Book Description

"Read even the first chapter of this extraordinary book and you'll find yourself cheering, screaming, jumping up and down with excitement. The companies described in this book are decades ahead of the reengineers -- and you don't need to be a Bill Gates or a Jack Welch to put their ideas into practice today." -- George Gendron, editor in chief, Inc.

"Companies that practice open-book management seem to have captured some sort of lightning in a bottle." -- Chris Lee, Training

"This book should be required reading in corporate America." -- Chicago Tribune

"If you want to give your preconceived notions a good kick in the you-know-where, give Case the opportunity to articulate the merits of open-book management." -- Entrepreneur

Open-book management is not so much a technique as a way of thinking, a process that actively involves employees in the financial life of the company. Numerous companies have already found that employees who are informed and aware of the company's financial situation are motivated to seek solutions to problems and assume a greater degree of responsibility for its performance. John Case begins by examining the current competitive climate and the history of established management techniques. He shows how the traditional treatment of workers as "hired hands" with little involvement or responsibility beyond their own area is no longer effective in today's ever more competitive global environment.

Case clearly and carefully explains the principles of open-book management: timely sharing of crucial financial information with employees; educating the employees to understand and apply the information; empowering employees to apply the information to their own work; and offering employees a stake in the successful implementation of their ideas. Open-book management will take different forms at every company, Case notes, but he offers a wide range of suggestions and guidelines for implementing these principles. He concludes with a series of in-depth case studies, featuring companies of various sizes and financial situations that have successfully implemented open-book management. Open-Book Management is the indispensable guide to teaching employees how to think and act like owners. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This is THE KEY to successful management!
What do TQM, reengineering, empowerment, teaming, and even six sigma have in common? They all implement parts of open-book management. And that's the reason they all have spotty records- they were successful when they, accidentally, incorporated enough of the rest of open-book management.

The principle here is very simple- instead of your company or division relying on only the handful of minds at the top of the organization to improve the company, it treats all the employees as adults with brains and encourages everyone to work for the company's benefit. This also has the effect of reducing or eliminating office politics since everyone's pulling in the same direction.

How? Fortunately the process is pretty simple, though it needs to be tailored to each business. The pieces are:
1. Giving employees all relevant financial information,
2. Giving employees training to understand the financial information,
3. Giving employees appropriate responsibility for the numbers under their control, and
4. Giving employees appropriate stakes in the outcomes (through bonuses, stock, options, etc.).

It's Here...It's Now...It's Happening
When Open-Book Management was first in 1995, its subtitle suggested "The Coming Business Revolution." Well, that "revolution" has arrived and author John Case deserves much of the credit. In the Introduction, however, he makes it crystal clear that open-book management is NOT a panacea, is NOT a substitute for TQM or reengineering or any other operational overhaul, and is NOT a single system. In essence, open-book management helps companies to create a shared environment in which everyone understands that they are competing in a marketplace, trying to make money. But for whom? Frequently, effective ownership has been limited to relatively few people. In privately-held companies, usually to a single person and/or to a family. Presumably Case agrees with Al Ehrbar (author of EVA) that the traditional concept of "ownership" must be re-defined so that everyone involved in a given enterprise assumes personal responsibility for adding value. Hence the importance of recognition of peak performance but also the importance of financial incentives. "What's in it for me?" is a quite legitimate question. Given the increasingly greater impact of globalization, the information revolution, and what Case calls "entrepreneuralization", companies must find new and better ways to answer that question. For Case, each company needs a mission, a strategy. "But more than anything else it needs eager, willing employees, people who have a reason to care about their employer's prosperity and who know how to help it succeed."

Ultimately, the measurable value of open-book principles will be determined by several factors: The extent to which a company modifies them to accommodate its own circumstances; the extent to which employees in that company (top to bottom) commit to the program, once devised; and the extent to which everyone involved shares equitably (NOT equally) in the rewards.

Those who admire this book as much as I do will presumably want to read (if they have not already read) The Open-Book Field Book and The Open-Book Experience. These two books develop in much greater detail the material first introduced in Open-Book Management. Also, they provide an absolutely essential guide to deriving maximum benefit from John Case's wisdom and experience.

