Book Description

Used by more than a million people throughout the world, this highly readable book provides a comprehensive examination of the applied behavioral sciences, and focuses on fundamental ideas which have stood the test of years of application in academic, business, not-for-profit and administrative environments.Complete coverage of motivation and behavior, situational leadership, building effective relationships, planning and implementing change, leadership strategies, the organizational cone and integrating situational leadership with the Classics.For individuals interested in expanding their knowledge of, and proficiency in leadership strategies. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resourc
Used by over 1 million students worldwide, this book provides a comprehensive examination of the applied behavioural sciences, and focuses on fundamental ideas which have stood the test of years of application in different environments.

Goes where few texts dare to go: the real-world
I recommend this to managers as much as students.

Sure, the price seems like a lot of cash to shell out at first. But trust me, it is worth it. I had to read it for a Management class, and it started of like a typical OB text, illustrating the history of management studies (Taylor to Maslow to Mayo to Likert to ...). Good stuff, but pretty dull. Then, Hersey et al went where most scholars, even the supposedly worldly MBA types, fear to tread: real-world application!

The text covers all of the material covered Blanchard's "One Minute Manager," "Putting the One Minute Manager to Work," and a shelf load of other books. It also does a great job introducing Blanchard and Hersey's Situational Leadership, where the manager matches leadership behavior to a report's ability level and motivation. This replaces "Leadership and the One Minute Manager," and delves much deeper into the topic.

Hersey et al also cover:
- Behavioral shaping, and positive and negative reinforcement quite nicely
- Communications skills necessary to lead reports
- Power building, and using effective power bases ...
- The list literally goes on and on.

I use the concepts I was first exposed to here day in and day out. They work. My OB professor told us that, if he would be limited to just one book on management, he would choose this one. And, five years later, I agree. I am very glad that I did not sell this book back to the campus bookstore. I consult the book at least once a week while pondering both thorny and maundane problems with my employees.

You see, Dr. Davis? Some of us do listen.

All about Leadership!!! Must read!
This book is one of my favorites! It leads you first through a complete review of management and leadership theories, then introduces the authors' famous SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP model and theory. This book goes into great depth about the sit-lead model and theory, and is a great read. Want to be a better leader??? Read the book by the experts! ...

Organized!
I was first introduced to Situational Leadership in the military quite a few years ago. This book did a great job of dusting off the cobwebs in the memory and proving that Situational Leadership is still a viable means of leading your people.

The book provides an overview of various management and human behavior theories, such as Maslow, Herzberg, Schein, Argyris, and McGregor. Then, fits them into a nice model deemed Situational Leadership. I must say that I've read the majority of the theories already and they do fit. Plus, if followed, the model is very effective in helping a leader in real world situations.

If you buy this book, you receive a host of valuable information. I think, besides involving you with the Situational Leadership model, the best attributes are the extensive lists of additional reading that are provided to you at the end of each chapter, and at the end of the book. If you're on a journey to better yourself as a manager and leader, the exhaustive list is well worth the price of the book. It saves you from buying the duds and "fadish" management/leadership books on-line without the ability to have them in your hands prior to purchase. Plus, the book gives you a good preview to the information contained in a book before you buy it.

All in all, if you're going to invest some time and money in a management/leadership book, definitely buy this book. You need to know this information and have it at your fingertips if you're going to survive in the organizational human behavior world as a leader.

How it is all linked
(!! This comment is based on the 7th edition !!)
If you know your way around organisational theory, and if you were surprised by the straightforwardness of 'The One Minute Manager', than this may be your next best buy.
The authors not only bring together several theories, but they also explore how they are linked, and what they mean in practice (after all, they are behaviorists).

If you are looking for a more theoretical underpinning of 'why the story of The One Minute Manager is so true!', you may find the answers in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive and massive 600 page new book will show you step-by-step how to set up, operate, and manage a financially successful foodservice operation. The author has left no stone unturned in explaining the risky business of running a restaurant. Operators in the non-commercial segment as well as caterers, and really anyone in the food service industry will find this book very useful.

The books nineteen chapters cover the entire process of a restaurant start-up and ongoing management in an easy to understand way, pointing out methods to increase your chances of success, and showing how to avoid the many common mistakes that can doom a start-up. The new companion CD rom contains all the forms demonstrated in the book for easy use in a PDF format.

