Book Description
Discover both sides of international business and how to prepare for the future. GLOBAL STRATEGY doesn't just show you what it's like for foreign businesses entering a new market; it also reveals what domestic companies must do to survive foreign competition. Written to be easy-to-read and full of study tools, GLOBAL STRATEGY is the resource that helps out on the test and gets you ready for your next job. Your purchase includes a World Map and access to InfoTrac College Edition, an online university library of full-length articles from more than 5,000 academic and popular magazines, newspapers, and journals.
Customer Reviews:
Teach Our Students How to Fish.......2007-07-30
As a PhD student teaching global strategy and international business, I like this book, not only for its comprehensive theoretical framework, but also for its openness for a series of debates on globalization. The theoretical framework can help students analyze the complex global business environment. More importantly, a series of debates can open their eyes, and can help them build more skills to deal with challenges in a globalizing world (think about the current buzz on offshoring and outsourcing).
Many textbooks attempted to teach students how to arrive at "correct" answers. They just tell students what is already known, and do not describe the sorts of problems that the professional may be asked to solve and the variety of techniques available for their solution. This textbook deviates from the rest of pack, because the author tries to integrate many new fronts (and yes, even debates!) in the academic and practitioner world (see the long list of references) and cultivates a "global mental set" based on his rich experience in many countries. What is most refreshing is that the author does not give a single answer or simple evaluation for many questions, but provides many possible approaches to widen the reader's mindset. In fact, every chapter has a beefy section devoted to "Debates and Extensions," with no given conclusions.
Even vivid business cases will fade quickly and be forgotten in this dramatically changing world. So a set of "divergent thinking skills" will play a more important role in helping students develop long-term capabilities in their career success. Through this book, students will learn how to recognize and evaluate many problems to which no unequivocal solution has yet been given, find an arsenal of techniques (industry-based view, resource-based view, and institution-based view) for approaching these problems, and develop "global mental sets" to judge the relevance of these techniques and to evaluate the possible solutions.
The ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi once said: "Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; but teach him how to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime." Truly, this exciting book may teach our students how to fish!
Great book for International Business/Strategy class.......2007-03-07
As a professor, I have used several books for International Business classes and I have to say there are Global Business books that should have been titled as International Politics or American Business. This book has a good balance between country analyses such as EU regulation, privatization in emerging economies, and company perspectives such as entering into foreign countries, creating synergy between divisions. The cases cover companies from a lot of countries; they provide enough information to complement the chapters but are not too long so that it's easy to read through. My students and I enjoyed this book very much!
Avoid this textbook.......2006-12-25
I'm presently a student studying International Business and Marketing at a local university. This review is based on the copyright 2006 edition.
The real-world examples are extremely out of date for a global business book. For example, the interactive case 1.1 states 2000 annual report figures for GN Netcom. Another example, mentioning Yahoo! back in 2001. We all know how this competitive marketplace has changed dramatically over the past few years, and in fact changes every 6 months. When I am paying $113 for a textbook that publishers push out a new edition every year or two, I expect my money to go towards updates in the examples that are used. I realize that strategic principles don't change and can be applied towards any case in time- but this author charges a premium on a book that should be at least half the price.
Second, the structure and layout of this book is horrible. It does not break out the key points or core concepts from this rather blandly written book. The end of chapter questions are not intuitive enough, and lack the depth that a textbook should require. There is also not enough use of diagrams to illustrate the points in the text.
Third, this book is printed in black and white- another cost savings that should not justify the high price. It reminds me of reading textbooks from 15 years ago. This book will definitely be sold back at the end of the class.
So, if you are a teacher- please seriously evaluate this book before you require students to purchase it. I'm fortunate that I am taking another strategy class and there is enough overlap that I can just skim over Global Strategy by Mike Peng to fill in the gaps that I miss in the other book. A far better recommendation- Crafting and Executing Strategy by Arthur Thomson Jr., etc. Fellow students, I feel your pain if you have to read this book.
Very engaging book.......2005-04-26
This is by far the best written business textbook I read in college. The book offers a very wide variety of real-world examples of the different strategies and actions explained in the book. These examples span all kinds of companies, from large MNE's to small businesses based in developing nations. The text is written very straightforward and the book seems to flow well from chapter to chapter. I was lucky to have Mike Peng as my professor in international business, because he devoted as much attention to his students as he did to his textbook.
Book Description
Business and political leaders often talk about what their respective countries must do to compete in the world economy. But what does it really mean for a country to compete, and how do they do this successfully? As the world has globalized, countries develop strategies to compete for the markets, technologies, and skills that will raise their standards of living. These government strategies can make—or break—a nation’s efforts to drive and sustain growth.
In How Countries Compete: Strategy, Structure and Government in the Global Economy, Richard Vietor shows how governments set direction and create the climate for a nation’s economic development and profitable private enterprise. Drawing on history, economic analysis, and interviews with executives and officials around the globe, Vietor provides rich and insightful examinations of different government approaches to growth and development--leading to both success and failure.
Individual chapters focus on the unique social, economic, cultural, and historical forces that shape governments’ approach to economic growth. Countries discussed include: China, India, Japan, Singapore, the United States Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. Vietor challenges the widespread notion that, in market-driven economies such as the United States, a strong government can only hinder business success.