Employees at open book companies act (and profit)like owners
Case shows, with many examples from open book companies, that companies' performance really takes off (or pulls out of jeopardy) when they organize to: 1. Give all their financial information to all employees; 2. Teach employees to understand it; and 3. Give employees a financial stake in how the company performs. In summary, experience shows that employees at open book companies act like owners. Case shows exactly how to do it. Give this book to your boss! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

DECENT EXPOSE OF KNOWLEDGE CHARACTERISTICS
Suited to deeper thinking operations managers and KM
practitioners. Geared to globalised players who have
the resources.

Until we can grasp the nature of knowledge we are foolish
to think we can setup systems to leverage it. The McKinsey
book is one of the very few in KM to specialise in
identifying and measuring the knowledge characteristics
in companies('...the six characteristics that distinguish
it from other assets..'p.21). It is the only one to my
extensive knowledge that provides scientific results from
their survey ('We found a strong correlation between a
company's knowledge index and ...'P.19). Both are worthy
contributions to the literature.

Example of typical chapter :
Chapter 4 is about
'Subjectivity: Reading From The Same Page.'

Breakdown:
Six sub-sections of Strategies to minimise(!)subjectivity.
- major issue.

Sub-Section 1. Build Common Experiences -
-identifiable issues,
-case1-'An automotive company.. (1 page)
-summary
Sub-Section 2. Generate an Open Knowledge Flow Across
Hierachies -
-identifiable issues,
-case2- 'A European capital goods..(3/4ths page)
-case3- '..an automotive supplier..(1/2 page)
-summary
Sub-Section 3. Break the Status Barrier
-identifiable issues,
-case4- 'One global automotive..' (1/2 page)
-case5- 'At Oticon, a Danish...' (1/2 page)
-case6- Full study on Oticon (1 1/2 pages)
-summary
Sub-Section 4. Get the Experts Together
-identifiable issues,
-case7- 'One US investment goods...' (1/2 page)
-case8- 'To expand the Oticon example..'(1/3 page)
-strategies explanations (2pages)
-survey findings/summary
Sub-Section 5. Synchronize High-Level Goals
-identifiable issues
-case9- '..an international conglomerate..' (3/4 page)
-strategies explanations (1/4page)
-case10- 'At an international telecoms equipment..' (1/2page)
Sub-Section 6. Chapter summary (1 page)
Survey Results Pertaining to Subjectivity.
In addition, a chapter explaining First Steps...
preliminary KM questionnaire.

Formatting & Writing Style: No diagrams but survey bar graphs.
Page font and spacing- generous and readable.Almost no bullet
points in the entire book, making it difficult to isolate key
points ! Nice sub-headings, good analogies, illustrations and
loads of mini-case studies spread out with a dozen lengthier
case studies.

Conclusion : Holistic, deeper thinkers will see this as a
valuable resource to develop a company KM framework.

Spiro Raftopoulos

A practical and illustrative guide to operationalising KM
While knowledge has always been an important factor of production (in addition to land, labour and capital), it is becoming a key differentiator as the other three factors are becoming abundant and accessible. 'While the importance of knowledge is, at the very least, widely acknowledged, we are still missing a comprehensive approach to managing knowledge in order to maximize returns,' according to consultants Jurgen Kluge, Wolfram Stein and Thomas Licht.

'Understanding how knowledge works throughout your organization therefore allows you to reap the highest rewards from KM: the ability to adapt successfully through constant reinvention and optimization, to tap into new market opportunities, to jump on the latest trend earlier and more decisively than others, and to innovate,' the authors begin.

The material is based on a two-year survey conduced by the consultancy, encompassing 40 manufacturing companies in the US, Europe and Japan. At least eight interviews were conducted in each of these companies, to assess their deployment of upto 139 KM techniques culled from KM literature. Techniques included incentive schemes and use of IT infrastructure; the degree of application of these techniques was rated on a scale of 1 to 5. Companies were also classified on a performance spectrum (based on financial and process indicators) and divided into categories like less successful and more successful companies. This combination of scores provides a very powerful framework for assessing the differentiating 'knowledge contribution' or 'KM index' of a company, which is one of the very useful contributions of this book.

The authors define knowledge as the 'understanding of relations and causalities' and management as 'conscious and systematic decision making.' Though knowledge can be slippery and nebulous as a subject, it is important not to get distracted by imperfect definitions. Dedicated techniques need to be designed, applied, coordinated and aligned to ensure a successful KM practice.

