Business, Finance & Law Books

Book SynopsisThe newly updated fast-reference problem solver The Complete CPA Desk Reference --the convenient, comprehensive reference professionals have relied on for nearly fifteen years--is now updated in a new Fifth Edition to give today's busy executives and accountants the helpful information they need in a quick-reference format.Table of ContentsAbout the Authors xxi Acknowledgments xxiii Introduction xxv Part I Commonly Used Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Chapter 1 Financial Statement Reporting: The Income Statement 3 Income Statement Format 4 Comprehensive Income 4 Extraordinary Items 5 Nonrecurring Items 6 Discontinued Operations 6 Revenue Recognition 8 Other Revenue Considerations 18 Multiple Deliverables 18 Software Revenue Recognition 19 Research and Development Costs 20 Advertising Costs 23 Restructuring Charges 23 Other Expense Considerations 23 Earnings per Share 23 Chapter 2 Financial Statement Reporting: The Balance Sheet 33 Assets 33 Liabilities 57 Fair Value Measurements 71 Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities 73 Stockholders’ Equity 77 Chapter 3 Financial Statement Reporting: Statement of Cash Flows and Other Disclosures 91 Statement of Cash Flows 91 Interim Reporting 103 Personal Financial Statements 107 Incorporation of a Business 110 Partnerships 110 Chapter 4 Accounting and Disclosures 113 Hierarchy of GAAP 113 FASB Accounting Standards Codification 113 Accounting Changes 114 Prior-Period Adjustments 121 Disclosure of Accounting Policies 122 Development-Stage Companies 123 Troubled Debt Restructuring 124 Segmental Reporting 127 Imputing Interest on Notes 133 Accounting for Futures Contracts 135 Oil- and Gas-Producing Companies 138 Chapter 5 Key Financial Accounting Areas 139 Consolidations 139 Business Combinations 143 Investments in Securities 148 Leases 156 Pension Plans 170 Other Postretirement Benefits 183 Income Tax Accounting 184 Foreign Currency Translation and Transactions 189 U.S. GAAP versus IFRS 200 Part II Analyzing Financial Statements Chapter 6 Financial Statement Analysis 219 Introduction 219 Horizontal and Vertical Analysis 221 Balance Sheet Analysis 222 Income Statement Analysis 239 Bankruptcy Prediction 249 Liquidation Value 251 Part III Managerial Accounting Applications Chapter 7 Appraising Segmental Performance 255 The What and Why of Responsibility Accounting 255 Cost Center Performance and Standard Costs 258 Flexible Budgets and Performance Reports 276 Profit Centers and Segmented Reporting 278 Profit Variance Analysis 281 Single-Product Firms 282 Multiproduct Firms 282 Managerial Planning and Decision Making 287 How to Measure the Performance of Investment Centers 288 Investment Decisions under ROI and RI 292 More on Economic Value Added 293 Corporate Balanced Scorecard 295 How to Price Goods and Services Transferred 296 Alternative Transfer Pricing Schemes 297 Budgeting and Financial Planning 299 Chapter 8 Analysis of Projects, Proposals, and Special Situations 309 Cost–Volume–Profit and Breakeven Analysis 309 Short-Term, Nonroutine Decisions 320 Theory of Constraints 327 Life-Cycle Costs and Target Costing 327 Activity-Based Costing 331 Just-in-Time and Total Quality Management 334 Taguchi Method of Quality Control 338 Backflush Costing 339 Environmental Costs and Ecoefficiency 342 Time Value Fundamentals 346 Capital Budgeting 350 MACRS Rule 363 Chapter 9 Quantitative Applications and Modeling in Accounting 369 Statistical Analysis and Evaluation 369 Regression Analysis 374 Trend Analysis 378 Regression Statistics 380 Quantitative Methods for Accounting 386 Decision Making 387 Decision Making under Certainty 387 Decision Making under Uncertainty 388 Linear Programming and Shadow Prices 394 Goal Programming and Multiple Goals 398 Learning Curve 402 Inventory Planning and Control 404 Program Evaluation and Review Technique 411 Project Budgeting and Control Using Earned Value Analysis 416 Part IV Auditing, Compiling, and Reviewing Financial Statements Chapter 10 Auditing Procedures 425 Risk Assessment Procedures 425 The Entity and Its Environment 426 Internal Control 426 Substantive Procedures 442 Audit Reports 451 Chapter 11 Compilation, Review, and Other Reporting Services 463 Compilation of Financial Statements 463 Review of Financial Statements 470 Accountant’s Consideration of Obtaining an Updating Representation Letter from Management 480 Documentation in a Review Engagement 481 Restricting the Use of an Accountant’s Compilation or Review Report 485 Consideration of an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern 486 Subsequent Events 486 Subsequent Discovery of Facts Existing at the Date of the Report 487 Change in Engagement from Audit or Review to Compilation 487 Reporting on Prescribed Forms 488 Communication between Successor and Predecessor Accountants 490 Compilation of Specified Elements, Accounts, or Items of a Financial Statement 490 Compilation of Pro Forma Financial Information 494 Communicating to Management and Others in a Compilation or Review Engagement 498 Reports on Prospective Financial Statements 499 Attest Engagements 511 Examination of an Entity’s Internal Control over Financial Reporting That Is Integrated with an Audit of Its Financial Statements (SSAE 15) 518 Integration with the Financial Statement Audit 534 Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization 546 Compliance Attestation 555 Management’s Discussion and Analysis 557 Personal Financial Statements Included in Written Personal Financial Plans 557 Reporting on Comparative Statements 559 Special Reports 564 Chapter 12 Auditing Standards 573 SAS 1—Codification of Auditing Standards and Procedures 573 SAS 2—Reports on Audited Financial Statements 574 SAS 3—The Effects of EDP on the Auditor’s Study and Evaluation of Internal Control 575 SAS 4—Quality Control Considerations for a Firm of Independent Auditors 575 SAS 5—The Meaning of “Present Fairly in Conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles” in the Independent Auditor’s Report 575 SAS 6—Related Party Transactions 575 SAS 7—Communication between Predecessor and Successor Auditor 575 SAS 8—Other Information in Documents Containing Audited Financial Statements 575 SAS 9—The Effect of an Internal Audit Function on the Scope of the Independent Auditor’s Examination 575 SAS 10—Limited Review of Interim Financial Information 575 SAS 11—Using the Work of a Specialist 575 SAS 12—Inquiry of a Client’s Lawyer Concerning Litigation, Claims, and Assessments 576 SAS 13—Reports on a Limited Review of Interim Financial Information 578 SAS 14—Special Reports 578 SAS 15—Reports on Comparative Financial Statements 578 SAS 16—The Independent Auditor’s Responsibility for the Detection of Errors or Irregularities 578 SAS 17—Illegal Acts by Clients 578 SAS 18—Unaudited Replacement Cost Information 578 SAS 19—Client Representations 578 SAS 20—Required Communication of Material Weaknesses in Internal Accounting Control 579 SAS 21—Segment Information 579 SAS 22—Planning and Supervision 579 SAS 23—Analytical Review Procedures 579 SAS 24—Review of Interim Financial Information 579 SAS 25—The Relationship of Generally Accepted Auditing Standards to Quality Control Standards 579 SAS 26—Association with Financial Statements 580 SAS 27—Supplementary Information Required by the Financial Accounting Standards Board 580 SAS 28—Supplementary Information on the Effects of Changing Prices 580 SAS 29—Reporting on Information Accompanying the Basic Financial Statements in Auditor-Submitted Documents 580 SAS 30—Reporting on Internal Accounting Control 581 SAS 31—Evidential Matter 581 SAS 32—Adequacy of Disclosure in Financial Statements 581 SAS 33—Supplementary Oil and Gas Reserve Information 581 SAS 34—The Auditor’s Considerations When a Question Arises about an Entity’s Continued Existence 581 SAS 35—Special Reports: Applying Agreed-Upon Procedures to Specified Elements, Accounts, or Items of a Financial Statement 581 SAS 36—Review of Interim Financial Information 581 SAS 37—Filings under Federal