A provocative account and a rich resource, How Countries Compete offers potent insights into how the business environment has evolved in crucial nations—and what its trajectory might look like in the future.
Customer Reviews:
Offering strategy.......2007-06-02
This book is a great example of the need of undertanding the offering strategy of any entity. Ths includes from countries, retailers, to brands and local products. Just think that Coca-Cola offers just one product!
Francisco Zegers
Good information, little analysis (and many stylistic stumbles).......2007-05-01
I expected great things from this book. After all, when your very title takes issue with Paul Krugman ("countries don't compete, firms do"), one counts on intriguing new insights. Alas, not here. It is a collection of very nice, albeit somewhat opinionated capsule economic histories in ten countries, from South Africa to the US. As you move along, you finally realize that countries are not competing with each other. They are "competing to grow," shaped by "four elements of successful economic development: (1) national strategy, (2) economic structure, (3) resource development, and (4) efficient use of resources." The compilation of interesting facts about each particular case can come in handy, but it is very difficult to see how these facts add up to lead to the ten success factors presented at the end of the book: (1) basic property rights, at best temporary fiscal deficits, higher savings and investment rates, strong central banks, sound microeconomic policies, labor market flexibility, avoiding the resource curse (for resource-rich countries), low levels of corruption, an acceptable income distribution, and adequate current balances.
Anyway, it would be a nice little book for reference, but it is marred by what appears to be a dearth of editorial talent over at the folks of Harvard Business School Press. There is Japan going down to "unconditional defeat." (p. 25) In Malaysia, the "majority (5.98 [sic] percent was Malaysian." (p. 41) In China, "the majority of the investment came from expatriot Chinese ..." (presumably still flashing their Super Bowl rings, p. 65) There is reference to a "John" Hopkins University, and the Southern African Development Community is rendered as "South African," and there are incomplete sentences ("The World Bank estimated that SOE productivity was -1.2 percent annually." P. 65).
Finally, there is a certain element of what one might consider an often peculiar perspective. Putin does very well in the description of the Russian experience. Italy (and Europe in general) might as well throw in the towel, according to Vietor's views. There is an intriguing observation that "... [b]ound by their roots, most Italians are unwilling to relocate even when offered higher-paying jobs." (p. 207) That must have come as quite a surprise to the Italians who represented the first wave of Gastarbeiter in Germany in the 1950s, and their descendants. Right next to it is the gem that "[d]espite a high population density, Italy had the lowest birthrate in Europe." (also p. 207) Does that mean that countries with low population densities normally have low birthrates? And then there is President Bill Clinton "imposing a significant tax on energy (British thermal units, or BTUs, which release carbon dioxide when burned.)" Presumably American thermal units don't do that. And there is much more.
All in all, for those who expected to get a new perspective on the competitiveness debate--and I certainly agree that government actions can make, or often break, efforts by private enterprise to compete--will walk away disappointed.
Enlightening.......2007-03-20
I think it is a very well written book. It has a lot of very interesting and meaningful information on history, economics and countries' social lives.
The author tries to introduce you in a timely fashion on the situational scenario the countries he covers were at a particular point in time, describes the challenges and advantages and how and why they managed to get to where they are.
It is easy to read and highly advisable especially for the ones that haven't had the chance to look at some facts related to some Asian countries.
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Book Description
Trying to trade stock, bond, commodity and currency markets without intermarket awareness is like trying to drive a car without looking out the side and rear windowsâvery dangerous. In this guide to intermarket analysis, the author uses years of experience in technical analysis plus extensive charts to clearly demonstrate the interrelationshps that exist among the various market sectors and their importance. You'll learn how to use activity in surrounding markets in the same way that most people employ traditional technical indicators for directional clues. Shows the analyst how to focus outward, rather than inward, to provide a more rational understanding of technical forces at work in the marketplace.
Customer Reviews:
Must Read.......2006-04-13
This is a book that everyone should read. Even if you don't trade this is a great book about economics and will help anyone to understand what moves the markets and why. There are numerous charts in this book comparing different markets to each other in a plain easy to understand format. As a technical book goes this one is easy to comprehend will give the reader a much greater knowledge of the markets and the economy in general. As a trader myself this is one of the best books out on this subject I know of and one of the best books I have read on trading period. As an example a few years ago lots of economists were talking deflation. If you had of read this book you would have known that we were not heading into a period of deflation but inflation. What is presented in this book is not an exact science but will give the reader insight to what the future economic situation will be.
If you liked this book, you'll love his new book...........2004-01-09
Those who were reluctant to accept the benefits of intermarket analysis after reading Intermarket Technical Analysis (1991) will find making the paradigm shift much easier after reading his latest book published in February 2004 called Intermarket Analysis. Murphy has the benefit of some monumental market events in the last three decades to demonstrate his case and he uses them to great effect.
As John pointed out in an interview for Stocks & Commodities magazine I did with him in December 2003, it was his original goal to write the quintessential intermarket book but then found the topic so involved that each chapter could have become a book. There is just so much to discuss. Attempting to cover anything but a small snippet in a review is sheer folly. It is also impossible to do the book justice.
