Book Description

We all know that American business needs fixing, and there is no shortage of prescriptions: imitate the Japanese, or follow the example of successful firms, or practice right-sizing. But these approaches do not work very well, says Russell Ackoff, because they only attack the problem piecemeal--and it is the entire system of American business that is flawed. In this revolutionary new book by a widely respected business thinker and pioneer in the fields of operations research and systems thinking, Ackoff underscores the urgent need to overhaul the kinds of systems found in America, from our business schools to our boardrooms. And he shows how firms can break out of the mold--and leapfrog the competition in today's volatile economy.

To give managers insight into the concept of organizations, Ackoff shows how they have been viewed since the Renaissance: first as machines, later as organisms, and today as social systems. As social systems, companies produce and distribute wealth and raise our standard of living. They are also responsible for facilitating and encouraging the development of the larger systems that contain them and all their stakeholders. The quality of worklife within an organization is key. Work has to be challenging and enjoyable if workers are to give it their full commitment, and Ackoff outlines major ways to achieve this goal. Along the way, Ackoff explodes a number of fashionable business notions. He asserts that firms that try to imitate successful competitors are doomed to play catch-up forever. He attacks the idea of continuous improvement, showing that it has failed to make quantum leaps in quality, and he demonstrates how to re-orient the pursuit of quality. After revealing the weakness in many current practices, Ackoff describes three organizational schemes that will lead to success. In the Circular Organization, a democratic hierarchy, everyone participates directly or indirectly in decisions that affect their work. In the Internal Market Economy, organizations treat their different parts like a collection of firms doing business with each other--which promotes cooperation and eliminates wasteful internal competition. And with the Multidimensional Organization, a company becomes so powerful and flexible that continuous adaptation can happen without reorganization.

Ackoff caps off the book with an incisive critique of business schools, describing how they must be transformed to turn out the leaders we need for the competitive American organization of the 21st century. Enabling managers to understand the profound interrelationships in the American economy and to tap into them for success, The Democratic Corporation is a major work by an innovative thinker that is certain to cause ripples throughout the business community. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

personally his writing style needs help
to be quite frank, he could have done better, the content was informative but his explanation were too wordy and repetative. he could have explained his system thinking theory's in half as much time by sticking to the point,not adding paraphrases that were confusing and misleading. question is"does he get paid by the number of words he uses or thecontent?".

Are democracy and free market good organization principles?
Ackoff presents his organization design based on democracy and free market as organization principles. Most people generally believe democracy and free market are good principles for societies, while most business and government organizations have internal organizations based on autocratic authority and monopoly of services, resources and markets. Why does this happen? Ackoff is very objective in his view of the corporations as social systems, which must satisfy their stakeholders. He presents very objective solutions for the problems of quality of working life, power and authority distribution, performance evaluation and control and structure design. The title of this book promises a radical prescription, and that is a very good description of the contents. The book is dense with well thought, well developed ideas, with examples of their successful application! If you have a position about democracy and free market you should carefully read this book, even if you don't agree with everything Ackoff proposes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fascinating and informative business book
Say It and Live It goes beyond mere words and offers cases studies about companies that have produced and used mission statements to further their own goals, produce more profits and beat the competition. The authors show in step by step fashion how your company can craft a mission statement that really works.

This is an excellent, readable book that delivers on what it promises.

I highly recommend it. Say It and Live It is a book you'll want to read twice -- maybe three times! ... Read more

Book Description

"Rob Lebow and William Simon are on the money. Lasting Change is the only way to go and it can only happen through shared values. Lasting Change is just great-a must read!"- Ken Blanchard, Chairman and CEO, Blanchard Training & Development, Inc. and coauthor of The One Minute Manager.

"Don't miss this book! You'll come away with some extraordinary insights into how great companies make the Shared Values Process an essential principle of their strategy."- John Sculley, principal, Sculley Brothers and former CEO, Apple Computer.

"The concepts and examples are extraordinary. Lebow's Shared Values Process will prove to you that the tired old prescription of 'fixing people' is flawed. To improve performance, you must change the 'context.' This formula will work for any organization that wants lasting change!" -Paul Horgen, President and CEO, IBM Mid-America Employees Federal Credit Union.

"Today's leaders will need shared values simply to meet the challenges ahead. The next generation will demand those shared values. Lasting Change offers inspired yet practical advice for those who seek to build organizations guided by a moral compass." - Dick Capen, author of Finishing Strong/Living the Values That Take You the Distance, former U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Publisher of the Miami Herald.

"The book is well written, straightforward, and no-nonsense. It holds your attention. It is a book I will certainly require in the MBA courses I teach." - Four-star general Warren D. Johnson, USAF (Ret.), Adjunct Professor, Wake Forest University.

"Lasting Change is packed full of the stuff that makes great people and great companies-a well-packaged postgraduate education that is sure to have a lasting impact on those who have the good fortune to read it. It's a must read for entry-level neophytes and seasoned CEOs."- Harold Burson, Chairman, Burson-Marsteller.

"A great collection of anecdotes and experiences that will help a manager develop into a leader.

