Amazon.com
IDEO, the world's leading design firm, is the brain trust that's behind some of the more brilliant innovations of the past 20 years--from the Apple mouse, the Polaroid i-Zone instant camera, and the Palm V to the "fat" toothbrush for kids and a self-sealing water bottle for dirt bikers. Not surprisingly, companies all over the world have long wondered what they could learn from IDEO, to come up with better ideas for their own products, services, and operations. In this terrific book from IDEO general manager Tom Kelley (brother of founder David Kelley), IDEO finally delivers--but thankfully not in the step-by-step, flow-chart-filled "process speak" of most how-you-can-do-what-we-do business books. Sure, there are some good bulleted lists to be found here--such as the secrets of successful brainstorming, the qualities of "hot teams," and, toward the end, 10 key ingredients for "How to Create Great Products and Services," including "One Click Is Better Than Two" (the simpler, the better) and "Goof Proof" (no bugs).
But The Art of Innovation really teaches indirectly (not to mention enlightens and entertains) by telling great stories--mainly, of how the best ideas for creating or improving products or processes come not from laboriously organized focus groups, but from keen observations of how regular people work and play on a daily basis. On nearly every page, we learn the backstories of some now-well-established consumer goods, from recent inventions like the Palm Pilot and the in-car beverage holder to things we nearly take for granted--like Ivory soap (created when a P&G worker went to lunch without turning off his soap mixer, and returned to discover his batch overwhipped into 99.44 percent buoyancy) and Kleenex, which transcended its original purpose as a cosmetics remover when people started using the soft paper to wipe and blow their noses. Best of all, Kelley opens wide the doors to IDEO's vibrant, sometimes wacky office environment, and takes us on a vivid tour of how staffers tackle a design challenge: they start not with their ideas of what a new product should offer, but with the existing gaps of need, convenience, and pleasure with which people live on a daily basis, and that IDEO should fill. (Hence, a one-piece children's fishing rod that spares fathers the embarrassment of not knowing how to teach their kids to fish, or Crest toothpaste tubes that don't "gunk up" at the mouth.)
Granted, some of their ideas--like the crucial process of "prototyping," or incorporating dummy drafts of the actual product into the planning, to work out bugs as you go--lend themselves more easily to the making of actual things than to the more common organizational challenge of streamlining services or operations. But, if this big book of bright ideas doesn't get you thinking of how to build a better mousetrap for everything from your whole business process to your personal filing system, you probably deserve to be stuck with the mousetrap you already have. --Timothy Murphy
Book Description
IDEO, the widely admired, award-winning design and development firm that brought the world the Apple mouse, Polaroid's I-Zone instant camera, the Palm V, and hundreds of other cutting-edge products and services, reveals its secrets for fostering a culture and process of continuous innovation.
There isn't a business in America that doesn't want to be more creative in its thinking, products, and processes. At many companies, being first with a concept and first to market are critical just to survive. In
The Art of Innovation, Tom Kelley, general manager of the Silicon Valley based design firm IDEO, takes readers behind the scenes of this wildly imaginative and energized company to reveal the strategies and secrets it uses to turn out hit after hit.
IDEO doesn't buy into the myth of the lone genius working away in isolation, waiting for great ideas to strike. Kelley believes everyone can be creative, and the goal at his firm is to tap into that wellspring of creativity in order to make innovation a way of life. How does it do that? IDEO fosters an atmosphere conducive to freely expressing ideas, breaking the rules, and freeing people to design their own work environments. IDEO's focus on teamwork generates countless breakthroughs, fueled by the constant give-and-take among people ready to share ideas and reap the benefits of the group process. IDEO has created an intense, quick-turnaround, brainstorm-and-build process dubbed "the Deep Dive."
In entertaining anecdotes, Kelley illustrates some of his firm's own successes (and joyful failures), as well as pioneering efforts at other leading companies. The book reveals how teams research and immerse themselves in every possible aspect of a new product or service, examining it from the perspective of clients, consumers, and other critical audiences.
Kelley takes the reader through the IDEO problem-solving method:
>Carefully observing the behavior or "anthropology" of the people who will be using a product or service
>Brainstorming with high-energy sessions focused on tangible results
>Quickly prototyping ideas and designs at every step of the way
>Cross-pollinating to find solutions from other fields
>Taking risks, and failing your way to success
>Building a "Greenhouse" for innovation
IDEO has won more awards in the last ten years than any other firm of its kind, and a full half-hour Nightline presentation of its creative process received one of the show's highest ratings.
The Art of Innovation will provide business leaders with the insights and tools they need to make their companies the leading-edge, top-rated stars of their industries.
Customer Reviews:
Kudos to Ideos.......2007-08-28
Excellent book with good insights. If you are in the business of innovation, this is one book that you shouldn't miss. I also recommend EIGHTSTORM: 8-Step Brainstorming for Innovative Managers.
Innovation for All.......2007-06-29
Through anecdotes, Kelley demonstrates how stumbling blocks to innovation can be overcome. He shows an appreciation for experimentation, momentum, and embraces failure as a true path to knowing. Failed prototypes are wonderful learning tools. Kelley's perspective keeps spirits high. He leaves much of the innovative process open ended - nearly encouraging innovation on innovating.
Interestingly, Kelley notes how medicine is becoming personalized and that the future can not be perfectly predicted. Still, he says we must aim at it. This was an important nugget of wisdom for me, a research coordinator at a think-tank-like public health research group, the Healthcare Innovation and Technology lab at Columbia University. On a daily basis we deal with innovation to improve healthcare and need to effectively innovate. Given that we tread a very specific territory - health and technology - and that Kelley's book could be so useful to us, it is obvious that he really has something to offer to everyone.
Innovation and creativity "how-to" guide.......2007-06-07
The Art of Innovation explains many of IDEO's creative techniques and in so doing paints a picture of the physical context in which all that creativity occurs, namely IDEO's office, your average geek's idea of paradise brimming with high-tech prototypes, foam cubes, "tech box" caddies with giant Post-Its and coloring pens ... and yes, it does look more like a playschool than Dilbertesque gray cubicle-land. Teamwork, friendship and a shared passion for helping clients innovate is clearly what binds people together and stimulates their creativity, while a supportive and forgiving management structure doesn't just tolerate weirdness, it actively encourages it. IDEO seems to have taken Tom Peters' advice "If you want to do weird, hire weird people" to the next level. In IDEO-land, "normal" people would probably stand out a mile.
