Book Description

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the important topic of standards, which remains a vastly under-researched field of empirical inquiry. It presents a variety of interesting empirical analyses which reveal the driving forces and the economic impacts of standardization both in the manufacturing and the service sector.

The author begins by providing a detailed outline of the various types of standards and their possible economic impacts. Before providing empirical validation of the theoretical arguments, he discusses the influence of standards within the regulatory system. Among the other actors in the standardization process, the author focuses in particular on the role of the firm, which acts as the main impetus for the development and implementation of new standards. He also examines the fundamental link between technical change and standardization, to assess whether this relationship is a virtuous or vicious cycle. In this context, the impact of intellectual property rights within standardization is also highlighted. Another significant aspect is the consequences of standards for trade and their role in fostering or inhibiting international trade flows. Finally, the author investigates the effect on macroeconomic growth where, especially in the new economy, formal standards are a crucial source of codified and publicly available knowledge. The analysis is based on extensive microeconomic, sectoral and macroeconomic data, which allows the author to compare the various economic impacts of standards and derive important policy conclusions.

This book is a comprehensive and scholarly treatment of the economics of standards which will undoubtedly inspire further research in the field. It will be required reading for industrial economists, R&D managers and policymakers involved with innovation and trade policy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"Fit is a simple concept but not a simple process."
"This book has centered on the concept and process of discovering and maintaining fit-strategic fit between the organization and its environment and internal fit among strategy, structure, and management processes. Fit, we have argued, is not merely important; it is crucial. With fit comes fame, with misfit comes failure...We have shown that fit is a simple concept but not a simple process. To achieve strategic fit, organizations must create, understand, develop, and sustain a distinctive competence that adds high value to goods or services the market desires...The obvious lesson here is the same one we have been emphasizing throughout this book. In the competitive world of today and tomorrow, competencies must be investment-based. They must rest on the sustained investment of money and time, which build ever-increasing skills and know-how as well as the capability to use them to their fullest (pp. 186-199)."

In this context R. Miles and C. Snow :

* discuss concept of fit.

* describe the external fit between the firm and its environment, and the internal fit of organization structure, management systems, and managerial ideology to a chosen strategy.

* discuss the companies (such as Carnegie Steel, GM, Sears, Roebuck, HP, and TRW) that pioneered the major organizational forms that have appeared over the past hundred years or so.

* discuss today's successful companies (such as GE, Wal-Mart, and Rubbermaid).

* discuss organizational failure and its major causes, identifying two generic types of failure.

* introduce and explore in detail the network organization and its three main variations : the stable, dynamic, and internal network as the 21st century's organization model.

* discuss mechanisms by which required fit is achieved at all three levels of the network form : across the entire network organization, among network firms in activated organizations, and within each of the specific network firms (such as Nike, Dell, Novell, and ABB).

* identify the forces pushing managers toward a new philosophy of management (human investment model).

* discuss companies that are struggling to redesign themselves-cutting costs, downsizing, bringing in new management teams, and so on.

* describe how total redesign may grow more costly in today's fast-paced world.

* illustrate that fit is no longer an idealistic "ought" but an economic "must"-not only within the firm but throughout the network form and the total global economy.

Detailed discussion of the concepts like technological change, cellular units, networks, network of alliances, interorganizational teamwork, spherical organization, shared knowledge see also William Halal's "The Infinite Resource (1998)", and "The New Management (1998)".

I highly recommend this "must" reading study. ... Read more

Book Description

General Management: Processes and Action by David Garvin focuses on implementation, and the way that general managers get things done.Typically they work through processes like strategic planning, business planning and budgeting to move their organizations forward.A deeper understanding of the skills necessary to influence the design, direction and functioning of processes is essential to effective management. The aim of the General Management is to develop in students a deeper understanding of these activities and their links to performance. The author, David Garvin, is known for his cases.His cases are currently being used at such schools as Wharton, Stanford, Columbia and MIT. ... Read more

Book Description

The Best Analysis of Jack Welch's GE, Now Freshly Revised

A business classic -- now completely revised -- hailed as the unofficial GELeadership handbook.