The book has a lot of information and is well written." -Philip Crosby, CEO of Philip Crosby Associates II, Inc., author of Quality Is Free and The Absolutes of Leadership. ... Read more

Book Description

Have you read the book that can teach you everything you need to know about how to build a successful network marketing empire?"Secrets Of Building A Million Dollar Network Marketing Organization From A Guy Who's Been There Done That And Shows You How To Do It, Too." By Dr. Joe RubinoJohn Fogg, Editor-in Chief of Upline Magazine, says " This is the best book available today on how to build a networking business. This book is written by a guy who's done it and is doing it, today, with great success. Now you can learn how too."Richard Brooke, CEO of Oxyfresh Worldwide says, "Joe's book is the bible on how to build a successful MLM business. I suggest- as persuasively and powerfully as I can- that you take on mastering Network Marketing the way Dr. Joe Rubino has. Don't just read this book- devour it!Learn the Keys to Success in Building Your Network Marketing Business - From the Man Success Magazine called a "Millionaire Maker" in their December 95 Cover Story.With This Book You Will:*Get the 6 keys that unlock the door to success in MLM *Learn how to build your business free from doubt and fear. *Discover how the way you listen has limited your success. And... *Accomplish your goals in record time by shifting your "listening". *Use the Zen of Prospecting to draw people to you like a magnet. *Build rapport and find your prospect's hot buttons instantly. *Pick the perfect prospecting approach for you. *Turn any prospect's objection into the very reason they join. *Identify your most productive prospecting sources . And... *Win the numbers game of network marketing. *Develop a step by step business plan that ensures your future. *Design a "Single Daily Action" that increases your income 10 times. *Rate yourself as a top sponsor and business partner. *Create a passionate vision that guarantees your success. And More!!!LEARN WHAT IT TAKES TO BE THE TOP MONEY EARNER IN YOUR COMPANY ! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Honest, no double-talk, simple, duplicatable techniques
Dr. Joe Rubino's book "...BEEN THERE DONE THAT" really shows that he HAS been there, done that! He is believable, and you can quickly see that his success comes from a "hands on experience". INTEGRITY, TESTED AND PROVEN KNOWLEDGE, SOLID and above all HONEST business practices and methods spill from every page. This simple, easy reading book is a favorite of mine and is presented to members of my organization who are serious about building a financial empire. It teaches leaders in the industry how to partner in the success of others. A true leader isn't a "Monday morning Quarterback"...Dr. Rubino teaches you how to get IN the game and WIN! Devouring this book taught me how to create my business goals and visions and then to PLAY FULL OUT with successful momentum!

No hype! Pure wisdom!
If you are seeking a book of simple, duplicatable methods to build a solid organization and income that will outlast your grandchildren, this is the one! It contiues to be used as a resource material for success! It is a favorite gift that I give to others.
Dr. Rubino's integrity and true contribution to this industry pours from every page!
This book really opened my eyes at what I was currently doing in my single daily actions. If read with the intention of applying these business building principles, you too will see where the "missings" in your business may lie, work to change them, and can experience the same thing I did...GREAT SUCCESS!

It made all the difference in my MLM business
"Been There Done That" is responsible for my network marketing success. It showed me how to correct all the things I was doing wrong and assisted me in creating a personal development plan combined with a specific effective action plan. The listening chapters alone are worth many times the cost of the book. I particularly benefitted from the clear advice on how to "listen through objections" as opposed to answering them. I also purchased Dr. Rubino's tape set "10-Weeks to Network Marketing Success" which is equally awesome and goes way beyond the book. It's like taking a 10 week course with Dr. Rubino. If you want a solid foundation toward success in MLM, buy this book and the tape set as well.

The best book written on how to succeed in MLM
No hype, just sound information on how to build a huge organization. Highly recommended!

Overpriced, no secrets.
This is a brief (as in thin), dumbed-down paperback that is mostly about prospecting. I'd say it's for the person who's never read anything about sales before, but only if you have a very limited attention span. Otherwise, there are far better books. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Stross, an academic business historian,was given unlimited access to interview Microsoft employees andmanagers and to rifle through most of Microsoft's corporate records. His mainconclusion? That Microsoft's phenomenal success is due in large part to its consistent insistence on hiring the smartest people, and that much Microsoft bashing is reflective of an anti-intellectual strain in American culture. Whether you idolize or despise Microsoft, this book is well worth reading--especially if you are in any way responsible for hiring the best and the brightest for your company. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Half is really interesting, half is oddly personal
I've enjoyed reading most of this book and have taken a lot of interesting lessons away with me. The first 150 pages are especially good at illustrating how the company favored technical intelligence over business acumen and why some of the decisions made have paid off so well. This type of information readily applies to any work being done today and I would highly recommend it.

What I found odd was the amount of personal opinion included in the book rather than making this a more objective look at Microsoft. I'm not a Microsoft basher by any means - I use the products every day, program in VB, Microsoft's proprietary language, and genuinely like many of their products. I was just surprised to see the author include many personal opinions, blatantly claiming unfairness towards Microsoft when the context of the discussion already showed his point.

This personalization led me to reduce 4 stars to three. After a while it's just distracting and I had an urge to yell "Shut up and tell the story!" The story is very interesting, and I do recommend reading it. Just don't be surprised if you want to tell the author to shut up once in a while.

As promised, the reason Microsoft is successful.
Although the book has certain flaws, I heartily recommend it because the author defends Microsoft on the basis of its virtues: that Mr. Gates hires intelligent individuals and employs them for their rational capacity to create. Part one, titled "Microsoft Basics," is in three sections: "Sitting and Thinking," "Smarts," and "The Model in Their Head," where Mr. Stross argues that Microsoft is founded on "old logic skills," which is the reason he names for Microsoft's dominance in the marketplace. The author ties the attacks against Microsoft to an anti-intellectual mentality in America and he demonstrates that the attacks are ridiculous because they are baseless. Mr. Stross indicates that Mr. Gates and Microsoft are hugely successful because they reject this disdain for rationality and use their smarts as the key to their success. For these reasons the book is worth reading. The flaws in the book bare their ugly head whenever the author strays from his own field, which is history, into economic analysis--Mr. Stross' economics are thoroughly socialist. Fortunately, he mostly stays on topic in the main part of the book, but the afterword "Legacies" contains nearly every major fallacy of economics spouted by the collectivists. The author believes that good products, if they are too good, are bad products: "For example, the technological success of radial tires had become a business disaster because radials lasted so long that customers purchased replacements much less frequently" and that what Henry Ford did "was establish the principle that workers should be paid high wages because mass production requires mass consumption--the two cannot be separated. ... For all to prosper, other employers also had to let go of the notion of paying their own workers the bare minimum." In the end, he concludes that "even a fair-playing winner may need to be restrained [by anti-trust legislation]--and ultimately Microsoft may indeed turn out to be precisely such a winner" and so, he calls on Mr. Gates to "help persuade others to adopt a course that would improve the lives of others in ways that could never be achieved by even the wisest disposal of his own personal wealth." If it was not for his principled defense of Microsoft on rational grounds, I would ignore this book. But as it stands, if you will pass by his economic comments and skip the afterwards completely, then you will be treated to a clear picture of Microsoft and why it should be admired for its success.

