Book Description

The Third Edition of this invaluable handbook provides a complete overview of the entire development function, from management and strategic planning to hands-on, practical guidance for the various kinds of fundraising. Written by leading fund-raising professionals and edited by James M. Greenfield, this volume is a classic in the field of fundraising. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It isn't just a book; it's a fund raising curriculum . . . .
One of the most experienced and respected fund-raising professionals in the United States, James M. Greenfield, ACFRE, FAHP, has assembled the best wisdom 42 other highly-regarded and experienced fund-raising leaders, into a comprehensive handbook covering nearly every conceivable aspect of fund development.   The Nonprofit Handbook:  Fund Raising isn't just a book; it's a fund raising curriculum between two covers.  Indeed, I am unaware of any other volume which attempts -- and successfully so, I might add -- to map the entire scope of fund raising so thoroughly.  A warning, though:  It would be a monumental task to read this book in its entirety.  Rather, its best use is as a fund raising reference - a one-volume library for articles covering just about any topic fund development professionals are likely to encounter.   For example, folks who are involved with an annual fund will want to focus on Part III, entitled "Annual Giving Program." The section contains articles on "Overview of Annual Giving," "Direct Mail," "Benefit Event Fundamentals," "Benefit Event Enhancements," Telemarketing," and "Volunteer-Led Solicitations."   To take another example, folks looking for major donors will turn to Part IV, entitled "Major Giving Programs," containing thorough treatments on these topics:  "Overview of Major Giving," "The Corporate Support Marketplace," "The Grant-Seeking Process," "Major Gifts from Individuals," "Capital Fund Appeals," "Planned giving:  Gift Vehicles," and "Planned Giving:  Management and Marketing."   One drawback is its price.  At $210, it's one of the pricier books in fund raising.  However, this is a two-volume set.  I've described only the "Fund Raising" volume; there is also Management volume, covering -- again, in encyclopedic fashion -- all aspects of nonprofit management.  We'll be reviewing that in the next installment of "We Review."  Despite the price of the set, I cannot imagine any well-equipped fund development department not having these volumes available to the staff.  ... Read more

Amazon.com

Being your own boss, as anyone who's tried it can attest, is not as easy as it looks. The rewards can be great, but hurdles abound--and many fledgling entrepreneurs never manage to get beyond the latter in order to enjoy the former. Well-known experts Sarah and Paul Edwards believe it can be done, though, and present solid tips for thriving as well as surviving in Secrets of Self-Employment, an expanded version of one of their popular early works. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Like A Beacon In the Dark
People who look to this book for a how-to manual on financing, marketing, incorporating, etc. will be disappointed. And that's OK, because it offers something much more precious - peace of mind. That's not to say there isn't general advice about some of these issues and even some real targeted suggestions to solve certain problems, but the focus is more on the mindset of being your own boss, at start-up and beyond. A step-by-step, "put Tab A in Slot B" book almost seems like putting the cart before the horse after reading this. If the mind isn't ready or is struggling, everything that comes after will be a struggle too despite the best instruction manual.

I am in the process of opening my own business after being "downsized" for the last time. Some days have been up and some days have been down. Some days I thought I should throw in the towel and go live in a hut somewhere far, far away. This book has shown me that all of this is normal and has shown me how to use the up moments and push past the down ones to get what I want. It's amazing the way the authors almost seem to step inside your head. They are supportive, clear and offer real, usable advice to keep on track mentally, exult in your victories and deal with the difficulties as they arise. The format is conversational, friendly, uplifting and confidence-building.

This book will be part of my "business bible" collection - those books I will refer to again and again as I grow my business.

Are we reviewing the same book?
I am intending to start my own little business but have no idea how to, and bought this book. to my dissappointment, this book is so general and not touching the point. it tells me how great it is to start your own business...etc which i knew already, and left me unchanged about how to start my business and wondering where the hell the secrets are?!!
If I want to know how to build a house, I don't need to know how great it is having my own house.. instead, I need to know that first i need to find the perfect land and other important steps. The book can save much paper in cutting off all the repetition of unnecessary sentences.

This book made me money
My daughter bought this book for me and it made me tenfold over the price of the book within one week by using one of the tips. The Edwards' format is easy to read and they go through all the possible setbacks of self-employment and how to avoid them. I've been a freelance writer for two years, but anyone - whether starting to work on their own or in the business for 10 years - can learn from this book. It's well worth the price.

