Book Description

The complete toolkit for pre-foreclosure investing

Finding, researching, inspecting, negotiating, buying, and reselling pre-foreclosure properties is a lot of hard work. But it can be very lucrative for investors who know what they’re doing, are well organized, and have the persistence it takes to succeed. The Pre-Foreclosure Property Investor’s Kit is a comprehensive resource full of ready-to-use worksheets, letters, checklists, notices, forms, and agreements. With step-by-step instructions and practical, no-nonsense advice, readers will learn how to find great pre-foreclosure deals, perform due diligence on target properties, accurately estimate the market value of properties, negotiate effectively, and maximize profits.

Thomas J. Lucier (Tampa, FL) has been a real estate investor since 1980. He is a widely published real estate expert whose advice has appeared in such publications as the Wall Street Journal and Commercial Real Estate Investment magazine. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Until the early '90s, project management was definitely located somewhere near the unsexy end of the business spectrum. But now, with the rise of downsizing and outsourcing, it has become one of the hot disciplines. Professional membership of the U.S.-based Project Management Institute has quadrupled in the last decade, and Microsoft claimed recently to have over 2 million users worldwide of its project-management software. The reasons for this growth are simple. Project management is about managing "projects," that is, unique pieces of work (as opposed to ongoing operations). Downsizing, outsourcing, and the accelerating pace of change have meant that, increasingly, work is carried out on an ad-hoc, one-off project basis. The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management is designed as an advanced textbook for businesspeople with a grasp of the basics and insufficient time (or inclination) to go back to school to learn more. Written by Eric Verzuh, president of the Versatile Company, a leading project-management consultancy, this is not a heavy academic text.

Like the rest of the Fast Forward series, this book is designed to let the reader extract maximum information in minimum time. There is a strong use of graphics with tables, charts cross-heads, and bullet points. Important passages are flagged in bold and/or emblazoned with the words key concept. When you read it, you realize that there is nothing magical about project management, just the application of careful common sense. The book covers all the basic stuff like planning, time-tabling, quantity and price estimation, resource allocation, and scheduling. But it also acknowledges that there is inevitably a political dimension to every project, no matter how small. So it has important sections on how to ensure that all the stakeholders in the project are kept "on board" and the importance of communication.

As Verzuh states in his introduction, "Every project participant from part-time team member to executive sponsor, becomes more effective once he or she understands the basics of project management." Really, this is a book about management that every manager should read, whether he or she has a project or not. --Alex Benady ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Great reference
This book is a great desk reference particularly for those less experienced. There is a good balance of focus on the three main areas of PM: timeliness, quality and cost and - unlike other books on the subject - enough focus as well on the actual execution processes of a project.
I've used this as a reference for a number of years (first edition) and highly recommend it.

Very good starter book on project management
First of all, let me tell you that you will not become a Project Manager just by reading this book. Project Management is a field that requires three things in equal proportion: training, mentoring, and job experience.

What this book _will_ do for you is that it will give you an excellent overview of project management. You can use this book to read through and get an idea for the field. Then, if you are interested in pursuing further training, you ought to sign up for a series of training courses such as those offered by ESI International. Simultaneously, you would seek out a mentor, and opportunities for on-the-job experience.

I wish the author had aligned his terminology better with the PMBOK Guide 3rd edition. While the content is top-notch, the terminology used does not necessarily match the PMBOK Guide. This means that people cannot _easily_ use it as preparation material for the PMP certification exam.

With these caveats out of the way, I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending this as an introductory book, especially to aspiring Project Managers. The price point of this book is marvelous -- there is more relevant content here than tomes that cost 5-6 times as much.

The leadership Centre Says
As an Executive Coach, Management Team Builder and Leadership Development Trainer I read and studied several books on project management before selecting this one from which to create the nucleus of a Project Manager Training Program for my client. This is a complex and diverse subject and Verzuh takes his own advice to project managers by breaking it down into many bite sized, easily digestable pieces. For anyone at any level this makes Project Management do-able, while explaining its relevance to corporate culture.

Gives theoretical knowledge only
I ordered two project management books - this one by Verzuh and one called "Fundamentals of Project Management: Developing Core Competencies to Help Outperform the Competition" 2nd edition by James Lewis.

This one by Verzuh described core project managment procedures but lacked many real-world examples of these procedures in action, other than cursory remarks about how some process helped some company.

The book by Lewis was much more practical and seemed to be written from a person who had actually done lots of PM work rather than learned the theory and then wrote a book on it.

Covers the basics
This book is a pretty good summary of project management, but does not include critical lessons-learned from practitioners. ... Read more

Book Description

Real estate financial calculations made easy

Every real estate investor needs to know how to calculate cash flow, long-term gain, net operating income, and a few other basic financial formulas. What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow . . . is a guide to the 34 most essential calculations that answer such crucial questions as "What is this building really worth today?" "What kind of cash flow can I expect?" "Is this property a good investment?" and "How do I calculate my return?" For beginning investors, real estate veterans, commercial brokers, and sellers as well as buyers, this handy reference is a must-have for anyone who wants to make sound decisions based on accurate calculations of:

• Discounted cash flow
• Cash-on-cash return
• Net operating income
• Capitalization rate
• Gross rent multiplier
• Net present value
• Payback period
• Mortgage amortization
• And many more

Reviews (7)

The Investors Bible
Everyone wants to retire on real estate but no one shows you how to, today. Frank G does; he shows you what to look for when evaluating a prospective property and what financial analysis to do to see if it will even produce enough income to carry itself. Franks book is a great start and will give you all the basics to develop a cash flow from real property for your entire life. You need to buy this book to be successful investing in real estate.

Finally a helpful real estate finance book!
This book gives the facts about real estate finance in an easy to read format. Unlike most real estate books, this one does not claim to make you $1,000,000 in 2 weeks with your eyes closed. It gives the common investor the tools and perspective to make wise real estate investment decisions. Good for beginners or seasoned vets who want to brush up on their skills.