Instructive book
Stross' book goes beyond explaining the ways of Microsoft to man, but explains what it takes to stay up-to-date. As is oft said, the leader of one revolution can not be the leader of another. Because Stross have had a total archival access that's why the reasons why Microsoft company is in the high stakes high technology business are very clear.
Tongue and cheek aside, this book is a real way of thinking in a company. Bill Gates is not the ruthless taskmaster that some people try to denonciate.

Good insight into Microsoft's early days.
I purchased this book when it was first published, but went back and reread it recently. The book is broken down into four sections, the first being my favorite. As an entrepreneur I find the initial organization, growth, and recruiting patterns at Microsoft to be extremely valuable. I think that any company can learn from this section, especially companies with investments in intellectual capital.

The rest of the book is pretty good, but not as valuable as the first section was to me. It did have interesting discussions about Microsoft's early entry into the Personal Finance market going head to head against Intuit. This should have helped dispel many of the anti-trust issues as it shows that Microsoft is not alone in aggressively marketing their products.

Balanced and well-researched
I found this to be a very well-researched book. Stross provides details for all his points and conclusions. This is not a book by someone can can see no good in MSFT, nor by someone who can see no bad in MSFT.

An excellent book if one wants to understand what makes a great software firm. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Importance of Identity
Corporate Image is a well-written book that explores the importance of corporate image. Nowadays, this is an especially relevant image. Steidl and his fellow authors go on to explore various strategies that a corporation can use to burnish its image in an effort to create a strong future, where the image is well-supported by the organization and is well known. Very useful and a fascinating read that readily states and proves its case on the importance of perception of a corporation. It's as good as Guerilla PR: Wired, which also is all too aware of the importance of perception and goes on to explain several strategies on how to attain that image. ... Read more

Book Description

"The Making of a Blockbuster is an engrossing depiction of an out of nowhere, self-made American industrialist, Wayne Huizenga. It captures with intensity the true grit and dynamic, unwavering character of a blockbuster personality and his rise to this country's preeminent entrepreneur." — Sumner Redstone Chairman of the Board, Viacom Inc.

"This is more than a book. It's a fantasy about a man with great vision. A must read for anyone with dreams for their future." — Aaron Spelling Spelling Television Inc.

"I have always admired anyone who makes it on their own and Wayne has done that in a big time way while never forgetting where it all began. The whole story is between the covers of this fascinating book, The Making of a Blockbuster." — Frank Gifford ABC Sports

Despite all the media buzz surrounding Blockbuster video, little has been written about Wayne Huizenga, the charismatic man behind it all—until now. Here is the complete inside story of how this college dropout-turned-garbage collector rose to become a corporate titan. This eye-opening book reveals everything from Huizenga's incredible transformation of 19 Blockbuster stores into a $4 billion entertainment conglomerate to his successful entry into the sports arena as owner of the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins, and the Florida Panthers. Huizenga's winning combination of business strategies, management style, and vision is explained in this book—a fascinating testament to the power of true grit, seat-of-the-pants dealmaking, and sheer entrepreneurial genius. The Making of a Blockbuster is an enthralling read for all who follow the entertainment and sports industries, and business readers who want to find out just how it's done. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Kirkus Is Right On This One
It's not that the effort wasn't there or that the subject wasn't interesting but the style was rough. It does seem gushy at points and is a jumble of facts. I love Huizenga's story and do think the book is a worthwhile read, but the lack of smooth flow in the storytelling is distracting.

A real life course in entrepreneurship
Wayne Huizenga's life is a real life course in entrepreneurship, and business owners should make this book a must read. He has been a master at dealing with people, setting and achieving goals, and growing a business. This book is not one of the typical "vanity biographies." The author interviewed a wide variety of individuals in writing a rather balanced portrait of a dynamic individual ... Read more

Book Description

It's STILL the world's largest marketplace: eBay! And now with the thoroughly updated second edition of EBAY THE SMART WAY, both buyers and sellers get the inside scoop on nearly a dozen new features. With a special emphasis on sellers, all the updated basics are still here, showing how to:

* Follow the steps and rules for offering a product for bid
* Plan and schedule auctions for maximum profits
* Prepare pages, text, links, and photos that will work seamlessly in the digital marketplace
* Establish credibility--the heart and soul of success on-line
* Create a responsive approach to customer service.

Readers also get detailed info on the hottest new features:

* ID Verify (authenticates a user's identity)
* eBayMotors.com (a separate, national vehicle auction)
* AutoTrader (a national vehicle "classifieds" spot)
* Local auctions (by metro area regions)
* Business to Business (specialty auction for nonconsumer goods
* Half.com (fixed-price transactions for certain used goods)
* Great Collections (a place to sell expensive art and artifacts)
* BillPoint and PayPal (credit card transactions for eBay auctions)
* Square Trade (mediation services for disputed transactions)
* eBay Anywhere (using small digital devices to access eBay) and much, much more! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Not if you're serious about starting a business...
I ordered this book and 'Starting an eBay Business for Dummies' by Marsha Collier at the same time. I've already had some success with eBay auctions, and am seriously looking for some ideas to get an eBay business off the ground. While I found Marsha Collier's book to have a great deal of useful information, this book is more or less 550 pages of pretty useless information to someone already mildly savvy with the eBay process.

