Book Description

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

Book Description

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

Reviews (3)

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

The modern approach of this text recognizes that econometrics has moved from a specialized mathematical description of economics to an applied interpretation based on empirical research techniques.It bridges the gap between the mechanics of econometrics and modern applications of econometrics by employing a systematic approach motivated by the major problems facing applied researchers today.Throughout the text, the emphasis on examples gives a concrete reality to economic relationships and allows treatment of interesting policy questions in a realistic and accessible framework. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Did the trick ...
As an undergraduate student, studying econometrics I advise that this book is a very (very) basic introduction to econometrics (one-step up from basic statistics, probabilities, etc).

One minus of the book, is that it lacks detailed examples of some of the key concepts (which is defintiely a must when you are learning something new) .... the concepts are detailed enough but it is always helpful to have a real world example of the concept.

Also, some of the chapters can induce learning overload and require intense concentration ... which I found to be quite annoying (as you do when you are a student). If the chapters were broken up a bit more, it would be a far easier read (see my recommendation below concerning an easier read).

However, the appendices are most excellent for review of key prior mathmatical knowledge (probabilities,statistics, etc) ... but you will likely need to know your "stuff" before you attempt to read this book (which is logical really).

If you are interested in econometrics but not so good with maths, I recommend purchasing Schaum's outlines: an introduction to mathematical economics by Edward T Dowling, as this is a most excellent, informative book with hundreds of worked through examples.

Additionally, I have also recently read "Learning and practising econometrics" by William E Griffiths et al, and this is a far easier read than Woolridges book ... but maybe that is because I have already read Woolridges book (just a thought).

At any rate whilst using this book, I passed my basic econometrics 200 level course, with a pleasing grade. So all in all, the book did do the trick!

Good luck, Kristina

commment
I love this book even as a graduate student. It covers all the major issues in the fields and explains it more easily to understand than the graduate texts. I borrowed a copy and then decided to buy one.

Good but not enough.
I bought Wooldridge`s book about 5 months ago, because I needed an introductory text, which is newer than Gujarati`s Basic Econometrics (1995).
Wooldridge's book is easy to understand, covers most of the topics you can expect. Good for beginners, undergraduate courses, but finally I still felt necessary to buy Gujarati`s book too. The latter is just better for an introductory-intermediate text.
If you have a low budget, and you need a text that you can use in the long run as well, choose rather Gujarati`s book.

a great introduction into econometrics
Wooldridge has managed to write a great and intuitive introduction into econometrics. The book doesn't require any prerequisites despite basic high school math and statistics. Matrix algebra is only used in some of the appendices, which is a bit sad, as the introduction of it in the text, and the usage during the text, would have been a major advantage when reading more advanced books on econometrics. Despite that, the book is really fascinating. Written in a simple yet rather rigorous style, accessible and self-explanatory. The examples aren't always economic, which is a small lack, but in a way Wooldridge does what he is promising to do: He introduces the reader into the methods of modern econometrics, from a very solid and thorough coverage of OLS to more advanced methods such as panel data analysis, time series (basics, unit roots, co-integration) or ILS and 2SLS (simultaneous equation models). In my opinion, the book can be used for two one-semester courses. The availability of data sets for the computer exercises is useful for both students as well as instructors. Apart from its lack of matrix algebra, this book presents a consistent, solid, but easily understandable introduction into econometric methods so that even survey articles from e.g. the Handbook of International Economics using econometrics are rather easily readable. Kennedy's 'A Guide to Econometrics' makes a good companion, for further studies, Greene's econometric bible ('Econometric Analysis') is probably the most recommendable book.

Excellent book
This book gives very good intuition about the econometric analysis tools. For econometrics, this is the simplest book that covers so much and explains things so simply.
I definetely recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, by Richard A. Brealey, Stewart C. Myers and Alan J. Marcus, has been applauded for its modern approach and interesting examples. Professors praise the authors' well-organized and thoughtful writing style and their clear exposition of what many students consider difficult material. The authors accomplish this without sacrificing an up-to-date, technically correct treatment of core topic areas. Since this author team is known for their outstanding research, teaching efforts, and market-leading finance textbooks, it's no surprise that they have created an innovative, and market-driven revision that is more student friendly than ever.Every chapter has been reviewed and revised to reflect the current environment in corporate finance. ... Read more

Book Description

A Bold Manifesto on the Future of Information Technology

Over the last decade, and even since the bursting of the technology bubble, pundits, consultants, and thought leaders have argued that information technology provides the edge necessary for business success.

IT expert Nicholas G. Carr offers a radically different view in this eloquent and explosive book. As IT's power and presence have grown, he argues, its strategic relevance has actually decreased. IT has been transformed from a source of advantage into a commoditized "cost of doing business"-with huge implications for business management.

Expanding on Carr's seminal Harvard Business Review article that generated a storm of controversy, Does IT Matter? provides a truly compelling-and unsettling-account of IT's changing business role and its leveling influence on competition.

Through astute analysis of historical and contemporary examples, Carr shows that the evolution of IT closely parallels that of earlier technologies such as railroads and electric power. He goes on to lay out a new agenda for IT management, stressing cost control and risk management over innovation and investment. And he examines the broader implications for business strategy and organization as well as for the technology industry.

A frame-changing statement on one of the most important business phenomena of our time, Does IT Matter? marks a crucial milepost in the debate about IT's future.

... Read more

Reviews (21)

Where is IT going?
Full Title: Does IT Matter? Information Technology and the Corrosion of Competitive Advantage -- With $2 trillion being spent on computers and communications each year there is an underlying assumption that IT is critical to increasing the competitive advantage and strategic success of a business.