Securities Statutes 582 SAS 38—Letters for Underwriters 582 SAS 39—Audit Sampling 582 SAS 40—Supplementary Mineral Reserve Information 583 SAS 41—Working Papers 583 SAS 42—Reporting on Condensed Financial Statements and Selected Financial Data 583 Condensed Financial Statements 583 Selected Financial Data 584 SAS 43—Omnibus Statement on Auditing Standards 585 SAS 44—Special-Purpose Reports on Internal Accounting Control at Service Organizations 585 SAS 45—Omnibus Statement on Auditing Standards—1983 585 Related Parties 585 SAS 46—Consideration of Omitted Procedures after the Report Date 586 SAS 47—Audit Risk and Materiality in Conducting an Audit 586 SAS 48—The Effects of Computer Processing on the Audit of Financial Statements 586 SAS 49—Letters for Underwriters 587 SAS 50—Reports on the Application of Accounting Principles 587 SAS 51—Reporting on Financial Statements Prepared for Use in Other Countries 589 SAS 52—Omnibus Statement on Auditing Standards—1987 590 SAS 53—The Auditor’s Responsibility to Detect and Report Errors and Irregularities 590 SAS 54—Illegal Acts by Clients 590 SAS 55—Consideration of Internal Control in a Financial Statement Audit 591 SAS 56—Analytical Procedures 591 SAS 57—Auditing Accounting Estimates 591 SAS 58—Reports on Audited Financial Statements 592 SAS 59—The Auditor’s Consideration of an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern 592 SAS 60—Communication of Internal Control Related Matters Noted in an Audit 594 SAS 61—Communication with Audit Committees 594 SAS 62—Special Reports 594 SAS 63—Compliance Auditing Applicable to Governmental Entities and Other Recipients of Governmental Financial Assistance 594 SAS 64—Omnibus Statement on Auditing Standards 594 SAS 65—The Auditor’s Consideration of the Internal Audit Function in an Audit of Financial Statements 594 SAS 66—Communication of Matters about Interim Financial Information Filed or to Be Filed with Specified Regulatory Agencies 595 SAS 67—The Confirmation Process 595 SAS 68—Compliance Auditing Applicable to Governmental Entities and Other Recipients of Governmental Financial Assistance 597 SAS 69—The Meaning of Present Fairly in Conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the Independent Auditor’s Report 597 SAS 70—Service Organizations 597 SAS 71—Interim Financial Information 598 SAS 72—Letters for Underwriters and Certain Other Requesting Parties 598 SAS 73—Using the Work of a Specialist 599 SAS 74—Compliance Auditing Considerations in Audits of Governmental Entities and Recipients of Governmental Financial Assistance 600 SAS 75—Engagements to Apply Agreed-Upon Procedures to Specified Elements, Accounts, or Items of a Financial Statement 600 SAS 76—Amendments to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 72, Letters for Underwriters and Certain Other Requesting Parties 600 SAS 77—Amendments to Statements on Auditing Standards No. 22, Planning and Supervision; No. 59, The Auditor’s Consideration of an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern; and No. 62, Special Reports 600 SAS 78—Consideration of Internal Control in a Financial Statement Audit: An Amendment to SAS 55 600 SAS 79—Amendment to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 58, Reports on Audited Financial Statements 600 SAS 80—Amendment to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 31, Evidential Matter 601 SAS 81—Auditing Investments 601 SAS 82—Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement Audit 601 SAS 83—Establishing an Understanding with the Client 601 SAS 84—Communications between Predecessor and Successor Accountants 602 SAS 85—Management Representations 603 SAS 86—Amendment to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 72, Letters for Underwriters and Certain Other Requesting Parties 607 SAS 87—Restricting the Use of an Auditor’s Report 607 SAS 88—Service Organizations and Reporting on Consistency 608 SAS 89—Audit Adjustments 608 SAS 90—Audit Committee Communications 608 SAS 91—Federal GAAP Hierarchy 608 SAS 92—Auditing Derivative Instruments, Hedging Activities, and Investments in Securities 609 Existence or Occurrence 610 Completeness 610 Rights and Obligations 611 Valuation 611 Impairment Losses 612 SAS 93—Omnibus Statement on Auditing Standards—2000 614 SAS 94—The Effect of Information Technology on the Auditor’s Consideration of Internal Control in a Financial Statement Audit 614 SAS 95—Generally Accepted Auditing Standards 614 SAS 96—Audit Documentation 614 SAS 97—Amendment to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 50, Reports on the Application of Accounting Principles 614 SAS 98—Omnibus Statement on Auditing Standards—2002 614 SAS 99—Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement Audit 615 SAS 100—Interim Financial Information 623 SAS 101—Auditing Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures 623 SAS 102—Defining Professional Requirements in Statements on Auditing Standards 625 SAS 103—Audit Documentation 625 SAS 104—Amendment to SAS 1, Codification of Auditing Standards and Procedures (“Due Professional Care in the Performance of Work”) 629 SAS 105—Amendment to SAS 95—Generally Accepted Auditing Standards 629 SAS 106—Audit Evidence 630 SAS 107—Audit Risk and Materiality in Conducting an Audit 632 SAS 108—Planning and Supervision 634 SAS 109—Understanding the Entity and Its Environment and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement 636 SAS 110—Performing Audit Procedures in Response to Assessed Risks and Evaluating the Audit Evidence Obtained 637 SAS 111—Amendment to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 39, Audit Sampling 640 SAS 112—Communication of Internal Control–Related Matters Identified in an Audit 641 SAS 113—Omnibus 2006 641 SAS 114—The Auditor’s Communication with Those Charged with Governance 641 SAS 115—Communicating Internal Control Related Matters Identified in an Audit 642 SAS 116—Interim Financial Information 647 SAS 117—Compliance Audits 648 SAS 118—Other Information in Documents Containing Audited Financial Statements 648 SAS 119—Supplementary Information in Relation to the Financial Statements as a Whole 650 SAS 120—Required Supplementary Information 654 SAS 121—Revised Applicability of Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100, Interim Financial Information 655 AS 1—References in Auditor’s Reports to the Standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board 656 AS 2—An Audit of Internal Control over Financial Reporting Performed in Conjunction with an Audit of Financial Statements 656 AS 3—Audit Documentation 656 AS 4—Reporting on Whether a Previously Reported Material Weakness Continues to Exist 657 AS 5—An Audit of Internal Control over Financial Reporting That Is Integrated with an Audit of Financial Statements 662 Definitions 664 AS 6—Evaluating Consistency of Financial Statements 670 AS 7—Engagement Quality Review 671 AS 8—Audit Risk 672 AS 9—Audit Planning 673 AS 10—Supervision of the Audit Engagement 674 AS 11—Consideration of Materiality in Planning and Performing an Audit 675 AS 12—Identifying and Assessing Risks of Material Misstatements 677 AS 13—The Auditor’s Responses to the Risks of Material Misstatement 680 AS 14—Evaluating Audit Results 681 AS 15—Audit Evidence 682 Chapter 13 Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 685 Auditor Independence 685 Partner Rotation 686 Public Company Accounting Oversight Board 686 Part V Taxation Chapter 14 Tax Research 691 Sources of Tax Law 691 The Court System 692 Part VI Other Professional Standards Chapter 15 Consulting Services 697 Chapter 16 Quality Control 699 Chapter 17 Code of Professional Conduct 703 Rule 101—Independence 703 Rule 102—Integrity and Objectivity 705 Rule 201—General Standards 705 Rule 202—Compliance with Standards 705 Rule 203—Accounting Principles 706 Rule 301—Confidential Client Information 706 Rule 302—Contingent Fees 706 Rule 501—Acts Discreditable 707 Rule 502—Advertising and Other Forms of Solicitations 707 Rule 503—Commissions and Referral Fees 707 Rule 505—Form of Organization and Name 707 Index 709

