Book Description

Accounting Standards (US and International) have been updated to reflect the latest pronouncements.
* An increased international focus with more coverage of IASC and non-US GAAPs and more non-US examples. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

This Book Is Excellent...and Essential
After reading the reviews on this book, I feel that I must comment on the book's high quality.

In order to fully appreciate this book, an understanding must exist as to where the material fits in the financial analysis process. Clearly this book is not meant to explicitly teach readers how to build financial models; other books are available for that purpose. This book is designed to teach readers how to thoroughly read, understand, and more importantly, become an astute critic of the language of financial statements, GAAP.

I disagree that technical accounting details are not very important in analysis engagements. Rather the opposite holds true in a majority of cases: One must thoroughly understand technical accounting and the implications that it has on economic reality in order to build quality financial models. Otherwise, "junk in/junk out" models will result.

Given the highly publicized debacles that have recently occurred in the financial world, including Enron, the importance of distinguishing technical accounting from economic reality has become obvious. This book does effectively explain and build off the foundations of GAAP; however, this book is primarily focused on helping an analyst analyze and question the quality of financial statements versus how to simply prepare them. This is the big difference between this book and technical accounting textbooks.

Of course, building financial models for decisions is the end objective of any analyst. However, this book is a must read in building quality financial models and projections. Again this book is not a financial modeling textbook, nor a technical accounting manual. Rather, it is a critical bridge between technical accounting material and decision modeling material. I recommend taking the time to read this excellent book and walk across the bridge before moving on to modeling.

Good reference book; poor textbook
Given the glowing rating this book has received from most reviewers, I have been somewhat disappointed with this book. My main thought is this: This is a good book for non-accountants to keep as a *reference text* since the authors' do a good job of explaining technical financial accounting matters in a straightforward way. However, I do not think this is a good book to actually *learn financial statement analysis* from.

The book tends to focus on technical accounting details while ignoring other important aspects of analysis (e.g., econometric methods, the relationship between the decision model and the nature of the analysis, etc.). It is difficult to tell what the authors see as the most important, central concepts and methods in financial statement analysis. One gets the idea that if you were to ask the authors "What are the really important concepts and methods in this book?", they would answer "Oh, it's *all* good!"

In my experience as an analyst, technical accounting details were rarely important--even when using historical financial statement data to develop financial simulation models for firms. There's a simple explanation for why this is so: An individual firm's financial statements might be "garbage," but the only reasonable way of telling this is by making inferences from the relationship between exogenous economic factors, competitors' financial results (on average), and the individual firm's results. It's about the only reasonable way to extract signals (likely economic "truth") from noisy financial statement data.

I definitely agree with previous reviewers who stated the book is poorly written: it is often both wordy and vague. Consider the (lack of) discussion on p. 332 of the important topic, R&D expenditures:

"Companies invest in ... (R&D) because they expect ... profitable future products. However, absent a resultant commercial product, these expenditures may have not value to the firm. Further, the value of any product may be unrelated to the amount spent on R&D. Due to valuation uncertainties, R&D is generally unacceptable to creditors as security for loans."

I think they mean this: Firms make investments since they expect economic returns on them, but return on R&D expenditures is usually very unpredictable. (Whew. I'm glad they told me! Now I won't feel stupid when talking to other analysts.) The authors then proceed immediately to a summary of accounting standards on R&D expenditures. (This is financial statement analysis?)

It's not clear either that the purpose of presenting a cohesive view of financial statement analysis is served by the sometimes excessive references to empirical research by accounting academics. A cynical reader might suspect this is done to ingratiate the book with accounting professors who will make it the required text for their course!

In the end, I think the book fails to explain fundamental concepts and methods of analysis by which specific information is derived from financial statements for input to specific decision models. What's the antidote? Get Fridson (Wiley) and Bergevin (Prentice-Hall): Nice straightforward books that really explain how to do financial statement analysis.

EASY TO UNDERSTAND WITH GOOD EXAMPLES THAT ARE TO THE POINT
This book is great!!! I have finished reading the assigned chapters for the CFA test and I already feel way more confident than I did last year after using Stalla study notes. Buy the book because it helps you way more in terms of examples and explanations. Trust me I know.
Note: Example are clear and concise!!!

Comprehensive and Insightful
In order to determine whether you should buy this book, you have to understand its purpose.

It is not an Accounting textbook nor a preparation for the CPA exam.

In other words, it is not directed at the preparers of financial statements but rather at the users.

The authors do an excellent job of explaining accounting concepts in a clear and detailed manner. That explanation includes a comparison of different methods for accounting for the same transaction, a discussion of deficiencies/inconsistencies in accounting rules, etc.

Building on all this, the authors then move on to explain how to analyze financial statements - to wring insights out of the accounting data beyond the "standard" analytical tools. This is the book's real value.

This excellent book belongs in the reference library of anyone who needs to understand and analyze financial statements.

One measure of its value is that AIMR uses it as one of the fundamental textbooks for its CFA program.