While providing detailed instruction and examples, the author leads you through finding a location that will bring success, learn how to draw up a winning business plan, how to buy and (sell ) a restaurant, franchising, basic cost control systems, profitable menu planning, sample restaurant floor plans & diagrams, successful kitchen management, equipment layout and planning, food safety & HACCP, successful beverage management, learn how to set up computer systems to save time and money, learn how to hire & keep a qualified professional staff, brand new IRS tip reporting requirements, managing and training employees, generate high profile public relations and publicity, learn low cost internal marketing ideas, low and no cost ways to satisfy customers and build sales, learn how to keep bringing customers back, accounting & bookkeeping procedures, auditing, successful budgeting and profit planning development, as well as thousands of great tips and useful guidelines.

The extensive resource Guide details over 7,000 suppliers to the industry, this directory could be a separate book on its own. This Restaurant Managers Handbook covers everything that many companies pay consultants thousands of dollars for.

This book is also ideal for professionals in the hospitality field as well as newcomers who may be looking for answers to cost containment and training issues. There are literally hundreds of innovative ways demonstrated to streamline your restaurant business. Learn new ways to make the kitchen, bars, dining room, and front office run smoother and increase performance. Shut down waste, reduce costs, and increase profits. In addition operators will appreciate this valuable resource and reference in their daily activities and as a source of ready-to-use forms, web sites, operating and cost cutting ideas, and mathematical formulas that can be easily applied to their operations. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Fabulous Book
This comprehensive 600 page book showed me in detail how to set up, operate, and manage a restaurant business. The author covers everything there is to know about the very risky business of running a restaurant.

As a caterer looking to open a restaurant I also found the book very helpful. I didn't need recipes or help in sales - I needed help in running the financial aspects of my business.The chpater on computers was very helpful as well.The book is very easy to read and understand. Complicated accounting subjects are simplified, easy to understand and ( almost) fun to apply.

The books nineteen chapters cover the entire process of a restaurant start-up and ongoing management.The companion CD rom which contains all the forms is worth the modest price of the book alone. I would highly recomend this book to anyone in the industry now or who wants to get started with sound financial planning. Also the extensive resource guide in the back of the book helped me locate a manufacturer I needed a part from - I will use this book often.

Hospitality News November 2002
This comprehensive and massive 600 page new book will show you step-by-step how to set up, operate, and manage a financially successful foodservice operation. The author has left no stone unturned in explaining the risky business of running a restaurant. Operators in the non-commercial segment as well as caterers, and really anyone in the food service industry will find this book very useful.The books nineteen chapters cover the entire process of a restaurant start-up and ongoing management in an easy to understand way, pointing out methods to increase your chances of success, and showing how to avoid the many common mistakes that can doom a start-up. The new companion CD rom contains all the forms demonstrated in the book for easy use in a PDF format.There are literally hundreds of innovative ways demonstrated to streamline your restaurant business. Learn new ways to make the kitchen, bars, dining room, and front office run smoother and increase performance. Shut down waste, reduce costs, and increase profits.

If you know the restaurant business, this book is not for u
This book has a lot of information, however it does not go into great detail for those who are familiar with the principals listed inside but are looking to expand on those ideas. If you are an experienced restaurant manager or owner, this book is a waste of money.

Superb!!
The books nineteen chapters cover the entire process of a restaurant start-up and ongoing management.The companion CD rom which contains all the forms is worth the modest price of the book alone. I would highly recomend this book to anyone in the industry now or who wants to get started with sound financial planning. Also the extensive resource guide in the back of the book is superb - we will use this book often.

Generic Junk
This book is an elementary guide, definitely not one I would reccommend fo an upscale restaurant owner. Plenty of outdated material that has no relevence for todays operator. ... Read more

Book Description

Deal Terms is the first ever in-depth look at valuations, preferred stock, stock options and other variables that affect deal structure, written by Alex Wilmerding (a venture capitalist at Boston Capital Ventures and best selling author of Term Sheets & Valuations). Written from a venture capital perspective, however applicable for all types of financings, Deal Terms includes actual term sheets, valuation methodology and analysis, assessment of stock option programs and their impact on valuations and capital structures and other real world documents used by leading venture capitalists and lawyers analyzed from multiple perspectives. A must have book for any executive, entrepreneur, or financial professional, this timeless classic is an unprecedented resource that will help you avoid costly mistakes, understand various structures and terms, and understand wording and language from other deal sheets to help you get deals done.