Markets have become so interdependent in the last decade, a correlation that continues to strengthen with time. If those who suffered financial ruin between 2000 and 2002 had read Intermarket Technical Analysis, how many of them could have avoided huge losses and even profited from what occurred? We will never know for sure but is it a risk they anyone can afford to take, especially when considering that the cost of avoidance (cost of the book) is less than $50? For those serious about making money in the market and keeping it, his new book, Intermarket Analysis is an absolute must!
Matt Blackman - Technical writer/review and regular contributor to Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities Mag, Traders Mag (Europe), Working Money, Traders.com Advantage, SFO Magazine
The textbook on market forecasting.......2003-11-05
You'll learn a lot from this book. Most investors sit obsessively focused on the market averages. They'll cut on their TV and see the ticker on CNBC be in the green and feel elated or else they'll see it red and get worried. Murphy's book will show you how a study of the bond, currency, and commodities markets along with an analysis of the stock market will help you see the big picture and get a better feel for where the economy and all of the markets are going. The past 3 years has proven to us that just because the stock market has a rally doesn't mean we are on the verge of a big economic boom or a new bull market.
Murphy demonstrates how each of these four sectors interact with one another and the business cycles and if you can grasp the lessons he teaches you then you'll have a clearer understanding of what drives the financial markets. Once you understand these cycles you will be able to forecast the intermediate term trend of the markets. It really isn't that complicated.
The only negative about this book is that it reads like a textbook. It takes a theory of how these markets rotate with one another and demonstrates it with example after example. It takes work to get through the book, but the payoff is well worth it. In fact the lessons in this book are critical to anyone who wants to become a successful investor. In today's environment of rapid boom and bust in which market timing is critical they are more important than ever. Even though it is 10 years old, this is the best book on the subject.
Covers insights many miss.......2003-06-01
This book and its concept dwells into the area of the financial markets and how they affect each other. Its theory meshes with various other market theories in that if one market goes up, another may respond differently. This is one of the handful of books i would recommend to anyone beginning to get serious about the financial markets. I first picked this up in a state library, much to my amazement it was brand new and never borrowed, much like a lot of the information in it.
Badly needs updating & poorly executed.......2002-11-18
This book is old (1991) and does not cover the important
facet of sector rotation or how to intrepret this book into a meaningful stock play. Murphy in this book does not even hint at it, thus allot of this information is not truly useful. The concept is superb but the execution quite flawed.
Instead get the other Murphy book:Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets: A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications OR Martin Pring's new edition to his updated Complete Technical Analysis. Even Murphy's chapter in New Thinking in Technical Analysis: Trading Models from the Masters
was better than this book, despite its short 25 page conciseness.
Funnily his video on this topic DOES update the book and cover Sector Rotation so Murphy obviously is aware of the oversight.
This book is boring with no payoff. There is too much repitition with no real payoff (sector rotation); if you are truly interested in this important field of study look elsewhere.
Book Description
This new edition of a business textbook bestseller has been completely updated to reflect the numerous global changes that have occurred since 1999: globalization, SARS, AIDS, the handover of Hong Kong, and so forth. In particular, the book presents a fuller discussion of global business today. Also, issues of terrorism and state security as they affect culture and business are discussed substantially. The structure and content of the book remains the same, with thorough updating of the plentiful region and country descriptions, demographic data, graphs and maps. This book differs from textbooks on International Management because it zeroes in on culture as the crucial dimension and educates students about the cultures around the world so they will be better prepared to work successfully for a multinational corporation or in a global context.
* The original, best-selling guide to developing cross-cultural skills to succeed in the global economy
* More than 200,000 copies in print, adopted by more than 200 universities worldwide
* This classic has been praised as a 'bible of multiculturalism' (New York Times News Service)
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Book on the Most-Overlooked Facet of Business Today: Cultural Differences.......2006-04-03
As a cross-cultural consultant and graduate business professor, I highly recommend the sixth edition of the MCD book by Harris, Moran, and Moran. I currently utilize the new edition in both my online and onground MBA courses which deal primarily with international management and leadership issues.
The authors had cohesively distilled the topics of business, culture, and management into a readable and usable text that is easily interpreted by students, undergraduates included.
I have followed the authors' work on this series for the past 10 years and have seen nothing but the most relevant information being added to the subsequent editions.
As a consultant and an educator, I recommend the sixth edition of the MCD books without reservation. They are essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the integral effects on culture in this era of globalization.
- Dr. Eileen Sheridan Wibbeke
San Jose, California, USA
Great Reference book for Cross-cultural Affairs.......2006-04-03
The book "Managging Cultural Differences" is a very good reference book for cross-cultural affairs. First of all, the book creates awareness about culture and subsequent cultural differences in an increasingly global world. It also offers the reader an introduction to the concepts of culture and beliefs and most importantly gives a guide on how to behave in foreign countries.
"Managing Cultural Differences" has helped me many times in business, for travels as well as my private life. I use my copy as a reference book.