Required Reading for Real Estate Investors
Before you invest $1 into income-producing real estate, be sure to pick up a copy of Frank Gallinelli's excellent book, What Every Real Estate Investor Needs to Know About Cash Flow...And 36 Other Key Financial Measures: Guidelines, Formulas, and Rules of Thumb for Making Money in Real Estate. While the title may sound somewhat forbidding, the book is so well-written and accessible that even novice investors who wouldn't know a cap rate from a rate of return can quickly and easily master key concepts such as present value, gross scheduled income and discounted cash flow. Better yet, Gallinelli offers free spreadsheets that you can download from his site that do the numbers-crunching for you. I like to think that I'm a pretty savvy investor, but, thanks to Frank and his amazing formulas, I narrowly avoided overpaying for a five-story office building in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. While there's no guarantee that the seller will accept my lower offer, I feel confident that, if I do get the deal, I will be paying a fair price now that Frank has taught me how to do the math.

Outstanding detail with a straightforward explanation.
This book is the best read for understanding financial analysis. It is not often, if ever achieved, that a subject as complex as financial analysis can be explained so perfectly suited for real estate professionals. The work doesn't lose itself in silly analysis or "paralysis of analysis", Gallinelli's approach is straightforward, sometimes hard hitting as a practical sense guide to investing in real estate. This doesn't mean the work is simplistic by any measure, you can spend plenty of time taking this work into great depth. Gallinelli offers a web page support system with free worksheet downloads, financial software and valuable resource links. Every deal I consider is now held to a new financial standard. This is a must own book for investors, brokers and corporate real estate professionals.

Excellent Investment Companion
This book focuses on analyzing Real Estate Investment from a financial calculation perspective. It is very well written, very easy to understand, and extremely useful. In a very short time, you will quickly learn the 37 calculations that a sophisticated Real Estate Investor uses to evaluate whether a deal makes financial sense. By knowing the numbers better, you'll have an edge in negotiating your next real estate deal. Highly Recommend! ... Read more

Book Description

Brealey/Myers’ Principles of Corporate Finance is the worldwide leading textthat describes the theory and practice of corporate finance.Throughout the book the authors show how managers use financial theory to solve practical problems and as a way of learning how to respond to change by showing not just how but why companies and management act as they do.The text is comprehensive, authoritative, and modern and yet the material is presented at a common sense level.The discussions and illustrations are unique due to the depth of detail blended with a distinct sense of humor for which the book is well known and highly regarded.This text is a valued reference for thousands of practicing financial managers. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Course Material
This book was assigned to me to support Myers's finance class. It is a difficult book to read on one's own. The book is a great reference if you are already taking a course on finance or already have some academic background. However, if you are determined to gain a solid knowledge of finance then this is the right reference. The book gives excellent examples of financial decisions from real life and draws particular attention to mistakes managers regularly make. A must read if you are trying to catch up with MBA material on your own.

Impossible to read
True, I am not a business school student, I am just brushing up on Finance for an actuarial exam. But I am no dummy I tell you, I can read almost anything, and this book I cannot read. If you are looking to get a quick grasp on Corporate Finance, this book is not for you. It is incredibly long and verbose. You skip from one topic to the next without seeing how they interconnect. This is one book where one can read fifteen chapters and still not know a single thing.

Principles of Corporate Finance(R) + Student CD + Corporate
Brealey/Myers Principles of Corporate Finance is the worldwide leading text that describes the theory and practice of corporate finance. Throughout the book the authors show how managers use financial theory to solve practical problems and as a way of learning how to respond to change by showing not just how but why companies and management act as they do. The text is comprehensive, authoritative, and modern and yet the material is presented at a common sense level. The discussions and illustrations are unique due to the depth of detail blended with a distinct sense of humor for which the book is well known and highly regarded. This text is a valued reference for thousands of practicing financial managers.
Part I. Value 1. Finance and the Financial Manager 2. Present Value and the Opportunity Cost of Capital 3. How to Calculate Present Values 4. The Value of Common Stocks 5. Why Net Present Value Leads to Better Investment Decisions Than Other Criteria 6. Making Investment Decisions with the Net Present Value Rule Part II. Risk 7. Introduction to Risk, Return, and the Opportunity Cost of Capital 8. Risk and Return 9. Capital Budgeting and Risk Part III. Practical Problems in Capital Budgeting 10. A Project is Not a Black Box 11. Where Positive Net Present Values Come From 12. Making Sure Managers Maximize NPV Part IV. Financing Decisions and Market Efficiency 13. Corporate Financing and the Six Lessons of Market Efficiency 14. An Overview of Corporate Financing 15. How Corporations Issue Securities Part V. Dividend Policy and Capital Structure 16. The Dividend Controversy 17. Does Debt Policy Matter? 18. How Much Should a Firm Borrow? 19. Financing and Valuation Part VI. Options 20. Understanding Options 21. Valuing Options 22. Real Options 23. Warrants and Convertibles Part VII. Debt Financing 24. Valuing Debt 25. The Many Different Kinds of Debt 26. Leasing Part VIII. Risk Management 27. Managing Risk 28. Managing International Risks Part IX. Financial Planning and Short-Term Financial Management 29. Financial Analysis and Planning 30. Short-Term Financial Planning 31. Cash Management 32. Credit Management Part X. Mergers, Corporate Control, and Governance 33. Mergers 34. Control, Governance, and Financial Architecture Part XI. Conclusions 35. Conclusion: What We Do and Do Not Know About Finance

Not for those with Dyslexia
This book's information is rather useful, but if you suffer from dyslexia, it is going to be a bear to get through. I am in the EMBA course at Baylor and was assigned this book. The blue ink used for the text wrecks havoc with my reading ability. It takes me nearly 40 minutes to read one page...at which rate I should finish it sometime in 2014.

I strongly urge the editor, writer, and publishing house to use black ink in future editions.

Dry but useful
This is a well-written book and useful, especially in understanding legal requirments of fiduciaries. However, for a tour de force of writing and exposition on ethical theory and practices in business, see Berumen's Do No Evil. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than twenty years, millions of managers in Fortune 500 companies and small businesses nationwide have followed The One Minute Manager's techniques, thus increasing their productivity, job satisfaction, and personal prosperity. These very real results were achieved through learning the management techniques that spell profitability for the organization and its employees.

The One Minute Manager is a concise, easily read story that reveals three very practical secrets: One Minute Goals, One Minute Praisings, and One Minute Reprimands.