Insightful
This book will surely broaden your horizon on how to analyse and use the financial statements properly. (it popped my eyes ! )

The book will explain many accounting concepts used in the marketplace, which unfortunately make the financial statements incomparable. The authors did a very good job, in an interesting way, on exlaining how to eliminate (or at least to reduce) the problem. This book also puts a very high importance on the cash flow statements, which in nature is a little bit more difficult to manipulate than income statements (and therefore more suitable for financial analyses).

No matter what accounting concepts that the company use, the reader will be able to analyse and compare various financial statements on apple to apple basis.

Every single aspects of financial statements analyses is covered. This is the best textbook I've ever read, and too bad that I can't put rating higher than 5 stars. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides readers with basic information about human beings and their behavior within the context of a business environment. It includes such issues as how to motivate people, how to give them feedback on their performance, how to influence them, and how to help them cope with stress. By examining the factors that contribute to an ever-changing business world, it will teach readers to develop, train, and motivate high-performance employees in a world of constant change.The Field of Organizational Behavior. Perception and Learning. Individual Work Differences. Motivation in Organizations. Managing Your Own Behavior. Group Dynamics and Teamwork. Decision Making in Organizations. Social and Deviant Behaviors in Organizations. Leading and Coaching Others. Culture, Creativity, and Innovation. Organizational Structure and Design. Technology in Organizations.For managers, or anyone else, who are interested in organizational behavior. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Alright
I used this book at Cornell's school of Industrial and Labor Relations in an OB course. It was ok, but I have seen better. The examples are mostly revelant, but sometimes it strays from the covered material. A good book to use to review for the final exam, but if your teacher draws tests from their own lectures, make sure you utilize the index in the back!

Poor theory, good applications
This text was used at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for an honors OB course. It served the class well by providing relevant and often humorous applications of theory. However, the descriptions of the actual theories themselves were weak and vague often referring to other concepts not yet learned. ... Read more

Book Description

Thorough and up-to-date, this book supports any of the most popular approaches to AIS: focus on transaction cycles and controls; focus on systems life cycle; focus on databases and data modeling; or focus on computer-based controls, fraud and auditing. The book begins with an overview and conceptual foundations then goes on to discuss control and audit of accounting information systems, accounting information systems applications, and the systems development process. For CPAs and corporate accountants.

Reviews (4)

Only Buy if Required for a Class
Very boring reading.Chapters tend to repeat themselves.The class I had for this book was one of the most boring classes I ever had.Instructor lectured from power point slides.I could have taken this class homestudy and done just fine, than to sit in class.

Caution: Will Cause Drowsiness.
This book is simply horrible. It takes the stereotypical accountant and shoves him into the pages. It is so lethargic and monotonous that all the valuable information within the book just stops making sense. This book should be read by anyone who has doubts about becoming an accountant. They'll drop everything and go into premed. Horrible!

Agreed. Boring as dirt.
Everything you need is in here, but the book truly is boring as dirt. If you need it for a class, fine. But do not buy it if you just want something to read.

Comprehensive but boring
This is a very comprehensive textbook of the subject.It deals with just about every aspect of the AIS realm.It is, however, a very dull book.There isn't much illustrating, no color, and absolutely no life beyond theblack and white wasteland of its pages. ... Read more

Book Description

This text is unique in its first-person, discovery learning approach using a 4-step decision-making model throughout. It truly conveys a management perspective, by including coverage of topics such as ABM, the value chain and balanced scorecard evaluation techniques. It is also the first managerial text to incorporate coverage on knowledge management (Ch. 13) highlighting the latest developments for improved managerial decision making. ... Read more

Book Description

Financial and Managerial Accounting has been updated to incorporate detailed information on recent legislation affecting the accounting profession, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The accompanying CD and PowerWeb applications give you greater interaction and continuously updated information.

Book Description

The ninth edition thoroughly involves students with financial statements by using real-world examples. It builds skills in analyzing real financial reports through statements, exhibits, and cases of actual companies. Emphasis is placed on the analysis and interpretation of the end result of financial reporting--financial statements. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Because finding the ideal person for every workplace position has become an increasingly difficult task, the retention of top employees has become every manager's concern. Love 'Em or Lose 'Em, by organizational-development specialists Beverly L. Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, proposes that this "race for talent" can be effectively run only by those who adopt programs and policies that truly support their personnel. It then shows how to do so, even in organizations reluctant to participate actively.