The best benefit of the book is probably not only the cross-cultural guide but also the explanation of abstract concepts, their theoretical backgrounds and the practical implications thereof. The book also gives suggestions for further readings.
differences.......2006-02-21
This is a good introduction in diversity relating to the global market. It is an easy to medium reading book with many perspectives.
A Great Value for Students.......2004-07-27
Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the first edition of this work, the authors proffer an expanded version of a text that has come to be regarded as a classic reference work by students everywhere. Their message is still the same, the understanding of our differences, the celebration of diversity, and the creation of partnerships of long-term benefit.
While many of the chapter headings are still the same or similar, considerable content has been added and the emphasis in the first half of the book is on providing information to enhance the building of global leadership strategies. We see the reemphasis on the development of cross-cultural communication skills and their presentation of both the positive techniques and the pitfalls to avoid.
Much of the thrust of the first half of the book is on cultural synergy which they view as representing a dynamic process that involves adapting and learning, and which involves joint action in which the total effect is greater than the sum of effects when acting independently. Synergy to them creates an integrated solution that does not signify compromise because nothing is given up or lost and it develops the potential members by facilitating the release of team energies..
The remainder of the first half of this text looks at managing transitions and relocations, an all too short chapter on managing diversity in the global workforce, women in global business, and effective performance in the global marketplace.
This latter chapter on effective performance in the global marketplace addresses issues of global leaders and strategic alliances, the psychological dimensions involved in intercultural contracting, the development of human resources, the essential factors of global performance, integrity in business organizations, ethical relativism, cultural changes that are occurring in many countries, and the management of technology transfer.
What puzzled me is that in the entire first section there is only one quotation from Fons Trompenaars and his name never even made it to the index. There are four plus pages on Hofstede's early work and his name can be found in the index.
That aside, for a book that is focusing on global leadership strategies for the 21st century to omit any mention or analysis of Trompenaars seven dimensions and the ground breaking work that he has done seems, to put it mildly, somewhat strange. There would seem to be a need for today's readers to go beyond Hofstede and to transition into the data base and findings of Trompenaars research and its application for effective global strategies.
Further to this, in their discussion of cultural synergy, there is no mention of the Trompenaars/Hampden-Turner concept of reconciliation. To achieve the true culturally integrated solution that the authors are promulgating would seem to require a reconciliation approach such as can be found in Trompenaars/Hampden-Turner's writings.
The second half of Managing Cultural Differences provides data on regional cultural specifics and addresses doing business with North Americans, Latin Americans, Asians and Australians, Europeans, Middle Easterners, and Africans. In these sections, not all countries are considered but for those that are included there is a rich data base and keen insights of considerable benefit.
Overall, this is a good book and judging by previous editions, is one that will be of great value to students keen on understanding the world around them.
David C. Wigglesworth an intercultural/international management, organization, and human resource consultant is president of D.C.W. Research Associates International, 2606 Parkdale Drive, Kingwood, Texas 77339-2476 USA. Tel: 281-359-4234. Email: dcwigg@earthlink.net
Full of misinformation and false [information].......2003-03-27
Here are some of the MOST OBJECTIONABLE texts in this book on India -
India: Geography, Government, and People (adapted with permission from Venturing Abroad in Asia by Robert T. Moran International Management)
Page 444 - 8th paragraph
"There is not enough work for all their people, so poverty is prevalent. With an adult population of 326 million and official unemployment rate of 15 million, the last thing India needs is labor-saving modern equipment. Over the years, India has implemented intensive population control programs but none were successful. The high birth rate has been attributed to early marriage, the emphasis on bearing sons by the Hindu religion, the security of having children to take care of parents in old age, and the low level of education achieved by the rural masses.
Climate and culture contribute to the high incidence of disease and influence the patterns of work. The hot weather season brings constant dust, which results in various infections~ and eye irritations and also limits the outdoor physical activity. The cold, damp rainy season brings on colds, malaria and rheumatism. Their practice of vegetarianism contributes to malnutrition and protein deficiencies. The people of India have a general syndrome known as "weakness" brought on by their constant exposure to epidemic diseases such as cholera and typhus, and the malnutrition factor.
CORRECTION: This are very UNHEALTHY comments and illustrate pure ARROGANCE and IGNORANCE on the authors' part. They have NO MORAL right to blame India's culture and climate for its problems. Like everywhere else, people get used and adapted to the climate. And if they endure more, they should be stronger as they tend to develop immunity! Now, it has been proved that Vegetarian diet is as healthy (if not, more) as meat. For more info, please visit the link below -
[local website]STRANGE and INCORRECT!! - Why would the wealthy and educated with more resources suffer more often with malnutrition and the so called 'Weakness Syndrome' ?? ILLOGICAL!!
Page 445 - 5th paragraph
"Astrologers play an important role in India, as the people believe that nothing is accidental and the universe and all living components have a fundamental order."
Page 446 - 3rd - 4th paragraph
"It can be said that traditional Hindus are a nation of water drinkers"
"Western food is available in all the good hotels."