Two creative techniques - brainstorming and prototyping - are particularly well described, in a way that encourages the reader to try something different. I've learnt some new tricks and even started applying them since reading the book.
El arte de innovar estilo IDEO.......2007-06-01
IDEO ha hecho de la innovación un arte, el cual es un proceso sistematizado, con pasos muy definidos, congruentes y faciles de llevar por las personas que conforman dentro sus empresas los equipos de innovacion y diseño.
Skip it and go right to 10 Faces.......2007-03-19
I recently read both this book and the Ten Faces of Innovation. My recomendation is to skip this book. It is written more like an advertisement for IDEO and was left feeling like Tom has crossed the line into arrogance. If you read it as a stand alone book there is a lot of useful information. However most of the concepts are covered in Ten Faces. If you have time read both books but if time is of the essence then jump right into the Ten Faces, you won't be disappointed.
Customer Reviews:
a great overview.......2007-09-21
This book gives a wide range of information in different area in information system.
the good thing is that it include example from life where the person can understand the topic.
may some time include extra information that the begginner doesn't need, but overall the book is great.
I recommend it for people who do'n't have any backgroud in IT
Gotta agree with the first reviewer.......2007-03-21
This book leaves me hanging. The book repeatedly talks about leaders needing to be transformational and devise a IS strategy for their organizations -- okay that's great; how about providing some insight. It's one thing to say MIS is a strategic discipline (which this books does) and it's another thing to go out and do it (which this book doesn't describe and hasn't a clue).
The books if full of manager's jargon but and is light on the details. After reading, you'll be able to sound like a manager and probably be able to do little else.
This books blows.......2006-12-22
This book really sucks. Don't get it unless you have to.
Good Introductory.......2006-04-04
This isn't a bad text for an introduction to management in IT. It's not technical and certainly places emphasis on managing IT infrastructures. If you're moving up from being a follower to directing and managing employees and departments, then this book may help to get you a glimpse into it.
Excellent General Overview of the IT Industry as of 1/06........2006-01-18
I have never left a review on Amazon before (I've been a customer since 1997) and had no intention of doing so, when I initially searched this book description for some unrelated information.
However, after reading the previous two reviews related to this book I now feel compelled to give my review. Neither of the previous reviews had anything even remotely substantive regarding the actual material in the book. The only pertinent information the previous two reviewers touched upon concerned a typo. I challenge anyone to show me a 700+ page textbook that doesn't contain at least one typo.
The rest of the review pertains to the reviewer trying to grind an axe with regard to US programmers (which I am not). Maybe if he actually read the book, he would've left a different review. The other review is concerning a vendor/shipping issue.
I give this book 5 stars because I feel it is a good general overview source concerning the Information Technology industry at the time of this posting (1/06).
This book is well written and laid out in a very systematical and logical format, which allows the reader to reference the book "ala carte" style. If I want a refresher on networking or databases relating to the corporate world from a managerial perspective, this is a great source.
If you are looking to learn the latest version of Oracle or become certified in Linux, then I suggest looking elsewhere.
Customer Reviews:
Not worth your time........2006-09-27
Basically I had to purchase this for a class. The book is full of acronyms and buzz words with no application. The end of chapter review is great if you just wanted to add new words to your vocabulary and be able to repeat their definitions with little understanding. This is a classic example of a text book gone wrong.
Good for its purpose.......2006-06-14
If you need a management information systems book, this is the book you should be looking for! Its not useful for much else, however, maybe kindling...
deluxe RIP OFF.......2004-12-20
I 'was forced' to buy this book for an MIS course. We all know how textbooks are scams anyway, but this one takes the cake. My college even had the balls to 'bundle' this with an MS Access book so we were stuck with a $170 bundle. All the info I needed to take the course was available on the website webct. If you can find a way to access that site, you don't even need this outrageously expensive book. I got an A in the course and never cracked the book. I just used the info on the website. You should try that route if you can, and forgo purchasing this book.
Just not worth the cost........2004-10-12
This book is compulsory for a class I am in. Do what I did, don't waste your money - borrow from a library..... or find other solutions. This is way too much money for information that can be covered in other sources. The publisher is clearly exploiting the fact that it is used as a textbook to raise the cost outrageously.
This book is a scam.......2004-09-09
My friend used Management Information Sustems: Managing the Digital Firm 8th edition. Now that I received this one I can see that 95% of of the content in the new book is identical to the one my friend has. Oh, right, the authors also added to the title the words "essentials of" Management...
I can believe the publisher let the authors publish this kind of book. A previous review says that the book is almost identical to the previous edition of the same book. Now I am saying that the book is almost identical to a different book writen by the same authors...this is outrageous.
Ah, yes. The cases at the end of the chapters are different
Book Description
For sophmore, junior, senior, and MBA-level MIS and Information Systems courses.
These authoritative authors continue to define the MIS course by integrating coverage of essential new technologies, their applications, and their impact on managerial decisions.
Customer Reviews:
Why some companies seem to have a devoted customer base..........2007-06-20
There's a difference when you fly Southwest vs. United. You feel different shopping at Costco than you feel shopping at Wal-mart. Why? That question is explored and answered in the book Firms of Endearment: How World-Class Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose by Raj Sisodia, Jag Sheth, and David B. Wolfe. This is one of those books that will cause you to think about why you feel as you do towards certain companies, and how those feelings translate into real profits.
Contents: A Whole New World; It's Not Share of Wallet Anymore - It's Share of Heart; New Age, New Rules, New Capitalism; The Chaotic Interregnum; Employees - The Decline and Fall of Human Resources; Customers - The Power of Love; Investors - Reaping What FoEs Sow; Partners - Elegant Harmonies; Society - The Ultimate Stakeholder; Culture - The Secret Ingredient; Lessons Learned; Crossing Over to the Other Side; Acknowledgements
On Wall Street, companies are usually judged on their profit. Squeeze as much out of your business as you can, cut costs wherever possible, and make sure you meet your numbers. To be sure, plenty of companies are successful under those rules (such as Wal-mart). But when you look at their performance over the last few years on the stock market, returns have been stagnant or have trailed the field. The alternative way to run a business is as a "firm of endearment" (FoE). These companies have a passion for what they do/sell, they have a strongly defined purpose for what they want to accomplish, and they look to contribute to society in more ways than just the quarterly dividend to shareholders. These FoEs, like Costco, Whole Foods, Harley-Davidson, and others, include stakeholders to mean all parts of society that they touch... shareholders, employees, the community, etc. The focus isn't on pure profit, but instead on contributing to the well-being of all the stakeholders. That's why a company like Costco can afford to pay their employees a living wage, have low turnover, and *still* turn a substantial profit. They have captured the hearts of their customer base, and that base will go out of their way to shop at Costco whenever possible. That's also why a company like Ikea can propose a new location and have nearly universal acceptance in the community, while a new Wal-mart location brings out protesters in force. There's obviously a lot more that differentiates FoEs from their counterparts in the marketplace, but once you recognize an FoE, you'll understand why they are successful by *not* following the same formula as everyone else.