WONDERFUL!
I am 21 years old, and would love to be a part time real estate investor and be an independent personal trainer! I am in college, and have had low paying minimum wage jobs(working for someone else) and my LONG TERM goal is to be my own boss. Why spend your whole life working under 1 person's clock, with only one set paycheck(a lousy one at that) when you are capable of so much more? To me having your paycheck dependent upon only one person is much riskier than getting the same amount if not more from lots of other people. All of the males in my father's side of the family worked for themselves. Here is what my great-great grandfather once told my own father, "It is best to get $1 from 100 people, then to get $100 from only one person".

Rites of Passage for the New Entrepreneur
I found this book to be quick and easy to read, with very applicable and down-to-earth information about the rites of passage to the entrepreneurial world. Their advice does not focus on actual business management, although they do offer wonderful tips on such topics as time and paper flow management. Instead, they address all the things typical business texts and professors do not mention. I have an MBA from a top 10 business school, and I am learning more from this book about the psychology of starting a business than I ever did in school.

The Edwards have helped me to understand the fears and doubts I have had over the last few months, while I have been contemplating leaving my well-paying and secure position at a large consulting firm. Until I picked up this book I thought I was the only one who questioned their decisions and their capabilities as an entrepreneur. Now I know that everyone has similarly scary feelings, and that there are ways in which we can minimize them, and even take advantage of them. Every page offered some form of support or valuable advice, and I felt myself gaining confidence with each chapter. I also learned more about myself and what type of business I would prefer, after reading their description of classic entrepreneurs vs. "propreneurs" (their term for individual professionals and craftspeople). I have gone from a state of anxiety to gung-ho enthusiasm!

It is apparent that these authors speak from direct experience, not from a podium in front of a classroom. They are brutally honest about their own mistakes and doubts, which serves to make a positive and helpful connection with the reader. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Getting the basics right
Within the first 2 pages of the workbook (the preface, mind you), I was very much behind Ms. Galloway and her approach to this technique. In other reviews you'll see criticism of the book for being seen as simplistic, but I think she strikes the right note. This is a simple, effective process and it's far better to learn to walk it before you start picking out your running shoes. Also, I would venture to guess that the majority of people who would benefit from using the process and would be asked to map a process never need to get much more complicated than the steps detailed in this workbook. Just because you can make a more complicated map doesn't always mean that you should. For people who can appreciate that sentiment, then this book is for you.

Also, the book receives criticism for using common/ordinary tasks such as filling your car with gasoline, but I think the author provides a very valid explanation for that approach. If she were to use a mock business scenario the temptation is to focus on what is going on in the scenario (is it the same as what we do or different?) rather than what is to be learned. This is sound education theory and it makes for a more intuitive learning process.

Undergraduate Introductory Reference
Very disappointing slim volume (81 pages) , that could do much much better.
Uses simplistic examples of the setting-out of dinner tables, filling automobile and getting dressed in the morning as the example base.
Little mention is made of changes required to style (swim lanes to include GUI interactions & handover) tie into UML Use Cases etc.
There is no reference to descriptive and emerging standards (UML type is NOT used) nor is any mention made of the various standards organisations.
There is little in the way of design approaches & simulation issues, change strategies, analysis of designs or implementation approach. No reference is made to modelling software and simulation tools.
No strategies are given for validation of the changes
There is little or no measurement of KPI's, costs and productivity / cost benefit analysis and practice.
No reference is made to sector best practice & the business patterns available.
No reference is made to workflow automation (internal & external), the software available and options approaches currently being used.
There are no Post Implementation Review (PIR) suggestions.
Basically unless you are a novice it is a complete waste of time and money.

Disappointingly Simple
For the cost of the book, I was expecting some more advanced concepts than examples such as how to set a table, get gas for your car, and get ready for work. This is a workbook for students learning for the first time how to create workflow diagrams. For a working professional, it is useless. It does not deal with real work situations and its complexities.

User Friendly Par Excellent!
Viva la words! User friendly at its best. Can't put it down. I kept asking myself, "How can something so practical be so fun to process."

Short and to the point - excellent for beginners
This 89 page book has two things going for it:

(1) Logical approach to mapping work processes

(2) Clear, concise writing

Ms. Galloway's logical approach to mapping work processes is evident from the table of contents, which contains:

Introduction to Mapping

Select the Process

Define the Process

Chart the Primary Process

Chart Inspection Points

Develop Inspection Standards

Draw Lines and Arrows

Chart Inputs and Suppliers

Chart Subprocesses

Plan Future Activities

She keeps this approach simple and assumes that the reader knows nothing about mapping work processes. I like the lack of fluff and concise (if not terse) writing that is augmented by over 50 figures and illustrations.

