Book Description

The Power of Appreciative Inquiry describes a new strategy that inspires people and brings about a higher performance level in any organization. This method encourages people to study, discuss, learn from, and build on what works well when they are at their best, rather than focusing on what’s going wrong. The theory, practice, and spirit of this approach to organizational change is described in plain language. The authors provide guidelines for defining the change agenda, initiative, or project; forming the "steering team"; and launching an organization-wide kick off. Case histories demonstrate how organizations can attain sustained positive change by studying their strengths. This book is the most authoritative, comprehensive guide to Appreciative Inquiry by two of the founders and pioneers of this technique. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The Power of Appreciative Inquiry
I read this book one weekend, and felt inspired! I have been a student of people, groups, and organizations for 30+ years, and was extraordinarily uplifted by the philosophy and stories that the authors captured. Their clear writing summarizes the rigorous underpinnings of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) in psychology and sociology and in the maturing methodologies that have emerged in AI practice, yet the book is eminently accessible. And it does a good job of integrating theory and practice, so has widespread practical application for those who want to implement the appreciative inquiry process. Overall I felt fueled by the stories, and realized that opportunities to help create other positive stories exist everywhere: in my work with individuals, teams, and communities, and in health care and educational institutions as well as in businesses. Colleagues and I are reconnecting to our best selves, and creating conditions for other individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to do so also. Through making Appreciative Inquiry more transparent, the authors encourage us to be part of the contagion. I have heartily recommended the book to clients and colleagues. With deep appreciation, Bea Mah Holland

Outstanding Return on Investment
Note: the previous review I just submitted, I spelled the authors names incorrectly. Please adjust. Thank you.

An outstanding book with a priceless ROI!
First of all, we must note that this is a significant book among the many that have been written on Appreciative Inquiry. This book is brilliantly written with the practioner in mind and is easy to understand. I mentally refer to it as my 'happy book' since I grin and feel good each time I pick it up to read. It deals with those pesky questions such as, 'what do I do first?' and 'how can I get a large organization enthusiastic about using AI?' These ladies also give us some other options than using the AI summit (there are 8 options in all), which can open more possibilities and let us use our own creativity to apply to AI.

The book is organized into three sections: Chapters 1-4 explain what AI is and how it works, Chapters 5-10 explain ways to practice AI and the last Chapter 11 deals with why it works so well. Additionally, each chapter gives specific, practical advice on "how to" with charts and case studies. Perhaps the most valuable chapter is in the third section, which answers the questions "why does AI work so effectively? Perhaps you may do as I did and read this chapter first. This is a very powerful and valuable chapter.

Although based on sound theory and research, the real value of this book comes from the experiences each author shares with us, which highlights ideas and concepts with specific examples from the field. Appreciative Inquiry can seem to be deceptively simple. Simple, it is not. We have only scratched 5% of the learnings from AI's beginnings and there is so much more to learn and experience. The importance of this particular book is that it can be so helpful for both the novice (the one who is trying to understand what AI is all about) and the experienced practioner (the OD professional who uses AI in her practice). It is both a good first book to read to try to understand the underpinnings of Appreciative Inquiry and a tool book for us more experienced folks.

This is a good solid book to have on your shelf that you can refer to often to clarify understandings, theory, and applications of appreciative inquiry. It's a joy to read.

I highly recommend it; the ROI is priceless!

Helene C. Sugarman
Principle, Dynamic Communication
(Organization Development Consulting using AI) and
Chartered Co-owner of AIConsulting, LLP

User Friendly Handbook for AI Interventions
As a practitioner and passionate "convert" to AI from more traditional action research and deficit approach/gap analysis models, I wish I'd had this book 5 years ago when first exposed to AI. It is an outstanding "how to." The descriptions of various designs and activities were pleasant affirmation that the interventions I had designed were "right on." I found the authors' weaving in of actual cases and their candor about when things waned or executives pushed refreshing and reassuring.

The model in chapter 2 of "change agenda, form of engagement, and inquiry strategy" is an excellent way of looking at an initiative from the beginning, parallel to Peter Block's "entry and contracting" phase in action research, but in AI language and philosophy. Whitney & Trosten-Bloom add 3 more underlying principles of AI to Cooperrider's original work:wholeness, enactment, and free choice. They are right on in my opinion. What was particularly helpful in this section was the "principle in practice" followed by an example.

The tables of suggested steps/sequences for each section describing the 4D model in practice were particularly helpful guides, though the authors continually remind the reader of the improvisational nature of this philosophy and approach to positive change. The whole book was respectful of different learning styles and made meaning out of so much of the earlier, more academic publications about appreciative inquiry.

Whitney and Trosten-Bloom have created a very "user friendly," accessible handbook, well organized and written in layman's language. I find it helpful for the current practitioner of AI wanting to learn through the lens of case study snippets, for the novice wanting to learn how it works and how to "do it" before investing the time for more rigorous academic readings, for the manager who wants to approach change in a positive framework, and the OD consultant seeking new, innovative ways to co-create effective, energized workplaces with their clients.

Hats off to the authors for this most recent addition to the growing body of knowledge on AI!

A readable "how to" book about organizational change
The authors have produced a very lively and readable book that pulled me into the heart of positive change and the spirit of affirmation. Their stories of success establish them as credible organizational change experts. From the principles behind the theory, to the methods of operationalizing the change process, this book gives clear direction on how to start now and move your company (and its bottom line) in the right direction. Avoiding the dry and parched style of other OD books, The Power Of Appreciative Inquiry gently guides the reader on a path that allows each person to discover his/her own use of this wonderful change process. I recommend it highly to all small business owners. ... 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

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity -- principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates. ... Read more

Reviews (558)

This book has definitely changed my life for the better.
This is a book that has changed my life irrevocably and forever. It required great energy, patience and time to read, one with much meaning and very deep in content. In fact, after struggling through the first two Principles outlined in this book I found myself putting it away on the shelf. For nearly a year it sat there and I didn't pick it up again until I had another reason to. The second time around I could not put the book down and took prolific amounts of notes. The third time I read it I learned even more.

