Book Description

Through five editions since its first release in 1959, What Every Supervisor Should Know has effectively responded to the changing needs of supervisors, and it remains the standard in the field of supervision. Now in a new edition, this classic guide to handling the day-to-day problems that supervisors face is: more current than ever-two new chapters cover the environment and innovation, this latest edition also treats such timely issues as computer surveillance and job competency guidelines; more personalized than ever-the new Personal Development Portfolio offers convenient checklists and sound guidelines on planning careers, managing time and coping with stress; leaner, meaner, and easier to use-the format is modular, and each chapter features three or more case studies, chapter-end reviews, and lots of easily referenced lists, tables, and charts. It's the best reference available for supervisors just starting out as well as for seasoned managers who need to freshen up on the basics or update their skills. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Just my opinion
Started using this book in a Supervision class I took at Purdue Unversity in 1987, and used it as a reference til I bought the 1990 printing in 1995 on sale at a local bookstore. I will be using the latest printing as a textbook to train foreman in my job. Very good information for a new front-line supervisor or as a reference for old pro.

Review
Dry and difficult to read straight through. Set up more like a textbook, which wasn't really what I was looking for. ... Read more

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review paperback series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. Here are the landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe. The works collected in Harvard Business Review on Measuring Corporate Performance--including the three groundbreaking articles on the balanced scorecard by Kaplan and Norton--offer managers practical guidance for measuring their intangible assets (customer relationships, internal business processes, and employee learning) and aligning corporate strategy accordingly. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good compilation of articles - but repeat information
If you have read The Essential Drucker, Balanced scorecard etc. , the book essentially has the same information repeated under a different title. Recommend Essential Drucker, Balanced Score card which is more comprehensive than this title.

The ABC's of Balancing Your Scorecard...
This collection of eight articles from the HBR is a must IF AND ONLY IF you want the only highlights of some of the new management tools and theories out there. If you've ever wondered what Activity-Based Costing (ABC) is or what Kaplan's "Balanced Scorecard" is all about, this may be just the introductory text for you. I mention these two tools first since 2 out of 8 articles deal with ABC, either in whole or in part, while another 3 deal specifically with the balanced scorecard. So, if you've got ABC and the balanced scorecard already firmly laid out in your head, this may be a bit redundant.

The remaining three articles are still worth a quick read though. I found in one article, "How the Right Measures Help Teams Excel," ideas that I hadn't seen anywhere else (for example, the team "dashboard"). And, the "How High is Your Return on Management?" article might give managers a moment of reflection on whether or not they have a good ROM and what they can do to improve it.

As I stated before, much of this is merely highlights though. Do not expect to be able to use this book as a primary source to implement any of the measures. It's a tease that gets you excited (at least it did me), but doesn't provide much of a game plan for bringing it all about.

Still, if what you want is a quick overview and a few case studies where these principles and tools have been applied, by all means, read this. It's worth at least that much.

THIS BOOK MEASURES UP TO THE BEST ON THIS SUBJECT.
Looking for some informative, original and clear thinking about measuring performance? This book is a great choice! This is a collection of eight outstanding articles selected from past editions of the HBR. The articles cover such subjects as activity-based costing, the use of nonfinancial criteria, and tools executives require to generate the information needed. Each article begins with an executive summary which, for the fast-forward crowd, is a big plus.

So many books are merely ONE GOOD ARTICLE embedded in a thicket of verbiage. Chopping away through such a jungle of verbosity for the gist-of-it-all often proves tedious and disappointing. (Blessed are the laconic!) This book, on the other hand, just serves up a bunch of 'gists' -the pure meat and potatoes of ideas. Happily, the HBSP has published several other collections of this sort on such topics as knowledge management, change, and strategies for growth. Each of these is collection of first-rate 'gists'. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates, author of Stern's Sourcefinder The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and the Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

very useful book
This is a vey useful books as a reprints of HBR and catagorized on the corporate reviews of companies, with big part on the famous balanced scoeboard, and a nice section on team performance. But this is not suiatble for small companies review system which i m looking for. If what you r looking for is a way of seeing hhow company performs and you r in big corporation, this is an exellent books as other HBR reprints books that now availabe at many formats... definitely 5 stars.

tanadi santoso ... Read more

Book Description

Local or global, economic issues are on the public's mind-but making sense of supply and demand isn't so simple. This book explains in everyday terms how markets work, introducing the key players-consumers, business, and government-and using their behavior to illustrate basic theories and ideas. In addition, it coaches both general readers and students in the key concepts and analytical tools of macroeconomics and microeconomics, and teaches the dynamics of markets, consumer behavior, business investment, budgets and taxation, recession and expansions, unemployment and inflation, and more. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good Introduction to an otherwise confusing concept for some
I bought this book to broaden my horizons on economics since I had limited knowledge on the subject matter. Gives a good overview of the basic and intermediate theories of economics. I would recommend this book strongly to anyone who has either no or little knowledge in economics. It is also a handy book to have on your shelf to brush up on economical terminology. Overall a smart buy.

Solid review
I have a degree in economics and I wanted to refresh myself on some of the things that I learned. This book is probably best for someone who is pretty smart but for anyone who has an interest in economics. In other words, this books assumes the reader has a brain. This also would be a really good book for a student before they take an economics class or who is pursuing a degree. Also, the book has (it has to have) some tables/graphs but the book is not overrun with them which can be intimidating. Also, I don't think there is a "For Dummies" book so this is probably the place to start for those who have an interest. ... Read more

Book Description

A step-by-step resource for clear communication of all types of policies and procedures.