If you want to learn how to map work processes this is the book with which to embark on your learning experience. I give it five stars for its clarity and completeness. ... Read more

Book Description

More than just a travel guide, Watch It Made In the U.S.A. will help readers appreciate firsthand the products, companies, technology, and workers that inspire our economy. Authors and factory tour experts Karen Axelrod and Bruce Brumberg provide fascinating photographs, advice for business and family travelers, helpful itinerary planners, and all the practical information necessary to visit nearly 300 factories and company museums across the U.S.A, from Boeing to Ben and Jerry's, Hallmark to Harley-Davidson. ".... a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at household names, names that many of us take for granted ..." -- Chicago Tribune "Unusual travel opportunities and they're closer than you think." -- Good Morning America ... Read more

Reviews (7)

More than 300 fully updated and contemporary factory tours
Collaboratively researched and written by the husband & wife team of Karen Axelrod and Bruce Brumberg, Watch It Made In The U.S.A.: A Visitor's Guide To The Companies That Make Your Favorite Products is a unique and very highly recommended travel guide featuring more than 300 fully updated and contemporary factory tours and corporate visitor centers and exhibitions from Dole in Hawaii, to the Jelly Belly Center in Wisconsin, to Cruzan Rum in the U.S. Virgin Islands. From product exhibits ranging from the Jell-O Gallery in New York to the Kool-Aid "Discover the Dream" in Nebraska, Watch It Made In The U.S.A. offers colorful descriptions of the tours, admission fees (which are often free!), days and hours of accessibility, age and group requirements, disabled access, and more. This newly revised and expanded edition includes a Caribbean section as well as information when there are other nearby attractions to the showcased factor and exhibit sites.

Very good information
This book is for anyone that travels on the roads of the U.S.A. If you are one to do road trips and you like visiting places "on the way" or "out of the "way", this book can help you plan your trip. Do a "tour theme" vacation and see as many tours as you can heading towards your destination or heading back home. It not only allows you to see how things are made that are household products with which you are very familiar, but planning your trip around these tours allows you to see more of the country that you probably wouldn't have seen if you stayed on the Interstates. I travel in a RV and was sorry I didn't obtain this book before leaving on a recent trip to the West Coast, for there were a few that were close that I wasn't aware of. No one book has it all but this book, along with AAA tour books is a plus.

Very Fun! Makes traveling interesting!
When we are planning trips, this is one of our standard reference books. Watching some of these things being made is great fun. In fact, it is not uncommon for us to go out of our way to see some factory and we have always been glad we have done so.

This book is well organized and well written. It is easy to understand. The facts in this book are well researched. I know for a fact that there are some tours that are not listed in this book. However, that doesn't mean this book isn't worth every penny, it is.

Enjoy.

Great topic, well-written, fun travelguide
A terrifically fun travelbook that will lead you to factory tours you would never otherwise have found. The entries are full of detail, including hours, addresses, phone numbers, and any special details (e.g., whether or not you need reservations, whether the tours are first-come-first-served, etc.).

Having been on several tours that aren't listed, I can't say that this guide is anywhere near definitive, but what's here is a great start and can spice up a vacation.

Of particular interest, most of these tours are suitable for parents with children, and most of them are FREE!

Worth the money!
I bought both this book and "Inside America" (theother book that Amazon lists...I reviewed that too..don't bother withit!). This book is really nice. It was so well thought out: 1. There are color pictures of what you would see in some of the factories. 2. It tells you whether you actually get to TOUR the factory or whether you will be looking through a window or a watching a video. 3. Tells whether you get freebies. 4. At first I was disappointed because there were so few entries for CT and NJ but when I read the beginning of the book they explained EXACTLY the reason for some states having so few and how they picked the tours for the book. 5. Each tour has like 4-5 paragraphs dedicated to describing it. 6. Tells cost. 7. Tells you anything "special" you might need to know like: the CRAYOLA tour in PA is first come first serve so you might get there and not be allowed in (I personally know of 5 people this happened to... so I specifically checked to see if this would be mentioned). 8. This was geared towards the average person...and specifically families.

I'm crazy when it comes to details and I was thrilled that these people were too. I was very impressed when things would be in parenthesis saying they double checked all information but that you should still call ahead. END ... Read more

Book Description

Delivers the latest pronouncements to help accountants perform flawless engagements. The reader friendly format equips you with checklists, application procedures and practice aids. The book is modelled on the AICPA's codification structure so you can easily follow the latest SASs, SAS Interpretations, SSAEs, SSAE Interpretations, SSARs, SSAR Interpretations, Auditing SOPs. Technical jargon is minimised. The enclosed CD ROM contains all the timesaving checklists, forms and reports needed to perform a thorough audit.