But with the ready availability of computers, storage, software and people, has the IT function perhaps become one of the foundation building blocks of a corporation, just like sales, engineering or manufacturing?

Similar to other books that are appearing, the author argues that it is time to look at IT with a managerial view. What are you getting for the investment? Is IT simply another cost center or a strategic benefit to the company? How do you control costs and yet get the information you need in a timely manner? The book provides an interesting and timely view of such points.

A different view of the computer revolution
There has seemed to be a neverending flood of hype about computers for at least the last 20 years. Information technology (IT) is going to change everything, we've been told - from the way businesses operate to the way people live. Well, the flood ends here. Meticulously argued, well researched, and surprisingly lively, this short book dissects one computer myth after another. Most of it focuses on the business world, showing how IT is turning into another commonplace technology like electricity. There's an engaging historical review of how big technologies create big business changes early in their development, but then quickly turn into routine costs. It also provides practical advice for companies on how they should manage IT. It ends, though, with a broader examination of how we tend to get carried away with our dreams of big technological revolutions. It shows that in comparison with earlier technologies computers have had a fairly modest impact on society and commerce - and that some of the consequences have been less than positive. This book is a breath of fresh air.

Excellent questions with inferior answers
'Does IT Matter' is a difficult book to rate. As to the questions it raises, it deserves 5 stars. But its answers, are two-star, at best.

By way of analogy, most bomb threats are bogus, but each one must be treated as if it were genuine. With that, in his new book Does IT Matter?, Nicholas Carr throws a bomb, and it turns out to be a dud.

Carr's book is an outgrowth of his article "IT Doesn't Matter," which appeared in the May 2003 issue of the Harvard Business Review. His hypothesis is that the strategic importance of IT has diminished. Carr views IT as a commodity, akin to electricity.

He also compares IT to the railroad infrastructure. In the early days, railroads that had their own tracks had a huge advantage, but once the rails become ubiquitous and open, that advantage went away.

Carr feels that since all companies can purchase the same hardware and software, any strategic advantage is obviated. It's true that the core functions of IT (processing, network transport, storage, etc.) are affordable and available to all, but there's still huge strategic advantage to be gained in how they're implemented.

It's much like two airlines that purchase the same model of airplane. If one airline streamlines and optimizes operations, trains its staff and follows standard operating procedures, it can expect to make a profit. If the other has operational inefficiencies, labor problems and other setbacks, it could lose money. The airplane is identical, but the outcome is not.

Carr is correct in that there have been some huge IT outlays of dubious value. But to say that IT is simply the procurement of hardware and software is to be blind to the fact that hardware and software are but two of the myriad components of IT.

To use the railroad metaphor, hardware and off-the-shelf software are the rails of IT; how they are designed and implemented is what provides their strategic value. Carr views IT as completely evolved. But the reality is that although IT has matured, it still is in a growth mode. The IT of today is vastly different from the IT of both 1999 and 2009.

Carr's view that most innovations within IT will tend to enhance the reliability and efficiency of IT rather than provide a competitive advantage is in direct opposition to what is said by every CIO I have met.

Does Enterprise Architecture Matter?
Readers of this book should also read books on Enterprise Architecture as a solution to the concerns raised by the author.

Provocative title, narrow claim, strong argument
You may recall the uproar in 2003 around a short Harvard Business Review article entitled "IT Doesn't Matter". Various IT company leaders spoke out against the article, with Carly Fiorina calling it "dead wrong" and Steve Ballmer calling it "hogwash". There were also many lengthy rebuttals. Nicholas Carr, the author of the original 8 page article, expanded the argument into a well-written book, explaining his claim more thoroughly and responding to his critics.

The book (like the article) has a provocative title, but in fact Carr's claim is much narrower than the title suggests. Carr is only focused on *corporate IT*, the systems that companies build and deploy for their own use and the use of their customers and suppliers. He is not looking at consumer IT --- the digital wonders that are showing up in our living rooms, cars, and in our pockets. And he is not looking at governmental IT --- the systems that are used to find terrorists, wage combat, or evaluate welfare eligibility.

More significantly, Carr is also focused on one corporate use of IT, to attain a *competitive advantage*. Can Coke achieve some competitive advantage over Pepsi by implementing a new application? Carr is not asking whether IT can add value to a company --- clearly there are thousands of examples of IT saving money, providing value to customers, to suppliers, and adding value in other ways. Instead, Carr asks whether we can expect IT to add this value in a way that competitors cannot quickly realize the same added value. Can Coke do something significant with IT that will not be quickly replicated by Pepsi?

Finally, Carr agrees that in the past IT has been used to gain competitive advantages. By automating reservations, pricing, and seat assignments in the 1960s, American Airlines really did achieve a lasting advantage over its rivals. By creating logistics applications in the 1980s, Walmart really did achieve a lasting advantage over Sears and Kmart. Carr's claim is that *those days are gone*, that the days of using IT for competitive advantage are over.

His claim rests on three broad trends, each of which undercuts the opportunities for competitive advantage. First, the time needed to replicate a particular IT application---the "technology replication cycle" in his words---has shortened considerably over the last few decades. Hardware, tools and platform technologies have made it increasingly easier, faster, and cheaper to replicate a successful application built elsewhere. This declining technology cycle is likely to continue, and make any advantage in the ownership of a particular application to be short-lived.

Another reinforcing trend is the push toward standardization. 40 years ago every company built their own applications. Since then software products have emerged. These products can always be customized to particular situations, but they often are not. It is often cheaper and easier to adapt the business to the best practices in SAP, rather than to customize SAP to the specifics of the business. The economics of standardization --- the cost advantages for companies to be like their competitors --- trump the advantages of maintaining differences. BPOs further this push to standardization, and away from competitive advantage via IT.