Policies and procedures—they’re what make a company run efficiently and legally. Now managers have a definitive guide to creating accurate policies and procedures documents. The book is useful for professionals in such areas as:

• health and safety
• human resources
• office management
• administration
• quality
• manufacturing
• customer service
• finance and accounting.

Readers will enjoy the unusually friendly, informal approach of this book. Loaded with examples, checklists, guidelines, quick tips, work plans, and forms, it is ready for immediate use. The book shows how to:

• write (and design) documents clearly (so employees will understand and follow the policies)

• plan, analyze, and research each element

• help employees increase efficiency, reduce mistakes and frustration, and save time and money—by providing clear guidelines to follow

• avoid legal mistakes that can get a company in trouble. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent. Easy to read or use as a reference.
No dry reading about theory here. Ms. Campbell has created a very useful tool.

Poorly Written, Hard to Understand
I found this book hard to understand and it didn't follow any great pattern or flow.

Useful, but a bit too general
The book is easy to read and understand. It provides helpful guidelines and background material to design procedures. It works a bit as a checklist, in order to remember all the elements in procedure writting. However, it's not meant for any particular industry, and is very general. I would have liked to find more specific examples, and maybe sections for particular industries.

This book was very helpful in getting started.
This book was very helpful in getting started with the procedures that our department so desparately needed. The book didn't mention the computer industry in particular but everything applied. It helped us get the information extracted from the appropriate people, pick a format, plan, and write. The book is easy to read and not dry at all. The 'tools and resources' check lists were great. This book was worth the price tag for me. ... Read more

Book Description

The purpose of this text is to introduce concepts for studying relationships between states and markets.The economy and the state are thus analyzed as networks of relationships between principals and agents, each occupying a particular position in the institutional structure. The book then analyzes systematically the effect of the organization of the state on the functioning of the economy. It isolates the conditions that trigger government's positive or negative responses to the economy. ... Read more

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review paperback series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. Here are the landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe. From the seminal article "Leading Change" by John Kotter to Paul Strebel on why employees so often resist change, Harvard Business Review on Change is the most comprehensive resource available for embracing corporate change--and using it to your company's greatest advantage. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Good book! Just don't buy the eBook copy!
It's a decent book that outline the necessary steps and precautions that need to re-engineer your company. However, I made a mistake by buying the eBook copy of this book because I needed it right the way. However, for this eBook, I cannot print any of the pages and, worse yet, I can't view the book on another PC. So my suggestion is that DON'T BUY eBOOK, it's the worst investment you can make.

Very good, and in addition.
This is a very good series of articles. In addition, I strongly recommend "Strategic Organizational Change" by Beitler. It is time and money well spent.

A positive goldmine

In the nicest possible sense, this book isn't exactly what the title claims. All to often discussions of change management tend to concentrate on the people side of things and ignore the less glamerous topics such as re-tooling, revised administrative and reporting procedures and so on.
So, just to keep the record straight, this book is primarily concerned with the personnel aspects of change, with all other aspects of the overall process taking a very secondary part in the proceedings.

And now, on with the review:

One of the ways I judge a book like this is by the number of highlights I've made (makes it so much easier to refer back to the key points).
Sometimes I'll go through an entire book and be lucky to have half a dozen highlighted passage.

NOT here, though.

Without a hint of exaggeration I found numerous points worth highlighting in every one of the eight reprinted articles.

Of course this is not entirely surprising given the list of contributors, which includes such "leaders of the pack" as John Cotter ("Leading Change"), Richard Pascale and Anthony Athos ("The Reinvention Roller Coaster"), and Jerry Porras (Building Your Company's Vision").

I'd also like to commend the article "Managing Change : The Art of Balancing", by Jeanie Daniel Duck, (which ended up with highlighting on nearly every page!).

So, whilst the material is not exactly new (the various items appeared in the Harvard Business Review between 1992 and 1998), I'd suggest this well-chosen set of articles is as important now as when the articles were first published.

Tight, Concise and Has Executive Summaries
Do you prefer tight, concise articles compared to eloquent tomes, simply because you don't have the time to read as much as you might like? If that's the case, then here is a great book on change management just for you. This collection is one in a series from the Harvard Business Review, and is just about the most wide-ranging printed resource that this writer has found available for taking on corporate change.

There are articles from such leading authorities on change management as John Kotter (Leading Change), Paul Strebel, and more. Each article opens with an executive summary, helping you decide if you want to tackle that article then and there, or move on to another that fits your interests of the moment.

Sooner or later, change is about people altering the status quo, and those in charge often turn a blind eye to the fact that leadership is singularly the most important issue when an organization has to implement major changes. This is followed closely by teamwork, of which there won't be any without leadership.

Inside the covers you'll find the collected knowledge, opinions and counsel of those executives and consultants who have dealt with change at all levels. If your schedule doesn't permit you to leisurely meander through hundreds of pages to find a few workable ideas upon which to build some change solutions, then this collection should be highly recommended for you.

