Something Wild
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Lots of sexual tension
  • This is Something Wild Alright...
Something Wild
Autumn Dawn
Manufacturer: New Concepts Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fantasy, Futuristic & GhostFantasy, Futuristic & Ghost | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 158608691X

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Lots of sexual tension.......2007-06-24

This book was well written I thought. They just didn't jump into the sex and keep it there throught the whole book. The woman was a really strong character, but a little annoying after awhile. I keep wondering why she fought the attraction so long? But it was good. If you like a lot of sexual tension before the actual admission of falling in love then this book is for you.

Here's the blurb from the New Concept's Publshing website:

"Ever fall in love with the wrong man?
With a body to make a young girl sigh and a voice like black velvet, Mathin is definitely the wrong man. He's not safe, he's not stable ... he's not even human.

Andrea doesn't know what she's getting into when she agrees to visit her granny. Swept away to another world by a man almost too hot to handle, she can't decide if it's a dream come true or someone's idea of a sick joke.

Romanced by the light of the triple moons, entranced by Mathin's fiery kisses, will Andrea give up her home on Earth in exchange for Something wild...?"

Mathin is one hot guy!

2 out of 5 stars This is Something Wild Alright..........2007-01-15

...I'm just not sure the author meant that literally when they wrote this book. This book held my attention for all of the first 2 chapters? It became less interesting for the next 5 chapters, downright boring the following chapters; and then I knew I was in trouble when I found my mind and thoughts wondering towards what was on sale at the Mall, by the time I was more than half-way through the book. Towards the end, the book which should have been blessedly coming to its cliff-hanging conclusion, had the audacity to add even MORE characters at a faster rate than a desperate alcoholic going through a bottle of Ny-Quil. In short...don't waste your breath looking for the sequel if the author is stupid enough to attempt one.
Something Wild (Avon Light Contemporary Romances)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • This is fun quick read!
  • sounds familiar
  • Cute story!
  • Almost Five Stars
  • Time to write about a different family?
Something Wild (Avon Light Contemporary Romances)
Patti Berg
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0380816830
Release Date: 2002-02-05

Book Description

Charity Wilde didn't come all the way to Wyoming just to be saddled with some cowboy! The leggy showgirl only wants a quiet time with family before she heads back to Vegas. So why do Mike Flynn's emerald eyes make her knees go weak? Fame is just around the corner -- and Charity wants to be a star...not a rancher's wife!

Upright Mike has his own reasons for not wanting to get involved with this Wilde woman. But reason takes a back seat to passion -- and the sparks flying between them are about to start one hell of a blaze! Their life goals are too different for this to work -- unless a showbiz beauty and a sinfully gorgeous cowboy can somehow find another dream that includes them both. Something like...love perhaps?

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars This is fun quick read! .......2006-08-25

Charity is Max's sister from (Born to be wild) who goes to Jack's Wyoming ranch (from Wife for a Day) and encounters Mike part Preacher part cowboy. Off to read more by this author - Check them all out .... WIFE FOR A DAY(1), BORN TO BE WILD (2), SOMETHING WILD (3) , STUCK ON YOU (4)

3 out of 5 stars sounds familiar.......2005-09-29

The story is very similar to Sandra Brown's "Tempest for Eden". In that story, a minister (who is also widowed like Mike) falls in love with a nude model. That too is a story about two unlikely characters falling in love. Dont know which story was "inspired" by the other. Although I like Berg's story better. Hated Charity. Very self-centered and whiny.

5 out of 5 stars Cute story!.......2003-09-18

Cute tale about Charity Wilde, she has unfulfilled dreams about wanting to be a Las Vegas Showgirl... that is until she meets the very handsome Mike Flynn. He's a rancher/minister (and widower) in Wyoming. The energy between Charity and Mike is incredible, but is it enough for her to want to give up her dreams?

This story was great! It kept me on the edge of my seat and turning pages as fast as I could read them so I could find out if they get together or not. This was my 3rd Patti Berg book and I like how she repeats her characters and gives them their own book! Major kudos to her for that!

