Service America in the New Economy

Book Description

Service America was Dow-Jones Irwin's best selling book in history. As the definitive book on customer service--and the first major title in the field--it helped to define the category, spurring on dozens of imitators and creating an entirely new customer-service publishing category. Their seminal book became the blueprint that companies used to reform their service management stratgies. In the original, Karl Albrecht and Ron Zemke predicted that delivering customer service value would become more and more important in the years ahead. Althoug no one could have predicted the new digital world, Karl Albrecht makes a powerful argument for why customer service is even more important in the new economy. He contends that customer service has suffered a major setback in the new e-commerce marketplace: "Web-based businesses, so far, at least, have probably set back the state of the art in delivering customer value by at least ten years. Even the best of them have simply transformed their businesses into virtual vending machines. The mindless use of digital technology to depopulate the customer interface will turn out to be one of the biggest mistakes many compajies will ever make." As examples, Albrecht points to many industries and companies in which it seems virtuall impossible to get a human being on the phone (e.g. phone company, airlines etc.). Cusotmers are becoming tired of infereior levels of service (e.g. United Airlines customers), and Albrecht predicts that the problem will only get worse as e-commerce becomes more commonplace.

Customer Reviews:

an essential classic.......2002-03-15

this is a very important book for anyone interested in running a business in the 21st century.

i took a class from karl albrecht back in the late '70s and was impressed that this was a very bright guy. i read his book, "brain power" and when service america came out i bought it right away.

this book is the first articulation of the process of management of a service organization as something entirely distinct from the traditional manufacturing model from which management as we know it emerged. it was very timely then as the service and information economies were really taking hold and it is even more timely today.

i was just referencing the book for a quote for my newsletter and i was curious to see if it was still in print and delighted that it is. it should be required reading for every MBA and/or anyone who aspires to lead a business large or small. even manufacturing today looks much more like service business than it did in henry ford's day when you could "have any color you wanted as long as it was black".

it will get your gears grinding as you begin to see all the ways in which your company is service 'unfriendly'. but it will give you a powerful conceptual framework for working with your teams to create systems for delighting your customers.

Book Description

Three quarters of the American workforce is now employed in services, a substantial portion in low-paying, dead-end jobs. Can the service economy do as well by the American worker as the old manufacturing economy? Can the widely shared prosperity that accompanied steady increases in productivity and performance in manufacturing be replicated in the services? They can and they will, the authors of this timely book contend, but only if outmoded policies and practices are brought into line with the new economy. New Rules for a New Economy explains why this must be accomplished and how we can start.

The authors call for new, decentralized institutions suited to a dynamic economy in which change is constant and rapid. In particular, they see a need for job ladders and worker associations that cut across firm boundaries. These institutions would foster individual and collective learning, mark out career paths, and facilitate coordination among both individuals and organizations in a networked economy. The authors propose new rules to reshape labor market institutions and policy, improving economic performance and opportunities for workers.

Unusual in providing a comprehensive theoretical perspective that is grounded in detailed case research, this book points the way to a better future, not just for elite knowledge workers but for everyone.

Customer Reviews:

essential reading for economic policy.......1999-01-23

Everybody knows that the US economy is generating a lot of low-wage, dead-end service jobs. Now there's a book that knows what to do about it. This book is chock full of cheap, practical, useful ways of turning dead-end jobs into careers, linking jobs to training, facilitating employee organization. Should be part of the platform for Republicans and Democrats.

The 100 Best Technology Stocks for the Long Run: Investing in the New Economy and the Companies That Make it Click, 2E

Average customer rating:

This Book has nothing to do with Gene Wilder the Actor!
Peggy's Follow-up Review-3 years later
Better book exists elsewhere
A reader from New York...
A Great Source For Internet investing

The 100 Best Technology Stocks for the Long Run: Investing in the New Economy and the Companies That Make it Click, 2E
Gene Walden
Manufacturer: Dearborn Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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General | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Stocks | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Network Security | Networking | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Book Description

In a new edition of the highly popular The 100 Best Internet and Technology Stocks to Own for the Long Run, investors learn about the nine key sectors of the Internet economy- including key technologies, market niches, business models, and future prospects. Walden picks 100 companies that are built to last and that can contribute to a successful investment portfolio over the long haul.