· Best-selling, widely respected guides provide credibility and established authority
· Fully updated for 2005 and available now
· Logically structured and clearly indexed for ease of use ... Read more

Book Description

'Stats to Go' is a user-friendly guide for hospitality, leisure and tourism students who need to learn statistics and statistical techniques.

'Stats to go' is an ideal companion to hospitality, leisure and tourism studies as the breadth of coverage supports all taught numerical aspects of these types of course.Examples from hospitality, leisure and tourism organizations:
* licensed premises
* fast food outlets
* hotels
* theme parks
and their environments are used to illustrate key issues of the text.

The area of quantitative methods is one which many students find unapproachable or daunting. With the use of a clear learning structure, and a user friendly, non-theoretical approach, Buglear has created a text which students and lecturers alike will find indispensable.

Minimal use of technical language and provides clear definitions of essential terms and notations
Employs thematic and illustrative examples based on a variety of hospitality contexts
Emphasises 'interpretation' rather than 'technique' ... Read more

Book Description

Finally, there is an all-in-one handbook public library managers can use to update policies and procedures, design new forms—or even compile a new manual from scratch. This unique guide includes more than 300 forms, policies and procedures from 114 public libraries with a diverse range of budgets and staff, including the Pasadena (Tex.) Public Library, the Grand Island (Neb.) Public Library, the Miami Dade (Fla.) Public Library, the Marion County (S. Car.) Library, and the Fayette (Geo.) County Library. Brumley has surveyed libraries of all sizes across the country and chosen the best and most applicable forms to reproduce in this manual. They are accompanied by detailed guidance to help you individualize and adapt them for your library. Divided into three areas—Public Services, Administration, and Collections— the manual covers both common and challenging areas of librarianship. Policy examples include Internet filtering, staff rights, unattended children, andmore. The forms include books-by-mail applications, Internet users’ agreements, meeting room use applications, and much more. A companion CD contains electronic reproductions of the forms, procedures, and policies (all the ones in the book plus 22 more), which can be used straight from the disk or customized for a specific library. This essential tool will save time –and more important—make it unnecessary to reinvent the wheel every time you need to create or revise a policy, form, or procedure. ... 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)

THIS is FSP's most useful, most thorough, guide!
If you will peruse my other two reviews of guides published by Food Service Professional you will note I am not bashful - when they short change me I tell you straight out!

This guide, though, is superior to any other guide I have read - thorough, detailed, and helpful without wasting reams of paper to appear more complete. This is a must-read for anybody wanting to set their menu prices at optimum profitability.

I especially appreciated the various formulas, explanations and examples they provided so I could get my head around the topic (as the Brits are fond of saying) and not feel that some rule of thumb (such as, three times the ingredient cost) is the only way to price. Rules of thumb can get you in trouble and are only a guide based on 'all other things being equal.' That explains why I liked their information throughout chapter 5. This one chapter would probably be worth a full semester in college!

To be sure, the principles elucidated in chapter five can be applied to any business economics class and such students would gain immeasurable benefit.

Be watching for LJ's Breaking Free$ to learn more ways to make money by starting your own business or small farm - Bill Anderson (LJ).

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

Reviews (1)

Old DOT [Dict of Occupational Titles] looks out of dark ages
Far superior to old DOT. This ONE book gives info concisely yet on far more Job Titles and has cross references to legacy Dept. of Labor publications. I eagerly jumped on the internet to follow up some leads. When JIST gets all the info up on their website it will be a fantastic resource. I hope they make full book available to bonifide buyers online - cut & paste beats typing! The 4 star rating was based by overly broad Job Titles seeming to inflate the SVP [Specific Vocational Preparation] and GED [General Educational Developement] requirements. This could skew the perception that the goal is less achievable and cost(s) exorbitant. We specifically researched 31514 Vocational & Education Counselor DOT 187.167-198 Veterans Contact Representative. This gave SVP 7 [>2 years and Read more

Book Description

This bestselling soup-to-nuts book teaches the techniques and methods used inthe country’s finest MBA programs. And now it’s fully revised with the latestinformation for today’s busy businesspeople.

Presented in an accessible question-and-answer format, The Vest-PocketMBA helps readers quickly pinpoint all the formulas, ratios, and rules ofthumb they need to analyze and evaluate nearly any problem. Among the manytopics it covers: accounting, finance, break-even analysis, investmentevaluation, capital budgeting, business law, risk minimization, marketing, andinternational trade.