This book is about self, about becoming the true you and living your life optimally. This is not a pep-rally or a psychological breakdown of "The 100 Top Tips to Boost Your Self-Esteem". The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is all about understanding where you can (should) be taking yourself in your life. The influence, the support, the understanding, the energy that Dr. Stephen Covey discusses comes from within yourself; it is not an external influence that fades as soon as the source is gone. You create it; you live it; it becomes you and you become it. These principles are not subject to the whims of others. You create yourself, you build upon yourself and you become an effective person in your life through learning to help yourself and others. You learn how to graduate from dependence to independence and then even further on to a higher level: interdependence all by looking deeply within yourself and following seven sound principles that are laid out in a very logical, rational and emotionally-sound manner. The principles behind Dr. Covey's ideas are based on faith in self, community and God. He helps you to understand the philosophy, "Love Me for Me."

In The Seven Habits, Covey talks about the Personal Mission Statement. This is a project that you create, write, rewrite over and over until it describes the person you most want to be. Then you simply spend the rest of your life living those beliefs until you become that person. It is probably the easiest, yet most difficult thing you will ever do in your entire life. Why? Because you must devote your entire life, and energy to this task. How easy it is to become side-tracked and slide into old habits of comfort. But these old habits are the ones that you want to rewrite with new, better habits. This is a difficult road to follow. It is also, without a doubt the most rewarding activity you will ever do in your entire life. After all, the most rewarding things in life are often the most difficult.

Comprehensive blueprint for revitalizing corporate America
Dr. Covey's book has deservedly withstood the test of time. If you appreciate the 80/20 rule that 80% of your benefit comes from 20% of (whatever), you'll know that sometimes the 95/5 rule applies: Ninety-five percent of your effectiveness in life and business comes from applying five percent of the advice available. Dr. Covey has culled that 5% that most deserves your time and energy.
He addresses the critical issues of how you set your goals and priorities, how you dedicate your time, how you manage people, and how you keep your ethics and values intact throughout the challenges of life.
If the Seven Habits had been applied during the dot.com boom instead of the Common Deadly Principles of Greed we would surely have had slower, steadier, more lasting economic growth. It's never too late.
More than ever, these positive principles are needed throughout American life - and especially within the business sector. The behavioral principles are sound and built on the rock of universal (not sectarian) spiritual laws.

STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVENESS
Stephen Covey outlines the best strategies for maximum effectiveness in this great book. The fact that this book has remained a best seller for over 15 years should tell you something about the merits of the informmation that it contains.

Highly recommended book.

Definitely a must read book
I have worked for major corporations and I have been self employed in direct sales and network marketing. Hardly a day goes by when I don't find someone who recommends and in many cases, carries The 7 Habits around with them in their briefcase.

In a world of me, me, me, me. It's great to have a noted and highly respected authority like Dr. Covey teach the concepts of "Win-Win" and "seek first to understand, then be understood."

I am also happy to see that Dr. Covey has endorsed network marketing and recommends it. easy to understand why. Network marketing is indeed the wave of the future so it makes sense that the professionals of the present and the near future will be applying Dr. Coveys techniques just as those Fortune 500 companies have been doing since the 1980's.

Great book. I highly recommend it to everyone and especially network marketers who want to significantly grow their business.

Thank you Dr. Covey for a great book.

An excellent book
The way the author has deconstructed human development and potential is insightful. The author's view is that people first develop a triumvirate individual competances and skills.

1) Be Proactive.
2) Begin with the End in Mind.
3) Put First things First.

Once they have mastered this they can then accelerate the results they achieve by mastering 3 more skills that enable them to enable others.

4) Think win-win.
5) Seek first to understand.
6) Synergize.

Encompassing these 6 habits is the seventh habit which emcompasses the others is the

7) Sharpen the saw.

Though the some of the ideas are a little trite or naive together they form a good toolset. ... Read more

Book Description

The Fourth Edition of Leadershipbalances theory with real-world applications-ideal for instructors who take a practical, skill-building approach to teaching leadership. Key updates include a consolidation of more traditional topics; new research; a new chapter on leadership and ethics; and real-world profiles that now include leaders from lower-level management and the small business sector with whom students can more easily relate. In addition, this edition features greater emphasis on interpersonal skills, one additional Leadership Case Problemper chapter, and new Internet Skill-Building Exercises.

• New! Each chapter features the latest research from academic journals and popular periodicals on leadership and current events.
• New! Chapter 6, Leadership Ethics and Social Responsibility, focuses on moral and ethical leadership in relation to standard business practices. In particular, the chapter highlights ethical decision-making and the importance of social responsibility—with reference to Enron and WorldCom.
• New! The Internet Skill-Building Exerciseat the end of each chapter reinforces the real-world application of chapter concepts by prompting students to research key leadership topics online, retrieve leadership information, and assimilate online self-assessment results.
• New! Every chapter now contains two Leadership Case Problems(A & B), encouraging students to develop their leadership skills and practice making real-life decisions.
• New! In keeping with the text's increased emphasis on interpersonal skills, the Scoring and Interpretationsection of each Leadership Self-Assessmenthas been expanded to help students better understand and apply their results. Also, each Leader in Action box now ends with questions relating the leader being profiled to specific chapter concepts.

Reviews (4)

positive
I was 100% satisfied with respect to my dealings with this user.

