Business, Finance & Law Books

Book SynopsisThe 'institutional' approach shows how features of social life act as mechanisms of social control. This book sets a research agenda within the field of institutional work by analyzing the ways in which individuals, groups, and organizations work to create, maintain, and disrupt the institutions that structure their lives.Trade ReviewReview of the hardback: 'Max Weber told us that institutions cannot be understood without considering the historical aggregation of individual activities. For many years, though, institutional theory had done little with this insight, focusing instead on the role of institutions as powerful social constraints. Priorities have clearly changed and this volume belongs with the contemporary lively 'deconstruction' of the institutional 'iron cage.' It is a welcome and timely contribution, demonstrating through a series of rich empirical explorations that institutions are created, changed and maintained through work, activities, practices, and discourses. We need more books of this kind, emphasizing the conflictual, messy, contradictory, ambiguous, processual, and ongoing nature of institutional work.' Marie-Laure Djelic, ESSEC Business SchoolReview of the hardback: 'The concept of institutional work is one of the most exciting conceptual developments in institutional theory in the last decade. It provides an invaluable conceptual framework for understanding the institutional effects of purposeful action and has connected conversations about institutional maintenance and change in a powerful new way. In this volume, Lawrence, Suddaby, and Leca expand on their early work on the topic and bring together an impressive group of scholars to further develop the concept through inspired theorizing and direct empirical application. This book is an absolute must for anyone interested in the future of institutional theory. I highly recommend you read it today!' Nelson Phillips, Imperial College Business SchoolTable of ContentsList of figures; List of tables; List of contributors; 1. Introduction: theorizing and studying institutional work Thomas B. Lawrence, Roy Suddaby and Bernard Leca; Part I. Essays on Institutional Work: 2. Institutional work and the paradox of embedded agency Julie Battilana and Thomas D'Aunno; 3. Leadership as institutional work: a bridge to the other side Matthew S. Kraatz; 4. Bringing change into the lives of the poor: entrepreneurship outside traditional boundaries Ignasi Marti and Johanna Mair; 5. Institutional work as the creative embrace of contradiction Timothy J. Hargrave and Andrew H. Van de Ven; Part II. Studies of Institutional Work: 6. Building the iron cage: institutional creation work in the context of competing proto-institutions Charlene Zietsma and Brent McKnight; 7. Scandinavian institutionalism - a case of institutional work Eva Boxenbaum and Jesper Strandgaard Pedersen; 8. Institutional maintenance as narrative acts Tammar B. Zilber; 9. Maintaining an institution in a contested organizational field: the work of AACSB and its constituents Christine Quinn Trank and Marvin Washington; 10. Institutional 'dirty' work: preserving institutions through strategic decoupling Paul M. Hirsch and Y. Sekou Bermiss; 11. Doing which work? A practice approach to institutional pluralism Paula Jarzabkowski, Jane Matthiesen and Andrew H. Van de Ven; Index.

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Book Synopsis3 Easy Steps to Better Stock Investing Lessons explain key stock investing concepts clearly and simply to help you learn quickly. Quizzes reinforce and build on what you learn. Worksheets let you put what you learn into practice immediately to improve your own investing.Table of ContentsWhy You Should Invest in Stocks. Lesson 101: Stocks Versus Other Investments. Lesson 102: The Magic of Compounding. Lesson 103: Investing for the Long Run. Lesson 104: What Matters and What Doesna t. Digging into a Company. Lesson 105: The Purpose of a Company. Lesson 106: Gathering Relevant Information. Lesson 107: Introduction to Financial Statements. Lesson 108: Learn the Lingoa Basic Ratios. Nuts and Bolts of Stock Investing. Lesson 109: Stocks and Taxes. Lesson 110: Using Financial Services Wisely. Lesson 111: Understanding the News. Lesson 112: Start Thinking Like an Analyst. Lesson 113: Using Morningstara s Ratings for Stocks. Additional Morningstar Resources. Recommended Readings. Industry Web Links. Quiz Answer Key. Worksheet Answer Key. Investing Terms. Formulas Reference.

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Book SynopsisThe best traders in the world know that being mentally prepared is absolutely essential to compete in today''s markets. Without a firm understanding of the psychology of trading, even the best stock picker will fail. The Trading Athlete gives specific instruction on how new and seasoned traders can keep themselves at the top of their mental game.-Tim Bourquin, Cofounder, TraderInterivews.com and The Online Trading Expo This book is a great training camp for online traders. Doug and Shane will provide the knowledge and motivation to help you become a successful trader.-Jonathan Markowitz, Partner, SMW Trading Co., Inc. Traders, just like athletes, face tremendous pressure, stress, and expectations that would crush the ordinary, unprepared individual. The Trading Athlete utilizes sport psychology strategies to provide you with the knowledge, confidence, and discipline needed to succeed and profit in the sink-or-swim world of online trading. Using reTable of ContentsIntroduction: The Mental Game of Trading. The Mental Keys to Becoming a Masterful Online Trading Athlete. Setting and Achieving Your Goals. Confidence: The Foundation of Success. How Winners Handle Losing. How to Energize, Not Catastrophize, in Pressure Situations. Trading for Revenge: A Recipe for Disaster. Recovery from Trading Injuries: Overcoming Fear. Concentration: Tuning In to Success. Enjoying the Moment: Playing the Game One Trade at a Time. Postgame Wrap-Up. Appendix A: Extra Innings. Appendix B: Using What You Know. Appendix C: Scenarios for the Trading Athlete. About the Authors. Index.

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Book SynopsisOvercome the interpersonal challenges holding your business back Is your workplace riddled with gossip, power struggles, andconfusion? Do you seek clarity in your management and cohesivenessin your team? Do you have a personal obstacle affecting yourprofessional success? If so, there is good news-help is on the way.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction We Don’t Do Drama Here 1 Chapter 1 Clear the Fog 15 Chapter 2 Identify the Gap 39 Chapter 3 Tell Yourself the Truth 59 Chapter 4 Reinvent and Realign 81 Chapter 5 Stop Relationship Drama 103 Chapter 6 Master Your Energy 131 Chapter 7 Release Resistance 159 Chapter 8 Become a Creator 181 Conclusion No Complaints, No Excuses, No Regrets 205 Resources 213 About the Author 217 Index 219

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Book SynopsisOffers a description of the author's stint as a low-wage worker at two national toy store chains: one upscale shop and one big box outlet. Including observations from the shop floor, this book chronicles her experiences as a cashier, salesperson, and stocker and provides insights into the social impact of shopping for toys.Trade Review“A welcome addition to the growing body of literature on children’s culture.” * Journal of American Culture *“Want to know why black men get demoted as workers? Or why middle-class white women are the most annoying customers of all? Then this is your book. In brisk and straightforward style, Williams argues that most of our contemporary working cultures harm consumers and employees and that we need to improve them, fast. While some anecdotes will not seem unfamiliar to those who have seen the view from both sides of a till, Williams's ability to connect them to a range of social theories results in a thoughtful and impressive read.” * The Guardian *"Inside Toyland is a model study of relations between identities, products, and work. For students, Williams provides many examples that bring abstract concepts—like the fetishization of commodities—to life. She calls for us not to shop less, but to shop with more awareness of, and effort to improve, the lives of retail workers and the entire experience of consumption." * American Journal of Sociology *“Inside Toyland is a gem—a well-written examination of politics, inequality, racism and working conditions in the context of the toy store. . . . This book powerfully exposes the politics and inequality embedded within consumer culture through an examination of low-wage retail work. It is a highly engaging expose of the reproduction of class, race and gender inequality.” * Canadian Journal of Sociology *"Williams's experiences in two retail toy stores-one mega and the other upscale-make evident the gender and racial/ethnic nature of retail work. She clearly demonstrates how every day exchanges between employees and man agers as well as employees and customers help reinforce existing social expectations based on class, gender, and race/ethnicity." * Contemporary Sociology *"This book is a major contribution to consumer studies, labor studies, race and ethnic studies, and gender studies." * Gender and Society *“A compelling read for those critical of the commercialization of childhood.” * Tikkun *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1 A Sociologist inside Toy Stores 2 History of Toy Shopping in America 3 The Social Organization of Toy Stores 4 Inequality on the Shopping Floor 5 Kids in Toyland 6 Toys and Citizenship Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisThis book contains a compact, accessible treatment of the main mathematical topics encountered in economics at an advanced level, moving from basic material into the twin areas of static and dynamic optimization. Nearly half of the book is devoted to a survey of univariate calculus, matrix algebra and multuvariate calculus. This fundamental material is made vigorous by the inclusion of a variety of applications. The later chapters focus on the Lagrange multiplier technique: when it will work, why it works and what economic insights it yields. The properties of maximum value functions and duality are explored, as are the Hamiltonian conditions for dynamic problems in the optimal control format. Dynamic programming and the calculus of variations are also covered. Much of the discussion proceeds at a heuristic level and by worked example, but the theorems and proofs required by the most analytical user are also to be found. The underlying message is that the language of

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The Red Market is a thrilling adventure into the global body business, with keen insight into the economics that drive it. Scott Carney investigates both our insatiable need for replacement human parts and the uncanny and often disturbing ways we go about getting them." -- Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail "The Red Market is an unforgettable nonfiction thriller, expertly reported. Scott Carney takes us on a tremendously revealing and twisted ride, where life and death are now mere cold cash commodities." -- Michael Largo, author of Final Exits: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of How We Die

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Book SynopsisA new, evolutionary explanation of markets and investor behavior Half of all Americans have money in the stock market, yet economists can't agree on whether investors and markets are rational and efficient, as modern financial theory assumes, or irrational and inefficient, as behavioral economists believe--and as financial bubbles, crashes, and crises suggest. This is one of the biggest debates in economics and the value or futility of investment management and financial regulation hang on the outcome. In this groundbreaking book, Andrew Lo cuts through this debate with a new framework, the Adaptive Markets Hypothesis, in which rationality and irrationality coexist. Drawing on psychology, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and other fields, Adaptive Markets shows that the theory of market efficiency isn't wrong but merely incomplete. When markets are unstable, investors react instinctively, creating inefficiencies for others to exploit. Lo's new paradigm expl

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Book SynopsisLiam FitzPatrick is Joint Managing Partner of change communication consultancy Agenda Strategies. He has worked both in-house and for major consultancies running change campaigns, developing communications teams and advising on metrics and evaluation. Liam co-founded the Black Belt series of training for internal communicators and lectures and has served as an external examiner at UK universities. A Fellow of the UK Chartered Institute of Public Relations, he has been involved in planning the education and training of PR practitioners. He is a also member of the Global Certification Council of the International Association of Business Communicators.Klavs Valskov is Joint Managing Partner of change communication consultancy Agenda Strategies. Since 1999 he has worked in PR, marketing and communication with organisations including L'Oreal, Accenture, Nordea Bank and the Danish Government. From 2008-2013 Klavs was the award-winning Global Director of Communication in Maersk Trade Review"This is a must-read for everyone responsible for developing or managing internal communications. It builds on the most important experience shared by leading experts over the past decades and elegantly summarizes this into a current overview of what internal communicators must do to add value to the business." * Torben Bundgaard, Head of Leadership Communication, Novo Nordisk *"This book sets itself apart from others through its combination of theory and practical tips and templates. It is a joy to read - written in such an engaging, accessible way that anyone can understand it. From managing change communication to advising leaders and creating compelling messages, this book covers all the vital areas for any IC function." * Saskia Jones, Head of Internal Communication, Oxfam GB *"I wish I'd had a guide like this when I started out in internal communication....I'd recommend this manual to anyone working in internal communication; it's a great reference point for the start of any new communication challenge!" * Jenny Clark, Head of Internal Communications, The De Beers Group of Companies *"Rigorous, easy to read and use, grounded in extensive practice. Highly recommend for all in the field and for general managers who need to think beyond comms as a corporate function and take responsibility for the impact of effective human connections." * Sabine, Amazon reviewer *"This is essential reading for all those who are serious about making internal comms count in their organisation. From helping you understand and convince your organisation why IC is important, to explaining how to handle senior leaders, to giving you a straightforward means of setting out messages clearly and simply, this book has it all. Anybody who has experienced the challenges which all of these issues bring to a communicator will find this instantly accessible and appealing." * Barry Shaw, Amazon reviewer *Table of Contents Chapter - 01: What internal communication is and why it matters; Chapter - 02: Organizing internal communication; Chapter - 03: Planning; Chapter - 04: Audiences; Chapter - 05: Messaging; Chapter - 06: Channels; Chapter - 07: Why line managers matter and how to support them; Chapter - 08: Working with senior leaders; Chapter - 09: Change; Chapter - 10: Research and evaluation for internal communicators; Chapter - 11: Developing yourself and the team