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Book SynopsisThe "how-not-to" leadership book There is a paradox in leadership: we can only succeed by knowing failure. Every accomplished leader knows there are minefields of failures that need to be navigated in order to succeed.Trade Review“After reading only one of the chapter headings of The Wisdom of Failure—‘Does This Doorframe Make My Head Look Big?’—I knew I was in for a real treat. Luckily for me, the rest of the book does not disappoint. Through their analysis of many pointed leadership examples in American business, the authors distill corporate lessons into pearls of wisdom from which all of us can learn.” —Marshall Goldsmith, New York Times bestselling author, MOJO and What Got You Here Won't Get You There “A definitive piece of work that makes a most compelling connection between understanding failure and experiencing success. A must-read for serious-minded leaders who want to take their businesses to higher ground in an enduring way.” —Douglas R. Conant, former president, CEO, and director, Campbell Soup Company; New York Times bestselling author, Touchpoints “In this important new book from Weinzimmer and McConoughey, we discover how true it is, that the best leaders are the best learners. The Wisdom of Failure is a rare, honest look at both sides of the leadership story. Solidly researched and filled with practical examples you can apply immediately, this book should be read by leaders across the board.” —Jim Kouzes, Dean's Executive Fellow of Leadership, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University; bestselling coauthor, The Leadership Challenge “All great leaders learn from their mistakes, but mistakes are a precious and costly resource. This provocative and thoughtful book allows you to learn from others’ mistakes, so you can learn without paying the price. Buy copies for everyone on your team and leverage these lessons on your journey to creating extraordinary results.” —Saj-nicole Joni, confidential CEO advisor; bestselling author, The Right Fight “The Wisdom of Failure is an epiphany. From the very first chapter, Weinzimmer and McConoughey shift the reader’s focus beyond short term accolades and trade-offs to a horizon where a leader can find true success and accomplishment. In their well-researched book, the authors give leaders the tough love they need to learn from their mistakes before their mistakes become costly. A must-read for aspiring, new, and seasoned leaders.” —Jennifer Robin, Ph.D., author, The Great Workplace “The importance of understanding failure’s lessons cannot be overstated in today’s fast-moving business environment, and The Wisdom of Failure offers a smart research-based guide to navigating these tough leadership lessons. You’ll be engaged from the very first page.” —Amy C. Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School; author, Teaming “The Wisdom of Failure allows you to benefit from the inevitable growth that comes from failure without having to experience it first-hand. An invaluable read for anyone striving to move themselves and their business forward.” —Dan Schawbel, founder, Millennial Branding; author, Me 2.0 “Never before has learning from failure been more important—to innovation, to learning, to strategy under uncertainty, and to the development of the next generation of leaders. Ironically, in many organizations the attitude towards failure virtually guarantees not only that people won’t learn its valuable lessons but that they will also suffer the brunt of its downsides. This well-researched and accessible book is a timely summary of how failure can be useful, even essential, and serves as a welcome reminder of the importance of ‘failing forward.’” —Rita Gunther McGrath, strategy and innovation advisor, Columbia Business School Professor; coauthor, Discovery-Driven Growth “Having worked with hundreds of emerging companies, I have seen failure in all flavors! Finally we have, in one well-written book, the lessons learned from such experiences. The Wisdom of Failure is an instant business classic destined for the tablets and shelves of our innovation economy’s leaders.” —Larry Weber, chairman and CEO, W2 Group “Leaders become great only when they have overcome adversity. We learn how to grow from our setbacks. Weinzimmer and McConoughey have created a simple framework and practical methodology to develop an organizational culture that encourages productive innovation. The Wisdom of Failure provides us with the research, case studies, and tools to transform our failures into our biggest successes.” —Jeff DeGraff, professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan; author, Innovation You, Leading Innovation, and Creativity at Work “Every truly great leader has experienced failure and (more important) learned from it. Organizations that support ‘smart’ failure are more innovative, adaptable, resilient, and profitable. In The Wisdom of Failure, Weinzimmer and McConoughey have distilled the key factors that are most likely to push every one of us off track, and outlined the practices that leaders, teams, and entire organizations can use to navigate around those hazards. If you aren’t pushing yourself to the point where failure is a possibility, you are not coming close to your potential as a leader. But in today’s times, where acceleration is the new normal, you’ll need this book as your guide.” —Eric McNulty, editor, Harvard School of Public Health; coauthor, You’re It! Lessons from Crisis Meta-LeadershipTable of Contents1 Flawless Leadership: Learning the Lessons Without Paying the Price 1 Part One Unbalanced Orchestration 2 Seduced by Yes: Trying to Be All Things to All People 31 3 Businesses You Have No Business Being In: Roaming Outside the Box 57 4 Entrenched in Efficiency: Forgetting to Put Effectiveness First 77 Part Two Drama Management 5 The Playground in the Workplace: Leaders Who Rule by Bullying 101 6 When Utopia Becomes Dystopia: Problems with Dysfunctional Harmony 125 7 The Battle Within: Distracted Purpose 151 Part Three Personality Issues 8 Standing in the Way: Hoarding Power and Responsibility 175 9 Living Outside the Storm: The Destructive Path of Disengagement 197 10 “Does This Doorframe Make My Head Look Big?”: Problems with Self-Absorbed Leaders 221 A Final Caveat: Walking the Line 241 Notes 245 Acknowledgments 259 Index 261 About the Authors 281