There are six key attributes of knowledge which must be factored into KM practices:

1. Subjectivity (context and individual background shape the interpretation of knowledge)
2. Transferability (knowledge can be extracted and transferred to other contexts)
3. Embeddedness (knowledge is often in a static and buried form that makes it difficult to extract or reformulate)
4. Self-reinforcement (the value of knowledge increases and not decreases when shared)
5. Perishability (knowledge can become outdated)
6. Spontaneity (knowledge can develop unpredictably in a process)

More successful companies deal with the challenges of subjectivity by ensuring agreement on general rules and values, cross-functional collaboration in product development and order generation, and increased face-to-face communication. For instance, Danish hearing aid manufacturer Oticon ensures that team membership is constantly shifting, as experts shuttle between teams.

Transferability of knowledge can be facilitated by internal and external benchmarking, market research, external alliances, and competitor analysis. Lateral thinking is needed to bring knowledge into entirely new contexts and even from entirely new industries. Japanese auto component company Aisin AW draws lessons actively from the consumer electronics industry mecca Akihibara. A European engine company actively participates in a variety of public research projects where it partners with universities and even competitors.

Best-practice KM techniques for dealing with embedded knowledge include knowledge databases, corporate yellow pages, job rotation, teamwork with suppliers, and co-location of product development staff. Finnish metal group Outokumpu has a solid IT infrastructure to make it easier to find knowledge among its staff. Apprenticeships and collocation with suppliers can help in the automotive sector.

Self-reinforcement knowledge networking practices for jump-starting the knowledge value chain include online training, formal networks with retailers, joint problem-solving, alignment with partner IT systems, and easy access for service data. Amazon.com links book purchases with past customer book preferences; an international conglomerate gets all its employees to write year-end reports containing their successes and outlook for the next year. SAP opened SAP University in 1999; it offers blended e-learning courses, and employees can set up their own sites and present a skill set.

Coping with perishability of knowledge involves continuous training related to standards and design rules, development optimization, FAQs, and clear division of responsibilities. Intel speeds chip development via a 'Copy EXACTLY!' initiative to avoid overdoing customization and ensure that best practices can be precisely replicated across its global chip plants; chip-turnaround time has been cut from 7 years to 2 years. It is important to balance standards with creativity, of course.

Based on the analysis of more successful companies along these six knowledge parameters, the authors have devised a six-dimensional 'KM scanner' audit metric, and have come up with several recommendations for successful KM.

Be precise in your KM objectives and link them to business targets. Leverage push as well as pull factors to holistically grow and share knowledge. Create the right cultural context which nurtures reciprocal trust, openness and cooperation. Employees must be enthused with a desire for world-class performance and lust for knowledge, from within and outside the company. Financial and non-financial incentives should be devised. Avoid micro-management and encourage self-steering mechanisms.

'You must instill in your company a sense of caring for knowledge so that it becomes part of everyday life, rather than something that ebbs and flows as the mood suits. Soon, every worker will become a knowledge worker,' according to the authors.

'Working with knowledge is much more creative, gives a higher sense of doing value-added work and, simply put, is much more fun. Just as no company will probably survive without taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the Internet, soon no worker will survive without actively using knowledge as a tool of their trade, whatever trade that is, and no company will succeed without tapping into the great potential of their employees' knowledge,' the authors conclude.

>>>>>>>>>>

Madanmohan Rao is the author of 'The Asia Pacific Internet Handbookï... ... Read more

Book Description

This text may be used in a required or elective quantitative analysis course at the Junior level or first year MBA. It also may be used for an elective course in Modeling and Analysis, Decision Sciences or Management Science. A major new feature of the book is the use of the Excel speadsheet throughout. It is a very spreadsheet friendly text. Model building, Mathematical Programming (using Excel Solver), Simulation, and other spreadsheet applications are included.As indicated, the book was revised in a modular format for custom publishing options. Chapters are self contained. Sections of the book, or individual chapters from other books using Irwin/McGraw Hill custom publishing options. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent textbook
The authors apply mathematical theories to build business models in very simple statements. In this way, we understand how to make decisions based on the models described in this book. The authors also reveal how to useMicrosoft Excel to solve business models. I think this is very crucialskill for the managers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"The future of the business will be different"
An excellent study from 26 distinguished thinkers and authors. As written by S.Chowdhury, "the book you are reading reveals the collective thoughts and visions of some of the world's great minds...Management 21C brings together visions for the new millennium in one concise book, allowing you to understand the changes happening now and what changes you can expect. The future of business will be different : whose versions are you reading?...Management 21C is for those who believe in creative war, for those who inspire other people, for those who believe in others and not just themselves, for those who celebrate diversity, for those who constantly search for a dream, for those who want to reshape the world of tomorrow. Someday we'll all manage this way (from the Preface p.xiii)."