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Book SynopsisTake a moment to consider how many outcomes in your life may have been affected by poor communication skills. Could you have gotten a job you really wanted? Saved a relationship? What about that political conversation that got out of hand at a dinner party? How is it that we so often fail to say the right thing at the right time?In her career as an NPR host, journalist Celeste Headlee has interviewed hundreds of people from all walks of life, and if there''s one thing she''s learned, it''s that it''s hard to overestimate the power of conversation and its ability to both bridge gaps and deepen wounds. In We Need to Talk, she shares what she''s learned on the job about how to have effective, meaningful, and respectful conversations in every area of our lives.Now more than ever, Headlee argues, we must begin to talk to and, more importantly, listen to one another - including those with whom we disagree. We Need to Talk gives readers ten simple tools to help facilitate better conversations, ranging from the errors we routinely make (put down the smart phone when you''re face to face with someone) to the less obvious blind spots that can sabotage any conversation, including knowing when not to talk, being aware of our own bias, and avoiding putting yourself in the centre of the discussion.Whether you''re gearing up for a big conversation with your boss, looking to deepen or improve your connection with a relative, or trying to express your child''s needs to a teacher, We Need to Talk will arm you with the skills you need to create a productive dialogue.

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Book SynopsisJack Welch was perhaps the greatest corporate leader of the 20th century. When he first became CEO of General Electric in 1981 the company was worth $12 billion. Twenty years later it is worth a total of $280 billion. But Welch was more than just the leader of the most successful business in the world. He revolutionised GE''s entire corporate culture with his distinctive, highly personal management style: the individual appreciation of each of his 500 managers, the commitment to an informal but driven work style and the encouragement of candour were all part of the Welch approach. Following John Harvey Jones''s Making it Happen and Troubleshooter, Jack has already become the businessman''s bible for the 21st century - an inspiration for a new generation of corporate players.

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Book SynopsisA case for a re-reading of world history in terms of foreign relationsTrade Review'Van der Pijl's innovative concept 'modes of foreign relations'challenges Marxists to revisit international relations and encouragesinternational relations specialists to broaden their horizons as herelates a fascinating interpretation of global politics stretching fromnomads to Empires, old and new. A wonderful, provocative book' -- Robert O'Brien, Professor of Global Labour Issues, McMaster University'Tracing the history of foreign relations, Kees van der Pijl shows that they are inscribed in daily life. Nomads, Empires, States is an artful study that redefines the field of international studies' -- James H. Mittelman, Professor, School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC'His highly accessible tour de force is rich, provocative, and interesting. It is also important for an understanding of this difficult and (hopefully) transitional moment in history' -- George Wright, Professor Emeritus, Department of Poltical science, California State University.'A masterful work of historical materialism, showing how human social organisation proceeds from its manipulation of nature and technology, how human social organisations are transformed through their 'foreign relations' with other such organisations, and how such relations are becoming internal rather than 'international'. Whatever one might think of the human future after reading this book, it will certainly leave one thinking about it' -- Ronnie D. Lipschutz, Professor of Politics University of California, Santa Cruz'An intellectual tour de force! This important, innovative and insightful book challenges the dominant Euro-centric and state-centric approach to International Relations. By offering an alternative framework based on the concept of 'modes of foreign relations,' Van der Pijl takes us on a journey through time that allows us to grasp the origins and development of 'relations between communities.'' -- Susanne Soederberg, Canada Research Chair, Department of Development Studies, Queen’s University, Canada.'A work of scholarship, imagination, cogency and irreducible humanistic optimism' -- Professor Fred Halliday, LSE'Provides a majesterial and authentic historical materialist account of 'foreign relations' that is at once conceptually innovative and deeply historical. This impressive work deserves a very wide readership, particularly by those of us who recognise the importance of van der Pijl's subject but make use of different theoretical traditions' -- Dr Randall Germain, Associate Professor, Carleton University, Canada.'Synthesises a massive amount of research in dividing human history into four main modes of foreign relations: tribal, empire/nomad, sovereign equality, and global governance. A convincing case is made for the power of his theorisation of our past and its crucial contribution not only for understanding the present, but also for mapping the paths to desirable futures' -- Robert Albritton, Professor Emeritus, York University, Toronto, CanadaTable of ContentsPreface 1. Foreign Relations and the Marxist Legacy 2. Tribal Encounters 3. Imperial Universalism and the Nomad Counterpoint 4. The Conquest of the Oceans-Ethnogenesis of the West 5. Worlds of Difference References Index

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Book SynopsisExplores the enterprise of philanthropy - its assumptions, aspirations, and achievements. This work brings together key texts that can provide guidance to donors, trustees and professional staff of foundations, and leaders of nonprofit organizations. It seek to illuminate fundamental questions about the idea and practice of philanthropy.Trade ReviewThis book is a sequel-of-sorts to Kass' highly successful first edited anthology of writings about philanthropy, The Perfect Gift, which gained sales outside the usual academic audience. This volume includes a selection of readings from the classics to the contemporary, and its breadth encompasses political speeches, foundation documents and the words of poets and novelists. The extracts are organised within five themes: goals and intentions; gifts, donors, recipients; bequests and legacies, effectiveness, accountability; and philanthropic leadership. It is the sort of book that can be dipped into for inspiration and stimulation. * Philanthropy UK *Table of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Goals and Intentions2. Gifts, Donors, Recipients; Grants, Grantors, Grantees3. Bequests and Legacies4. Effectiveness5. Accountability6. Philanthropic LeadershipIndex

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Book SynopsisThe Oxford Handbook of Urban Planning is an authoritative volume on planning, a long-established professional social science discipline in the U.S. and throughout the world.Trade ReviewThis is an 800 page compendium in urban planning. Three pages are required to list the 50 contributing authors and their affiliations, a good many of whom are well known scholars whose accumulated works over the years have helped to define the field implicitly. This, in and of itself, is quite an accomplishment. The editors impose structure on their collection through a series of fundamental questions about urban planning. These form the 3 main pillars that hold the overall structure in place, and each chapter falls in line accordingly, more or less. For instructors teaching such a course for the first time, this compilation provides a viable starting point, and with successive iterations those instructors can begin to drop articles that they deem less pertinent while adding others, thus creating a unique hybrid of their own. It beats starting from scratch. * Journal of Regional Science *Table of ContentsPart 1 Introduction ; 1. Contemporary Planning Scholarship: Where we Stand and What We Deliver ; Rachel Weber and Randall Crane ; Part II Why Plan? Institutions and values ; A. Delivering public goods ; 2. Collective Action: Balancing Public and Particularistic Interests ; Tore Sager ; 3. Urban planning and regulation: The challenge of the market ; Yonn Dierwechter & Andrew Thornley ; 4. The Evolution of the Institutional Approach in Planning ; Annette M. Kim ; 5. Varieties of Planning experience: Towards a Globalized Planning Culture? ; John Friedmann ; B. Principles and Goals ; 6. Beauty ; Elizabeth MacDonald ; 7. Sustainability ; Emily Talen ; 8. Justice ; Peter Marcuse ; 9. Access ; Kevin Krizek & David Levinson ; 10. Preservation ; Li Na & Elizabeth M. Hamin ; 11. Cultural Diversity ; Karen Umemoto & Vera Zambonelli ; 12. Urban Resilience ; Thomas J. Campanella & David R. Godshalk ; Part III. How and What Do We Plan? The Means and Modes of Planning ; A. Plan Making ; 13. Making Plans ; Charles Hoch ; 14. Cities, People and Processes as Case Studies for Urban Planning ; Eugenie Birch ; 15. Transforming the Communicative Planning Debate ; John Forester ; 16. Visualizing information ; Ann-Margaret Esnard ; 17. Modeling Urban Systems ; John Landis ; 18. Codes and Standards in Urban Planning and Design ; Eran Ben-Joseph ; B. Frontiers of Persistent and Emergent Questions ; 19. Culture, Place and Development ; Elizabeth Currid-Halkett ; 20. Urban Planning and Public health ; Jason Corburn ; 21. Suburban Sprawl and <"Smart Growth>" ; Yan Song ; 22. Environmental Health and Air Quality ; Lisa Schweitzer & Linsey Marr ; 23. The Local Regulation of Climate Change ; J.R. De Shazo and Juan Matute ; 24. Community and Economic Development ; Karen Chapple ; 25. Shelter: Housing Challenges and Policies ; Lisa K. Bates ; 26. Cities with Slums ; Vinit Mukhija ; 27. The Public Finance of Urban Form ; John I. Carruthers ; 28. City Abandonment ; Margaret Dewar & Matthew Weber ; 29. The Changing Character of Urban Redevelopment ; Norman Fainstein & Susan S. Fainstein ; 30. Gender, Cities, and Planning ; Brenda Parker ; 31. Land Use and Travel Behavior ; Marlon G. Boarnet ; Part IV. Who Plans, How Well, and How Can We Tell? ; A. Planning Agents ; 32. The Civics of Urban Planning ; Carmen Siriani & Jennifer Girourd ; 33. The Real Estate Development Industry ; Igal Charney ; 34. Citizen Planners ; Victoria A. Beard ; 35. Urban Informality ; Ananya Roy ; 36. The Politics of Planning ; J. Phillip Thompson ; B. Making Good Plans ; 37. Reading Through a Plan ; Brent D. Ryan ; 38. Planning and Citizenship ; Faranak Miraftab ; 39. Plan Assessment ; Lewis D. Hopkins ; Index