A third trend is the spread of IT business insight. It is much better understood today how to achieve value with IT. The secrets of how to do this spreads with individual experience, with analysts, with books and trade rags, and with consultants. If a company has success with a particular technology, everyone in their industry knows about it quickly.

These three trends (Carr claims) are reducing IT to a role much like electricity. Electricity is critical to all businesses today, but (aside from mishaps like the recent problems in California) no one would expect to find a competitive advantage in superior use of electricity.

Does Carr make his case? I think he does, although there are some big exceptions to his argument. ... Read more

Book Description

This streamlined volume covers the principle concepts of management to provide readers with a solid foundation for understanding key issues. Organized around the four traditional functions of management—planning, organizing, leading, and controlling, it reflects current trends in management and organizations, and presents the latest research studies in the field.The authors address managing in today's world, foundations of planning and decision making, basic organization designs, staffing and human resource management, foundations of individual and group behavior, leadership and trust and foundations of control and value chain management.For managers of all kinds. ... Read more

Reviews (54)

I recomend this book to any potential business students.
I feel that the textbook, Fundamentals of Management by Stephen P. Robbins, is a good tool for the beginning management student. Throughout the course, I learned many different approaches to becoming a successful manager. The book made use of illustrating it's points by using graphs, charts, and tables. This is important for the students who are having a hard time understanding what the author is trying to say. The author made it very easy to understand his teachings. However, I believe that there are two sides to management. These are the "good" and "bad" or "ethical" and "unethical" sides. The book touches briefly on the unethical side and the side is just as important. It's hard for someone to succeed at something if they do not understand the different aspects. This is my only complaint. In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone who is planning to chase a career in business. I know I plan on keeping this book for future reference.

Learning Tool
Fundamentals of Management 2nd ed. by Robbins and De Cenzo was the text use for my Management course at Hannibal-LaGrange College. While using this book, I noticed that it had many definitions in the side margins. They were helpful to me to better understand and comprehend the material I was reading. The many exhibits through out the book made the material applicable to the business world. The exhibits helped me to learn visually. To test my comprehension, the text had helpful "Testing Your Comprehension" Quizzes at the end of each chapter. I found these helpful after taking in a lot of material, I was able to sort everything out and refresh the newly learned material. Though this book's good out weigh the bad, I would like to have seen the text and the corresponding exhibit on the same page, so that page flipping would not take place. Page flipping can cause the reader to lose interest and even concentration. My only other complaint was that it is in serious need of a face-lift, something that would attract the eye. The books overall appearance has the ability to make the reader want to read it more. Some suggestions would be to put a photograph on the front, use computer graphics in the book, and hardback to be more durable and more presentable. When writing this book, I believe that the authors did a wonderful job of making the difficult to understand material, easy for people to read and learn from it. Many different majors were in the class that I took and I do believe that each took with a better understanding of Management and how Managers function in the business world. In comparison to other books that I have used in other courses, I think that the material inside was excellent, but as I mentioned before, I think that it could use a face-lift. After studying the material that was inside the book, I believe that I will keep this book. The reason being, is that I think that once I get out into the work place, I will need to know how to work with others and how others work best together. This book has encouraged me to keep pursuing my career as an accountant. In my future profession, I assume that I will placed in a management position. I will be a "boss"/manager and have to know how to motivate my employees, make sure that the task is completed in an effective and efficient way and all the while encourage my employees to be innovative in the work place.

Review of Fundamentals of Management
I used this text book in an Introduction to Management course in College. I felt that the text did a great job explaining the different concepts and functions of management. The examples made it easy to understand. I also felt that the exhibits were very helpful and easy to understand. The tables and diagrams were all easy to interrupt. I also found the end of the chapter summaries very useful. I would reccomend this book to anyone who has an interest in understanding the basic fundamentals of management.

Book Review
I found this book to be very informative and helpful as an introductory management text. The order of the book was clear and precise with smooth transistions between concepts. I appreciated the use of relevent stories to follow the concepts and also the Ethical Dilemmas in Management. They forced me to apply the concepts being introduced so that I would really learn them. This is an excellent book to use and follow and will help any student who is taking an introductory management course to successfully learn the material.

Fundmntls of Management: Essential Concepts and Applications
I used this book in my Fundamentals of Management course at Harlaxton College. Of the two textbooks used for this class, I thought this one was much more useful. My favorite aspects were the definitions in the margins, the quizzes at the end of each chapter and the various exhibits throughout the chapters. I felt these learning tools made taking notes easier, let me see what exactly I did and did not know about the material and helped me better understand some of the more difficult concepts being taught. I also enjoyed the short "real world" managerial examples at the beginning of each chapter. I felt these stories helped me ease into the material I was about to read and give it a little more meaning in an outside the classroom situation. Overall, I found this textbook as helpful and informative. ... Read more

Book Description

This consumer-oriented textbook addresses the principles of risk management without skimping on the discussion of insurance. It summarizes the nature of pure risk on the individual and on society and illustrates how insurance can be used to deal with the problems posed by such risk. Mirroring the diverse experience of its authors, the text is equally effective in presenting the principles of insurance theory and offering how-to advice to students. Throughout, the main emphasis is on the insurance product and the use of insurance within the risk management framework. The traditional fields of life insurance, health insurance, property and liability insurance, and social insurance are treated in terms of their relationship to the wide range of insurable risks to which the individual and the business firm are exposed. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fundamentals of Risk and Insurance
Updated to reflect changes in the field since 1999, this volume provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of insurance, with a consumer emphasis on the insurance product.