In this context, for instance :

* J.M.Kouzes and B.Z.Posner introduce "The Janusian Leader"-the leader with the capacity to look forward and back, to preside over endings and beginnings, sunsets and daybreaks. They also present seven key lessons that stand the test of time and are worthy of being carried with us from one millennium to another (see pp.17-32).

* S.Ghoshal, C.A.Bartlett and P.Moran suggest : "When the solution to a recurring problem is always 'Try harder', there is usually something wrong with the terms, not the execution. So it is time for both managers and management academics to throw out the old paradigm and to start experimenting with new, more fertile possibilities (see pp.121-140)."

* C.K.Prahalad argues : "In the new millennium, the methods and skills needed to manage large and small organizations will be different from those needed to be successful during the past three decades. Newer concepts and tools will emerge." He then discusses the emerging nature of managerial work and suggests that this transformation of managerial work will demand basic organizational innovations (see pp.141-150).

* P.M.Senge and K.H.Kaufer write : "Faced with profoundly new business realities-unprecedented demands from global competition, new technologies, emerging markets, possible mergers and alliances, and growing environmental pressures-many companies are falling back on old leadership habits...Rather than making executives less important, we argue that understanding leadership communities brings the unique roles of executive leaders into much clearer relief, as it does the roles for other types of leaders- all of whom will ultimately depend upon one another in creating successful 21st century enterprises (see pp.186-204)."

* D.Ulrich suggests : "Since the future is unpredictable but coming anyway, we need to prepare as best we can by projecting about context, organization and people." He then gives his observations about the contextual factors impacting on organizations, how organizations will operate, and how individuals must prepare themselves today to respond tomorrow (see pp.235-249).

* R.Moss Kanter argues : "Brainpower is to the global information economy as oil was to the industrial economy...Business leaders increasingly understand that one of their new roles in the 21st century is to contribute to creating such environments in the communities in which their companies operate. World-class leaders will be cosmopolitans who avoid insularity, enjoy the challenge of confronting new and different ideas, encourage cross-fertilization and learning across boundaries, and support their people in developing and using their brainpower in pursuit of innovation (see pp.250-261)."

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A must read for business leaders
I found this book to be enlightening and helpful pertaining to group decision making. Almost everyday I deal with tough and complex decisions where I need to capture the knowledge and expertise of my staff. I have discovered Dr. Forman and Ms. Selly's "Decisions by Objective" a good read in helping me understand how using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a powerful methodology to assist in my company's success.

An excellent read on decision making for the layman
The below reviewer is mean and obviously has an axe to grind.The reviewer overlooks a key element of this book that makes it compelling: it takes decision-making best practices out of the hands of "decision scientists" and puts it back where it belongs - in the hands of the business user.Decision by Objectives takes complex concepts and makes them accessible to both novice and experienced decision makers.The book describes a proven and well-known methodology - the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) - supported by easy to use collaborative decision-making software - Expert Choice - to show how decision makers can make difficult decisions easier with a simple process.Through proper structuring of the objectives or criteria, simple pairwise comparison measurement, and synthesis of quantitative data with qualitative judgment, business decision makers can improve the quality of their decisions, create buy-in among stakeholders, and improve the justifiability of their results.The book also outlines many different applications where the AHP methodology has been successfully used, including capital budgeting, portfolio management, vendor selection, strategic planning, risk assessment and forecasting.It is a good read and one that dovetails nicely with Decision Making for Leaders by Dr. Thomas L. Saaty.

Selly & Forman have no original thoughts on the subject
Most of these concepts are common knowledge in the group communication and decision science spaces and have been covered by many authors.Although their writings are grounded on AHP, they confuse those familiar with the process by changing the names of key terms that have been associated with the group theory for decades.By combining basic group techniques (i.e. brainstorming and pro/con diagrams) and decision theory, and changing the jargon, it seems they are trying to put their own brand on concepts that are in the public domain.Lack of exposure might explain the author's utopian views of group decision making in corporate environments. ... Read more