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Book SynopsisSerial entrepreneur and journalist Shane Snow delves into the reasons why some people and organizations are able to achieve incredible things in implausibly short time frames, showing how each of us can use these “smartcuts” to rethink convention and accelerate success.In every era, innovators from art to science to business have used what psychologists call “lateral thinking” to find better routes to stunning accomplishments. Smartcuts shows how they bucked the norm—and how the rest of us can too. Snow shatters common wisdom about success, revealing how conventions like “paying dues” prevent progress, why kids shouldn’t learn multiplication tables, and how, paradoxically, it’s easier to build a huge business than a small one.Smartcuts tells the stories of people who dared to work differently and lays out practical takeaways for the rest of us. It’s about applying entrepreneurial and technological concepts to success in life and work, and how, by emulation, we too can leapfrog competitors, grow businesses, and fix society’s problems faster than we think.Trade Review"As fascinating as it is fun, Smartcuts is an engaging journey through the types of lateral thinking and creative strategies that so often underlie success." -- Maria Konnikova, New York Times bestselling author of Mastermind "Smartcuts solves a major mystery, illuminating how visionaries and pioneers find faster ways to achieve their goals. With spellbinding stories and relevant research, Shane Snow has delivered one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking books of the year." -- --Adam Grant, Wharton professor and author of Give and Take "Smartcuts is surprising and awesome. It's Malcolm Gladwell meets Tim Ferriss. Part Good to Great, part McGuyver, this is a book every 21st century entrepreneur should read." -- Scott Gerber, Founder, Young Entrepreneurs Council "Shane is living proof that Smartcuts work. He hacked his way into Fast Company, Wired and Ad Age, built a multi-million dollar startup by age 30, and now he's written his first of what I'm sure will be many excellent books. Follow this guy!" -- --Ryan Holiday, bestselling author of Trust Me I'm Lying and The Obstacle Is The Way "Shane Snow is a fresh and future-thinking voice in today's tumultuous business climate. You must read Smartcuts if you are a social entrepreneur or would like to be one, because what Shane teaches us most of all is to be "bigger than just business." -- --Soraya Darabi, Co-founder of Zady and Foodspotting "[Smartcuts] is a manifesto for success for those who do not want to toil away unnoticed." -- Financial Times "It's worth its weight in 10 airport business books, in part because Snow is such a clear, beautiful writer who does not succumb to aphorism and business gobbledygook." -- New York Times Insider

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Book SynopsisIn just a decade and half Jack Ma, a man who rose from humble beginnings and started his career as an English teacher, founded and built Alibaba into the second largest Internet company in the world. The company’s $25 billion IPO in 2014 was the world’s largest, valuing the company more than Facebook or Coca Cola. Alibaba today runs the e-commerce services that hundreds of millions of Chinese consumers depend on every day, providing employment and income for tens of millions more. A Rockefeller of his age, Jack has become an icon for the country’s booming private sector, and as the face of the new, consumerist China is courted by heads of state and CEOs from around the world.Granted unprecedented access to a wealth of new material including exclusive interviews, Clark draws on his own first-hand experience of key figures integral to Alibaba’s rise to create an authoritative, compelling narrative account of how Alibaba and its charismatic creator have transformed the way that Chinese exercise their new found economic freedom, inspiring entrepreneurs around the world and infuriating others, turning the tables on the Silicon Valley giants who have tried to stand in his way. Duncan explores vital questions about the company’s past, present, and future: How, from such unremarkable origins, did Jack Ma build Alibaba? What explains his relentless drive and his ability to outsmart his competitors? With over 80% of China’s e-commerce market, how long can the company hope to maintain its dominance? As the company sets its sights on the country’s financial and media markets, are there limits to Alibaba’s ambitions, or will the Chinese government act to curtail them? And as it set up shop from LA and San Francisco to Seattle, how will Alibaba grow its presence and investments in the US and other international markets?Clark tells Alibaba’s tale within the wider story of China’s economic explosion—the rise of the private sector and the expansion of Internet usage—that haver powered the country’s rise to become the world’s second largest economy and largest Internet population, twice the size of the United States. He also explores the political and social context for these momentous changes. An expert insider with unrivaled connections, Clark has a deep understanding of Chinese business mindset. He illuminates an unlikely corporate titan as never before, and examines the key role his company has played in transforming China while increasing its power and presence worldwide.Trade Review"Anybody who thinks the Chinese just copy or steal technology from the West should read this book and think again. Jack Ma is part Bill Gates, part Steve Jobs, part Larry Page, part Sergei Brin, and part Mark Zuckerberg all rolled into one." -- Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP "Useful, business-minded reporting on an unconventional corporate magnate, containing both corporate and human-interest perspectives." -- Kirkus "This absorbing and well-written portrayal of Ma's character, and his role in Alibaba's development will appeal to a wide range of readers." -- Library Journal "A clean and compelling narrative...[Clark] tells the story with flair." -- Wall Street Journal "A fascinating new book." -- The Economist "A must-read for anyone hoping to navigate China's new economy". -- Financial Times

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Book SynopsisPacked with customizable editing tools--this practical, up-to-date reference includes the latest on writing and editing onlineThe McGraw-Hill Desk Reference for Editors, Writers, and Proofreaders is an indispensable resource for writers, editors, proofreaders, and virtually everyone responsible for crafting clear, polished writing. Ideal for professionals and novices alike, it guides you through the entire proofreading and editing process and features a CD-ROM with more than 25 interactive tools and checklists.This all-in-one package offers style sheet templates, a list of editorâs symbols, comprehensive editing and proofreading checklists, and guides to commonly misspelled and confused words. It also presents advice on electronically editing and proofreading for the Web.

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Book SynopsisEnron's fall has opened the eyes of the public to corporate accounting fraud as no other event has done, and there is now a need for better understanding of what can be done to prevent it. This book examines methods for off-balance sheet accounting, with a particular emphasis on special purpose entities (SPE).Trade Review"Ketz' discussion is fascinating, although all too useful to future scamsters wanting to find out just how those clever guys at Enron did it." (UPI Business and Economics, August 11, 2003)Table of ContentsPreface. PART I. MY INVESTMENTS WENT OUCH! 1. What? Another Accounting Scandal? 2. Balance Sheet Woes. PART II. HIDING FINANCIAL RISK. 3. How to Hide Debt with the Equity Method. 4. How to Hide Debt with Lease Accounting. 5. How to Hide Debt with Pension Accounting. 6. How to Hide Debt with Special Purpose Entities. PART III. FAILURES THAT LED TO DECEPTIONS. 7. The Failure of Managers and Directors. 8. The Failure of the Auditing Profession. 9. The Failure of Regulation. 10. The Failure of Investors. PART IV. MAKING FINANCIAL REPORTS CREDIBLE. Chapter 11. Andersen Has the Solution—Really! Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisA half-century of Wall Street history as seen through the lives of its most illustrious family This compelling new narrative from bestselling author John Rothchild tells the story of three generations of the legendary Davis family, who rank among the most successful investors in the history of the Street. With a novelist''s wit and eye for telling detail, Rothchild chronicles the financial escapades of this eccentric, pioneering clan, providing a vivid portrait of fifty years of Wall Street history along the way. Rothchild shadows the Davis family''s holdings through two lengthy bull markets, two savage and seven mild bear markets, one crash, and twenty-five corrections and, in the process, reveals the strategies behind the family''s uncanny ability to consistently beat the markets. The Davis Dynasty begins in 1947, the year Shelby Davis quit his job as a state bureaucrat and, armed with $50,000 of his wife''s money, took the plunge into stock investing. By the time he died in Table of ContentsIntroduction. Chapter 1. Davis Meets His Bankroll. Chapter 2. From the Great Depression To the Hitler Crisis. Chapter 3. Beyond the Rear-View Mirror. Chapter 4. A Last Hurrah for Bonds. Chapter 5. A Crib Course in Coverage. Chapter 6. From Bureaucrat to Investor. Chapter 7. The Bullish 1950s. Chapter 8. Davis Shops Abroad. Chapter 9. Wall Street a Go-Go. Chapter 10. Shelby Gets Funded. Chapter 11. The Inheritance Flap. Chapter 12. Cool Trio Runs Hot Fund. Chapter 13. The Worst Decline Since 1929. Chapter 14. Davis on the Rebound. Chapter 15. Shelby Buys Banks—Davis Buys Everything. Chapter 16. The Grandsons Get in the Game. Chapter 17. The Family Joins Forces. Chapter 18. Chris Inherits Venture. Chapter 19. Investing à la Davis. Source Notes. Index.

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “The finest book on France in recent years.”—Alain de Botton, The New York Times Book Review In 1995, Adam Gopnik, his wife, and their infant son left the familiar comforts and hassles of New York City for the urbane glamour of Paris. In the grand tradition of Stein, Hemingway, Baldwin, and Liebling, Gopnik set out to enjoy the storied existence of an American in Paris—walks down the paths of the Tuileries, philosophical discussions in cafés, and afternoon jaunts to the Musée d’Orsay.  But as readers of Gopnik’s beloved and award-winning “Paris Journal” in The New Yorker know, there was also the matter of raising a child and carrying on with la vie quotidienne—the daily, slightly less fabled life. As Gopnik discovers in this tender account, the dual processes of navigating a foreign city and becoming a parent are not comp

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Book SynopsisA dynamic revision of the most modern development economics textbook.

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Book Synopsis"Once I picked it up I did not put it down until I finished... What Schwed has done is capture fully-in deceptively clean language-the lunacy at the heart of the investment business. " -- From the Foreword by Michael Lewis, Bestselling author of Liar's Poker "... one of the funniest books ever written about Wall Street.Trade Review"More than half a century on, Where Are the Customers' Yachts? Remains a fascinating read" (Money Week, July 2006) "... the book is a fun read and as relevant today as it ever was..." (Investor's Chronicle, August 2015)Table of ContentsIntroduction xiii Jason Zweig Foreword to the 1995 Edition xxi Michael Lewis Introduction to the 1955 Bull Market Edition xxv I. Introduction—“The Modest Cough of a Minor Poet” 3 The validity of financial predictions The passion for prophecy When the bull jumped over the moon II. Financiers and Seers 23 Big banking—nice work if you can get it Some assistant tycoons The fruit on the blossom of thought Wall street semantics Chartists The pay The difficulties of “earning” money An art without a muse A little aptitude test III. Customers—That Hardy Breed 49 Varieties of customers How to get customers Margin What to do when the dam bursts Some case histories and a diagnosis Churning money as a career IV. Investment Trusts—Promises and Performance 67 Stop making your own mistakes Where is the catch? The hell-paving construction company The trouble with the “best” securities The $750,000 bird By way of apology The magical investment corporation V. The Short Seller—He of the Black Heart 87 For the defense A different defense With and without bears Bear raiding VI. Puts, Calls, Straddles, and Gabble 105 What options are (more or less) In defense of the pure gamble The catch VII. The “Good” Old Days and the “Great” Captains 117 The i.q. of a big shot Speculation on speculation A brief excursion into probabilities Down will come baby “They” Manipulators A bowl of nickels VIII. Investment—Many Questions and a Few Answers 135 Headaches of the wealthy A little wonderful advice Price and value—our special market letter Cash as a long-term investment Your way of life and the basis book IX. Reform—Some Yeas and Nays 153 Was it stolen or did you lose it? Nobody loves a specialist Horizons and limits of regulation Inconclusions About the Author 171