Want to act like a Leader, then simply read this book!
I read this book in one of my master classes and took the advantage of reading it in my life. Especially the communication chapter describes all the required traits that you should do in your both professional and personal life in order to become an effective people. I am sure that this book will be your potential consultant. Highly recommended...

Effective!
This book is wonderful. It simplifies the "art" of leadership and makes concepts clear. It's an excellent reference tool for anyone in leadership, or wanting to be there!

Easy and practical read about Leadership
The book is easy and fast to read. No chapter takes longer than 10 min. to read. Full of practical examples and suggestions. It's esp. useful for new leaders or people just entering Management/leadership positions. But it also offers great thoughts for people who are already involved in leadership. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After Michael Treacy finished writing his bestseller, The Discipline of Market Leaders, he continued to track the companies profiled to answer one major question: how do market-leading companies foster growth? In Double-Digit Growth: How Great Companies Achieve It—No Matter What the MIT Management Professor addresses this problem with a five-part portfolio of management disciplines. He offers case studies of well-known and little-known companies that have achieved growth year after year based on this diversified approach.

His first three disciplines--"keep the growth you have already earned," "take business from your competitors," and "show up where the growth is going to happen"--may seem obvious, and even beyond the control of the average executive. But Treacy provides frameworks for applying each as business practice, not just wishful thinking. His fourth and fifth disciplines, "invade adjacent markets" and "invest in new lines of business," are perhaps the most controversial. Here, though, he is not advising rampant conglomeration. Rather, he stresses the need for acquisitions and expansions made based on reliable data predicting long-term growth with risk spread over diversified investments.

Treacy is not presenting a step-by-step formula for success. Through his quick, readable prose he offers instead a course in mental re-training for executives. A management team must construct tools for tracking and measuring its success against each of the five growth disciplines, and it must build a corporate culture that instills growth as a core goal. While he offers no guarantees, his arguments are compelling, and the nuanced management strategies he suggests seem a plausible base for attaining predictable growth. --Patrick O’Kelley ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great insights, a must for corporate "victims" everywhere.
Michael Treacy sets out to show that growth, double digit growth at that, is possible in every economic environment.This is of course a creative possibility, but is often not acknowledged or even sought after by many in corporate America who are content to do the easy risk-avoidance strategies which ensure their ultimate demise.I liked this quote early in the book to set the tone:"Why do many managers preside over no-growth organizations without confronting the reality that accepting the status quo is the business equivalent of committing suicide?"

The highlights of the book are the way the ideas are laid out and then described in action with examples across several industries.Some of the tactics include; Spread the risk, Take small bites, Balance your strategies, and Commit to superior value.One key according to Treacy is to accept that growth is a choice.He describes managers talking about growth difficulties as "a little like listening to an addict in denial. Don't they understand that growth is a choice - a choice that lies entirely within their power and no one else's?" (Page 17).

Treacy covers 5 disciplines; Improving customer base retention; Market share gain; Market positioning; Penetrating adjacent markets; New lines of business. While these are certainly solid examples of the ways to approach growth, the real depth in the book is around understanding consumer behavior.He points out the reality behind why most "customer retention" strategies don't work, and how to increase "switching costs" of your products and services.Making your products and services "sticky" is a key to growth working well, by retaining current customers while attracting new ones.

While the information and theories here are certainly not the final word on growth, this book should be required reading for all the corporate "victims" blaming their woes on things outside their control.It is clear that countless opportunities exist within every market niche and through every economic trend to facilitate growth.Many companies do in fact continue to grow, and they are usually ones who are committed to it.The companies that do not grow are usually gone in time.The section on Corning, caught in the euphoria of the late 90's telecom boom, was a great example of how even market leaders fail to get ahead of the indicators and lose as a result.

Overall, a great read, with some good insights.I would have liked to see a bit more focus on the inspirational factors that great leaders bring to align their employees to deliver when the employees themselves may not see the way.That is obviously a huge key to executing a strategy, and was not covered as in depth as it could have been here.Otherwise, a good look at how to achieve growth and will likely cause many light bulbs to go on while reading.

Low Inflation Makes Revenue Growth Harder to Accomplish
During the times when inflation and GNP growth in the United States were higher, investors gradually expanded their expectations of what "growth" meant.During the great bull market of the 1960s, a company that grew revenues by 10 percent a year was considered a great growth firm.Soon, that target was being set north of 15 percent.Exciting breakthroughs in technology meant that many markets were actually growing faster than that, so those who were growing market share were expanding at enormous rates (remember Cisco in the 1990s?).

Since then, inflation has declined to almost nothing, GDP has been stagnant during the Bush administration (with a recent up tick), and the dollar has been plummeting (making overseas revenues worth much less).That's a tougher environment to grow in than even the 1960s.So Double-Digit Growth is talking about a difficult target for those who are not in the highest growth industries.In appreciation of that point, Michael Treacy (coauthor of The Discipline of Market Leaders) says that companies should measure their growth in terms of total gross profits.So if you are expanding your value-added enough, you may be able to have double-digit growth while having less than double-digit revenue growth.That said, he argues that ANY company can have double-digit growth.I assume that he means it is POSSIBLE.Based on the track record of the last three years, most would agree that it?s IMPROBABLE though if we look at time frames of five years or more.

As with The Discipline of Market Leaders, Mr. Treacy looks at a few successful companies that have met his targets in the past (Johnson Controls, Mohawk Industries, Paychex, Biomet, Oshkosh Truck and Dell) and extrapolates what they did into a few simple lessons.The strategic lessons are:

1) Spread your risk by pursuing many growth initiatives

2) Take on small growth challenges so you don't become overwhelmed by the size of the task

3) Use a variety of strategies involving organic growth and acquisitions, as appropriate to grow

4) Be committed to providing superior value

5) Develop your management to handle growth opportunities before tackling more opportunities

6) Make growth a central focus of your management processes (using Balanced Scorecard-like measures).