According to Graham Anderson, General Partner at Euclid SR Partners, "Deal Terms provides critical, in-depth, first-hand perspective on the crucial terms and factors which influence financing decisions."Clifford Schorer, Entrepreneur in Residence, Columbia Business School remarks, "Deal Terms is an indispensable reference for entrepreneurs and finance professionals." And Andrew McKee, General Partner at Webster Capital notes, "Deal Terms is a really important resource." ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Helpful, practical, and brilliant!
I recently finished your book "Deal Terms" and found it extremely
helpful as we are looking into our first round of financing.

This book showed me numerous issues that I would have definitely overlooked or simply not thought of.
 
Thanks for writing Deal Terms. Definitely an invaluable
reference for anyone in business!

Direct to the Deal Terms
This book has a few sample drafts of term sheets and other legal documents. That is not the primary focus of this book. You can hire that kind of talent (legal drafting) on a per hour basis. This book helps the owners make the BUSINESS decisions necessary to avoid hamstring their new venture during this difficult passage. Included is information about what to pay your independent directors, advisory board members and senior management. Also included is what percentage of the company the founders should expect to keep, how to avoid excessive dilution during an unfortunate down round and how to present your opportunity to potential investors. All of these BUSINESS decisions are beyond the discretion of attorneys in this area, they typically instruct the entrepreneur to reflect upon the topic and then the attorney will draft it to suit.

Wilmerding interviews individuals that are representative of players an entrepreneur will encounter in getting his business funded. These real world examples of how business (strategy) items are handled or viewed by third parties are the best part of his book.

Very Useful Reference Guide
As a corporate attorney specializing in the area of venture capital and private equity I just completed reading "Deal Terms." I found the book to be insightful and a good resource, particularly in areas that are outside of my traditional bailiwick as a lawyer. A recommend this book for those new to the venture capital area as well as experienced investors, entrepreneurs and professionals.

Very Insightful...Read Before Your Next Deal
Mr. Wilmerding's book is a great reference for every venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and investment banker. I was very impressed with the analysis of actual deal sheets, and the recommendations on specific points within a deal.

Also of particular value is the focus on the preferred and convertible stocks. The in-depth analysis of both the simple and complex types of offerrings brings to light a lot on the topic, and what to watch out for with new laws and regulations regarding these documents.

This book is a must read for anyone doing financial deals of any type. Although I have been doing deals for over 20 years, there were a couple of points in particular that I took away from this book that I now use in all the deals I do. We also had one of our portfolio entrepreneurs read it, who took away a lot and now uses this book as their "standard" for the types of deals they do.

Want to know what venture capitalists really think about deals and how they structure them? It's in this book.

Passable guide, but certainly not a reference book
A very brief and concise view of venture capital structures, but also somewhat basic in content. Examples could use more details (e.g., the sample weighted average anti-dilution calculations).

Disappointed that the author does not address more complicated security structures other than common and straight convertible preferred. Also, I was surprised given the recent publication date that there was not a comparison on how deal terms have changed from the dot-com boom and bust.

Certainly not a must have book for my bookshelf.

Sahlman's Entrepreneurial Venture is a much better "reference" book and cheaper too. ... Read more

Book Description

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

Reviews (2)

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

Learn the secrets to wealth from "The Weekend Millionaire"

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

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

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

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

Reviews (3)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Al Lee ... Read more

Book Description

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

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

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

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

Reviews (65)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

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

Reviews (12)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

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

Reviews (7)

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

This was one of two textbooks used in a financial statement analysis course I took for my MBA. Most chapters are down-to-earth and as a whole the book is well-written.

The other text we used was Penman's "Financial Statement Analysis and Security Valuation" which was also a great resource as far as gaining a basic understanding of the mechanics of financial statements and how to build a valuation model.

I contrast the two books because while Penman provides a run-down of several different models analysts can use (and does a good job of arguing for the Residual Income Model of valuation model as being the best), Palepu delves into the implications of companies' choices of accounting methods and provides more insight into what different kinds of businesses should look like in terms of their financial statements.

The cases at the end of each chapter add a lot of value to the text because they get students to focus on the specific issues detailed in each chapter. By picking apart different companies' financial statements we learned to use financial statements to assess the success or failure of companies' efforts to carry out their business strategies.

I rate it "Good - 4 stars"

Required Text
This is a required text at my school, but after having read the first 5 chapters there is almost nothing of value that I have read. I have spoken to several people that have used this text for the class in prior semesters and they told me that they had stopped reading it after the first several chapters also.