Book Description

The logic of Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II) is usually implemented in production planning and control systems and therefore has a major impact on the performance of many real production systems. Much of what practitioners complain about, i.e. long lead times, high work-in-process, and large inventories, is due to the deficiencies of the MRP II concept. Thus, researchers are eager to find better models and methods to improve or to replace the current status. This book contains new ideas on master production scheduling, material requirements planning, lot sizing, sequencing and scheduling, and production control. Management scientists, industrial engineers, operations researchers, and computer scientists have contributed to present the state-of-the-art. ... Read more

Book Description

ICMI's Call Center Management Dictionary is a practical, comprehensive reference for customer contact professionals. This essential resource covers a host of subjects, including, but not limited to, measurements, objectives, reporting, analysis, forecasting, planning, monitoring, coaching, quality, performance, improvement, human resources, training, customer behavior, marketing, technologies, budgeting, finance, strategy, industry acronyms, and more!

Accurate and easy to use, ICMI’s Call Center Management Dictionary is designed to cut through the clutter and confusion in today's terminology, so that you can communicate more effectively, improve customer services and make better decisions that will help build your career.

1072 acronyms and terms, 41 graphs and tables. ... Read more

Book Description

Fastrack Business Management: The Minute MBA is a desktopresource offering practical advice and solutions to a broad range ofbusiness management challenges. The author distills 15 years ofexperience as a management consultant into chapters covering strategicplanning, organizational development, team leadership, acquisition anddivestiture, financial and marketing planning and succession planning.Each chapter includes case histories drawn from the author's consultingbusiness and ends with a summary of key points and action steps. Amajor focus is on reshaping companies to adapt to rapid changes intoday's economic environment. What is significant about this book,versus many others on the market, is its "fast track" approach. Thetarget audience includes business owners, entrepreneurs and managementpersonnel who find it essential to upgrade and update their presentbusiness practices. ... Read more

Book Description

Doing Research in Business and Management has been written to help students obtain a thorough understanding of the main methodological issues and options that are available to them as business and management researchers undertaking a masters or doctoral degree. Doing Research in Business and Management takes the reader through all of the important issues that need to be understood if a competent piece of research is to be produced at the masters or doctoral level in the business and management studies. The authors explain the interrelationship between the theoretical and empirical research as well as the differences between positivism and phenomenology. Not only do they put these concepts in context for the business and management student, but they go on to discuss how these different approaches are used in practice. Furthermore, the authors discuss the implications of quantitative and qualitative approaches to research.The book offers high-level advice on different numerical techniques available to researchers as well as different software packages that may be used for analyzing qualitative data. The book also discusses the use of the Internet to support research in masters and doctoral programs. A wide range of research tactics are discussed and the reader is offered examples of how these have been used in recent dissertations or theses for masters or doctoral degrees.In addition, the book takes an in-depth look at the case study, one of the most important approaches used by business and management students. Finally the book looks closely at how masters and doctoral degrees are evaluated by examiners and provides a checklist that students may use to ensure that they have complied with all the research requirements for their masters or doctoral degree. Doing Research in Business and Management will be of interest to all business and management students thinking about or obtaining their masters or doctoral degree. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Doing Research in Business and Management: An introduction
Concise, reader friendly, and useable. Many research method books manage to lose or confuse the reader within the first few chapters. This book deals with most of the major issues of social science research while maintaining a practical focus. Of particular use to research masters and PhD students.

Excellent overview - strongly recommended
This is an excellent book on research methods. I would recommend that any business school Ph.D. not think a second time about buying this one. An extensive literature review at the end was very useful, although some URLs mentioned are rather wimpy and no longer working.

Essential reading for business and management post grads
This book has proved invaluable in helping me formulate my research strategy for my PhD thesis. I will continue to find it a most useful reference text.

Comprehensive overview of research strategies and methods.
This book provides researchers with an easy to understand introduction into the issues associated with developing a rigourous research methodology. The book should form part of the research process and methods toolkit.

methods of business research
it was great. it was success ful. it was amazing. it was extravagant. it was fulflling. it was tremendously success ful. it was extra-ordinary. it was very super useful. ... Read more

Book Description

Ken Blanchard's phenomenal bestselling classic The One Minute Manager explores the skills needed to become an effective self leader. Now, Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager clearly and thoroughly reveals how power, freedom, and autonomy come from having the right mind-set and the skills needed to take personal responsibility for success.