The book also presents several studies in medicine and the behavioral sciences that clearly explain why these apparently simple methods work so well with so many people. By the book's end you will know how to apply them to your own situation and enjoy the benefits.

That's why The One Minute Manager has continued to appear on business bestseller lists for more than two decades, and has become an international sensation.

Reviews (97)

Got a few minutes?
"The One Minute Manger" by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson teaches the readers the three skills to achieving effective management. Although the keys to being an effective and successful manager, as described by Blanchard and Johnson, seems unbelievably simple, they will strike an understanding chord among most people who have ever managed and supervised employees. Not because managers typically follow the principles, but precisely because these simple principles are ones that they intuitively know they should be practicing yet do not because of lack of conviction in the methods, worry about changing management styles, low level of interest, or apprehension that they will take too much time.

Not to fear, Blanchard and Johnson address these concerns in their short simple book. The allegory starts off with a young man in search of an effective manager. Initially disillusioned by the managers he encounters, who are only results-oriented at the expense of the employees or only people-oriented at the expense of the organization, the young man discovers The One Minute Manager. The young man learns from The One Minute Manager and the people whom he manages the philosophy of the one-minute management style. The authors gradually convince the readers through examples, anecdotes, explanations, and quotable quotes why and how their three principles, when followed appropriately, actually work. A brief guideline list accompanies each of the three management skills: the "one minute goal setting," "one minute praising," and "one minute reprimand." There is even a concise flow chart to help solidify the management principles into one page near the end of the book; no doubt, designed to be cut-out or photocopied and posted in every manager's office. By the end of the short 60 minutes required to finish the book, most readers will be convinced to at least test out the method. After all, the title of the book already suggests that time commitment is not an issue; one can become an effective manager by investing a short 60-second of time. When one reads the book, this really translates to several 60-second intervals per day, but the amount of time will be much less than what most managers are used to.

More effective management in significantly less time? Is it possible? The authors certainly make a compelling yet uncomplicated and clear case for this. One does have to wonder if this is too easy. Will it work for managing all types of people in all types of organizations? How about the slackers? Or the employee who is the wrong fit for the job, doesn't have the appropriate training, or lacks motivation? How about the company with a long tradition of top-down management style? The book doesn't get mired in the details or specifics of every possible variation or situation; instead it attempts to provide the general strategies of effective management. The simple message of the book is to focus on making people feel valued which will lead to greater self-motivation and increased productivity for the individual and organization. As the One Minute Manager best described it, "People who feel good about themselves produce good results." And because they are not difficult to understand, learn, or implement, the skills can be readily used by most managers immediately.

The book is not only for managers of people. The message from the book is relevant to anybody interacting with people or when managing your own work and life. For example, I can utilize the skills to not only manage the people who report to me, but also in working with my colleagues or my supervisor, although the lesson on reprimanding may be less applicable in such situations. The most useful setting to apply the skills, perhaps, is when teamwork is involved, such as in committees, meetings, and group projects. This is when setting goals and timelines are critical and working effectively with colleagues, including giving praise and constructive criticism, is paramount to success. Furthermore, I can even see me being a One Minute Manager to myself, be it in the work environment, personal life, educational pursuits, or participation in hobbies. Who wouldn't want to be happier and have better results in all of these activities? I wouldn't mind impressing my boss more, fulfilling all my New Year's resolutions, or running a marathon in 3 hours and 15 minutes. After reading "The One Minute Manger", most readers will want to be a One Minute Manager tomorrow.

Simple and Fast
A quick read because the concepts it describes are simple yet powerful. "The One Minute Manager" has evolved into a management classic since its first edition in 1981. Managers will take three precepts from this book: Efficient Goal Setting with employees, Praise, and Reprimands. In other words, make sure your people know precisely what they are to do, and then give them feedback whether they meet those expectations or not. That's it. Simple and effective. It takes an hour to read "The One Minute Manager", consider it an investment.

Here's what I think about it...
The book is not a comprehensive management tool but nonetheless contains good basic concepts all managers should use or at least give a great deal of thought to. A short, easy read that has many nuggets of wisdom, I give it five stars. Other self-help books I liked include "The Multifidus Back Pain Solution."

Just A Minute
The ideas in One Minute Manager are very effective for anyone who feels stretched to the limit by the daily demands of modern business. The advice is both simple and to the point so it means less time analyzing the lesson and more time implementing tips that can improve your overall performance. I highly recommend this book to seasoned managers as well as those who aspire to join the ranks of management.

Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey is another great book for companies to share with employees because it offers entertaining stories and goal oriented advice about improving your workplace and your life.

Best management style out there--Bar None!
This should be in the library of all managers and those aspiring to be leaders. It keeps accountability straight; and promotes initiative and quality in all involved. I find that this method gives each person in my command a sense of worth and it is very respectful of that person's ideas and performance. Better than any other style of management. ... Read more

Book Description

'Leader As Coach' is a straight-forward, practical book that can help you lead your people and your organization to greater success.

The tips and practices in 'Leader As Coach' will enable you to sharpen your coaching skills so that you can attract and retain the talent you need for success, foster growth in others, provide effective feedback, orchestrate learning opportunities, and groom high-potential performers. After all, your people are your most important asset.

Within these pages you’ll find:
--Five high-impact strategies for effective coaching.
--Useful insights on how to deal with resistance and motivate others.
--Hundreds of tips and action steps to make you a better coach. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Professional Coaching
Our company recently hosted a presentation from David Peterson, one of the authors of Leader as Coach. His audience was a small group of HR managers and Training consultants. He provided us with a no nonsense, credible approach to coaching managers and leaders. The title of his presentation was quite true to that title, providing us with a clear vision of the state of the art and insights into the state of the practice.