Excellent Capstone Book
This book is an excellent description of all the elements that would go into reviewing a potential investment opportunity. It is not a detailed book in one category, such as financial accounting, but it ties business strategy analysis, financial analysis, forecasting analysis, and valuation analysis together. Most other books focus on one area and don't tie all of these together well. This one takes you down the path to evaluating the opportunity to its fullest. It is an excellent capstone book after you have sifted through the details of strategy, finance, and accounting.

Just same old story
I am using this book for a business valuation class now. Nothing but a binding many buzzy theories. Too many stories in a limited pages. This is not a good book for those who wants to deepen understanding of one subject.

A good book blending accounting, investing and finance !
This book is also a bestseller in Japan. Here someone called it "The only textbook now available that broadly explains accounting figures in the valuation model of the firm". This is a good book for beginners. Although the contents might be somewhat easy, the order in which it is written is very meaningful. You will probably have read everything in this book somewhere else, but certainly not in this order ! The importance of the ideas in this book go beyond its contents !! ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Twilight in the Desert

"This book is likely to be the most important ever written about oil. The veil of secrecy that has surrounded the world's oil resources must be lifted so the world can plan its future.This magnificently researched book of Matt Simmons may very well have the power to make that happen."
—Richard E. Smalley, PhD, Nobel Laureate–Chemistry (1996), University Professor Gene and Norman Hackerman Professor of Chemistry Professor of Physics, Rice University

"Simmons effectively confronts the complacent notion that there are ample oil reserves in Saudi Arabia. Twilight in the Desert should provoke anyone who believes that the recent increase in oil prices reflects either a speculative bubble or short-term supply constraints. It should provoke elected governments that have been complacent about their public's lack of concern about energy policy. And it will inevitably provoke producers like Saudi Arabia who believe they can maintain the veil of secrecy over their resources base that the world so strongly depends on."
—Edward L. Morse, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Energy Policy

"Everyone must understand this thesis, whether you agree or not, since it may change life as we know it."
—Jim Rogers, author of Hot Commodities and Adventure Capitalist

"Matt Simmons has made an important contribution to a better understanding of the complexity of oil field management in Saudi Arabia. His book is a challenge to Middle Eastern oil producers to provide the world with more and better oil field data, which are needed for a better understanding of when existing oil fields may peak. Instead of 'believe me,' he is asking the simple question 'show me' because the timing of oil peaking in the Middle East is essential for energy policy makers around the world. If Simmons proves directionally correct, we are in for a huge and early challenge to find alternative transportation fuels."
—Dr. Herman Franssen, President, International Energy Associates, Inc.

"Twilight in the Desert provides much-needed transparency to a subject long hidden from public view. While all may not agree with its findings, it is the ensuing debate surely to follow that gives value to the author's efforts."
—Robert E. Ebel, Chairman, Energy Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC ... Read more

Book Description

Accounting is about decision making using financial information.The focus of this text is on developing within students the ability to critically analyze accounting information and make informed business decisions. Students are exposed to a lot of real-world examples where they can see the effect that accounting information has on the decisions made by real companies.Also chapters are split into basic and expanded material so that the professor can easily cover the basics of a topic or, if he or she prefers, delve deeper into a selected topic. Finally, analysis is incorporated throughout the text so that students can learn to use accounting information as they learn how that information is prepared. ... Read more

Book Description

Thoroughly updated, the second edition of Professional Real Estate Development explains the nuts and bolts of the real estate development industry. You will learn how to develop and manage five types of real estate products: land, residential, office, industrial, and retail uses. Focusing on small-scale projects, the authors show you practical methods for developing each major type of real estate, including feasibility analysis, design and construction, financing, marketing, and management. Photos, site plans, diagrams, and case studies provide examples of actual projects and how the process works. Information is specific and detailed, with costs, rents, and financing information included by product type ... Read more

Reviews (3)

ULI Guide
For its high price, you may want to seriously think about your needs. If your intention is to buy a book for a broad overview of the development process with a somewhat academic approach, then this may be right for you. If you are builder or someone with prior real estate brokerage/service experience, you may find this too ivory tower and not practical. This book was a bit theoretical for my taste.

Although this book has been reprinted recently, all the data dates back to the late-1990's. Social and economic data are perhaps presented for illustrative purposes only, however, it is a bit disheartening.

