Book Description

Do you make deals?

Do you want to learn how the best
dealmakers in the world do it?

Everyone -- and certainly every business -- makes deals. Whether you are an automobile dealer negotiating to buy another, or Exxon merging with Mobil in a $76 billion transaction, the craft of dealmaking is everywhere. And like any craft, dealmaking has its apprentices, its journeymen...and its masters. Leo Hindery, Jr., is one of those masters of the negotiating table -- a man who has steered home more than 240 business deals over the last twenty-five years, deals worth well in excess of $150 billion. In The Biggest Game of All, he brings readers inside the rooms where he has worked his wizardry, sometimes in partnership with, and sometimes against, the best dealmaking businessmen of our time, including General Electric's Jack Welch, Jerry Levin of AOL Time Warner, TCI's John Malone, George Steinbrenner, Barry Diller, and Rupert Murdoch.

Through detailed narratives of the key moments in some of the biggest deals of our time -- including AT&T's $60 billion purchase of the cable giant MediaOne, the $54 billion sale of TeleCommunications, Inc. (a deal done in only twelve days), and the USA Networks/Seagram swap -- The Biggest Game of All is a true master class in dealmaking, showing all the inside strategies, tactics, and temperaments that make great dealmakers great. And at the center of the master class are Leo Hindery's ten commandments of dealmaking:

#1. Do more homework than the other guy.
#2. Look before you leap to the altar. You may love him, but you can't change him.
#3. Deals should be done as fast as possible...but no faster.
#4. Remember that you are only as good as the women and men around you. (And so is the other guy.)
#5. Learn how to walk away.
#6. Have adversaries, if need be. But don't have enemies.
#7. Read the fine print.
#8. Don't keep score on things that don't matter.
#9. Hang in there.
#10. Learn to keep your mouth shut.

Leo Hindery's vantage point from the very peak of the dealmaking pyramid is the ideal place to observe, and therefore to understand, what separates good deals -- those intended to improve a company's strategic prospects -- from bad. At a time when the costs of business decisions made out of fear, confusion, and greed have never been higher or more newsworthy, knowing good from bad might be the most important dealmaking skill of all.

No one who reads this insider's look at the incredible speed with which these human calculators make billion- dollar decisions, and at their fundamental, almost intuitive understanding of their own and other enterprises, will look at American business the same way again. The Biggest Game of All is that rarest of business books, instructive, enlightening, and just plain fun...a ringside seat at the real World Series of Poker, where the chips are worth a billion dollars each. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Give it a try, you'll like it
I bought this book because of the favorable review by Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and The Economist. I found the book interesting on many levels and annoying on a few others. The main annoyance was with the general tone of the book. The first part of the book is a homage to many of the people that Hindery has known in the business. It almost sounds solicitous. However, the book recovers from this with a great treatment of how to do deals and insight into how some of the deals he was a part of transpired. I finished the reading of this book with the feeling that while some of the book was a waste, the book as a whole was not a waste of time. Therefore I rate it with 4 stars and encourage any aspiring dealmaker to go and negotiate a good price on the book and learn. The 10 rules for negotiating a deal are excellent.

Highly Recommended!
This book is a must-read for anyone involved in mergers and acquisitions in the cable or media industries, a should read for people doing M&A in other industries and a worthwhile read for anyone with an interest in business and investing. The author sat at the deal-making table with some of the best negotiators in the media and communications industries. His general advice about negotiating strategy and tactics is quite familiar, but he brings a unique insight into the motivations and manipulations of CEOs and investment bankers. Academics have long puzzled over why CEOs implement value-destroying M&A deals. Here's a first-hand, eyewitness account of how these big deals come to be. Even if you have little faith in the astuteness of executives, the author's revelations will surprise you. Just when you thought nobody could be that stupid, here comes an anecdote about another boardroom leader who was. The detail, it must be said, gets exhaustive at times, but if you love deals, we think that you'll be too absorbed to care.

An inadvertently funny read
I bought this book because of a favorable mention in The Economist. I am truly astonished, and am rethinking my Economist subscription.

All tell-all war-story business books are self serving. Never, however, has one been so shamelessly and ineptly so. The book is an astonishingly collection of self-aggrandizement, payback, groveling, condescension, and Monday morning quarterbacking. Hindery portrays himself as the lone genius at the center of each deal, his wisdom all too often ignored, but always correct. People who have fired him or otherwise crossed him (e.g. Mike Armstrong of AT&T, Steve Rattner of Quadrangle, some poor WSJ reporter) are fools or knaves. The people to whom he now owes fealty (George Steinbrenner, Brian Roberts) are repeatedly bootlicked for their genius.

There's not a lot of wisdom for the ages here, either. The first chapter is the give-away. Written in 2002, he praises Gerry Levin at AOL-TW as a visionary, and criticizes the severe stumbles of Amazon and Yahoo!. Oops.

The book suffers from some sort of strange editing Alzheimer's. The same comments appear again and again in the same chapter, often in the same words, as if Hindery and his ghost-writer can't remember what he said 5 minutes before.

After a while, this all becomes very amusing, and it should be read in that vein.

Insomnia Cure
If you enjoy war stories on mega deals within the media industry, this one is for you. The author enjoys telling the tale, and you should fill your coffee cup or wine glass, and maybe light up a cigar for full reader ambience. Most of the material is less applicable to classroom or lecture hall, but rather the stuff discussed in country club locker rooms and men's-only grills.

As for strategies, tactics, and lessons applicable to deal making today, the author rarely wanders from the ten commandments of dealmaking listed on the book jacket. Applying the lessons to deals within privately held or small businesses is a stretch at best. I found myself skipping much of the material and heading directly to the end of the chapters. There you will find helpful sections starting with "Looking Back", that actually dissect and reflect on the deal being discussed.

