the private sector. The Fed has a trading desk and trades $450 billions in treasuries, buying and selling to affect the amount of available money supply. If the Fed buys treasures, this act increase money supply and gives banks more money for banks to loan, and interest rates decrease. If the Fed buys back treasures, this act decrease money supply and makes less available loanable money and interest rates rise.

The volatility of LTCM was rising because it was so vulnerable. LTCM was being pressured by Goldman as they continued buying down increasing spreads. Goldman exasperated the European bond market cutting apart LTCM.

Warren Buffet was a seemly friend but of no help to LTCM. Berkshire Hathaway made an offer: 250 million for $3.57 billion to stabilize the fund and all partners fired. Legal confusion forfeited the deal. The last thing the economy wanted was an economic meltdown, so the Fed offered a deal and the LTCM partners were out in the cold with tears in their eyes, a perfect model (Merton, Black, Scholes) and not enough liquid money to save them against the impossible.

"...in crisis, correlations go to 1"
The author of this book is a journalist - not a trader or banker - and it's helpful to remember that as you read through this moralistic account of LTCM's rise and fall.

Lowenstein has the audacity to write of Merton, a Nobel Laureate, that he held a "naive belief in perfect markets." Perfect markets may be mythical, but the author is not qualified to call this view naive. The output of the model is as important as the tenability of its' assumptions.

In the end, the fund was too big and successful, not hubristic, to remain in its' sphere of expertise (bond arbitrage) and was forced to become the 800-pound gorilla in other markets like merger arbitrage. Yes, the top two traders were arrogant (a requirement for traders) but the markets broke the fund, not Hilibrand and Haghani.

More details on the transactions would have been interesting but these may have burdened the flow of the book.

There are copious footnotes and the author does a nice job of outlining the players and their stakes in the fund.

Ideology and greed defy common sense
There should be a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you read this book. Long-Term Capital Management was almost guaranteed to fail from its outset and, when the end finally did come, the fund's collapse almost took a big chunk of Wall Street with it. The scary part is that there are more LTCMs out there, operating without regulatory oversight and all subject to wrong-headed economic hypothesizing as the basis for their trading operations.

The poison pill at the center of Long-Term Capital Management's very being was the efficient market theory, an almost universal belief among economists and financiers alike that free markets always operate in the most effective, logical manner possible over the long term. They don't, of course, and that refusal to acknowledge fundamental human irrationality led LTCM over the brink.

Lowenstein does an outstanding job of untangling the fund's complicated derivatives trades and explaining how the fund eventually over-leveraged itself into a sudden collapse. We normally read business stories like this for the thrill of seeing moral hazard at work, seeing the rich fall from grace and thinking how well-deserved that fate is. I would recommend, however, that you approach this book as a template for how the next Great Depression could spring from the simultaneous self-destruction of derivatives trading firms. And thanks to Roger Lowenstein, you don't have to be a genius to see how it could happen. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most widely read books among active option traders around the world, Option Volatility & Pricing has been completely updated to reflect the most current developments and trends in option products and trading strategies.

Featuring:

• Pricing models
• Volatility considerations
• Basic and advanced trading strategies
• Risk management techniques
• And more!

Written in a clear, easy-to-understand fashion, Option Volatility & Pricing points out the key concepts essential to successful trading. Drawing on his experience as a professional trader, author Sheldon Natenberg examines both the theory and reality of option trading. He presents the foundations of option theory explaining how this theory can be used to identify and exploit trading opportunities. Option Volatility & Pricing teaches you to use a wide variety of trading strategies and shows you how to select the strategy that best fits your view of market conditions and individual risk tolerance.