David and Mary Dee's book, Leader as Coach, is the foundation for one of the clearest and most well-reasoned approaches to Coaching I have seen after a decade in this business. But don't stop with this book. Go on from here to Personnel Decisions International's Development FIRST and Supervisor's Handbook

This book has been my guide for my active research project.
This book has been both inspirational and motivational for me. I love the quotes and have used them when sending memos to people involved in my Masters active research project. The few colorful pictures are beautiful and representative of reaching high for the stars. The texture of the paper used is similar to a magazine's. I almost felt I was reading one, which felt more like leisure reading. The book is short, easy to read, and to the point. I've taken much of the advise while I've engaged as a leader in my project. I've made efforts to become a better listener, give positive feedback, inspire people to take risks, and built a bond of trust. I learned that I have to model the good habits I'd like others to practice. The strategies suggested are a must for people in the business world and adminstrators or leaders in education. The book is practical for anyone who assumes a leadership role and does not know how to begin the process. Thumbs up! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sequels often disappoint when compared to their predecessors, but author Robert Shiller has proved the exception to the rule with his second edition of Irrational Exuberance. When the original book released in 2000, Shiller's prescient analysis of bubble-like market behavior provided perspective on the painful meltdown of stock-price valuations that subsequently occurred. Five years later, the Yale professor's bearish predictions about real-estate valuations are enough to give any savvy investor or homebuyer pause.

Shiller is one of several well-known economists and pundits who've begun a running dialogue in the last few years around the drawbacks of unchecked free markets. Few writers, though, dissect the phenomenon of bubble behavior as clearly and thoroughly as Shiller does. As with the first edition of his book, Shiller begins this one with reams of quantitative data around the late 1990s stock-market runup. This new edition adds data on real-estate price trends in the early 2000s, and points out the striking parallels between the earlier stock-market boom and bust, and current trends with housing prices in the United States. Shiller actually believes the two phenomena are related; as investors lost confidence in the stock market and moved their money into real estate, one asset class fell while the other rose. According to Shiller's analysis, the pattern is destined to repeat itself.

Aside from the initial data, the real strength of Irrational Exuberance is the straightforward, almost clinical way in which it explains why things happen as they do. The book walks readers through structural reasons for market bubbles, then ventures into "softer" analyses which professional economists less confident than Shiller would be scared to touch. It examines cultural factors behind market bubbles, such as hype-mongering news media, and psychological factors, such as herd behavior.

Another improvement in this latest edition of Shiller's book is his inclusion of more personal commentary, and he mentions the influence that his wife, herself a clinical psychologist, has had on his intellectual development and his view of psychological impacts on economic behavior. Other personal insights from Shiller center on experiences he had while touring and lecturing around the first book, and some of the most interesting passages are those in which he describes common questions or feedback from his audience, and what he thought in reaction--but didn't voice while on his tour.

In the end, Shiller closes his book with an intriguing set of policy proposals. He argues for a revamping of the U.S. social security system, a new system of house-price insurance for homeowners, and risk reduction through portfolio diversification. Fans of the brainy academic will note with approval that Shiller practices what he preaches: he has begun trying to implement some of his ideas in the real world through two private consulting firms he has founded, Macro Securities Research and Macro Financial. The hope is if Shiller's as correct with this second book as he was with his first, readers will all learn something from these new companies. --Peter Han ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Antidote to Stocks for the Long Run
Shiller explains why the incredible 225% increase in the Dow Jones Industrial Average from the beginning of 1994 through the end of 1999 was unsustainable: "as a rule and on average, years with low price-earnings ratios have been followed by high returns, and years with high price-earnings ratios have been followed by low or negative returns." Writing in 2000 when the price-earnings ratio on the S&P500 was nearly 45, compared to a long-run average of about 20, Shiller was preparing us for a bursting of the stock-price bubble. His message was sobering and prescient then as well as good education now. Caution: the reader will have to whack through thickets of details in Chapter 1 such as "The average real return in the stock market (including dividends) was -2.6% a year for the five years following January 1966, -1.8% a year for the next ten years, -0.5% a year for the next fifteen years, and 1.9% a year for the next twenty years."
In Part 3: Psychological Factors, Shiller outlines principles of behavioral finance. For example, past prices and stories help form people's views of the stock market. He reviews classic experiments in psychology, which documented the significance of peer pressure and trust in experts. Shiller's interpretation is that people take uncritically what experts on the stock market offer, presumably that stock prices will continue to rise, which encourages them to be overconfident.
The author puts forth a good explanation of efficient markets theory but applies much criticism. He proclaims: "I see no reason to doubt the thesis that smarter people will, in the long run, tend to do better at investing." Reading and understanding Irrational Exuberance will help put the individual investor in the company of those "smarter people."

I'm puzzled by the y-axis choices in Figure 1.1 (page 6).
I work in statistical data analysis, and I opened this book with high expectations.But then on page 6 I encountered Figure 1.1, titled "Stock Prices and Earnings, 1871-2000", which has a visual design that troubles me.Both lines on the graph are plotted with the same x axis (the years from 1860 to 2020), and I have no problem with that.The Stock Price line is plotted against a y axis that is labeled along the left-hand edge of the graph, and the range chosen for this axis (0 to 1600) seems quite appropriate for the data plotted, which range from about 70 to about 1450.The Stock Earnings line is plotted against its own y axis that is labeled along the right-hand edge of the graph, and I have no problem with the existence of the second y axis.But what troubles me is that the range of this second y axis has been chosen so that the entire range of the data plotted in the earnings line (about 5 to about 40) has been squished into the very bottom of the graph, using a vertical distance that corresponds roughly to the range from 2 to 190 on the y axis for Stock Price.This apparently arbitrary visual juxtaposition of two unrelated y-axis scales leaves me unable to trust any visual trend comparisons I might be tempted to make between the two lines.Can someone explain to me why one of these three alternatives that make more sense to me wasn't chosen?(1) Plot both the Stock Price and the Stock Earnings on the same y-axis scale (from 0 to 1600), or (2) plot the Stock Price on its own y axis as shown but plot the Earnings Price on a y axis that runs from 0 at the bottom of the graph's right-hand edge to about 45 on the graph's right-hand edge, or (3) normalize both graphs to percentages of their values for some year (1871, perhaps).Thanks.Any comments from Edward Tufte ("The Visual Display of Quantitative Information") would be most welcome indeed.

decent, but somewhat disappointing
For those haven't read other behavioral econ articles / books, this is probably worthwhile.However, though the first two articles are well written and informative, the remainder of the book is mostly ponderous unsupported assertions and innuendo.It's nothing new to those who've read a bit about this stuff before.

Regarding the "updated for the real estate bubble" claims:The real estate information is not very well integrated - it looks like it was opportunistically inserted.Ironically, it looks like Shiller and his publishers are trying to "time the market" - rushing a book to market hoping to "catch the top" of another asset class cycle and thus get two data points showing him to be a guru of bubbles.(In addition, his mention of Prop 13 in California is superficial and not informative.)