Kaye and Jordan-Evans encourage an initial scan of their 26 alphabetically arranged chapters--such as "Information: Share It," "Mentor: Be One," and "Space: Give It"--so attention can be fully focused on the most relevant benefits and responsibilities associated with employee retention. All are bolstered with hands-on exercises and stories of others' failures and successes. The section on family-friendly conduct, for example, suggests uncovering specifics by directly asking employees what would make their lives easier. Resultant needs can be met, it continues, by allowing staffers to bring children to the office on occasion, assisting anyone who must line up care for an aging parent, giving weekday comp time to those who travel on weekends, etc. It also explains how Deloitte & Touche and DuPont addressed these issues. Any manager who dreads losing a top performer would do well to consider this book. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Guaranteed Resource!
Beverly and Sharon have written the book that's sure to stay on your desktop for the next few years. This practical, clever, and oh so useful book is chockfull of ideas to help you win the talent war. LOVE 'EM OR LOSE 'EM provides you with the toolkit you need to retain your talented workforce. You will return to it again and again looking for just the right tool-and you will find it. Guaranteed! I have shared this book with a dozen clients and expect to share it with dozens more. Thank you for investing so much of yourselves in a book that is sure to be a hit with managers everywhere.

Beverly Kaye Does It Again
Beverly Kaye Does It Again! Her classic book is back, updated, and still and always the single best book ever written on the subject of employee retention and engagement.

Truly outstanding work!

Wow, is this ever timely!
All I keep hearing about is this new talent war ... people want to leave their jobs, they're not giving their effort, the boomers are leaving, the X'ers aren't staying.In the meantime, businesses are starting to pick up and it's obvious we're not going to have the right people available to do what's needed.So out comes this book ... makes sense?What's even better is it's simple.There's tons of to-do's and tips to keep people.If we don't start doing these common sense things, we don't stand a chance.Thanks Bev and Sharon for a great update, just in the nick of time!

Love 'Em indeed!
All I can say is I wish I'd found this book early on in my career as a manager!Every manager today should have this book on their desk and make it as interactive in their every day lives as a day planner!Your employees will LOVE YOU!

A good read
Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans organize this book in an easy to read fashion. Kaye and Evans encourage bosses to communicate effectively with their workers. They stress the importance of having meetings and getting feedback from key employees.This is an excellent book, and it never hurts to mentor good employees.I highly recommend this book, along with "He Never Called Again", and "Good Grief." ... Read more

Book Description

Firms with superior IT governance have more than 25% higher profits than firms with poor governance given the same strategic objectives. These top performers have custom-designed IT governance for their strategies. Just as corporate governance aims to ensure quality decisions about all corporate assets, IT governance links IT decisions with company objectives and monitors performance and accountability.

Based on a study of 250 enterprises worldwide, IT Governance shows how to design and implement a system of decision rights that will transform IT from an expense to a profitable investment.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fills in blanks left by CObIT
This book is not consistently aligned to CObIT (Control Objectives for IT), which is an IT governance standard set forth by the IT Governance Institute (paste the ASIN, B0001F8V14, into the search all products box on this page). However, it does provide a realistic approach to governance that reflects successful practices developed and employed by 250 companies surveyed by the authors. The key differences between CObIT and the approach in this book is the stakeholder model presented versus the control model CObIT incorporates. More importantly, the authors approach more effectively aligns IT to business goals and objectives, with IT in a supporting role more than as the primary decision maker.

Among the points the authors make is that IT is a strategic asset, and effective governance links IT to strategy and performance. I fully agree with this approach, and especially like the recommendations the authors make for implementing and managing IT governance, as well as the resources in the appendix which show which companies were surveyed.

If you are following CObIT you may have issues with this book; however, if you read through it with an objective mind you will find that the approach will work effectively, and does come closer to IT-business alignment than the CObIT approach. ... Read more

Book Description

The classic source for the technical analysis discipline now brings readers up to date in techniques and technology
Now, in this second edition of the classic text, expert Thomas Dorsey shows, step-by-step, how to create, maintain, and interpret your own point and figure charts. He explains how you can use your findings to track and forecast market prices and develop an overall investment strategy. Perhaps most importantly, he helps you develop confidence in the market and take decisive action at the appropriate time, rather than reacting after the fact. Dorsey also highlights new developments in the field and incorporates the use of recently developed software to track any market using point and figure methods. Written for both new and experienced P & F chartists, this updated edition of a technical analysis classic brings point and figure charting into the Internet age.
Thomas J. Dorsey (Richmond, VA) is President of Dorsey, Wright & Associates, a registered investment advisory firm that uses point and figure charting as its main source of technical analysis. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

A vital addition to your library.
Some people find a good thing early on and are smart enough to stick with it. I am not one of those people, but Tom Dorsey is. I've read about every TA book ever written, I've studied everything from stochastic to voodoo and back, and if someone asked me to recommend one single book for learning and successfully applying Technical Analysis in order to make money, it would be this book. The methods described are powerful yet simple, (which usually is the best), concise, (no filler), and include a strategy for any plan to make money in the market and avoid giving it all back.

From the overall concepts of Point and Figure Charting to the specific rules for managing your trades, your portfolio, and your money, you'll be happy you took the time learn what Tom Dorsey has shared about those little Xs and Os.