In this captivating business parable, number one New York Times bestselling author Ken Blanchard, with coauthors Susan Fowler and Laurence Hawkins, tells the story of Steve, a young advertising executive who is about to lose his job. During a series of talks with a gifted magician named Cayla, Steve comes to realize the power of taking responsibility for his situation and not playing the victim. Passing along the knowledge she has learned from the One Minute Manager, Cayla teaches Steve the three skills of self leadership. These three techniques not only empower him to keep his job but show him what he needs to know in order to keep growing, learning, and achieving.

For twenty-five years, millions of managers in Fortune 500 companies and small businesses nationwide have followed Ken Blanchard's management method, thus increasing their productivity, job satisfaction, and personal prosperity. Now, discover Ken Blanchard's newest techniques in Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager and experience the profitability that has been achieved by applying his management lessons.

Reviews (4)

Bravo!
Editors at Financial Times (FT) co-authored this volume, with Tim Dickson serving as executive editor . It offers "The Complete MBA Companion in Strategy," the result of FT's strategic alliance with the University of Chicago Business School, INSEAD, the University of Michigan Business School, and the Said Business School at Oxford University. This is the seventh volume in what is identified as "The Financial Times Mastering" series. It contains articles that first appeared in FT in late-1999.

The material is carefully organized within 16 chapters. In the first, there are two essays: "Strategy and the delusion of Grand Designs" authored by John Kay, Director of london Economics; the second -- "Strategy, blind men and the elephant" was co-authored by Henry Mintzberg of McGill University and INSEAD, Bruce Ahlstrand of Trent University (Ontario), and Joseph Lampel of the University of Nottingham Business School.

As for the final chapter, "Fresh Challenges for the Future," it was written by Dan Schendel, founding and current editor the Strategic Management Journal. The reader is advised that "This final module sums up the main themes of the book, addresses some of the current controversies, and offers pointers on how the field may develop in coming years. The core message is that those who fail to keep up with the best in strategic management risk losing their businesses and losing their jobs. The cases of failure cited throughout the book underline the point." My own crystal ball imploded long ago so I now cut Schendel considerable slack, given the fact that his comments on "fresh challenges" were composed five years ago. In fact, I think his analysis holds up remarkably well.

Although exceptionally well-written and skillfully-edited, this volume is by no means an "easy read." My own opinion is that it will be of greatest interest and benefit to the more capable students enrolled in graduate schools of business, and, to senior-level executives. Of course, the immediate value of each chapter will be largely determined by the immediate needs and interests of each reader. I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the superb graphics provided by Graham Parish. I also want to commend, again, Tim Dickson and his associates -- notably Ken Pottinger, James Pickford, Laura Scanga, and various school "co-ordinators" -- for pulling together so much excellent material, then getting it all properly presented. Bravo!

Great Collection of Strategy Articles
This is a great collection of articles covering all aspects of business strategy. Prior knowledge about the subject matter, though is not necessary, will help you appreciate the material more. I strongly recommend this book to those people interested in building a thorough understanding of strategy.

Broad spectrum and excellent quality
Mastering Strategy contains essays with consistently excellent quality, the topics cover a broad spectrum. The book provides a great perspective on various dimensions of strategy; namely: social impact, historical development, academic interest, operational issues etc. All essays are concise and further readings are suggested at the end of each article, in order to guide readers for further investigation.

An easy way to update your strategy knowledge
The book presents an excellent companion of the top issues involving strategy today. The book is structured according to global themes, like strategy and economics, strategy and leadership, and so on. Each chapter has 4 or 5 articles related, written by authors from important business schools. Issues like game theory and commitments are deeply reviewed, but in a simple way, easy to understand, thus allowing anyone with no MBA to understand it. The book offers an easy way to update your strategy knowledge, if your are interested in business strategy. ... Read more

Book Description

Survival Math for Marketers is a simple and fun solution to the age-old problem of a lack of mathematical knowledge among marketing professionals. Many are former English, psychology, or science graduates who have become responsible for advertising, promotion, and sales in their organizations. Without a solid grounding in accounting, finance, mathematics, or economics, they often find themselves frustrated and confused by this unfamiliar world.

This book provides an introduction to the underlying mathematical concepts in marketing and management in terms accessible to students of all levels. Weiglin also explains the relevant non-mathematical issues, such as price sensitivity, product distribution, and sales estimates, and provides the tools necessary to fully understand the basics of each.

Presented in an irreverent, conversational style, this book includes numerous real-world examples and illustrations that gently introduce the reader to the important mathematical concepts behind marketing and management. Intended for students and professionals of all levels, Survival Math for Marketers is a fun, easy-to-read introduction to the world of business math.