It also appears at many places that writing has not been updated at all since the first edition.It can make for some confusing reading at times.

Maybe he doesn't want to give away lots of data he's accumulated, but it would be helpful to evaluate his assertions.Without it most of the book does not rise above well informed discussion over a few beers.

indepth analysis on market behavior
In a welcome second edition of the book, Shiller sets up his main theses using the real estate "bubble" (or if you prefer, "boom") example.The first part of the book focuses on a historical analysis of the "bubble" scenarios and uses the recent real estate phenomenon to explain the context of his arguments. He systematically argues against all the reasons cited for the real estate boom (population, construction costs, etc.) In the second part, he focuses on causes for these speculative behaviors of investors and their changing perceptions on risk. His classification of factors into precipitating and amplifying groups is an interesting approach.He then proceeds to explain cultural, political and psychological factors to reason why he thinks investors behave in a "speculative" mode. His attack on the cable TV news media and their "noisy" coverage of business news is an amusing and thought-provoking read.

Any serious investor for the long term (and short term) will find the insights on market behavior very useful in analysing his/her own behavior. The efficient market theory, "greater fool" theory, etc. will also need a more critical look after reading Shiller's comments.

This thought provoking book is an excellent read along with Jeremy Siegel's (one of the authors friends/advisors) book which takes a much more positive perspective on market trends and more importantly, market behavior.

While the strength of the arguments will keep the reader interested, the book is no easy week-end read. It needs to be read in a slow pace to absorb the gravity of the arguments. But that shouldnt deter a serious investor. A must have.

Market psychology with a political ending
This is a chronicle of inverstor perceptions and expectations of themarket both in the late '90s and in other periods, particularly the roaring '20s.Pretty boring stuff.More psychology than finance.

The reason I gave this book one star is that in the final part of the book Shiller makes an political statement that is unrelated to the book's thesis.He campaigns against investing even part of Social Security funds in the stock market.He urges us to reaffirm our group responsibility to the elderly instead.It sounds like something the AARP would have said.

In other parts of the book he talks about what demographic or generational trends may mean for the market or the public perception of the market.When he turns to social security he doesn't mention demographics, however.Of course, demographic trends portend bankruptcy for Social Security as it is currently structured.It's intellectually dishonest to talk about demographics and generational differences in other contexts but omit those factors when it comes to social security.

If he had left out this political lobbying he would have a boring but well researched book.He pulled a bait and switch at the end that detracts from the rest of the book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Few of us are natural-born leaders, according to John C.Maxwell, author of Developing the Leader Within You. Fortunatelythough, "the traits that are the raw material of leadership can beacquired," he promises. "Link them up with desire and nothing can keepyou from becoming a leader. This book will supply the leadershipprinciples. You must supply the desire." True to his words, Maxwelloffers a detailed and inspiring primer on becoming a leader. Even theTable of Contents reads like a motivational poster.

Maxwell (The 21 IndispensableQualities of a Leader), who is the founder of INJOY, aChristian-based leadership program, debunks the myth that strongleaders must have big egos and spend all their time harnessing personalpower. Instead, he elevates leadership to a spiritual act of service:"The growth and development of people is the highest calling ofleadership." Maxwell relies on real-life anecdotes, short paragraphs,charts, and numerous lists to make his wisdom accessible. As a result,his writing often seems simplistic, with a self-help tone. Nonetheless,in teaching readers how to bring out the best in themselves as well asothers, Maxwell offers a worthwhile life lesson that extends far beyondthe workplace. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (31)

A Leader is Born!
A leader is always Born and as far as the belief goes 'Leos are Born Leaders' - However, the concept of this Book by John Maxwell is Developing a Leader within. This requires a motivation, a vision and an influence as the writer shares the principles of management through real life anecdotes, charts and graphs. A truly inspiring book that reveals wiz ways to excel and be a Leader. Interesting strips portray Leadership qualities with real life examples and sure, this becomes a quick 'glance read' chirping the zeal in to strife for successive climb. I've always recommended Management Quotes book of Pramod Batra and so is this Book on top of my Charts. Influence always make a big difference and this book implies the influential tricks to scale high to be a leader. Maxwell's techniques prove to be genuine stuff and anyways, the picked topics speak wide :

1. Influence - Defining Leadership qualities
2. Attitude - It really makes a big difference
3. Positive Change - foster integrity and self-discipline
4. Priorities - Defining goals
5. Integrity & People - Developing ties

Becoming a person of Influence is another Book of Maxwell that is thought-provoking and a Leadership technique of 'Influence' pays big dividends in longer run. A worthwhile life lesson to boost up self confidence and keep on high spirits with 'Developing the Leadership qualities' by John Maxwell. A sure fire way to adopt the techniques and surface the best in you.

An inspiring inspiration for aspiring leaders
Developing the Leader Within You was a first rate book with an outstanding amount of useful and applicable knowledge. Dr. Maxwell guides the reader through the steps they need to become a leader such as solving problems effectively, learning to appreciate people, developing the right attitude and improving your leadership abilities and various other categories. One of the aspects I found useful was small activities interspersed within the chapters. These proved to be a way to gauge your progress at developing skills and also a nice break from reading the book. One of the most useful sections, to me, was the one on developing people. Dr. Maxwell provided specific ways in which leaders can motivate people and also tactics to avoid because they can de-motivate people. One of the traps I noticed myself falling into was thinking that success was based on luck, not planning. After reading this book I now realize that I do not have to wait around for a lucky break, but I can take action to make success happen. The book was easy to read and stayed away from text book like content. Dr. Maxwell interjected numerous quotes and stories which helped to keep my interest. He chose quotes from Charlie Brown to President Eisenhower to everyday people he encountered. Not only was the content helpful, but discovering fun bits of trivia was exciting. The only fault I found with this book was that Dr. Maxwell was sometimes a little vague in his descriptions on how to address certain issues. But as I read the book and understood his message more fully, I realized that he wants the readers to figure out the solutions for themselves. He provides the framework for us to become better leaders but each of us has to chose the best way for our personal styles. If you want to enhance your leadership ability, become better at working with people, or just improve yourself in general, I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed.

everything you wanted to know about becoming a better leader
Whether you are an established leader or just getting started, there is something in here that will benefit you. By clearly defining leadership and its five levels, Maxwell starts you off with a strong understanding of the type of leader you can become, and how close you currently are to achieving it.