It's tempting to think that all the FoEs covered in this book can do no wrong. That's not the case. JetBlue was/is an FoE that badly damaged their reputation during the winter when storms caused massive cancellations. It even led to the resignation of the CEO. Like other business books of this genre (In Search Of Excellence, From Good To Great), only time will tell how these companies will fare over the long term. It may well be that a decade from now, the stars of this book will have all fallen to the wayside. But I would venture to guess that the companies covered here will have a much larger margin of forgiveness than would other companies that are just focused on the next quarter...
This is a book that is highly recommended for anyone running a business. It should cause you to rethink the factors of success for your company, as well as point you in directions that could lead you to become an FoE in your niche.
Why "endearing companies tend to be enduring companies".......2007-05-16
In the Prologue, when discussing The Age of Transcendence through which the contemporary business world is now proceeding, the co-authors (Rajendra S. Sisodia, David B. Wolfe, and Jagdish N. Sheth) suggest that it is "a cultural movement in which physical (materialistic) influences that dominated culture in the twentieth-century are ebbing while metaphysical (experiential) influences become stronger. This is helping to drive a shift in the foundations of culture from an objective base to a subjective base: People are increasingly relying on their own counsel to decide what the truth is...That shift acknowledges a long-suppressed idea in a world largely guided by Newtonian certainty that chemistry Nobel laureate Ilya Prigogine says is scattering to the winds: Ultimately, everything is personal."
Thus do the authors establish a frame-of-reference for the thesis of their book: That each stakeholder in an organization tends to thrive best when all stakeholders thrive. That is, no stakeholder group is more important than any other. "It is disciplined dedication to the well-being of all stakeholders that separates firms of endearment from their competition." Stakeholder relationship management (SRM), the authors suggest, can achieve and then sustain superior business performance that, in turn, will create n a decisive competitive advantage. They are convinced that SRM business models will increasingly be seen "as the most efficacious way to achieve sustained superior business performance in years to come" but only if (huge "if") the interests of all stakeholder groups are brought into strategic alignment.
Two Questions: Are all stakeholder groups of equal importance and do they have the same interests? Also, are all members of a stakeholder group (e.g. shareholders) of equal importance and do they have the same interests? These questions occurred to me as I read the first chapter, especially the brief discussion of the "distinctive" core values, policies, and attributes that firms of endearment (FoEs) share in common. Eventually, Sisodia, Wolfe, and Sheth provide answers to these questions, answers best revealed within the narrative.
If indeed "endearing companies tend to be enduring companies," how do the 28 FoEs that "made the final cut" for this book compare with the 11 companies praised by Jim Collins in Good to Great? "Over a 10-year horizon, FoEs outperformed the Good to Great companies by 1,026 percent to 331 percent (a 3.1-to-1 ratio). Over five years, FoEs outperformed the Good to Great companies by 128 percent to 77 percent (a 1.7-to-1 ratio). Over three years, FoEs performed on par the Good to Great companies: 73 percent to 75 percent." (FYI, there are no duplicates on the two lists.) As with the exemplary companies discussed by Thomas J. Peters in Robert H. Waterman, Jr. in In Search of Excellence, not all companies on any such list continue to meet the criteria that were the basis of their initial selection.
For me, some of the most interesting material is presented in Chapter 11, "Crossing Over to the Other Side." At one point, the authors cite Oliver Wendell Holmes's observation "I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity." They then quote one of my favorite passages in James O'Toole's The Executive's Compass:
"To move beyond the confusion of complexity, executives must abandon their constant search for the immediately practice and, paradoxically, seek to understand the underlying ideas and values that have shaped the world they work in. Managers who clamor for how-to instruction are, by definition, stuck on the near side of complexity."
According to Sisodia, Wolfe, and Sheth, the big challenge of the times is to transcend the zero-sum mindset because, given the profusion of new opportunities, absolutes (by nature limiting) are found everywhere on the near side of complexity. "They emerge from people's perennial quest for pat solutions, or `silver bullets,' as they are sometimes described. This is a key point because, as Sisodia, Wolfe, and Sheth explain, a zero sum mindset leads to the conclusion that one stakeholder group can only benefit at the expense of the other stakeholder groups...However, opportunities increase by an order of magnitude when the mind breaks free of zero-sum thinking."
There are specific reasons why endearing companies tend to be enduring companies and one of the most important is their having "the ability to transcend ruthless competition and embrace the fruits of cooperation [which is] the essence of evolved humanness."
Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Bill George's Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value and his later book, True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership, co-authored with Peter Sims. Also Michael Ray's The Highest Goal, Adrian J. Slywotzky's The Upside: The 7 Strategies for Turning Big Threats into Growth Breakthroughs, Enterprise Architecture As Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution by Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David Robertson as well as Ram Charan's Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't, Lynda Gratton's Hot Spots: Why Some Teams, Workplaces, and Organizations Buzz with Energy - And Others Don't, Robert J. Herbold's Seduced by Success: How the Best Companies Survive the 9 Traps of Winning, Jack Alexander's Performance Dashboards and Analysis for Value Creation, and Michael Useem's The Go Point: When It's Time to Decide--Knowing What to Do and When to Do It.
Excellent description of a service oriented business model.......2007-05-16
This book identifies a batch of companies that have oriented their business model to providing a superior feeling in the minds of their customers. In many cases I absolutely agree with them.
Wegman's supermarkets for instance presents an excellent shopping experience. I particularly love their cheese department where knowledge people stand ready to discuss their magnificant array of choices and even to giving you samples to taste seemingly without end or sales pressure. In turn I buy far more cheeses than I would otherwise. We both win.