There are some interesting project data, financial models and checklists, but frankly, the reader could figure those out on his/her own with some common sense and marginal experience in the industry.

Bottom line -- my suggestion is to review the book at the public library before you buy.

principles & history
Interestingly, I ended up reading this book like a fiction -- from cover-to-cover. And, it was a fun read. I particularly enjoyed some of the insightful stories of real estate development history, which is clearly a part of our American heritage.

However, I thought the real-life applications of the book's suggestions were victimized by this type of presentation. Certain "case studies" were presented along side a theoretical "how-to" processes to develop properties; these seemed entertaining and thoughtfully presented, rather than real life cookie cutter. And, in many cases, I knew a famous property and became more informed of its origins and characteristics. But it did not unfortunately go the next step to discuss mistakes made, lessons learned, or successful components to highlighted -- which good case studies should endeavor. Moreover, it did not spend much time on architectural issues or financing arrangements that may have solved problems specific to the properties.

I would suggest to any potential Amazon customer to purchase this book only in conjunction with another more hardcore building book and/or architecture book.

An Excellent Overview Of The Development Process
I am a 66 year old developer with several successful projects under my belt. This is a fine book for beginning, intermediate, and yes, advanced developers. The best I've ever read, and I've got bookshelves full of them. Also, for a modest fee, you can download from the publisher the software used for the financial illustrations in the book. I had to learn this material the hard way, because when I started out, there weren't any good books on development. If you want to be a developer, start here. If you're an experienced developer, you'll learn a lot from this book. I congratulate the authors for putting in such an immense amount of work. ... Read more

Book Description

An investment alternative that gives fixed returns of 10 to 25 percent.

Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens introduces an investment alternative that is safe, secured by real estate, administered by the government, involves no brokers, is enforced by state law, and gives fixed returns.

Selling tax liens or tax deeds (depending on the state) are the two ways that counties across the country bring delinquent property taxes up-to-date.This investment is one of the least publicized and safest ways of investing in real estate, designed to give the investor either a fixedreturn, as in the case of investing in tax liens, or a property for 10 to 50 cents on the dollar, as in the case of a tax deed sale.In most situations, the property is ultimately transferred free of any liens, such as mortgages.

Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens also debunks the common myth that tax delinquent properties are run-down and shows that liens exist on every type of property.Author Larry Loftis, an attorney and active investor, has purchased liens on properties owned by Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Hector "Macho" Camacho (world champion boxer), Chase Manhattan Bank, LaSalle National Bank, and even a building whose major tenant was the local sheriff's department!

In this authoritative guide, Loftis helps investors avoid the pitfalls while answering all the key questions they need to consider:
* What's the difference between investing in tax liens and tax deeds?
* How does an investor go about bidding at tax sales?And what is the process?
* What are the different requirements in each state?
* Where are the greatest risks in this kind of real estate investing?

For investors eager to get started, Loftis's action plan provides details on the next steps to take, while real-life examples in every chapter bring the concepts down to earth. ... Read more

Book Description

This acclaimed, market-leading book embraces the basic theme of "different costs for different purposes." Cost Accounting reaches beyond cost accounting procedures to consider concepts, analyses, and management.Coverage includes discussions on cost-volume-profit analysis; job costing methods; activity-based costing; variance analysis; process costing; the Internet and World Wide Web; organization structure; supply chain; the value-chain concept; and more. For those interested in cost accounting, economics, and corporate finance. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A standard text for cost accounting
If you are looking for a single volume "bible" on cost accounting, this is likely the best book in print today to fit that bill. It is comprehensive in scope yet has many strengths to ease comprehension and aid readability.

The topics are grouped in six main sections each with several chapters on that topic. Since it is unlikely that you will read this reference / text book left to right as you would a novel this organization helps in finding what you are looking for and focusing on the area(s) of interest.

There are many helpful illustrations and a good use of color as well as chapter summaries and all the exercises you could ever hope for.

A very excellent feature is the use of application problems that take you step-by-step through building an Excel spreadsheet. This is tremendously useful.

The web support is also a good help as well as the streaming video vignettes.

I honestly find this topic very interesting and the 11th edition of this book to be a very valuable resource.

Good definitions, bad examples.
I find this book very difficult to understand. Too often, there are formulas written right into sentences, and not in any special order. I would much prefer that the definition for a particular term is given in a sentence, then have the formula off to the right, or in the middle of the page, separated from the definition. This book gives very good definitions of terms, but very poor examples of the exercises that are given in the back of the chapters for review. In the chapter, there is maybe one type of problem, yet in the back of the chapter, 10 different problems too different from the given example.