If you are new or just beginning with eBay, you might find this book useful, if you want to sit down and read about eBay at length. But the best way a new person will learn about eBay is to get out on the site and play around. Once you have bid and/or sold, I think you'll find that this book doesn't have a lot to offer you.

The only useful section of this book was the area that addressed buying/selling strategies. Not enough info for me to keep the book - it's currently on half.com... :)

THE book for Ebaying Smart
I bought this book because I was interested in getting into ebay and it was the perfect book. Not only did it have the basic information that a beginner needs, but it is also a great reference tool for people who are seasoned (like I am now). I buy and sell on ebay and it has great tips for both buyers and sellers. It tells you the best way to bid to get an item for the lowest price. When to bid, how to know what to bid, how to outfox your competitors. I continually refer to the book when I am listing an item for sell to find out how to dress up my ads with bullet points, colored titles, and paragraphs (instead of the one paragraph that ebay allows you when you don't know HTML language). Mr. Sinclair tells you how to know what to set as the opening bid, when the best time to list an item is, and how to attract bidders. He also tells you how to deal effectively with other ebay members, inlcluding those who don't honor their bids. The book is full of inside tips that you can't find on the ebay tour online. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in getting started with ebay, or a seasoned ebayer who would like to learn how to be a more successful buyer and/or seller. After reading this book, you can definitely do it the SMART way.

E-Bay the Smart Way by Sinclair
This is an excellent introductory work on the inner workings of Ebay. The author shows how to buy things from E-bay, use them and
resell them-many times at a profit. Trust is at the heart of the
E-bay system. The site is perfect for revenue raising. Payment may be made by Turbo-check, Paypal or by personal check or money order. The auctions are at agi5.ebay.com/ws2/ebay. Losses may be insured. A special escrow protects against non-delivery for
large money purchases. The E-bay system is perfect for high volume selling. The book is a worthy purchase because it explains the Ebay system and protocols, identifies advantages &
warns of pitfalls. This is a solid value for the price paid.
I've bought from E-bay and my experience is that tremendous values are there for the asking. A buyer can buy literally at .10
on the dollar. Ebay is perfect for the new college student seeking to buy furnishings and books at deep discounts.

Great choice for those that desire to go into business
I bought the second edition of this book sometime ago to use as a reference for starting a business on Ebay. I found the book to be very easy to use and full of useful tips and information. I bought this book when I wanted a updated reference for my ebay business. This book, like the prior edition is easy to use and will help you no matter if you are a Ebay newbie or seasoned pro. Yes there is a lot of general busness information but most likely you are looking at starting a business on Ebay so you need a convenient source for both issues. I am very pleased with this book and highly recommend it.

For any who would do more than dabble on the auction site
From choosing desktop computers and their many options to assessing business software and web tools, Ramon Ray's Technology Solutions For Growing Businesses provides the small business owner with valuable strategies for understanding technology options and needs. This goes far beyond recommending specific brands: it covers the basics of linking business goals to equipment assessment, and includes invaluable information on tech support and effective training for technology use. Many are selling on Ebay's auction site, but Joseph T. Sinclair's updated third edition is the unauthorized guide which provides newly expanded coverage of its auctions and how to profit from them. From coverage of real estate, international sales and auction management to using PayPal payment online systems and handling images, this is an important guide for any who would do more than dabble on the auction site. ... Read more

Book Description

The first book to look at how and why the British banking industry sold out

A revolution took place in the City in the 80s and 90s. The cosy club of British merchant banking collapsed in a series of sell-outs, closures and scandals. This left the City dominated by US and European giants. Was this the inevitable result of globalization, or did mismanagement play a part? This is the first book to look at how and why the British merchant banks and brokers sold out, and where that leaves us. Augar tells this fascinating story with pace and drama, taking us through the Thatcher years, the crash of 1987, Big Bang, and the aggressive invasion of the American banks. He looks at why the British banks failed to keep pace with the Americans, what this says about the way they were run, and what this means for the future. ... Read more

Book Description

The contributions in this volume reveal much about the institutional nature of central banks.They analyze the banks' growth and development as well as desired objectives and challenges in the future. The articles tackle the issues in a variety of ways, combining historical observation with economic theory and experimentation. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

PR piece?
Hesh Kestin's book was given to all Computer Associates employees when it was published.It is a look at a company that has a fairly strange internal culture.There is a breathless, tabloid quality to much of the writing, and you will not find much analysis here.On the other hand, itis a more measured source of information than the occasional article andpostings on various chat and/or message boards.

A brief view of Computer Associates
Rarely have people outside the computer industry heard of Computer Associates, "CA", even in the tech-hyped investment community. Even in the software industry, many are unaware that it has been in the top5 software companies by sales for many years.

This book, written in theearly 90's provides a snapshot of how CA's management has created aspecific corporate culture, very different than the typcial fast-movingsoftware company.

Some points that were of interest to me:

1- Thecompany growth is largely through acquisitions.

2- The company is an EastCoast software company, not a California or Austin based company.

3- Thecompany has been in business since the 70's.

4- The founders are stillthe managers and they still use the same basic business philosophy thatthey started with.