How Do I Write a Review about an Insurance Book?
Well, I guess I can try to review this book from the only perspective I read it from: that of a student. I had to read it for my CFP class on Insurance, and, as an introduction to most forms of insurance, it explains the forms in a very methodical and systematic way; it was very easy to follow and tough to get completely lost.

Honestly, I was never really fascinated with insurance. My life-licensing class was 24 hours of classroom time spread out over one weekend, so maybe that has created some insurance-related intellectual scars. The sections on Life Insurance and the basic components of any insurance contract and the whole insurance process were already familiar to me, so I found those sections incredibly uninteresting. The other forms of insurance were much more interesting and gave me a great foundation for other insurance studies I've done since.

The prose of the book, too, flows extremely well. In fact, I usually just lightly read passages explaining computations and formulas because I come back later to review them in-depth; however, while reading this book, I actually felt I fully understood most of the computations even while I read (which almost never happens because most formula-explaining reads much like Kant's "Metaphysics of Morals").

Just one closing point... I guess you'd have to be either Insurance Commissioner or a professor of insurance to be really interested in this material, but the authors write in a way that allows even the average CFP or insurance student to come away from the book with a good sense of how insurance works and where it fits into an individual's financial plan. ... Read more

Book Description

It’s a fact! Leadership is the single most important organizational factor separating the winners and the "also rans?" It’s the key to your business success. And who better to identify what makes a good leader than the people being led. That’s what this handbook is all about!

Unique in both content and format, Listen UP, Leader! provides powerful insights into what employees want and need from their managers, supervisors, and team leaders. It pinpoints the behaviors and attributes necessary to be the kind of leader that employees will follow ... to new levels of performance ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Good things come in small packages
This is the most effective leadership book I have ever read.It is straightforward and real.It contains all of the information that leaders know, but don't want to hear.What is significant, is the title.It's not titled, "Listen Up, Manager."It's "Listen Up, Leader."Leaders must influence, engage, and enroll employees.Managers complete tasks and oversee.This book provides all of the employee thoughts and whispers that you may not hear.The content is invaluable and timeless.Everyone in leadership needs to read it.Ten times better than "Who Moved My Cheese?"

Good Read
Every manager needs to read this book.It is powerful!

Excellent leadership tool
Mr. Cottrell leads us on a stimulating journey through our team members world.This book has had a profound impact on our organization!

Liten Up, Leader - Review
This short book is powerful.If you are in management, and take things personally, you may believe Mr. Cottrell is writing about you.Written from the perspective of "your" employees, he has compiled severalmanagerial issues along with solutions. I recommend this book to ALLmanagers, Presidents, V.P.s, COO's, CEO's,CFO's, (the list goes on).Ifyou have people working for you, read this book.If you want to be thebest manager you can possibly be, APPLY this book as a management tool.Ifyou have managers working for you, make sure you GIVE them Listen Up,Leader.IT'S THAT GOOD.

Listen Up
Make sure your boss reads this book.It is true to today's work place. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The world you live in is all in your mind, according to Wharton Business School Professors Yoram Wind and Colin Crook. The Power of Impossible Thinking is a witty and lucid translation of neuroscience research about "mental models"--the deeply ingrained assumptions and images that shape our reality and influence opportunities for success and failure. "Our models are gated communities," say Crook and Wind, who offer a superb crash course on the power and limit of mental models.

The key questions: How do you know when an old model is worn out? How do you avoid "cognitive lock," filtering out information that conflicts with your model? How do you know a new model will live up to its hype? Many of the answers lie in "Mind R&D"--developing an inventory of new and old models and refining your intuition to fit your current reality. These engaging ideas are detailed with portraits of three impossible thinkers (Oprah Winfrey, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Intel's Andy Grove) and vivid examples (The music industry vs. Napster, a French fry cancer scare, O-rings on the Challenger). Wind and Crook make such a brilliant case for new ways of seeing that readers may wish for more coaching to recognize the obsolete models that keep us from changing our minds. --Barbara Mackoff ... Read more

Book Description

Learn the secrets to wealth from "The Weekend Millionaire"

In their runaway bestseller The Weekend Millionaire's Secrets to Investing in Real Estate, Mike Summey and Roger Dawson gave readers a blueprint for making a killing in real estate in their spare time. Now Summey and Dawson take readers inside the minds and hearts of super successful entrepreneurs, showing them how to think and act like winners and realize their dreams of financial freedom.

In the tradition of Napoleon Hill's hit Think and Grow Rich, The Weekend Millionaire Mindset combines compelling biographical details with powerful, practical lessons. Packed with fascinating anecdotes taken from Summey and Dawson's own lives and the lives of other millionaire entrepreneurs, this book will inspire, energize, and motivate while arming readers with practical advice and guidance on how to:

• Evaluate and redirect their lives with an eye to becoming rich
• Create a lifestyle of success
• Set realistic goals and stick to them
• Make the right decisions when faced with challenging learning experiences
• Spot golden opportunities
• Realize dreams through patience, practice, and persistence

With Mike Summey and Roger Dawson's invaluable advice, readers can overcome their obstacles and find a personal path to wealth for a lifetime.

Reviews (3)

Don't let the title turn you off! Life changer book
Okay, I must admit when I saw the BRIGHT yellow book cover and the word "millionaire" in the title title the first time, I rolled my eyes when a friend handed me the book and said read this. My first thought was oh god, not another book telling me how to be a millionaire overnight (or over the weekend) and it is by a real estate investor no less. When my eyes stopped rolling I began reading.That little negative voice in my head was quickly silenced as soon as I read chapter one and realized that this was more than theory. It was Mike's story. By the end of chapter two I was inspired enough by his story and the clarity of my own story to create a budget and believe that I too could go beyond this ordinary financial existence. Why do so few of us build wealth settling instead for an ordinary American financial existence? I am a believer now and I will be a millionaire by the time I am 60 (or sooner since I am starting at 40) as well. This book is NOT a real estate book. It IS a book that WILL change your mindset and your future...and it CAN change your mindset in a WEEKEND if you allow it to do so. Give this to every high school graduate. Give this book to every teenager before they finance their first car. As Mike says, if you aren't doing well in this country, you are doing something wrong.