But then they turn to Wal-Mart and repeat a litany of alleged problems with employees, suppliers, and communities. My own experience with Wal-Mart is limited to one store in the small town where I live. But my experience doesn't match the alleged problems. I go there, the people, from the greeter at the door to the most junor sales clerk are friendly and willing to walk halfway across the store to help me find something. I talk to people who work there (away from the store) and they universally say that it is the best job they've ever had. Does the Wal-Mart experience depend on the store? Are the alledged problems just that, allegations? And for that matter, does every Wegman's have such an excellent cheese department? And what about Microsoft? Everyone (nearly) uses their products and most people hate the company. What does this say about their future? I guess we'll just have to watch and see.
This is a book that describes one way of doing business that has worked for a lot of companies. It provides a good insight into what these companies do.
Impressive Examples of Serving the Full Gamut of Stakeholders.......2007-05-08
What is a Firm of Endearment? The authors argue that their example companies share a common set of core values, policies, and operating attributes which include:
1. aligning the interests of all stakeholder groups (customers, employees, partners, investors, and society) rather than seeking profit optimization
2. below-average executive compensation
3. open-door policies
4. employee compensation and benefits are above average for their industry
5. above-average employee training
6. empower employees to satisfy customers
7. hire employees who are passionate about the company's purpose
8. humanize customer and employee experiences
9. enjoy below-average marketing costs
10. honor the spirit as well as the letter of laws
11. focus on corporate culture as a competitive advantage
12. are often innovative in their industries
Companies identified include extensive examples drawn from Commerce Bank, Container Store, Costco, Harley-Davidson, Honda, IDEO, IKEA, jetBlue, Johnson & Johnson, Jordan's Furniture, New Balance, Patagonia, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Timberland, Toyota, Trader Joe's, UPS, Wegmans, and Whole Foods.
These companies are often contrasted with Wal-Mart and the Good to Great Companies identified by Jim Collins in 2001 in terms of stock price growth.
The authors argue that there is a new level of consciousness emerging that rewards those who do good while doing well. The implication is that all firms should shift to stakeholder optimization and the cultural values identified in the example companies.
While they don't make this argument, it's clear that the authors have identified many of the mindsets that lead a company to seek optimizing results for all stakeholders.
Before you assume total cause and effect, I would like to raise some issues not fully addressed in the book:
1. This is an after-the-fact evaluation. As such, (like Good to Great), we may mostly be seeing what the leaders are proud of . . . rather than what caused their success. For example, Southwest's success is focused on their corporate culture. But the company also has a better business model than almost any other airline (Ryanair's is better) and does a better job of fuel cost hedging than any other U.S. airline. Those factors aren't mentioned.
2. These companies are almost all in consumer products or services. A class of socially conscious consumers has sprung up who look hard for such firms. It's not clear that OEM and industrial buyers have evolved their preferences nearly to the same extent. So many of the lessons may only apply consumer goods and services (except for those validated by Gallup for having a motivated and effective group of people working for you).
3. Almost all of these firms are highly effective business model innovators who have gained enormous advantages over competitors who seldom innovate their business models. As a result, they can afford practices that may or may not pay off in profit without incurring any negative reaction. The next business model innovation will pay for the cost.
I was surprised that this book didn't look at the study I made from 1992-2001 that identified continuing business model innovation as the single best factor for explaining high levels of corporate performance (see The Ultimate Competitive Advantage). The books share some examples in common (including Jordan's Furniture and Timberland), but many of FoE's examples are also superior business model innovators (Amazon, BMW, CarMax, Caterpillar, Container Store, Costco, eBay, Google, Harley-Davidson, IDEO, IKEA, jetBlue, Patagonia, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, UPS, Wegmans, and Whole Food).
4. It often pays better to serve stakeholder interests than to ignore them. Why? Because ignoring stakeholders often burdens both the company and the stakeholder with costs and experiences that neither want. This economic case for stakeholder focus isn't fully developed outside of the customer arena.
5. The book emphasizes sustainability, but much of that argument is built around companies disappearing from the Fortune 500 (something that happens whenever a merger happens . . . which doesn't mean that the organization goes away, just the corporate headquarters in most cases). In the research of my students on environmental sustainability (see Hiroshi Fukushi's work, A Strategic Approach to the Environmentally Sustainable Business, for example), it's apparent that making the environment cleaner than when you touched it is economically advantaged in most situations. The idea of sustainability is based on the outmoded notion of not doing too much damage rather than finding profits in making the world better than you found it.
But it's a good book that creates more questions than it answers. This one will probably stimulate some more careful thinking in the area of where seeking to be more considerate of others is going to create better results as well as better sleep.
Sharp, New Millennium Look at Emotional Intelligence as a Quantifiable Value in Corporate America.......2007-04-16
With the tidal wave of publicity for Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and the spotlight it has given to the green movement, it seems like a ripe time to take stock of companies who are incorporating more social responsibility into their charters. Co-authors Raj Sisodia, Jag Sheth, and David B. Wolfe make a compelling case for how such thinking is not only a much-needed injection of humanism into private enterprise in this country but also the impetus for long-term success at a time when people are seeking greater meaning in their lives. Wolfe, the only non-academic of the three, ventures the furthest in delineating what he considers the art of empathy and the power of bringing soulfulness to the workplace. Such seeming intangibles have been repeatedly dismissed by those unwilling to recognize the human equation at the base of such operations.
Wolfe's bottom line is that soft skills translate into hard numbers, and he feels the days of well-known autocratic CEOs like Disney's Michael Eisner and Hewlett-Packard's Carly Fiorina are numbered if not over. The book's coy title actually refers to the model firms - Whole Foods, Harley-Davidson, Trader Joe's, Costco, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Patagonia, IKEA and New Balance among them - who have aligned principles of emotional intelligence with shareholder value in ways that induce more loyalty among the most valued employees. The data gathered by the co-authors suggests that firms which encourage emotional intelligence are more likely to have workers who benefit from feedback and achieve more for themselves and their companies over time. Emotional intelligence manifests itself in several ways, whether it is more modest executive salaries, open-door policies, better employee benefits, better training or a stronger focus on the customer experience. Moreover, the co-authors place high value on environmentally friendly practices and social consciousness as part of a company's vision.