Completely revised, with two new chapters by the authors, an added chapter-length interview with Jack Welch, plus the complete set of Welch's GE annual letters to shareholders, this title remains the classic CASE STUDY of how Welch transformed GE from a corporate dinosaur into one of the nimblest, most successful corporations in the world, and provides a useful handbook for effecting change in your business and your life.

Since Welch became its CEO in 1981, GE has become one of the most successful companies of the late 20th century, increasing its market value from $13 billion to over $400 billion. Welch has been hailed by "60 Minutes" as the best executive in the world. This success can be attributed in large part to Jack Welch, GE's dynamic CEO who transformed the company from a bureaucratic behemoth into a fierce competitor in the global marketplace.

Among the many books that have been written about GE, Control Your Destiny stands out. Its authors are uniquely qualified to explain Welch's transformation of GE and to explain the leadership lessons it reveals. Noel Tichy ran GE's Crotonville school during the start of the Welch era, while Stratford Sherman covered GE for Fortune magazine. Together, they study GE with a remarkable blend of inside knowledge and clear-eyed objectivity. Their narrative -- studied at business schools nationwide -- is extraordinarily thorough, thoughtful, and rich in insight.

Reviews (10)

Decent read, lessons to be learned.
This book looks dauntingly thick when you pick it up, but some brief exploration will show that including the interviews only 311 pages are the Jack Welch story-- the rest of the book is Afterword, GE Timeline, GE Shareholder Reports, Bibliography and finally a section meant to be applied to your own business. I suppose that there are readers out there who wanted that level of completeness in their history of GE. I didn't. I stopped reading after the afterword.

The book covers GE during the period of Jack Welch's reign. Specifically, it charts his efforts in five major initiatives: Services, Six Sigma, Digitization, Succession, and the Honeywell acquisition.

I found it interesting and readable, although I was left with the feeling (despite the author's best efforts) that these were very difficult achievements to duplicate if you weren't Jack Welch. Although ostensibly a business biography, I still had much more of a feel of personality than facts when I was done. I would have been pleased to have a less broad-ranging treatment which delved a little bit more deeply into some specific numbers and consequences. Although this information might have been contained in the investor reports, I didn't have the patience to page through it and find the information.

Road to mastering destiny
Jack Welch, the revolutioanry CEO of GE shows his business acumen in mastering change. A must-read for today's business managers ... a practical guide to business transformation amidst modern competition and changing business processes. Articulately crafted by the duo Tichy and Shermon, the philosophy of Jack Welch reminds me of Deming's Cycle (Plan, Do, Check and Act). The GE case study will find similarities in the modern industrial scenario - where managing change is the most challenging job. The approach of Welch towards modern management is based on both pragmatism and gut-feeling. He tried to explore a semblance of harmony amidst chaos, often pushing his executives to express themselves freely without contraints, and transformed threats into opportunities, thus bringing the GE juggernaut from the brink of collapse to remarkable recovery.

An educational, yet entertaining, read
I came into this book assuming a book on the history of Jack Welch's early years with GE. It ended up being much more and I was pleasantly surprised at the overall educational value of the book.

The book is broken down into three "acts" which recount the years of Jack Welch - when and how he was made the CEO with GE, the early years of layoffs, the early resistance to his ideas, reorganization of GE, the need for globalization, and eventual acceptance of his ideas as he empowered GE's employees. Welch's ideas of empowering the employee encompassed such things as "boundarylessness", strong values, leadership, simplicity, and productivity. As the book progresses, the reader is provided with the real world GE examples that qualified Jack's ideas and their results. Nor does the book hold back from describing Jack's missteps and describes the lessons learned.

Overall the book was a good read. The examples read as stories that both entertain and educate. Welch's ideas, as presented in Control Your Destiny, are probably now considered common sense business practices. The ideas seem simple today, yet were revolutionary for that time as you'll read.

The end of the book provides a manual that can be used to carry out a similar revolution with your business and employees. I didn't really work my way through it - it seemed more appropriate for larger organizations.

Terrific
Tichy is a guru of all gurus and he has a winner with this book. Highly recommended.

Lessons from GE's Revolution
'Control Destiny or Someone Else Will' is deeply insightful and comprehensive examination of GE's transformation. It contains detailed, valuable lessons for all those interested in Jack Welch and his GE, as revolutionaries.