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Book SynopsisSir John Templeton, legendary investor, was famous for saying, "The four most dangerous words in investing are, 'This time it's different. '" He knew that though history doesn't repeat, not exactly, history is an excellent guide for investors.Table of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xvii Chapter 1 The Plain-Old Normal 1 Yes Sir, Sir John 1 The Normal Normal 5 The Jobless Recovery 14 The Always Feared, Rarely Seen Double Dip 23 Chapter 2 Fooled by Averages 31 Bull Markets Are Inherently Above Average 32 Viva the V 36 Normal Returns Are Extreme, Not Average 47 The Pause That Refreshes (and Confuses) 49 Getting Average Returns Is Hard—Really Hard 53 Chapter 3 Volatility Is Normal—and Volatile 57 What the Heck Is Volatility? 58 Volatility Is Volatile 61 The Daily Grind 65 Stocks Are Less Volatile Than Bonds? 67 Economic Volatility—Also Normal 69 Volatility Isn’t Inherently Bad 71 Never a Dull Moment 74 Chapter 4 Secular Bear? (Secular) Bull! 81 Seeing the World Through Bear- Colored Glasses 82 Two Secular Bear Markets? 84 Stocks—Up Vastly More Than Down 90 Chapter 5 Debt and Deficient Thinking 101 Deficits Aren’t Bad, but Surpluses Will Kill You 105 The History of Big Government Debt 110 Just Who Is at Default Here? 116 Chapter 6 Long- Term Love and Other Investing Errors 123 No One Category Is Best for All Time 124 Long- Term Love Is Like Long- Term Forecasting— Both Wrong 129 It’s Still Heat Chasing Even When It Seems Safe 134 Use History to Your Advantage 146 Chapter 7 Poli-Ticking 151 Enter the Ideology- Free Zone 152 Your Party Isn’t Better 153 Presidents and Risk Aversion 155 Perverse Inverse—It’s Four and One 160 Poli- Tics Go Global 170 Poli- Tics Versus Entrepreneurs 172 Chapter 8 It’s (Always Been) a Global World, After All 177 It’s Always Been a Small World 179 Seeing the World Right 186 Conclusion 194 Appendix 197 Notes 201 Index 211

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Book SynopsisOne of the most deeply ingrained beliefs of our age is that perpetual economic growth is the solution to most, if not all, of society's problems. In Slow Down or Die, French economist Timothée Parrique brilliantly challenges this myth, demonstrating how producing more won't solve climate change, poverty, or inequality. In fact, our obsession with growth is accelerating social and ecological collapse. Parrique proposes a different vision - a "post-growth" economy where decisions are made collectively and democratically. Instead of infinitely accumulating wealth, our goal must be a just, equitable, and sustainable society. Accessible and inspiring, Slow Down or Die is a radical call to embrace a future of shared prosperity, where slowing down is the key to a better, sustainable future.

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Book SynopsisAN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER!*THE MUST-READ NOUGHTIES NOSTALGIA MEMOIR*'Hilarious' CAITLIN MORAN'Witty, gossipy, self-effacing and deeply nostalgic, this is a joy for all of us who survived the noughties but have forgotten quite how. Much more than the memoir of a fashion model, this is the rarely-told insider story of the most glamorous, grotty and downright insane industries' SALI HUGHESJoin Ruth Crilly in this comic memoir as she teeters through the noughties and lifts the lid on her days as an international fashion model. Told with unparalleled wit and remarkable detail, this is a book for anyone who dreams big and aims high but never quite reaches their goal. At twenty years old, five feet eight and with boobs that were 'inconveniently fulsome', Ruth was not quite young enough, tall enough or waif-like enough to ever hope for a meteoric rise to supermodel status. And yet her sheer optimism and questionable grasp on reality led her to abandon her law degree and begin a career with one of the biggest agencies in the world. Follow Ruth through a rip-roaring, hilarious decade of not-quite-making-it as a supermodel. Fuelled by little more than cigarettes and the stress of her spiralling debt she criss-crosses the world in pursuit of fame and fortune. But how far is she willing to go for this wildly unrealistic dream?Bridget Jones meets the Devil Wears Prada, How Not to be a Supermodel is a time capsule of a book that dives into one of the world's most fascinating industries. Offering a glimpse into both the high glamour and juddering reality of a by-gone era, this comic memoir tackles the darkest of subjects with the very lightest touch and injects humour and a heart-warming honesty into a story that could have so easily ended a different way.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“…a lively and readable analysis.”—The Bookseller * The Bookseller *“Travelers to Italy this summer may find economic catastrophe as omnipresent as monuments and sidewalk cafes, according to this former editor-in-chief of the Economist. Emmott’s breezy narrative provides a quick overview of the beleaguered Italian economy and sketches some background causes for its woes before offering glimpses of a brighter future.”—Publishers Weekly * Publishers Weekly *"[A] lucid and thoughtful book… it is written in a graceful style that is stronger for its careful - even delicate - illumination of personal and national failure than simply offering a wilderness of denunciations."—Financial Times -- John Lloyd * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisTaxation is crucial to the functioning of the modern state. Tax revenues pay for public services - roads, the courts, defence, welfare assistance to the poor and elderly, and in many countries much of health care and education too. More than one third of national income in the industrialized (OECD) countries is on average taken in taxation. Taxes affect individuals in many ways. Taxes paid on income and spending directly reduce taxpayer disposable income, taxpayers face the hassle of tax returns and making payments, and they may be anxious about the possibility of investigation and enforcement action. People also adapt their activities in various ways to reduce the impact of taxation - putting money into tax-free savings accounts, or making shopping trips to other countries where taxes are lower. Taxation is therefore central to politics and public debate. Politicians that make reckless campaign promises about taxation then have to live with the uncomfortable consequences if elected. Businesses lobby for tax breaks that they claim will create jobs and prosperity. In this Very Short Introduction Stephen Smith shows how taxes have real effects on citizens and the economy that tax policy-makers have to balance. Although tax policy will always be a highly political issue, he argues that public decisions about taxation would be improved by a better understanding of the role of taxation, and of the nature and effects of different taxes.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Reviewa very short book on taxation I wish were longer... a clever, detailed and entertaining guide to tax policy. * Prospect, Philip Collins *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. What are taxes, and why do we need them? ; 2. The structure of taxation ; 3. Who bears the tax burden? ; 4. Taxation and the economy ; 5. Tax evasion and enforcement ; 6. Issues in tax policy ; Further Reading ; Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A one-stop source on global warming, seen through the prism of a brilliant economist."—Fred Andrews, New York TimesSelected as one of the best books of 2013 in the Financial Times"Nordhaus is arguably the world’s leading thinker on the economics of global warming. . . . His conclusion is clear: Acting to stop climate change costs money. Ignoring the problem costs more. . . . Ultimately, this message, delivered by a number-crunching economist rather than a morally outraged environmentalist, may prove far more effective in making the case for action."—Coral Davenport, The New York Times Book Review"When we have a disjunction between scientific consensus and popular perception—that should light a fire under those of us in the news media. An excellent basis for discussion is the new book The Climate Casino by William Nordhaus."—Nicholas Kristof, New York Times"Provides a comprehensive stocktaking of the possibilities and consequences of global climate change, all of which can be summed up in one sentence: 'Global warming is a trillion-dollar problem requiring a trillion-dollar solution.'"—Sheridan Jobbins, World Economic Forum"Few economists have worked as hard on such problems as William Nordhaus and in this new book, he's on top form."—Jonathan Wright, Geographical Magazine"The economic focus of this book should provide a valuable insight into the challenges and barriers that must be overcome for planners and policy makers."—Alexander Waller, The Biologist“Intriguing, captivating reading” —Anna Maria Polidori, AlFemminile BlogspotWon an Honorable Mention for the 2013 New England Book Festival given by the JM Northern Media Family of Festivals, in the General Non-Fiction CategoryWinner of the 2013 American Publishers Awards for Professional and Scholarly Excellence (PROSE), in the Economics category"Nordhaus is the world’s clearest, best informed and most serious thinker on climate change policy. There is more insight and good sense advice in this volume than in many libraries. This book should be as central to climate policy debates as climate change is to humanity’s future."—Lawrence H. Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University"Bill Nordhaus is one of the world’s pioneers in applying economic reasoning to the harrowing problem of climate change. Before there was the UN climate treaty, the recent rounds of IPCC reports, and the Stern Review, there was Nordhaus’ path-breaking thinking, modeling, and research on the subject. His new book, The Climate Casino, marks a long-awaited update and synthesis of this work for the public and students everywhere. His core conclusion – that we must act and act now – is carefully explained with Nordhaus’ trademark vigor, clarity, and thoughtfulness. Nordhaus repeatedly and rightly reminds the reader of the risks of catastrophic tipping points and the huge unknowns concerning the ability of societies and ecosystems to adapt to the changes ahead. As he aptly puts it, by investing in slowing and eventually halting the emission of greenhouse gases humanity will be paying a well-justified 'insurance premium' for human wellbeing."—Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Earth Institute at Columbia University"The Climate Casino is one of the most important books ever written about global warming . . . it deals with the problem (climate change and its consequences including economic) and with the solution (primarily a suitable price for carbon). It does so with wonderful clarity."—Thomas E. Lovejoy, George Mason University and The H. John Heinz Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment"The Climate Casino is a tour de force and will make a real impact in the popular literature on climate change . . . it brings together all of the important strands of the debate . . . the book is without peer."—Charles Kolstad, Stanford University"This is a book written by a master of the field after more than twenty years of research on the global warming topic."—David Victor, Director of the Laboratory on International Law and Regulation, University of California at San Diego