4 out of 5 stars Almost Five Stars.......2003-08-07

For those of you out there who like romantic fiction but whose sensibilities are alerted by the preponderance of premarital bumping and grinding, this book is for you!

The characters are believable with understandable frailties -- nothing too extreme or exotic -- and the author manages to craft a story that's not, in the words of my good friend, "too cartoony." The story reprises some characters from the books Wife for a Day and Stuck on You, but this particular story somehow achieves a more realistic and sensitive story, although it does contain its share of whimsy.

The story concerns Chastity Wilde, Vegas showgirl, and Mike Flynn, a "cowboy preacher" whom she meets whilon a visit with her brother at his in-laws' ranch in Wyoming. Of course, the story itself is a classic case of "opposites attract," with the aforementioned twist of (gasp!) religious values as well as (ack!) a woman who has more on her mind than hooking up with a great guy. The character of Chastity in particular is well-drawn, moving gracefully through an (*passing out*) impressive learning curve as all good round characters should.

I removed one star simply because I find Mike Flynn's personal crisis slightly -- just slightly -- over the top. He's mourning his first wife and dealing with some irrational sense of responsibility for her death. He's a sensitive man, of course, but he's also intelligent, and I found it hard to imagine that someone would carry around such a load of unjustified guilt for such a long time without figuring out what a waste of energy it is.

While this book has prequels, I think it stands fine on its own. I enjoyed it more than I did its predecessors, and anyone yearning for a sweet story and (finally!) a couple who waits for holy matrimony really ought to check it out.

3 out of 5 stars Time to write about a different family?.......2002-07-17

I enjoyed Patti Berg's Wife For A Day a lot, and the sequel Born to Be Wild a little less than the first book. With Something Wild, the third book in the series, I'm hoping that Patti could write on a different group of people. By the time another book in the series comes out, most people would have forgotten about the secondary characters in the previous book.

Don't get me wrong because I enjoyed reading this book about Charity and Mike. But writing about every secondary character ever appeared in the previous books can be pretty dull especially if readers are expected to remember who's who and what happened in a book that was read probably when it first came out the year before.

Patti's next book is about Logan Wolfe, a secondary character in Something Wild mentioned maybe a total of half a dozen times. I'm sure it will work well as a stand-alone but it remains to be seen if Patti intends to include the whole Remington/Wilde/Flynn family into her latest book as well.
Something Wild
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Something Wild
    Linda Davies
    Manufacturer: Headline
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
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    ASIN: 0747266867
    Something Wild (Legendary Lovers)
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • I'm glad I kept reading...
    • wow and I almost didn't read this book
    • A modern re-telling of Tarzan and Jane.
    Something Wild (Legendary Lovers)
    Kimberly Raye
    Manufacturer: Love Spell
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Mass Market Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0505522721

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars I'm glad I kept reading..........2005-09-06

    I have to admit that I almost put this book down because I'm not one for anything involving something supernatural but I'm sure glad that I didn't. The supernatural part wasn't anything too big that you can't overlook but when I read a book I want to be able to believe that what I'm reading could really happen. Anyway the story & the romance were great. I really enjoyed the Tara & Zane. This Legendary Lovers book is based on Tarzan & it makes a really good read. Highly recommended.

    5 out of 5 stars wow and I almost didn't read this book.......2001-11-07

    I almost didn't read this book because I thought the premise was a bit cheesy. I am glad I decided to pick it up and read it though. It was a really good book! I really enjoyed it thoroughly and recomment it!

    5 out of 5 stars A modern re-telling of Tarzan and Jane........1999-02-15

    Ms. Raye's excellent characterization makes this a page turner. Wonderful scenes filled with suspense and compassion make Something Wild one of her best. Look out, this author is HOT! Check out her other titles under Kimberly Raye and her horror novels under Kimberly Rangel, you won't regret it.
    SOMETHING WILD (THE WRONG BED) (Harlequin Temptation, No. 870)
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Sometimes Fate provides more than subtle hints...
    • Dreams and Desires Do Come True!!
    • Something Wild
    • Something Good in Something Wild
    • When Plans Go A-Rye
    SOMETHING WILD (THE WRONG BED) (Harlequin Temptation, No. 870)
    Toni Blake
    Manufacturer: Harlequin
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Romance | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0373259700

    Book Description

    SHE'S GOING TO TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE!