To implement these six strategic perspectives, he counsels that each company should focus on five management disciplines:

a) Reduce customer turnover

b) Take business from competitors

c) Emphasize those areas in your industry that are growing fastest

d) Invade adjacent markets where you can bring important advantages to bear

e) Invest in new lines of business

The heart of the book is devoted to these five disciplines.Each receives a chapter that talks about the difficulties involved and how to over come those difficulties.I thought that the book's advice was most practical and interesting when it talked about the disciplines.

If I look back to when I was first learning about strategy, I think that every article or book I read talked about the last four disciplines . . . but omitted the first.In fact, the best chapter in the book is on the first discipline, especially in debunking those who advocate that you can build loyalty in customers with any method other than making your value proposition be terrific.

Another excellent part of the book comes in the case history of First Data which used these disciplines to improve its situation.Presumably First Data was a consulting client of Mr. Treacy's.

I was pleased to see that Mr. Treacy noted that many of his champion growers frequently changed business models in positive ways (especially Paychex and Dell).Double-Digit Growth is rare book in noting and describing such management excellence.In doing so, the book's only weaknesses were that few examples of continuing business model innovation were included and not enough attention was paid to describing the key elements of this new and important management discipline.I hope in future books that Mr. Treacy will place more emphasis on the best practices in this area.

The book's perspective is that of the strategist and marketing executive, so those who come from other perspectives will probably gain the most from this book.Double-Digit Growth will give other executives a chance to understand what they should be focusing on as they meld their talents together with others in the organization.

If you are, however, a veteran strategist or marketing executive, you may get little benefit except from reading whichever company cases in the book (listed above) you have not read or heard about before.

As I finished the book, I wondered about how companies can make it more exciting to work on customer retention.Perhaps Raving Fans! has it right in that regard.

If you are not in a high growth market, though, I would still rate your chances of double-digit growth in revenues or gross profits to be slim . . . unless you become a master of continuing business model innovation.

Hits the nail on the head
In this excellent book, Michael Treacy discusses a subject that had been forgotten by most companies---growth. It's all about growth. Creating revenues. Being creative and competitive.Too many companies are focused on being Mr. Cheapskate by cutting back and many of those companies have lostbusiness to companies that are growth focused.Every executive and every business person must read this book if you want your company to move forward or even stay around in this new, tougher enviroment.Also recommend Good To Great by Jim Collins.

Finally some good thinking after years of gloom n doom
Double-digit growth looks at an issue that is finally regaining importance.After years of cutting costs and getting rightsized we are not talking about making companies grow.Hurrah.Treacy does a good job in pointing out how really few companies consistently grow and the practices that they use to create this truely virtuous cycle.

He provides five disciplines:

1) Keep the growth you already have
2) Take business away from your competitiors
3) Show up where the growth is going to happen
4) Invade adjacent markets
5) Invest in new lines of business

The disciplines and their explaination are make in lively action oriented prose with actionable advice.This is a powerful book written about a powerful subject.I have been dismayed by the quality if business book ideas over the past three years and now with this book and some others, ideas and interest in them seem to be getting off the ground.

Read this book, if nothing more than to check yourself and your company against these disciplines.Look at what you are doing and how you are positioning yourself for growth.I think that you will be surprised at what you uncover.

the mystery to growth revealed
Mr. Treacy's book offers clear and consise information about how to grow a company.I was drawn to this book because I am so tired of listening to all of the negativity about the economy, corporate scandals and the recession.Treacy proves- through excellent exmaples-- that several companes, of all shapes and sizes were able to grow durin these challenging years.Ultimately this book touts wise management, a plan to grow and the need to grow.Every American company would be wise to make this book required reading among their managment teams. ... Read more

Book Description

* An updated edition of the bestselling book on managing IT projects
* New topics introduced in this edition include Adaptive and eXtreme management methods, team selection and management, and risk analysis
* Immerses readers in a simulated real-world situation where they must perform as seasoned project managers to move example projects through their lifecycles
* Walks readers through a series of projects that they are most likely to encounter on the job
* Authors adhere to the Project Management Institute's (PMI) curriculum outline
* The fully-interactive CD-ROM has been updated for MS Project 2002 ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Practical book
I find this book very practical. Project Management is a field where there are many concepts with dependencies on one another. The authors have managed to explain these concepts in a flow that is smooth and easy to understand, and yet with not too many words, i.e. clear and concise words. It surely gives a good foundation to someone who is learning Project Management.

Excellent, yet succinct
An excellent book on management of IT projects. The author discusses three different kinds of project management: Traditional, Adaptive and Extreme. The book is worth the purchase price for just the discussion on the Traditional project management method. The material about "Adaptive" and "Extreme" variations are icing on the cake.

What I like about this book is that the author effectively acknowledges the shortcomings of traditional project management and does not harp on its dogma. The material on adaptive project management offers a way out for those projects where the method of implementation is so unknown that traditional full-court project management practices will only hurt and not help. Much of the information on adaptive and extreme project management is similar to the "extreme programming" methodology, but specifically targeted towards a project manager.

I think this book is an excellent purchase. It is well written and succinct (unlike the 1000 pages of bullet-points from a competing author). Other reasons to purchase the book are its reasonable price and the fact that you get a trial version of Microsoft Project 2002 with it.

I wish the author had gone into greater depth about earned value. I have found earned value difficult to do without good support from the project management tool (calculating BCWS for example is tedious to do by hand); every time I tried to do earned value for a real project using MP98 or MP2000 the tool has crashed on me.