The Vest-Pocket MBA offers a wealth of guidelines, illustrations, andhow-to’s for the modern decision-maker, from the B-school student to the seniorexecutive. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Handy but
there are 'way too many typos in the formulas and calculations; really needed a better proofreader and/or formula and table typist. So if you don't already have some experience with the subject matter, you will find working through the examples frustrating as you encounter these errors.

Another caveat: the examples are headed in big bold type, while the principles they illustrate are in smaller italic type. This makes it more difficult than necessary to find the subject you're looking for and to determine what the example is illustrating.

Could also use a Glossary and an Index. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Excellent book for writers at all levels
Publishing magazine articles and seeing your name in the byline can be a lot of fun, but to be successful you must also treat it as a business. Many books today examine the writing aspects of submitting articles to magazines, but few really look at the business side of the process. Dr. Eva Shaw covers these business topics in a way that blends them into the writing process. Finding article ideas, analyzing the publications, contacting editors, writing the query, doing the research and submitting the articles are all discussed in a common sense, pragmatic way. This is a "must have" book for any writer's bookshelf.

Joseph Berke-- Freelance Writer/Photographer/Seminar and Workshop Instructor

a reference book to be used over and over.
Book Review by Maryanne Raphael, Writers World THE SUCCESSFUL WRITER'S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING MAGAZINE ARTICLES By Eva Shaw Ph.D., Published by Rodgers & Nelsen, Publishing Co., Loveland, Colorado The author of over 35 published books and over 1000 magazine articles, Eva Shaw knows the business of writing, loves it and enthusiastically shares it. In THE SUCCESSFUL WRITER'S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING MAGAZINE ARTICLES, she helps writers create exciting openings and develop a marketable, interesting style. She guides them from initial idea to printed article. This book contains the latest on current and future trends with advice on how to profit from them.. She devotes chapters to setting goals, querying, reading a magazine you want to write for, outlining with her delightful bubble method , doing meaningful research, and marketing yourself and your work. The combination of the personal and the technical makes compelling reading. The reader comes away from this book feeling empowered to write. Eva Shaw reminds us that this is the age of information and writers are needed to lead the way with inspirational, informative material. THE SUCCESSFUL WRITER'S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING MAGAZINE ARTICLES is a reference book to be used over and over. by Maryanne Raphael, Writers World email: maryanneraphael@juno.com

Can't take advice on writing from someone who can't write
Even after reading previous reviews about the sloppiness of this book, I purchased it anyway because the reviewers found the content very helpful. But when I opened the book, I couldn't get past page 10-- no matter what gems of wisdom lay within, the mass of typos and incoherence make it impossible to justify finding those gems. The fact alone that Dr. Shaw has managed to sell thousands of articles convinces me that I can break into this field. The reviews at the front of the book laud her enthusiastic teaching style, which she may very well have in person, but on the page she just stinks. Even her examples of "queries that sold" contained weak and redundant sentences, such as "Please consider this topic, and thank you for your consideration." Wha? There are so many books on this topic, I recommend skipping this one. Any good advice is probably found elsewhere.

Great info if you can get past the somewhat sloppy editing
Others have noted the sloppy editing, and I agree. But the info here is invaluable for someone who already know how to write for magazines, but needs to be more savvy with the marketing.

As a freelance journalist I can assure you that she tells you like it is. The key is to know thy markets and to be savvy about your skills, and Eva Shaw gives good suggestions on both topics.

I have followed her advice and it has definitely improved my sales.

inspiring despite poor organization and sloppy writing
I never return books. But after reading the first two chapters of The Successful Writer's Guide to Publishing Magazine Articles, I dug the packaging box back out of the recycling bin. After skimming through the rest of the book, I was rummaging through the trash for the packing slip. The writer may have good advice but I just couldn't get past the dull, flat writing and the disorganized content to find it. As another reviewer commented, it's inspiring to know that if the author of this book could get published, there's hope for the rest of us. Disappointing to say the least. ... Read more

Book Description

"When everybody thinks alike, Everyone is likely to be wrong."

The ten words quoted above are, according to Humphrey B. Neill, a potent factor behind the economic booms and busts that blight our civilization. "The Mississippi Bubble," Hollands incredible "Tulipmania," and the New York stock market crash in 1929 are historic examples of disasters magnified and hastened by the pressure of mass opinion.

In exactly the opposite direction, in the years immediately following the close of World War II, ominous popular forecasts of business recession turned out to be wrong. What actually happened was-a business boom, not a business bust!

The reason is no mystery to anyone versed in the contrary way of thought-the practical application of the Neill Theory of Contrary Opinion. Today, this Theory-which began as one man's quest for a way to solve the puzzles of economic trends-has expanded enormously in both scope and significance.