    Penny Halloran is confused. Her boyfriend has proposed, but they've never ... Well, before she makes her decision, she needs to know if they're ... compatible. What better way to find out than seduce her man in the back of a limo? If sparks are there, she'll say yes! She just never intended to say yes to the *wrong* man!

    Ryan Pierce wants to start over. No longer the swinging bachelor - he'd gotten into too much trouble! - he's sure life will be much simpler. But when he mistakenly gets a sexy invitation for a night he'll never forget, he doesn't know what to expect. Certainly not the sweet restaurant owner from downstairs ... who turns out to be a wild woman! What's a reformed bad boy to do? Help Penny discover her wild side, of course, and turn those sparks into a full-blown inferno!

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Sometimes Fate provides more than subtle hints..........2003-08-17

    Penny Halloran has been dating Martin for three months and even though the physical side of their relationship has not gone beyond good night kisses at the door and hand holding he has asked her to marry him. Martin is in his thirties now, wants to have children before he is too old to enjoy them, and thinks that he and Penny make a good team. Penny agrees they are well suited to each other, but as she mulls over her answer she also realizes that sex is important to her as well and before she says yes or now she wants to find out if she and Martin are sexually compatible. Knowing that Martin was going out of town the next day Penny, who owns a sandwich shop with her sister, sends him a note with his sandwich that reads: "Meet me tonight. Ten o'clock. Corner of Fourth and Walnut. And be ready for anything." Having even gone so far as to rent a limo, Penny intends to take Martin for a test drive.

    The dark interior of the back of the limo gives Penny the freedom to do "Something Wild" and that evening what happens exceeds her expectations. If she was going to make her decision based on how great the sex was then the answer is most definitely "yes." The only problem is that Martin has already left town and when Ryan Pierce, a new employee at the software company who is using the boss's computer while he is away find the sandwich and the note from Penny the Sandwich Girl from downstairs, he is surprised the shy young woman would hit on him like this and shocked after enjoying a session of wild sex in the back of the limo. However, when the voice in the dark declares her willingness to marry him, he has to draw the line.

    Toni Blake's "Something Wild" is one of "The Wrong Bed" stories in the Harlequin Temptation series, although, more accurately, this would be the wrong car. Of course Penny is shocked that she has had wild sex with someone who is almost a complete stranger, but although she is mortified she cannot get away from the fact that it was really great sex. However, the Fates are not yet down with Penny, because Martin gave Ryan her account and the two have to work together on constructing a software program for her business while Martin is gone. Clearly, Penny cannot marry Martin. Now, if she could only stop having fantasies about Ryan. "Something Wild" has plenty of passion, but it also has two paper creating a real relatinship.

    Your standard romance has two people overcoming the obstacles that keep them apart, but "Something Wild" takes the opposite tact as Penny and Ryan have to deal with the circumstances that keep bringing them together. The nice thing is that they both think that this simple twist of fate means something more than a cosmic accident. In trying not to talk about what happen they end up talking about plenty of other things, building a real relationship, even while their minds keep drifting back to what they did and thinking ahead to what might happen. Ironically, Ryan thinks Penny is too "wild" for him, which pretty much completes the job of turning Penny's world completely upside down. Fortunately, Ryan discovers he likes bringing out Penny's wild side.