The book is brief and somewhat dated, but I think itprovides an insight into a unique part of the technology industry. If youhave read books on more prominent companies like Apple, Microsoft, andIntel, this is a good book for expanding your view of successful technologycompanies. ... Read more

Book Description

Create a more flexible, responsive, and competitive business

A Publication of The Center for Effective Organizations

Picking up where the successful Organizing for the Future left off, this work from the Center for Effective Organizations presents a coherent set of principles and hands-on guidance for creating the successful organization of tomorrow. Celebrated contributors such as Jay Conger, David Finegold, and Tora Bikson--not to mention the editors themselves--empower a book that captures the latest thinking and new practices regarding the design of complex organizations. The emerging forms and contexts of organizations, enablers of continuous performance improvement, and change implementation processes are among the many cutting-edge topics discussed. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Challenges of the Future.
"Tomorrow's Organization focuses on the new organizational designs and management approaches that are emerging as organizations transform themselves to face the challenges of continuous and relentless globalcompetition. The book is based on two premises. The first is that thenature and intensity of competition have changed, and so organizations arenow required to be simultaneously more effective and more flexible in theirability to reconfigure themselves, carry out their dynamic strategies, andmake sure they are delivering value to their customers faster and betterthan their competitors. The second is that strategy and organization arenot enough: organizations must also create new approaches to the humanissues that accompany change" (from the Preface).

In this context,editors divide this invaluable study into four parts:

Part I- DesigningCompetitive Organizations. In this part (Chapters 1-4):

* E. E. LawlerIII, D. Finegold, and J. A. Conger focus on the development of a frameworkfor understanding the factors that contribute to the effectiveness ofcorporate boards, and specific principles and practices that can contributeto board effectiveness.

* J. R. Galbraith describes customer-productstructures, and focuses on three questions concerning this kind ofstructures: (1). What are hybrid structures? What do they like? (2). Whyare companies choosing to organize in this way? (3). How do we make hybridstructures work effectively?

* J. R. Galbraith argues that "the newinformation technology facilitates the networked organization by allowingindependent firms to join together in networks". And then he describesthe various design issues that have to be addressed in networkedorganizations.

* J. R. Galbraith examines the factors on which companiesorganize their global operations, and considers the major approaches toorganizing, as well as where those approaches fit.

Part II- EnablingCompetitive Performance. In this part (Chapters 5-7):

* D. Finegold, E.E. Lawler III, and G. E. Ledford Jr. ask that 'Is attention to competenciesanother management fad, or is it a more fundamental and lasting change inthe theory and practice of managing organizations and individuals? Then,answering this question, they examine three distinct competency approachesas well as tensions among them.

* S. G. Cohen and D. Mankin argue that"New information technologies, combined with the global competitivepressures, have fundamentally changed the nature of work". Then theyexamine this impact of information technology on the nature of work.

* E.E. Lawler III and S. A. Mohrman review employee involvement, total qualitymanagement, and reengineering approaches with an eye to assessing both howthey unfolded and their long-term implications for the field ofmanagement.

Part III- Managing People in the Competitive Organizations.In this part (Chapters 8-11):

* S. A. Mohrman and E. E. Lawler IIIoutline the specifications of new human resources management, and arguethat "the human resources function not only must become a truebusiness partner but also must be a microcosm of the organizations in whichit is embedded".

* D. Finegold, after describing the main elementsof new learning paradigm for building competencies, reviews the steps thatfirms can take to identify a clear set of priorities for development and toevaluate the make-or-buy decisions regarding training.

* J. A. Conger andK. R. Xin describe changes in the nature of executive education, changesthat include an increased focus on developing executives for the newcompetitive environment and the new, more lateral organizational forms.

*E. E. Lawler III focuses on how pay systems can be designed to supportparticular strategies, and argues that "the challenge fororganizations is to integrate their pay systems with business strategy andwith overall organizational design. This challenge must be met iforganizations are to compete effectively in rapidly changing globalmarkets".

Part IV- Transforming the Organization. In this part(Chapters 12-14):

* D. Mankin, S. G. Cohen, and T. K. Bikson provideframeworks for creating high-performing organizations through the designand implementation of new information technologies and the team-basedorganizations that employ them , and describe the change processes neededto create the new organization.

* R. V. Tenkasi, S. A. Mohrman, and A. M.Mohrman Jr. study organizations as they have gone through a fundamentaltransformation in their organizational model and the factors thatcontribute to accelerated learning during transitions, and then describethe dynamics that characterize organizational learning as organizationschange their underlying architectures.

* A. M. Mohrman Jr. and S. A.Mohrman argue that "performance management is central to managing thebusiness, defining the individual's relationship with the organization, andproviding a mechanism for feedback and control". Thus, they describesome of their research and experience to show how and why this happens.

Ihighly recommend this study to all executives.

Excellent analysis of the 21st century organization
This book is a comprehensive examination of the changing nature of work and the changing character of the workplace. The text analyzes trends such asreengineering and TQM and whether these trends are likely to continueas is, evolve, or disappear.

The role of human resources management isdepicted in an expanded role that assumes a cross-functional position inthe modern organization. Training is seen as a process of continuouslearning rather than a preparation process.Teamwork is shown as anessential facet of technology as projects are too complex to be assigned toindividuals. The authors describe an organizational architecture thatcombines market, social, and technical skills. The individual is describedin a nested position within a group, within a business unit, within anorganization.

This text has been used at Santa Clara University in theEngineering Management and Leadership program and is highly recommended forsimilar programs or for managers or self-led professionals who want todelve into concepts such as spiral work-flow models and lateralorganizations. ... Read more

Book Description

Are upstart competitors taking deadly aim at your company's products and markets? Richard A. D'Aveni, author of the famous attacker's handbook Hypercompetition, presents coun-terrevolutionary strategies and tactics that any industry leader or established company can use to defend itself against revolutionaries, disrupters, or hypercompetitors. The secret lies in making the rules, not breaking them, D'Aveni says, because rule makers still rule. Arguing that "profits and prosperity come not from revolution but stability and orderly change," D'Aveni presents a commanding framework that will enable any resource-rich or clever defender to gain Strategic Supremacy by being first to define the playing field.