Noel M.Tichy and Stratford Sherman write, "The old way, exemplified by Henry Ford's production line, calls for top managers to analyze the work that needs to be done, then devise rules even an idiot can follow. Managers, divorced from the actual work, become bureaucrats, while their frustrated subordinates tighten the bolts...The new way-GE's way-breaks the intellectual framework that defines the limits of traditional management...Instead of seeking better ways to control workers, Welch says he aims to liberate them. As he explains, that goal is based on self-interest: The old organization was built on control, but the world has changed. The world is moving at such a pace that control has become a limitation. It slows you down. You've got to balance freedom with some control, but you've got to have more freedom than you ever dreamed of" (pp.19-20).

At this point, after outlining basic characteristics of old and new ways, Noel M.Tichy describes the difference between them in terms of sports:

1. Old Way-Machine Age: Hierarchical, control-focused, and bureaucratic. He notes, "The old GE resembled a football team: Each player had carefully prescribed roles, yielding a carefully orchestrated pattern. The coach called all the plays. Even the strategic-planning guidebook that governed GE policy were like the playbooks in football."

2. New Way-Information Age: Networks, flexibility, knowledge, and creation. He notes, "The New Way GE is like hockey; roles are blurred, play flows uncontrollably from one side of the rink to the other, there are no timeouts, players adjust to new situations almost every moment and think for themselves while looking out for the team as a whole."

In this context, throughout the book, Tichy and Sherman show GE's process of corporate transformation as three-act drama.

I highly recommend this business classic to all revolutionaries of the new century. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Indispensable aid to managers and facilitators of TPM
As a Continuous Improvement Technician I am always interested in maximizing production and quality. TPM is one of the most important tools in making continual improvements in a manufacturing process. James Leflar's book is the best resource that I've read on the practical application of TPM. It has many illustrations and ideas that can be used by any manufacturing facility. It should be in the library of every maintenance department and be required reading for all managers. ... Read more

Book Description

Benchmarking is your key to becoming the BEST OF THE BEST. Find answers to the questions: What is Benchmarking? How do I perform benchmarking? and What are the results of its successful application?

This ground breaking reference is for middle managers in industry (in marketing, manufacturing, administrative and support, finance, and personnel functions), not-for-profit organizations and government agencies, as well as quality improvement projects. Detailed examples show you how to relate benchmarking to your own circumstances. Reference guides help you get started. Case histories provide examples of actual benchmarking investigations from beginning to end. The author's personal tips will allow you, with minimum effort, to effectively launch your quest for the best. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent how-to book on benchmarking - worth every minute
Camp does a marvelous job of providing the reader with the why's and wherefore's of the benchmarking process. Very easy reading yet quite complete and informative on the methodology and the use of benchmarking analyses. ... Read more

Book Description

No other American car carries the mystique of the Corvette, and early in 1997, General Motors unveiled the stunning fifth-generation Corvette to universal acclaim. But GM's triumph was hard-won -- the legendary sports car had nearly fallen victim to internal company politics and a squeeze on profits. In this candid and compelling book, journalist James Schefter reveals the inside story of the people who saved and reinvented the Corvette, from the drawing board to the assembly line.

For eight years, Schefter enjoyed unprecedented access to every part of GM, including areas off-limits to many company vice presidents. A true insider, he observed the new Corvette's odyssey from sketch to clay model to prototype to production vehicle. He accompanied test drivers across scorching deserts and snow-packed mountains. And he came to know the fiercely dedicated team of designers, engineers, and executives who fought and achieved their dream: a new Corvette that is better conceived, better built, and less expensive than its predecessors. The Corvette's odyssey to reclaim its glory is a thrilling testament to the endurance of American spirit. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Impossible to put down.
Expecting a book about a car? Wrong. This one is about people reinventing a car and it's loaded with heroes, villains, and characters that you'll both respect and detest. It could be fiction, but it's all real.

"All Corvettes" was required reading for our marketing class and for the first time, we had a book that told it like is in the automotive world. Detroit and GM are obviously exciting, dirty, frustrating, wonderful places to work if you can stand the tension and have the guts to do your job right. The author made Corvette and GM come alive.