Cost Accounting-A Managerial Emphasis by Horngren et al.
In graduate school, I utilized this text. In addition, the work
was helpful in preparing for and passing the Uniform CPA Exam.
There is good coverage of cost-volume analysis, equivalent
units, margin analysis and other important topics for qualifying
examinations i.e. CPA Exam. The tables and graphical
presentations are helpful as are the problem sets. This work is
for the serious student in accounting.The course requires some
serious study, particularly in the area of process costing.

the best costing book
I've studied cost accounting for 2 years in Hong Kong. The first year I used a really bad text book named 'Costing', I hated studying Costing. However after using the 'Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis (10 Edition)', I become interested in Costing and Management Accounting. And deceide to have CMA exam in future. THIS BOOK IS REALLY GOOD ONE.

Highly recommended.
Book was received as described and was shipped on time. AAA+ ... Read more

Book Description

Finally, managers are catching on to something employees already know: What really motivates a person to perform are those thoughtful, unexpected gestures that signify real appreciation. This chock-full guide to rewards of every conceivable type for every conceivable situation, written by management specialist Bob Nelson, offers over a thousand innovative ideas beyond the expected raise and/or promotion. Illustrations throughout. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Useful guide for rewards of every type
Heard the taped version of 1001 WAYS TO REWARD EMPLOYEES,
written and read by Bob Nelson . . . the author says that what most
motivates people who work is recognition--and not just money! . . . he
then presents a most useful guide to rewards of every conceivable type
for virtually any situation . . . the ideas include the spontaneous gesture
of praise to formal company-wide programs and just about everything
in-between.

These ideas, in particular, made a great deal of sense to me:

Works who must stay late at TIME INC. get cab fare home.

Marion Laboratories annually takes all employees and guests to see
a Kansas City Royals game.

Chevron keeps a Treasure Chest brimming with gifts so supervisors
can reward employees on the spot.

Every Christmas, the Walt Disney Company opens Disneyland for
employees and families only--with executives running the park.

My only disappointment in the book was in the author's narration . . . he
lacked any real enthusiasm for the task, and this is one time that it
would have been much better had anybody else been the reader.

The Best Book for rewrading Employees
Employees are the assets of a company. If you want to earn more profit and success, employees are the tools for helping you. Thus, treating them in the best way is a must for you to success. Thus, this book can give you many ideas.

In the book, it provides many monetary and non-monetary rewards methods, such as recognition and profit incentivs. Besides, it provides many real examples for each method in order to make the theory more easy to understand!

Besides, the book is very interest because it let me to know that even give a flower or a greeting card to your staff can also improve thier relationship and enhance their morale.

After i read this book, i use it in my business. It makes me suprise that it really improve human relationship and my staff are very happy when i encourage them by few words or some low-price souvenirs.

All in all, i think every employer should read this book because it can gives you many ideas to reward your staff.

This is a book for morons
very sad book attempting to manipulate employees with the most pathetic ploys.

Best of the bunch -- easy to read, a must-have
I've had this book for almost 10 years, and as an HR professional, it's a requirement in my library. I also have 1001 Ways to Energize... Must-haves. They both get borrowed frequently so I have to really wallpaper my name all over the books in order to get them back. Which sometimes I don't but they are cheap enough to buy again. So easy to read, they help get the creative juices flowing... for all HR consultants and itnernal advisors as well as managers!

Good book, but information is dated
This book is badly in need of revision. Many of the ideas mentioned in the book either are no longer in use due to their dollar cost, or belong to companies which blew up (or were bought out) in the dot-com bust and early 21st-century economic collapse. As an example, Tandem Computers - and all of the six things attributed to it - no longer exist. Not only has HP (which bought out Compaq, which had acquired Tandem) stamped out those behaviours (every last one of them!), but it has eliminated or drastically scaled back all of the rewards attributed to it in this book.

Fun is out if it costs any money, and that's probably pretty common everywhere. ... Read more

Book Description

Introduction read by the author
4 cassettes: 0-553-52595-6
6 Hours

Peter Senge's national bestseller, The Fifth Discipline, revolutionized the practice of management by introducing the theory of learning organizations.Now Dr. Senge moves from the philosophical to the practical by answering the first question all lovers of the learning organization ask: What do they do on Monday morning?