D'Aveni demonstrates how global powerhouses such as Disney, Microsoft, and Procter & Gamble have achieved preeminence by reconceptualizing their product portfolios as powerful competitive arsenals he calls "spheres of influence." Essentially a new way to compete by restructuring portfolios around a core geographic/product market, spheres enable any company to influence the behavior and positioning of rivals. In immensely readable prose, D'Aveni describes how prevailing spheres of influence can be used to create legal business equivalents to a "concert of powers" and other industry structures that mix cooperation with competition. Just one of the potent functions of a corporate sphere, D'Aveni shows, is to contain competitors of equal size (as NBC contained ABC). Spheres can also be used to stabilize an entire industry's global power system.

A glance at the detailed table of contents will provide a sense of the wealth of new information contained in this essential handbook of global warfare, including "how-to" tools the reader will need to measure and map the pattern of competitive pressure in any industry and to interpret the meaning and strategic implications of these pressure patterns for his or her position within the industry's power hierarchy. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Gotta be smart to like this one!
This book take the "core philosophy" one step further. You gotta be a strategy geek though to really understand it.
If the wonderful book BUILT TO LAST taught you how to work from the core, then this book teaches you how to protect your core.

This book is revoultinary because the author really sees things in a new way.

This book has helpt me understand me and my competitors. I understand what the core of my business is, and my competitors, the diffrence comes how we interact and work from the core ........it proves how complex business strategy really is. This book helps you undertand it!

Strategic Supremacy
Both in style and content this is a heavily theoretical, academic work. The concept of spheres of influence does little to advance the discussion beyond what could be achieved using conventional portfolio models and competitive theory. The constant reliance on historical, non business related examples only increases the abstract nature of D'Aveni's argument.

D'Aveni is unable to provide examples of companies who have followed the approach he describes and thus his argument is weakened by a lack of coherent or consistent case studies. He is forced to rely on a series of vignettes that attempt to justify small parts of his argument.

As an academic exercise in reviewing similarities across social, military and business history, Strategic Supremacy offers some interesting insights. As a tool for understanding the competitive environment and developing strategies it does not, in my opinion, offer a great deal that current tools cannot provide.

Silly
I did not find this book useful, instructive, or even interesting. There is something about these high-brow academics that just seems to make them incapable of grasping the real world. I'm sorry but this book read like it was written by a junior in business school on the night before it was due.

I have read virtually every book there is on business strategy - this one rates as one of the worst.

Strategic Supremacy
Transcends the simplistic Chicken Little strategic approaches that recommend you blow yourself up to save yourself in the face of change and chaos. Rather than assuming the sky is falling, D'Aveni reveals, through wisely analyzed cross-industry and longitudinal studies, how the underlying character of firms can lead to startlingly successful and varied approaches for marketplace triumphs.

Dr. Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld,
Associate Dean, Yale School of Management,
& Founder and CEO, The Chief Executive Leadership Institute, "The CEO College"

For startups and small businesses
This book was incredibly readable. At times, even witty. It provides a big picture context but, at the same time, puts business trends and examples in a context so you can see whether they are really applicable to your company or situation. As someone who runs a startup, too much theory can bog me down so I liked that each chapter also included practical applications and checklists like, for example, ways to rethink your portfolio or to reduce your vulnerability. I guess my overall take is that Strategic Supremacy has an agenda that is bigger than just promoting a new, one-size-fits-all business strategy. It makes it very clear how defined and yet dynamic any company has to be right now - and it provides a very practical template for breaking away from traditional thinking and looking at my business and my industry in a new way. ... Read more

Book Description

Based on first-hand experience, The Chrysalis Economy explores some extraordinary cases of corporate meta-morphosis as we begin the long haul from today¹s Caterpillar Economy to tomorrow¹s Butterfly and Honeybee Economies. John Elkington looks over the shoulders of business leaders and boards as they build the values-based platforms essential for sustainable value creation. He also looks at the corporate cultures which will be needed and the steps required to achieve them. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Alan G. Robinson and Sam Stern, university professors who have served as advisors on creativity to organizations around the world, believe that the proper combination of imagination and originality is what really pumps life into a company. In Corporate Creativity: How Innovation and Improvement Actually Happen, they cite numerous examples of its place in celebrated corporate success stories and suggest various ways that other firms can harness it. Focusing on six elements they see as essential to the process, the authors show how virtually any institution can work to encourage creativity within its ranks. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Pleasant read, Useful insights, Not too Practical.
A well written book with lots (maybe even too many) examples of unexpected creativity.

Boils down to 6 areas which you need to boost to increase creativity: corporate alignment, self-initiated activity, unofficial activity, serendipity, diverse stimuli, and within-company communication

The chapter on serendipity is not really convincing.

The book is rather short on practical advice. Provides a list of questions to help you 'start unleashing corporate creativity'. This is where the book is a bit of a let down.

Overall a pleasant read with useful insights.

Well written with interesting examples
Corporate Creativity is not an oxymoron. Robinson and Stern have written a good book that explores the key concepts that based on their work differentiate a creative organization from those that are not. The key steps the book expands on are that corporate creativity stems from: 1-Allignment 2-Self initiated activity 3-Unofficial activity 4-Serendipity 5-Deverse Stimuli 6-Within-company communication

While the book does a great job at exploring these concepts and gives excellent examples, what I found lacking was the "how-to" compontent.

As the author of Aha! - 10 Ways To Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas, I am always looking for good books on the topic I am most passionate about. As far as creativity books, this one takes a unique perspective, the corporate rather than the individual. I applaud their work in this regard. Their examples are well-researched, and from a variety of industries.

If you are looking to dig deep into the field of organizational creativity, this is an excellent addition to your library.

Quite entertaining, not meant as a "how to"
The book is good for readability and wide ranging examples of creativity in action. But I found its gee-whiz diagnoses of why and how creativity occur are superficial. OK for a weekend reading and maybe idea generation, but not of much practical use.