    4 out of 5 stars Dreams and Desires Do Come True!!.......2002-03-25

    In her wonderful new book, Something Wild, Toni Blake presents readers with a courageous, intelligent heroine in Penny Halloran, a young woman who is not afraid to let go of her inhibitions to experience all that love has to offer. Wanting that special zing and sizzle we all desire, Penny seduces her boyfriend before making that final marriage committment. And when Ryan Pierce, sabotaged by his own manly desires in the past , walks into the "trap" set for his boss, he meets his match in uninhibited, sexy Penny. Once again, Ms. Blake gives us well written, intriguing characters with desires and wants after our own hearts. She takes our most secret dreams and makes them reality for Penny and Ryan!! Her latest book reinforces what I have always believed, love and passion do go hand-in-hand.

    5 out of 5 stars Something Wild.......2002-03-23

    Toni Blake has done it again. She's created a sweet and sexy girl-next-door heroine that we can all identify with. You'll want to get in touch with your wild side after you read about Penny Halloran's sexploits with the wrong guy for all the right reasons.

    5 out of 5 stars Something Good in Something Wild.......2002-03-14

    Did you ever have a fantasy that you wished to try out on your guy...but learn afterwards that you did it with someone else? Well, that is what happens to Penny Halloran in Toni Blake's newest book called SOMETHING WILD.

    Penny delivers sandwiches to the company that Ryan Pierce works for. Penny has been dating Ryan's boss, Martin, and Martin has asked Penny to marry him. Penny decides she wants to give him her answer by living a fantasy of hers...making love in a limo.
    However, the rendezvous note ends up in Ryan's sandwich and he thinks she is making a date with him. He shows up and a slightly tipsy Penny in a dark limo doesn't realize it. Afterwards, she is mortified to realize what she did, but definitely intrigued by Ryan. They get thrown together and begin to learn more about each other, and grow more attracted to one another. Ryan is eager to help Penny live her fantasies and Penny is eager to let Ryan. But in the background is Martin, Ryan's boss and potential future husband of Penny...
    Definitely a fun, light and sexy book with very likable characters that one can relate to.
    I found the book fast paced and a page-turner. Ms Blake used Penny's fantasies, but not with a heavy hand. It was not "sex with props" but the props were just a lead in to the love scenes. In the end, she resolved the triangle effectively and happily for everyone.
    I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters, and hope that she gets to write about the sister, Patti, and see more of Penny and Ryan.
    Toni Blake again has proven why she is a fast rising star for Harlequin who deserves a chance to write more books.

    4 out of 5 stars When Plans Go A-Rye.......2002-03-01

    When Martin popped the question, finance Penny Halloran was a bit underwhelmed. Where was the zing? The sparkle? The omance? As she tries to answer these questions, Penny gets the awful feeling that she and Martin might be incompatible in more ways than one. So, in order to get to the bottom of the problem, Penny decides to treat Martin the Passionless to a night like he's never had before. Penny, part-owner of a restaurant, adds
    something extra to Martin's regular ham and Swiss on rye and it isn't an extra dollop of mayo. It's an anonymous, mysterious invitation to meet her later that evening on the corner near his building. Sounds promising? It is. Until the suggestive little note inadvertently falls into the hands of Ryan Pierce, Martin's newest employee. His curiosity piqued, Ryan decides to accept the invitation.

    What follows is a sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, but all-out sizzling love story of two people thrown together by error and how they come to terms with their attraction to each other in the face of obstacles in both their paths. Penny must deal with Martin's proposal and Ryan must deal with his vow not to mix business with pleasure. But obstacles get forgotten as attraction boils over into passion and the two must face

    Toni Blake gives her readers yet another reason to love romance. Her hero, Ryan. Here's a guy who very easily could have assumed the worst about Penny and made her life miserable. I really liked the way Ms. Blake crafted him and how his actions spoken much louder than his words. Ms. Blake is definitely an author to watch.
    Something Wild
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Something Wild

      Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing, Limited
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Mass Market Paperback
      ASIN: B000GRQ8V2
      Something Wild (AD&D Fantasy Roleplaying, Planescape Setting Adventure)
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • A save a plane adventure
      Something Wild (AD&D Fantasy Roleplaying, Planescape Setting Adventure)
      Ray Vallese
      Manufacturer: TSR Inc.
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      FantasyFantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Alternate History | Anthologies | Arthurian | Contemporary | Epic | General | Historical | History & Criticism | Magic & Wizards | Series
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      ASIN: 0786903775