The Fieldbook is an intensely pragmatic guide.It shows how to create an organization of learners where memories are brought to life, where collaboration is the lifeblood of every endeavor, and where the tough questions are fearlessly asked. The stories here show that companies, businesses, schools, agencies, and even communities can undo their "learning disabilities" and achieve superior performance.If ever a work gave meaning to the phrase hands-on, this is it.Senge and his four co-authors cover it all including:

        Reinventing relationships
        Being loyal to the truth
        Building a shared vision
        Organizations as communities
        Designing an organization's governing ideas

The Fieldbook is designedto have you creating a learning organization right from the very beginning!Listen to it anywhere: in meetings, planning sessions, during reflections, or anytime a conflict or challenge arises. Listen to The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, take notes, and watch your own guide to mastering the disciplines of organizational learning evolve. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A second dose of Inspiration...
Senge's second serving of the Learning Organization is filled with practical tips and real-life examples from companies and organizations that have embraced the teachings of the Learning Organization successfully.

The Book is a collaboration of several writers who do a superb job of unraveling the web that is the learning organization. At times, it may seem to the reader that the book is a labyrinth of disjointed concepts and ideas. However, if you have read 'The Fifth Discipline' you will find no problems following the concepts introduced. In fact, you will even understand why the writers have chosen to introduce them in that fashion. If you have not read "The Fifth Discipline', do not despair, it will take a little longer to get 'the whole picture'.
The Book is divided into 8 main sections:

1) Getting Started addresses the basic concepts and ideas of the Learning Organization.
2) Systems Thinking (the fifth discipline) - Many people have argued that Senge should have delegated the fifth discipline until the end, however, without Systems Thinking, your vision is disjointed and incomplete.
3) Personal Mastery covers the area of individual development and learning. The chapters here are among the most valuable in the area of self-growth and self-improvement.
4) Mental Models - These are the pictures that you have in your head which represent reality.
5) Shared Vision - You've seen the whole picture, you've developed and you understand how you see the world. Now you need to find a common cause with the rest of the people in your organization, something that you all work for.
6) Team Learning - As you work with other people in teams or groups, you need to pass the stuff that you have learnt and the wisdom you've acquired to others. At this stage, the learning is no longer that of the individual, but the group.
7) Arenas of Practice - (Self explanatory)
8) Frontiers - Where do we go from here.

If you are interested in development, learning, growth, leadership, gaining a competitive edge whether at an organizational or personal level, then this book is for you. In fact, I'd venture to say that this is book is for everyone.

The Fifth Discipline
This book is a collection of theoretical summaries, reports, analyses, and strategies all quite useful to anyone interested in generating some thinking and action around change. The team of five writers (Peter Senge, Richard Ross, Bryan Smith, Charlotte Roberts, and Art Kleiner) provide some original work, but also serve as editors to a vast quantity of material drawn from practitioners, theorists, and writers in the field of organizational improvement. According to Senge, "great teams are learning organizations - groups of people who, over time, enhance their capacity to create what they truly desire to create." (p.18) This book is really about creating and building great teams. The learning organization develops its ability to reflect on, discuss, question, and change its current and past practices. To do this, people and groups in the organization need to meaningfully pursue the study and practice of the five disciplines - personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking.

The learning organization - Senge's vision for the productive, competitive, and efficient institutions of the future - is in a continuous state of change. Four fundamental questions continuously serve to check and guide a group's learning and improvement (see page 49): (1) Do you continuously test your experiences? ("Are you willing to examine and challenge your sacred cows - not just during crises, but in good times?") (2) Are you producing knowledge? ("Knowledge, in this case, means the capacity for effective action.") (3) Is knowledge shared? ("Is it accessible to all of the organization's members?") (4) Is the learning relevant? ("Is this learning aimed at the organization's core purpose?") If these questions represent the organization's compass, the five disciplines are its map.