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling author of Simpler offers a powerful, provocative, and convincing argument for protecting people from their own mistakes Based on a series of pathbreaking lectures given at Yale University in 2012, this powerful, thought-provoking work by national best-selling author Cass R. Sunstein combines legal theory with behavioral economics to make a fresh argument about the legitimate scope of government, bearing on obesity, smoking, distracted driving, health care, food safety, and other highly volatile, high-profile public issues. Behavioral economists have established that people often make decisions that run counter to their best interestsproducing what Sunstein describes as behavioral market failures. Sometimes we disregard the long term; sometimes we are unrealistically optimistic; sometimes we do not see what is in front of us. With this evidence in mind, Sunstein argues for a new form of paternalism, one that protects people against serious errors but also recognizes the risk of government overreaching and usually preserves freedom of choice. Against those who reject paternalism of any kind, Sunstein shows that choice architecturegovernment-imposed structures that affect our choicesis inevitable, and hence that a form of paternalism cannot be avoided. He urges that there are profoundly moral reasons to ensure that choice architecture is helpful rather than harmfuland that it makes people's lives better and longer.Trade Review"Cass Sunstein’s quest is an important one."—Andrew Stark, TLS"While we tend to think that offering information merely allows us to choose our means more carefully, without affecting what ends we actually want to pursue, Sunstein argues quite convincingly that for that government to highlight certain information may actually affect our goals."—Sarah Conly, author of Against Autonomy: Justifying Coercive Paternalism

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Book SynopsisAny project which involves an EPC contract is also likely to involve a number of other complicated contracts. The challenge of the parties to an EPC contract is not to try to eliminate risk but rather put into place a narrative structure that enables the parties to predict the contractual result that would obtain if a risk materializes. If the EPC contract does not allow the parties to determine the consequences of an unanticipated situation, they will have to look to an expert, mediator, tribunal, or court to impart guidance or pass judgment. The sample forms of contract contained in Volume 2 of Understanding and Negotiating EPC Contracts are intended to serve as a guide to demonstrate how risks and responsibilities can be allocated among project sponsors, EPC contractors and the various other parties that may be involved in a project. Collectively the sample forms in this volume offer an extraordinary resource that provides the benefit of

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Book SynopsisJohn Hendry, a leading management scholar, looks at the nature and practice of Management in this Very Short Introduction. Tracing the development of management over the last century, he looks not only at what managers do, but also provides an insight to modern management theory. He considers the influences of national and organizational culture, the relationship between power and domination, managing in different cultures, approaches to management, and at the accountability of managers and morality. This is an ideal introduction for anyone interested in, or studying, business and management. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of ContentsPREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; PART 1: INTRODUCING MANAGEMENT; PART II: THE EVOLUTION OF MANAGEMENT: THEORY AND PRACTICE; PART III: MANAGEMENT IN CONTEXT; REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisMost of us recognize that organizations are everywhere. You meet them on every street corner in the form of families and shops, study in them, work for them, buy from them, pay taxes to them. But have you given much thought to where they came from, what they are today, and what they might become in the future? How and why do they have so much influence over us, and what influences them? How do they contribute to and detract from the meaningfulness of lives, and how might we improve them so they better serve our needs and desires? This Very Short Introductions addresses all of these questions and considers many more. Mary Jo Hatch introduces the concept of organizations by presenting definitions and ideas drawn from the a variety of subject areas including the physical sciences, economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, literature, and the visual and performing arts. Drawing on examples from prehistory and everyday life, from the animal kingdom as well as from business, government, and other formal organizations, Hatch provides a lively and thought provoking introduction to the process of organization.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. What is organization? ; 2. What is the best way to organize? ; 3. What does it mean to be an organization? ; 4. Who does organizing serve? ; 5. How does organizing happen? ; 6. Why do organizational scholars disagree? ; 7. Where do we go from here?

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Book SynopsisJohn Kenneth Galbraith''s international bestseller The Affluent Society is a witty, graceful and devastating attack on some of our most cherished economic myths. As relevant today as when it was first published over forty years ago, this newly updated edition of Galbraith''s classic text on the ''economics of abundance'', lays bare the hazards of individual and social complacency about economic inequality. Why worship work and productivity if many of the goods we produce are superfluous - artificial ''needs'' created by high-pressure advertising? Why begrudge expenditure on vital public works while ignoring waste and extravagance in the private sector of the economy? Classical economics was born in a harsh world of mass poverty, and has left us with a set of preconceptions ill-adapted to the realities of our own richer age. And so, too often, ''the bland lead the bland''. Our unfamiliar problems need a new approach, and the reception given to this famous book has shown the value of its fresh, lively ideas. ''A compelling challenge to conventional thought''  The New York Times ''He shows himself a truly sensitive and civilized man, whose ideas are grounded in the common culture of the two continents, and may serve as a link between them; his book is of foremost importance for them both''  The Times Literary Supplement John Kenneth Galbraith (1908-2006) was a Canadian-American economist. A Keynesian and an institutionalist, Galbraith was a leading proponent of 20th-century American liberalism and progressivism. Galbraith was the author of 30 books, including The Economics of Innocent Fraud, The Great Crash: 1929, and A History of Economics.