In THE ART OF CONTRARY THINKING you will find the answer to a question increasingly asked by persons of affairs and influence: Contrary Opinion-what is it?. . .What will it do for me? ... Read more

Reviews (4)

an instant candidate for the round file
Another abysmal reprint of mind numbing market lore from days gone by. Not worth the time to open. Read Gustave le Bon and learn something useful. Line the birdcage with this.

Will this Book make you rich?
Or will it merely make you a cranky loner?

I read this book and have learned the value of consistent questioning the validity of my assumptions. I am involved in a business that is on the bleeding edge of technology. You must question and re-question everything on a frequent basis or you will find yourself yesterday's news. Will this book help you to develop the approach to be successful? YES. The rest is up to you.

Excellent book for budding contrarians
Mr Neill lays out in short, specific chapters, his arguments for why popular opinions often times turn out to be wrong, while the opposite, contrary opinion, would turn out to be corrrect. The historical examples he uses make one wonder if the "New Economy" of the 1990's is really just a precursor to the types of events seen in the late 1920's/early 1930's and the early 1950's, when prominent economists touted a New Era of prosperity (we all know what the happened afterwards).

Mr. Neill also cites past writers who analyzed the behavior of man, and how he gets caught up in the "herd". While sometimes getting off the subject, Mr. Neill lays out a clear framwork of how one assesses what the "popular" opinion is, and how to teach yourself not to get caught up in the herd and to think independantly.

A highly recommended book for those who wish to understand how contrary minds think, or for those who need a "refresher" (getting your mind out of a rut according to Neill).

Don't misunderstand the aim of the book!
The book is not about technical analysis of stocks. It's about a way of analyzing socio-economic trends. The way it was presented and also other books I read by the same author misleaded me. ... Read more

Book Description

A long awaited update of the popular 1988 handbook by Diane Wheeler Strauss, this book is divided into two main parts. The first seven chapters cover business information according to the formats in which it is made available. The second part of the book covers specific topics within the area of business. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Etiquette
It's a good, short, simply worded guide to modern business etiquette.

This book will give you an unfair advantage!
Whether you are looking for a new job, beginning a career, entering the world of business for the first time, or building a business, today you need all the advantages you can get. Often, these advantages come from so-called "soft" skills, which we ignore at our peril.

From this book you'll learn how to use unspoken communication skills to send the right message in any business situation. Whether you want help with the impression you create as you enter a room, the message of your language skills or your ability to hold a conversation, you'll find it in this invaluable book.

As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Make the most of your only chance by reading and practising the advice in "How to make a million dollar first impression". It's a great investment in yourself!

Good precise content.
The content of this book is really precise and to the point. The book could easily been 400 pages long by adding fluffly material if the authors wanted. But they have packed everything into 162 pages giving us only the powerful stuff. It makes for fast reading and doesn't bore you or make you go to sleep. It gave me back my moneys worth. And then some more.

I suggest everyone who has to meet a lots of people during their work to read this book.

Fair or Not, That's the Way It Is
For many readers, this could well prove to be the most valuable book they have read in recent years. Why? Because Goldman and Smythe address a number of issues which frequently determine whether or not an ambitious person succeeds or fails in creating opportunities to pursue her or his career objectives. Do not be misled by the heavy emphasis on the importance of first impressions. Fair or not, unfavorable first impressions are almost always permanent impressions and there may never be second impressions. As Goldman and Smythe explain with meticulous care, almost all unfavorable impressions could have been avoided. I think they would agree with me that favorable first impressions soon prove worthless if they are the result of deception or hypocrisy. Their focus is correctly on common-sense preparations to make favorable first impressions which are authentic and can serve as a "bridge" to subsequent relationship development.

All of us have had extensive experience with those whom I call "dazzlers." You know the type. They have mastered all of what Goldman and Smythe recommend. Their first impressions are not only favorable but luminescent but prove (as we eventually discover) too good to be true. I suspect the title of this book was selected for marketing purposes. Ignore the title. The book is really not about monetary values or objectives. Rather, as already indicated, it is about doing everything possible (with integrity) to progress beyond an initial encounter. In other words, to "stay in the game" (whatever the game may be) and thereby to be able to "take your best shot" (whatever the target may be). The narrative is especially well-written. The advice is anchored in a wealth of real-world experience. And the 18 "Gold Nuggets" distributed throughout the 20 Parts are eminently practical.