Each of the five disciplines is explained, and elaborated in its own lengthy section of the book. In the section on "Systems Thinking" (a set of practices and perspectives, which views all aspects of life as inter-related and playing a role in some larger system), the authors build on the idea of feedback loops (reinforcing and balancing) and introduce five systems archetypes. They are: "fixes that backfire", "limits to growth", "shifting the burden", "tragedy of the commons", and "accidental adversaries". In the section on "Personal Mastery", the authors argue that learning starts with each person. For organizations to learn and improve, people within the organization (perhaps starting with its core leadership) must learn to reflect on and become aware of their own core beliefs and visions. In "Mental Models", the authors argue that learning organizations need to explore the assumptions and attitudes, which guide their institutional directions, practices, and strategies. Articles on scenario planning, the ladder of inference, the left-hand column, and balancing inquiry and advocacy offer practical strategies to investigate our personal mental models as well as those of others in the organization. In "Shared Vision", the authors make the case for the stakeholders of an organization to continually adapt their vision ("an image of a desired future"), values ("how we get to travel to where we want to go"), purpose ("what the organization is here to do"), and goals ("milestones we expect to reach before too long"). The section offers many strategies and perspectives on how to move an organization toward continuous reflection. In "Team Learning", the authors rely mostly on the work of William Isaacs and others, and make a case for educating organization members in the processes and skills of dialogue and skillful discussion.

This book is enlightening and informative. It has already found a place on my shelf for essential reference books.

A follow up to the legend
The Fieldbook attempts at making the esoteric concepts of the fifth discipline more down to earth and contains a treasure trove of strategies, tools, methods and explanations on how to make the learning organization into a reality.

Thus people who have read The fifth discipline will gain the most from this book. It's a must read for people who want to make their organizations transition into a 'learning organization'

Less than I expected!
Purchased this item used as it was recommended by a work colleague. The book arrived in an paper envelope with damage to the spine and a wrinkle on the paperback cover. Damage could have been avoided if seller had placed this heavy book into a padded envelope. Price was only slightly less than new purchase price. Beware when purchasing used items from 'vendors' stating "excellent condition"!

Absolute must for instructional designers
I do love this book. I constantly refer to it. I honestly can't imagine the world without Peter Senge's work. This book is very accessible. The format of the content is an excellent example of good instructional design. It is incredibly user-friendly. If you are involved in education, business, corporate training or anything remotely related and wonder how you can make a difference, read and use this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Electronic Commerce 2004 describes the essentials of electronic commerce—how it is being conducted and managed as well as assessing its major opportunities, limitations, issues, and risks. It is a clear, simple, well-organized book, and provides all the basic definitions as well as logical support. Using extensive, vivid examples from large corporations, small businesses, government and not-for-profit agencies from all over the world, it makes the concepts presented come alive for readers.Beginning with a comprehensive introduction to E-commerce, the book explores internet marketing, B2B and C-commerce, E-marketplaces and internet consumerism, E-government, mobile commerce, auctions, security, electronic payment systems, and strategy and implementation to launch a successful E-commerce business.Written by experienced authors who are well-versed in real-world practices, this book will prove invaluable for managers and professional people in any functional area of business; as well as those in government, education, health services, and other areas that can benefit from a knowledge of e-commerce. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The rich are different from the rest of us, if for no other reason than U.S. tax and securities laws allow them to invest in ways that keep us from catching up to them. That's why 90 percent of all corporate shares of stock are owned by 10 percent of the people. Kiyosaki believes it's possible for anyone to move up into that 10 percent, but it takes a different view of investing than most people have: it takes a plan to be a successful investor. And a plan is more than simply buying and selling, or collecting "assets" that bring in no cash and are thus more akin to liabilities. The way most people invest, "they might as well be pushing a wheelbarrow in a circle," he writes. A plan is "mechanical, automatic, and boring," a formula for success that has worked historically for most of those who've used it. Kiyosaki's "rich dad" (actually, the father of his best friend) tells him the simplest analogy is the game Monopoly: buy four green houses, trade them for one red hotel, and repeat until you become rich.

The overall message of Rich Dad's Guide to Investing is that this is an abundant world, full of opportunity for the sophisticated investor. However, it sometimes takes a while to find this point. Much of the book is told in dialogues between young Kiyosaki and his rich dad, and these conversations can ramble. There are rewards for the careful reader--for example, in the middle of a section on the basic rules of investing, Kiyosaki's rich dad compares investor education to toilet training: difficult at first but eventually automatic. But getting to these inspired metaphors means wading through a lot of repetitive dialogue. It's a bit ironic that someone who advocates investor discipline should show so little as a writer. But by the end of the book, even the rambling starts to make sense. By the hundredth time you read that the rich don't work for money, and that you don't need money to make money, both concepts start to make sense. It still looks difficult to apply these ideas, but Rich Dad's Guide to Investing certainly makes the case that they'll work for anyone bold and smart enough to practice them. --Lou Schuler ... Read more

Reviews (143)</