Too Hard to Read, Concepts Available Elsewhere
Mr. Dorsey is a talented financial analyst and amateur weightlifter when he was younger BUT, he is not a good writer (this has been confirmed in my personal correspondence with Mr. Dorsey) and this book cries out for thorough editing. One can learn Point and Figure charting for free at the dorseywright dot com web site (just look for the point n figure university link at the bottom of the home page). Dorsey knows his stuff but the more easily bored one is, the more one will find this book aimless and boring. Point and Figure is superior to bar and candlestick charts because it records meaningful market movement while ignoring the small stuff. Another Point and Figure book, published in the 1930s by de Viller (?), is also very hard to read and not worthy of buying. Let's hope Mr Dorsey, a great guy and always terrific on CNBC, will get this book re-edited and whittled down to about 175 pages. Learn it for free at his website and order "Chart Reading Made Easy" by John Murphy to quickly and economically learn technical analysis.

Dow's Theory Rightly Attributed to Charles Dow
"indeed, Dow Theory, while credited to Charles Dow, was actually first put together by S.A. Nelson in the book The ABCs of Stock Speculation."

This reviewer's comment above is a bit misleading. The Dow Theory, as explicated in chapter's IV thru XX of Nelson's book, are actually abridged editorials written by Charles Dow (that orignally appeared between Dec 14, 1900 and July 31, 1902). Nelson in his book accurately attributes Dow Theory to Charles Dow, who was editor of the Wall St. Journal at the time.

Nelson's contribution to Dow Theory was the act of compiling Dow's editorials; William Hamilton (Stock Market Barometer, 1922) and Robert Rhea (The Dow Theory, 1932) were so impressed by Dow's ideas about how markets work that they were keenly interested in documenting his ideas in print, as well as extending those ideas.

Provides a Solid Market Snapshot
One of the toughest jobs every trader faces is accurately identifying solid support and resistance. This book clearly solves the problem of identifying reliable buy and sell signals that represent the big picture of longer term trend rather than short term noise.

one of the best books available on top down investing
This is first and foremost a specific methodology for a top-down approach. This is a style of investing where you look first at the market, then the sector, and finally the stock itself. This answers the question of when to buy, whereas fundamental analysis answers the question of what to buy.

It's true that much of this information is available elsewhere, a good deal of it on the dorseywright web page, but not all of it. This book is a great book for putting the pieces together in a sensible way.

This is a book for longer term investors, not day traders or swing traders who like to be in and out of a stock in a few days or a week.

This book goes very well with Pring's how to select stocks using technical analysis; this method is easier to use, and more sensible in my opinion, but elements of both fit very well together.

Note: This book has nothing to do with dow theory, which is concerned with identifying the primary trend of the market as represented by the DJIA. In this theory, the DJTA is used for confirmation. This has nothing to do with point & figure charting; indeed, Dow Theory, while credited to Charles Dow, was actually first put together by S.A. Nelson in the book The ABCs of Stock Speculation. Robert Rhea and William Hamilton further refined the theory. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Nothing more to say...other than this book is great!
The other reviews here sum up this book nicely. It is very insightful and great to read. Highly recommended.

learn from the best
"Uncommon Practice is the book that lets you hear about the essence of business success straight from the horse's mouth. "
Phil Dourado, Editorial Director, eCustomerServiceWorld.com

In an increasingly crowded market place, there are certain companies that really stand out from their competitors - companies like Tesco, PizzaExpress, Virgin, easyGroup, First Direct, Harley Davidson, Krispy Kreme and Pret A Manger.

This new book by Interbrand and Forum, demonstrates, through interviews with key executives from these and other leading companies, how they provide remarkable experiences for their customers and staff alike. The premise behind Uncommon Practice is that that this success stems from their distinctive cultures uniquely developed to meet the needs of customers. The companies featured have defied conventional wisdom and broken the traditional rules of management to engender exceptional levels of commitment from their people, who, united behind a clear brand vision, translate their belief in the company into exceptional customer service.

Editors Andy Milligan and Shaun Smith have taken care to let the voice of the organisation speak for itself. Uncommon Practice is not a 'how to...' book, and does not provide a 'quick-fix' list of invariable rules for success. The editors do however provide insight into the core principles and practices that the leading companies featured share but which are uncommon in many organisations today.

Uncommon Practice explores the creation of outstanding brand experiences delivered through people, illuminated with interviews with senior executives and front-line managers.

Critical to the success of these brands is the way they treat their own people. Open management, share ownership, training and appraisals are common benefits, but can you guess which company has an empty seat policy on the company jet, keeps a fleet of yachts, has a monthly beer bus, gives an employee the Bentley for the weekend or awards Tiffany stars? Through a series of interviews with key executives, Uncommon Practice gives an insight into how certain companies have become so successful by providing remarkable experiences for their customers and staff alike. ... Read more

Book Description

In today's fast-paced networked economy, professionals must work harder than ever to maintain and improve their business skills and knowledge. But technical mastery of one's discipline is not enough, assert world-renowned professional advisors David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford. The key to professional success, they argue, is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of clients. To demonstrate the paramount importance of trust, the authors use anecdotes, experiences, and examples -- successes and mistakes, their own and others' -- to great effect. The result is an immensely readable book that will be welcomed by the inexperienced advisor and the most seasoned expert alike. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Don't waiste your money
I found this book too broad, although it gives some examples, and tries to use some formulas to figure out how much your client trust you, nothing scientificly proven. As a matter of fact this book is useless if you studied or read a lot about organizational behavior and HR management. This book talks about the relationship between consultant and his customer, how important it is to listen, talk and respect your customer, but a lot of it is common sense. Also talks about team work. However if someone is not familiar with Org Behavior and HR, it is a good book for a start.