The emphasis on emotional intelligence represents a major paradigm shift and one that has been working in tandem with globalization in recent years. It has given birth to the stakeholder relationship management business model (SRM), which supersedes the well-established customer relationship model with its primary focus on products and profits. Reflecting a much broader vision, the SRM is more dependent on coordinating systems which help keep healthy the company's economic ecosystem, which is the basis of its growth, development and economic health. The ensuing loyalty among employees gives rise to what the co-authors term "share of heart". It's an elusive concept but one mastered by a new breed of CEOs who manage to inspire with their idealism even when short-term profitability looks bleak. Sisodia, Sheth and Wolfe provide intriguing portraits of these leaders and the unique cultures they have managed to develop over time while still delivering on their bottom lines. If anything, this eminently readable book is a testament that Machiavellian tenets need not guide companies at the expense of the people who maintain them.
Book Description
Barbarians at the Gate has been called one of the most influential business books of all time -- the definitive account of the largest takeover in Wall Street history. Bryan Burrough and John Helyar's gripping account of the frenzy that overtook Wall Street in October and November of 1988 is the story of deal makers and publicity flaks, of strategy meetings and society dinners, of boardrooms and bedrooms -- giving us not only a detailed look at how financial operations at the highest levels are conducted but also a richly textured social history of wealth at the twilight of the Reagan era.
Barbarians at the Gate -- a business narrative classic -- is must reading for everyone interested in the way today's world really works.
Download Description
With more than 500,000 copies sold, Barbarians at the Gate is the definitive account of the largest takeover in Wall Street history: the frenzy of strategy meetings and society dinners, of boardrooms and bedrooms -- giving us the view from the top of the financial ladder to the social history of wealth at the twilight of the Reagan era.
Over six months on the New York Times bestseller list, Barbarians at the Gate is the definitive account of the largest takeover in Wall Street history. Bryan Burrough and John Helyar's gripping record of the frenzy that overtook Wall Street in October and November of 1988 is the story of deal makers and pulicity flaks, of strategy meetings and society dinners, of boardrooms and bedrooms, giving us not only an unprecedentedly detailed look at how financial operations at the highest levels are conducted but also a richly textured social history of wealth at the twilight of the Reagan era. As compelling as a novel, Barbarians at the Gate is must reading for everyone interested in the way today's world really works.
Customer Reviews:
Stranger Than Fiction.......2007-09-22
A takeover story that reads like a Jeffrey Archer novel, Barbarians at the Gate is a meticulously detailed account of the takeover of RJR Nabisco by KKR in the late 80s. The authors were WSJ journalists who covered the story for the Journal and the book does a great job of communicating the tension and intrigue of those six weeks in 1988. The book does slack in pace at times but the story keeps you engaged. Recommended.
Barbarians at the Gate audio book.......2007-09-02
Great book. Great format. I listened to it on the plane. A must read business book - goes along with reading the art of war and the prince.
The business classic.......2007-08-20
Simply compulsive. If you have an interest in business and finance or people, greed and behaviour this is a must read. In many ways this story reflects a broadly held image of the 1980's and its culture of excess that was abound in our worlds financial capitals.
This is a gripping read; the story of the battle for RJR Nabisco and the characters involved contains many elements of the best fiction with the distinct difference of this story being true. Whilst the business finally conducted may not have been the finest work of the venerable KKR it was important mainly due to its Herculean scale which was at the time unprecedented.
This book is simply a must read on many levels. Since it was first published in 1990 it has gripped the imagination of many and has kindled an interest in business reaching far and wide.
The business book of business books.......2007-08-05
To say this book was expertly written, would be an understatement. The authors craft the perfect description of an LBO, with all the players, transactions, and affects on peples lives. How they were able to get inside as well as they did, is really beyond me. This is one for the ages and should be read in Business schools.
Inquisitive narrative on the epic LBO of RJR Nabisco.......2007-07-09
This book, written in 1990, tells the detailed story of one of the largest Wall Street deals of all time - the leveraged buyout of the RJR Nabisco Corporation. The authors, Bryan Burrough and John Helyar, are former Wall Street Journal reporters. They spent many hours interviewing the players involved, and, in so, have come up with a very thorough (and presumably accurate) description of the events that took place.
Ross Johnson, CEO of RJR Nabisco, decided to take the company private. Officially, his reason was to improve shareholder value, since the RJR Nabisco stock was undervalued (and Johnson's attempts to boost it have failed). His other reasons may have included money and the constant urge to change things up. He teamed up with Shearson Lehman Hutton to make a bid to the board. In their shortsightedness, this "management group" did not expect anyone else to compete - due to the sheer size of the deal. However, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. made a tender offer, which started off a bidding war between the two groups (and a few third party bidders). This book describes everything in detail - starting with how Johnson got to Nabisco - and finishing off with a gripping climax of Shearson and KKR's final bid war.
It is a long narrative, over 500 pages long. The authors take a lot of side tangents to describe many personal biographies. I found those of major players (like Ross Johnson and Henry Kravis) very interesting, and those of lesser-involved people somewhat excessive. Nevertheless, I was never tempted to skip over paragraphs or pages, as I sometimes am in lengthy books with lots of characters.
The authors clearly have done a lot of research. I liked that they included footnotes when stories from different people didn't match up. I also like the photographs included in the book - they put faces on the people described so thoroughly. The "Players" section in the beginning of the book is also very helpful - it lists the names of almost everyone involved in the deal.
The narrative is great. The story is gripping, with many twists and surprises. We learn about the multiple final bids submitted by KKR and the management group, the backstabbing plots, and the emotions and broken spirits behind the closed doors. It's as if we are there amidst the board meetings - kudos to the authors for their great writing. However, as some reviewers before me mentioned, it would have been nice to see more financial details - and more on what actually transpired after the takeover (the epilogue provides some details, but not nearly enough). Check out John Helyar's article in Fortune (October 13, 2003) - it describes what happened to RJR after the LBO. KKR took 60% of the company public in 1991 and then finally got rid of it in 1995. In the end, KKR had very disappointing returns on its LBO and drove RJR into the ground with poor leadership.
In conclusion, it's a great read for anyone interested in business or history. It works as both a fun thriller and a good historical account of the events that took place. However, I am a bit skeptical of why this book is a recommended read for many MBA curriculums. Other than describing the corporate culture and Wall Street in the late '80s, it doesn't really provide the financial details from which the readers could learn something practical.