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Book SynopsisThe go-to resource managerial accountants can turn to for sustaining their company''s competitive advantage From flex budgeting to detailing the more sophisticated skills like throughput analysis for capital investments and the fast close for public companies, The Controller''s Function, Fourth Edition offers numerous real-world examples, expertly balancing both the technical and managerial sides of the job. Provides an overview of the functions and responsibilities of the controller/management accountant in a corporation Explores how controllers can better perform their jobs Offers a solid foundation for those who are new to this area Comprehensive and practical, this book fully defines the role, functions and responsibilities of the managerial accountant in a corporation.Table of ContentsPreface xi Chapter 1: The Controller’s Job 1 Main Job Functions 1 Job Description 2 Job Qualifications 5 Organizational Structure of the Accounting Department 6 Ethics 11 Chapter 2: Internal Control 13 Basic Elements 13 Controls to Use in Your Business 20 Elements of Internal Accounting Control 48 Levels of Controls 49 Fraud 50 Auditing for Fraud 54 Notes 55 Chapter 3: Planning and the Strategic Plan 56 Strategic Plan Overview 56 System of Plans 59 Planning Cycle 60 Planning Roles 62 Planning Timing and the Planning Period 63 Business Mission 65 Developing Long-Range Objectives 67 Developing Long-Range Strategies 69 Chapter 4: Long-Range Financial Plan 73 Layout and Purpose 73 Trends of Revenues and Profits 75 Capital Investments 76 Cash Flows and Financing Requirements 77 Risk Analysis 78 Breakdown by Business Unit/Product Line/Geography 81 Financial Position 81 Chapter 5: Annual Plan 87 System of Plans 87 Additional Budget Modeling Topics 100 Annual Planning Cycle 102 Role of the Controller 103 Sales Planning: The Base of All Business Plans 103 Steps in Developing the Near-Term Sales Plan 104 Methods for Determining the Sales Forecast 105 Changes in the Sales Mixture 109 Changes in the Sales Price 111 Changes in the Cost 112 Chapter 6: Sales 114 Role of the Controller 114 Sales Analysis 116 Sales Standards 120 Sales Reports 122 Product Pricing 125 Chapter 7: Distribution Expenses 132 Role of the Sales Manager 133 Analyzing Distribution Costs 133 Analyzing by Application 135 Setting the Distribution Budget 141 Chapter 8: Direct Materials and Labor 148 Objectives 148 Role of the Controller 149 Types of Cost Systems 152 Measuring Direct Material Costs 153 Controlling Direct Material Costs 154 Controlling Direct Material Quantities 155 Measuring Direct Labor Costs 158 Controlling Direct Labor Costs 159 Target Costing 165 Chapter 9: Overhead 167 Need for Overhead Controls 168 Responsibilities of the Controller 169 Account Classifications 170 Fixed and Variable Costs 172 Cost Allocation 178 Controlling Overhead 186 Production Reports 190 Chapter 10: General and Administrative Expenses 193 Functions Involved 193 Accounting for and Allocating Administrative Expenses 194 Responsibility Accounting 196 “Unique” Expenses 197 Controlling Costs 199 Chapter 11: Cash and Investments 202 Objectives of Cash Management 202 Role of the Controller 203 Cash Collections 204 Cash Disbursements 207 Investment of Short-Term Funds 208 Accounting for Records of Investment 210 Cash and Investment Controls 214 Chapter 12: Receivables 221 Functions of the Credit Department 221 Shortening the Receivables Cycle 225 Reserve for Doubtful Accounts 227 Receivables Fraud and Control 227 Chapter 13: Inventory 229 Inventory Management Systems 229 Inventory Tracking 235 Physical Inventory Procedure 241 Inventory Valuation 244 Inventory Fraud and Controls 247 Chapter 14: Property, Plant, and Equipment 251 Role of the Controller 252 Capital Budgeting 253 Postproject Appraisals 267 Other Aspects of Fixed Assets 268 Chapter 15: Liabilities 271 Objectives 271 Controls 272 Credit Agreement Provisions 274 Debt Capacity 275 Bond Ratings 276 Leverage 278 Chapter 16: Equity 281 Role of the Controller 281 Cost of Capital 282 Dividend Policy 290 Long-Term Equity Planning 291 Repurchasing Common Shares 298 Capital Stock Records 299 Chapter 17: Operational Accounting 301 Create Departmental Job Descriptions 301 Create a Departmental Training Program 303 Clear Out Excess Documentation 306 Streamline the Accounting Workflow 307 Document All Major Processes 309 Schedule the Department 310 Correct the Underlying Causes of Errors 312 Use of Best Practices 314 Outsourcing Selected Accounting Functions 316 Chapter 18: The Fast Close 322 Different Types of Fast Close 323 How to Achieve a Fast Close 324 Enhanced Closing Process 339 Summary 339 Chapter 19: SEC Filings 341 Form 8-K 341 Annual 10-K and Quarterly 10-Q Reports 348 Timing of Annual and Quarterly Report Filings 350 Form S- 1 351 Form S- 3 352 Form S- 8 353 Forms Requiring Payment to the SEC 354 Fedwire Payments 355 Chapter 20: Performance Measurements and Trends 356 Performance Measurements 357 Trends 373 Interrelationship of Ratios 375 Just-in-Time Ratios 375 Chapter 21: Financial Analysis 378 Analyzing Financial Statements 378 Analyzing Working Capital 385 Analyzing Financing Options 391 Services Profitability Analysis 394 The Throughput Analysis Model 397 Production Outsourcing Decision 399 New Product Decision 401 Chapter 22: Cost Reduction 404 Types of Reports Used for Cost Reduction Analysis 404 Spend Analysis Overview 408 Spend Database 409 Supplier Consolidation Analysis 410 Parts Consolidation Analysis 412 Maintenance, Repair, and Operations Item Analysis 412 Spend Compliance 413 Spend Analysis Reports 414 Workforce Reduction Analysis 417 Workforce Reduction Issues 421 Workforce Reduction Alternatives 422 5S Analysis 423 Check Sheets 424 Error Quantification 424 Fixed Cost Analysis 426 Ishikawa Diagrams 427 Value Stream Mapping 427 Waste Analysis 430 Chapter 23: Taxes 432 Tax Strategy 433 Tax Organization 434 Role of the Tax Manager 436 Tax Records 437 Tax versus Book Accounting 440 Sales and Use Taxes 441 Proper Classification of Accounts 442 Chapter 24: Selecting a Financial Information System 444 Reasons to Purchase Software 445 Defining Systems Requirements 445 Existing System Documentation 448 Joint Sessions 449 Preparing the Request for Proposal 452 Distribution of the Request for Proposal 457 Review of the Vendor’s Completed Proposal 458 Reference Calls 462 Demonstration 463 Site Visits 463 Cost of the System 464 Final Selection 465 Contract Negotiations 465 Postimplementation Review 466 Appendix New Controller Checklist 469 About the Author 477 Index 479

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Book SynopsisYoung serial entrepreneur Scott Gerber is not the product of a wealthy family or storied entrepreneurial heritage. Nor is he the outcome of a traditional business school education or a corporate executive turned entrepreneur. Rather, he is a hard-working, self-taught 26-year-old hustler, rainmaker, and bootstrapper who has survived and thrived despite never having held the proverbial real job. In Never Get a Real Job: How to Dump Your Boss, Build a Business, and Not Go Broke, Gerber challenges the social conventions behind the real job and empowers young people to take control of their lives and dump their nine-to-fivesor their quest to attain them. Drawing upon case studies, experiences, and observations, Scott dissects failures, shares hard-learned lessons, and presents practical, affordable, and systematic action steps to building, managing, and marketing a successful business on a shoestring budget. The proven, no-b.s. methodology preseTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xiii Foreword Michael Simmons xvii Introduction: Never Get a “Real” Job 1 Who Needs the 9-to-5? 4 I Know You 6 What You Can Expect to Get from This Book 7 All Aboard the Death to the “Real” Job Express! 8 Part One The Breakdown 11 Chapter 1 Everyone Poops. Yours Isn’t Special 13 College: The Drunken Road to Easy Street 16 Dude, Where’s My Dream Job? 17 Welcome to Your “Real” Job, Mr. Janitor 18 The Broken Promise 24 Chapter 2 No One Cares About You—Unless You Make Them Care 29 You are Not Special 32 Claiming to Be a Winner Does Not Make You One 33 You’re Brilliant . . . So What? 34 Lifestyles of the Poor and Vain 34 Shut Up, Pinocchio 35 Put It on My Tab 36 Chapter 3 Darwin + Murphy = Reality 39 Your Business is Not the Exception to Any Rule 42 The Worst-Case Scenario is the Only Scenario 48 No One Will Invest in Your Idea 50 Part Two Building a Foundation 55 Chapter 4 Get Off Your Ass and Start Up! 57 Get Real with Your Finances 60 Those Who Reinvent the Wheel are Doomed to Be Run Over by It 65 What Do You Know, Anyway? 68 Keep It Simple, Stupid 71 The Bottomless Money Pit 74 Can Your SWOT Team Do CPR? 77 Chapter 5 Business Plans Suck 81 Toss the Old-School Business Plan 84 The One-Paragraph Start-Up Plan 90 Chapter 6 To Partner or Not to Partner 99 The Worst Partners for Your Start-Up 102 Don’t Consider Letting Worthless Flaky People Try Out 105 Never Jump Right In: The Water’s Not Fine 110 Part Three From the Ground Up 113 Chapter 7 Act Like a Start-Up, Stupid 115 Surviving a “Real” Day in the Life 117 Get Your Head in the Game, Chump 123 Design Your Entrepreneurial Life 128 “Mind” Your Business 136 Chapter 8 Shoestrapping (Because the Boot is Too Damn Expensive) 145 Fake It ’Til You Make It 147 The Only Team Your Money Can Buy 155 Do What Makes Cents 164 Cash Flow or Die! 166 Chapter 9 Those Phones Won’t Ring Themselves: The 15 Principles of a Power Seller 173 Come Out! Come Out! Wherever You Are! 175 Sell Like There’s No Tomorrow—Or There Won’t Be 179 Chapter 10 Facebook Isn’t a Marketing Strategy 203 Message before Platform 205 Think Guerrilla, Not Godzilla 220 Conclusion 237 Index 241