In summary I believe that this is an excellent book, and should be read by every project manager.

The third edition is excellent
There is a complete PM education in this fairly compact book. The third edition touches upon non-traditional project management. In other words, project management in real life as opposed to what is in most every textbook.

To me the value of the third edition lies in Robert Wysocki's recognition of projects where either the goal is clear but the methods aren't, or where even the goal is unclear. These types of projects seem to predominate in IT. This book is worth purchasing for the insight that the authors bring into the non-traditional non-textbook real-life projects.

The prose is clearly written and reads very tightly. Contrast this to the random collection of thoughts in Kerzner's book. This book is written for the practitioner, though someone taking a college course in project management would also benefit.

Excellent book, at an excellent price. You can't go wrong.

Good introductory book
I purchased this book because I was looking for material to prepare the PMP certification exam. The book is easy to read and the concepts and key terms are clean and well explained. However, from my point of view, is too shallow to be fully "effective". I've been managing software projects for the last 6 years and, after reading the book, I felt that it didn't cover all my expectations, for example, treatment of Critical Chain Project Management is little more than a quote of its existence.

Anyway, if you are looking for an introductory book on PM I think is a pretty good book, but remember, to gain more in depth knowledge on particular subject matters you'll have to look at the references.

One of best works for overviewing project management
I find this book superior to Harold Kerzner's respectable text on project management with the definitions, examples, and overall layout of the book being clearer and more easily understandable. The principle obstacle to engineering management (and project management in general) is the precarious "balancing act" managers have to maintain proper technical quality within a reasonable budget and timeline. This book is succinct in presenting this and comes with an informative CD-ROM for further studies. It is a highly recommended addition to any manager's library. ... Read more

Book Description

Supply chain management, both in industry and in academia, has grown rapidly over the past several years mainly due to an increase in corporate goals of reducing manufacturing costs and the savings that come from planning and managing the supply chain effectively.Most textbooks do not include models and decision support systems robust enough for industry. Designing and Managing the Supply Chain: Concepts, Strategies, and Cases, 2/e by Simchi-Levy, Kaminsky and Simchi-Levi discusses the problems, models and concepts derived from issues related to effective supply chain management. This textis suitable for both academic study and practicing professionals. While many core supply chain management issues are interrelated, the authors have tried to make each chapter as self-contained as possible so that the reader can refer directly to chapters covering topics of interest. Each chapter utilizes case studies and numerous examples. Mathematical and technical sections can be skipped without loss of continuity. The accompanying CD-ROM also provides two simulations, the Computerized Beer Game and the Risk Pool Game and a computerized tool, new to this edition, for developing and executing supply chain contracts. These packages help illustrate many of the concepts discussed. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Useful "Supply Chain Management" reference
The book has used a simple words and real case to introduce what the supply chain management is. Until this movement, it maybe the best supply chain book in the world.

Major Bernie Boucher, United States Army
As far as Dr. Simchi-Levi's book, I try to stay on top of the latest updates in regards to supply chain management and attend supply chain management seminars and classes on a regular basis. I've found that the text is state of the art and is at the cutting edge in presenting the key "Best Practices" associated with logistics today. The use of theory and cases is a great combination in getting the key concepts across. I have used it several times already in implementing real world logistical solutions in support of the U.S. Military worldwide. Bottom line . . . Any logistician who considers themselves a true professional and desires to be at the forefront of logistics today must add this book to their personal collection.

Seminal Work in Supply Chain Design and Implementation
Levi's work is probably the very best supply chain book ever written. It cuts through much of the confusion surrounding supply chain design and optimization, and covers this complex, deep, and extremely substantive field in a comprehensive, instructive, and highly effective way.

I needed something more concise
Good as a text book for an MBA program but I needed something concise and clear. I'll keep looking

The definitive book on supply chain management
The 1st edition of this book, authored by three leading scholars and consultants in the important, fast developing field of supply chain management, won several awards and high critical acclaim from professional associations, scholars, and managers.

The 2nd edition has addressed the few gaps in the the original edition, noticed mainly by by those who, like me, used the book to teach university level courses. Thus, in the new edition, anything complex (especially, quantitative ideas) is explained even more clearly and thoroughly than in the 1st edition. The managerial implications of research findings are spelled out even better, with more examples. Short, insightful discussion questions have been added following each chapter, and there are several new, interesting case studies in several chapters. Valuable new material has also been added, e.g., research findings and examples on how to design win-win supply chain contracts, and up-to-date material on the impact of e-commerce and information technology on supply chain management.

This book will be of value to all managers, but probably most to managers at middle and senior levels, as it provides a clear, coherent view of the entire subject while emphasizing strategic and tactical level decisions and planning. The authors have made a truly important contribution to the understanding and practice of supply chain management. ... Read more

Book Description

In this revolutionary bestseller, Harvard professor Clayton M. Christensen says outstanding companies can do everything right and still lose their market leadership, or worse, disappear completely. And he not only proves what he says, he tells others how to avoid a similar fate.

Focusing on "disruptive technology" of the Honda Supercub, Intel's 8088 processor, and the hydraulic excavator, Christensen shows why most companies miss "the next great wave." Whether in electronics or retailing, a successful company with established products will get pushed aside unless managers know when to abandon traditional business practices. Using the lessons of successes and failures from leading companies, The Innovator's Dilemma presents a set of rules for capitalizing on the phenomenon of disruptive innovation.

Reviews (125)

Great Book About Business Strategies, Must Read for Managers
Comment: This review is done as a class project for the San Jose State University MBA e-commerce course by Ji Luo.