American Muscle (and I don't mean just horse power!)
This is a great book. In depth, behind the scenes, look at how the C5 became America's greatest sports car. The author walks you through the politics at GM and how they shaped the debate inside. Great tidbits about the advanced technology like the special frame the C5 has, and the endless battle to shave off even a few ounces. Project management, corporate politics and intrigue; bone jarring horsepower, blind passion for America's sports car and more. This book should be boring but I couldn't put it down.

Amaizing inside information on the C5 development
Even though I don't own a C5 (yet) it was very interesting to see how the C5 was born from the C4 (which I own) and many of it's short commings were over come. The bureaucracy that exist in large corporations as well, was exposed.
Had it not been for dedicated employees this icon may have faded from American history.
Excellent reading for any Corvette lover or just plain car buff.

A Great Book But Lacking Chronology
I am a Corvette owner and lover and hence was amazed at the insider details covered in this book about the car I love. But I can't rate it higher than three stars because I find that the author has an annoying habit of parenthetically shifting forward and backward in time. I had a very difficult time following what happened when.

Often he mentions a name in the middle of a story then proceeds back in time ten years (or longer in some cases) to give you this person's life history. By the time you return to the story, you can't remember who, what, or where you left off from. I found this so annoying that I had to read the book in small sessions and, quite frankly, gave up on trying to understand the chronology of the events depicted.

On the flip side, if you're a Corvette lover like me, I don't think you will find a more accurate description of what happens behind the scenes in the design, engineering, and production of America's sports car.

This is an insightful book about the rebirth of the dying ca
This book gives us an insight as to how to revive or restructure the flattered product or economy. It should be studied carefully to gain a vision of why C5 is so successful and extremely competitive against the rivals from Japan and/or Europe. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Leading Minds and Landmark Ideas In An Easily Accessible Format

From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series delivers the fundamental information today's professionals need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world.

Prominent CEOs share, in their own words, their insights and thoughts on both cutting edge issues and timeless topics. Combined, these eight interviews create perhaps the most extensive and stimulating seminar on the latest business thinking. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Brain Food At a Modest Price for Exceptional Value
This is one in a series of several dozen volumes which comprise the "Harvard Business Review Paperback Series." Each offers direct, convenient, and inexpensive access to the best thinking on the given subject in articles originally published by the Harvard Business School Review. I strongly recommend all of the volumes in the series. The individual titles are listed at this Web site: www.hbsp.harvard.edu. The authors of various articles are among the world's most highly regarding experts on the given subject. Each volume has been carefully edited. Supplementary commentaries are also provided in most of the volumes, as is an "About the Contributors" section which usually includes suggestions of other sources which some readers may wish to explore.

In this volume, there are eight in-depth interviews of current or former CEOs: Jacques Nasser (Ford Motor Company) on "Driving Change"; Roger Sant and Dennis Bakke (AES) on "Organizing for Empowerment"; John Browne (British Petroleum) on "Unleashing the Power of Learning"; Michael Dell (Dell Computer) on "The Power of Virtual Integration"; Sir Colin Marshall (British Airways) on "Competing on Customer Service"; John Sawhill (the Nature Conservatory) on "Surviving Success"; Krister Ahlstrom (The Ahlstrom Corporation) on "Governing the Family-Owned Enterprise": and Michael Eisner (The Walt Disney Company) on "Common Sense and Conflict."

No brief commentary such as this can do full justice to the rigor and substance of the interviews provided. It remains for each reader to examine the list to identify those subjects which are of greatest interest to her or him. My own opinion is that all of the interviews are first-rate. For me, one of this volume's greatest benefits is derived from following the thought processes of each interviewee. Although no doubt edited to some extent, the responses never seem "canned." Having observed most of these executives in person or being interviewed on television, I can attest to the natural flow of the conversations. This is how the subjects think. This is how they express themselves. It should be noted that the interviews are conducted by Suzy Wetlaufer, Steven E. Prokesch, Alice Howard or Joan Magretta. (The interview of Sawhill was co-conducted by Howard and Magretta.) Even those who already subscribe to the Harvard Business Review will greatly appreciate this series because each volume gathers together separate but related articles (previously published in the HBR) on the same general subject. The cost of each volume in the series is relatively modest; the value provided is substantial.