CORRECTION: Except health harming drinks, Hindus drink every good drink. Again, PURE ARROGANCE and IGNORANCE - good hotel does not mean Western food!!-
Book Description
This book is about developing implementable strategies for shipping firms. It opens with an initial historical retrospective that highlights cases on A.P. Moller-Maersk and Leif Hoegh and Co. Here the reader is introduced to the global nature of competition in shipping, as well as the volatility of shipping markets. The book then turns to the question of how to play these markets. It looks at commodity based shipping company strategies for the bulk carrier, tanker container-ship and other segments. Here, the focus is on both going long-short, in-out, and maintaining a low cost base. Next is a discussion of operations versus asset play. The book analyzes Marsoft's forecasting methodology, with case studies on The Torvald Klaveness Group, Norden, Frontline and Teekay.
The book then takes a close look at the challenge of driving one's strategy towards niches, i.e. on-commodity segments, with a spotlight on how to find a viable business opportunity and develop a defendable strength there. Examples come from I.M. Skaugen, Farstad Shipping, The Torvald Klaveness Group and Leif Hoegh and Co.
Since overall corporate-wide portfolio strategies can be important in shipping, particularly if the various elements in the portfolio are relatively unrelated, the next part of the book turns to analytical approaches, citing several examples. Then follows a discussion of key organizational issues, particularly how to create and sustain more effective, predominantly network-based organizations. The penultimate subject is the important role the board of directors can play here. Finally, the role of family firms, and the future of shipping firms, is discussed, again with several rich examples.
Book Description
Large Group Interventions are methods used to gather a whole system together to discuss and take action on the target agenda. That agenda varies from future plans, products, and services, to redesigning work, to discussion of troubling issues and problems. The Handbook of Large Group Methods takes the next step in demonstrating through a series of cases how Large Group Methods are currently being used to address twenty-first-century challenges in organizations and communities today, including:
- Working with widely dispersed organizations, and the problem of involvement and participation
- Working with organizations facing a serious business crisis
- Working with organizations in polarized and politicized environments
- Working in community settings with diverse interest groups
- Working at the global level and adapting these methods for cross-cultural use
- Embedding and sustaining new patterns of working together in organizations and communities
Customer Reviews:
The Handbook of Large Group Methods.......2007-09-12
Trust Alban and Bunker to use their social science prowess and rich professional experiences to create an eminently pragmatic handbook for leaders of systems change. To their credit, the entire construction of the book also employs the very principles espoused by the contributors: inclusion of stakeholders, engagement of multiple perspectives, search for common ground, transparency, and appreciation for diversity. After soliciting cases from around the world, the authors organized them into helpful categories of interventions around "six challenges for the 21st century" and added their views on the issues created by those challenges. These chapter inputs are perfect executive summaries for clients who are mired in these dilemmas daily and are looking for solutions and they will help introduce the large group engagement methods the consultant is offering. Also invaluable is the authors' matrix of each case that delineates the organizational sector, the situation addressed, and the methods used--truly makes the text handy.
Although the book stands on its own merits for the sophisticated organization consultant, reading their previous Large Group Interventions (Jossey Bass, 1997) would give the appropriate context for the creative adaptations of the original methods that their latest book so well describes. The Handbook has not only added new methods (Appreciative Inquiry Summit, World Café and AmericaSpeaks) but, more importantly, it describes combinations of traditional methods along with new twists which are thoroughly described. Appropriately, there is a greater reliance on engagement principles for a change process instead of previously prescribed recipes for events in their prior book.
The consultant contributors have been generous with details, for the most part, so that seasoned organization development consultants will feel comfortable employing these tested methods of engagement. On the other hand, there also could also be a warning sticker that reads: "Don't Try This Alone in your Ballroom!" because much of the success comes with years of experience working with diverse groups and learning what doesn't work. Partnering with such experts is the wisest way to dive into whole system change.
As a trainer of large group principles, I particularly appreciated the enhancement tools this handbook describes--Polarity Mapping (B. Johnson), Gestalt therapy, coaching theory, using professional actors for storytelling, graphic facilitation and more. I look forward to the 2017 iteration Bunker and Alban offer to keep us on our toes!
Elizabeth K. Olson
Preferred Futures, Inc.
Carlotta Tyler, OD Consultant and Executive Coach.......2007-03-18
This Handbook is a valuable, broad scope look at public and private sector systems currently engaged in change iniatitives around the world. Relatively free of jargon and untried theories, these field-tested case studies will appeal to a wide spectrum of readers from organization leaders and HR professionals to business school students. I came away with some important new ideas for my work and avoided a few pitfalls after reading the book.
An excellent combination of practice, theory and new ideas.......2007-02-03
Through the many cases presented, Barbara and Billie were able to present to the reader how the different Large Group Methods actually can be applied, and, specially, how they form part of a larger roadmap for systemic change. Interesting also how all cases have a reflections session, which is very usefull in giving actual or to-be practitioners concrete tips for implementation.
The combination of cases with theory about the methods and innovative ideas (for example, on the use of Technologies and Graphic facilitation)resulted in a superior learning experience and complements very well their first book ("Large Group Interventions: Engaging the Whole System for Rapid Change").
Last but not least, I was happy to note how there was a shift in attention from method to challenges that organizations or communities are facing - so a focus on impact and change. A book worth reading for those that are facing or will face large scale changes.