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Book SynopsisMichael Edleson first introduced his concept of value averaging to the world in an article written in 1988. He then wrote a book entitled Value Averaging in 1993, which has been nearly impossible to finduntil now. With the reintroduction of Value Averaging, you now have access to a strategy that can help you accumulate wealth, increase your investment returns, and achieve your financial goals.Table of ContentsForeword by William J. Bernstein ix Preface to the 2006 Edition xiii Preface to the 1993 Edition xix Introduction 1 1 Market Risk, Timing, and Formula Strategies 3 Risk and Market Returns 3 Market Returns over Time 3 Distribution of Market Returns 9 Risk and Expected Return 13 Market Timing and Formula Strategies 20 Timing the Market 20 Automatic Timing with Formula Strategies 21 Endnotes 23 2006 Note 24 2 Dollar Cost Averaging Revisited 25 Dollar Cost Averaging: An Example 26 Short-term Performance 28 Over One-Year Periods 30 Over Five-Year Periods 32 Long-term Problems with Dollar Cost Averaging 34 Growth Equalization 35 Summary 36 Endnotes 37 3 Value Averaging 39 Value Averaging: An Introduction 39 Short-term Performance 43 Long-term Performance and Value Averaging 47 Linear, or Fixed-Dollar, Strategies 47 Adjusting Strategies for Growth 51 Summary 53 Endnotes 54 2006 Notes 55 4 Investment Goals with Dollar Cost Averaging 57 Background 57 Lump-Sum Investments 57 Using the Formula 59 Annuities: Periodic Investments 60 Dollar Cost Averaging and Annuities 63 Readjusting the Investment Plan 63 The Readjustment Process 64 Flexibility 66 Down-Shifting Investment Risk 69 Growth-adjusted Dollar Cost Averaging 71 Exact Formula 72 Approximate Formula 74 Readjusting the DCA Plan 75 Summary 80 Endnotes 80 Appendix to Chapter 4: Constructing a DCA Readjustment Spreadsheet 83 5 Establishing the Value Path 87 Value Averaging Value Paths 87 The Value Path Formula 88 Flexible Variations on the Value Path Formula 89 Readjusting the VA Plan 92 A Cautionary Note 93 An Alternate Method 93 Summary 94 Endnotes 95 Appendix to Chapter 5: Constructing a VA Readjustment Spreadsheet 97 6 Avoiding Taxes and Transaction Costs 101 Tax Considerations with Value Averaging 101 The Advantage of Deferred Gains 101 Deferring Capital Gains Taxes: An Example 102 A Compromise: No-Sell Value Averaging 107 Reducing Transaction Costs 111 Limiting Taxes 111 Limiting Costs 112 Summary 113 Endnotes 114 7 Playing Simulation Games 117 Why Simulations? 117 What and How? 118 Parameters 118 Expected Return 119 Expected Variability 120 Randomness 120 Constructing the Simulation 121 An Example 122 Endnotes 126 Appendix to Chapter 7: Constructing a Simulation 129 2006 Note 131 Endnotes to Appendix to Chapter 7 133 2006 Note 134 8 Comparing the Strategies 135 Five-year Simulation Results 135 Using Growth Adjustments 139 No-Sell Variation 142 Volatility 143 Twenty-year Simulation Results 145 Summary 146 Endnotes 147 9 Profiting from Overreaction 149 Tiring of a Random Walk 149 Mean Reversion and Overreaction 150 A Brief Look at the Data 151 Why Does This Matter? 160 Timing 161 Endnotes 164 2006 Note 167 10 Details: Getting Started 169 Using Mutual Funds 169 The Fund versus Stock Choice 169 Index Funds 171 Information on Specific Funds 172 Working Out the Details 175 Using a Side Fund 176 Operating Within a Retirement Account 177 Establishing a Value Path 178 2006 Note 180 Setting Up a VA Value Path: An Example 181 Other Important Considerations 184 Using Guidelines and Limits 185 Notes for Financial Planners 186 Advanced Methods 187 Summary 189 Endnotes 189 2006 Note 191 11 Examples: Strategies at Work 193 The Goal and Investment Environment 194 Choosing an Investment 194 Setting the Goal (Dealing with Inflation) 197 How Much Should He Invest? 199 Investment Return & Taxes 200 Expected Return 200 Taxes 200 Implementing Dollar Cost Averaging 202 1981: Setting Up DCA 203 1982–1983 Investment Results 205 1983: Reassessment and Readjustment 205 The 1985 Readjustment 211 And So On and So On 212 Wrapping It Up: 1991 Results 214 Implementing Value Averaging 215 Establishing the Value Path 215 1983: Readjusting the VA Plan 217 Future VA Readjustments 219 VA Investments 220 Summary 225 Key Formulas 226 Endnotes 227 12 A Final Word 229 Index 231

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Book Synopsis* In The Silent Language of Leadership, Goman explains that personal space, physical gestures, posture, facial expressions can be used strategically to help leaders manage, motivate, lead global teams, and communicate clearly in the digital age.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Leadership–Body Language Connection 1 1 Leadership At A Glance 13 Your Three Brains 15 Wired for Body Language 18 The Eye of the Beholder 20 Personal Curb Appeal 21 Five Mistakes People Make Reading Your Body Language 27 When Your Body Doesn’t Match Your Words 32 The Body Language of a Great Leader 34 2 Negotiation 35 Four Tips for Reading Body Language 38 Are They with You or Against You? 42 Dealing with the Disengaged 53 Are They Bluffing? 54 Body Language Guidelines for Negotiators 57 3 Leading Change 67 This Is Your Brain on Change 68 The Body-Mind Connection 73 Announcing Change 79 What Do People Want from You? 90 The Power of Empathy 91 4 Collaboration 93 The Universal Need for Collaboration 94 Wired to Connect 97 Six Body Language Tips for Inclusion 102 The Importance of How You Say What You Say 108 Using Space 111 Dress for Success 121 What Your Office Says About You 123 Familiarity Breeds Collaboration 125 5 Communicating Virtually And Face-To-Face 127 Technology, the Great Enabler 129 Six Tips for a Conference Call 135 Important Tips for Videoconferencing 137 Technology Brings a New Range of Communication Options 138 What’s So Great About Face-to-Face? 143 6 He Leads, She Leads 151 The Neuroscience of Gender 152 Why Jane Doesn’t Lead 155 Thirteen Gender-Based Differences in Nonverbal Communication 159 Leadership Styles of Men and Women 163 The Body Language of Male and Female Leaders 164 Body Language Tips for Male and Female Leaders 168 Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus 174 7 Working With Global Teams 177 Culture 179 Cross-Cultural Body Language 188 Lessons Learned 193 8 International Body Language 195 Greeting Behaviors 200 Business Cards 204 Time 206 Distance and Touch 211 Eye Contact 215 Seating 217 Emotions 221 Women 225 Closing Words of Advice 226 9 The Nonverbal Future Of Leadership 237 All Generations Bring Change 238 The New Generation of Workers 240 Gen Y and the Future of Visual Technology 242 The Future of Leadership 248 Predictions for the Future of Body Language 249 Acknowledgments 255 Notes 257 About the Author 265 Index 267

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Book SynopsisAs a young girl in a working-class neighborhood of Sydney, Australia, Geraldine Brooks longed to discover the places where history happens and culture comes from, so she enlisted pen pals who offered her a window on adolescence in the Middle East, Europe, and America. Twenty years later Brooks, an award-winning foreign correspondent, embarked on a human treasure hunt to find her pen friends. She found men and women whose lives had been shaped by war and hatred, by fame and notoriety, and by the ravages of mental illness. Intimate, moving, and often humorous, Foreign Correspondence speaks to the unquiet heart of every girl who has ever yearned to become a woman of the world.

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Book SynopsisThis Teeline Gold edition of the "Word List" has doubled in size and contains recommended Teeline outlines for over 12,000 words which might be expected to occur frequently in non-technical material. New appendices of legal and medical words are included.

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Book SynopsisThe NAB Engineering Handbook is the definitive resource for broadcast engineers. It provides in-depth information about each aspect of the broadcast chain from audio and video contribution through an entire broadcast facility all the way to the antenna. New topics include Ultra High Definition Television, Internet Radio Interfacing and Streaming, ATSC 3.0, Digital Audio Compression Techniques, Digital Television Audio Loudness Management, and Video Format and Standards Conversion. Important updates have been made to incumbent topics such as AM, Shortwave, FM and Television Transmitting Systems, Studio Lighting, Cameras, and Principles of Acoustics.The big-picture, comprehensive nature of the NAB Engineering Handbook will appeal to all broadcast engineerseveryone from broadcast chief engineers, who need expanded knowledge of all the specialized areas they encounter in the field, to technologists in specialized fields like IT and RF who are interested Table of Contents1.1 The Electromagnetic Spectrum- John Norgard and Gregory L. Best1.2 Fundamentals of Broadcast Coverage- Doug Vernier1.3 Distance and Bearing Calculations- Dane E. Ericksen2.1 Broadcast-Related Organizations and Information- Loren White2.2 Broadcast-Related Regulatory Considerations: Environmental, Aeronautical, Safety, Online- David Oxenford2.3 Frequency Coordination for Broadcast Auxiliary Services- Dane E. Ericksen2.4 Frequency Allocation for Broadcasting and the Broadcast Auxiliary Services- William R. Meintel2.5 Analog and Digital Terrestrial Radio Standards- Stanley Salek and Lawrie Hallett2.6 HF Shortwave Radio: Allocation, Design Methods, and Regulation- James E. O'Neal2.7 Worldwide Standards for Analog and Digital Television- Aldo G. Cugnini2.8 Digital Audio Standards and Practices- Chip Morgan, Randall Hoffner, and Tim Carroll2.9 Digital Video Standards and Practices- Karl J. Kuhn2.10 Broadcasting Emergency Information- Gary E.Timm 3.1 Broadcast Engineering Management- Norman R. Swan3.2 Broadcast Engineering Documentation Management- David M. Baden3.3 Systems Integration and Project Management- Stephen Pumple3.4 Managing Workplace and Environmental Hazards- David Maxson3.5 Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Energy- Robert D. Weller3.6 Broadcast Facility Security, Safety, Disaster Planning, and Recovery- Richard Rudman, Thomas G. Osenkowsky, and Joseph Pollet4.1 Principles of Acoustics and Noise Control for Broadcast Applications- Ronald Eligator4.2 Planning a Radio Studio or Audio Production Facility- Stephen Poole4.3 Microphones for Broadcast Applications- Ty Ford and Greg Silsby4.4 In-studio Audio Recording for Radio and TV- Rich Rarey and Jeff Brugger4.5 Telephone Network Interfacing- Kirk Harnack and Joe Talbot4.6 Radio Remote Broadcasts- Lorna White4.7 Radio Station Automation, Networks, and Audio Storage- Eugene Novacek4.8 Digital Audio Compression Technologies- Schuyler Quackenbush and Fred Wylie5.1 Principles of Light, Vision, and Photometry- Jerry Whitaker5.2 Planning a Video Production and TV Studio Facility; Systems, Principles, Design, Architecture Ralph S. Blackman and David Guerrero 5.3 Lighting for Television- Bill Marshall and Cindy Hutter Cavell5.4 Television Playout and Content Delivery- Peter Wharton5.5 Television Camera Systems- Michael Bergeron, Steven Mahrer, Idin Roshan, and Martin Marietta5.6 Camera Supports- Martin Marietta5.7 Closed Caption Services- Chris Homer5.8 Workflow and Professional Media Networks- Brad Gilmer5.9 Digital Asset Management- Wendy Allen5.10 ATSC 1.0 Encoding, Transport, and PSIP Systems- Richard Chernock, Matthew S. Goldman, and Chris Lennon5.11 Video Compression- Peter Symes and Matthew S. Goldman5.12 Video Recording, Servers, and Storage- Karl Paulsen5.13 Format and Standards Conversion- Paola Hobson5.14 Digital Television Audio Loudness Management- Jim Starzynski5.15 Weather Radar Systems- Baron Services, Inc.5.16 Television Graphics- Kevin Entrekin, Chris Kelly, and Paul Lacomb5.17 ENG, SNG, and Remote Video Production- Tom Jennings and Stephen Alhart 5.18 Television Audio: Analog and Digital Systems- Tim Carroll and Jeffrey Riedmiller5.19 Intercom and IFB Systems- Vinnie Macri and Kari Eythorsson5.20 Ultra-High Definition Television- Matthew S. Goldman6.1 Audio Contribution and Distribution Methods- Skip Pizzi and John Kean6.2 Video Contribution and Distribution Methods Cindy Hutter Cavell6.3 Satellite Uplinks and Downlinks for Contribution and Distribution- Sidney M. Skjei6.4 STL Systems for Radio and TV- Ernest M. Hickin, James H. Rooney III, and Doug Irwin6.5 Transmitter Remote Control and Monitoring Systems- Paul Shulins6.6 Fiber Optic Transmission Systems- Jeff Juniet7.1 Planning Radio Transmitter Facilities- Paul Shulins and Thomas R. Ray III7.2 Transmission Audio Processing- Robert Orban7.3 Internet Radio Interfacing and Streaming- Greg Ogonowski7.4 AM Radio Broadcasting- Thomas G. Osenkowsky7.5 Medium Wave (AM) Transmitters- Jeff Welton and John Stanley7.6 AM and FM IBOC Systems and Equipment- Jeff Detweiler7.7 Worldwide Digital Radio Systems- Kenneth E. Colwell7.8 Medium Wave AM Broadcast Antenna Systems- Ronald D. Rackley7.9 Antenna Coupling and Phasing Systems- Tom King, Bobby Cox, and James Moser7.10 AM Diplexing, Combining, and Filter System Design- Ronald D. Rackley7.11 Synchronous AM Broadcasting- Stephen F. Smith7.12 AM Antenna System Maintenance- John F. Warner7.13 Antenna System Moment Method Modeling- W. Cris Alexander7.14 FM Radio Broadcasting- Geoff N. Mendenhall and Tim Anderson7.15 VHF (FM) Radio Transmitters- Jeff Welton7.16 Radio Data System- Scott A. Wright and Alan W. Jurison7.17 FM Broadcast Antennas- Thomas B. Silliman and Eric R. Wandel7.18 FM Combining and Filter System Design- Robert A. Surette and Shively Labs7.19 FM and AM Translators and Boosters- Ron Castro7.20 HF Shortwave Radio- J. Fred Riley and John O. Stanley7.21 Hybrid Radio and the Radio DNS Open Standards- Nick Piggott8.1 Planning a Television Transmitter Facilit-y David Sanderford and Matthew A. Sanderford8.2 Analog Television Transmitters- Fred Baumgartner8.3 Digital Television Transmitters- Fred Baumgartner8.4 Next-Generation DTV Systems- Walter Fischer8.5 Single-Frequency Networks for DTV Systems- Walter Fischer8.6 Single-Frequency Networks (SFNs) for Television – Digital On-Channel Repeaters, Distributed Transmitters, and Distributed Translators- S. Merrill Weiss8.7 Television Antenna Systems- Andre J. Skalina8.8 Television Filters, Combiners, and RF Components: Broadcast Television Co-Location Site Management- Daniel S. Fallon, Shane O'Donoghue, and Peggy Miles9.1 Tower Design, Erection, and Maintenance- John Wahba9.2 Lightning Protection for Tower Structures- Edward A. Lobnitz9.3 Tower Lighting and Monitoring- Richard G. Hickey9.4 Transmission lines for AM, FM, HF, and TV Stations and Associated Systems- Phillip Young, Nicholas Paulin, and Bill Harland10.1 Audio Signal Analysis- Stanley Salek., Thomas Kite, David Mathew, and John Kean10.2 AM Radio Performance Measurements- David Maxson10.3 AM Radio Antenna System and Field Strength Measurements- Jack Sellmeyer10.4 FM Antenna Performance Measurements- Martyn Gregory and Peter Long10.5 FM Radio Field Strength Measurements- Clarence M. Beverage and William P. Weeks10.6 Digital Television Proof of Performance Measurements- Mark H. Bricker and Steve Ramer10.7 TV Transmission Line and Antenna System Measurements- Todd R. Loney and Stephen N. Heazlewood10.8 VHF and UHF Television Antenna Test Range Measurements- John L. Schadler 10.90 VHF and UHF Television Field Strength Measurements- Daniel M. Barton11.1 Electrical Power Systems, Specification, Conditioning, Fault Protection- John N. West11.2 Facility Grounding Practice and Lightning Protection- Jeff Welton11.3 Media Archives- James Snyder