That's a great book!
That's a great book recommended for everyone who want to use the best stratagic in their business. This book can make a best reference. I can explore the CEO how to managing and leading the coporate. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Want to run faster, jump higher, play better? For years we've been told that we can achieve these grandiose goals with the help of high-performance athletic footwear. What used to be the lowly gym shoe has risen to a revered wardrobe staple. The Sneaker Book: An Anatomy of the Industry and an Icon, by journalist Tom Vanderbilt, relates the story of the sneaker in a breezy and fact-filled manner that perfectly captures the heart of the subject. Starting with a brief history of both the footwear and the $11 billion industry that now feeds off of it, Vanderbilt looks at the design, manufacturing, distribution, marketing, and advertising that have taken the sneaker business to astronomical heights. His evaluation is augmented with a variety of charts, corporate profiles, previously published articles, and even cartoons that lend depth and shading to the topic. This informative and compact book reads like a special magazine issue devoted to a single subject, and it is indeed the first in a new series of similar books that will each focus on a popular consumer product. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A good book on sneaks, but...
"The Sneaker Book: Anatomy of an Industry and An Icon" is well-written and excellently researched. The badly-placed black-and-white sneaker photos and its academic tone, however, offer the book as an informative but slightly boring term paper on the sneaker industry. Casual readers will probably (and rightly) want more color and certainly more sneaker photographs, but these flaws do not seriously hamper the book.

Good Assemblage of Facts, Lousy Photo Placement
On the whole, I liked this informative book. Mr. Vanderbilt does an admirable job of giving us an insider's perspective on the athletic footwear industry and how it has insinuated itself into popular culture. I also enjoyed the stories and comments in the sidebars which bolster his perspective.

That said, the major thing that mars this book was the decision to place the photos of the sneakers along the spine. In terms of design, it was a poor decision, and it detracts from the text instead of enhancing it. I found myself flattening the book out as much as I could so I could see the photos, but even with that, the whole illustrative purpose of the photos was lost. If this book is ever updated, I suggest that the photos be placed somewhere that the reader can see them in their entirety.

A must for sneaker freaks
For a short book, Vanderbilt puts forth a lot of good information about athletic shoes, their history, and their meaning, especially among kids today. If you love sneakers, you'll love this book... ... Read more

Book Description

An important part of an organization's overall safety and health program involves safety management for contractors. A contractor with a poor safety program can adversely affect quality, productivity, schedules, and overall cost. This book explains how to manage project safety and improve the odds of an injury-free workplace.If project managers are to apply their judgment wisely, they need to know the rationale for each requirement, and how to implement it. They must know what is to be done, who is to do it, and when and how it should be done. The author considers all these factors.Construction Site Safety addresses the fundamental elements of a successful construction safety program. The author explains the industry trends and best practices that enable job site managers or field engineers to understand the necessary steps to ensure that contractors have and follow safety guidelines.Features ... Read more

Book Description

The field of maintenance is hard to approach because the language is strange. This book introduces the fundamentals of maintenance and will allow the outsider to understand the jargon.

Features

Offers a complete survey of the field, an introduction to maintenance and a review of maintenance management. Provides a manual for cost reduction and a primer for the stockroom. Includes a training regime for new supervisors, managers and planners. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Maintenance Management Course
Used "The Handbook of Maintenance Management" in a Continuing Education Course at a DOD installation. The vast number of maintenace fields at this location required a broad coverage. Students and management personal found this book very usefull. ... Read more

Book Description

What does excellent manufacturing management mean? Management texts to date have emphasized that it is, above methods such as SPC or TQM, a matter of "intangibles" and "culture". This book takes the myth out of management excellence; it can be learned and practiced: 1. Manage the four core processes, strategy formulation and deployment, product innovation, process development, and the supply chain, and 2. Pay attention to the seven dimensions of management quality, direction setting, integration, delegation, communication, participation, measurement, and employee development. Thus, we argue that an excellent manufacturing manager can move to a plant in a different industry and become, after an appropriate time to learn its specific technologies, an excellent manufacturing manager there as well. This book explains management quality and demonstrates how it is implemented, with nine plant tours through world-class factories from different industries. ... Read more

Book Description

Devising optimal strategy for maintaining industrial plant can be a difficult task of daunting complexity.This book aims to provide the plant engineer with a comprehensive and systematic approach, a framework of guidelines, for tackling this problem, i.e. for deciding maintenance objectives, formulating equipment life plans and plant maintenance schedules, designing the maintenance organisation and setting up appropriate systems of documentation and control.