Dr. Christensen's book offered me a fresh perspective into looking at how large established business failed. As the author explained it, the standard process that governs sound management could be the same one that destroys the company. I found his use of graphics and quantities data sufficient as well as very useful in understand concepts such as the S-curve and the value networks. The detailed analysis shows that the author has done quite a bit of research into the topic and that makes the data more credible to me. His writing style is very easy to understand and organized. First few chapters go into how disruptive technology can destroy a company if not harnessed. His later chapters list guidelines on how to avoid the pitfalls. These guidelines are followed thoroughly by many case studies and quotes from industry leaders. While company's policies shouldn't be based on a few guidelines and the situations in a person's particular industry may find the guidelines hard to follow, the author's particular views are irrefutable and should at least be considered by the managers. It's really exciting to see him link the same principles to so many varying industries from high tech to low tech. The overarching principle of sustaining technology and disruptive technology and how a company should embrace it could be applied to any large established industry.

People who are interested in the business world should read this book and should especially be read by top managers in large corporation because many of them are ultimately responsible for success or failure of implementing disruptive technology. However, this is not a perfect book. I am a bit skeptical as to whether these rules apply to medium sized companies or companies with low margins. Therefore, my opinion is that the guidelines listed here really only applies to large organization with a lot of resources to divide. Also, The author sometimes repeat his points more than he should. He tends to concentrate so much on the hard disk drive industry that he left less room to get into deeper analysis into other industries.

Overall, I think this is a great read for anyone interested in business and wondered about how large companies such as Montgomery Wards could go belly-up or why Digital Corporation disappeared from our vocabulary.

A "must own" for managers and business executives
This is the best book on strategy I have ever read (and I've read a few in my time). In his book, "The Innovator's Dilemma", Clayton M. Christensen, business professor at Harvard, explains why established firms fail, more often than none, when confronted with disruptive technologies.

Disruptive technology is different from radical innovation. Such technology initially proposes attributes that are not valued by current, mainstream customers. The technology is initially attractive to a small market segment -- making it unattractive for larger firms. Therefore lies the innovator's dillema: how to allocate resources to developing a technology that will target a smaller market and at lower margins.

Thoughout his book, Mr. Christensen develops a framework for managers and executives (also valid and valuable for consultants and analysts) to be able to resolve this dillema.

If you are to read only one book on business this year, the Innovator's Dillema should be it.

The reviewer is a certified management consultant and earned his MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University and completed the Wharton School Multinational Marketing and Management Program. He is also a Professional Engineer and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering from the University of Toronto.

Good introduction to a nice Theory
Not quite as easy to read as I would have liked. Christensen describes some very interesting & plausible theories, but is somewhat confined into employing the computer disk industry as the rapidly changing example which both demonstrates & proves his theories, and its not necessarily the most exciting case material. Other products only get a minor look-in.

What I did like is how he covers the footnotes at the end of each Chapter - so if they don't interest you, you can skip over them, but if they do interest you, then you don't have to struggle to the back of the book. I wish more authors & publishers would use that technique.

One quibble - given his Economics background - of course there are plenty of graphs, and 99% of them are straight lines - there are no time dependent variances in his world.

Read this before you read the Innovators Solution.

Driven by disks
Clay Christensen combines the science of empirical research with the art of organizational behavior in his best-selling "The Innovator's Dilemma." The book provides tangible advice on how to foster innovation within a corporate environment. His case studies draw from the successes and failures of American companies within numerous industries (disk drives, excavators, motorcycles, software). Christensen's strong points include a creative presentation of data, lucid writing and frank admission that the advice in his book is not a one-size-fits-all panacea for management challenges. But a heads-up to readers: perhaps 50% of the book centers on the disk-drive manufacturing industry. Although the lessons learned in hard drives are interesting, a more balanced approach would have been welcome. "The Innovators Dilemma" is a well written management how-to, in the same league as classics by Peters or Hammer. The book seems to be written for managers in large organizations, but entrepreneurs will probably find the material just as beneficial.

Fantastic book for anyone . . . especially business students
This was a fantastic book. I began reading it less than half way through the MBA program I am in and I was amazed at how many of the arguments others were making in class fell apart. This book helped me better analyze several aspects of many of my classes and I only wish I would have read it sooner.

I continued on and read the Innovator's Solution, and while I thought it was also a good book, I got much more out of the Innovator's Dilemma, though I still recommend both of them. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

decent book
This book is an ok book. The cases are very interesting and they were the best part of the book. The readings in the first half of the book were random at times and generally not that good. Mintzberg has a great grasp of the concepts, but the book does not do well at conveying them.

Excellent business book
This is the kind of book that everyone who wants to be a business administrator should read. It is a compilation of diferents articles most of them from HBR and each unit has some real cases which explain the theme better.

Very good book.
I managed to read it throughly and study most of the cases presented on this book. This book is a very actual source of information to learn and expand existing knowledge. I give 5-stars due to the fact that it is rich in its contents. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Climbing Mount Everest: dangerous. Hitchhiking in Colombia: very dangerous. Leading through change: perilous. Perilous but possible, say Heifetz and Linsky in their encouragingly practical guide to putting yourself on the line and negotiating the hazards of leadership. As the authors acknowledge, many leadership books are "all about inspiration, but downplay the perspiration." This one doesn't. Leadership is always a risky business, but those risks can be understood and reduced. Effective leadership comes from doing more than the technical work of routine management; it involves adaptive work on the part of the leader, and a willingness to confront and disturb people, promote their resourcefulness, and engage their ability to adjust to new realities. But adaptive change always encounters resistance. Heifetz and Linsky examine four forms of resistance--marginalization, diversion, attack, and seduction--before presenting a number of practical resistance-response skills to nurture and employ. Some are fairly obvious (like developing and maintaining perspective, and holding steady in the midst of change), and others more complex (like thinking politically when dealing with friends, foes, and fence sitters), but shimmering nuggets of insight and practical wisdom can be found in each. The dangers of leadership also spring from within, however, and the book's final section addresses ways to recognize and manage competing "hungers" and learn to distinguish one's roles from one's self. The authors' points are illustrated by the experiences of leaders from all walks of life, making this a useful and inspiring manual for anyone hoping to put themselves on the line and make a difference in the lives of others. --S. Ketchum ... Read more