My advise: Wait for the Cliff Notes to come out. Not worth wading through the book for the finely sprinkled parcels of wisdom applicable in most deal making.

The Biggest Game of All
I learned about this book watching Kudlow & Cramer interview the author. The war stories related are downright fascinating, especially the chapters covering TCI, AT&T and Comcast. Depending upon which side your on, some of the negotiations are not very pretty, but they led to closings. Mistakes were made, which are made crystal clear. But deals got done.

I wanted to know who the author considered "great dealmakers" and what they had done to be so named. Some are household names. He focused, however, on those in the Media World, where he has established himself.

The chapters on Mike Armstrong and Barry Diller are of special interest to me. I like the book and recommend it to those interested in learning from the inside how some major deals were done. In the end, that's what matters to change agents. ... Read more

Book Description

Emerging Systems of Managing Workplace Conflict presents illustrative real-life examples as well as cutting-edge methods and tools for integrating systems of dispute resolution into standard corporate procedures. This vital resource investigates the systems organizations have developed to manage common and costly workplace conflicts involving supervisor-employee relationships; race, age, and gender discrimination complaints; sexual harassment; occupational safety and health; reasonable accommodation of the disabled; and wrongful termination as well as other problems stemming from governmental regulations and court actions.
Drawing on the authors' vast research and frontline experience with a wide variety of corporations and organizations, this important book examines successful responses to universal workplace problems and conflicts. In addition, the book is filled with illuminating case examples and stories from organizations, such as Brown and Root, Kaufman and Broad, Warner Brothers, Universal-Studios, Kaiser Permanente, the United States Postal Service, Johnson & Johnson, Shell, Prudential, and others, that have instituted systems of dispute resolution in response to ongoing destructive conflict, expensive litigation, and crippling settlements. This book offers an enormously useful approach for the application of the most up-to-date systems of organizational conflict resolution and shows how this approach can work in specific situations to save time and money.

... Read more

Reviews (4)

Emerging Systems for Managing Workplace Conflict : Lessons f
This book presents real-life examples as well as methods and tools for integrating systems of dispute resolution into standard corporate procedures. It investigates the systems for management of workplace conflicts involving supervisor-employee relationships, discrimination and sexual harassment, occupational safety, and wrongful termination. (...)

"Comprehensive Study of Evolution of Corporate ADR Processes
ADR experts Lipsky, Seeber and Fincher have provided a comprehensive and practically written account of the evolution of corporate alternative dispute resolution ("ADR")processes from the early days of collective action in the 1930's to the present-day use of conflict management programs to enhance the productivity and overall satisfaction of workers in companies seeking to compete in global markets. The book places today's corporate ADR programs in the context of labor history and the increasingly complex federal, state and local legislative scheme, thus providing an important frame of reference to those interested in introducing, designing, and implementing internal ADR systems. The authors' premise is that corporations that consider managing workplace conflict as a significant organizational goal have moved from a "dispute resolution" perspective to a "conflict management" paradigm. Whether a corporation will adopt any such system depends on a myriad of factors both internal (corporate culture and mission) and external (markets, regulations, litigation exposure). The authors note that the field of dispute resolution has depended on almost allegorical accounts of the cost-savings, efficiencies, and high satisfaction rate reported by participants in ADR systems. The field has not generated the empirical support for these oft-repeated benefits of dispute resolution processes, leaving corporations without the metric economic evidence needed to support new corporate initiatives. Recognizing the challenge of providing "hard evidence that corporations actually do save time and money by using ADR, however" (p.313), the authors "conclude that the vast majority of corporations favor dispute management over conflict management." (id.)The authors use the building blocks of hundreds of interviews of corporate executives, human resources, employee relations and legal department officials throughout the country as well as government representatives to make their case that corporations that approach conflict management systematically and with a long-range perspective will ultimately embrace and benefit from successful systems. One of the most useful contributions made by the book is the extensive discussion in Part Two: The Extablishment of Conflict Management Systems, which provides -- excuse the expression-- a "road-map" for individuals within corporations seeking to introduce, design and implement a complete workplace conflict resolution system. The authors provide templates for deciding such important questions as composition of the design committee, eliciting support from various corporate constituencies, determining the scope of the process, common design features, and methods for evaluating success. The authors conclude the book with a clear-eyed discussion of the future of workplace conflict management systems, in a society still grappling with litigation prevention and reduction strategies. As a practitioner in the field, I highly recommend this to others interested in promoting alternative dispute resolution in the workplace.

First Rate
Emerging Systems for Managing Workplace Conflict is a rich compendium of research, insightful analysis and practical advice that will be invaluable for any individual interested in the field of workplace conflict management. Written by three authors who each bring an average of between 25 and 35 years of background experience in labor relations and human resources management, supplemented by extensive work as mediators, arbitrators and consultants to public and private sector organizations, it is a "must read" in its field.

The work is based on more than six years of research into conflict management systems in the United States. The authors draw upon surveys of general counsel of Fortune 1000 corporations, onsite interviews with over 700 executives, managers and attorneys in sixty firms and extensive interviews with individuals operating as neutral parties in the settlement of conflicts and disputes.

Based upon their research, the authors conclude that "... there is a sea change in U.S. organizations that reflects an emergence of systems of conflict management and a new paradigm for organizations" (p.5). Their finding, they note, is independently confirmed in research conducted in 1999 by Bingham and Chachere who found that "about half of [U.S.] 'large' private employers ha[d] established some sort of formal dispute resolution procedure for their nonunion employees"(p. 81).

With this major movement established, the authors proceed to explain the reasons for the shift to conflict management systems, the processes that have emerged to service that demand, how those systems were created and implemented and the challenges that lie ahead in the field.

Importantly, the authors immediately focus on the corporate interests that drive the development and implementation of alternative systems for conflict management. Overwhelmingly, the primary driver in developing alternative systems to replace litigation procedures is the belief that dispute resolution can be accomplished at less cost in dollars and time." (p.6).