The only thing constant in business is change!
This books brings togheter the thoughts, experiences and advice of consultants and managers that have dealt with change. If companies don't learn how to cope with change they'll go out of business, and this book teachs you how to deal with it. I specially liked the Lockheed Martin's survival story because it showed how a company involved in a declining industry (defense) was able to reinvent itself through acquisitions and other strategies, making it a profitable company who's stock outperformed for several years the S&P 500 index. Change is eventually about people changing and managers often disregard the fact that leadership is the most important factor when an organization has to implement serious changes. ... Read more

Book Description

Not everyone is cut out to be a professional accountant. But thanks to Accounting For Dummies, 2nd Edition you can get a handle on the financial aspects of your business, investments, or taxes. Accounting professor and author John A. Tracy sheds light on the mysteries of

• Generating income statements and balance sheets
• Establishing budgets, controlling profit and cash flow, stemming losses, and managing inventory
• Evaluating profit margins – and identifying ways to increase them
• Making financial decisions that keep investors, creditors, and managers satisfied
• Reading financial reports
• Surviving an audit and using the results to improve your accounting system
• Putting the latest computer technology to work to help you manage the bottom line

If you've steered clear of accounting because you thought it incomprehensible by mere mortals, prepare to be enlightened. Accounting For Dummies, 2nd Edition empowers you with knowledge you can't afford to be without. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Not for people who want to learn how to crunch some numbers.
If you are looking for a book that actually gives you good examples that will teach you to crunch some numbers on your own and prepare accounting statements and such, then this is NOT the book for you. It has a lot of writing about the different areas of accounting, but it did little for me. I was looking for a book that gave me real life examples that could help me understand how to do minimal accounting for my smal business. Some of the other introduction to accounting books are much better in this regard.

Very Good book for Financial and Mangerial Accounting
This is a great book for a person to use to suplment what is learned and practiced in Both entry level college accounting classes. It really will help you get a better grade in the class by reinforcing and explainations that are different then your typical college textbook. I highly reccomend this book for any college student that will be taking accounting, it is well worth it's price and I believe if read during the semester along with the practice in your class you will get a better grade. I did.

this seems to be another great success by the dummies series
I have not read the book but I am familiar with the series. To me it seems to be a very good book. My advice: do not listen to those who give this book a low rating

not so exciting
This book is quite disappointing, and I (someone with no accounting background) find it boring and too easy--the manual for an accounting software seems more exciting than this. I feel there is little about accounting in this book; rather, I find a huge section praising what accountants do. I think if numbers give you a headache and you abhor math, you may consider laboring through this book. Otherwise, try something else.

Not for you if your looking for a bookkeeping treatise.
This book is great (I mean great) if you need to understand what is profit, whats in a balance sheet, how to understand it, whats in an income statement. What are assets, etc, etc. This book will open your eyes. Like others have said its not about double entry bookkeeping, or how to prepare your balance sheet. Find that elsewhere. This book addresses what the numbers mean and how to follow them to come to conclusions and how to use that information.

Let me put it this way. If you have a small business, or are put into a position where you need to manage money for a business, or need to buy a business. This book will help you if your not accountant savy.

Its a great book, and is very well written. Another five star success for the dummies series. ... Read more

Book Description

Unlock the Fountain of Prosperity Inside You!
“I truly believe Jim Rohn is an extraordinary human being whose philosophy can enhance the quality of life for anyone.” ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great book with lots of useful points!
This book is easy to read. And it contains many wise and very practical and useful points you need to know and APPLY in your life to succeed. One important I learned from Jim Rohn is the power of discipline and goals. You will learn whats the most important part in goal-making that many people miss. The one crucial point. Tony Robbins mentor teaches you the steps to success! A great read!

EXCEPTIONAL !!!
THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE BUSINESS SELF-HELP BOOKS ON THE MARKET. READING OR LISTENING TO JIM ROHN IS ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENT A PERSON CAN MAKE TO GET AHEAD IN BUSINESS OR IN LIFE. A MUST HAVE!!

Simple strategies...that's its strength!
Jim Rohn is a master teacher and speaker. In this book, he gives seven strategies for success and happiness. These seven strategies are not original or new. For example, acquiring wisdom, setting and using goals, and personal development are not new concepts. However, Jim Rohn gives you SIMPLE and USEABLE ways to apply these concepts right away. Many people look for the "magic" solution on how to get rich or become happy or successful and what this books shows you is that the magic is in your discipline towards applying these concepts and improving your life.

Like all good teachers, he stresses that you have to apply your knowledge, not just absorb it passively. He also uses examples from his life and from people he has met. This is both motivational and instructive. A lot of it is common sense (another reviewer mentioned that this is nothing new). That's true! But that's why it's so powerful. Besides the quality of the content, it's pretty easy to read and not too long. I finished it in a weekend because I couldn't put it down!

I highly recommend this book as a fairly comprehensive instruction manual on how to improve your life and succeed in whatever endeavors you wish to take on

Changing your life for the better is easier than you think.
You can read all the books you want on motivation, goal setting, wealth building, etc., but unless the words sink in, unless you fully understand their meaning and are motivated to act on them, they will be valueless. That's one reason why it is important to read many different authors. Though they may say the same things, the words of one will resonate within you, while the other's are soon forgotten.

That is how it is with Jim Rohn for me. My first encounter with his material was through his tape "The Art of Exceptional Living." A powerful tape, it literally opened my eyes to some startlingly simple concepts that have the power to transform your life. And they have. I use his words when talking about sharing with my children. Not only do they instantly have a better understanding of what it means to share, but they act on it immediately! His words have now changed their lives too.