Reviews (12)

No-nonsense guide to the art of leadership
This book educates to inspire and lead. It is a motivated effort of describing individual challenges and strategic problems that crop up while attempting to put forth a positive sway. It is crucial to anyone attempting massive changes in the approach their company does business. Unlike many books about leadership, this is more pragmatic about the risks and rewards linked to reform an organization. Ability & Courage to innovate despite of a conventional ladder,is all about true leadership. This is a no-nonsense guide to the art of leadership combining vibrant stories with logical conclusions. Vivek Dixit, Stanford.edu

A new, Improved, & User-Friendlier incarnation
Serious scholars of leadership will already be well-acquainted with the path-breaking work of Ron Heifetz. His "Leadership W/out Easy Answers" and other significant contributions to "The Harvard Business Review," for instance, have already established him as one of the foremost authorities in the field. I believe that "Leadership W/out Easy Answers" is one of the top 5 works on leadership. I recommend it highly to any and all leaders, managers, and students with professional aspirations. "Leadership on the Line" reiterates several of the previous book's compelling themes--but with a more informal, user-friendlier tone. I'd recommend that discerning readers sample this (more recently published) one first, and then proceed to Heifetz's earlier title (publ'd in 1994) if they're curious to read more.
In their "Introduction" to this new volume, Heifetz and Linsky explain that "We wanted this second book to be more focused, more practical, and more personal [than "L'ship W/out Easy Answers"]. We hope this book will be accessible, eminently usable, and inspiring in your work and life." Happily, they've accomplished their mission this time around, too!
This narrative is even more readable, more anecdotal, and less jargon-laden than its "more academic" predecessor. It should thus reward an even broader audience of readers (including more committed "generalists").
If one of James MacGregor Burns's seminal contributions to the field was the distinction between transactional and transformational leadership, Heifetz's elucidation here of "adaptive vs. technical leadership" merits similar distinction, in my view. "Leadership on the Line" speaks to the heart and soul as well as the mind. Most of us are likely to have plenty to glean from the incisive leadership insights it offers.

This book shows things that open the view of leadership
I recomend this book to everyone who needs a good understanding of leadership and its implications. This book helps to analise day to day cases, implement changes or new ideas, and many others things. It uses simple and efective examples. I consider it a must have book.

Excellent!
Thank you for the line of survival. I am better able to comprehend the mind set and behaviors that contribute to a persons inhibitions to lead. I am now better equipped to lead in the midst of an ever changing environment.

One of the best
This book is not neccessarily comprehensive on the topic of leadership. As a person who has read around 10 books on leadership, I am beggining to realize the topic is far more complex to be contained in a single book. This book addresses on aspect of leadership, change managment, better than any book I have read. As the book points out, leadership is about change (which is too categoric for me to totally agree). A good leader brings change only at a rate which the stakeholders of the change can absorb it, and failure to do so will result in the ousting of the leader. This simple concept was quite revealing to me and deserving of the price of this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Notable changes occurring in the global marketplace since the publication of the first three editions of this book (1982, 1987, and 1993) have included e-commerce and widespread use of the Internet, growth of supply chain management, a continued explosion of computer and information technology worldwide, development of 24-hour markets with many organizations operating worldwide, and a continued corporate emphasis on quality and customer satisfaction. Trade agreements such as North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), European Union, ASEAN and Mercosur have enabled corporations to implement regional, if not entirely global, logistics strategies. The fourth edition of Strategic Logistics Management has been significantly expanded to reflect these and the many other changes that have occurred, as well as to include state-of-the-art logistics information and technology. The basic tenets of the previous editions have been retained, but new material has been added to make the book more managerial, integrative, and "cutting edge." Strategic Logistics Management is still the only text that takes a marketing orientation and views the subject from a customer satisfaction perspective. While emphasizing the marketing aspects of logistics, it integrates all of the functional areas of the business as well as incorporating logistics into supply chain management. This book has been extensively revised and updated in the areas of technology, global coverage, and transportation. This book features brand new chapters on Supply Chain Management (Ch 2) and Measuring and Selling the Value of Logistics (Ch 17). ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Fourth Edition Selected for Graduate Course
I reviewed six different texts in preparing for a graduate level course in International Logistics at Baruch College before deciding on Stock and Lambert's Fourth Edition.This text combines currency, and breadth and depth in a way that is most relevant to the manner in which I wish to conduct the class.It provides a useful and usable reference to the students after the course is completed.Furthermore, the related web site has been very helpful in utilizing this text.I will complement the text for certain modules (i.e., E-Commerce, Culture Change, Logistics as a Career). One always needs, no matter who the author, to provide relevant current material from other sources.A big thanks goes to Stock and Lambert for this text.

Excellent Logistics Textbook
I have used this book as the primary text for my Supply Chain Management class at the College of New Jersey. My students are Junior and Senior undergraduate level students in the School of Business. The book provided excellent coverage of all major aspects of the logistics discipline.

I believe that the book would also be appropriate at the graduate school level. There are excellent case studies that can be expanded into worthwhile class discussions or projects.

The supplemental material for instructors is very helpful in preparing for lectures.