He then brings clarity to the obstacles that may be in your path and shows you how to clear them out of the way. He helps you to set your priorities, check your integrity, learn how to initiate positive change, and become a problem solver. He stresses the importance of attitude, people, vision and self-discipline. In the end, he shows you not only how to develop your own leadership ability, but how to start developing others as well.

Though sometimes choppy in its presentation, with maybe a few too many quotes and cliches, the content here is top notch. If you are a Maxwell reader, you will see repeats of this material in his other books. But then, some things are worth repeating.

Larry Hehn, author of Get the Prize: Nine Keys for a Life of Victory

Do Not Waste Your Money
This book is a bore and contains no useful information.
The book has so many quotes of others that it seems the author couldn't develop an original thought were he paid to.
Save your money or spend it on something worthwhile - this isn't.

Enlightening and enjoyable
"Developing the Leader within You" by John C. Maxwell was a very enlightening book to read. It is designed to advise you how to be a leader and where to begin. I also found the book to be a good reminder of things that I should be doing in everyday life when interacting with people. I think sometimes we need to be reminded how important it is to have a positive attitude, integrity, and get to know those with whom you interact; people skills can go a long way. Mr. Maxwell made the book enjoyable by relating the topics to situations and people that he knew.
I enjoyed the research facts of how many people with terminal illnesses were still living due to a positive attitude compared to those who have a negative attitude. It wasn't like some books that try to dictate to you. He also used a mix of Charlie Brown from the Peanuts comic strip and other well-known individuals like Abraham Lincoln to help illustrate his points.
I'm not currently a leader within my company but this gives me a place to start and to practice some of the topics mentioned before I have to. Throughout the book you notice a few topics mentioned over and over showing their importance such as influence, people, and how the leader develops before his followers. I think something else John C. Maxwell does that is great is he has exercises for you to participate in while going through the book. So you're doing more than reading you're interacting. The one thing that is going to stick in my mind is "We are responsible for our attitudes". I sometimes forget its something I do have control over. I was reading this for a class but I would recommend this book to anyone to read, not just for those in the leadership world. ... Read more

Book Description

This text is used at more colleges and universities than any other business law text. With the perfect balance of tradition and innovation, this benchmark text brings to life the functions and inner-workings of business law in the real world. Rich with classic and modern cases, West's Business Law is the ideal text for students entering virtually any field of business. By combining this market leading text with a complete supplements and technology package, this is the one clear choice in business law courses. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Wonderful text that is very readible
Some texts can be so completely dry, and this one has the potential to be so. Yet this book reads easily, and is kind enough to emphasize much of the text with highlights, boldings, and other wonderful devices to help draw your attention to important details. This book also has a fantastic variety of cases to point out certain aspects of the law. I would definately recommend this one if you are studing the law!

Fine textbook and great home reference
This book is even better than the excellent business law textbook I used (but no longer have) in college in the late 1960's. It has all the utilitarian features necessary for a textbook but likewise has enough depth and user-friendliness for a home reference tome.

The only significant criticism I can offer is that, for a book in this very high price range, it should have a more durable binding. It does have full cloth-covered hardback covers *but* the page section is only "perfect-bound" (i.e., pages held together merely with glue) rather than having a sewn binding. It seems to me that a ... book should have a sewn binding! I've noticed how most books classified as "textbooks" have such very high prices yet have rather cheap bindings. It's no wonder a college education costs a small fortune these days--- the textbook price alone is enough to drive one into penury, and even then the book(s) will eventually fall apart under very heavy use.

Anyhow, this book is wonderfully useful in its content and for that reason I recommend it highly.

It's difficult for self-studying person
I am using several business law textbooks for my self-study.Comparing to others,this book is difficult to understand.The selection of the Cases differs from others which makes me confused.Structure of the content differs too.It's a complicated book to understand for a self-studying person.

Adequate for the undergraduate college student
After 21 years of teaching, both in private college and law school, and as a 23-year legal practitioner, licensed in Hawaii and New York, I perhaps have too much technical knowledge of the law to pass judgment on a text meant clearly to cover, in an almost glib and obsessively-current fashion, virtually the entire spectrum of the law.

That being said, the text is useful in plowing through the sometimes grandiloquent excesses of law terms and concepts in mostly plain English. Its major flaw is trying to accomplish too much with too little. The multitudinous case decisions are often so short as to reveal little of the policy reasoning behind the law, certainly a key to a would-be manager or businessman. Concepts, when explained, are often truncated, leaving students somewhat bewildered. Coverage of products liability is a case in point -- the question constantly arises: why hold a manufacturer liable without fault? There are correct answers given, to be sure, but they are not fully explained and college students often tend to look at fault rather than economic analysis when a product injures a consumer; the economic concept of strict products liability is hardly an intuitive one, but it is crucial to those students who enter into products manufacture and distribution.

One also wonders why the constitution, criminal law, torts, and such are placed in a business law text. They have minimal relation to the real-world of business and there is just too much information already, even for 2 terms, to cover adequately. I would exclude or minimize these kinds of topics.

Properly the authors have cut back on certain areas which in prior editions constititued perhaps 5+ chapters each. But this is the flip side of the coin. The book is at once too much and too little. At least in our college, this text is used for a course in business law for managers. I'm afraid it is not quite that. Managers need to know what to do when a legal problem, from sexual harassment allegations to a regulatory complaint, comes before them. There is precious little "how" to the practical question of "what do I do now?". In fact, there should be answers to that practical question in every chapter.

There are far too many federal trial court opinions which, frankly, are so new and of so little legal weight (binding only in the particular district), that I wonder why they are included at all in text form, when they can be footnoted, if cited at all. Internet law and "cyberlaw" are cases in point. I realize this is an emerging area in the law, but precisely for that reason, these cases largely have no business being placed in text form until appellate courts have given us broader guidance.

Perhaps I have been too harsh on the text. It is well-written, understandable, generally clear to the college student, and may well be the best general text for undergraduates. But I would like to see much more progress made in the areas I have discussed.