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Book SynopsisA Practical Guide to Using the Principles of Servant Leadership Leadership is a calling. And servant leadership—the idea that managing with respect, honesty, love, and spirituality empowers employees—helps individuals answer that calling. Bestselling author and former Fortune 500 executive James A. Autry reveals the servant leader’s tools, a set of skills and ideals that will transform the way business is done. It helps leaders nurture the needs and goals of those who look to them for leadership. The result is a more productive, successful, and happier organization, and a more meaningful life for the leader. Autry reveals how to remain true to the servant leadership model when handling day-to-day and long-term management situations, including how to: •Provide guidance during conflict and crisis •Assure your continued growth and progress as a leader •Train managers in the principles of servant l

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Book SynopsisEverything you need to easily get a handle on economic indicators In today's volatile, often troubling economic landscape, there are myriad statistics and reports that paint an economic picture that can sometimes resemble a work by Jackson Pollock. These complex and often-conflicting reports could vex even the savviest investor.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Conventions Used in This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 3 What Not to Read 4 How the Book Is Organized 4 Part I: Figuring Out the Economy 4 Part II: Making Money, Spending Money: Employment and Consumer Indicators 4 Part III: The Essence of Business: Product and Service Indicators 5 Part IV: Inflation, Productivity, Interest Rates, and Commodities: Oh My! 5 Part V: International Intrigue: Indicators beyond the United States 5 Part VI: The Part of Tens 6 Icons Used in This Book 6 Where to Go from Here 6 Part I: Figuring Out the Economy 7 Chapter 1: Introducing Economic Indicators 9 Understanding What Economic Indicators Are 10 Reading the economy through economic indicators 10 Cycling through economic ups and downs 11 Identifying What Indicators Indicate 12 Tracking consumer spending 12 Looking at the big picture 13 Eyeing manufacturing 14 Counting up the number of bought, sold, and newly built homes 15 Monitoring inflation 15 Measuring productivity 16 Looking at loans and commodity purchases 16 Following worldwide economies 17 Knowing How to Start Following Economic Indicators 18 Analyzing the data 19 Tracking economic indicator release dates 19 Chapter 2: Explaining Economic Jargon 21 Identifying Types of Economic Indicators 21 Summarizing economic results 22 Surveying for information 22 Indexing the economy 24 Understanding How Economists Analyze the Data 27 Measuring growth 27 Annualizing reported data 29 Smoothing data with moving averages 32 Massaging Economic Data to Make the Results More Useful 35 Adjusting for inflation 35 Adjusting for seasonal fluctuations 37 Considering the Timeliness of Economic Indicators 37 Leading indicators make forecasts 38 Coincident indicators are no coincidence 38 Lagging indicators can’t foretell the future 39 Looking into the Future with Consensus Forecasts 39 Finding consensus forecasts 40 Analyzing the accuracy of the consensus 40 Amending and Modifying Data with Revision Reports 41 Revising previous reports 41 Changing benchmarks 42 Cha-Ching: Money, Interest Rates, and the Economy 43 Understanding the Fed’s monetary measures 43 Setting short- and long-term interest rates 44 Chapter 3: Understanding the Big Picture: The Economy and Its Footprints 45 Taking a Closer Look at the Business Cycle 46 Identifying the phases of the cycle 46 Growing into expansion 49 Slowing into recession 49 Reviewing the Key Financial Markets 50 Investing in stocks 50 Holding bonds 53 Trading commodities 55 Tracking currencies 56 Figuring Out What’s What in Economic Reports 57 Finding what’s important in each report 58 Seeing how reports are assembled 59 Showing Economic Fashions without the Runway 59 Understanding market sensitivity 60 Determining an indicator’s accuracy and timeliness 61 Seeing who’s interested in what 61 Part II: Making Money, Spending Money: Employment and Consumer Indicators 65 Chapter 4: Counting Jobs and Unemployment 67 Tracking the BLS Employment Situation Report 68 Counting workers and the unemployed 68 Highlighting key parts of the jobs report 73 Deciphering employment numbers 75 Predicting market reactions due to employment changes 77 Looking at Unemployment Insurance Claims 79 Keeping track of unemployment insurance claims 80 Smoothing jobless claim fluctuations 81 Analyzing the claims numbers 82 Determining how the market may react to increased claims 82 Eyeing the ADP National Employment Report ® 84 Reviewing key parts of ADP’s jobs report 85 Comparing the ADP and BLS reports 86 Figuring out how the market will react to the ADP report 87 Advertising for Jobs: The Conference Board Help Wanted Online Index 88 Measuring the availability of jobs online 88 Predicting how the market will react 89 Collecting the BLS Mass Layoff Statistics Report 90 Surfing Monster Employment Indexes 91 Chapter 5: Survey Says: Considering Consumer Sentiment, Confidence, and Comfort 93 Trying to Figure Out Consumers 94 Surveying UM’s Consumer Sentiment Index 95 Eyeing the importance of this index 95 Considering the consumer’s expectations 96 Correlating consumer sentiment and spending: What the data mean 97 Looking for unexpected changes 99 Knowing how the markets will react 100 Understanding the Consumer Confidence Index 100 Seeing how people feel about the economy 101 Looking for happy consumers 103 Comparing and contrasting surveys 103 Finding surprises in the confidence survey 106 Adjusting your portfolio strategy 107 Reviewing the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index 108 Justifying another consumer survey: What makes this one unique 109 Correlating comfort, recovery, and recession 109 Modifying your portfolio strategy 112 Chapter 6: Spreading the Wealth: Consumer Spending and the Economy 113 Making and Spending: The BEA’s Personal Income and Outlays Report 113 Tracking personal wages, savings, and purchases 115 Highlighting consumers’ economic impact: The wealth effect 122 Identifying the relationship between spending, income, and the economy 122 Reacting to surprising results 123 Surveying Retail Sales: The Census Bureau’s Retail Trade Report 124 Highlighting product purchases 125 Monitoring spending trends 126 Investing based on the survey results 127 How Much Consumers Borrow: The Consumer Credit Outstanding Report 128 Tracking Online Sales: The Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales Report 130 Part III: The Essence of Business: Product and Service Indicators 133 Chapter 7: GDP: The Whole Enchilada 135 Grasping What the GDP Report Is 135 Breaking down the GDP schedule 136 Finding the economy’s growth rate 137 Counting products and services in the GDP 140 Highlighting the GDP’s Importance 142 Declaring recessions and recoveries 143 Surveying how businesses use the GDP 144 Understanding how the government uses the GDP 144 Eyeing how investors use the GDP 145 Knowing How the GDP Is Calculated 147 Measuring personal consumption 149 Tracking private investments 150 Counting government consumption 152 Monitoring imports and exports 152 Purchasing and selling domestic products 153 Seeing How GDP Is Adjusted for Inflation 154 Chaining dollars to inflation 155 Comparing GDP price indexes over time 156 Chapter 8: Following the Fed 161 Understanding the Fed’s Role 161 Outlining the Fed’s basic structure 162 Understanding central banking 163 Digging into monetary policy 164 Reading the Fed’s FOMC Statement 166 Eyeing why this report is important 167 Forecasting the future with the FOMC 167 Reacting to the FOMC Statement 168 Boring into the Beige Book 170 Monitoring Manufacturing with the Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization Report 171 Seeing what the report measures 172 Correlating output, capacity, and growth 174 Repositioning your portfolio 176 Reviewing Regional Fed Reports 179 Surveying business outlook 180 Indexing national activity 181 Chapter 9: Profiling Manufacturing: New Orders and Shipments 185 Filling Orders for Durable Goods: The Advance Report on Durable Goods 185 Knowing where the data come from 186 Tracking new factory orders: Why these stats are important 187 Figuring out what the data mean 188 Correlating manufacturing and future growth 191 Manufacturing your portfolio response 193 Monitoring Factory Orders and Sales: The Factory Orders Report 195 Comparing the full and advance versions 196 Investing in the full report 197 Counting Business Inventories: The Manufacturing and Trade Inventories and Sales Report 198 Chapter 10: Grappling with Economic Indexes 201 Measuring ISM’s Manufacturing Survey 201 Understanding how the ISM surveys purchasing agents 202 Checking the health of manufacturers 203 Surveying purchasing managers’ insights for the PMI 206 Monitoring market movement 206 Gauging Non-Manufacturing Companies 208 Looking At the Leading Economic Index 210 Chapter 11: Spending on Housing and Residential Construction 213 Growing the Economy One House at a Time 214 Realizing the relationship between housing and GDP 214 Understanding U.S housing demand 216 Counting One Start at a Time: The New Residential Construction Report 217 Eyeing the data: Where the stats come from 217 Monitoring building permits and other housing stats 219 Correlating housing and economic activity 221 Remodeling your investment portfolio 222 Reporting New-Home Sales: The New Residential Sales Report 223 Comparing new starts with new sales: Is it possible? 224 Recognizing the connection between new-home sales and the economic cycle 226 Forecasting investment market reactions 226 Reporting Existing-Home Sales 227 Tracking housing prices 229 Understanding how existing-home sales affect investment markets 230 Monitoring Pending Home Sales 231 Surveying Mortgages 233 Eyeing what data you get at no cost 234 Tracking delinquent mortgages 234 Identifying potential market changes 235 Pricing the S&P/Case-Shiller Indices 236 Part IV: Inflation, Productivity, Interest Rates, and Commodities: Oh My! 239 Chapter 12: Determining Inflation’s Economic Impact 241 Gauging Inflation from the Consumer’s View: The Consumer Price Index 242 Eyeing the parts of the CPI 242 In a basket: How CPI is measured 244 Understanding why inflation matters 247 Seeing the different reactions to inflation and the CPI 248 Inflating investment returns 251 Using Manufacturing Costs to Measure Inflation: The Producer Price Index 252 Comparing the PPI and CPI 253 Inflating the price of business supplies 254 Correlating the PPI and economic growth 255 Showing PPI’s investment market impact 256 Tracking Inflation through Labor Costs: The Employment Cost Index 258 Monitoring and tracking labor costs 258 Seeing how the Fed uses the ECI 259 Employing labor costs in investment analysis 260 Chapter 13: Taking a Closer Look at Productivity and Economic Growth 261 Measuring Productivity and Costs: The Labor Productivity and Costs Report 262 Defining productivity 263 Correlating productivity to job growth and costs 266 Producing investment returns 267 Watching Employee Compensation Costs: The ECEC Report 268 Monitoring labor costs 270 Using labor costs to improve investments 270 Calculating What Workers Really Make: The Real Earnings Report 272 Chapter 14: Eyeing Business and Municipal Borrowing in the Bond Market 273 Simplifying the Fixed-Income Market 274 Showing Some Interest in Interest 275 Grasping how interest rates are set 275 Determining risk 276 Finding Current Interest Rates: The Selected Interest Rates Report 277 Taming the TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities) Spread 281 Following the Treasury Yield Curve 282 Interpreting the yield curve 282 Identifying how the curve can look and what the shapes mean 283 Seeing the Bond Market’s Impact on the Rest of the Market 286 Yielding interesting returns 286 Investing in yield 286 Forecasting the currency’s value 287 Chapter 15: Harvesting Commodity Data 289 Understanding Commodities: Focusing on Supply and Demand 290 Paying cash upfront: Cash markets 290 Specifying the purchase terms before you buy: Forward contracts 291 Bidding for a price: Futures markets 292 Delving into Commodities Reports 293 Digging for gold and other precious metals 293 Drilling into the energy markets 295 Growing the agricultural markets 299 Mining industrial metals 301 Pricing Commodities 302 Finding spot prices 302 Finding futures prices 303 Tracking Commodity Indexes 304 Following Standard & Poor’s GSCI 304 Digging into the Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index 306 Reading The Economist’s commodity index 307 Surveying the Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Indexes 308 Part V: International Intrigue: Indicators beyond the United States 309 Chapter 16: Trading with the United States 311 Tracking Trade: U.S International Trade in Goods and Service Report 312 Reporting U.S exports and imports 313 Finding more trade data in the supplemental tables and online 321 Correlating trade and economic growth 321 Trading information for investment returns 322 Figuring Out the Balance of Trade 323 Following the TIC (Treasury International Capital) System 323 Chapter 17: Following Economies Worldwide 325 Investing in Overseas Markets 325 Using Reliable Sources to Find Info on International Indicators 328 Surveying purchasing managers globally 329 Surveying purchasing managers in Europe 329 Tracking the German Economy 330 Measuring German productivity 331 Surveying German businesses 334 Tracking the Japanese Economy 336 Surveying Japanese businesses 336 Measuring Japan’s productivity 340 Tracking China’s Economy 341 Chapter 18: Monitoring Emerging Economies 345 Following Emerging Markets 345 Seeing the world through Google’s Public Data Explorer 346 Using other sources to track emerging markets 347 Monitoring India’s Economy 347 Following India’s economic progress 348 Anticipating India’s future growth 349 Following Brazil’s Economic Future 350 Summarizing Brazil’s economy 350 Understanding Brazil’s inflation issue 352 Part VI: The Part of Tens 353 Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Track the U.S. Economy 355 Monitoring Jobs and Employment Data 356 Accounting for Consumer Spending 357 Checking Up on Businesses 357 Showing an Interest in Interest Rates 358 Building on Housing and Construction 358 Following Inflation 359 Surveying Consumers 360 Following the GDP 360 Chapter 20: Ten (Or So) Money-Making Tips You Can Use with Economic Indicators 361 Finding the Big Picture: Distinguishing between Bull and Bear Markets 361 Tracking Sector Rotation 363 Following the Herd 364 Taking Three Steps, Then a Stumble 364 Balancing Your Portfolio 364 Investing Strategically 365 Taking Your Investments Abroad 365 Avoiding Big Investment Mistakes 366 Avoiding Analysis Paralysis 366 Glossary 367 Index 375