Thanks Mr. Summey for sharing your story and for helping me understand what I was doing wrong.
signed, future millionaire in NYC

YOU'LL BE MOTIVATED TO TRANSLATE THOUGHTS INTO ACTIONS!
You can feel the sincerity of the authors, encouraging through words, to create desire, teach you how to set goals and reach those goals.

The real life stories and adventures in the book are fun to read as well as informative. I really enjoyed the "story telling" layout with the bullets of information at the end of each chapter. Almost parable like at times.

Most people will read it and say great book, excellent book, put it down and do nothing afterwards. But for those people not so "most people", this book can give the means to TRANSLATE THOUGHT INTO ACTION and accept personal responsibility for one's own success.

I really appreciated the message in this book. If you're yearning for change and are not sure where to start, then why not start with this one?

The Truth About Millionaires
Mike Summey is a very successful man who, like many others, started out with no advantages in life over his peers; but trained himself to overcome disadvantages by conditioning his thinking. It is your reaction to what happens to you that determines the long-term effect more than what actually happened.

Having studied the lives of many self-made millionaires over the years, I can say that Mike's experience resembles that of many great men. It is not outstanding natural ability that makes one a success or failure, but the strength of his determination and desire and the willingness never to give up.

Mike's celebrated fame is as a real estate investor, but the mindset he has developed, and teaches you to develop in yourself, will lead to success in any other worthwhile pursuit--it transcends mere real estate investing. It is the secret to successful living, period.

As a real estate investor myself, I certainly appreciate Mike's accomplishments in that arena, but there is more to life than financial wealth and this book shows you why Mike has achieved so much in every area.

Roger is also an accomplished man who started from humble beginnings and he adds confirmation to the lessons Mike teaches.

My only challenge is to the subtitle of the book. I beleive that once you have read this book and taken its lessons to heart, you no longer can be considered "ordinary".

I wish my friends Mike and Roger the best of success with this very fine book.

Al Lee ... Read more

Book Description

This best-selling volume has long been considered one of the most user accessible books for management science. The new edition retains and updates the traditional, comprehensive coverage of past editions but now adds spreadsheet-based problem solutions to most chapters. In addition, the book is now packaged with free software.The authors provide a comprehensive introduction to quantitative analysis, probability concepts and applications and decision theory models, as well as forecasting, control models, linear programming models and applications, transportation and assignment models, integer programming, goal programming, nonlinear programming, and branch and bound models, network models, project management, lines and queuing theory models and statistical quality control.For those interested in a comprehensive, yet accessible presentation of QM for management. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A book for graduates--Not undergrads
After the first week of our class falling behind, my professor mentioned to our class that this book was the wrong format for undergrads. So this book is only good as the teacher and the students. It's easy to read, but hard to understand. And, the CD-ROM was not user-friendly enough, but had an awesome integration into MS Excel. I aced all of my math classes in college (undergrad), but this class...I'm not gonna to ace. But if you aced all math classes and you're using this book for a grad class, then go for it. Otherwise, find another book.

Great Book
I had one of the worst instructors on the planet this semester. I literally had to teach myself this entire course.
This book made it so much easier. Great diagrams, simple explanations. I ended up with an A.

Easy to follow
This book is easy to follow and the included cd makes solving the problems easy. It also has online links for each chapter. ... Read more

Book Description

"Your customers are only satisfied because their expectations are so low and because no one else is doing better. Just having satisfied customers isn't good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create Raving Fans."

This, in a nutshell, is the advice given to a new Area Manager on his first day--in an extraordinary business book that will help everyone, in every kind of organization or business, deliver stunning customer service and achieve miraculous bottom-line results.

Written in the parable style of The One Minute Manager, Raving Fans uses a brilliantly simple and charming story to teach how to define a vision, learn what a customer really wants, institute effective systems, and make Raving Fan Service a constant feature--not just another program of the month.

America is in the midst of a service crisis that has left a wake of disillusioned customers from coast to coast. Raving Fans includes startling new tips and innovative techniques that can help anyone create a revolution in any workplace--and turn their customers into raving, spending fans.

Reviews (65)

I'm a Raving Fan!
Kenneth Blanchard continues his trend of writing easy-to-read books with BIG ideas for making your business better. Raving Fans is a book of stories relating how fictional companies have created an environment of delivering awesome customer service. A guy that has just been put in a managment position requiring a turnaround goes on a fictional trip with his "angel" to visit businesses that have figured out their vision and their system to deliver customer service extraordinary. Based on three simple principles (Decide, Discover, Deliver), each company has created a group of Raving Fans (not just customers, but fans) who wouldn't consider shopping anywhere else for what one of these companies offers. Within each story is other nuggets of common sense and good ideas that can be implemented in any company that has customers and wants to create fans. We required our store managers to read the book and each created a list ranging from 20-40 points that they can put into effect at their stores to improve customer service. This is a simple, must-read for every business owner and manager.

Great Model for Approaching Perfection through Innovation
A major problem with most books on management processes is that that do too little to focus on how to make large amounts of progress beyond what is now done. Raving Fans is a big success in providing you with simple instructions for making large strides toward achievable perfection.