"In our survey of the Fortune 1000," the authors write, "about 80 percent of the respondents told us that saving time or saving money was the primary reason the corporation had used ADR" (p.313). The implications of this finding are clear and reflected, as the authors point out, in the fact that "... the vast majority of corporations favor dispute management over conflict management" (p.313).

Having presented us with the primary drivers as well as several other contributing factors, the authors move into a discussion of alternative management systems and their components. Readers will learn the pros and cons of the main features of these systems. It is truly a handbook of elements for both the decision-maker and the designer.

The book explores who is eligible in most systems, the essential elements for judging the fairness of a system, the issues of who pays the costs, training requirements, the use of outside "neutral" parties and a host of other common design features in considerable detail. You will find the most common element, the Open Door, explored with its drawbacks and its contributions. Additionally, you will find a careful discussion of other features such as "hotlines," ombudspersons, resolution facilitators, internal peer mediation and external "neutral" ad hoc personnel. Always, the authors present the pros and cons of each of the possible components.

Professors Lipsky, Seeber and Fincher then lead the reader through the process of system design and implementation, citing key steps along the way. Always, their work is based on findings from major U.S. organizations that have engaged in the process.

As they examine the process, the authors provide the reader with another very valuable part of their work by confronting the issues inherent in evaluating the systems. Their findings will be either a comfort or a source of devastation for the planner.

The authors put the matter succinctly and critically. The frame for evaluation is necessarily couched in the key question: "As compared to what?" (p.269).

Indeed, the answer is far from easy. Rather, it may be astonishingly elusive.

The challenge of evaluation is one the authors explore in detail, showing various evaluation schemes in practice in American corporations today. Results, alas, yield data far from business case standards. "Leaders of organizations, even if they believe in conflict management," they conclude, "are often faced with going forward in the absence of any hard evidence about the benefits of the system" (p.308).
"There is in fact very little hard evidence that corporations actually do save time and money by using ADR ...," they conclude (p. 313). "Furthermore," they assert, "it is not clear to us that many corporations are even gathering the information necessary to make a cost benefit analysis" (p.313).

As befits a work of this breadth and depth, the authors do not disappoint us as they turn their attention at the close of their work to the future of conflict management systems. Their work is insightful and thorough.

"Contrary to much of the popular literature and perceptions regarding ADR and somewhat surprising to us," the authors conclude "we do not believe that the ADR movement has achieved the critical mass necessary to institutionalize it within most large businesses and organizations" (p.315). And yet, the authors are confident that the future trend is toward the expansion of alternative dispute resolution procedures, but far less certain about the broad expansion of conflict management systems. It is an area with unresolved issues and significant promises. Readers will find thought provoking and useful discussion of these issues as the conclusion to the work.

There is far more in this book than this review touches upon. Additionally, readers will find an extensive bibliography, current research statistics, informative footnotes and an eminently useable glossary.

Highly recommended.

John Baker, Ph.D.
Editor, The Negotiator Magazine

Practical Guide for Managing Workplace Conflict
For many years, scholars and academics have focused on the importance of conflict resolution in the workplace. This tradition goes back to studies that were done in the 1940s-50s. In more recent years, conflict in the workplace has become a major issue. No longer are workplaces those socially integrative, sometimes paternalistic, havens for lifetime security. They are now arenas for multiple conflicts. The issue therefore becomes how to deal with these conflicts in a non-ad hoc manner--how to put in place systems for managing conflict. American corporations have much to teach the world in this regard. The problem is that before this book, no one has systemized these lessons. Before this book, there was no central location where the tools, the methodologies, and the processes necessary for putting quality conflict resolution was readily available. Lipsky, Seeber, and Fincher have provided a critical service in having completed this volume. They have written the definitive reference volume on the specific issue of alternative dispute resolution techniques in American business. In this context, they have served the practitioner community well. Yet not only is this a well-written book for the practitioner, it is an informative book for the academic. The combined research record of these authors is impressive and it serves them well in putting this material together. Anyone interested in alternative dispute resolution in the workplace must have this well-written volume as a reference. ... Read more

Book Description

What’s Fair is a landmark collection that focuses exclusively on the crucial topic of ethics in negotiation. Edited by Carrie J. Menkel-Meadow and Michael Wheeler, What’s Fair contains contributions from some of the best-known practitioners and scholars in the field including Roger Fisher, Howard Raiffa, and Deborah Kolb. The editors and distinguished contributors offer an examination of why ethics matter individually and socially, and explain the essential duties and values of negotiation beyond formal legal requirements. Throughout the book, these experts tackle difficult questions such as:

· What do we owe our counterparts (if anything) in the way of candor or disclosure?

· To what extent should we use financial or legal pressure to force settlement?

· Should we worry about whether an agreement is fair to all the parties, or the effects our negotiated agreements might have on others?

... Read more

Reviews (4)

Read this book and level the playing field!
I recently took on a project to read the 4 or 5 negotiating books that I had accumulated over the years. Of all of the books that I read--Negotiating to Close was the only one specifically written with the salesperson in mind. Over the years it has become increasingly clear to me that buyers are employing skills and technology to try to win the best values for their companies. Negotiate to Close helps level that playing field. Knowing the technology of selling isn't enough--you also need to know the technology of making a successful deal.

There was some excellent information here that didn't appear in any of the other negotiating books. For example--his explanation of how the Good Cop/Bad Cop technique can be used to get you to accept a bad deal from the good cop--was an eye opener.

Gary Karrass teaches negotiating from the perspective of someone who has clearly "carried a bag". I could go on and on--bottom line--if you sell--read and use this book.