The author, Anthony Kelly, an experienced international consultant and lecturer on this subject, calls his approach BUSINESS-CENTRED MAINTENANCE (BCM) because it springs from, and is driven by, the identification of business objectives, which are then translated into maintenance objectives and which underpin the maintenance strategy formulation.For the first time maintenance management is analysed from the perspective of the whole company and thus makes sense not only technologically but also in economic and business terms.

Complete guide to maintenance from a whole-company perspective
Best-selling and world-renowned author
Complementary to RCM (Moubray) & TPM (Wilmott) ... Read more

Book Description

Freight transport and logistics operations have become so technicallysophisticated that a whole language of generic terms, jargon, abbreviations andmanagement buzzwords, to say nothing of legal terms and definitions, has beengenerated.Vehicle manufactures now strive to find new terms to describe technicalachievements and new products.The aim of this dictionary is to identify these terms and,in clear, unambiguous English, provide accurate descriptions and definitions.Thisdictionary is a unique source of reference for anyone connected with logistics andtransport, whether they are experienced managers or newcomers to the industry. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Grow by leveraging your HIDDEN ASSETS
I've read three of Adrian Slywotzky's books during the last twelve months and I'm deeply inspired by his bright ideas on the art of profitability. This book focuses on how to profit via growth.

The key chapters are those that lay out the concepts behind "hidden assets" (that can be exploited to create value in new markets) and "demand innovation" (how to explore new ways to solve unmet customer needs via external analysis).

This is the universe of HIDDEN ASSETS that may be leveraged in a growth strategy:
1) Traditional Intellectual assets (intellectual property, competency/skills, and brand).
2) Customer relationships (reach/many, interaction/deep or frequent contact, insight/knowledge, authority/reputation).
3) Strategic real estate (unique value chain position, competitive market position, portal/gateway).
4) Networks (third-party relationships/partners, installed base/post-sale owners, user community, and deal flow/preferential access to potential transactions/M&As).
5) Information (market window/superior insight, technical know-how, software and systems, by-product information).

I found many of the case stories very inspiring, although the well-explained out-of-the-box story of "Cardinal Health" stood out as the most exciting.

The book draws on Slywotzky's previous books. It pursues the eternal theme ... that the path to profitability lies in truly understanding your current and future customers.

Being a business development manager, I search for relevant tools to apply the growth ideas to my own business. The cases in the book are very good and on the website for this book - demandinnovation.com -, you'll find the core ideas in a graphical form as well as an excellent 32-page companion workbook on "Getting Started".

I also highly recommend Slywotzky's "Profit Zone" (1997/2002) and "Art of Profitability" (2002). Note that these books present the same 23 profit models, first as a standard business strategy book, then as an easy-to-read novel.

If you're interested in other strategy books on Growth, let me draw your attention to "Blue Ocean Strategy" by Kim & Mauborgne (2005), "Profitable Growth" by Charan (2004), and "Beyond the Core" by Zook (2004).

Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business ... Read more

Book Description

A focus on business processes, as well as manufacturing processes and general OM problems, plus an emphasis on simulation modeling using a state of the art commercial simulation software make this a unique, standout volume in the area of operations management. The volume blends traditional qualitative issues, operations management and discrete event simulation by taking an analytical modeling perspective on process design and emphasizing the power of simulation modeling as a vehicle for analyzing and designing business processes.The authors provide an introduction to business process design, process management and process oriented improvement programs, a simulation based methodology for designing business processes, basic tools for process design, managing process flows, introduction to queuing and simulation, introduction to Extend, modeling and simulating business processes, input and output data analysis, optimizing business process performance and process benchmarking with data envelopment analysis.For business professionals. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The book for all BPM Consultants / Analysts
An excellent book. Though it requires some knowledge to OR, Statistics and OM to understand. A thoroughly enjoyable book, excellent end of chapter questions. Ideal to be used as a text book. The sildes that the author uses to teach in available on the web, and can be used by anybody desirous of using this book as a base text book. ... Read more