Useful concepts, but outdated in nature
I used this textbook for a recent college course.I was very disappointed because the book was published in 1992 when the computer was a novel concept "for the future of logistics management".If you can getby this "minor" point, there are other good points to be learnedin warehousing and inventory managment that are useful.In short: A goodreference book.

Only good as a reference book
This is not so much a text book for students, but rather a cook book for consultants. I found it boring to read and very superficial. But, as a reference guide in your professional carrier, it is probably quite useful.

This is definitely for the mathematically minded logistician
This book focusses on each and every aspect of Logistics managementstarting from generating an order for a product/commodity right through themanufacturing process, waehousing, inventory management, transportation andcustomer service. It goes into a little more detail when it comes toinventory management incorporating some basic mathematics and algorithms.It explains each and every step of the logistics "supply chain"process with great detail and finesse. This book can almost (not entirely)replace a swag of other logistics books within its genre. A perfect textfor any logistics/industrial engineering curriculum. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the primary reference, how-to guide, and sourcebook for energy conservation.It lets you improve efficiency and save money in all types of buildings and plants, ranging from individual houses to commercial buildings to large institutions and industrial plants.It is organized around 400 logically grouped energy conservation actions, presented in language that everyone understands.

It's for everyone who uses energy, pays for utilities, manages property, operates energy systems, designs, builds, and values conservation and the environment.It's loaded with features that help you quickly find the right information for each application. "Ratings" and "Selection Scorecards" identify your best conservation opportunities."Traps & Tricks" ensure success."Economics" estimate savings and costs.It has been acclaimed by professional and non-technical users.Publishers Weekly says it "answers just about any question [from] homeowner, plant manager, energy policy guru ... as practically useful as it is informative."830 photographs and drawings illustrate the methods.Hundreds of examples give you a feel for real applications.A complete index makes it easy to find every topic and term. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Superlative! A must have!
Superlative!  The ENERGY EFFICIENCY MANUAL by Donald Wulfinghoff is a "must have" for professionals, libraries, facility managers, policy makers, homeowners, and anyone else who is serious about saving energy and cashing in on lower energy bills. It is the ultimate energy saving resource for businesses, industry, and government. PLUS, it will save money and reduce pollution, satisfying corporate bottom lines, policy makers, and environmentalists all at the same time. This book is unique. Highly informative, illustration-rich, and user-friendly, it is treasure trove of everything you need to know about energy efficiency from A to Z. Don't bother looking elsewhere -- the ENERGY EFFICIENCY MANUAL simply has it all. This book will pay for itself almost as fast as you can spot a hot air leak or install an energy-efficient light bulb!

-- Amy Vickers

A secret weapon for the energy auditor
As an energy auditor I'd almost call the Energy Efficiency Manual a secret weapon, except it has so many good ideas that I can't help but show it to many of the customers and prospective customers I meet. The diagrams are very useful, as is the self contained but well cross-referenced way in which each improvement measure has been written. For example, talking to the maintenance manager of a hospital, we looked at the diagrams of hot/cold deck multi-zone systems while discussing the pros and cons of upgrading a constant volume air conditioning system to a variable volume system. It is by far the most useful book on energy management that I have ever read (well, in the case of the Energy Efficiency Manual, that I have partially read - its an enormously large book!), and the ratings of each of the measures are particularly useful, along with the practical, no-nonsense approach. The book is extremely well cross referenced and Wulfinghoff has covered an enormous body of knowledge in writing the book. As someone fairly new to the field I'm grateful that he went to the effort of documenting and making available his knowledge and 30 odd years experience in the Energy Efficiency Manual.

Everything you always wanted to know, in plain English
I nodded my head in agreement while reading Wulfinghoff's philosophy about energy savings in commercial and light industrial facilities. He distills 20+ years of experience in this field with practical, no-nonsense how-tos to gain energy and dollar savings in a wide variety of facilities and end-uses: lighting, water use, steam systems, space heating, water heating, air conditioning, scheduling, pumps, energy management controls: its all here in a well-written, well-illustrated book.

Perhaps best of all, the author goes beyond theoretical considerations of high-tech efficiency products, with precautions of what works and what might fall short. He also reminds facility managers to be mindful of the human factors that can foil our best efforts. He offers suggestions on how to plan and manage efficiency upgrades complete with information for building operators and occupants, so that the savings persist.

Highly recommended for anyone managing energy use in facilities, ranging from individual buildings to college campuses to government facilities. [I am a local government energy manager myself.]

Provides practical advice for avoiding pitfalls
Donald Wulfinghoff's Energy Efficiency Manual is a massive, 1,536-page reference work that is organized to guide the reader quickly to the right information for their particular energy project, problem, or inquiry. The first part of this "user friend" manual has 400 logically grouped activities for improving energy efficiency. each activity begins with Ratings and a Selection Scorecard to help the reader judge the merits and difficulties of that particular activity. "Economics" sidebars estimates the savings, cost, and payback period. The "Traps & Tricks" sidebars provides practical advice for avoiding pitfalls plaguing energy conservation efforts. Energy Efficiency Manual will earn back its cover price over and over again and is an essential, core reference for personal, professional, and community library energy conservation and energy efficiency reference book collections.

Efficiency in technical publications.
I have been in the Architect/Engineering business for over 20 years. There were several cases in the past where this book would have been of great value. The Energy Efficiency Manual is now my standard resource in saving money and energy for my clients. Mr. Wulfinghoff has invested over 20 years in compiling this manual and this is reflected in the quality of the content. I am particularly impressed with the format, which is extremely accessible to anyone. The book gets right to the point in a highly straightforward manner. I would recommend that authors of other technical books take note and attempt the same. It would certainly make my life easier. In other words I honestly feel that I got my money's worth this time and recommend it to anyone who wants to save energy. ... 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