Great Book for Sales People
I have been working on a sales job for almost 12 years but reading Mr. Karrass' book gave me a totally different perspective to the way I do business with my customers. The book covers all important topics for people working on sales that have to negotiate with large accounts. This book should be the background for everyone that decides to start working on a sales job, since it helps you to uncover your power and improve your performance when dealing with customers.

This will change the way you communicate with everyone
When you speak you want to get your point across. Karrass in an easy reading style sets out those rules of communication. If you know the rules you can have fun and respect when someone says "I saw it cheaper down the street" or "I will wash the dishes tomorrow".

This book is not just for the salesperson. The book is for everyone who wants to negotiate.

A great book; it really helped me.
This is a very easy to read book. I've applied the techniques and principles in the book with great success. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Book Description

Chinese management has experienced a dramatic change in recent years. However, established ideas about Chinese management are often oversimplified or outdated. This book provides a much-needed, realistic and up-to-date portrait of Chinese business today and of how it has changed over the last decade. It is a portrait that reveals an intriguing mixture of the old and the new, for while certain features can be traced deep into China's past, others have changed beyond recognition. New forms of enterprise and new ways of conducting business have emerged. Jie Tang and Anthony Ward capture this complexity and present it in an accessible and wholly user-friendly format.Alongside a discussion of the social and economic forces shaping management, Jie Tang and Anthony Ward provide a wide variety of interview material and case studies, much drawn from their own extensive interviews with managers and from observations within Chinese enterprises. The result is a fresh insight into the mind of the Chinese manager. With China representing a huge economy, and recently joining the World Trade Organisation, the country is now a topic of constant interest in the business world. This book will be of enormous practical help to practitioners and students alike. ... Read more

Book Description

The bestselling and most complete negotiating guide (more than 400,000 copies sold of the first edition)--revised to reflect the changes in business over the last two decades. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Valuable tips ....
I am working as a software contractor and I find myself negotiating a lot more than I used to -- rates, terms, types of work, etc... The results of these frequent negotiations affects my livlihood. So I bought this book to help.

And help it has. The book contains tips, tactics, and strategies for negotiating. And importantly for me, it contains tips for countering tactics used by others. I've recognized a large number of these tactics in my own life in just the past few months.

To be critical, the book does have some issues. Most of the examples are in a salesperson-buyer context. Sof if you are not a salesperson or buyer in the strict sense you'll find yourself transposing the examples to something more relevant to you.

Also, the book is organized in an odd manner -- alphabetical order. While useful for an index and looking up information, it would seem that there would be a better organization for the material. For example, what if you were reading a book about American History and it was organizaed not in chronological order, but in alphabetical order. Odd, but not a huge problem.

This is a good book that has valuable information for many different people. Recommended.

WHAT'S SUCCESS WORTH TO YOU
This is a very good book - it is in bite size sections that you can read, even one a day, to learn some techniques to get a YES from people who have the option to say NO to you.

Many of the MNCs use this book for their senior managers to learn new skills - so it works.

At twice the price, this book is definitely worth buying.

Best book on negotiating tactics
I collect books on negotiation and used to teach it at college level in connection with real estate classes. Give and Take is the best book I know of on negotiating tactics as opposed to theory. It is an alphabetically arranged list of dozens of strategies and ploys used by real negotiators. It is similar in this regard to Gavin Kennedy's excellent Pocket Negotiator (Economist) and David Churchman's Negotiation Tactics. Give and Take is most suitable for those involved in business and sales negotiations. I own several copies and carry one around with me in my car. Unless you're in an academic setting or a professional negotiator, this book is the one to buy. It has made me a lot of money.

Misleading Title and Horrible Organization
I have 2 major complaints regarding this book. First, the title is completely misleading. The book contains strategies for SALES people. I agree that there may be strategies that sales people use that may be employed by other business people, yet I hardly agree that this constitutes "The Complete Guide to Negotiating Strategies and Tactics."

Second, the organization of this book is horrendous. It's exactly like reading an Internet newsgroup. There are no chapters, but instead one or two pages on each "tactic or strategy." There is no attempt at categorizing the information. And like a newsgroup, the noise to signal ratio is ridiculously high. While you may find golden nuggets of wisdom, you will spend precious time digging for them. Best of luck if you ever want to refer to them again.

Look elsewhere for a good book on negotiation. My copy just went into the garbage, maybe you can look there.

Complete, concise guide to negotiating
This book gives anyone a great guide for negotiating in business. It thouroghly goes over hundreds of negotiating tactics. A must read for anyone in business. Also good for personal negotiations. ... Read more

Book Description

Cross-cultural business negotiations are an important part of international business. Much business has been lost overseas due to miscalculations caused by cultural differences. Negotiating is a lengthy, difficult process by itself; but, when one adds the cultural aspect it becomes extremely intricate. Cross-cultural negotiation skills can be improved by adequate attention to details and a better understanding of the cultural heritage of the other side. This work examines cross-cultural negotiations from the point of view of a practitioner, and provides country profiles with advice on how to best negotiate with people from those countries. ... Read more

Book Description

"Packed with useful advice."-- Career Opportunities News ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Insights on how employers calculate an employee's value
What are benefits worth in the workplace, what are you making and how does it compare to your industry? These questions are key to assessing one's salary and asking for more, and the authors tell how to conduct evaluations which lead to better pay. Insights on how employers calculate an employee's value provide important material for an employee's assessment of his own pay scale.

Show me the Money
"You may be worth a lot more than you think - or at least more than what's in your paycheck," begins this manual on one of the most important aspects of entering a new position: salary negotiations. As explained in the introduction, many people do extensive research and preparation when searching for a prospective employer including, creating the perfect resume, slaving over a creative yet targeted cover letter, and practicing the spontaneous-sounding answers to tough interview questions. However, the necessary preparation for salary negotiation, the last and potentially most important step in accepting a new position, is most often neglected. Dynamite Salary Negotiations is a helpful guide through the salary negotiation process for anyone thinking about changing jobs, from the entry-level high school person to a high-level executive.