More than an Advisor
An experienced colleague recommended this book to me at a conference. The title simply does not do this book justice but I bought it anyway. If you ever wondered how some consultants and professionals do such a good job obtaining and keeping clients, then READ THIS BOOK.

I have recommended this book to all my clients and they agree. More importantly, very few so-called "advisors" do what this book explains clearly. Tremendous resource for any professional but many very powerful techniques to help you close contracts without sounding like a used car salesman. The case studies and examples hit home and force you to stop and think about your own style.

For Your Arsenal
Whether you are in sales, are an attorney, or providing any kind service or intangible, this is a great book. If you think you've read all the client oriented, consulting oriented "sales and success" books - but haven't read this ... then you are never going to be at the top of your field. This book is about bringing real authenticity to the relationships with your clients. Client executives can smell a sneak or a fraud a mile away. Today, business is more competitive than ever, making losing a client relationship a crime. Knowing how to keep a client, build a relationship and continue nuturing it, is an art. Maister points to great examples and gets you to thinking ... "if only I'd done that ..." or "next time I'll ...". This is a thinking persons book, one to be reviewed over again through the course of your career, but only if you want to be among the "trusted few" with seasoned, senior executives. Other great books along this line I recommend are: any of Maisters books, Patrick McKenna's material (see their web pages too), and Clients for Life by Andrew Sobel.

Maister is the Master
My introduction to David Maister came from the former managing director of Burson-Marteller's Tokyo office, who recommended True Professionalism. That book became one of the "required readings" for my training company's staff. Since True Professionalism, I've read Managing the Professional Service Firm and found it heavy, over-detail-oriented and difficult to apply. Now comes The Trusted Advisor (with other authors) and I can say without a doubt this best book on trust development I've read--putting real meat in those abstract concepts like "credibility." His chapter where he introduces the equation where Trust = Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy, all divided by Self-orientation, would be worth the price of the book. No, there probably is nothing new under the sun, but Maister in this book (and in Practice What You Preach, another gem) provides the keys to create better results for clients, and shows us how to turn those keys to start the engine. If there were 10 stars to give, I'd rate this a 10.

An easy to understand look at difficult topic.
Here is a good book, that clearly and accurately describes how to master a difficult skill. As an IT consultant I found this book to be immediately helpful in furthering my consulting skills.

This book takes the reader through the entire process of moving from "Subject Matter Expert" to Trusted Advisor. It accurately describes the benefits of this role for any professional rendering services. This might help one to justify training in this area to one's superiors.

I was continually impressed with the how the book dealt with the topic of honesty. Clearly we all strive to be trustworthy, however when that alone is the goal one might be prone to dishonesty to create an illusion for the client to trust. I felt this book gave real guidance on how to proceed, without having to walk a fine line.

I find this book to be of most value to an experienced professional/consultant, looking to hone an skill. It is of less value (but certainly some value) to new-comer to these types of skills. A better book for a new-comer would be "Managing the Professional Services Firm" by David Maister. That said, this book is worth much more than ~[price], buy it. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Waste of Time
This textbook is incomplete, inaccurate, and invalid as a tool for teaching students about current System Analysis and Design concepts. Beg your instructor to choose a different textbook.

Horrible
I purchased this text for a college course,that I was required to take. Simply put this is one of the worst textbooks I have ever seen. The author does not clearly explain the concepts in the book, he uses the most vauge definitions I've ever seen. I reccomend to any students taking a course with this book,appeal to the proffeser to get a diffrent text, and to any proffesors considering using it for their course, please reconsider.

Horrible
I was forced to use this book for a class. I find the text very unclear and hard to understand with quite a few errors. The layout of the pages is poor and the author seems to get lost in his/her own words. The problems found at the end of each chapter never give enough information to tell you what you are supposed to be doing and they often ask for information that is not found in the text. For what you get this book is extremely overpriced. I may even sell this book back.

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
There are some really good BASIC terms and methods introduced throughout the book however most is useless fluff. Why not condense to 20 pages and call the "Complete idiots Guide to Systems Analysis & Design ".