His tape affected me so much that I had to find more of his work, which led me to this book. I was not disappointed. Though there is some overlap between this book and his tape, it is well worth going over the material again. His ideas and suggestions, so powerful yet so simple, are helping to propel me to achieve all that I want.

This is an excellent book, well worth the money. Clearly written, easy to read, with examples and exercises to help drive home his points. Sure, Jim Rohn may not have the same affect on you that he did on me. But you won't go wrong reading this book.

A must read for those wishing to enhance the quality of life
I have read many business and personal self-help books by authors such as Anthony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Vanzant and Rohn. I must say that if you had to pick ONE book to read to increase the quality of life- it should be this one. Rohn was Robbins mentor a long time ago - he teaches you seven simple strategies as well as ways to actually implement them. He doesn't use fluff and tells it like it is. I highly recommend this book- it's the best present you could ever give a person. ... Read more

Book Description

Sponsored by the International Association of Facilitators, The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation offers the need-to-know basics in the field brought together by fifty leading practitioners and scholars. This indispensable resource includes successful strategies and methods, foundations, and resources for anyone who works with groups. The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation provides an overview of the field for new and aspiring practitioners and a reliable reference for experienced group facilitators, including chapters on 

• Creating positive ongoing client relationships
• Building trust and improving communications
• Facilitating group brainstorming sessions
• Drawing out the best in people
• Developing a collaborative environment
• Designing and facilitating dialogue
• Managing conflicting agendas
• Working with multicultural groups
• Using improvisation
• Understanding virtual meetings
• Facilitating team start-up
• Assessing group decision processes
•   Building expertise in facilitation
• Reviewing core facilitation competencies
• Modeling positive professional attitudes

Reviews (1)

The Facilitation Reference Book
I have over 35 years of experience in facilitation, working in villages, multinational companies, intergovernmental bodies and not-for-profit organizations.The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation is the reference book of facilitation.From the day it arrived I began using it.

Chapters cover a wide array of applications, methods and theory of faciliation.Topics such as visual facilitation, the use of stories in facilitation, training of facilitators, facilitation as a communications tool and much more make this book a must have for those concerned with the profession of facilitation ... Read more

Book Description

This new series of fifteen books - The Food Service Professional Guide TO Series from the editors of the Food Service Professional are the best and most comprehensive books for serious food service operators available today.

These step-by-step guides on a specific management subject range from finding a great site for your new restaurant to how to train your wait staff and literally everything in between. They are easy and fast -to-read, easy to understand and will take the mystery out of the subject. The information is "boiled down" to the essence. They are filled to the brim with up to date and pertinent information.

The books cover all the bases, providing clear explanations and helpful, specific information. All titles in the series include the phone numbers and web sites of all companies discussed. What you won’t find are wordy explanations, tales of how someone did it better, or a scholarly lecture on the "theory". Think of them as "Cliff Notes TM" on the subject matter.

Every paragraph in each of the books are comprehensive, well researched, engrossing, and just plain fun-to-read, yet are packed with interesting ideas. You’ll be using your highlighter a lot! The best part aside from the content is they are very moderately price. You can also purchase the whole 15 book series the isbn number is 0-910627-26-6. You are bound to get a great new idea to try on every page if not out of every paragraph. Do not be put off by the low price, these books really do deliver the critical information and eye opening ideas you need you to succeed without the fluff so commonly found in more expensive books on the subject. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Practical "real world" examples for maximizing profits
One of the newest additions to the Atlantic Publishing Group's outstanding "The Food Service Professional" series, The Food Service Professional Guide To Successful Catering: Managing The Catering Operation For Maximum Profit. Here revealed are 365 "insider secrets" showcasing everything necessary to launch a successful catering business; practical "real world" examples for maximizing profits; and clear, accessible instructions on how to sell, market, and operate a catering operation profitably no matter what part of the country it is located in. If you are considering your own catering company as an entrepreneurial small business, then give a close and careful reading to Sony Bode's The Food Service Professional Guide To Successful Catering: Managing The Catering Operation For Maximum Profit!

Great Book
Great Book! I Found These step-by-step guides easy-to-read, and easy to understand! The books are packed with information. They reminded me of "cliff Notes" from my college days.The information is comprehensive without the fluff you find in so many of the more expensive books out there on the subject. The books are also packed with resources such as phone numbers and the web sites of the companies they are discussing - there is no "theory" just great information. ... Read more

Book Description

Count on great sales for this one! The ideal beginner's guide for bookkeepers, accounting clerks, and small business owners, as well as anyone interested in an accounting career, this covers everything from developing a chart of accounts to issuing financial statements. Topics include:

€ Developing a general ledger and maintaining journals
€ Reporting assets and expenses, handling receivables, payroll, cost of goods and services, producing financial statements
€ Month- and year-end accounting tasks and procedures ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great If You're Starting a New Business
This book does an excellent job of taking you through the steps of setting up your accounting system. Starting with business structure, then on to developing your chart of accounts, and then teaching you how to work with dual entry accounting for all aspects of your business - sales, expenses, employees and benefits, and taxes. It also teaches you how to close the books monthly, develop financial statements and finanlize your year-end close. Great stuff! Easy to read and understand.