Dynamite Salary Negotiations focuses on money, specifically how the reader can most effectively position himself to receive the highest compensation for a particular position. This book is especially useful because it openly discusses the traditionally secretive process of salary negotiation. In the United States especially, discussing one's salary and how he/she negotiated his/her last salary is a cultural taboo; therefore, it is very difficult to learn from others how to develop this skill. In contrast, many people will give you tips based on their experience about how they successfully engaged in a job search or how they performed in an interview. This book uses a direct style to compensate for the gaps that our culture has created allowing the reader to develop skills and techniques that will help him/her with the last step in accepting a position.

As with any negotiation, preparation is the key element for success. Nine chapters out of the twelve in the book focus on preparation, specifically the meaning of salary, myths, compensation trends, knowing your worth, rules for success, responding to ads and applications, communication tips, and resources to help the reader value his/her experience. This preparation is the most important aspect of salary negotiation. The authors state, most people are probably under compensated by 10-20% and cheat themselves by failing to do two important things concerning their value, "They fail to understand and calculate their true worth and they fail to properly negotiate the highest possible salary" (Krannich, 2). It is impossible to know these two things without proper research and preparation.

The authors successfully use bullet points, lists and examples as supporting information within the book. In chapter two for example, the authors discuss several myths about salary negotiations. This section is extremely important because the taboo nature of the topic invites incorrect assumptions and conclusions that can negatively affect the uninformed job hunter. The juxtaposition of myths and realities creates a framework that is easily understood and non-threatening for the reader. Presented in this way the myths can be dispelled without making the reader feel incompetent or stupid. One of the most interesting myths is, "I'll have a better chance of getting the job if I don't ask for much money; I don't cost as much as other candidates" (Krannich, 17). As the authors explain, "This is the 'penny wise pound foolish' mentality of extreme bargain shoppers who transfer the same mentality into the job market" (Krannish, 18). He proceeds to explain that employers are not searching for a bargain but want value in prospective employees.

Once the myths and realities of salary negotiation are discussed, the authors turn their attention to issue of the reader's worth and calculating it properly. This part of the book is useful because as the authors explain, "if you don't know your value before applying for a position, you may well apply for the wrong job as well as under-value or over-value yourself" (Krannich, 48). This is one of the most difficult tasks a job seeker must do but is critical to finding the right position. The book leads the reader through a well thought out path that separates a person's value, based on experience and skills, and the position's value range. The author's give several suggestions that can help determine personal and position value including reference books that focus on salaries, Internet addresses, companies that compile salary information, and other tactics that can be useful for this type of research. In addition, the book has a useful worksheet that can assist the reader in determining his/her value range based on the research conducted. The authors conclude this section by stating, "One of the best ways to kill your financial future is by being both unprepared and unrealistic about your future salary when asked about your 'salary requirements' or 'salary expectations'" (Krannich, 73).

In chapter eight the reader is finally ready to read about the negotiation process. The part of the book that is focused on the actual negotiation is relatively small because so much of the process is based on the person's value determination. Once the reader has identified his/her value, the actual negotiation process is relatively easy. The authors give several negotiating techniques and examples that are helpful to people interested in negotiating with a new employer as well as someone who is interested in negotiating a higher salary in his/her current job. In addition, the authors make several suggestions regarding how to handle salary objections from a potential employer, such as "your figure is not in our budget" or "others with similar qualifications and experience don't make that much in our organization" or "your salary history doesn't really justify such a large salary increase" (Krannich, 145). The open discussion of this topic is extremely helpful for people who are interested in learning how to negotiate a better salary.

Throughout the book the authors also discuss compensation packages. These packages, that can include medical care, dental care, childcare, vacation, sick days, etc., are increasingly an important part of salary negotiations. The authors mention the importance of valuing both salary plus benefits when comparing different employer compensation packages. In addition, the book discusses ways of negotiating more benefits to balance a less than expected salary for a specific position.

Fewer than 200 pages, Dynamite Salary Negotiations is an excellent manual to prepare people for one of the most difficult yet incredibly important phases of accepting a new job. The authors successfully present the material in an easy to read format that can be useful to anyone who will be negotiating a salary. Moreover, the use of bullet points, lists, formulas, and worksheets create a more interesting reading experience than the use of prose only.

Worth its weight in gold (literally)
This book contains excellent and PRACTICAL information about how to evaluate your worth, and how to negotiate to get what you're worth.

I have more than doubled my salary over the past four years, and that is largely due to information and techniques that I learned from this one book. It is *definitely* worth the cover price. ... Read more

Book Description

The agreements negotiated in the Uruguay Round, which form the legal framework of the World Trade Organization, will govern world trade into the twenty-first century. This volume covers both the original and the updated General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the Agreement on Trade-Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, the new procedures for dispute settlement, and the legal framework for the World Trade Organization. This is the definitive reference for all practicing and academic trade lawyers, an essential holding for all international law libraries, and a vital source book for students, economists, and political scientists. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

WTO Uruguay Round Legal Texts
The WTO Legal Texts, copublished by the WTO and Cambridge University Press, is a essential reference for anyone working on WTO issues. Although the WTO agreements are available to the public on the WTO website, as well as the worldtradelaw.net website, most scholars and practitioners will want a compact volume to carry and to underline. Cambridge U. Press has put a sturdy binding on the paperback volume. The one flaw in the volume is that it omits the plurilateral agreements, such as the Agreement on Government Procurement. It would also be helpful in a future edition to improve the usability of the Table of Contents. ... Read more

Book Description

Proven strategies to negotiate the perfect job offer.