"The Power of the Unexpected"
"Most companies are aware that their creative 'potential' greatly exceeds their creative 'performance.' The problem is that they don't know what to do about it. We believe that this potential cannot be realized until people recognize where it actually lies. Consider this. Most creative acts, as they now occur in companies, are not planned for and come from where they are least expected. It is impossible to predict 'what' they will be, 'who' will be involved in them, and 'when' and 'how' they will happen. This is the true nature of corporate creativity, and it is here that a company's creative potential really lies. For corporate creativity, the real power is in the unexpected" (from the Introduction).

In this context, in describing the corporate creativity, Alan G. Robinson and Sam Stern write that a company is creative when its employees do something new and potentially useful without being directly shown and taught. And they argue that in every unexpected creative act the following six essential elements are key to promoting consistent corporate creativity:

1. 'Alignment' is the degree to which the interests and actions of every employee support the organization's key goals. Strong alignment requires three things: *clarity about what the key goals of the organization are, *commitment to initiatives that promote the key goals, *accountability for actions that affect the key goals.

2. 'Self-initiated activity.' The majority of creative acts in companies are self-initiated, which explains why they are unanticipated by management. To promote it, companies only have to unleash what is already present. The key is an effective system for responding to employee ideas, which must have five characteristics. The system must: *reach everyone, *be easy to use, *have strong follow-through, *document ideas, *be based on intrinsic motivation.

3. 'Unofficial activity,' work done without direct official support, is what makes it possible for a company to go where it never expected to. Every unexpected creative act begins with a period of unofficial activity, which might be a matter of minutes or years.

4. 'Serendipity' combines a fortunate accident with sagacity. Fortunate accidents can be promoted through strategies that provoke and exploit accidents. Sagacity can be promoted by expanding the company's human potential beyond its immediate needs.

5. 'Diverse stimuli.' A stimulus can either push someone in a completely new direction or give that person fresh insight into what her or she has already set out to do. There are four strategies companies can use to promote diverse stimuli: *identify stimuli and provide them to employees, *rotate employees into every job they are capable of doing, *arrange for employees to interact with those outside the company who are likely to be the source of stimuli, *create opportunities for employees to bring into thr organization stimuli they get on their own.

6. 'Within-company communication.' Every company tries to ensure effective communication between employees who depend on each other to do their work. However, most organizations overlook the importance of unanticipated communication between employees who do not normally work together. And these exchanges of information often lead to unexpected creative acts. There are three ways a company can promote within-company communication: *provide opportunities for employees who do not normally interact with each other to meet, *ensure that every employee has a sufficient understanding of the organization's activities to be able to tap its resources and expertise, *create a new organizational priority: all employees should know the importance of being responsive to requests for information or help from other employees.

Finally, Robinson and Stern write that "If the six elements are implemented in your organization, its overall level of creativity will certainly rise. Use them yourself and you may very well find yourself in the middle of a creative act...Our journey led us to 'discover' the power of the unexpected. Your journey will lead you to 'realize' it."

Highly recommended.

A Good Reaf!
You can improve your company's performance by increasing creativity and fostering employee innovation. Most creative acts are unexpected. Therein lies your company's creative potential. A company is creative when its employees do something new and possibly useful without being directly shown or taught. Creativity can and should happen in every organization, including companies with highly standardized procedures. While creativity is intangible, you can see the results of it in your company's improvements and innovations.

The first five chapters provide an overview of creativity, outlining the six essential elements that creativity requires. In the following chapters, the authors detail the six elements, provide several case studies to illustrate their points and show how to achieve each aspect of creativity. This is a useful book for any executive who wants his or her company, and the people in it, to realize their full creative potential. We at getAbstract recommend this book to managers and executives in any industry. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

"In The Power of We, Jonathan Tisch reminds us again that working together still yields the best results. Jon has spent a lifetime mobilizing people and organizations to get a job done in business and in civic service. His experience, optimism, intelligence, and common sense are reflected in this fresh look at the rewards of partnerships."
–President Bill Clinton

"The Power of We,offers a clear and compelling lesson in how today’s business leaders can create new synergies and gain competitive advantage by learning how to partner successfully."
–Kenneth I. Chenault
Chairman and CEO
American Express Company

"Jon Tisch has lived the strategy he describes in The Power of We, and now this extraordinary man and successful leader shares his strategy with us.Building partnerships at all levels–social, intellectual, and political, as well as entrepreneurial–will be one of the keys to progress in the coming decades.Jon Tisch provides a road map for those who grasp that reality."
–John Sexton
President, New York University

"Being a leader requires vision, focus, and influence.Jonathan Tisch has exhibited all three in this great body of work about what it takes to be a partner and something bigger than yourself.The Power of We is a must read."
–Pat Riley
President, The Miami HEAT ... Read more

Book Description

"The Venture Imperative is strongly practical in orientation…a must-read for those serious about launching a corporate venturing unit within their own company."

-Vince Barabba, General Manager, Corporate Strategy and Knowledge Development, General Motors Corporation

Innovation has become a game of corporate life or death: Produce and market successful new ideas, and a company thrives; ride competitors' coattails, and the company eventually falls by the wayside. Yet continuous innovation has traditionally been as risky and difficult as it is essential. How can corporations create an environment that has enough freedom to allow for innovation, while providing enough structure to control risk?

In this groundbreaking book, Heidi Mason and Tim Rohner-leading voices in venture strategy-prove that corporate venturing is the best way to intelligently and successfully test and launch innovative corporate growth strategies. Venturing drives corporate strategy by harnessing internal and external innovation, while limiting financial risks.The process starts with the right environment: the Venture Business Office-a group that directly connects individual ventures to the parent investor and the larger venture community.