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Book SynopsisThe final revision of this classic bestseller, the 7th edition defines the common thread linking the world''s greatest economic thinkers and explores the philosophies that motivate them. Hailed by Galbraith as a brilliant achievement, The Worldly Philosophers with over 2 million copies sold worldwide, not only enables us to see more deeply into our history, but helps us to better understand our own times. Heilbroner provides the new theme that connects thinkers as different as Adam Smith andKarl Marx: the desire to understand how a capitalist society works. A new chapter conveys a concern that today''s increasingly scientific economics may overlook fundamental social and political issues that are central to economics.

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Book SynopsisReissued with a new foreword to mark the centenary of Harold Wilson's birth, Ben Pimlott''s classic biography combines scholarship and observation to illuminate the life and career of one of Britain''s most controversial post-war statesmen.Harold Wilson is one of the most enigmatic personalities of recent British history. He held office as Prime Minister for longer than any other Labour leader, and longer than any other premier in peacetime apart from Mrs Thatcher. His success at winning General Elections four in all has so far not been matched. His grasp of economic policy was better than that of any other Prime Minister, and he enjoyed a high reputation among foreign leaders. Yet, in retrospect, he seems a master tactician rather than a strategist and he is regarded today with more curiosity than respect, when he is not treated with contempt.Trade Review‘One of the great political biographies of the century’ A.N. Wilson, Evening Standard ‘Admirable and engrossing … Professor Pimlott’s picture of life at Number 10 and the strife within is vivid and unforgettable’ Daily Telegraph ‘A masterly piece of political writing’ New Statesman ‘The narrative gallops along, sweeping the reader with it in a rush of excitement. A mass of complex detail is marshalled with the art that conceals art’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Fascinating … Pimlott the X-ray has produced a work of formidable penetration’ Observer ‘His narrative is quite outstanding – clear, thoughtful and gripping … Some biographies enter the political discourse at once, thanks to their innate qualities and lucky timing. There are so many echoes of the Wilson years in the politics of today that this happy fate must surely belong to Pimlott’s book’ Andrew Marr, Independent

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Book SynopsisColin Fisher is Professor of Business Ethics at Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham.Table of ContentsIntroduction Choosing a Topic and Designing the Project Writing a Critical Literature Review Concepts, Conceptual Frameworks and Theories Collecting and Analysing Research Material Interpreting the Research Material Framing Arguments and Writing Up Using Software for Research

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Book SynopsisFrancesca Taylor has been a major player in the international derivatives markets for over 25 years and has recently relocated to Dubai, UAE. Francesca is also the founder and ex-CEO of Taylor Associates (International) Ltd, a financial training company based in London, which provides training and education to a range of financial and non-financial organisations. She has extensive experience in the derivatives clearing and OTC post trade space working with key market providers of infrastructure services, notably Capco, CLS, DTCC, Deriv/SERV, Markit and Omgeo, both in the UK and North America. She has worked with CME and Bloomberg in NYC and ICE in Chicago to create TV and web based tutorials in traded options and future markets. Francesca has a BSc (Hons) in geology from London University, an MBA from Imperial College and an AMCT from the Association of Corporate Treasurers. Francesca is the author of the bestselling Market KnoTable of ContentsTable of Contents 1. Background and development of the derivatives markets Market background Introduction Key features Uses of derivatives Range of derivatives Increasing use of the Central Counterparty Model (CCP) Risk and benchmarking Market volumes Users and uses of derivatives Straight Through Processing (STP) 2. Market fundamentals Introduction How banks generate income Three key assumptions Role and use of LIBOR Day counts Financial maths Calculating forward rates Marking to market Yield curves Quiz 3. Risk — a Primer Introduction Finacial risks: markets, credit, liquidity Operational risk More esoteric risks 4. Derviatives Fundamentals Range of derivatives What is a vanilla trade? Settlement Triggers Liquidity and credit risk Understanding the 'underlying' Benchmarks Fair value Dealing with derivatives 5. Basic option concepts Introduction Option pricing Option mechanics 6. Interest rate derivatives — single settlement instruments Introduction Single settlement interest rate derivatives Financial futures contracts Forward rate agreements (FRAs) Interest rate options (IROs) Quiz 7. Interest rate derivatives Introduction Interest rate caps and floors Interest rate collars Interest rate swaps Quiz 8. Benchmarking in the OTC derivatives marketsPenny Davenport, Manging Director, Markit Document Exchange and Gavan Nolan, Vice President, Credit Research, Markit Group Financial benchmarking for derivatives Liquidity benchmarking for derivatives Operational risk measurements for derivatives Conclusion 9. Currency derivatives Introduction Over the counter currency options Currency options: reduced premium strategies Simple exotic structures Currency swaps Exchange-traded instruments Quiz 10. The impact of electronic trading on the FX MarketRay McKenzie, Vice President, ICE The early years FX as part of a commodity portfolio First electronic dealing platforms Electronic market making Phases I and II Point and click vs algo traders The impact of the credit crisis on banks' FX trading Phase III 11. Credit derivatives Introduction What is credit risk? Styles of trading The first deals Range of credit derivatives Credit default swaps 12. Central clearing and the OTC marketBill Hodgson, Founder and CEO, The OTC Space Ltd The basics Trade execution Risks and mitigation Getting trades into clearing The business case and benefits Predictions for market development Terminology 13. Equity derivatives Introduction Background Single stocks or equity indices? Stock index futures Stock index options Single stock options Equity index swaps 14. Commodity derivatives Introduction Exchange-traded energy derivatives Exchange-traded futures contracts Exchange-traded energy option contracts OTC or ‘off-exchange’ energy derivatives OTC option products OTC oil swaps <

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Book SynopsisLeo Gough was the editor of two investment newsletters during the 1990's, The Zurich Club' and Taipan' for Fleet Street Publications. Since 1997 he has spent much of his time in the Asia/Pacific region, working with banks, such as Citibank, and consultancy firms, such as AT Kearney. Currently Leo is working in management consultancy in the Middle East. He is the author of more than 20 books on personal finance and investment.Table of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1 The ‘guerrilla investor’ Chapter 2. Shares Chapter 3. Bonds Chapter 4. Assessing companies - issues and opportunities Chapter 5. Investment theories and strategies Chapter 6. Foreign exchange Chapter 7. Derivatives Chapter 8. Fraud and sharp practice Chapter 9. Overseas investment Chapter 10. Investing in other asset classes Chapter 11.Thinking about retirement Chapter 12. UK taxation Chapter 13.An overview of the financial crisis Chapter 14. Making investing part of your life Appendix 1 – A little financial maths Appendix 2 – Compound interest table Further reading Useful websites Glossary Index Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisMike Brent is a Client and Programme Director at Ashridge. He has worked as a management trainer and consultant with many international companies such as GE, HP, Ericsson, France Telecom, ICI, Volvo and Bang & Olufsen. Fiona Dent is a Director of Executive Education at Ashridge. She has worked with a range of organisations and clients on a national and international basis.  Mike and Fiona are authors of the bestselling FT Publishing title, The Leader's Guide to Influence.Trade Review'A very valuable resource for busy leaders to dip in and out of as time allows.' Dr Mark Pegg, Chief Executive, Leadership Foundation for Higher Education 'Clear and concise with great anecdotes and oozing with experience.' Dr K. D. Akabusi, MBE, MA, FPSA, Executive Director, The Akabusi CompanyTable of ContentsAbout the authors Acknowledgements Introduction Part 1 - YOU 1. Your Reputation 2. Your Career 3. Your Resilience Part 2 – YOUR PEOPLE 4. Coaching 5. Influencing 6. Facilitating 7. Team building 8. Motivation 9. Performance management 10. Conflict management 11. Relational intelligence Part 3 – YOUR BUSINESS 12. Change 13. Derailment 14. Positive leadership behaviour ... And finally References Index