You finally have the offer you've been waiting for, and you want the job. Stop right there! Before you accept, take the time to consider all aspects of the offer. If you're not 100atisfied with the fine--and the not so fine--print, try negotiating the best deal possible. This indispensable new book, with easy-to-follow exercises, complete checklists, and numerous real-world examples, Negotiate Your Job Offer takes you step-by-step through the entire negotiating process. Here's where you'll learn how to:
* Analyze and evaluate a job offer in terms of mutual fit
* Determine when negotiating is appropriate--and when it's not p9e Master key negotiating skills and strategies
* Handle inflexibility and compromise
* Negotiate the best possible salary and benefits package
* Confirm acceptance or decline an offer
* And much more! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Disappointing
I completely disagree with the other reviewers, the book is highly disappointing.It is a mere workbook!About 40% to 60% of the pages contain fill in the blanks, check the appropriate boxes and writeexercises.In page 96 the author states "...to structure your thoughts ...refer to [your answers in] chapters 1, 6, 15 and 19 ...".In other words, goback and fish your previous answers before answering the next exercise.Ibelieve the author attempts to follow a career counseling approach and theexercises could be an attempt to help readers to discover what is best forthem.This way, she hopes, the reader should get better prepared tonegotiate.Even when some thoughts are good, they simply get lost in themaze of exercises.I suggest the author avoid the workbook format and onlyuse as few exercises as possible.

DISAPPOINTING ! !Not worth it.
I completely disagree with other reviews, the book is highly disappointing.It is a mere workbook!I must be as severe as possible and warn readers that I do not recommend this book at all.About 40% to 60% ofthe pages contain fill in the blanks, check the appropriate boxes and writeexercises.In page 96 the author states "...to structure your thoughts ...refer to [your answers in] chapters 1, 6, 15 and 19 ...".In other words, goback and fish your previous answers before answering the next exercise. The ideas are highly disorganized and very hard to understand.I believethe author attempts to follow a career counseling approach and theexercises could be an attempt to help readers to discovers what is best forthem.This way, she hopes, the reader should get better prepared tonegotiate.Even when some thoughts are good, they simply get lost in themaze of exercises.I suggest the author avoid the workbook format and onlyuse as few exercises as possible.I further suggest the author to betterdevelop and organized her ideas.Again, I DO NOT recommend this book. There are much better books on the topic.In fact, some are trulyimpressive.

A book that more than fills its unique niche.
Much has been written about the job-seeking process, from resume' construction to the job interview. Mary Simon takes the process one step further - what to do when you have received an offerfor the job you want.

It had never dawned on this reviewer that there could be room for negotiation after a job offer had been made. The job-seeker is usually so pleased to have a fine prospect for employement that his automatic response is to say, "Great, when do I start?"Mary Simon says - "Whoa, slow down - you may be shortchanging yourself!"

Mary's point is that the employer has devoted agreat deal of time and effort in recruiting and selecting the best candidate for the position. The employer may well be just as anxious to complete the process as is the employee. The last thing the employer wants to do is to go back to square one.Mary Simon says it is to your advantage to take advantage of this attitude.

The author provides a detailed guide of when to negotiate and how. She reminds us that there is much more to negotiate for than salary. Fringe benefits, work schedules, amount of travel required, and other job elements are all subject to negotiation.

I know of no other book that fills this unique niche. It should be must reading for anyone in search of a new job. ... Read more

Book Description

Written in a clear, easy-to-follow style, Ethnography in Organizations evaluates the wide range of ethnographic research that has been--and continues to be--conducted in organizations. Beginning with the classic definition of bureaucracy and rational organization presented by Max Weber, author Helen B. Schwartzman analyzes three main paradigms--functional studies, structural analyses, and interpretive research.Using the Hawthorne Study as a starting point, this useful volume explores such topics as the roles and methods used by organizational ethnographers, the problems and prospects for conducting fieldwork in organizations, the "incorporation" of American life, and the role that everyday, but often overlooked, routines play in the production and reproduction of organizations, institutions, and society. Replete with vivid examples and illustrations taken from both public and private sector settings, Ethnography in Organizations is a must for anyone conducting research in an organizational setting. ... Read more

Book Description

Sun-Tzu is a landmark translation of the Chinese classic that is without a doubt one of the most important books of all time. Popularly known as The Art of War, Sun-Tzu is one of the leading books on strategic thinking ever written. While other books on strategy, wisdom, and philosophy come and go, both leaders and gentle contemplators alike have embraced the writings of Sun-tzu.

Sun-Tzu is not simply another of many translations already available, but an entirely new text, based on manuscripts recently discovered in Linyi, China, that predates all previous texts by as much as one thousand years. In translating the text, researcher and interpreter J. H. Huang traced the roots of the language to before 221 B.C. to get to the original intent; Besides offering a wonderfully clear translation, Huang adds an introduction to the history behind Sun-Tzu and his own comments on the meaning of the text. In addition, Sun-Tzu includes six appendices, five of which were uncovered at Linyi and are not found in other editions.

Reviews (3)

Not a metaphor for management
I read this book in the context of a military training environment, and that was appropriate. The fact that so many regard this book as a means for improving management skills, to me, is bothersome. Sun Tzu was a military leader and this book should be taken at face value. In that regard the book is excellent. It pares down the factors of military command into its constituent parts and explains the what, how, and why of winning a military contest. It's not a page-turner in the sense of a good Clancy novel; rather it is somewhat choppy, perhaps owing to the age of the text and the fact that it is a translation. Nevertheless, the principles are timeless, and they come through the time and language barriers loud and clear. Students of military history simply must read this book.