Imagining perfection is a critical first step to improvement, yet most people have never thought about what that could mean. Then testing that perfection with customers (and potential customers) must be done to be sure that there is a valid opportunity, and to be able to understand customers' ideas about achievable perfection. Then attaching the idea of continuous improvement toward that vision is also valuable, and useful. There are plenty of practical tips about how to do each part, which is key to making this book so valuable.

One of the reasons that I enjoy writing reviews about books on-line is that I can find a Raving Fans that agrees so much with my own perspective and research. This book will quickly get you past your Psychology of Disbelief, Bureaucracy, Procrastination, Communiation, and Ugly Duckling stalls.

Good for Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles . . . and good for you, too!

Fluffy
Way too fluffy. It should have been presented as a bulleted list, not a book. If you must get this book, I recommend the print version; Charlie's voice is quite annoying.

good concepts, juvenile delivery
The intellectual content of this little book could fit nicely and succinctly in a 500-1000 word magazine or journal venue. Instead, Blanchard sticks to the successful story telling formula that served him well in The One Minute Manager. The concepts are good, and I think their true value lies in their simplicity. They are easily understood and therefore should be easy to apply. Successful implementation may be another matter. If you agree with the concepts, and it's hard to see how you wouldn't, the actual book is a great tool to get them out to your people. The long narrative has the effect of beating the points into your head and the examples leave little to the imagination as to how the concepts can be fleshed out. I have found that people who last raved about Who Moved My Cheese also rave about this book. Those who don't care for this type of cutesy, least common denominator writing style will try to get through it as fast as possible and glean the concepts for further consideration afterwards. It can be read cover to cover in about an hour and a half at a pretty leisurely pace. Regardless of whether or not you like the style of the book I think you will find the concepts and down to earth examples good food for thought in your own enterprise.

Raving Fans
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is an easy read and contains some great fundamentals on providing excellent customer service. Readers who enjoy this book may also enjoy reading Time Management is an Oxymoron. ... Read more

Book Description

For 30 years, one trading strategy has consistently delivered extraordinary profits in bull and bear markets alike: Trend Following. This is first book to reveal the little-known strategy used by the world's most consistently successful traders! In this book, you'll meet them...and you'll discover how to use Trend Following in your own portfolio. Trend Following is the only long-term trading strategy proven to profit consistently in bull and bear markets alike. Now, Michael Covel demystifies this little-known strategy, using hard performance data to prove its extraordinary value. Covel introduces you to great traders who've built enormous fortunes with Trend Following.

How did trader, John W. Henry, start out as a farmer and end up a billionaire and owner of, first the Florida Marlins and now, the Boston Red Sox? How do traders like Bill Dunn, Ed Seykota and Keith Campbell continually pull profits in the hundreds of millions from both bull and bear markets? The answer is that they are trend followers. Trend following is the only strategy to consistently make money in the markets. Leading expert Michael Covel reveals the underground network of these little-known traders and hedge fund managers who have practiced trend following for years. He pulls back the veil on their strategies by introducing the basic concepts/techniques of trend following such as why the market price contains all the information a trader needs. Covel rigorously reviews and analyzes years of detailed performance data to prove without question that trend following works.

He breaks down trend following strategies including how to make volatility work; how to control risk; and how to make successful trading decisions "from the gut." Covel shows why trend following is ideal for individual traders who self-manage their portfolios or for the individual investor searching for a new type of investment advisor. Along the way he debunks an immense amount of mis-information/failed advice from pros that ought to know better. This timely book capitalizes on today's massive move back into the markets and investors' renewed determination to find strategies that really work. The proof is in the results - hard performance data over decades from professional money managers. All the information you need is in one number - why a stock's price tells you all you need to know to trade.

Michael W. Covel is President of Trend Following. A researcher of the most successful Trend Following investment managers, he has been consulting on Trend Following to individual traders, hedge funds and banks for nearly ten years. Teaching and sharing unique insights about Trend Following trading and alternative investments has earned Covel respect as a rational and logical voice in uncertain times. He is a frequent guest on national radio talk shows advising listeners on financial decision-making, trading and Trend Following. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Great read for all types of traders
As a student of the market for decades I was blown away by this book. It is one of the top five investment books of all time. The author describes what trend following is and who the players are. It simplifies the issue of how to profit in the market. How can anyone argue with the cold hard performance numbers.

It does not give you the save all formula for trading. It does not provide the secret forumulas on how to make money. They don't exist. It does provide valuable information from existing trend followers who have been using the method for years - decades.

Its easy to read and quick to comprehend. Should be on every traders bookcase.

Well worth the money.

Acceptance with Traders
I found the following endorsements helpful:

"Michael Covel's Trend Following is a breakthrough book that captures the essence of what really makes markets tick. Diligently researched and comprehensive in scope, it will replace Market Wizards as the must-read bible for a new generation of traders."
Jonathan Hoenig
Portfolio Manager, Capitalistpig Hedge Fund LLC
Fox News Contributor

"Michael Covel's Trend Following: Essential."
Ed Seykota
Trend Follower for 35 years and Original Market Wizard
The Trading Tribe

"Trend Following by Michael Covel? I'm long this book."
Bob Spear
Developer of Trading Recipes Software

"Michael Covel has written the definitive book on trend following. With careful research and clear insight he has captured the essence of the most successful of all trading strategies. Michael knows his subject matter and he writes about it with passion, conviction and enthusiasm. This enjoyable and well written book is destined to become a classic."
Charles LeBeau
Technical Traders Guide to Computer Analysis of the Futures Markets

"Trend Following is an engrossing and educational journey through the principles, pitfalls, players and psychology of aggressive technical trading of the investment markets. Rich in its wisdom and historical study."
Gerald Appel
President, Signalert Corporation

Nothing fancy. No crazy promises. Just the facts. If you are a gambler, you won't like it.