Pros:
+ great narrative - gripping story with twists
+ many details on personal lives of the people involved
+ fantastic insight into the corporate world of the '80s
Cons:
- not enough financial details to learn from
- for some readers, can feel lengthy with lots of tangents
Book Description
The groundbreaking follow-up to the international bestsellera hands-on guide to putting McKinsey techniques to work in your organization
McKinsey & Company is the most respected and most secretive consulting firm in the world, and business readers just can't seem to get enough of all things McKinsey. Now, hot on the heels of his acclaimed international bestseller The McKinsey Way, Ethan Rasiel brings readers a powerful new guide to putting McKinsey concepts and skills into actionThe McKinsey Mind. While the first book used case studies and anecdotes from former and current McKinseyites to describe how "the firm" solves the thorniest business problems of their A-list clients, The McKinsey Mind goes a giant step further. It explains, step-by-step, how to use McKinsey tools, techniques and strategies to solve an array of core business problems and to make any business venture more successful.
Designed to work as a stand-alone guide or together with The McKinsey Way, The McKinsey Mind follows the same critically acclaimed style and format as its predecessor. In this book authors Rasiel and Friga expand upon the lessons found in The McKinsey Way with real-world examples, parables, and easy-to-do exercises designed to get readers up and running.
Download Description
"McKinsey & Company is the most respected and most secretive consulting firm in the world, and business readers just can't seem to get enough of all things McKinsey. Now, hot on the heels of his acclaimed international bestseller The McKinsey Way, Ethan Rasiel brings readers a powerful new guide to putting McKinsey concepts and skills into actionThe McKinsey Mind. While the first book used case studies and anecdotes from former and current McKinseyites to describe how ""the firm"" solves the thorniest business problems of their A-list clients, The McKinsey Mind goes a giant step further. It explains, step-by-step, how to use McKinsey tools, techniques and strategies to solve an array of core business problems and to make any business venture more successful. Designed to work as a stand-alone guide or together with The McKinsey Way, The McKinsey Mind follows the same critically acclaimed style and format as its predecessor. In this book authors Rasiel and Friga expand upon the lessons found in The McKinsey Way with real-world examples, parables, and easy-to-do exercises designed to get readers up and running."
Customer Reviews:
This Book is a Life Changer.......2007-04-20
I didn't read McKinsey Way and you don't have to either to see the impact that McKinsey Mind hypothesis based decision making will have in your life. It uses the same principle that many authors like Polya, Bransford and Stein and many others use. If you work backwards you will get far better results, faster. Why? Simple: Just remember how easy is to solve the labyrinth puzzles starting from the end. Then compare that with the time lost when you try to figure out your way to the end starting from the beginning. This is a simplified analogy of the power and potential this technique has!!!!
I disagree with some reviews that it's a difficult book to read, just read the numerous and very illustrative examples the authors give you and you will find that while it's a different way of thinking IT WORKS! and that's all that matters. This book really changed the way I solve problems
Useful book for consulting.......2007-03-31
This book is based on Mckinseys consultancy practise. Step by step some best practices are shown used in this company. Very useful, when you're i.e. considering a job in this field. On the other hand the Mckinsey brand is a little over exaggarated with all the Mckinsey slang and heroic attitude towards this company. But when you read through this, it stays a valuable book.
This is a terrible book..........2007-03-17
This book is unbelieveably bad. Here's the entire book: Decide what your looking at, develop a hypothesis, test it with data, do some communications around your work. Literally. I expected some real, in depth analysis techniques, and this is total baloney. I am an engineer by trade, well versed in six sigma tools and am close to an MBA; in all of that I've never ever seen something so fluffy and useless as this. The authors and "McKinsey-ites" who contributed should be ashamed.
Gosh, I sound a little bitter ;)
Excellent yet not comprehensive peek inside McKinsey.......2007-02-14
Mr. Rasiel provides a peek inside the methods used by one of the worlds most elite consulting firms. While he does not disclose any secrets he does offer insights into a methodology used for solving problems quickly. The most helpful insight revealed is the MECE principle. This MECE (mee-see) principle requires the mutually exclusive collectively exhaustive breakdown of issues before conducting higher-level analysis. However, Mr. Rasiel never provides detail into the mechanics of effecting 'MECE Analysis'.
While other techniques in the book will help MBA graduates with consulting engagements, the disclosure of the MECE principle as the cornerstone of McKinsey's analytical modus operandi will be this book's legacy.
Please update.......2007-01-09
I suggest you to read this book. You won't find innovative or fresh ideas but you can learn about a methodology used by a great company that could be interesting. More examples and figures should help better the reader.
I wait a new and updated book with fresh methods and way of working. It's not a good thing to read about Jeff Skilling in the Introduction...
At the end a good work. Read it because it is must for your "business library"
Book Description
"Clients At The Core is an essential blueprint to helping us all take the next steps. The authors, battle scarred by the evolution of professional firm management and marketing from then to now, have captured the changing needs of the firms in this turbulent new economic era. This is a well-written book that uses plain language to convey practical, well thought-out ideas."
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Patrick J. McKenna, a leading international consultant to professional service firms
"The authors have captured the changing role of professional services marketing and firm management. There is valuable insight [in this] down-to-earth guide to competing successfully in the new environment."
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David Maister, author and consultant
"The book is a masterpiece! Aquila and Marcus have produced the essential guide for managing a professional services firm. They've marshaled their considerable real-life experiences and far-reaching vision into a veritable operating manual for the successful firm."
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Rick Telberg, Editor at Large, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
"At its heart, this book is the running shoe for legal and accounting professionals who want to put the client first. Following the evolution of the industry over the past twenty-five years, this must-have for every professional services firm is the key to leading in the turbulent and highly competitive waters ahead."
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Richard S. Levick, Esq., President, Levick Strategic Communications, LLC coauthor, Stop the Presses: The Litigation PR Desk Reference
"Client selection and retention is one of the critical success factors for a professional services firm, and Aquila and Marcus do a masterful job at educating us on the necessary ingredients of each. The chapters on firm governance and paying for performance are thought provoking and certainly challenging to the conventional wisdom. If you want a better understanding of marketing and leading a professional firm in these turbulent times, this book is essential."
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Ronald J. Baker, author, Professional's Guide to Value Pricing and The Firm of the Future
"Client at the Core is a commonsense approach to keeping your professional services firm relevant in the twenty-first century's client-driven economy. Aquila and Marcus have hit a home run with their insightful analysis and poignant prose."
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Jeffrey S. Pawlow, Managing Shareholder, The Growth Partnership, Inc.