Small Business Accounting Made Easy
The review by mrbigbeast seriously misrepresents what is presented in this book. In Chapter 4, following chapters that explain how to set up the initial chart of accounts, a section entitled, "Working with Debits and Credits" explains the dual-entry accounting system. There are two full chapters on setting up accounts - one relating to the accounts for balance sheet items and one relating to the accounts for income statement items. The first chapter talks about structuring the business and how this impacts your accounting system.

Most parts of the book reinforce the explanation of debits and credits and how to work with the dual-entry accounting system including examples of how to make dual-entry accounting entries for topics such as tracking sales, determining costs and expenses, adjusting sales and expenses, cashing out, hiring and paying employees, taxes, and employee benefits. There is also an extensive section on how to close the books and another on preparing financial reports. The final section of the book talks about year-end close and the final chapter talks about computerized accounting.

Key concept explanations are poor or lacking.
Fails to propery explain key concepts such accounts, debits/credits, rational behind double entry system, etc. Has some errors which add to the confusion. This one was authored by idiots. ... Read more

Book Description

This innovative book teaches students to understand the strategic value of data and statistics in solving real business problems. Following principles of effective learning identified by educational and behavioral research, the instruction proceeds from tangible examples to abstract theory; from the big picture, or "whole," to details, or "parts"; and from a conceptual understanding to ability to perform specific tasks. While the computer is used for computational details, the authors describe the role of statistical thinking and methods for problem solving and process improvement to encourage use of the tools. Hoerl and Snee also teach skills to improve business processes, including collecting data appropriate for a specified purpose, recognizing limitations in existing data, graphically analyzing data using basic tools, deriving actionable conclusions from data analyses, and understanding the limitations of statistical analyses. In summary, the authors demonstrate that statistical thinking and methodology can help students be more valuable and effective in their chosen careers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Absolutely Wonderful book
Used this book in a 400 level business statistics class, great book overall. Is quite a bit different from most statistics books that I have encountered, however I think that difference is what makes it so effective, this book has been a big eye-opener in viewing everything as a process. The book focuses on principals and the different tools that are available rather than focusing on drilling students with problems. I figure the authors understand that these days computers and statistics software is widely available, so the mathematics behind the techniques is only lightly touched upon. Book finishes up with some theory and a few useful appendixes that go more indepth into certain topics (such as surveying, probability distributions and process reengineering). This is also the book that introduced me to the wonders and excitement of experimental design, which it does a nice job introducing you and preparing you for more advanced texts such as Montgomery's Design of Experiments text.

teaching business statistics through ideas and strategy
Roger Hoerl is a famous industrial statistician who is currently the head of corporate research and development in statistics at a well known company where he took over recently when Gerry Hahn retired. In addition to his contributions to ridge regression Hoerl has written a number of fine statistical texts and has been very influential in emphasizing the growing need and demand for statistical methods in industry (work that may be done by non-statisticians). With the widespread availability of statistical software, the layperson is gaining the ability to do fairly sophisticated statistical analyses. For these people to be successful it is important that they understand the fundamentals and not just how to turn the crank on a particular procedure. Users of statistical methods must understand the concepts of variability and randomness and be able to know when statistical methodology can be helpful and when it cannot. This also means being able to question the underlying assumptions in a statistical model.

Hoerl and Snee accomplish this by teaching the principles and giving the student ideas to help him think statistically. This is different from the traditional approaches of most business statistics texts. Chapters 1 and 2 emphasize concepts before delving into techniques. Software tools...are introduced as needed. The underlying theory is well covered in chapter 9, but note that the authors have deliberately left the theory to the end of the book. The applications and illustration of techniques come first to teach the how and why. In the end the reader can be satisfied to learn the mathematical justification. Chapter 10 reviews what has been learned through two case studies and directs the student on how to take further steps to more advanced topics. ... Read more

Book Description

Finally! A book about economics that won't put you to sleep. In fact, you won't be able to put this one down.

Naked Economics makes up for all of those Econ 101 lectures you slept through (or avoided) in college, demystifying key concepts, laying bare the truths behind the numbers, and answering those questions you have always been too embarrassed to ask. For all the discussion of Alan Greenspan in the media, does anyone know what the Fed actually does? And what about those blackouts in California? Were they a conspiracy on the part of the power companies? Economics is life. There's no way to understand the important issues without it. Now, with Charles Wheelan's breezy tour, there's no reason to fear this highly relevant subject. With the commonsensical examples and brilliantly acerbic commentary we've come to associate with The Economist, Wheelan brings economics to life. Amazingly, he does so with nary a chart, graph, or mathematical equation in sight—certainly a feat to be witnessed firsthand.

Economics is a crucial subject. There's no way to understand the important issues without it. Now, with Charles Wheelan's breezy tour, there's also no reason to fear it. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Excellent introduction
Economics is yet another field in which everyone has an opinion, and like (well, you know). But there is a substantial body of knowledge out there, and there is no reason for us (especially, us as voters) to be ignorant of it.

This could be read in every intro to econ class.

If you're a reader of Krugman's articles and books, but you feel like sometimes you don't really understand what he says, this will be a great book for you. Or if you just don't know about economics, this will be a great book for you.

(But after you read this book, I also recommend Krugman's writing. This book is the bird's eye view of economics, while Krugman looks at a few things in more detail.)

How does the Fed target interest rates and control money supply? I'd wondered this for quite a while, and here I got a straight answer to it.

It's recommended by several economics nobel prize winners, so its content must be solid.