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Book SynopsisHow to solve critical business challenges by generating more and better ideas Every organization needs a steady supply of fresh, relevant ideas, but managers can?t just lock teams in a room with a mandate to brainstorm and hope for the best.Trade Review“In a world of hyper-competition and nonstop reinvention, the only sustainable form of business leadership is thought leadership—generating more good ideas faster than anybody else. In Idea Stormers, Bryan Mattimore sets out a collection of insatiably useful practices and revealing case studies to help you and your colleagues rethink your approach to creativity. So here's an idea: buy this book, apply its uncommon wisdom, and out-think the competition.” —William C. Taylor, cofounder, Fast Company; author, Practically Radical “A fun and engaging tour of the creative process. I love Mattimore's stories, which place their emphasis on real-life examples and proven techniques. This book is sure to boost your imagination and your group's creative willpower; indeed, it'll put white caps on your gray matter! Highly recommended.” —Roger von Oech, author, A Whack on the Side of the Head and the Creative Whack Pack “To stay ahead of the competition it is absolutely necessary to embrace innovation and creativity, whatever field you are in. In Idea Stormers, Bryan Mattimore clearly articulates must-have processes for leaders to embrace and use to inspire innovative thinking across all functions. One of his most important messages is that leaders should leverage creativity across their organizations. He believes (and I agree) that everyone in your company has the potential to create great ideas that will add value to your culture and your bottom line. All you need to do is engage your associates, make them feel valued, and use some of the techniques in this book to unleash their ideas!” —Kay Krill, chief executive officer, ANN Inc., Ann Taylor, and LOFT “Idea Stormers is a practical facilitator's manual for inspiring creative thinking. It also shows you how to translate new ideas into real world applications. Highly recommended.” —Michael J. Gelb, author, How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci “As a creative thinking expert, I am very familiar with Bryan Mattimore and his outstanding work in the ideation and innovation consulting field. Bryan is one of the best facilitators and corporate creativity consultants in the world. He is among my heroes who inspire, teach, and guide others in the corporate world on how to create original and implementable ideas that make a difference in our competitive business environment. Mattimore’s newest book, Idea Stormers, offers a host of creative-thinking tools and techniques. More importantly, it provides an excellent framework for unleashing the creativity of groups, no matter what their role or function is within an organization. Mattimore’s behind-the-scenes look at his successes with teams provide you with lessons and techniques to create, inspire, facilitate, and drive creative collaboration to generate the ideas you need to achieve uncommon results. Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Mattimore shows us how together we can generate original ideas, make good ideas great, and create game-changing ones.” —Michael Michalko, author, Thinkertoys, Cracking Creativity, ThinkPak and Creative Thinkering “Question everything! Hands-on and ready-to-go, here are techniques to get you started.” —Seth Godin, author, Purple Cow “Bryan Mattimore has helped me create breakthrough new products for Godiva, generate innovative promotions for The Food Network, and most recently, with re-positioning Good Morning America. I know firsthand that the ideation techniques and innovation processes in Idea Stormers work, and that they can unleash the creative potential of any team. Idea Stormers should be required reading for anyone on the front lines of marketing innovation!” —Adam Rockmore, senior vice president marketing, ABC Daytime and News and SOAPnetTable of ContentsPreface ix Introduction: Idea Engines 1 1 A Map of the Creative Mind: Embracing Seven Creative Thinking Mind-Sets 11 2 Beyond Brainstorming: Understanding Individual and Group Ideation Techniques 23 3 Your Ideation Tool Kit: The Seven All-Time Greatest Ideation Techniques 49 4 Innovation Overview: Strategies and Tools of a Successful Innovation Process 71 5 Real-World Challenges: Applying Ideation Techniques and Innovation Processes 99 6 Idea Meets World: Navigating the Road from Good Idea to Successful Innovation 133 7 Thinking Like a Facilitating Leader I: The Who, Where, and How of Planning and Leading Group Ideation Sessions 155 8 Thinking Like a Facilitating Leader II: New Product Ideation Session Design 175 9 Thinking Like a Facilitating Leader III: Five Strategies for Inventing Ideation and Innovation Processes 199 Conclusion 221 Notes 225 Acknowledgments 227 About the Author 231 Index 233