Download Description
"August Aquila and Bruce Marcus reward readers of Client at the Core with an imaginative map for the perilous journey through the twists and turns of marketing and managing today's professional services firm. It is creative and thorough."
-Gerry Riskin, Partner, Edge International
"The authors have captured the changing role of professional services marketing and firm management. There is valuable insight [in this] down-to-earth guide to competing successfully in the new environment."
-David Maister, author and consultant
"The book is a masterpiece! Aquila and Marcus have produced the essential guide for managing a professional services firm. They've marshaled their considerable real-life experiences and far-reaching vision into a veritable operating manual for the successful firm."
-Rick Telberg, Editor at Large, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
"At its heart, this book is the running shoe for legal and accounting professionals who want to put the client first. Following the evolution of the industry over the past twenty-five years, this must-have for every professional services firm is the key to leading in the turbulent and highly competitive waters ahead."
-Richard S. Levick, Esq., President, Levick Strategic Communications, LLC
coauthor, Stop the Presses: The Litigation PR Desk Reference
"Client selection and retention is one of the critical success factors for a professional services firm, and Aquila and Marcus do a masterful job at educating us on the necessary ingredients of each. The chapters on firm governance and paying for performance are thought provoking and certainly challenging to the conventional wisdom. If you want a better understanding of marketing and leading a professional firm in these turbulent times, this book is essential."
-Ronald J. Baker, author, Professional's Guide to Value Pricing and The Firm of the Future
"Client at the Core is a commonsense approach to keeping your professional services firm relevant in the twenty-first century's client-driven economy. Aquila and Marcus have hit a home run with their insightful analysis and poignant prose."
-Jeffrey S. Pawlow, Managing Shareholder, The Growth Partnership, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
Marketing 101, 201, & 301 for Professional Services.......2005-08-31
This book should burnish the authors' already high reputations for having cogent, jargon-free, and street-smart things to say about what it's really like to try to market professional services. An unusual blend of (clear and lucidly stated) theory about marketing, and real-world insights into obstacles clients can throw up--not to mention the high barrier of internal resistance that "professionals" instinctively erect when asked to be marketers--this should be your starting point if you're facing the complexities of marketing in this environment.
Think that "marketing is just common sense?" Think again; it's both a discipline and an art. Aquila and Marcus will guide your hand at both.
Gerry Riskin (co-author Herding Cats and Beyond Knowing.......2005-06-12
August Aquila and Bruce Marcus reward readers of Client at the Core with an imaginative map for the perilous journey through the twists and turns of marketing and managing today's professional services firm. It is creative and thorough.
Required reading for my marketing leaders.......2004-09-25
August Aquila and Bruce Marcus have written a clear and comprehensive view of what every accounting or law marketer needs to know about this new, unprecedented professional services environment. Their book not only explains the new environment, but it's also a rich primer of practical "how-to" advice on all the marketing tools available to the professional services marketer. Strategy is fine, but I find that few books get down to the step-by-step implementation tactics involved in winning new business like this book does - that's one of its best points of differentiation. After reading it, I bought copies for every one of my regional, industry, service line and national marketing leaders.
Aquila and Marcus Deliver Practice Advice for Success.......2004-09-07
In "Client at the Core: Marketing and Managing Today's Professional Services Firm," (Wiley, 2004) August J. Aquila, based in Minnetonka, Minn., and Bruce W. Marcus, in Easton, Conn., a pair of veteran consultants, combine their considerable experience, skill and insight into a veritable strategic planning operator's manual for today's consulting firm.
From the outset, they acknowledge "the professional world doesn't need another book on how to write a press release or write a brochure or run a seminar."
Instead, they provide a new perspective on the crucial subject of how to keep firms relevant to the needs of the marketplace -- mainly, creating clients and building a marketing culture.
They don't get tied up in ideas like "vision," or "mission."
Instead they talk about the new realities of the 21st Century and professions in turmoil: dot-coms gone bust, a stock market meltdown, and a rash of frauds, defalcations, misuse of corporate funds; and then a reformist reaction, still unfolding, that the authors term "a helter-skelter regulatory rush that was at least as punitive as it was appropriate. It would seem that the regulatory garment was cut to fit all, when all don't wear the same size."
"The time is past when just the presence of the professional was its own comfort factor. It's long been believed that the concept of the professional was so exalted, and so trusting, that people accepted advice unquestioningly. No more. The scandals of 2002 and 2003 seem to have bred a diminished - if unwarranted -- respect for professionals," they say.
"Traditionally, professional services have been a seller's market," according to Aquila and Marcus. But now the tables are turned. "It is now a buyer's market."
For today's professionals, here are six lessons you can take to the bank according to the authors:
1. Clients are more sophisticated. They no longer accept advice without questioning, challenging, demanding more reasoning and detail.
2. Because of the complexity of business today, clients demand that their professionals know more about the client's business and industry than ever before.
3. Professional services always function best when trust is at the heart of the relationship, but the corporate scandals of recent years have eroded that trust. That trust must now be regenerated. And the workings of trust are more important in the new economy than in the old.
4. Once the narrow structures of a profession were sufficient to serve clients. But clients now demand a broader spectrum of capabilities. The more broadly educated and well-rounded professional is the one with the greater advantage in meeting the needs of today's client. Clients demand that accountants know more than the basic skills of accounting.
5. Competition is now a fact of life. Clients know they have a choice.
Clients know the difference between marketing promises and professional services delivery. Today's client demands more real service and solutions -- not just a warm personal relationship.
To Aquila and Marcus, the new paradigm of professional services requires a new demand for partnership with the client and new participatory skills.
As they say: It's a buyers' market. Get used to it.
(...)
Focus on Application.......2004-08-22
"Meaty and rich with texture. The authors understand the application of marketing concepts to the CPA profession at a very deep level, and communicate clearly and concisely."
"Every page was another 'Yes!' when reading about the application of marketing principles to the CPA world. The authors nailed it."
Book Description
Business guru Verne Harnish's firm Gazelles has brought hundreds of businesses to fast-growth profitability. Now he shares entrepreneurial secrets in this must-read business primer. Harnish has discovered John D. Rockefeller's underlying strategy. Further study uncovered three winning habits:
*Priorities: A few rules remain consistent with a firm's core values and long-term goal. Others change regularly -- what Harnish calls the Top 5 and Top 1 of 5.
*Data: Key metrics should be measured over time (Smart Numbers); short-term metrics provide a tighter focus on an aspect of the business (Critical Numbers).