Wheelan turned econ. concepts into a book for the beach
As an undergraduate, I used to find topics for potential areas for research papers from the Economist's Economics Focus section. For those uninitiated, the once-a-week, one page explinations the repetitive column provides are excellent, cursory introductions to complex economic topics, usually spawned from new research in the dismal science.

That said, Wheelan has taken that concept and spread it out over a fast-reading, entertaining 236 page book. Basic economic concepts and more complex and modern research are explained with vigor and enthusiasm. The book features no charts, functions, formulas or graphs. Nonetheless, it would prove a much better textbook for a High School or undergraduate Intro to Economics course. Better yet, it serves as an excellent review for those already initiated to the field.

Highly reccomended!

A Better World Through a Better Understanding of Economics
After reading economic books by Milton Friedman and Thomas Sowell, I find Naked Economics to be a more balanced explaination of economics. Though I believe good economic sense are more relevant to the conservative viewpoint. This book makes you ponder as too how much we as a society are willing to let the 'creative destruction' victims fall behind in the name of progress.

I really hope more people would read into economics, because in the long run, it's the greater poor population will benefit more through capatilistic methods. Though it will be harsh for some groups who loses their jobs. Whether it's through replacing human hands with robotics or outsourcing for cheaper labor, it ultimately advances our productivity.

This book answers a lot of questions very relevant to today's current events. All the outcry about US outsourcing jobs. The author puts forward a great question, "Whould it be better for the US if trade weren't allow across the Mississippi River?" I think you could even go further on that question, "Would it be better if each state weren't allow to trade across it's border?" Many would realize the answer is no, but yet, there is such an outcry on outsourcing? It's call lobbying by special interest.

Great book, and very easy read.

Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science
Popular economics writing does not get any better than this. In a dozen somewhat independent chapters, journalist Wheelan presents "Economics 101" in a readable, objective, and delightful manner. Employing basic concepts and assumptions, such as choices, incentives, tradeoffs, prices, costs, and the economics of information, Wheelan cuts a large swath though contemporary microeconomic and macroeconomic issues, controversies, and fallacies. (He sneaks in more sophisticated theoretical points and jargon, e.g., externalities and the prisoner's dilemma, but in interesting, informative ways.) Topics include environmental problems, health care and insurance, risk and safety, education and productivity, the Federal Reserve System and monetary policy, financial markets and capital, inflation and unemployment, international trade and globalization, income and wealth inequalities, and economic development. Using anecdotes and applications galore, Wheelan treats both the power of markets and the role of government in a market economy (including special interest groups and the politics of economics). Devoid of graphs and mathematical equations (but not documentation), this book is quite simply a terrific, much-needed addition to the economics literature for intelligent general readers and must-reading for the media, government officials at all levels, and those who cast ballots and attempt to influence public policy. Highly recommended for general readers, lower- and upper-division undergraduates, and professionals.

A sound, objective introduction to modern economics
Surprising as it may sound, I was not able to put this book down.

Now, while I didn't buy the book (I checked it out at my local library), I wouldn't mind having it on my shelf as a future reference. Having read some of Milton Friedman's work, I found Wheelan's writing much more refreshing and easier to grasp. Wheelan's book focuses much more on the "science" of economics than the merits of the free-market system, though he is obviously in favor of such markets.

Wheelan's explanation of the FED seemed more attainable to me than what Friedman put forth in Free to Choose.

All in all, anyone looking to a sound introduction to the market economy should check this book out. ... Read more

Book Description

The "Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)" has been compiled every two years by the U.S. Department of Labor since the 1940s. This is a quality reprint with only one difference—it's much less expensive!

One reason for the "OOH's" continued popularity is that there is excellent labor market information throughout the book, plus extensive indexes.

For each job, the "OOH" discusses the nature of the work, working conditions, job outlook, training and education needed, earnings, related occupations, and additional information sources, including Web sites. The book is packed with practical, current information, and it is invaluable for anyone doing career research, writing resumes, preparing for interviews, or writing job descriptions. Additional features:

* Job descriptions are cross-referenced with the more specialized job titles in the O*NET.
* Includes interesting photos of workers on the job, plus charts and tables.
* Brief overview of trends for major industry and occupational groups.
* Organized by clusters of related jobs for easy research.
* Job opportunities forecast is based on Bureau of Labor Statistics projections through 2012. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The best reference tool on the market
If you are searching for a job or job options you owe it to yourself to invest in this book. In my book, "How to find your dream job and make it a reality: solutions for a rewarding and meaningful career." I reference previous editions of this book.

In addition, most authors on the subject of job hunting and career use this information. The only problem is these references are not very comprehensive. If you want comprehensive information on the job out look this book is for. If you want to find your dream job invest in my book, "How to find your dream job and make it reality: solutions for a rewarding and meaningful career."

Good luck in your job search. ... Read more

Book Description

Aimed at single contractors and small businesses, Smart Business for Contractors gives readers reliable information on bidding and pricing and offers field-tested ways to handle legal matters that arise during this process. It includes chapters on incorporation, taxes, insurance, disability, and retirement. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

very basiic stuff here
You don't need this book.

Solid Deal
Very readable book that made a great complement for some other books i bought. For the price this is a deal all the way.Its a fairly broad overview but touches many important areas. I didnt learn much i didnt already know but a new to the field contractor would benifit greatly. As i said, the price makes this a valuable reference even for myself who is already knowledgable in most of its contents. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Talk in General terms
I did not find the book real helpful. It was to general and had many predictions but was sparce on good specific advice. My favorite book of this type is "Getting Clients, Keeping Clients."