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Book SynopsisDavide Sola is professor of Strategy and Management at ESCP Europe and visiting faculty at Business School in Finland, India and Italy. He is also a Principal at 3H Partners, who work with multinational organisations and governments in Europe, US and Africa. Jerome Couturier is an associate professor of strategy and management at ESCP Europe. He is the author of several articles, policy papers, book chapters, case studies and papers presented at international management conferences. He is also co-founder and president of 3H Partners  Trade Review ‘Quite a tour de force! Davide Sola and Jerome Couturier have managed to produce a thoughtful and practical strategy handbook, full of step-by-step advice and concrete examples. A must read - and a must use - for any leader eager to position their business for success.’ Hubert Joly, President and Chief Executive Officer, Best Buy Co., Inc. ‘Finally... a clear and comprehensive guide that sets out, step by step, how to create a compelling and actionable strategy. This book is a must read for anyone who needs to create a strategic plan and then execute it! The book gives straightforward and practical advice on how to think and act strategically. Best of all, it is written in plain English and not full of impenetrable business speak.’ Andy Ransom, Chief Executive Officer, Rentokil ‘With strategy, timing is everything. This book is a reminder that strategic thinking is the first step to change management and success. It makes it clear that strategic thinking should not be daunting compared to the other day to day challenges we all face; it might even make those challenges easier! I love it, it helps me to clarify and structure my entrepreneurial ideas.” Eric Babolat, President and Chief Executive Officer, Babolat " The authors are masters at integrating deep strategic thinking with wisdom and actionability. Clear, concise, effective, brillant!" Gianemilio Osculati, CEO of Wealth Management at SanPaolo Assicura ‘This is a truly inspirational book which clearly sets out the steps to strategic success. It is a very useful tool for managing in the current very uncertain strategic context.’ Nicolas Petrovic, Chief Executive Officer, Eurostar ‘In a sea of very useful frameworks and great cases about strategy, what really strikes me is the lean testing methodology which is truly compelling. This is a great way to hedge uncertainty across cycles, geographies, business models and also personal biases. I really see a way to transform the strategic process into a learning process for my organisation.’ Aldo Bisio, Chief Executive Officer, Ariston Thermo ‘I have been impressed by both the quality and practicality of the book. On one hand it is built as a guidebook that managers can use on an ad-hoc basis, particularly for large transformational initiatives. On the other hand, it reads fantastically well in one go, providing a holistic and fascinating view of what strategic thinking is about. The ideas and tools proposed in the book are definite success factors for all organisations.’ Nicolas Japy, Group Chief Operating Officer, Sodexo ‘This book is an absolute must read for anyone who aims to successfully manage a business. Jerome and Davide have definitely succeeded in redefining strategic thinking, in a vibrant, thought-provoking and convincing manner. This book is really about the future of management.’ Albert Bourla, President & General Manager, Established Products Business Unit at Pfizer ‘How to Think Strategically provides a simple and useful approach to the most misused word in business: strategy. Together with the app, it helps to focus on what is relevant.’ Daniel John Winteler, Chief Executive Officer, Miroglio Group ‘How can you move from the simple desire to be strategic to actually having in place robust aTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION PART I: STRATEGIC KNOW-HOW Chapter 1 – What is Strategy? What strategy is - and what it isn’t. The Key Elements of Strategy Identifying the Core challenges Coordinated, creative and sustainable actions Creating value Chapter 2 – What is Strategic Thinking? What is thinking? What is strategic thinking? What does it take to think strategically? The Strategic Mind. The strategic thinking process. Chapter 3 - Turning Strategic Thinking into Strategy The Link Between Learning And Strategic Thinking How to Maximise Strategic Learning Chapter 4 – What is Business Strategy? The importance of Competitive advantage How do you create Competitive Advantage? The right ingredients: the sources of competitive advantage A recipe: the value creating options PART II: THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS Chapter 5 – Managing the Invisible Hand What is the invisible hand? Where does it come from? How does it become visible? How can you manage it? Chapter 6 – Assessing the current situation Are you in the right place? Macro Environment Factors Industry-related Factors Do you have a competitive Advantage? Where does superior value creation come from? Value proposition Key activities Resources and competences Value Network Organisational culture Chapter 7 – Identifying the core challenges. How to identify challenges How to validate challenges How to select core challenges - the importance of trade-offs Defining what success will look like – Strategic Objectives and strategic Guidelines Chapter 8 – Solving the core challenges Reducing the complexity of the core challenge Identifying the key constituents of the core challenge Understanding the importance of its constituents Developing potential solutions Lateral thinking Solution shop approach Co-creation workshops Practical tools for generating solutions The Blue Ocean Strategy The 7 degrees of freedom Selecting the best potential solutions Timing the initiatives Chapter 9 -Reducing uncertainty Experimenting to reduce uncertainty Phase 1: Stating the underlying assumptions Phase 2: Testing assumptions about Value Phase 3: Testing assumptions about growth Phase 4: Testing assumptions about sustainability Ongoing testing and learning Chapter 10 – Managing Execution A will to act. A coordinated approach. Setting the scene. Launching and spreading change. Creating a compelling story. Using Role Models. Accelerating the speed of change. Consolidating change. Glossary: Key concepts and definitions

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Book SynopsisThe author of the acclaimed Marx at the Margins analyses the late Marx on Indigenous communism, gender, and anti-colonialism.

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Book SynopsisTrevor is Managing Director of The Executive Coach ltd. He has extensive experience in executive and senior management coaching - including the delivery of 1:1 and team coaching along with whole-organisation coaching interventions and training coaches. His expertise is in combining his passion for leadership development with his skill as a top-level coach, his experience in organisational consultancy and his thorough understanding of the psychology of personal change.Previously Trevor spent 15 years in leadership in the voluntary sector included five years being Chief Executive of a national start-up. He then trained with the Covey Leadership Centre and worked for a consultancy firm before founding The Executive Coach. Trevor works alongside some of the other top Executive Coaches in his role as Faculty member of The School of Coaching at The Work Foundation in association with Myles Downey. He is guest lecturer on Leadership for Anglia Polytechnic University's MBA Programme. Trade Review"... a good self-coaching handbook for anybody who wants to be a better leader." - Business Executive MagazineTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Foreword Introduction Challenge 1: The Proactive Challenge - learning to write the story Challenge 2: The Influence Challenge - making a clear impact Challenge 3: The Reality Challenge - understand where you are Challenge 4: The Vision Challenge - creating an engaging picture of the future Challenge 5: The Strategy Challenge - defining a path to the future Challenge 6: The Wisdom Challenge - applying your learning from experience Challenge 7: The Insight Challenge - seeing beyond the obvious Challenge 8: The Confidence Challenge - developing self-belief Challenge 9: The Internal Compass Challenge - lead yourself so you can lead others Challenge 10: The 'Bigger and Bigger Challenge' Challenge - continuously growing your skills base Challenge 11: The Vertigo Challenge Challenge 12: The 'Managing The Tension Between Holding On and Letting Go' Challenge - the art of delegation Challenge 13: The 'Life and Career Transition' Challenge - change across the whole lifespan Challenge 14: The Loneliness Challenge - creating networks to maintain integrity Challenge 15: The Personality Challenge - understanding your impact on others Challenge 16: The Pathology Challenge - managing the effects of your blind spots Challenge 17: The Confusion-Complexity-Chaos Challenge - performing through uncertainty Challenge 18: The Work-Life Balance Challenge - getting results whilst living a satisfying life Appendix 1: The final question: 'What will you do now?' Appendix 2: Getting feedback on your influencing behaviours Appendix 3: The complete assessment summary Bibliography

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Book SynopsisExcel in meetings and presentationsâ Master email and written communication.