Substantive and Provocative.......2007-01-16
In the complex, interconnected, global environment that most organizations work in daily, it is no longer possible for a few people "at the top" of the organization to have all the knowledge, expertise, and perspective needed for its success. At NovaLearning, we have used large group methods with colleges and universities for about fifteen years. I have constantly seen how institutions become better -- more focused, more strategic, but also more humane -- as they incorporate ideas and insight from across the system into their operation. When Bunker and Alban's earlier book was published, I was delighted because it captured well the range of large group approaches that had developed by 1996. This new handbook goes much further.
These are substantive case studies exceptionally well framed by Bunker and Alban's insight and experience. The diverse case study authors are generous in sharing at a level of specificity that makes real learning from their experiences possible. Each chapter is organized around the presenting challenge, the context and methodology (and why chosen), a detailed description of what actually happened, and perhaps most importantly, a set of reflections and insights that give the reader the chance to share in the authors' learning. I also found valuable the examples of how the innovative use of communication technologies can provide new opportunities as well as sometimes create unexpected limitations. I strongly recommend The Handbook of Large Group Methods to consultants who use or want to use large group methods. Individual chapters will also be important and provocative for corporate, academic, social, and political leaders and change agents.
How These Methods Actually Work In Practice.......2007-01-08
The strength of this book lies in the fact that it not only provides methodologies and resources for creating change in organizations in the 21st century; but also identifies how these methodologies actually work in practice.
A series of case studies ranges from addressing business issues at American Airlines and the BBC to managing change in organizations in Mexico and Indonesia. The reader is taken on a journey by those individuals who were responsible for implementing large group methodologies in their respective organizations.
By reading about these success stories and the methodologies they employ, you will be able to develop a plan for you own organization that will ensure a higher level of success that would otherwise be possible.
Walter Willigan, President, Willigan Consulting LLC
Book Description
Widely practiced by many Fortune 500 companies, global outsourcing has become one of the key strategic imperatives for successful enterprises. Often referred to as offshore outsourcing, services globalization is the next step in the evolution of global trade and capitalism. Top organizations are performing, buying, selling, and transforming services at an incredibly quick pace.
Written by outsourcing and global services experts Atul and Avinash Vashistha, The Offshore Nation presents a comprehensive, balanced view of the rapid growth of outsourcing and its expanding role in corporate strategy, providing a roadmap for business leaders and upper-level managers to plan their own strategies. Drawing upon their vast experience as consultants to Fortune 1000, multinational corporations, the authors help you determine what role offshore services should play in your company, how to integrate the strategy into your overall corporate identity, and successfully manage the initiative on an enterprise-wide level.
This practical, strategy-packed guide outlines the "big picture" of outsourcing, breaking down its different components and examining its impact on world and local economies and employment shifts. Covering outsourcing in many different countries and a variety of services--from IT, telecom, and customer service to accounting--the authors reveal best practices and step-by-step, proven methods for:
- Building a sound globalization strategy
- Identifying the processes that are mature enough to send offshore
- Choosing the right business model for globalizing IT, back office, and other services
- Attracting and retaining customers
- Effectively managing your suppliers
Chock-full of valuable insights and tactical advice, The Offshore Nation is the authoritative primer for global outsourcing, helping companies to minimize the risks and maximize their return on investment.
Customer Reviews:
Highly informative and readable.......2006-07-11
This book provides a great framework for analyzing and determining the why, what, how and where of offshoring. If your organization is considering a shift towards offshoring, then you should find this book very useful in helping you think through the business case. The book does not drown you in details, but still provides a comprehensive overview of the offshoring industry.
Highly recommended.......2006-05-18
"The Offshore Nation - The Rise of Services Globalization" is an excellent guide for companies putting together their offshore strategy, as well as for companies that have already done it but want better results. It beautifully captures the global trends and gives practical yet comprehensive guidelines on how to do offshoring right - things that come out straight from the authors' rich experience in the area. Highly recommended.
Make Sure You're Looking for Info on OFFSHORING - not OUTSOURCING.......2006-05-15
Offshoring and Outsourcing just got jumbled again in the American vocabulary. The Offshore Nation is written by experts on the Indian BPO marketplace. If thats what you're trying to understand, this book is very helpful. If your goal is limited to large corporation, call center projects or transaction processing, this book is very helpful.
For all other areas of Outsourcing, I highly recommend you read any one of the other books who don't confuse offshoring and outsourcing better than Lou Dobbs.
A must read even if you don't outsource or are not in the business of outsourcing.......2006-05-12
Atul's book `The Offshore Nation' offers a very insightful ring-side view of the macro-economic trend towards globalization of services and how organizations and business leaders can effectively leverage this in a global economy for competitive advantage. Atul through his organization, NeoIT, has played a lead role in shaping the sourcing strategies of global organizations and the book is both thought provoking as well as prescriptive. It is a must read even if you don't outsource or are not in the business of outsourcing, for sooner or later, you will be a part of this global economy where work moves to where it gets done best."