New sections include:

• Expanded coverage of stock option
• Strategies for stock index futures and options
• A broader, more in-depth discussion volatility
• Analysis of volatility skews
• Intermarket spreading with options

Reviews (32)

Great book for prospective traders
With the popularity rise in options and option strategies, I must admit this is a great book to get started with. I am a clerk at the CBOE and have studied this book thoroughly, and in my experience it's the best options tutorial out there. I have also sampled the John Hull book and the official Options Institute book. The writing is very readable and it does not bog you down with overly complex derivations of each formula (there is an appendix that does derive and explain the details of the Black and Scholes model though.)

If you're serious about trading I highly recommend reading this book first - it'll be a useful tool. Working at CBOE I have seen many other clerks studying their Natenberg books during the slower times. Learning arb (hand signaling) and understanding what you are arbing are the keys for a successful options trader. This can be useful for someone just getting started in options as well or with prior experience.

Must reading in order to move up to the next level...
There is a reason why almost all of the reviews of this book are in the Excellent range. It simply is a must read for anyone who wants to be serious about trading options and making intelligent trades. While the book is designed for those on the technical side of trading, it is also a gold mine for those of us simply trading options to make money! Natenberg explains concepts that are essential for the layman to be aware of in order to understand the market. The book is well worth the price just for his discussion of the normal distribution and of how it relates to volatility and investing in options. College statistics teachers could learn how to present this important concept in a meaningful way just by reading this chapter! It is easy to take the information from this book and use Excel to write a program to figure the expected price swings for any stock option based upon its volatiltiy. While the average options trader will not need to master much of the detail in the book, the simple awareness presented here will make you a better and more confident trader. By combining the ideas from this book with those from Max Ansbacher's The New Options Market, you can be in a powerful position to deal effectively in the options market.

Great options book
Perhaps the most amazing success story in the markets and investing in the last 10 or 15 years is the growth of the options market, and the advent of inexpensive trading for derivatives such as options, allowing even the small and amateur investor to use these vehicles if he or she wants. I've read that the options market has grown more than ten-fold since the 80s, even more so than the stock market. This book will help you advance your knowledge of this important area of the market.

This is one of the few really high-level options books that are understandable without advanced math. I have a couple of other books on options and derivatives, and they require advanced calculus. It's still geared toward the professional, but as an amateur I still found it interesting and worthwhile reading. Be advised you'll probably still need to read an introductory book or two on options before tackling this volume, which is what I did. But after absorbing those two books, I found I had the background to read and appreciate Natenberg's book. Natenberg discusses all the advanced concepts so you learn such things as how to do butterfly option spreads, synthetic puts and calls, volatility spreads, how to remain delta and gamma neutral, and other such advanced concepts. Overall a great book and essential reading for anyone who wants a better understanding of this important area.

Option Volatility & Pricing: Advanced Trading Strategies and
Natenberg has done an excellent job in presenting this book on options. He has very successfully combined theory with practical ideas and examples in the most important area for users of options to get their head around, volatility. Natenberg does well explaining the differences between the different modelling techniques. An excellent book.

Good High Level book
This is a good book if you are just starting out and don't want a lot of mathematics. Gives strong high level understanding of how options work. Especially good descriptions of greeks and their behaviors. ... Read more

Book Description

Essentials of Health Care Finance stands firm in its place as the leading textbook in its coverage of health care finance. No other text so completely blends the best of current finance theory with the tools needed in day-to-day practice. This timely revision includes 20 chapters that encompass virtually the entire spectrum of the health care industry-- providing new and expanded information reflecting payment system changes in the industry and broadening content and examples to include hospitals, as well as organizations in other sectors of the health care industry. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Essentials of Health Care Finance
I bought the book of Essentials of Health Care Finance, it was delivered on time, however, some papers insided the book are very dirty, I can see the brown oily figure prints. I wish that I can exchange the book ...

Troubling Guide to Alien Territory
This books offers a broad coverage of health care topics for a non-financial person. It is most deeply flawed for its inability to communicate clearly to a lay person. Essentially it is a vocabulary primer of important financial principles and concepts. It requires abstract thinking and the ability to follow mathematical models.