For example, in Chapter 3, Goldman and Smythe cite research which suggests that first impressions are based on the following criteria:

53 percent is visual (e.g. physical appearance and body language)

38 percent is tone of voice

7 percent is what we actually say

Quarrel with the percentages but the implications are undeniable. I have examined other research data which suggest that, during a telephone conversation, tone of voice has 4-5 times more impact during an initial contact than does what is actually said. Once again, the implications are undeniable. Goldman and Smythe even include a section (Part 19) which discusses "Techno-etiquette: communication in the electronic age" and explain how to use a cell phone without annoying people around you, how to make your FAX correspondence flawless, why your e-mail may be fast but shouldn't be sloppy, and what the e-mail do's and don'ts are to be "techno-savvy."

Obviously, I think very highly of this book. Everyone can derive substantial benefit from it but it will be especially valuable to those now completing their education who are beginning to interview for jobs; also, to those involved in sales or customer service; also, to those well into a career who need assistance with effective networking while exploring opportunities elsewhere; finally, to those who feel they are taken for granted, under appreciated, perhaps even invisible. in their current position. Goldman and Smythe can help anyone to create opportunities which, without favorable and authentic first impressions, would otherwise be in inaccessible. If you have no need of their assistance, buy the book for those who do. They will be favorably impressed and forever grateful.

The book everyone should read BEFORE their 1st impression!
How To Make A Million Dollar First Impression is worth a million dollars - no question about it. Presented in an easy to read and even easier to follow format, the book provides simple tips for improving your communication skills, physical presentation and overall self confidence. If you could pick just three of the suggestions in the book and impliment them, you will see an immediate improvement in the first impresion you make on people everyday. An invaluable resource for folks of any age. ... Read more

Book Description

Policy Issues for Business is an invaluable tool for students taking courses in strategy, business policy and management. The Reader covers a wide domain, including relevant issues in economics and technology. The readings are neatly divided into eight sections, with a student's introduction to each. The various sections look at the role of policy and the relationship between theory and policy, issues around competition, science technology and innovation policy, international trade and investment policy, regional policy and environmental policy.

Policy Issues for Business will be required reading for undergraduate as well as MBA courses on business policy, technology and innovation management, change management and strategy.

This text is a course Reader, in a series of three (alongside Decision Making for Business, and Strategy for Business), which make up the main teaching texts of The Open University undergraduate course Business Behaviour in a Changing World (B300). ... Read more

Reviews (1)

CODE Busters - Quick Guide to Coding and Billing Compliance
This book is great! It is very clear and to the point, explaining the basics of CPT, ICD-9 assignments. It is a very good tool for any coder to have on her desk to help clear up the issues that come up every day! It would be a very good training manual for employees new to a medical office. ... Read more

Book Description

Empower Your Business to Succeed by Learning

?How Organizations Learn gets to the practicalities and realities of organizational learning. This is not a fad; it's the outline of effectiveness for organzations of the future.?

?Parick Canavan, corporate vice president and director of global leadership & organization development, Motorola

In this essential volume, authors DiBella and Nevis outline exactly what it means to be a learning organization. And they offer sound advice on how to increase the learning capabilties of your own company. Here you will discover a powerful array of tools and techniques for leveraging your organization's unique learning style, as well as a productive framework that will help your company learn more fully and adapt more quickly in today's volatile marketplace. A practical fusion of theory, original research, and real-world methodology, How Organizations Learn is the most comprehensive work to date concerning this all-important competitive advantage.

... Read more

Reviews (3)

Change through learning
There are many books on the change process but few address the learning that must occur by those who are changed. DiBella and Nevis provide a tool for you to analyze the learning capability of your organization, as well as to help you identify those learning leverage points that need to be tweaked for the organization to achieve its goals.

An Organizational Learning Model That Makes Sense
In my quest to learn about organizational learning, I have probably read the majority of what has been written on this topic. I have found this book by Anthony DiBella and Edwin Nevis to be the most useful in providing insights to capacity development while building on some solid theoretical foundations.

The authors build on the work of giants in organizational development, but their approach is considerably more pragmatic, consistent with the movement of organizational theorists to link their work to practice. They describe the importance of involved leadership and provide examples of how that would look. They note the difficulty of linking specific outcomes to learning inputs, because of the time lags that exist. They note that "learning itself becomes transparent over time, and we fail to recognize what we have learned or accomplished" (DiBella & Nevis, 1998, p. 199). Another feature is the acknowledgment that leadership is not vested in a single individual but rather "is exhibited both vertically and horizontally throughout any organization" (p. 76), a view that is espoused by enlightened leadership writers and valued by employees around the world.