Wonderfully analyzed Sun Tzu book
This translation from J. H. Huang is better suited to explaining the text as opposed to giving you a clear rendering of it. Three-fourths of the book seemingly is devoted to explanation and commentaries. Published in 1993, it used the latest discovered Sun Tzu text found in China in 1972, which predates previous original Sun Tzu's by 1,000 years. The translation is slightly imperfect as sometimes the author used awkward words. If you want analysis however this is it. Sonshi.com

The absolute BEST, most accurate version of Sun-tzu ever !
I've read all of the other English "translations" out there, and not one of them comes even close to this. Based on the ancient Linyi text recently found in China, in this translation the author has created margin notes in an outline form so that all of Sun-tzu's words become completely logical. Unlike any other translation of a Chinese book that I've ever seen, Mr. Huang gives detailed proof using ancient Chinese sources for almost every sentence of his translation, so this version of Sun-tzu should be used a standard for all other Chinese translations to come. It reads not only fluidly but makes total sense, and would be an ideal handbook for both field marshals and marketing strategists. The introduction notes that military personnel from Colin Powell on down read and reviewed this book, and their contributions show in the accurate use of modern American military terms throughout the work. It's also written so well that every time I pick it up, I end up reading the whole thing. Mr. Huang is an amazing scholar of both ancient Chinese thought and English prose. All I can say in conclusion is, "Thank you, Mr. Huang." ... Read more

Book Description

"Reworking Gender is a remarkable analysis of the intersections of discourse, gender, and organizing that not only addresses contemporary metatheoretical concerns but also illuminates these issues with archival and interview data. . . . Reworking Gender systematically lays out arguments for the importance of work in our field, for communication's connections with and potential contributions to related disciplines, and for possible ways in which researchers can continue to challenge boundaries between presumably incommensurable discourses. Without a doubt, Reworking Gender will prove to be a landmark book in feminist, critical-cultural, organization studies, and organizational communication theorizing."

--Patrice M. Buzzanell, Purdue University

Reworking Gender: A Feminist Communicology of Organization examines the place of gender and feminist scholarship in contemporary critical organization studies. Departing from the common view of gender as a specialized branch of organization scholarship, authors Dennis K. Mumby and Karen Lee Ashcraft reposition feminism in a communication-centered model that integrates recent developments in feminist, critical, and postmodern organizational studies. Linking theory to practical projects, the authors address many of the complex and often contradictory concerns of critical organizational scholarship, including issues of discourse, subjectivity, power, race, and class.

In a compelling and timely fashion, this important volume explores

• Gendered organization studies in the wake of the discursive turn
• The dynamic relationship between gender and organization
• The social construction of gendered work identities
• The intersection of gender, race, sexuality, and class
• The dialectical relation of power and resistance

With its interdisciplinary approach, Reworking Gender: A Feminist Communicology of Organization will be of significant interest to scholars and graduate students in such fields as organizational communication, management and organization studies, sociology, and gender studies.

Book Description

The globalization of the economy, increasing number of transnational organizations, and rapid changes in robotics, information, and telecommunication technologies are just a few of the factors significantly altering organizational time scales, forms, complexity, and environments. Time scales have shrunk, new organizational forms are emerging, and organizational environments are expanding and mutating at unprecedented rates. Computational modeling affords opportunities to both understand and respond to these complex changes.

Paralleling developments in the physical sciences, computational modeling is emerging in the social and organizational sciences. Organizational researchers are using computational models to gain insights into organizational phenomena and to explore dynamic processes and configurations that are difficult or impossible to investigate with other methods. Many interesting insights have already resulted from this research, such as how group cooperation arises or dissipates in social dilemma settings, and how honesty and benevolence affect behavior in a group task. On the practical side, computational modeling is increasingly effective for organizational design, analysis, and reengineering.

Although a great deal of work remains to be done, the era is approaching when both theorists and practitioners will routinely state theories, design organizations, and derive their implications using widely shared computational tools. This volume brings together a range of work from many of the leading researchers in the field.

Contributors: Mihai Barbuceanu, Richard Burton, Kathleen Carley, Keith Decker, Edmund Durfee, Mark S. Fox, Natalie Glance, Michael Gruninger, Bernardo Huberman, MinCheol Kang, David Kaplan, Zhiang Lin, Michael Prietula, Kent Sandoe, Walt Scacchi, Young-pa So, William Wallace, Laurie Weissel. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a road map of suggestions, insights, and techniques that will help owners and entrepreneurs achieve success in selling their businesses—and optimize the prices they receive. It was written to take the mystery out of the process of selling a business, and to help newcomers to the subject become conversant with the knowledge they will need—and comfortable with the experts they will encounter—during the various stages in the selling process. The book covers the entire selling process step-by-step—from making the decision of when to sell, through determining how to market the company, to understanding the various legal documents involved in a sale, and on to closing the deal and handling the transition afterwards.Throughout the book John E. Sampson includes many experiences and stories from his successful career of working first-hand with business owners.He takes readers inside the selling process to help them seal their own deals. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great insights, expertise, and clear guidance for all
Whether you're well-versed or not in the how-to of selling a business, everyone should find value and great expertise in this book. The author presents facts and anecdotes to take you through the process in a way that keeps you interested and inspired. If you are looking to sell your business, I would think this book is an invaluable tool. But even if you're not -- if you're someone like me, who is interested in the subject but has little practical experience -- this was a refreshing and enlightening read. I highly recommend it.

Great Step-by-Step Description of How to Sell a Business
This extremely well written book was very helpful in providing me with a discussion of the step-by-step process of selling a business. I particularly liked the numerous stories of first-hand experiences that the author cites to reinforce his discription of the entire selling process.

It is very clear that the book was written by someone who has actually worked hand-in-glove with business owners in selling their companies. He certianly understands the problems owners face in the selling procress and how to best deal with them.

A "Must Read" for Business Owners Planning to Sell
After reading this book as a refresher, it brought back to my attention the considerable details in selling a business. The book has given me an update on all the steps involved in selling a business--everything from when and how to tell employees about a forthcoming sale, through negotiating the purchase price and related legal documents, all the way to the final closing process.

This book is a must read for anyone planning to sell his or her business.