This reader studied Cleverly's text as a requirement for a healthcare finance class. The text was frustrating as this reader attempted to "know" everything about healthcare finances; however, this is probably not the intent of the book. It does present a road into the foreign land of finances. It demands respect for another set of data and another language for interpreting that data. One does not master this data set at one pass, however.

Nevertheless, this reader did gain some new financial information. At the risk of being simplistic, but communicative; a listing of some of the concepts learned follows:

1. There are many users of financial information.

2. Financial information can guide the formation of programs.

3. Financial management is essential for successful healthcare organizations.

4. Various qualities of health care organization types.

5. How health care organizations make up for discouting and bad debt and capitated payments.

6. General principles of accounting and why they are important. Also that these principles still need to be explained, to be consistent, and to be clarified.

7. Overview of four main types of financial statements with a brief explanation of vaious line items.

8. That financial planning includes considering inflation before it happens, and for equipment etc. to break and wear out before it breaks or wears out.

9. That financial information can be better understood by comparing financial ratios of different line items and trends over time. There are national benchmarking ratios available and Cleverly gives some and tells how to get more.

10. That financial planning should be an orderly process in an organization.

11. There are different types of costs. Some stay the same, some are overhead types. Some are direct, some are hidden. Some can be controlled, some cannot.

12. Figuring out prices is a very complex process in healthcare. It is based on costs and payers. It must also include indirect costs and costs of future problems.

13. There is still stuff to learn . . . And this reader is still no expert.

Finally, after this MSN course and this text, this reader is more conversant with the financial landscape. It holds interest and it is understandable, after all.

Not for beginners
I have finished about 5 different chapters for a Masters degree course I am taking. This book is not for beginners! I am an RN and have been working in business for 10 years. The author assumes that you have had basic accounting and the terminology is unfamiliar. There are very few examples given so it is hard to take the information and see how it is really used. I have had to buy another book just so that I could understand this book.

Mr. Cleverley is the guru of healthcare finance
This book represents the foundation on which all healthcare organizations should examine their financial strength and management. While not for beginners, it provides a comprehensive overview of reporting and benchmarks that prove invaluable during the budgeting process and for financial control.

Difficult to read for beginners
I can not give a completer review as I am still reading this book. I will say the majority of my friends reading this book at the same time as I am are having a difficult time following and understanding the principles discussed. I think it is just not as basic as it could have started to give the beginner a better foundation. Also a glossary of terms would have been a tremendous help. ... Read more

Book Description

A general introduction to the three primary aspects of Finance and examination of how they interrelate.The book discusses financial institutions and their roles in helping to allocate savings in the economy, along with a description and analysis of securities issued and traded in money and capital markets.The book covers fundamentals of investing in stocks, mutual funds, derivatives, and other marketable securities with an emphasis on securities markets, mechanics of trading, techniques of analysis, diversification, and valuation of assets.Finally, the book lays out the processes, decisions structures, and institutional arrangements concerned with the use and acquisition of funds by a firm.This will include the management of the asset and liability structure of the firm under certain and risky situations. ... Read more

Book Description

Essentials of Corporate Finance, 4/e by Ross, Westerfield, and Jordan is written to convey the most important concepts and principles of corporate finance at a level that is approachable for a wide audience.The authors retain their modern approach to finance, but have distilled the subject down to the essential topics in 18 chapters.They believe that understanding the "why" is just as important, if not more so, than understanding the "how," especially in an introductory course.Three basic themes emerge as their central focus: 1. An emphasis on intuition¿separate and explain the principles at work on a common sense, intuitive level before launching into specifics.Underlying ideas are discussed first in general terms, then followed by specific examples that illustrate in more concrete terms how a financial manager might proceed in a given situation 2. A unified valuation approach¿Net Present Value is treated as the basic concept underlying corporate finance.Every subject the authors cover is firmly rooted in valuation, and care is taken to explain how decisions have valuation effects. 3. A managerial focus¿Students learn that financial management concerns management.The role of financial manager as decision maker is emphasized and they stress the need for managerial input and judgment. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