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars A save a plane adventure.......1999-06-22

      Suitable for somewhat low level characters yet they have a chance to help save a plane from destruction. This in itself is a definite plus point. If your party consists of hack and slashers and they are not powered up with magic items or levels, my guess is that they will croak fast. If your party can think and plan, they should survive this adventure with minimum *miracles* on the DM's part. It also involves Malar, a FR power, so it might be useful to FR DMs.
      All Through the Night
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        All Through the Night
        Suzanne Forster , Thea Devine , Lori Foster , and Shannon McKenna
        Manufacturer: Kensington publishing Corp.
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover
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        ASIN: 0739420860

        Product Description

        Contents: Stranger in Her Bed by Suzanne Forster - No Mercy by Thea Devine - Satisfy Me by Lori Foster - Something Wild by Shannon McKenna
        Dragon: Something Wild Issue 237 (Monthly Magazine)
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Dragon: Something Wild Issue 237 (Monthly Magazine)

          Manufacturer: TSR
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          GeneralGeneral | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Dungeons & Dragons | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 0786905662
          THE MANY WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTION: The Blue Mouse; Hot Potato; All Cats Are Gray; The Law-Twister Shorty; Three Blind Mice; Daughter; Something Wild is Loose; Silent in Gehenna
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            THE MANY WORLDS OF SCIENCE FICTION: The Blue Mouse; Hot Potato; All Cats Are Gray; The Law-Twister Shorty; Three Blind Mice; Daughter; Something Wild is Loose; Silent in Gehenna
            BEN [ED.] BOVA
            Manufacturer: E. P. Dutton
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover
            ASIN: B000GL2BGO

            The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First
            Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
            • Capitalists of People, not earnings
            • Profits come from ... People!
            • The importance of people to organizations' returns
            • Explains the importance of putting people before profits
            • People and organization success
            The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First
            Jeffrey Pfeffer
            Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover

            GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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            ASIN: 0875848419

            Amazon.com

            The lure of new and profitable markets has lead many companies to formulate strategies to capture these markets. This focus on strategy often leads to downsizing and the shedding of old businesses in favor of a "lean" economic model that stresses outsourcing. The strategy that leads to downsizing has its short-term rewards--a fatter bottom line and happy shareholders.

            Jeffrey Pfeffer argues that much of this downsizing is nothing more than a throwback to 100-year-old employment practices. Instead of cutting costs as a means to increase profits, companies should focus more on building revenue by relying on solid people-management skills. Through dozens of examples, Pfeffer demonstrates that successful companies worry more about people and the competence in their organizations than they do about having the right strategy. Pfeffer contends that the strategy part is relatively easy--it's the day-to-day execution that's hard. Companies that understand the relationship between people and profits are the ones that usually win in the long run.

            Book Description

            Why is common sense so uncommon when it comes to managing people? How is it that so many seemingly intelligent organizations implement harmful management practices and ideas? In his provocative new book, The Human Equation, bestselling author Jeffrey Pfeffer examines why much of the current conventional wisdom is wrong and asks us to re-think the way managers link people with organizational performance. Pfeffer masterfully builds a powerful business case for managing people effectively--not just because it makes for good corporate policy, but because it results in outstanding performance and profits. Challenging current thinking and practice, Pfeffer: --Reveals the costs of downsizing--and provides alternatives; --Identifies troubling trends in compensation, and suggests better practices; --Explains why even the smartest managers sometimes manage people unwisely; --Demonstrates how market-based forces can fail to create good people management practices, creating a need for positive public policy; --Provides practical guidelines for implementing high-performance management practices. Filled with information and ideas, The Human Equation provides much-needed guidance for managing people more wisely--and more profitably.