About the Author

Peter Weiglin is an author, historian, and professional speaker on many topics. His company, Omnibus Communications, specializes in marketing strategy and communications consulting for companies in the publishing and computer fields. His clients have included Lockheed, Hundman Publishing, Hewlett-Packard, Apple Computer, and North American Van Lines. He teaches management and marketing, most recently at the University of California at Berkeley Extension.

Reviews (1)

Yuk. Don't bother
This book is a waste of time. It's boring. I would expect a little boring given the subject matter, but it's a real snoozer. The information is simplistic and the presentation insulting to anyone of average intelligence. Don't waste your money, don't waste your time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Piles of books come out every year on how to be a better boss, but few go beyond platitudes to provide vivid, real-life pictures of excellent bosses in action. Not so with The Gifted Boss, in which business columnist Dale Dauten not only tells how extraordinary bosses differ from ordinary ones but actually shows what these bosses look like on the job. Through anecdotes and extended quotes from bosses at dozens of companies, both the well known (Porsche, LensCrafters, Wendy's, and IDG Books) and the obscure (small and midsize businesses in Arizona where Dauten lives), he humanizes the problem in an entertaining yet practical manner.

Gifted bosses distinguish themselves from the pack, according to Dauten, by not just hiring employees but by "courting" and ultimately "acquiring allies"; by making their organizations or even just their department as "the best place for the best people to work"; by emphasizing standards (and leaving one's employees free to figure out how to meet those standards themselves) over rules and procedures; and by trusting employees to find their own answers to problems rather than spend one's days putting out brushfires for everyone.

To wit, we hear stories of bosses like Dan Schweiker, CEO of China Mist Tea, who, when he first started the company, told experienced salespeople who defected to him, "I'm not going to try to tell you what to do. We're hiring you to learn from you." (He also replaced the conference room table with a pool table!) Or an army general who chucked the weighty military procedure book and told his troops to figure out how to prepare for battle one minute faster than the standardized process... and outline it on one page. (And they did just that.) Or IDG head John Kilcullen (the brains behind the Dummies series of books), who wooed someone to be his finance czar by playing golf with him... even though Kilcullen didn't play golf and showed up in jeans.

The Gifted Bossis told in a sort of novelistic form, in which the first-person narrator, a corporate middle-manager stuck in a "glass rut," is regaled with stories by an eccentric but nonetheless warm, wise, and funny old sage named Max Elmore. If that narrative device sounds a bit cloying, it is. (Max, according to the author's acknowledgements, is based on a true-life mentor, a retired professor.) Still, that's a small price to pay for a book with not only smart and bracing ideas on how to be a truly A-1 boss, but a genuine wealth of vivid, sometimes touching stories to show what those ideas look like in the real world. --Timothy Murphy ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Moving, intelligent, provocative and poetic
Dale Dauten abandons his more cynical corporate curmudgeon persona to write a touching and poetic book about being a great boss and being an even greater employee. Dauten has the story-telling gifts of a wonderful novelist and makes very powerful business points along the way. This book is the PERFECT airplane read. It has all the fun and page-turning liveliness of a paperback novel; and you get your huge dose of increased business wisdom along the way. Dauten cares deeply about how we boss and how we are bossed. Once you're finished, give yourself a treat and re-read his masterpiece The Max Strategy. Both books are a HUGE gift and deliver the kind of mind-surge that remind you of your flower power days when drugs were our little friends.

TGB is poetry in motion
As with any favorite prose or poetry, this book gets better as one allows the subtleties to penetrate. So many of the simple word pictures linger and actually become more vivid and meaningful with each return visit. The experiences of the Gifted People are to be enjoyed once, given time to age then relived with the full intent of putting the lessons into action.

Dauten has such a wonderful down-home, warm and friendly manner. It's almost a small town, Keillor-Wobegon style. I can imagine Dauten on an old high school auditorium stage, sitting precarious on the edge of a battered wooden stool and spinning his Gifted Tales to a spellbound audience. Read it once, read it again and again. But be in no hurry. Stop along the way, close your eyes and recapture the essence of each Gifted-Story. There are so many wonderful nuances hidden about, just waiting to be discovered! The Gifted Ones will know when they have found one! And the surprise is that each of us won't necessarily find the same gems! Enjoy!

a Hall of Fame management book, no doubt about it
I picked up "The Gifted Boss" from a discount pile in a dusty back room in Needham, Massachusetts about a month ago. I started reading it in my car when I arrived early for a meeting, and I finished it that night and have now re-read it twice, the last time taking detailed notes that I can refer to regularly the rest of my career. I underlined half the book. In 107 pages, it packs a huge punch. The sad thing is, I think the only people who will "get" what this book is talking about are either gifted bosses themselves or have had one at some point in their lives.... crappy bosses would never read this book, and if they did, they would think it was all crap..... Thank you, Dale. I'm so glad you decided to write this book.