good book worth the price
Very good intro book that is easy to read and easy to understand.
Book takes a very basic approach to explaining things so as students not familiar with finance can easily grasp the concepts. Use of color a nice touch compared to older black & white texts, also lots of recent events (Enron/MCI/M.Stewart) are discussed along with subtle references to Metallica, NIN, Bowie, etc...
Lots of hints that tie in excel and the web, even an appendix section on how to use your financial calculator. Good 'preview' book to their more exhaustive book aptly titled 'Corporate Finance'
Power web OK, but could be better. CD-Rom has good practice questions especially if instructor uses test bank.

Expensive, but insightful.
Ross, Westerfield, and Jordan are recognized experts in the field of corporate finance who have produced a solid textbook for any finance student. The format of this book is easy to follow, with many relevant case studies, insightful real-world applications, and how-to sections that give hints on applying techniques to your own real-world problems. The authors are particularly adept at providing a survey of a topic, then systematically drilling down into significant detail on the mechanics of a particular finance technique. Often, these drill-downs end with, "And here's an example of how to do it in Excel..."

Overall, a helpful book for the student of corporate finance. As is typical with any textbook, the CDROM is probably helpful, but vastly underused by most students reading this book. The price for the content of the book is in-line with that of most business textbooks. That is, slightly overpriced. If textbook money is tight, a student could get by with a 3rd edition of this book without affecting performance in the course. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Trade Like a Hedge Fund

"If you want factual advice based on real research, this is a must-read."
–Larry Williams, author, The Right Stock at the Right Time

"Altucher, a successful money manager, reveals his most profitable stock trading strategies and how to use them, despite strong protests from his partners and clients. Never look a gift horse in the mouth. Grab them ASAP!"
–Yale Hirsch, founder of Stock Trader’s Almanac and editor of thirty-seven annual editions

"I can’t believe that James Altucher has written this book! He’s given away dozens of ways I know to make money. I am glad I’m not in the game anymore. He could ruin it."
–James J. Cramer, founder and markets commentator of TheStreet.com, and cohost of CNBC’s Kudlow & Cramer ... Read more

Reviews (8)

I will keep it for reference
I liked this book because the author offers creative, original trading ideas. I plan to keep it as a reference, which is more than I can say for most books on the subject. Maybe the readers who didn't like the book were expecting the author to do their thinking for them.

Trading Tool Box
This book is like a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is quantitative finance not technical analysis. Floating in a wasteland of books about trading using technical analysis and supposed "insider" techniques, this book delivers what the others pretend to deliver validated trading techniques. Before purchasing another compendium about the latest "rocket science", check out this collection of situational trades that are tested (on a distressingly small(mostly 4 years)) data sample and proven to produce profits. Even with Altucher's minimalist writing style, I feel that he waxed too poetic about the nature of the causes behind the anomalies. After all, does it matter how they work if in fact they do? Lean on the observations and if you still feel compelled to divine a reason, go for it, just make sure that it doesn't interfere with your research.

Some of the systems have painful drawdowns and need additional tweaking or a strong constitution to make them work.

Some of the trading techniques were a little loose for my tastes suffering from a few flaws. Examples include too small of a sample size or the possibility that on occasion the number of trades take would exceed capital and therefore leaving a distorted return # (see technique 13 and think of LTCM or 9/11). Even with the flaws this book is a non-stop idea generator.

Garbage
Essentially day/trend trading at high risk.
His partner who threatened to buy all of the books issued and burn them and their secrets should have. However at least he's honest that all of one's efforts can be wiped out by rare blips.
Not worth the cover price for anyone. There are easier ways to blow your brains (and wallet) out! There are no 'get rich quick' plans without luck. Better go earn a living or invest and not trade!