            Customer Reviews:

            5 out of 5 stars Capitalists of People, not earnings.......2006-02-22

            Monarchs are rarely envisioned as capitalists because they need not earn the funds they spend. Capitalists are those who through the talents of others, and the development of talent, earn the profits distributed to shareholders who place faith in their ability to manage.

            While cost cutting, and particuarly, people cutting, may save money and enhance earnings, there is no capitalism involved except to move people off of the payroll, or reduce their pay. It is an illusion of cost efficiency meant to simulate capitalism but without delivering it.

            The erosion of long term value, or ignoring it, operates to enhance the short term effect of earnings per share, the deceptive measure by which company shares are traded, idolizing earnings over the value not created, or retained for future growth.

            Those who participate in such deceptions cannot call themselves capitalists by virtue of the fact that they capitalize upon saving money to overstate the value, or lack of value, that exists in their corporate nurturing. Capitalists are hired to nurture and develop VALUE of a company, not to reduce it.

            Earnings is the measure by which companies measure cash flow of a company, not it's value. Capitalism is about preserving and increasing value of the company through management of its people, not by manipulating its balance sheet.

            4 out of 5 stars Profits come from ... People!.......2005-05-05

            Putting people first is more often said than done. From extensive research and over ten years of firsthand experience I can honestly say that this is rarely put into practice, particularly in larger organizations.

            The very title conveys a powerful message "... Building Profits by Putting People First." Since the dawn of the Industrial Age, people were considered costs and therefore something to be minimized or eliminated as much as possible.

            However, this attitude is of little relevance in the Information Age of today. While larger organizations struggle to adapt to actually valuing people for what they are - highly valued assets, a golden opportunity exists for Entrepreneurs who, in forming the companies of tomorrow, seek to maximize profits by putting people first.

            Based on his research, Pfeffer offers several HR practices that are common in effective organizations. His book is divided into two main sections:

            Part I - People-Centered Management And Organizational Success
            Part II - Barriers to Implementing Performance Knowledge: How Conventional Wisdom Is Wrong


            For a quick assessment of the power of this book, I recommend you read chapter 10 first - "People, Profits, and Perspective" and be sure to review figure 10-1 "WHAT A PEOPLE-BASED STRATEGY DOES" on page 301.

            -----------------
            Michael Davis - Editor, Byvation

            4 out of 5 stars The importance of people to organizations' returns.......2004-02-21

            Summary:
            This book highlights the importance of respecting employees in an organization. By treating employees as a strategic asset, a firm can make lucrative profits. The book can be divided into the following parts.

            ¡P Wrong sources of organizational success that firms
            commonly use
            ¡P Seven practices of successful organizations
            ¡P Reasons why smart organizations sometimes do dumb
            things and the suggested solutions
            ¡P How conventional wisdom about employment contract,
            compensation method, and unions is wrong
            ¡P The role of public policy in making profits through
            people

            Comment:
            - Good points:

            1. Good insights provided:
            The author provides his opinions about why and how putting people first can bring great returns to organizations with different detailed examples such as Lincoln Electric. This can make me understand the importance of employees to organizations.

            2. Lots of evidence provided:
            This book explains why putting people first can help companies make great profits by providing lots of examples, which include companies in different industries. Some examples are explained in a more detailed way such as Albert Dunlap.

            3. Clear illustration of the concepts:
            The main message of each chapter is clearly delivered.

            Also, as the main theme of this book is about ¡§building profits by putting people first¡¨, the author has provided a diagram called ¡§Downward Performance Spiral¡¨ to illustrate the relationship between organization¡¦s poor treatment of its¡¦ employees and its¡¦ corresponding performance. Besides, he provided a diagram about how ¡§People-based strategy¡¨ can make sustained profits to organizations. All these diagrams can increase my understanding about these concepts.

            4. Comprehensive information provided:
            The author not only states what are the wrong sources of organizational success that firms commonly use, he also provides what and how organizations can do to make lucrative profits.

            - Bad points:

            1. Not interesting enough:
            The author has repeated the main theme of this book ¡V ¡§building profits by putting people first¡¨ many times in different chapters. Although this can remind readers about the main theme of this book, readers may feel too bored.