Awesome Law Textbook - Very Useful Out of School as Well
West's Business Law is amazing for the student of business law. It presents complicated subject matter in a way that can be understood. After reading it, I felt "everyone should read this book," because it applies to so many situations we could face in everyday life. It provides a more in-depth and overall law presentation than most college text books. If you hunger for knowledge of the law (whether you want to be a lawyer or not), you will be filled by the material in West's Business Law. My husband has a business law class right now which uses another textbook and there is no comparison. I only regret that I lost my West's Business Law when I was moving, because it is one textbook I had wanted to keep forever. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Make Change Irresistibly Attractive
The leaders of some organizations have no idea how to make successful changes, and are likely to waste a lot of resources on unsuccessful efforts. Professor Kotter has done a solid job of outlining the elements that must be addressed, so now your organization will at last know what they should be working on.

On the other hand, if you have not seen this done successfully before, you may need more detailed examples than this book provides or outside facilitators to help you until you have enough experience to go solo. I suspect this book will not be detailed enough by itself to get you where you want to go.

Here's a hint: The Harvard Business Review article by Professor Kotter covers the same material in a much shorter form. You can save time and money by checking this out first before buying the book.

I personally find that measurements are very helpful to create self-stimulation to change, and this book does not pay enough attention in that direction. If you agree that measurements are a useful way to stimulate change, be sure to read The Balanced Scorecard, as well, which will help you understand how to use appropriate measurements to make more successful changes.

If you want to know what changes to make, this book will also not do it for you. I suggest you read Peter Drucker's Management Challenges for the 21st Century and Peter Senge's Fifth Discipline.

Good luck!

THE Standard for Organizational Change
This book was recommended to me as being the standard for organizational change, and that recommendation was close to the mark. For any project manager who is involved in the mechanism of change, this is one book that should be right at the top their 'short list.'

This may seem like a strong statement, but reading this book can be life changing. Its concepts apply across many other business ideas, and it is particularly useful for implementing project management into an organization.

Lots of resources are wasted on unsuccessful efforts because often the leaders of some organizations don't know how to implement successful changes. The thought process gets tied up in the existing bureaucracy and remains stalled, going nowhere. In Leading Change, Professor Kotter has performed a commendable job of outlining all the elements that must be addressed. He identifies the most frequent mistakes in effecting change, and suggests eight steps to overcoming obstacles.

The author offers some good business essentials, but also adds a solid structure for implementation that can be applied across organizational cultures. Following his recommendations should make it easier for an organization to know what they should be working on and how to progress to the next steps.

There are good books that may be more recent than this, but you would do yourself and your organization a disservice if you passed this book by just based on that. As stated earlier, this book lives up to its reputation of being the standard for organizational change.

One of the Best
I agree with some of the earlier reviews that recommend this book along with "Execution" by Bossidy & Charan, "Strategic Organizational Change" by Beitler, and "Good to Great" by Collins.

This book is a little light on practical tools, but it does offer a good overview for managers who are dealing with change.

Recommended
One of the great books on self help practical leadership that has come out in recent years. You can complete your philosophical knowledge on leadership of character by going on to read the Remick book, "West Point: Jefferson: Character Leadership..." when you finish Kotter's "Leading Change".

How to lead change
Kotter's eight-step formula for leading change provides some practical and valuable strategies, but it does not get to the core of the problem. When an organization hires and retains only those who have made the commitment to do their best regardless of the circumstances, then complacency is never a serious problem and the leader does not need to falsely impose a sense of urgency. I recommend this book, and suggest Optimal Thinking: How to be your best self is read along with it. We are integrating Optimal Thinking into our company (mission statement and culture) and moving away from the old paradigm of managers and employees to the new optimized paradigm of corporate optimizers. ... Read more

Book Description

A "textbook with passion", Hardwiring Excellence offers a road map and practical how-to guide for creating and sustaining a culture of service and operational excellence.In this book, author Quint Studer, CEO of Studer Group, draws on his personal experience as a former hospital executive who led two organizations to the top 1% in patient satisfaction and his experience coaching hundreds of healthcare organizations since.

Studer, a nationally acclaimed educator, coach, and thought leader in healthcare today, is a master storyteller, mixing "chicken soup style" stories with personal insight, simple tools, and in-depth recommendations on how good organizations can become great ones.

Based on Studer Group’s Nine Principles SM, Quint Studer shows how to retain more employees; ensure better customer service; build strong leadership, align organizational values, goals, and results; increase communication; reward and recognize individual success while also requiring accountability; and move operational performance for better financials, market share, and growth.

At the core of the journey, he says, is a sense of purpose, worthwhile work and making a difference.When organizations learn how to harness this passion in their employees, they create a success spiral with ever increasing momentum.

In fact, Richard L. Clarke, FHFMA, President and CEO of Healthcare Financial Management Association says, "Quint Studer’s Nine Principles of service and operational excellence provide the missing link between people power and strong financials.It’s about courageous leadership." ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Turning Passion into Performance
This book has something for everyone - those just starting to create their culture of excellence AND those who are already quite good and looking for the "tweaks" to be even better. Personal stories make it easy-to-read and show how hardwiring a few specific actions can turn passion into performance.

The definitive textbook on excellence
Quint Studer has been making a difference in healthcare for years. His nine principles have been proven successful many times over in organizations large and small throughout the nation. Hardwiring Excellence is a primer of how the nine principles can help an organization achieve excellence. It is a step by step guide that provides an entertaining combination of wonderful stories and practical information that works. You will read and re-read this book many times over, and it will take you on a journey to achieve excellence that you never thought possible.

A "How-To" for Excellence
Quint has an amazing way of always connecting, always reducing the complexity and showing the way to simplicity in the pursuit of excellence.
His advice and coaching tips are real-world and real-time and shouldn't be thought of as exclusive to healthcare. It would be difficult to make it to the end without identifying one or two leadership-enhancing behaviors....ready to be put to use tomorrow.
Having attended his speaking engagements, I can share that "Hardwiring Excellence" is like an extended conversation with Quint.