A diversified stock portfolio incorporates the best of the Internet economy; and Gene Walden shows how to achieve such diversity within the unique sectors of this high-tech economy. He discusses Internet infrastructure, ISPs and portals, e-tailing, e-commerce, online media, holding companies and more.

While no investment is risk-free, applying stringent investment criteria to those companies that make up this Internet economy Walden scrutinizes for the cream of the crop. Companies must show earnings progression, revenue growth, stock growth, consistency, and stability / vulnerability. For each company, Walden provides contact information, company profile, revenue, earnings and bar chart of stock growth.

Customer Reviews:

This Book has nothing to do with Gene Wilder the Actor!.......2004-10-27

It struck me as odd why Gene Wilder would be interested in Internet Stock - maybe it was his hobby, or perhaps in the passing years he had found himself a whole new career via his computer. But no.
Amazon have credited Mr Wilder incorrectly as being the co-author of this work; they even have it linked to his DVD's and his (genuine) writing. You wouldn't know this unless you opt to go look at a huge scan of the book's cover where all will be revealed to you: the co-author is Gene WALDEN.
Poor Mr. Walden, his one claim to fame snatched cruelly from his hands by a typographical error. Never mind. With any luck, Amazon will credit you playing Willy Wonka.

Peggy's Follow-up Review-3 years later.......2003-10-20

The Dot.com has dot.bombed--and this cipher selection stands as mute testimony to the reality that these two "rang the bell at the top" of the internet bubble by rushing this embarrasing collation into print.

Of their "Top 10" THREE are no longer in business, or are barely able to stay listed on exchanges, and the other 7 are equally ugly.

When Walden wrote his self-aggrandizing review, he stated there would be the potential for a 75% swing DOWN in a stock. HE A) wrote that after the bottom fell out of internet stocks, B) failed to warn that the "upper number" was closer to 98% swing down, not 75%, and C) failed to give eBay its due, a very very successful internet stock "to own."

And they BOTH missed PayPal, the young internet upstart--in business when they wrote this tout, who blew eBay's Billpoint in house payment service plumb off the race track as well.

Those who want to know what to short and when to short should be the only ones to buy Walden's advisory books...he's rung the bell at the top more than once by his cookie cutter, rush to press, just as the "game" is over and the momentum players surge to a new gambit tack. A review of his titles bears out this historic reality.

Better book exists elsewhere.......2000-07-28

I agree with Peggy, this book doesn't have much meat even just for surveying the internet stocks landscape. "100 Best Internet Stocks to Own" by Greg Kyle does a much better job in this respect by providing more information on each company's background, major turn points of stock prices in their history, analysis of business challenges as well as opportunities. More informative and more insightful. Put these two books side by side, you'll notice the difference in no time.

A reader from New York..........2000-06-02

Peggy Mannix has completely missed the point (and value) of Walden's latest book, and apparently didn't read his introduction. Yes, many of the stocks have gone down in value due to the correcting marketplace, but the point of the book is to provide guidance for those of us who want to include Internet companies as a part of our portfolios. I found the discussion about the many facets of the Internet marketplace extremely helpful in understanding how the new economy operates. As the title says, these stocks are "for the long run." If you're looking for get rich quick picks, look elsewhere. If you're looking for solid advice about incorporating internet stocks into your portfolio, Walden's book can be of tremendous help.

A Great Source For Internet investing.......2000-06-02

What a find! This book lays out in clear, easy to understand terms the important points of Internet investing. I learned the ins and outs of how to invest in Internet stocks, and was able to get a real understanding of the key sectors of the Internet economy. The profiles of these 100 top companies were concise and well-written, as I've come to expect from Gene Walden's other 100 Best Stock books. And the tables and graphs in each profile provided a good perspective on the 100 companies. It's the best source yet for Internet investing! I would recommend it for any investor who wants to make big money in the Internet market.