            4 out of 5 stars Explains the importance of putting people before profits.......2004-01-02

            This book is very well researched, although perhaps over-long in some parts.

            The underlying message is that "do you see people as labour costs to be reduced or eliminated, or do you see your people as the only thing that differentiates you from your competition?"

            I did find it quite satisfyingly radical for a US author to actually recommend that US Managers need to look overseas, as in this quote :
            "One might be well-served to spend more time outside of the United States ... What has come to be taken as 'good management practice' in the United States is very, very culturally specific to the United States. Managing in a different way may require developing a broader world view ..."
            I can related to that, given that I work in the UK for a US Fortune 500 Company.

            The Case Studies cover a broad range of Industries such as Automobile, Banking, Steel, Clothing, Semiconductors, Retailing, Oil Refining, Energy, Airlines; and Geographical coverage includes not only North America, but quite a number of Countries in Europe & Asia.

            A Chapter dedicated to Unions but yet not to Union-bashing is a pleasant change.

            All in all, an interesting book that I wish more CEO's & HR Officers would read to see the alternatives to boom-and-bust downsizing & outsourcing.

            5 out of 5 stars People and organization success.......2001-12-29

            The Human Equation (1998) is an exceptional book. In the first chapter Pfeffer shows that conventional wisdom about the sources of organization success are not correct. In particular he disproves the ideas:

            - that it is essential to work in the right sector,
            - that the size of the organization is crucial,
            - that it is necessary to have an international precense,
            - that downsizing is indispensible, and
            - that it is necessary to have a technological lead.

            Then the author clearly and impressively presents the enormous amount of evidence of the last decade showing the strong association between how organization treat people and how they score on financial and operational performance indicators. Pfeffer describes the following seven HR practices that demonstrable correlate with organization success. He names these practices High Performance Work Practices. They are:

            1. Employment security
            2. Selective hiring of new personnel
            3. Self-managed teams and decentralization of decision making as the basic principles of organization design
            4. Comparatively high compensation contingent on organizational performance
            5. Extensive training
            6. Reduces status distinctions and barriers, including dress, languag, office arrangements, and wage differences across levels
            7. Extensive sharing of financial and performance information throughout the organization

            This list contains some elements that may seem counterintuitive to some. For instance: how can it be that high wages contribute to financial performance? Don't they just keep the profits low? And how can you afford to be selective in this hard labour market? And how can companies afford to invest much in training of personnel? Aren't employees so mobile and disloyal that you run the risk of training them for your competitor? Speaking about this, how can you in this time of employability of employment security? And it is wise to have an open information policy? If you'd do that, wouldn't you weaken your position by feeding your competitor with valuable information?

            If you read this book you will find crystal-clear answers to these questions. The conclusion is that the seven practices do indeed work.
            Family-friendly firms: Do they exist?: An article from: Business Record (Des Moines)
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              Family-friendly firms: Do they exist?: An article from: Business Record (Des Moines)
              Jann Freed
              Manufacturer: Business Publication Corp.
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Digital

              GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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              ASIN: B0009FEIKO
              Release Date: 2005-07-28
              The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First.(Review) (book review) : An article from: Human Resource Planning
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First.(Review) (book review) : An article from: Human Resource Planning
                Lisa Copeland
                Manufacturer: Human Resource Planning Society
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Digital

                GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Business & Investing | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books
                ASIN: B00099O81Y
                Release Date: 2005-07-28

                Book Description

                This digital document is an article from Human Resource Planning, published by Human Resource Planning Society on December 1, 1999. The length of the article is 588 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

                Citation Details
                Title: The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First.(Review) (book review)
                Author: Lisa Copeland
                Publication: Human Resource Planning (Refereed)
                Date: December 1, 1999
                Publisher: Human Resource Planning Society
                Volume: 22 Issue: 4 Page: 51

                Article Type: Book Review

                Distributed by Thomson Gale

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