A Must Read for Managing Today And Leading Into The Future.......2006-05-08
Speaking as the CEO of Sourcing Interests Group, a major ongoing outsourcing forum, The Offshore Nation hits a homerun in providing practical, immediately useful insight into the many facets and considerations of offshore outsourcing. Clearly this is one of the most important books on outsourcing that has ever been written. I highly recommend it.
Book Description
The most trusted names in workouts and turnarounds share their valuable strategies Compiling insights and methods from industry experts, this authoritative and practical guide cuts through the maze of corporate restructuring jargon to give corporate leaders and professionals the proven techniques and clear advice needed to understand today's corporate turnarounds and workouts. Workouts & Turnarounds II: Global Restructuring Strategies for the Next Century gives detailed coverage of the key issues involved in this process-from both the creditor and company positions. You'll learn how to identify a troubled company and determine the chances of turnaround, and what management should focus on before it's too late. One of the leading authorities in financial and operational restructuring services, Dominic DiNapoli has assembled experts from around the country who have provided their insights and years of experience in the various topics covered in this book. From business regeneration tactics, to managing corporate communications, to the roles of lawyers and lender services, you'll find a wealth of information in this comprehensive reference. In addition, this guide contains case studies of turnarounds in progress, illustrating many of the techniques and strategies currently available. Whether you are a CEO, an attorney, or a lender restructuring or investing in distressed companies, Workouts & Turnarounds II: Global Restructuring Strategies for the Next Century gives you the crucial information you need to make the right decisions today.
Customer Reviews:
Not to the point.......2002-08-23
This book will explain how the rules were created and turned to what they are today. Who cares how they came to be, the only important thing is what you can and cannot do under the circumstances. It will explain what to consider, in general terms, when valuing distressed companies. But what discount rate should you use? How would you value different assets? It doesn't explain. There are no numbers in this book. It's not practical. It's like buying a cooking book and when you want to know how to make a cake the book reads: "use eggs, milk, flower and mix". Ok, thanks.
What to Do...What Not to Do.......2000-05-09
Every executive should make active use of a basic reference library of about 12-15 business books; Workouts & Turnarounds II should be one them. Edited by Dominic DiNapoli, it consists of 21 different chapters, written (or co-authored) by experts on various subjects. These chapter titles suggest some of the issues which are addressed:
* Trouble-Spotting: Assessing the Likelihood of a Turnaround
* Looming Financial or Business Failure: Fix or File -- A Legal Perspective
* Preparing for Bankruptcy: Building the War Chest
* The Lawyer's Role in Representing the Distressed Company
* The Accountant's Role in the Workout Environment
* Dealing with Employee Issues in a Bankruptcy Situation
* Mergers and Acquisition Strategies for the Distressed Company
At one time or another, all organizations experience serious problems. Many of them eventually recover. The wealth of information and advice provided in this single volume explains HOW. Other organizations, unable to solve their problems, are either liquidated or acquired. This book explains WHY. I know of no other single volume which offers more and better information about workouts and turnarounds, corporate restructuring, and bankruptcy proceedings. This book can be of substantial value to those involved with a distressed organization. It was written primarily for them. However, I think this book can also be of substantial value to those whose organization is (at the moment) thriving and who are determined to sustain that success. Knowing what NOT to do is often as important as knowing what to do.
Book Description
For over three decades, indexing has become increasingly accepted by both institutional and individual investors. Index benchmarks and investment products that track them have been a driving force in the transformation of investment strategy from art to science. Yet investors’ understanding of the sophistication of this burgeoning field has lagged the growing use of index products.
Active Index Investing is the definitive guide to how indexes are constructed, how index-based portfolios are managed, and how the world’s most sophisticated investors use index-based strategies to enhance performance, reduce costs and minimize the risks of investing.
Active Index Investing provides a comprehensive overview of (1) the investment theories that are the foundation of index based investing, (2) best practices in benchmark construction, (3) the growing world of index-based investment vehicles, (4) cutting-edge index portfolio management techniq ues and (5) the myriad ways investors can and do capture the benefits of indexing.
Active Index Investing has a unique format that captures the views and perspectives of over 40 of the investment industry’s leading experts and practitioners, while maintaining a holistic view of this complex subject matter. In addition to the Appendix and Glossary within the book, it features an
E-ppendix, available at www.IndexUniverse.com
Download Description
For over three decades, indexing has become increasingly accepted by both institutional and individual investors. Index benchmarks and investment products that track them have been a driving force in the transformation of investment strategy from art to science. Yet investors’ understanding of the sophistication of this burgeoning field has lagged the growing use of index products.
Active Index Investing is the definitive guide to how indexes are constructed, how index-based portfolios are managed, and how the world’s most sophisticated investors use index-based strategies to enhance performance, reduce costs and minimize the risks of investing.
Active Index Investing provides a comprehensive overview of (1) the investment theories that are the foundation of index based investing, (2) best practices in benchmark construction, (3) the growing world of index-based investment vehicles, (4) cutting-edge index portfolio management techniq ues and (5) the myriad ways investors can and do capture the benefits of indexing.