Beyond Industrial Dualism: Market and Job Segmentation in the New Economy (Conservation of Human Resources, Studies in the New Economy)

Average customer rating:

Beyond Industrial Dualism: Market and Job Segmentation in the New Economy (Conservation of Human Resources, Studies in the New Economy)
Thierry J. Noyelle
Manufacturer: Westview Pr (Short Disc)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Labor & Industrial Relations | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Capital Technology and Labor in the New Global Economy (AEI Studies)

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Capital Technology and Labor in the New Global Economy (AEI Studies)
James H. Cassing
Manufacturer: Aei Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0844736694

China's Service Sector : A New Battlefield for International Corporations

Average customer rating:

China's Service Sector : A New Battlefield for International Corporations
Yadong Luo
Manufacturer: Copenhagen Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | International | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Service | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Already accounting for 30% of GDP in the world's largest emerging economy, the service sector in China ranks as one of the biggest business opportunities anywhere on Earth.

International executives planning their company's move into the Chinese service sector, as well as students of business with an interest in emerging markets, will therefore welcome this wide-ranging industry by industry analysis of the entire Chinese service sector - from Internet Service Providers and E-Commerce to Tourism and Hotel Service. Dr Luo uses up-to-the-minute case studies throughout the book to illuminate his explanations of the various strategic and tactical options open to the many service-sector companies wishing to enter this new battlefield.

Each case study details the entry strategy of an existing MNC into China, including Citibank, AT&T, Yahoo!, Marriott, and Saatchi & Saatchi, then examines how decisions are made about location selection and timing of entry. Issues like partner selection and operational strategies are covered thoroughly for each industry.

Book Description

This study challenges the uncritical equation of advancement with success. As a participant observer at a family-style restaurant in New Jersey, Greta Paules reveals the strategies that experienced waitresses employ to improve their own positions rather than aspiring toward management. Through the voices of some aggressive, determined, tough, and resilient women, Paules confronts stereotypical characterizations of waitresses.

Paules finds that certain unique features of the restaurant industry—the tipping system, chaotic work environment, chronic shortages of labor and supplies, and the manager's role as a fill-in man—allow waitresses to manipulate their work environment to protect their own interests. The downgrading of the managerial role in this restaurant has rendered advancement meaningless. Knowing that the "help wanted" sign is permanently posted, the waitresses refuse to submit to management's dictates, to "take junk" from rude or hostile customers, or to internalize the negative self-image usually associated with waitressing.

The colorful and often amusing comments by the women Paules interviewed indicate that they have developed an arsenal of subtle but undeniably effective tactics to combat the exploitive elements of the job, to maximize tips, and to secure the boss's attention to their needs.

Customer Reviews:

Dishing Out the Goods.......2000-04-13

The book, which I read for a feminism class, actually turned out to be one that I liked. The book focuses on a small, truck-stop restaurant called Route. The book tells stories of women's work in the restaurant and everyday problems that they face.

Most people never realize some things about waitresses if they've never been one. For example, waitresses' minimum wage is about 3 dollars less than that of normal jobs. They are expected to make up the difference in tips. After reading material such as this, sympathy for waitresses will go out even more. These are the same people that have to put up with rude and picky customers.

Managers seem to have it almost worse. Although, managers are usually thought of as having a higher and better position, this is very untrue in the restaurant business. Managers get minimum wage, but no tips, sometimes making less than the waiters. And because the turn-over rate is so high for managers, they've often work fewer time than the waitresses, which makes them seem as less of an authoritative figure. And, the manager has to deal with personnel problems and fill in for anyone who doesn't show up for work, or who quits on the spot. It's actually much tougher than one would think.

Book Description

Leverage the power of the Internet

E-Business or Out of Business tells you how Oracle, a global leader in technological innovation and eTransformation, transformed itself to avoid being swallowed by the revolution it helped to launch. This guide is actually a detailed blueprint any company, including yours, can deploy, effectively using the Internet to institute its own global database, and compete successfully in the emerging digital economy. Author Mark Barrenechea, one of the executives who was central to Oracle's e-Transformation, tells you how to:

* Reconcile new Internet business strategies with traditional bricks-and-mortar operations
* Cut IT expenses and standardize business processes
* Interact with each customer in consistent and effective ways
* Accumulate customer information systematically and reconcile it with data already gathered
* Deploy new products and processes internally -- the moment they become available
* Consolidate separate databases and computer systems into a one-stop global database
* Coordinate multi-vendor applications approaches
* Integrate the automation of all business functions -- marketing, sales, service, call centers, field professionals, HR, financials, and procurement

Download Description

In this important book, Mark Barrenechea, a senior executive in Oracle's Customer Relationship Management Division, provides readers with the view from Oracle on what today's companies need to do in order to successfully make the eTransformation.