As Clint Eastwood said "A man has got to know his limitations!"

Wyckoff's book on How I Trade and Invest in Stocks and Bonds is still a classic and will warn you to get out if you don't have a trader's instincts (and most traders lose too!]

Not sure if it's worth the money
I 've seen various forms of some of these strategies published and quantified elsewhere in greater detail.

I also disagree w/ another reviewer's comment regarding the book "enlightening one" to the way Hedge Funds operate and the ways of Wall Street. This is only one of the many stles in existence today.

If your looking for system ideas, better books exist but for the beginner it's a start.

Just finished this book....will read it again within 2 weeks
Four years of Economics @ an Ivy College didn't do as much as this book did to educate me about the markets....especially Hedge Funds. If you're in the busines......it's a must read! ... Read more

Book Description

The Price Advantage, written by three preeminent experts at McKinsey & Company, is the most pragmatic and insightful book on pricing available. Based on in-depth, firsthand experience with hundreds of companies, as well as significant investments in basic pricing research, this book is designed to be a comprehensive guide for managers through the maze of pricing issues. The authors examine state-of-the-art approaches for analyzing and improving pricing performance, demonstrate those approaches with real case studies, and draw a pricing excellence blueprint for companies to follow. In good economic times or bad, achieving the price advantage is critical to corporate performance and profitability. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Let¿s make money
The book, The Price Advantage, highlights a topic often neglected by senior management. But a careful execution of some of the ideas of Roegner et al. can have enormous consequences for the bottom line!

I found the book extremely useful in helping our organization structure its thinking around the possibilities in the pricing arena. The material in the first chapter on the effect of a price increase versus cost reduction is not new but certainly worth a reminder.

The categorization of the three levels of price management is particularly useful and practical. In a product segmentation exercise we ran internally in our organization, we were quickly able to identify the appropriate approach to the various segments. In fact, shortly after reading the book, we were able to craft a broad based pricing strategy that thoroughly impressed our senior management and will now be worked out in more details with a view to implementing it in a few months.

Having been through the re-engineering rage of the 90's with some questionable results, it is reassuring to realize that there are methodologies that could still dramatically improve the bottom line. This is particularly relevant for those having to cope with the consequences of ever changing exchange rates.
I have encouraged quite a few managers to read this book and see where the ideas can be put into practice.

Pragmatic Approaches a Businessperson Can Use
The Price Advantage makes the case that pricing is the most under-appreciated lever for improving performance in most companies today. The authors put forth an argument that is compelling for business leaders in every company to elevate their view of pricing opportunities in general, and pricing as a key lever for performance management in particular. Most importantly, however, the book provides practical, pragmatic insights into what approaches a businessperson can take to identify and capture pricing opportunities. It brings both the opportunities and potential pitfalls to life through the frequent use of case examples where companies succeeded in "ringing the cash register" through effective pricing or left a great deal of money on the table through poor pricing actions.

Of particular usefulness are chapters on specific topics that a business leader tackling pricing is going to face sooner or later. The chapter on "industry strategy" where the authors lay out some of the tactics for being a price leader or good price follower seems to be fresh writing on these topics ( I have not seen anything written about this before, and I thought it was quite actionable). Also, the chapter on pricing architecture set forth nicely the different ways of structuring price to drive the right customer and reseller behavior, again providing a way to look at the issue that should drive toward results effectively.
The chapter on issues/opportunities that arise from mergers/acquisitions provides distinctive perspectives on how to take advantage of opportunities and/or avoid huge downside risks associated with these events. The price wars chapter provides a guide for many managers to utilize in avoiding counterproductive (often inadvertent) actions across the markets in which they compete. Sidestepping just one of the potholes that the authors describe is likely to save a business great pain. Executing a strategy that weaves its way through the price war minefield discussed is likely to make the business a top performer, and the managers leading such an effort heroes