Life Changing! If you are a burned out healthcare leader...
You simply must read this book. This clearly demonstrates how to take complex situations and make them easy to understand by connecting to purpose, worthwhile work and making a difference. I now remember why I got into healthcare in the FIRST place. I am a better leader because of these Principles.

Changing Healthcare
While applicable to most environments, Hardwiring Excellence gives specific tips for healthcare providers on creating a culture of operational excellence. If each reader implements three recommendations from the book, they will improve their chances of retaining their excellent employees. ... Read more

Book Description

The Alternate Edition includes all of the same features and benefits as the Standard Edition.Its only difference is that it includes four additional chapters on more advanced topics: Risk Management; An Introduction to Financial Engineering; Option Valuation; Mergers and Acquisitions, and Leasing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good Book
I am new to Finance aspects. This book very well served the purpose. Thank you ... Read more

Book Description

ANSWERS YOU NEED FROM EXPERTS YOU TRUST

How many times have you bought the latest and greatest management book and let it collect dust on your shelf? Management fads come and go, but leaders across the globe know that when they need substance, they’ll find it in Successful Manager’s Handbook.

Fully updated and revised, this 7th edition continues the PDI tradition of providing smart, practical ideas and suggestions that you can use immediately on the job.

Never simplistic, always relevant, Successful Manager’s Handbook is the ideal resource for you, your employees and the people you coach.

"A one-stop shop…a wonderful resource for improving performance." — D. Bradford Neary Director, Executive & Leadership Development Medtronic, Inc.

"No manager's toolkit should be without it…indispensable." — Greg Schaefer Manager, Curriculum Development Learning & Development Rockwell Collins

"Successful Manager's Handbook answers the perennial question, 'Now that I know what my strengths and development needs are, exactly what can I do about it?' This simple, action- and behavior-oriented tool helps everyone prepare specific, meaningful development plans." — Coleman Peterson President & CEO, Hollis Enterprises Retired EVP-People Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

"My team and I count on the processes and suggestions in PDI's Successful Manager's Handbook to help us focus the business and deliver on long-term strategies. The processes and suggestions also challenge me personally to become a more effective leader in our organization." — Andrew F. Nelson Vice President, HP & Executive Director HealthPartners Resource Foundation ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An in-depth, one-stop compendium
Now in an updated seventh edition, Successful Manager's Handbook is an in-depth, one-stop compendium packed with everything a manager absolutely must know. Written and compiled by Personnel Decisions International, a global human resources consulting firm specializing in building leadership talent, Successful Manager's Handbook is filled cover to cover with expert advice, from how to analyze issues and make sound, logical decisions to postively influencing others, fostering open communication, listen and write effectively, lead with courage, build trust, and much more. Point-by-point suggestions applicable to leaders of any scope in any field break down the most crucial concepts into easily accessible guidelines, and extensive lists of top-quality books and seminars offer further resources to pursue for tips, tricks, and techniques. Highly recommended.
... Read more

Reviews (4)

deluxe RIP OFF
I 'was forced' to buy this book for an MIS course. We all know how textbooks are scams anyway, but this one takes the cake. My college even had the balls to 'bundle' this with an MS Access book so we were stuck with a $170 bundle. All the info I needed to take the course was available on the website webct.If you can find a way to access that site, you don't even need this outrageously expensive book.I got an A in the course and never cracked the book.I just used the info on the website. You should try that route if you can, and forgo purchasing this book.

Just not worth the cost.
This book is compulsory for a class I am in.Do what I did, don't waste your money - borrow from a library..... or find other solutions.This is way too much money for information that can be covered in other sources.The publisher is clearly exploiting the fact that it is used as a textbook to raise the cost outrageously.

This book is a scam
My friend used Management Information Sustems: Managing the Digital Firm 8th edition. Now that I received this one I can see that 95% of of the content in the new book is identical to the one my friend has. Oh, right, the authors also added to the title the words "essentials of" Management...

I can believe the publisher let the authors publish this kind of book. A previous review says that the book is almost identical to the previous edition of the same book. Now I am saying that the book is almost identical to a different book writen by the same authors...this is outrageous.

Ah, yes. The cases at the end of the chapters are different

Money making scheme - rip off
I view suspiciously authors who change covers of their books and launch a new edition every year or every 18 months.
This book as with the5th edition is sub-standard.
If you are stuck with it as acompulsory read -borrow from alibrary. Don't buy. ... Read more

Download Description

"In this book, one of the world's most respected technical analysts presents a complete course in forecasting future market behavior through cyclical, trend, momentum, and volume signals. Unlike most technical analysis books, Gerald Appel's Technical Analysis offers step-by-step instructions virtually any investor can use to achieve breakthrough market success.

Appel illuminates a wide range of strategies and timing models, demystifying even advanced technical analysis for the first time. He presents technical analysis solutions for short-, intermediate-, and long-term investors, and even for mutual fund investors. Many of the strategies and models he presents have never before been published. Several are based on MACD, a tool that revolutionized technical analysis¿and one that he created.

This book distills over thirty years of trading experience into a practical guide you can start profiting from right now.

Learn technical analysis from one of the world's top experts.

Hands-on guidance from Gerald Appel, publisher of Systems and Forecasts

Coping with today's unprecedented market volatility

Indispensable techniques for profiting in uncertain markets

Winning techniques that take just 10 minutes a week

Better results than ""buy and hold""¿with far less risk

Riding the tides of market wave movement

How to recognize crucial political, seasonal, and time-based cycles

MACD: The ultimate market timing indicator invented by the author himself

Includes new, advanced breakthrough techniques that revolutionize technical analysis

How you can profit from technical analysis... step-by-step!

• By Gerald Appel, inventor of the MACD technique used by virtually every serious technical analyst
• How to uncover the hidden clues that reveal when markets are about to shift
• For short-term, medium-term, and long-term investors¿including those new to technical analysis

Reviews (2)

Best Technical Book Ever -
Since reading George A book, I was able to fine tune my system/charts.
I trade equities, and Futures.

I use stochastics and Mcds + OBV.
I was able to fine tune the settings from the information on this book.
I added Envelops (Moving averages 21 days) - a lot better than Bollinger Bands.
This is a must book to completely research if you are serious about trading.

Thanks - George

Anthony Ferrari

It's the author
If Gerald Appel wrote it, I will read it.It is just that simple.Greg Morris ... Read more