Trend Following Controversy
This book sure has had generated some controversy! Tried to read it with an open mind. However, I was influenced by the large number of market pros and traders that endorsed it at the author's web site for the book. My conclusion? If you want someone to promise you the world with loads of instant riches, Covel is not your guy. But if you want a down to earth, incredibly well researched work, that explains Trend Following from top to bottom -- buy this book. A great quote from Ayn Rand mentioned in the book sums up the mindset you need:

"What objectivity and the study of philosophy requires is not an 'open mind,' but an active mind-a mind able and eagerly willing to examine ideas, but to examine them critically."

Gotta Read it
I've always been intrigued by what makes top traders tick like the ones in Market Wizards. Because like most people what I do is just keep on investing in the same mutual funds I've invested in for years. This book made me think that there actually is an alternative to buy and hold.

Big Events causes disasters and profits
Good overview book. The information presented is substantial and meaty. Trading biographies, reviews of major events in the markets and trading psychology are all covered.

The author's use of baseball is particularly impressive. Linking a hobby to finance took some skill. But trading is a lot like baseball. Aim for the fences and swing hard. Similar to trend following. Look for the biggest and best opportunities to profit - trends. ... Read more

Book Description

This updated best-selling, comprehensive resource book provides everything you need to create high performing teams.In addition, book purchasers will be able to download electronic versions of forms and templates found in the book for use within their organization!The third edition provides information on the context teams need to be successful.Organizations using teams to improve efficiency and better serve customers will find information on how to start quality initiatives such as Six Sigma or Lean.New information on different types of teams, and new tools and strategies for leading change are covered as well.Several new tools have been added to help teams work well together:affinity diagrams, prioritization matrixes, effort/impact grids, new planning tools, and additional information on effective presentations.The Team Handbook Third Edition contains a brief description of the Six Sigma improvement method DMAIC, and highlights the methods and strategies that are useful in Lean.Also included is a new strategy for using designed experiments to identify and control sources of process variation.The book includes tools and techniques that go beyond the basics such as creativity tools, force-field analysis, and information to help leaders manage project pipelines. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Zen for team building
From the time you get the book you realize this book was made by team members for team builders. The book has a lot of white space so you can scribble notes. This book was written so that a basic mind could comprehend the steps needed to build and manage sucessful teams. This is a keeper!

Actually recommendable/Muy recomendable
Clear, observative and Easy-going on the subject. It reflects the key guidelines of Team Management. Do not hesitate. Claro, observador y ameno en la temática. Retrata los puntos clave de la Gestión de Equipos. No lo dudes.

A True Guide for Working in a Team Based Environment
With all the dynamics that take place in a team based environment, this book has come to my aid on several occasions, it's the best tool I have in resolving complex team issues.

"Mi Biblia"
I'm agree with the Book descrition about calling it "Team Bible", I have been using it since 1993, An excellent option for those who are internal or external consultants and mainly for Managers in all organizations.

Makes effective project management simple!!
An excellent resource for project managers using cross functional teams. Provides an excellent resource for planning and implementing effective meetings, and ensuring excellent team dynamics. The book is well laid out, user friendly, and provides templates for practical application of techniques. ... Read more

Book Description

John J. Murphy has now updated his landmark bestseller Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets, to include all of the financial markets.

"If one could read only one book on technical analysis, this should be the one." --Knight-Ridder Financial Products and News (on the first edition, Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets, 0-13-898008-X)

This outstanding reference has already taught thousands of traders the concepts of technical analysis and their application in the futures and stock markets.Covering the latest developments in computer technology, technical tools, and indicators, the second edition features new material on candlestick charting, intermarket relationships, stocks and stock rotation, plus state-of-the-art examples and figures. From how to read charts to understanding indicators and the crucial role technical analysis plays in investing, readers gain a thorough and accessible overview of the field of technical analysis, with a special emphasis on futures markets.Revised and expanded for the demands of today's financial world, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in tracking and analyzing market behavior.

"One way to get started in technical analysis is to read a good book on the subject.One of my favorites is Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets:A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications by John J. Murphy.It's an easy read." Ralph J. Acampora, CMT, Managing Director, Prudential Securities Inc. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Technically speaking, one should buy this book
Investing isn't easy. Investing profitably is even harder. As a result, investors are always looking for that 'angle', that 'edge' that will help them realize more consistent profits.

In the past 2 decades, many on Wall Street have come to believe that technical analysis of stock charts is one of those tools. Having worked in the financial services markets since 1987, I do believe that technical analysis can be a helpful tool. And if you are looking for a definitive source of TA, then look no further.

Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets by John Murphy covers all the basic aspects of TA: philosophy, chart construction, fundamental vs. technical analysis, trends, major technical pattern recognition, moving averages, oscillators, times cycles, computer trading systems and much more. He also covers different methods of charting, including bar, point and figure and candlestick (be aware that most of the analysis techniques he presents apply to bar charting, not PnF or candlestick).

What I like most about the book is that it written clearly, simply and logically. It uses many graphical examples that SHOWS the reader what to look for. It does not rage on about the merits of TA (which many investors feel is complete hooey) but how to apply basic (and sophisticated) TA techniques. I use TA frequently in my business and find that it helps me manage my client's portfolios more effectively, especially when it comes to SELLING a position, whether to lock-in gains or limit losses.

If you are a TA convert, or if you have an interest in learning more about it, this book is a useful guide and should be purchased. Today, it remains one of the few investment reference books that I keep in my office.

The Reference for Every Serious Trader
Murphy's tome on technical analysis is rqeuired reading for any practioner in the financial markets. As a professional trader, I constantly refer to the book for soldifying core technical and trading tactics. A true gem of a work.

comprehensive
thorough and complete, the reader is left believing that upon completion they have seen and learned all there is to be known about charting.

a bible of technical analysis (if you're a believer). i cannot recommend it highly enough.