They present organizational learning as a learning cycle, consistent with the beliefs of other theorists and practitioners. By using the learning cycle as a foundation, the authors set up a model of organizational learning as a continuous process, similar to continuous quality improvement processes or the widely recognized experiential learning model of David Kolb.

The authors respond to an identified need for tools to measure organizational learning and offer a variety of methods by which organizations can be analyzed and improved. Their model is grounded in theory, but it offers tools for translating the theory into organizational practice.

In addition to providing a meaningful model, describing organizational learning styles, and identifying facilitating factors (those factors that could be changed to enhance organizational learning capacity), the authors offer practical advice on how to enhance the factors that contribute to more productive organizational learning.

The DiBella/Nevis model is the most concrete and complete of all of the organizational learning resources reviewed. Unlike most of the writings about organizational learning, there is a research base, a research tool, and guidance on planning organizational interventions.

Their model makes sense with what we understand about learning. It also makes sense with what we know about the way organizations work. And helping organizations learn makes sense for individuals and society.

Director of the Center for Learning, Northwestern Michigan College

In-depth, practical, best book on learning organizations!
I am an organization consultant and have found DiBella and Nevis's book very useful. For instance, they provide a practical framework for assessing learning in teams. This book lacks the usual faddish gibberish surrounding learning organizations. I believe this book is significant, particularly for trainers and consultants. I chose this book to review in-depth for Training Media Review magazine. Solid, useful conceptual presentation. ... Read more

Book Description

Making Instruction Work simplifies the complicated task of developing instruction and gives you practical procedures for increasing its effectiveness and efficiency. It takes you step-by-step through the design and development process, providing an invaluable overview of the steps critical to achieving your instructional goals. Making Instruction Work will help you:

- Find feasible solutions to performance problems
- Develop instruction that matches the needs of your audience
- Plan evaluation of the results of instruction
- Improve existing courses
- Ensure that your students become competent in the skills you are teaching ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent Instructional Development Book
Mager has written an outstanding book for the beginner to intermediatetrainer/curriculum developer.He addresses the skills and proceduresnecessary for designing instruction.The book is an enjoyable read, whichguides you through each step of design, development, implementation andevaluation!

Mager - The Master of Simplicity and Common Sense
Dr. Robert F. Mager may be the master of understatement.When you read his precise recipe for creating successful instruction, you are left with the realization that your life could have been much simpler had youencountered this wisdom earlier in your existence.Dr. Mager is notrecounting some brand new theory or blinding discovery.He iscommunicating a logical and systematic process for defining whatinstruction can do.In the process, he helps you determine if instructionis the solution for your performance problem.He shows you how to setgoals, identify task objectives and task sequences, identify the skills andcharacteristics of the persons you are teaching, and develop and refineyour instruction into an effective change agent.

A no-nonsense guide for training program development
An easy reading reference for training professionals. It breaks down into simple terms, the complex process of developing training.

The 1988 edition of this book was the course reference text in my college classes on"training development, implementation, and evaluation ". I amstill working in the training industry, and refer the the book frequently. ... Read more

Book Description

Drawing on the research of more than 50 influential international scholars, this extensive interdisciplinary survey consolidates and evaluates what is known and not known about organizations, and critically examines how we learn about and study them.

The contributions are grouped under ten headings, representing the most important contemporary perspectives on organizations, including networks, ecology and technology, each of which is covered at three levels of organization: intraorganizational, organizational and interorganizational. For ease of use each chapter is structured around five common elements: review and evaluation of the literature on that topic; contemporary issues and debates; central questions that remain unanswered; new and emerging directions for research; and connections across levels of organizations.

For newcomers to organization studies, this up-to-date resource provides a foundation for navigating the field and an overview of its complexities. For more experienced students and scholars, it offers a rich source of inspiration and ideas, and clear guidance for designing and carrying out exemplary research. ... Read more

Book Description

This Schaum's Study Guide is the perfect tool for getting a handle on mathematical methods used in business and economics. Fully stocked with solved problemsÑ1066 of themÑit shows you how to solve problems that may not have been fully explained in class. Plus you get hundreds of additional problems to use for practice, with answers at the back of the book. Ideal for independent study, brushup before an exam, or preparation for professional qualifying tests, this Schaums Guide is clear, complete, and well-organized. It's the perfect supplement for your course in mathematical methods for business and economics and a path to mathematical adeptness for the math-challenged. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A solid introduction
...to the topic, although a bit more depth would be the only thing lacking it. I recommend it to anyone who is studying business and is struggling with the math side of it, although as you progress in your studies, you will notice that the book doesnt go into enough depth, especially in the area of differential geometry. ... Read more