A Comprehensive / Easy to Read Book on Selling A Business
Most other books written on the subject of selling a business tend to focus on such things as how to value a business and how to negotiate the selling price. This book covers these subjects and countless other aspects of the selling process--including many that I had not previously considered--all in considerable depth.

I particularly benefited from the extensive discussion of what the definitive sale agreement should include and why. Now when I sit down with my lawyer, I will have a much better understanding of what he is trying to accomplish for me, and I will be able to raise objective questions as he proceeds.

I am much better prepared to enter a selling process than I was before reading this very enlightening, yet easy to read, book. ... Read more

Book Description

Presents organizational behavior (OB) from a market perspective, offering state-of-the-art examinations of standard topics, areas that deserve more attention, and emerging issues that will affect the future of OB.Exploring subjects that contribute to an expanding demand for OB theory, approaches, and results, the Handbook covers core OB themes such as organization design, stress and burnout, groups, leadership, and risk taking discusses recent issues, including race and ethnicity, gender, and organizational responses to work-family role conflicts reveals the most important findings from studies on compensation, cross-national technology, auditing, and information systems clarifies the association between mixed results and differences in operational definitions focuses on the role of values in OB research and more. ... Read more

Book Description

Mark McCormack provides information that may be new even to experienced negotiators. He describes the qualities of a good negotiator; the features of a win/win negotiation; the most effective (and most desperate) negotiating tactics; and how to reconcile different negotiating styles when they collide. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Street Smart solutions on Negotiating
Mr. McCormack is as experienced as they come.

The book (like his others) is easy to read and full of gems.

However, He is much more capable in Sales and Management. Delightful book nonetheless.

I also recommend; You Can Negotiate Anything by Herb Cohen.

Unusual and peronal insights into negotiating
I already have read one of his older books what they don't teach you.... I liked that book and it's the same with 'on negotiating'. Mr. McCormack offers unique insights into the negotiating process though on a very personal and unuasal way. In order to get new ideas, to analyse a situation I am in as a negotiator I find his book really helpful. It's more much more interesting than the usual 'sales books' I've read before. And by the way I like to learn from the experiences of other people.

Informative, helpful, not elementary
I enjoy reading Mark McCormack's books. On Negotiating was enjoyable, and provided some helpful things for me to think about and put into practice. However, if you were to buy only one book on the subject of negotiation, this would NOT be the first book to buy. Fisher, Ury and Patton's "Getting to Yes", or Cohen's "You can negotiate anything" are better books to begin with. Either of these books treat the reader more as a beginner and provide a more fundamental discussion than Mark McCormack's book.

On This Book...
I've just finished reading this book and I must say it is a must read for anyone in business who is in a position to do any buying or selling. Everything is a negotiation and this book offers great insights and many "common sense" things that you wouldn't think of when negotiating.

I fully recommend the book!

" Only man negotiates." McCormack is the passkey.
"Question everything" and "Think big,long term" is the premise of this audio cassette program. Does "Breakfast at Wimbledon" ring a bell? Mark McCormack was responsible for negotiating the deal behind the scenes, that would later become a household name and sunday afternoon event. As entrepreneur/owner of IMG(International Management Group)a sports marketing company, started with only $500.00 in capital, later to become a multi-million dollar corporation. Mark McCormack has the credibility and knows the power of negotiating. His teaching on this cassette program is invaluable to the listener, be it a lawyer or a layperson. McCormack is a dealmaker worth investing in. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent advice!
If we are able to master negotiating techniques our salary, relationships, and the prices we pay for everything change. I only wish this book were longer! ... Read more

Book Description

The effective functioning of a democratic society—including social, business, and political interactions—largely depends on trust. Yet trust remains a fragile and elusive resource in many of the organizations that make up society’s building blocks.In their timely volume, "Trust in Organizations," editors Roderick M. Kramer and Karen S. Cook have compiled the most important research on trust in organizations, illuminating the complex nature of how trust develops, functions, and often is thwarted in organizational settings. With contributions from social psychologists, sociologists, political scientists, economists, and organizational theorists, the volume examines trust and distrust within a variety of settings—from employer-employee and doctor-patient relationships, to geographically dispersed work teams and virtual teams on the internet."Trust in Organizations" opens with an in-depth examination of hierarchical relationships to determine how trust is established and maintained between people with unequal power. Kurt Dirks and Daniel Skarlicki find that trust between leaders and their followers is established when people perceive a shared background or identity and interact well with their leader.After trust is established, people are willing to assume greater risks and to work harder.In part II, the contributors focus on trust between people in teams and networks. Roxanne Zolin and Pamela Hinds discover that trust is more easily established in geographically dispersed teams when they are able to meet face-to-face initially. "Trust in Organizations" moves on to an examination of how people create and foster trust and of the effects of power and betrayal on trust. Kimberly Elsbach reports that managers achieve trust by demonstrating concern, maintaining open communication, and behaving consistently. The f! inal chapter by Roderick Kramer and Dana Gavrieli includes recently declassified data from secret conversations between President Lyndon Johnson and his advisors that provide a rich window into a leader’s struggles with problems of trust and distrust in his administration.

Broad in scope, "Trust in Organizations" provides a captivating and insightful look at trust, power, and betrayal, and is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the underpinnings of trust within a relationship or an organization. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good all around.
I am an attorney, and have gotten more mileage out of the down to earth topic by topic chapters in this book in advising clients and friends than I have out of many of my law school classes. I am buying this book as a reference for colleagues. Funny, too.

Good All Around
I am an attorney, and have gotten more mileage out of the down to earth topic by topic chapters in this book in advising clients and friends than I have out of many of my law school classes. I am buying this book as a reference for colleagues. Funny, too.

Excellent tips for everyday deal-making
I found this one to be more interesting than the typical negotiation strategy book in that the author puts a satirical spin on his advice.This approach certainly made the topic more interesting and fun to read!

I would recomm