Boring, Boring, Boring
I only purchased this book because I am taking a class in Systems Analysis through an online college. I must say that the content is OK but the delivery is horrible. This is, without doubt, the most boring book I have ever had the displeasure to read. I honestly was only able to read half of a chapter at a time. I have never read a book that made me this tired and the worst part is that after I was done I couldn't even begin to tell you what I just read. The good part is that the sides of the pages have key terms defined. This book could be the perfect cure for insomnia - I'm not kidding. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A book worth buying and a book worth giving
Baseball and writing about baseball are my passions and being passionate about something is the heart and soul of the new book by Mike Veeck (and Pete Williams), "Fun Is Good: How to Inject Joy & Passion Into Your Workplace & Career" published by Rodale Press and to be released early next month. The book is part business philosophy, part autobiography, part confessional, part homage to his late father Bill Veeck, part salute to his 12-year old daughter who is fighting blindness as the result of retinitis pigmentosa, part a baseball love story and all fun. Because fun is what Mike, like all the Veecks, is all about.

Mike writes, "Somehow in our haste to seize the American dream, we've sucked the fun, passion, and creativity out of the workplace." How many of you feel that way? I guess that's why so many people say that work sucks. But as Mike points out, "Fun isn't just good; it's a necessity." "If you're not having fun, it's nearly impossible to project the upbeat, positive attitude necessary to service clients effectively."

We know that's the trouble with baseball, don't we? Somehow it has becoming way to much about greed. We could handle it if were about drugs, sex, and rock and roll, at least that's fun. Mike writes that when his father Bill Veeck died in 1986, "we had him cremated so he wouldn't constantly be rolling in his grave."

In the workplace it's about passion, the right attitude and being happy at what you do. Mike encourages change and risk taking because if you're unhappy you can't afford to stay where you are. In addition, your role whether you are an Indian or a chief is to help create a workplace atmosphere that is fun, positive and risk taking. He writes, "How effectively you interact with coworkers sets the tone for the organization," because if you take a genuine interest in the people around you, you never know where it might lead.

I was particularly struck with this philosophical statement, "If you approach things with optimism and with the mentality that any obstacle can be overcome with good humor, preparation, brainpower, and a little bit of luck, nothing is outside the realm of possibility." It is that statement that clearly drives Mike's wonderful daughter. The book is filled with interviews and vignettes from business leaders in which they express, in their own words, how the importance of a "Fun is Good" philosophy has driven the success of their company. None is more powerful or moving than the section written by Rebecca Veeck who truly sums up much more than the philosophy of the book when she writes, "Fun is Good because that's the way life is supposed to be. It's the main feeling that we're supposed to have. I mean, if you're not having fun, what's the point?"

I will be giving this book to my daughter Elizabeth on her birthday on April 11 (the same date as Veeck's eldest, Night Train Veeck) because as she prepares to graduate college and face the real world she needs to know that if you treat every day like Opening Day than life will be fun, and fun is good.

... Read more

Book Description

Human Resource Management: Gaining A Competitive Advantage by Noe/Hollenbeck/Gerhart/Wright is back with a new and improved 4th edition. In this new economy, effective human resource management is all the more necessary to gain true competitive advantage in the marketplace, as competitors strive to win the war for talent. Four challenges companies face are the global challenge, the challenge of meeting stakeholder needs, the high performance work practices challenge, and the challenge of competing in the new economy. The authors bring these challenges to life by highlighting real-world examples pertaining to these 4 issues and relating it to the concepts within the chapter.This best-selling McGraw-Hill Human Resource Management title provides students with the technical background needed to be a knowledgeable consumer of human resource (HR) products and services, to manage HR effectively, or to be a successful HR professional. While clearly strategic in nature, the text also emphasizes how managers can more effectively acquire, develop, compensate, and manage the internal and external environment that relates to the management of human resources. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Complete and well written Human Resource Management Resource
I was required to use this text book in my Human Resource Management class for my MBA requirements. I do not have an HR background so a lot of the information presented in this book is new to me. The authors do a great job of presenting the material in an easy to understand manner. There are a lot of real life examples and case studies that are interesting to read and help to put the concepts in to perspective.

This book will be a great reference in my professional life. It has employment laws, recruitment strategies, training and placement strategies to name a few. This is a must read for any HR professional and it really brings to focus the need for a stronger HR presence in companies to help them stay competitive.

Great book
I used this book to study for the Excelsior College exam in Human Resources Management and I got an A. It was very well written and easy to follow.

A textbook for advanced students
This is a textbook for advanced students of Human Resource Management, but even old hands in this field can gain a new insight on different topics which are very often neglected such as career development or separation and retention. Beside the discussion on different subjects the editors are bringing in comprehensive bibliography as well as discussion questions and a modern approach by using the web for additional exercises. ... Read more

Book Description

"Dolf makes real estate investing simple and accessible to anyone who has the will to succeed. He is an All Star in his field!"
—from the Foreword by Alex Rodriguez, 2003 AMERICAN LEAGUE MVP

An all-time bestseller, Dolf de Roos's classic Real Estate Riches shows readers from all walks of life how to find great deals and make great profits in the real estate market. This compelling book reveals why real estate is such a reliable moneymaker, and how novice investors, and old pros alike, can achieve the biggest return on their investment.