*Rhythm: A well-organized set of meetings keep everyone aligned and accountable.
In addition to case studies, a bonus chapter co-authored by Rich Russakoff reveals winning tactics to get banks in competition to finance your business venture. MASTERING THE ROCKEFELLER HABITS provides necessary tools for making strategically smart decisions and for keeping everyone aligned and accountable to those decisions.
Customer Reviews:
Simple, easy methods to grow your business.......2007-09-24
I have read many business books over my career as an entrepreneur having founded two successful companies. Mastering the Rockefeller habits is the simplest best book I have ever read on growing and managing a small to medium business. Verne has a great gift of providing just the simple nuggets that you need to know without all of the other stuff. An addition to Verne's book that I have found enormous value in is defining the values in more detail as outlined in Gregg Lederman's book Achieve Brand Integrity: Ten Truths You Must Know to Enhance Employee Performance and Increase Company Profits. He calls these brand concepts and outlines a great approach to defining the beliefs and behaviors that will make these brand concepts come alive. Between these two books you have an amazing view of how to build a successful company.
John.......2007-07-30
If you want to make the critical move from planning to executing this book is a MUST read!!
The habits that will make your business a predictable enterprise for growth.......2007-07-08
This is an important resource for salespeople, managers, entrepreneurs and executives alike. Verne Harnish does a great job in breaking down the habits of Mr. Rockefeller, who is as close to a model of business excellence as you can find.
Harnish goes over all the business basics, such as setting priorities, analyzing data and creating the right rhythm for the business. One of my favorite lines from this book is: "Until your people are mocking you, you've not repeated your message enough". This statement is true when it comes to the values, objectives and the methods of implementation of the company.
The message of this book, if practiced, will make your business a predictable enterprise for growth. The book has so many good points that I stopped highlighting after the first chapter, lest I highlight the entire book. Enjoy!
Amazing Book!.......2007-02-27
I read this a few times because it was just
that good. I'd recommend it to anyone.
Helps Entrepreneurs Focus.......2007-01-31
Having assessed/coached over 6,000 executives, I've heard many accounts of how difficult it is for entrepreneurs, with a lot of great ideas, to focus their efforts. Mastering the Rockefeller Habits is the perfect manual for breaking down all the components of a business, sorting through priorities, and then putting together simple plans to execute.
Harnish interacts with entrepreneurs all the time, and he creates venues so that entrepreneirs can learn from each other. He is an astute observer of what works, and he does a great job in this book of sharing the best practices and wisdom of people who have become successful.
Book Description
A lively insider's guide to starting a successful small business selling items old and new on eBay, written with personal anecdotes, well–kept secrets, and insider tips by Adam Ginsberg, eBay's most successful private salesperson.
This is the insider's guide to making money on eBay. Adam Ginsberg is the most successful seller on eBay, moving around a million dollars' worth of merchandise every month. Not only will he impart his personal secrets on how to sell on eBay –learned through years of experience – and his tips on expanding your small business using eBay as a global market, but he'll also give fun side–notes and anecdotes, keeping the book lively and making it a fun and interesting read.
This book will be a must–have for all current and aspiring eBay sellers, all small–business owners, and anyone who wants to learn how to start a million–dollar company.
Customer Reviews:
Why This Book Should Not Be Taken Seriously.......2007-10-06
The content of this book is very basic, but that's not what concerns me the most. Why? It's been widely reported on eBay news sites that Adam Ginsberg was banned from selling on eBay years ago and he's never been allowed to return. The situation was so serious that a group of buyers pushed eBay to If you want a lesson in what NOT to do on eBay, take a look at his old ebay user ID's such as pegasusbilliards or zdiamonds.
The ridiculously high number of negative feedbacks on those accounts are a lasting reminder of how Mr Ginsberg ran his eBay business.
Be very wary of this guy, all you need to do is search 'adam ginsberg complaints' on google and you'll see a 'trail of destruction' that he's left over the last few years. It's shocking. I believe that people like him don't suddenly stop their shady practices.
Obviously this is not a book you want to read.
If there was a choice of 0 stars, that would be my rating..........2007-06-26
Shame on you Adam for passing this off as an informative guide. If you want to waste your money like I did, buy this book. AmberBamber has said it all. I should have watched the reviews more closely. I will not even try to resell this so called "book". I have already thrown it in the trash, and at this moment it is taking up valuable space in the landfill. Shame, Shame, Shame on you Adam Ginsberg.
Great eBay book.......2007-06-14
a Gotta Have book if you are planning on starting an eBay business in your home in 30 days. Great reference for the experienced eBayer.
Garbage.......2007-06-08
This book is one big fat advertisement for Ebay and for Adam Ginsberg's other ventures. It had very little useful information, and NO information that cannot be found easily on-line or on Ebay itself. It was a waste of my time reading it. It was utterly repetitive and took forever to actually get to any sort of information or advice. There is hardly enough information in this book to fill a 10 page pamphlet...let alone a 300 page book!!! I'm just happy I got it from the library and didn't end up wasting my money as well as my time.
I wish there was actually a book out there to help people who are not complete ebay beginners. The biggest ebay woe is finding sources for products, and there is little help in this book....OH, unless you want to go to the website Adam plugs and buy more stuff from him. SURE, then he'll help you out. HA, RIGHT!
Not bad but............2007-03-27
This book is not bad. It is good for the basics of how to buy and sell on Ebay, if you have never done it, but if you have already been doing business on Ebay, its more of a review than revelation. There are a lot of great little 'tid-bits' of information and the writing style is entertaining, but nothing really eye opening or anything that makes you say hum....It talks about doing your homework and how to to post listings, the rules of ebay but a lot of this is posted on the Ebay site itself. If you are a total novice by all means pick it up, but if you have done a few deals on Ebay and pretty much know your way around you may want to skip this one.
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- The Ultimate Study Guide for the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Key Review Questions and Answers (Topics: Human Anatomy, Physiology, and Kinesiology) Volume 1
- The Ultimate Study Guide for the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Key Review Questions and Answers (Topics: Clinical Pathology and Recognition of Various Conditions) Volume 2
- West Federal Taxation 2007: Corporations, Partnerships, Estates, and Trusts (with RIA Checkpoint and Turbo Tax Business CD-ROM)
- Whitethorn Woods
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- Wiley GAAP 2007: Interpretation and Application of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (Wiley Gaap)
Books Index
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