Sincerely,
Thomas Cloud, Jr., ChFC

His vision of our industry is right on!
I have been in the life insurance business for 14 years and have worked in the agency system (as and agent and manager)for two of the largest mutual companies. I had been referred to this book by a friend of mine in the industry when I was disenchanted with direction of the agency system.

Mr. Sullivan's comprehension of the present agency system and the industry is only superceded by his vision of the direction of the future. He is right on!

So much so that I decided that it was time for me to move on and join a producer's group where I was totally independent without any conflicts of interest to my client. I am in total control of my destiny now. By the way, my production has conservatively doubled since I have moved on. I am more confident now, with a broader array of products, and most importantly no distractions.

Thank you Mr. Sullivan!

Sincerely,

Stuart B. Arakelian Registered Representative ... Read more

Book Description

The Sniper Trading Workbook is the perfect complement to Sniper Trading: Essential Short-Term Money-Making Secrets for Trading Stocks, Options, and Futures. This workbook provides an invaluable opportunity to explore your understanding of the formulas and strategies covered in the main text–before you put them to use in real market environments.

Each chapter of the workbook is designed to stand on its own, so you can tackle one strategy before moving on to another.A brief description of the topic at hand is followed by a series of questions on that topic and their solutions.Test your knowledge on the concepts, techniques, and systems discussed in Sniper Trading, with realistic examples that are likely to occur during the normal course of short-term trading, including:

• The Two Major Daily Trends
• The 3-Day Difference: How to Measure Market Momentum
• Chart Patterns: Finding Symmetry in the Market
• Confirming Indicators
• Strategies for Getting Out of Trouble
• Seasonal Trends

With over thirty chapters dedicated to short-term trading, the Sniper Trading Workbook provides an honest answer to the question: Am I truly prepared to trade? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

sniper trading
Being a colllege professor for more than 3 decades, I have read too many books on money, market, investing , and trading. I found
George Angell's book one of the best. It tells as it is and reveals not only the in-and-out, the up-and-down of trading the market but also the philosophy of life, the psychology of trading, and the attitude of winning the games. I recommend this book to anyone who has interest in shot-term trading.
The Professor ... Read more

Book Description

Already the acclaimed choice of thousands of successful organizations including the American Library Association, the FourthEdition features an all-new chapter that considers the ways the Internet and other state-of-the-art technologies have rewritten the rules of today’s meetings and conventions. This easy-to-use, paperback volume—the popular alternative to Robert’s Rules—is the most comprehensive, understandable, and logical guide to smooth-running, professional meetings. Alice Sturgis was a practicing parliamentarian and consultant to national and international professional and business organizations. She taught at Stanford University and the University of California. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Best Parliamentary Authority
The Standard Code is a better parliamentary authority then Robert's. It simplifies and modernizes parliamentary authority, making it more accessible to more people. Dump your RONR and get this work.

We don't wear wigs and robes! We're a casual, social club.
If you've always feared having to pull out the ol' Robert's Rules of Order because it was too detailed and complex for the casual social organizations in which you participated, help is here. Someone has realized that, because a group might need parliamentary procedures, it does not need the granularity required by The Parliament of England.

The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure is understandable, comprehensive, logical, refined, and efficient. As it should, it covers all the formal business of holding a productive and respectful meeting. But it also includes procedures that facilitate business for the less formal organization or club.

Necessary jargon is defined in a glossary. The "Often-Asked Questions" section covers many common situations and eliminates the need to look through the chapters for most answers. The book is up-to-date, addressing contemporary and often-encountered situations such as holding meetings and elections via the telephone or Internet.

As a bonus, it serves as a resource to those trying to form an organization. There are chapters to help you prepare documents (like bylaws and financial records) that won't be in conflict with legal and parliamentary procedures down the line. It explains the hierarchy of documents that govern an organization. There's even a section that helps explain some of the arcane procedures in Robert's Rules!

I'm grateful to have found this gem. It deals with all the situations that my clubs have encountered.

An alternative to Robert's Rules of Order
One of the best modernised book on the parliamentary procedures.

1st published in 1950, this 3rd edition is revised by the American Institute of Parliamentarians in 1988.Since this publication, many organisations have changed their bylaws to designate it as their parliamentary authority, among them are: American Medical Association and the American Dental Association.

It is the second most popular parliamentary authority after Robert's Rules of Order.

WHAT GROUPS MUST FOLLOW PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE? 'All organizations, such as business, cultural, religious, social, fraternal, professional, educational, labor, civil, scientific, medical, and governmental, are subject to the principles and rules of common parliamentary law. All profit and non-profit corporations and associations and the boards, counsels, commissions, and committees of government, must observe its rules.' Sturgis, p. 3.

This book is undoubtedly one of the best and comprehensive works. There is also a chapter which intended especially to aid persons unfamiliar with parliamentary procedure.

To quote Dr. Floyd M. Riddick, Parliamentarian Emeritius US Senate: 'It is understandable vocabulary makes it usable by anyone, not just experts in the field. All students of parliamentary procedure should have a copy in their library.'

THE Code of Parliamentary Procedure
Contains the complete standard code of parliamentary procedure, with each aspect thoroughly explained. This is the widely accepted procedure for meetings (ie United Nations). Very useful for keeping large meetings organized.