Full of time-honored wisdom, proven tactics, and quick-and-easy tips, Real Estate Riches will show you how to find the best properties, analyze deals, negotiate and submit offers, effectively manage properties, and dramatically increase the value of your real estate without spending much money. Dolf de Roos shows you:

• Why real estate is the best investment in the world
  
• How you can consistently find great deals
  
• The eight golden rules of real estate investing
  
• How to use tax laws to subsidize your investments
  
• How to create income using OPM (other people's money)
  
• The pros and cons of residential versus commercial investing
  

Author Dolf de Roos is proud to say he's never had a real job in his life—because real estate pays him better. Following his powerful and proven strategies, you too can leave the nine-to-five life behind. ... Read more

Book Description

First published in 1981, Valuing a Business is today the world's most widely followed valuation reference. As more professional associations than ever offer valuation education and credentials, this Fourth Eidtion - with 10 new chapters that significantly expand the book's scope - promises to appeal to an even broader market. This easy-to-use reference features increased emphasis on vlauation court cases and decisions; new information on arbitration and mediation; updated data on stock option valuation; and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Super
This book, guide, reference, ... or what ever you name it. is essential for all business, financial and investment guides.

An Excellent Private Equity Valuation Primer
I have found Mr. Pratt's book to be an outstanding and practical general reference guide to valuing privately-held businesses. Due to the book's breadth of material and balanced focus on both the science and art of valuation, I have found "Valuing A Business" to be an excellent professional reference for anyone entering the field of business valuation. I highly recommend it.

In addition to the common "science side" valuation techniques, issues, and approaches that are found in many valuation textbooks, Pratt provides unique, valuable insight into the "art side" of valuation. The book also includes real life project execution considerations for litigation support, expert witness testimony, and taxation. "Valuing A Business" offers solid information to assist a practitioner in building a quality framework for conducting a comprehensive private company valuation.

Good technique, directed at the professional practitioner
I take issue with the reviewer who suggested that Tom Copeland/McKinsey's book "Valuation" is better than this one or is more directed at valuaing big businesses. ... On the other hand, it should be said that valuation techniques do not differ between big companies and small companies (especially if big/small companies are publically traded). Valuation techniques vary depending on (a) what sort of asset is being valued (public equity, vs. private equity, vs. business assets as a whole, etc) and (b) why valuation is being done (for M&A, litigation between business partners, divorce, ESOPs, for equity investment/divestment). If an investor is valuing a $50 Billion public company and a $50 million public company, the technique used for both is (probably) the same.

If anything, this book does an excellent job in reminding us of the diversity of valuation techniques in use, and the diversity of reasons for doing valuations. Given the frequency with which privately held companies are bought, one would think that knowing how to value companies whose stock is not publically traded is useful for general businesspeople, not just accountants and attorneys. But if you absolutely insist that you just want to know how to value publically traded companies and don't give a hoot for calculating "private equity discounts" or "minority shareholder discounts", then I would recommend Aswath Damodaran's books "Damodaran on Valuation", "The Dark Side of Valuation" or "Investment Valuation". Damodaran, professor of Finance at NYU, actually uses the same techniques taught here, but applied to public equity investing and with different names (for example, what is called the "Market approach" here is just what Damodaran calls "relative valuation" in a different context).

Useful, but there are better books out there
The authors have taken an approach from an accounting or legal standpoint. They haven't included methods incorporating EVA or contingent claims analysis. For as thick as this book is--and it is really thick--there is a surprising lack of detail. If you're looking to value companies of any significant size, buy the McKinsey book instead. If you're going to work with only closely held firms, estates, etc. then perhaps this book is for you.

Useful but Boring
I bought this book long time ago (6-7 years) when I joined a private equity firm and was hungry for materials which taught valuation technique. Materials in this book is useful. In addition,there were few titles which discuss valuation of non-public companies at that time. This book, in fact, was also a reading material for the CFA exam back in 1995. However, the text is quite boring. Unless you really need to study information about valuation for non-public company, don't buy it for leisure ... Read more

Book Description

This current, accurate and detailed industry guide for financial service professionals examines life and health insurance simultaneously from the viewpoints of the buyer, the advisor, and the insurer—providing a comprehensive and unbiased treatise on individual and group life; a forthright appraisal of life and health insurance industry products with careful consideration of the environment; and a complete examination of life insurance company operations and regulation. Bases financial treatment of life insured operations on modern financial theory, and devotes entire chapters to the economics of life and health insurance; individual life and health insurance policies; life and health insurance evaluation; the uses of life and health insurance in personal and business planning; government and employee benefit plans; and the management, operation, and regulation of life insurance companies. Offers a strong global orientation, supporting fundamental concepts with an extensive integration of economic and financial theory and international comparisons, and examines how today's health insurance products fit into a broad framework from a contractual, cost, and performance viewpoints. New chapters on the tax treatment of life and health insurance address such areas as estate planning, retirement planning, and the business uses of life and health insurance. For financial planners, salesmen, actuaries, investment managers, attorneys, CPAs, and other financial service professionals.