Excellent book on technical analysis
This is a great book on technical analysis. The fundamentals are all here from pattern recognition to indicators. TA is essential anyone who wants better entries and exits on stocks and other financial instruments. This is the building block to using trading strategies to win in both bull and bear markets. For actually trading strategies, I recommend Dave Landry on Swing Trading or Street Smarts, but this book is the perfect start.

A necessary trading reference....
As a well-respected technical analyst with 30+ years experience, there are few markets John Murphy has not seen. The difference between him and most other analysts is that he has documented them as they happened through his Murphy Market Message Newsletter. It is easy to look at a chart in hindsight and perform rear-view mirror analysis. Anyone can do that. What is more interesting is reading commentary from experts while the market is unfolding which is what Murphy does a number of times every week. His books are peppered with examples of market moves and quotes from his newsletter analyzing the move as it happened which makes reading his books all the more interesting.

As someone who basically introduced intermarket analysis to the broad technical analysis community, John has watched markets move one another since the late 1970s and documented the whys and whatfores and then carefully recorded his thoughts for the benefit of the rest of us.

Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets is without a doubt one of the best introductions and general discussions of technical analysis on the market today. It has been recognized by the Market Technicians Association and International Federation of Technical Analysts as such and is required reading for both the Chartered Market Technicians designation from the MTA and the Diploma of International Technical Analysis by IFTA. In fact, their required reading lists are great places to get ideas on which books the professionals are reading!

But it is a book that is not only for those new to trading and technical analysis. It is for everyone and anyone dedicated to improving their investment or trading returns by getting the right information direct from the source. It is a book I have read multiple times and will read again this year. It's well-written and an enjoyable read. It is also a book you won't get tired of reading over again and one that you will find a very useful reference. There is very little to complain about except that I wish it was longer. Then again I can't really complain with over 500 pages of great information and charts.

Matt Blackman - Technical Writer/Reviewer Email: matt@tradesystemguru.com
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Contributor to Stocks & Commodities Magazine, Working Money, Traders.com Advantage, Active Trader, Traders Mag (Europe) and SFO Magazine ... Read more

Book Description

This book deals with the management of information technology (IT) as it is being practiced in organizations today. Its emphasis is on the current material that information systems executives find important, and organizes it around a framework that provides guidance.In this sixth edition, the key themes are the Internet economy, the global marketplace, e-enablement, knowledge management and knowledge sharing. It continues to merge theory with practice through case examples of real companies' use of IT.For information technology managers and executives. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Ideal for learning about IS management
I bought this book for my MSc in Analysis, Design and Management of Information Systems and I consider that it was extremely helpful. The chapter about the perspectives of IS and the role of the CIO are very interesting. In the chapter about Information Systems Planning, they included lots of concepts related to strategy, linking IS Planning with six different approaches/techniques: Stages of Growth, Critical Success Factors, Competitive Forces Model, Value Chain Analysis, Internet Value Matrix and Linkage Analysis Planning. The chapters about managing systems development are really instructive also. I strongly recommend the book for those IT practitioners whom are seeking a managerial position. It is very useful to managers and strategists as well.

From a network administrator's perspective
I read this book as part of my first course in a Ph.D.-MIS program. I thought it was a great overview and history of MIS, and provided insight into alternative IS management styles and strategies. The case studies were relevent, current, well written and interesting. I recommend this book for all network and systems administrators. It gives insight into what thought processes should be occurring at the CIO and IS manager levels.

Great paperweight, good consolidation of other people's work
This book provides various sources of information but no analysis by the book's authors. It is a patch work of case studies, excerpts, and paraphrasing of other texts to which I hope the original authors are getting paid royalties for.

Some of the diagrams are simplistic, others are useless. More than half of them are from other sources.

The book seems to formulate points of interest (e.g. traditional, evolving, and present-day IT roles) without providing analysis of why and how this affects future trends in IS management.

I had to write a review after reading nebulous fluff like, "Being a manufacturer, LifeScan has instituted quality processes." (which successful company doesn't) or "Way back in 1964,..." (not just back, but WAY back). When you do read something of slight interest it is almost always followed by something like, "so says Mr. so-and-so, in this-paper-that-he-wrote." (e.g. pp. 126-127 whenever "Rayport and Sviokla" is mentioned - 4 times in about 1 page of text and in every paragraph - the authors are paraphrasing a point Rayport and Sviokla made)

I'm truly amazed this book is this bad after five revisions. The authors seem to have the right information, but they really need to provide their own insights and analysis. And also have my high school english teacher review it to cut the fluff out.

College book
I had to buy the book for one of my class (information resource management) but as an MIS major I though we would get a little more into the 'management' part, and I was disappointed with the book as it doesn't go much indepth of the matter.

It's a good theory book, let's say!!

a great book, but way over-priced
I used this book for a graduate course during the summer semester. Overall, I enjoyed the broad-based approach adopted by the authors. The numerous case studies were extremely useful also, as they adequately illustrated what the authors were trying to say.
My only beef with the book is its price. I don't think it's fair to charge so much for the book. But for the cut-throat price, this book deserves five stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Financial statements are the basis for a wide range of business analysis.Managers, securities analysts, bankers and consultants all use them to make business decisions.There is strong demand among business students for course materials that provide a framework for using financial statement data in a variety of business analysis and valuation contexts. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Useful if cumbersome
This review applies to the edition WITH CASES. This isn't recommended for anyone who is just starting out with choosing investments. Beginners might be better off with a more general overview of financial statement analysis (FSA) like Higgins' "Analysis of Fin