Active Index Investing has a unique format that captures the views and perspectives of over 40 of the investment industry’s leading experts and practitioners, while maintaining a holistic view of this complex subject matter. In addition to the Appendix and Glossary within the book, it features an
E-ppendix, available at www.IndexUniverse.com
Steven A. Schoenfeld is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of IndexUniverse.com, the definitive online resource on index investing. He is also a Senior Research Fellow with Duke University’s Global Capital Markets Center, and Managing Partner of Global Index Strategies LLC, which provides consulting services to the financial industry. Steven was Chief Investment Officer of Active Index Advisors, focusing on enhanced index portfolios and was a Managing Director of Barclays Global Investors (BGI), where he served in a variety of portfolio management and investment strategy roles. Before joining BGI, he was an Investment Officer at the International Finance Corporation/World Bank, and a stock index futures trader in Singapore. Steven was a Fulbright Scholar in Economics, and co-authored The Pacific Rim Futures and Options Markets.
Customer Reviews:
Good basic concepts, but do not try this at home.......2006-10-15
Indexing is definitely the most cost effective way to invest and to control how your assets are allocated. At the end of the day, what ultimately drives return, is an intelligent asset allocation strategy and minimizing costs. A good financial planner who believes in this strategy should help you implement the asset allocation and monitoring processes. If the proper investment tools are used you can have the investments and the investment advice for less than the cost of the average mutual fund.
Why indexing is the starting point for your asset allocation.......2004-10-11
An important disclaimer: I am a specialist index portfolio manager a major index fund manager
This is an excellent book that contains all the important reasons why your asset allocation should start with indexing and then think about active managers (not the other way around - pick the market haystack, not the active manager needle). The important points have not changed over the years, including during the bear market of 2000-2001. The bottom line is that costs matter.
I was most impressed with chapter 19, which well describes the index portfolio management process and demonstrates how much more difficult it is to deliver benchmark returns than what people think. Every person who glibly retorts 'a trained monkey could manage an index fund' and 'what do you guys do all day anyway?' should read this. Index portfolio management is a unique challenge and we're always on a hiding to nothing to achieve this outcome.
The chapters are well researched and there are plenty of references for the interested reader.
It is a large book, but all the chapters are self contained and there is no loss of continuity by reading chapters individually.
I ended up giving it four stars however as the low quality paper on which it was printed makes the book feel a little cheap. For a $90 book the publishers could do better.
A must-read for those interested in index funds/ETFs.......2004-09-28
This book is quite simply contains the best information on the subject of indexing.
It tracks the beginnings of index products and pays respects to the pioneers that developed this type of investing. Mr. Shoenfeld thoroughly decribes the myriad of vehicles that are available for investors today (this list grows every day it seems).
But what really makes this book shine is the real-life examples and guest writers. Books about investment theory often lack concrete illustrations of the theories they espouse. Mr. Shoenfeld descibes in detail how and why individual investors, pension plans, and hedge funds use index products. In many cases, fund managers write the chapters. Getting this information "from the horse's mouth" allows insight into thought processes of those responsible for investing millions of dollars.
The scope of the book is amazing, and even more is available on the e-ppendix on the Web. Congratulations to the author on putting together a massive reference book on the subject of indexing.
Outstanding textbook.......2004-09-09
Steve Schoenfeld's edited volume, "Active Index Investing," is a welcome addition to the literature on financial management. Although rigorous in content, its clear-to-follow chapters and illustrative sidebars combine to make this book extraordinarily useful as a primary textbook on MBA or executive education courses on financial analysis, financial instruments, fixed income asset pricing, and portfolio management. In addition, several chapters, including those dealing with enhanced indexing and benchmarks, will be of particular interest to scholars who are interested in the theoretical literature on portfolio management. Overall, "Active Index Investing" is a winner and gets my highest recommendation due to its clarity and breadth.
Virtuoso Performance!.......2004-08-19
This is an extremely well written and thoroughly informative guide to the important new world index investing. It's not a short book -- but it's perfectly organized into easily manageable chapters... and more of a page-turner than you'd expect.
The book works on multiple levels. Whatever your degree of investing sophistication, you'll find incredibly useful information. It's probably the only thing you need to read on index investing -- covering mutual funds, ETFs, and making sense of the now-huge variety of index-based investment options. And it's linked to a web site that will keep the book effectively current.
Buying the book was a modest investment that I'm sure will pay off nicely...
Book Description
With total coverage of over 100 economies worldwide and published for the sixth consecutive year, The Global Information Technology Report has grown into the world's most eminent assessment of the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on the development and competitiveness of nations, and into a powerful tool for business leaders and policy makers in understanding the enabling factors of ICT advancements. The Global Information Technology Report 2006-2007 features the latest computation and rankings of the Networked Readiness Index as well as a number of essays covering different issues of networked readiness and showcasing best policies and practicing in leveraging ICT for growth and development. As in previous years, the Report is the result of collaboration between the World Economic Forum and INSEAD, France.
Books:
- Globalization: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
- Heroes and Martyrs: Emma Goldman, Sacco & Vanzetti, and the Revolutionary Struggle
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
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Latin America and the Caribbean: A Systematic and Regional Survey
Global Corporate Finance
International Human Resource Management: Managing People in a Multinational Context (Visit the Website)
Statistical Thinking in Business
Operations Management: Processes and Value Chains, 8th edition