Reviews (3)

Life and Health Insurance (13th Edition)
New edition of a venerable classic textbook first published in 1915

Comprehensive and concise
This is an excellent reference book for anybody in the life insurance business, whether you are a novice or an old hand. Comprehensive, easy to understand, and concisely written.

an excellent reference book
This book is an excellent reference book. Just by looking at its Edition Number -- 13, you will know how important this book is in the industry. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Very good for first exposure to financial markets
This book is not an advanced book on financial markets, but it is a good introductory book. I use this book for my undergraduate teaching. Both I and students are happy about the coverage of the book. It is well organized and well written. Improvements will be valuable in the derivatives markets and risk management areas.

Good start
I've used some version of this book for many years now, and I've seen it evolve. I think, as other reviewers have said, that there are some simplified portions of the book, especially those parts dealing with monetary economics. There are other portions which lay out the principles as only these authors can, and those parts are extremely helpful and valuable. This book allows me to teach my notes and thoughts with a textbook serving as a reference and an introduction -- it doesn't get in my way, in other words. I use it along with several other texts, and I think it gets the job done. Students seem to like it as well, mainly for its clarity. For someone wanting to learn the basics, this is an excellent choice.

This book insults the intelligence of all but newcomers
Although this might be a perfect book for those looking for simplicity, I would not advise it to anybody with previous exposure to finance.
The book is a way too simple, and reveals huge ignorance on the markets outside the US.
I think the book is very much a benchmark to reveal ignorant finance - teachers.

Too many errors of omission and commission for a second ed.
Too many errors to be a useful text for a serious course in financial markets. Virtually ignores the market for mortgage backed securities. Ignores the interest on interest component of total return. Discussion of zeroes is muddled. Discussion of YTM is incomplete. Even the chapters on commercial banks and Fed policy contain the same old mistakes seen in most money and banking texts.

Excellent reading
I have never found such a made easy finance text like this before!

A lot of long and hard to understand topics in other textbooks are simplified in plain English.

It is excellent whenever you are puzzled with the topics like Efficient Market Theory and Interest Term Structures in other books and you need a clear understanding! ... Read more

Book Description

Now, you can minimize your clients' tax liability and avoid legal pitfalls, as well as maximize returns on successful transactions and be prepared for all of the potential benefits, with Structuring Venture Capital, Private Equity and Entrepreneurial Transactions.

Here at last is one-step-at-a-time, start-to-finish structural guidance for the following common business transactions:

- Venture capital financing,
- New business start-ups,
- Brains-and-money deals,
- Growth-equity investments,
- Leveraged and management buyouts,
- Industry consolidations,
- Troubled company workouts and reorganizations,
- Going public,
- Selling a business,
and Forming a private equity fund.

Guided by Jack S. Levin's dynamic, transaction-by-transaction approach, you'll make the tax, legal, and economic structuring consequences of every deal benefit your client every time.

In this extraordinary hands-on resource by the most sought-after authority in the field, you'll see exactly how to:

Distribute the tax burden in your client's favor;
Maximize returns on successful transactions;
Control future rights to exit a profitable investment
...and turn every transaction into a winning venture! ... Read more

Book Description

Great managers praise effort and reward results. It’s true, and nobody knows it better than the best-selling authors of Managing with Carrots and The 24-Carrot Manager, Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton. Now from these award-winning authors comes a one-a-day manager’s handbook on motivating employees through praise and recognition. A Carrot A Day can keep you away from recognition pitfalls and help you develop employees who are more focused, more committed, and more engaged in your noble cause. Read just one a day and you will become a better leaders – a manager who is able to tap the power of recognition to build a stronger workplace where employees focus on company goals, spot new opportunities faster, and have longer employment life spans (translation: lower turnover).

Adrian Gostick is co-author of the bestselling The Integrity Advantage. An award-winning business author, Adrian also co-wrote the critically acclaimed business book The 24-Carrot Manager, called a "must read for modern-day managers" by Larry King. He has written for USA Today Magazine, Investor’s Business Daily and other national publications, and has been featured on CNBC, MSNBC and NPR. Adrian is director of corporate communication with the O.C. Tanner Company. Adrian has a master’s degree in strategic communication and leadership from Seton Hall, and is a guest lecturer on ethics at that university.

Chester Elton is co-author of the best-selling books Managing with Carrots and The 24-Carrot Manager. As a motivation expert, Chester has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal and has been a guest on CNN, Bloomberg Television and on National Public Radio. A sought-after speaker and recognition consultant, Chester is VP of performance recognition with the O.C. Tanner Recognition Company. He has been a featured speaker at the HR Southwest, Incentive Magazine Forums, New York City Premium and Incentive Show, and Chicago Motivation Show. ... Read more