Corporate venture programs have traditionally failed because they lacked a viable structure for business R&D. Drawing lessons from years of experience, Mason and Rohner unveil a new, four-step approach that will enable any business to:

· Create a diversified portfolio of ventures to drive new growth opportunities

· Optimally allocate people and capital

· Recognize-and remedy-failing ventures at any stage

· Keep venture programs connected to the parent firm's strategy, and integrated with R&D, M&A and Corporate Development

· Measure the results

· Continuously innovate

The authors also show how to utilize the proven Bell-Mason Venture Development Framework-derived from the time-tested best practices of successful new ventures-as a guiding tool throughout the process.

For executives, investors, and entrepreneurs alike, this book reveals the art-and the science-behind winning corporate venture programs.

... Read more

Reviews (7)

Could Become a Business "Classic"
Mason and Rohner do indeed provide a "new model for corporate innovation" based on the assumption that if done right, venturing offers several substantial benefits to the mature corporation that, in combination, cannot be obtained elsewhere: "access to exceptional talent, the means to focus on important new opportunities that didn't fit into the established mold and culture, and the ability to experiment with different ways of organizing and operating that were more suitable to the issues at hand and to future growth." In turn, the mature corporation offers a great deal to fledgling start-ups that they couldn't obtain through any other method: "access to rich resources, including deep domain experience and knowledge, technology, established brand, supplier, and customer bases." After years of rigorous research and analysis, Mason and Rohner concluded that "the dual-value propositions for corporate venturing" offer a unique and compelling opportunity for a mutually beneficial codependency, one which "reveals a clear path for success -- a new model for corporate venturing, one that lives up to its potential and is sustainable over time." With precise and eloquence, Mason and Rohner explain HOW.

They organize their material within three Parts: Laying the Foundation for Innovation, A Guide for Venturing, and Capturing Strategic Value. Following the Afterword by Gordon Bell (author of High-Tech Ventures: The Guide for Entrepreneurial Success), there are seven especially valuable appendices whose subjects range from "VBO Business Plan Elements" to "Partner Profile Template." The acronym VBO refers to "Venture Business Office" which, as the authors explain in the Preface, is a demilitarized zone" which "connects the big company, the outside venture community, and start-ups. whether they emerge from inside or outside the corporate walls. The VBO is the logical conduit between [and among] these very different yet potentially synergistic worlds."

The authors provide in this single volume a comprehensive, cohesive, and cost-effective (four-stage, step-by-step) process by which to derive maximum value from the aforementioned "convergence." Along the way, they include dozens of charts ("Figures"), micro-case studies which illustrate various innovation initiatives, checklists, summaries, "Key Lessons," and (in the appendices) just about everything anyone would need to know about the design, establishment, and development of a VBO. Presumably, many of those who read this brilliant book are involved with organizations (including corporations) which either do not need or cannot afford a VBO worthy of the name. Nonetheless, there is an abundance of information and advice which would be of great value to them. I also highly recommend this book to others now involved in start-ups or not-yet--mature organizations as well as to venture capitalists, management consultants, and other service providers (e.g. bankers, attorneys, and accountants) who can -- and indeed should -- be included in venturing initiatives.

In their Preface, Mason and Rohner suggest that "there is an opportunity to learn from the successes of venturing and create tools, organizational structures, processes, and -- most important -- a point of view that will make venturing work for most companies that are willing to take the matter seriously -- as one that may ultimately amount to corporate life or death." They realize that a VBO may not be appropriate for many organizations. Make no mistake about it: Venturing worthy of the name requires rigorous and sustained communication, cooperation, and collaboration as well as sufficient resources. In that event, however, venturing not only permits but indeed assures innovation of a nature and to an extent otherwise unattainable.

Essential tool in your corporate innovation kit
Innovate or evaporate seems to be the mantra of most management gurus. Asked how to facilitate innovation these gurus usually lack an answer. Mason and Rohner are different as they show in this excellent book. Combining a clear framework with interesting examples this is a must read.

To further develop your view on the topic of facilitating innovation in your organization I would recommend 'Webs of Innovation' by Alexander Loudon and 'Radical Innovation' by Leifer et.al.

Solid Blueprint for Corporate Venturing
After leading an internal iniative to bring more innovation into a corporation, I found much of the task in selling your innovative idea depends greatly on convincing the "the suits" that the business plan is sound. The practical experience from the authors provides a solid blueprint for both internal and external innovators to map out their proposed venture to evaluate the likelihood of success. I frequently refer to the numerous examples while evaluating new business deals, both pre and post launch.

I also recommend the reader concentrate on the chapter, "Battling Corporate Antibodies". The greatest barrier is often from your own team, the "middle-manager" which will require much more time and effort to emotionally educate than is ever expected. Excellent insight is provided in dealing with the numerous approval stages and cultural hurdles that a new venture proposal must overcome within a corporation to survive beyond just an idea.

I do recommend this book for those brave innovators within a corporation and the bravest, those outside the safe womb of a corporation seeking to build a new idea into a business.

Provides roadmap for corporate venturing
I really enjoyed The Venture Imperative. The authors provide a good framework for corporate venturing right down to a "how to" roadmap for applying their concepts. Additionally, they've developed a useful vocabulary for in house venturing. There are plenty of real world case studies that really add to the material. I've known Heidi Mason and have found her work on venturing to be very relevant to major corporations. This books brings corporate venturing into the mainstream.

Essential to getting to less talk, more action
Very cool. As a former "intrapreneur" and current venture capitalist, all the baggage around venturing that Mason and Rohner brilliantly dissect definitely struck a chord. More than just an all too familiar management do's and don'ts list, the principles and diagnostics they propose are actually very liberating -- because they set expectations appropriately at each stage and create a critical path to success. Every company should understand the value of a Venture Business Office and what kind of person makes a good VEO! Overall, I appreciated the informed, balanced approach they took: a refreshing change from the hyperbolic management books of recent years. ... Read more

Book Description

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