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Book SynopsisThe book Lifehack calls The Bible of business and personal productivity.A completely revised and updated edition of the blockbuster bestseller from 'the personal productivity guru'—Fast CompanySince it was first published almost fifteen years ago, David Allen’s Getting Things Done has become one of the most influential business books of its era, and the ultimate book on personal organization. “GTD” is now shorthand for an entire way of approaching professional and personal tasks, and has spawned an entire culture of websites, organizational tools, seminars, and offshoots. Allen has rewritten the book from start to finish, tweaking his classic text with important perspectives on the new workplace, and adding material that will make the book fresh and relevant for years to come. This new edition of Getting Things Done will be welcomed not only by its hundreds of thousa

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Book SynopsisLawrence McDonald (Author) Lawrence McDonald is risk consultant to hedge funds, family offices, asset managers and investors across twenty-three countries. One of Wall Street's most respected financial experts, McDonald has made more than 1,400 media appearances. Previously, he was a vice president of distressed debt and convertible securities trading at Lehman Brothers.James Robinson (Author) James Robinson is a co-founder of The Bear Traps Report and the CEO of Robinson Speakers Bureau.

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Book SynopsisIf every leader took the ideas in this book seriously, the world would be a less miserable, more productive place.' Adam Grant, author of Think AgainEvery organisation is plagued by destructive friction. Lengthy and convoluted emails, inefficient processes, and antiquated procedures can all be obstacles to excellence at work. Yet some forms of friction are incredibly useful. Often teams need to slow down, struggle and develop some bad ideas to find that rare good one. And leaders who attempt to improve workplace efficiency often make things even worse. Drawing from seven years of hands-on research, The Friction Project by bestselling authors Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao teaches readers how to become friction fixers.Sutton and Rao will help you to:identify where to avert and repair bad organisational frictionacknowledge where to maintain and inject good frictionreframe friction troubles that can't be immediately fixed, so they feel less threateningrepair failing organisationsThe Friction Project is the ultimate guide to making the right things easier and the wrong things harder. Hard to put down and easy to like, this is a business book to savour.' Tim Harford, author of The Data Detective

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER''Entertaining, acute and disarmingly honest'' Economist''A vital guide to the new economic order'' Rana Foroohar, TimeThe crisis of 2008 ended the illusion of a golden era in which many people imagined that prosperity and political calm would continue to spread indefinitely. In a world now racked by slowing growth and mounting unrest, how can we discern which nations will thrive and which will fail? Shaped by prize-winning author Ruchir Sharma''s twenty-five years travelling the world, The Rise and Fall of Nations rethinks economics as a practical art. By narrowing down the thousands of factors that can shape a country''s future, it spells out ten clear rules for identifying the next big winners and losers in the global economy.''The nub of the book is how to spot which countries are likely to succeed, and which to fail, in this impermanent world. Sharma offers a framework of Trade ReviewFilled with amazing data ... fascinating insights and revealing anecdotes, this is quite simply the best guide to the global economy today. Whether you are an observer or an investor, you cannot afford to ignore it. -- Fareed ZakariaA fine guide to the great emerging market boom and bust. * The Economist *Sharma's wealth of knowledge ... and ample experience on the ground are strong foundations for his exploration of what makes economies break out, or break down. * Reuters *For sheer readability and insight on the developing world drama, I dare say you won't find a better choice. * Wall Street Journal *A vital guide to the new economic order. -- Rana Foroohar * Time *

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Book SynopsisCan the Euro be saved? Should it be?Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz dismantles the prevailing consensus around what ails Europe - arguing that economic stagnation is a direct result of the Euro''s flawed birth, demolishing the champions of austerity and offering solutions that can rescue the continent from further devastation.''Stiglitz could hardly have timed The Euro better ... one of those economists with a rare ability to help readers understand complex ideas'' Philip Aldrick, The Times''Original, hard-hitting ... Much more than a demolition job. These chapters are full of constructive proposals'' Martin Sandbu, Financial Times''Terrific and clarifying'' Peter Goodman, The New York Times''Coolly analytical ... he is surely right: without a radical overhaul of its workings, the Euro seems all but certain to fail'' EconomistTrade ReviewHighly readable ... passionately written ... this important book will unnerve millions * Sunday Telegraph *Stiglitz could hardly have timed The Euro better ... one of those economists with a rare ability to help readers understand complex ideas -- Philip Aldrick * The Times *Coolly analytical ... he is surely right: without a radical overhaul of its workings, the Euro seems all but certain to fail * Economist *

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Book SynopsisThe new reputation equity for diverse CEOs People from diverse backgrounds struggle to land C-Suite jobs and their tenures are often shorter. One key but often overlooked reason for this is the failure to understand the importance of reputation management and communication as an integral part of diversity at the highest levels. We Need New Leaders helps aspiring CEOs from diverse backgrounds to land and keep the top jobs. Combining her MSc research with over 20 years' professional experience, including several years leading a global executive communications team, Charlotte Otter shows how aspiring leaders can master reputation management as a bridge to success. Beating the odds might seem hard, but the world needs a new and better cohort of leaders. Learn what you need to do to be seen and heard as the leader you are.

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Book SynopsisDana Thomas''s Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Lustre goes deep inside the workings of today''s world of profit margins and market share to discover the real meaning of ''luxury''. Fashion may be fabulous, but what''s the true price of luxury? From the importance of fashion owners, to red carpet stars and the seasonal ''must-have'' handbags, Dana Thomas shows how far illustrious houses have moved from their roots. Thomas witnesses how these ''luxury'' handbags are no longer one in a million, discovers why luxury brand clothing doesn''t last as long, and finds out just who is making your perfume. From terrifying raids on the Chinese sweat shops to the daunting chic of Paris workshops, from the handcrafting and economics of early-twentieth century designers to the violent truth behind the ''harmless'' fakes, Deluxe goes deep into the world of extravagance, and asks: where can true luxury go now? ''Definitive''  Daily Telegraph ''Thomas''s message is relevant to shoppers of every stripe''  The New York Times ''Thomas explores what luxury meant before the word was both inflated and devalued''  Guardian ''Great aversion therapy ... we suspect we''re being fleeced, but we don''t know with what cynical dedication''  The Times Dana Thomas is now European Editor for Portfolio following twelve years as the cultural and fashion writer for Newsweek in Paris. She has written about style for the New York Times Magazine since 1994, and has contributed to various publications including the New Yorker, Harper''s Bazaar, Vogue and the Financial Times.

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