Customer Reviews:

Mostly Oracle Advertising.......2002-01-26

Like many people I'm not totally endeared to Microsoft. However this books extreme bias towards Oracle products and negation of Microsoft and others makes me feel that the title could be renamed to: "The Oracle Guide to buying Oracle e-commerce products".

This fact alone make me read the factual components with a pinch of salt.

Sorry Guys.

Academic or shamelessly self-serving?.......2001-08-17

In general it provides a decent overview of the the e-business revolution and how the internet has the potential to improve any companies business processes. If it had stayed at the academic/practical level it would have been an enjoyable read.

But it is an annoying self-aggrandizing ego-building piece for Ellison. It bashes Microsoft and Siebel as well as any other company it views as a competitor. It is obvious that Oracle wants complete domination of the database and business suite market so that Ellison can then claim he is the richest person in the world.

What they do not tell you is that their Oracle 11i release needs 5,000 patches and then it still does not work.

If you are building a database with e-business apps for your business then avoid this book and simply read Ellison's 'How we saved a billion dollars a year' on their website. Better books are: Sawhney & Zabin - 7 steps to Nirvana - Strategic insights into eBusiness transformation; e-business 2.0 - Kalakota; customer relationship management - brown; e-business & e-commerce for managers - deitel (a textbook); executives guide to e-business - Deise et al.

Academic of self-serving?.......2001-08-17

What they do not tell you is that their Oracle 11i release needs 5,000 patches and then it still does not work.

Packed With Knowledge!.......2001-06-18

Mark J. Barrenechea, a senior vice president for applications development at Oracle Corp., describes how to transform a company by using a range of e-business applications. He draws on Oracle's success at changing its business by using the Internet and networking to interconnect employees, customers and suppliers. Barrenechea's useful roadmap shows how your company can apply these methods to coordinate, systematize and streamline operations. He demonstrates how other companies - including General Motors, Boeing and Microsoft - use e-business networking. He writes in a straightforward style without jargon and maintains a keen focus on operations, making this book a wealth of practical knowledge. Of course, that same focus might limit the book's appeal to executives without an interest in operations technology and to other mainstream readers. We at getAbstract.com strongly recommend this educational book, and if the advice seems a little weighted toward Oracle products... well, let's not be naïve.

Too Little, Too Late.......2001-03-26

Thin Analysis. Little Information. Not very good. And, of course, the worst timing in the history of book releases, as Oracle stock collapses the same week.

The Economics of New Goods (National Bureau of Economic Research Studies in Income and Wealth)

Average customer rating:

The Economics of New Goods (National Bureau of Economic Research Studies in Income and Wealth)

Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Macroeconomics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0226074153

Book Description

New goods are at the heart of economic progress. The eleven essays in this volume include historical treatments of new goods and their diffusion; practical exercises in measurement addressed to recent and ongoing innovations; and real-world methods of devising quantitative adjustments for quality change.

The lead article in Part I contains a striking analysis of the history of light over two millenia. Other essays in Part I develop new price indexes for automobiles back to 1906; trace the role of the air conditioner in the development of the American south; and treat the germ theory of disease as an economic innovation. In Part II essays measure the economic impact of more recent innovations, including anti-ulcer drugs, new breakfast cereals, and computers. Part III explores methods and defects in the treatment of quality change in the official price data of the United States, Canada, and Japan.

This pathbreaking volume will interest anyone who studies economic growth, productivity, and the American standard of living.

The European Challenge: Innovation, Policy Learning And Social Cohesion in the New Knowledge Economy

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The European Challenge: Innovation, Policy Learning And Social Cohesion in the New Knowledge Economy
Graham Room
Manufacturer: Policy Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Public Policy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1861347405

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