Read it, enjoy its simplicity and share it with your leaders
What an enjoyable way to hit leaders in the head and get them to wake up to the easiest ways in life to compete for resources. Build it and they will come. This book is best enabled when shared.

A Gift for Any Boss (or Employee)
Dale Dauten has again provided quick insights that show us how highly talented people court each other and form bonds stronger than any loyalty to an organization. In a world of constantly shifting employees, Dauten outlines the ways to attract, retain, and even fire talented people who will remain allies throughout a career. The search for talent is never ending, and Dauten shows how to aggressively spot and attract the best, create a special environment for special people, and retain them as allies for a lifetime. The book also tells us how to search for the gifted boss with whom to form a partnership that will create the best place for the best people to work. Be ready for a delightful tour of today's highly productive relationships that are the true source for all wealth. Dauten concentrates on building human capital. ... Read more

Book Description

Insights on management, leadership, and effective organizations, from the experts at the best business schools

Skills and strategies for leading any organization to success

. . . comprehensive, up-to-date, and better than ever

" When the speculative bubble burst in 2000, it exposed a weakness in many firms–too much financial engineering and too little leadership and management.I strongly recommend this book to those managers who want to learn how to run well-managed organizations capable of weathering the inevitable turbulence brought about by intensive competition and rapid changes in markets and technology. In one book, highly regarded experts in the field of management provide you with the essential lessons you will need to succeed as a leader and manager."
–Michael Beer, Cahners-Rabb Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus
Harvard Business School and author of The Critical Path to Corporate Renewal

"For managers to be effective in today’s complex world, they need to be learners as well as leaders.In this remarkable volume, a world-class collection of professors provides a curriculum for continuous management learning that combines leading-edge theory with practical advice.Every manager –from supervisor to CEO–should keep this book close at hand."
–Ron Ashkenas, Managing Partner, Robert H. Schaffer & Associates
and coauthor of The Boundaryless Organization and The GE Work-Out

"This latest edition of The Portable MBA in Management continues a tradition of some of our greatest thinkers and teachers making their work highly accessible. The book will be treasured as a valuable reference as well as a great read!"
–Len Schlesinger, Chief Operating Officer, The Limited, Inc.

From the master teachers and scholars of management, including:

David L. Bradford, Stanford University • Anne Donnellon, Babson College • Stephen L. Fink, University of New Hampshire • Charles J. Fombrun, New York University • Danna Greenberg, Babson College • Douglas T. Hall, Boston University • Todd D. Jick, The Center of Executive Development • Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School • Roy J. Lewicki, Ohio State University • Leonard A. Schlesinger, Harvard Business School • R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., American Institute for Managing Diversity • Peter B. Vaill, University of St. Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (1)

the portable MBA in Managemet
what is managemet ... Read more

Reviews (2)

WOW!!
This is an incredible--and credible--fact based view of what's really going on in the economy. Mr. Osenton has clearly done his homework, and presents this fresh material in a very insightful and enjoyable read.
The best business book I have read since Peter's "In Search of Excellence" two deacdes ago.
Bravo!

A Remarkable Piece of Work
This book is not only a wonderful read and an impressive history of business during the second half of the 20th century, but it presents the most logical understanding as to why corporations, industries - the entire economy - is having such a difficult time growing. The irony that Osenton points out is that we are victims of our own success - pushing for more and more consumption - and getting it! - only to begin to approach levels of saturation. He points out that there are currently more than 32 million more registered vehicles in the United States than there are licensed drivers! Talk about surplus. For the first time ever, someone has explained WHY - beyond the simple explanation of greed - that corporations are cooking their books in order to make the numbers. It's because their respective top lines are lifeless, and they have squeezed every penny, every productivity gain they could out of the corporation. Death of Demand helped me completely understand why employees are paying for earnings growth with their jobs - jobs that are either being cut altogether or sent overseas. What a spectacular analysis of our current economic condition. Bravo! ... Read more