The prefered authority!
This is Joyce Parks absolute favorite, and she knows ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Oversteer
A great book; a keystone of my management science bookshelf that continues to influence my day-to-day thinking 4 years after the first read.

This book goes well beyond a mere summary of Dorner's research. His work investigates the fundamental flaw in human behavior that drives us over and over again to make the wrong decisions: oversteer.

If you have only 30 minutes, order this book and read just the chapter on Chernobyl-- the only intelligent analysis of the disaster I have ever encountered. Chilling.

Essential Reading for Business and Govt Leaders
Wow - a superb analysis of why we fail even when doing things right! The lessons contained herein are invaluable to every professional, and more so for those who are in critical decision making and leadership roles. The fallacy of our thinking is something we dont like to admit or understand, this book reveals the pitfalls of the same. You will need some guts to read and understand this book since it will uncover flaws that you will probably hate to admit.
In some places the translation could have been better, however that should not prevent anyone from reading this book. I suggest "Dont just read - but grasp the lessons." It may take more than one reading to get a better understanding, but that investment of time will be well worth the effort. Equally important - reflect on what you read as you try to assimilate the material discussed.

Wow! Bloody brilliant!
In clear language citing specific studies and without dogma, Dietrich Dorner, et al, shows why we make the wrong decisions and why, sometimes, we make the right ones. It does not have "An Answer" or even a simple set of rules to follow: different situations call for different responses, and The Logic of Failure clearly explains that.

What makes people poor problem solvers?
Dietrich Dörner is an authority on cognitive behavior and a psychology professor at the University of Bamberg, Germany. His research shows that our habits as problem solvers are typically counterproductive.

Probably our main shortcoming is that we like to oversimplify problems. Dörner offers a long list of self-defeating behaviors, but common to all of them is our reluctance to see any problem is part of a whole system of interacting factors. Any problem is much more complex than we like to believe. And failure doesn't have to come from incompetence. The operators of the Chernobyl reactor, as Dörner points out, were "experts." And as experts, they ignored safety standards because they "knew what they were doing."

Dörner identifies four habits of mind and characteristics of thought that account for the frequency of our failures:
1. The slowness of our thinking-We streamline the process of problem solving to save time and energy.
2. Our wish to feel confident and competent in our problem solving abilities-We try to repeat past successes.
3. Our inability to absorb quickly and retain large amounts of information-We prefer unmoving mental models, which cannot capture a dynamic, ever-changing process.
4. Our tendency to focus on immediately pressing problems-We ignore the problems our solutions will create.

Successful problem solving is so complex that there are no hard-and-fast rules that work all the time. The best take-away from the book (and this is my favorite quote): "An individual's reality model can be right or wrong, complete or incomplete. As a rule it will be both incomplete and wrong, and one would do well to keep that probability in mind." The book is 199 easy-to-read pages, and Dörner gives lots of interesting examples from lab tests illustrating people's actual behavior in problem-solving situations.

It's a thought-provoking book for anyone whose job is to tackle complex problems. In one way or another that includes anyone in just about any profession.

Perfect for managers
In the Logic of Failure, Dietrich Dorner lays out the root causes of decision-making failures in a straightforward, easy-to-read, and even entertaining manner. Dorner covers the psychological and emotional failings that occur when individuals are faced with a myriad of complex systems. Anyone who has been bitten by the law of unintended consequences will see a bit of himself in the pages as Dorner helps one envision the inherent inadequacies that prevent people from predicting and preparing for what becomes painfully obvious in hindsight. Although a bit short on what to do in order to permanently correct the problems identified, simply bringing the pitfalls to light will go a long way to alleviate the problem. This is a must read for managers and strategic planners......perhaps even on an annual basis. ... Read more

Book Description

There's too much work to be done. Your organization can't handle the load. That's when you begin to consider outsourcing some of your business functions. But how can you choose the right suppliers and ensure maximum results? In this book, Laseter--of the world-renowned consulting firm Booz?Allen & Hamilton--shows companies how to address that challenge through the dynamic pursuit of balanced sourcing.

"This will be a super book to provide to new purchasing people and to reinvigorate experienced purchasing professionals. It was great to see many of the concepts with which we have experimented logically explained. I wholeheartedly endorse it."--Jean Mayer, executive director, manufacturing procurement operations, Ford Motor Company

Laseter and Booz?Allen coined the term "balanced sourcing" to describe a model for ensuring competitive pricing from suppliers while simultaneously nurturing cooperative relationships. Drawing upon Booz?Allen's experiences with leading companies, Balanced Sourcing lays out the six organizational capabilities that make up the firm's field-tested strategy. Detailed case studies of four prominent corporations-Honda of America, Cisco Systems, SUPERVALU, and Florida Power & Light-show you the broad applicability of this model for companies in industries from manufacturing to services to high-tech.

"Too many 'best practice' guides present a one-size-fits-all solution, such as copying the so-called Japanese model of sole sourcing. In fact, the best Japanese companies do not treat all suppliers as sole-sourced partners and you should not either. Balanced Sourcing is full of practical tools and models that will help you think through appropriate strategies for each of your suppliers."-Dr. Jeffrey K. Liker, associate professor, industrial & operations engineering, and co-director, Japan Technology Management Program, University of Michigan

Get real-life lessons from around the world on: **Creating sourcing strategies **Building and sustaining supplier relationships **Leveraging supplier innovation?and much more! Make the most of your outsourcing wi