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Book SynopsisUnique prospective on the big data analytics phenomenon for both business and IT professionals The availability of Big Data, low-cost commodity hardware and new information management and analytics software has produced a unique moment in the history of business. The convergence of these trends means that we have the capabilities required to analyze astonishing data sets quickly and cost-effectively for the first time in history. These capabilities are neither theoretical nor trivial. They represent a genuine leap forward and a clear opportunity to realize enormous gains in terms of efficiency, productivity, revenue and profitability. The Age of Big Data is here, and these are truly revolutionary times. This timely book looks at cutting-edge companies supporting an exciting new generation of business analytics. Learn more about the trends in big data and how they are impacting the business world (Risk, Marketing, Healthcare, Financial Services, etc.Table of ContentsForeword xiii Preface xix Acknowledgments xxi Chapter 1 What is Big Data and Why is It Important? 1 A Flood of Mythic “Start-Up” Proportions 4 Big Data is More Than Merely Big 5 Why Now? 6 A Convergence of Key Trends 7 Relatively Speaking . . . 9 A Wider Variety of Data 10 The Expanding Universe of Unstructured Data 11 Setting the Tone at the Top 15 Notes 18 Chapter 2 Industry Examples of Big Data 19 Digital Marketing and the Non-line World 19 Don’t Abdicate Relationships 22 Is IT Losing Control of Web Analytics? 23 Database Marketers, Pioneers of Big Data 24 Big Data and the New School of Marketing 27 Consumers Have Changed. So Must Marketers. 28 The Right Approach: Cross-Channel Lifecycle Marketing 28 Social and Affiliate Marketing 30 Empowering Marketing with Social Intelligence 31 Fraud and Big Data 34 Risk and Big Data 37 Credit Risk Management 38 Big Data and Algorithmic Trading 40 Crunching Through Complex Interrelated Data 41 Intraday Risk Analytics, a Constant Flow of Big Data 42 Calculating Risk in Marketing 43 Other Industries Benefit from Financial Services’ Risk Experience 43 Big Data and Advances in Health Care 44 “Disruptive Analytics” 46 A Holistic Value Proposition 47 BI is Not Data Science 49 Pioneering New Frontiers in Medicine 50 Advertising and Big Data: From Papyrus to Seeing Somebody 51 Big Data Feeds the Modern-Day Donald Draper 52 Reach, Resonance, and Reaction 53 The Need to Act Quickly (Real-Time When Possible) 54 Measurement Can Be Tricky 55 Content Delivery Matters Too 56 Optimization and Marketing Mixed Modeling 56 Beard’s Take on the Three Big Data Vs in Advertising 57 Using Consumer Products as a Doorway 58 Notes 59 Chapter 3 Big Data Technology 61 The Elephant in the Room: Hadoop’s Parallel World 61 Old vs. New Approaches 64 Data Discovery: Work the Way People’s Minds Work 65 Open-Source Technology for Big Data Analytics 67 The Cloud and Big Data 69 Predictive Analytics Moves into the Limelight 70 Software as a Service BI 72 Mobile Business Intelligence is Going Mainstream 73 Ease of Mobile Application Deployment 75 Crowdsourcing Analytics 76 Inter- and Trans-Firewall Analytics 77 R&D Approach Helps Adopt New Technology 80 Adding Big Data Technology into the Mix 81 Big Data Technology Terms 83 Data Size 101 86 Notes 88 Chapter 4 Information Management 89 The Big Data Foundation 89 Big Data Computing Platforms (or Computing Platforms That Handle the Big Data Analytics Tsunami) 92 Big Data Computation 93 More on Big Data Storage 96 Big Data Computational Limitations 96 Big Data Emerging Technologies 97 Chapter 5 Business Analytics 99 The Last Mile in Data Analysis 101 Geospatial Intelligence Will Make Your Life Better 103 Listening: Is It Signal or Noise? 106 Consumption of Analytics 108 From Creation to Consumption 110 Visualizing: How to Make It Consumable? 110 Organizations are Using Data Visualization as a Way to Take Immediate Action 116 Moving from Sampling to Using All the Data 121 Thinking Outside the Box 122 360° Modeling 122 Need for Speed 122 Let’s Get Scrappy 123 What Technology is Available? 124 Moving from Beyond the Tools to Analytic Applications 125 Notes 125 Chapter 6 The People Part of the Equation 127 Rise of the Data Scientist 128 Learning over Knowing 130 Agility 131 Scale and Convergence 131 Multidisciplinary Talent 131 Innovation 132 Cost Effectiveness 132 Using Deep Math, Science, and Computer Science 133 The 90/10 Rule and Critical Thinking 136 Analytic Talent and Executive Buy-in 137 Developing Decision Sciences Talent 139 Holistic View of Analytics 140 Creating Talent for Decision Sciences 142 Creating a Culture That Nurtures Decision Sciences Talent 144 Setting Up the Right Organizational Structure for Institutionalizing Analytics 146 Chapter 7 Data Privacy and Ethics 151 The Privacy Landscape 152 The Great Data Grab isn’t New 152 Preferences, Personalization, and Relationships 153 Rights and Responsibility 154 Playing in a Global Sandbox 159 Conscientious and Conscious Responsibility 161 Privacy May Be the Wrong Focus 162 Can Data Be Anonymized? 164 Balancing for Counterintelligence 165 Now What? 165 Notes 167 Conclusion 169 Recommended Resources 175 About the Authors 177 Index 179

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Book SynopsisAddresses the essential aspects of modern financial risk management. This book offers an insider's view of this discipline and covers the strategies, principles, and measurement techniques necessary to manage and measure financial risk.Table of ContentsForeword xvii Preface xix Acknowledgments xxiii About the Author xxvii Chapter 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Lessons from a Crisis 1 1.2 Financial Risk and Actuarial Risk 2 1.3 Simulation and Subjective Judgment 4 Chapter 2 Institutional Background 7 2.1 Moral Hazard—Insiders and Outsiders 7 2.2 Ponzi Schemes 17 2.3 Adverse Selection 19 2.4 The Winner’s Curse 21 2.5 Market Making versus Position Taking 24 Chapter 3 Operational Risk 29 3.1 Operations Risk 31 3.1.1 The Risk of Fraud 31 3.1.2 The Risk of Nondeliberate Incorrect Information 35 3.1.3 Disaster Risk 36 3.1.4 Personnel Risk 36 3.2 Legal Risk 37 3.2.1 The Risk of Unenforceable Contracts 37 3.2.2 The Risk of Illegal Actions 40 3.3 Reputational Risk 41 3.4 Accounting Risk 42 3.5 Funding Liquidity Risk 42 3.6 Enterprise Risk 44 3.7 Identification of Risks 44 3.8 Operational Risk Capital 45 Chapter 4 Financial Disasters 49 4.1 Disasters Due to Misleading Reporting 49 4.1.1 Chase Manhattan Bank/Drysdale Securities 52 4.1.2 Kidder Peabody 53 4.1.3 Barings Bank 55 4.1.4 Allied Irish Bank (AIB) 57 4.1.5 Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) 59 4.1.6 Société Générale 61 4.1.7 Other Cases 66 4.2 Disasters Due to Large Market Moves 68 4.2.1 Long‐Term Capital Management (LTCM) 68 4.2.2 Metallgesellschaft (MG) 75 4.3 Disasters Due to the Conduct of Customer Business 77 4.3.1 Bankers Trust (BT) 77 4.3.2 JPMorgan, Citigroup, and Enron 79 4.3.3 Other Cases 80 Chapter 5 The Systemic Disaster of 2007–2008 83 5.1 Overview 83 5.2 The Crisis in CDOs of Subprime Mortgages 85 5.2.1 Subprime Mortgage Originators 86 5.2.2 CDO Creators 88 5.2.3 Rating Agencies 89 5.2.4 Investors 92 5.2.5 Investment Banks 93 5.2.6 Insurers 106 5.3 The Spread of the Crisis 108 5.3.1 Credit Contagion 108 5.3.2 Market Contagion 109 5.4 Lessons from the Crisis for Risk Managers 111 5.4.1 Subprime Mortgage Originators 111 5.4.2 CDO Creators 111 5.4.3 Rating Agencies 111 5.4.4 Investors 111 5.4.5 Investment Banks 112 5.4.6 Insurers 114 5.4.7 Credit Contagion 115 5.4.8 Market Contagion 115 5.5 Lessons from the Crisis for Regulators 115 5.5.1 Mortgage Originators 116 5.5.2 CDO Creators 116 5.5.3 Rating Agencies 117 5.5.4 Investors 118 5.5.5 Investment Banks 118 5.5.6 Insurers 126 5.5.7 Credit Contagion 126 5.5.8 Market Contagion 129 5.6 Broader Lessons from the Crisis 132 Chapter 6 Managing Financial Risk 133 6.1 Risk Measurement 133 6.1.1 General Principles 133 6.1.2 Risk Management of Instruments That Lack Liquidity 144 6.1.3 Market Valuation 147 6.1.4 Valuation Reserves 152 6.1.5 Analysis of Revenue 156 6.1.6 Exposure to Changes in Market Prices 157 6.1.7 Risk Measurement for Position Taking 159 6.2 Risk Control 161 Chapter 7 VaR and Stress Testing 169 7.1 VaR Methodology 170 7.1.1 Simulation of the P&L Distribution 173 7.1.2 Measures of the P&L Distribution 187 7.2 Stress Testing 192 7.2.1 Overview 192 7.2.2 Economic Scenario Stress Tests 193 7.2.3 Stress Tests Relying on Historical Data 197 7.3 Uses of Overall Measures of Firm Position Risk 201 Chapter 8 Model Risk 209 8.1 How Important Is Model Risk? 210 8.2 Model Risk Evaluation and Control 212 8.2.1 Scope of Model Review and Control 213 8.2.2 Roles and Responsibilities for Model Review and Control 214 8.2.3 Model Verification 219 8.2.4 Model Verification of Deal Representation 222 8.2.5 Model Verification of Approximations 223 8.2.6 Model Validation 226 8.2.7 Continuous Review 232 8.2.8 Periodic Review 234 8.3 Liquid Instruments 237 8.4 Illiquid Instruments 241 8.4.1 Choice of Model Validation Approach 241 8.4.2 Choice of Liquid Proxy 243 8.4.3 Design of Monte Carlo Simulation 245 8.4.4 Implications for Marking to Market 247 8.4.5 Implications for Risk Reporting 249 8.5 Trading Models 250 Chapter 9 Managing Spot Risk 253 9.1 Overview 253 9.2 Foreign Exchange Spot Risk 257 9.3 Equity Spot Risk 258 9.4 Physical Commodities Spot Risk 259 Chapter 10 Managing Forward Risk 263 10.1 Instruments 270 10.1.1 Direct Borrowing and Lending 270 10.1.2 Repurchase Agreements 271 10.1.3 Forwards 272 10.1.4 Futures Contracts 272 10.1.5 Forward Rate Agreements 274 10.1.6 Interest Rate Swaps 275 10.1.7 Total Return Swaps 276 10.1.8 Asset‐Backed Securities 278 10.2 Mathematical Models of Forward Risks 282 10.2.1 Pricing Illiquid Flows by Interpolation 284 10.2.2 Pricing Long‐Dated Illiquid Flows by Stack and Roll 291 10.2.3 Flows Representing Promised Deliveries 293 10.2.4 Indexed Flows 295 10.3 Factors Impacting Borrowing Costs 299 10.3.1 The Nature of Borrowing Demand 299 10.3.2 The Possibility of Cash‐and‐Carry Arbitrage 300 10.3.3 The Variability of Storage Costs 301 10.3.4 The Seasonality of Borrowing Costs 302 10.3.5 Borrowing Costs and Forward Prices 303 10.4 Risk Management Reporting and Limits for Forward Risk 304 Chapter 11 Managing Vanilla Options Risk 311 11.1 Overview of Options Risk Management 313 11.2 The Path Dependence of Dynamic Hedging 318 11.3 A Simulation of Dynamic Hedging 321 11.4 Risk Reporting and Limits 329 11.5 Delta Hedging 344 11.6 Building a Volatility Surface 346 11.6.1 Interpolating between Time Periods 346 11.6.2 Interpolating between Strikes—Smile and Skew 347 11.6.3 Extrapolating Based on Time Period 352 11.7 Summary 355 Chapter 12 Managing Exotic Options Risk 359 12.1 Single‐Payout Options 364 12.1.1 Log Contracts and Variance Swaps 367 12.1.2 Single‐Asset Quanto Options 369 12.1.3 Convexity 370 12.1.4 Binary Options 371 12.1.5 Contingent Premium Options 377 12.1.6 Accrual Swaps 378 12.2 Time‐Dependent Options 378 12.2.1 Forward‐Starting and Cliquet Options 378 12.2.2 Compound Options 379 12.3 Path‐Dependent Options 381 12.3.1 Standard Analytic Models for Barriers 383 12.3.2 Dynamic Hedging Models for Barriers 385 12.3.3 Static Hedging Models for Barriers 387 12.3.4 Barrier Options with Rebates, Lookback, and Ladder Options 402 12.3.5 Broader Classes of Path‐Dependent Exotics 403 12.4 Correlation‐Dependent Options 404 12.4.1 Linear Combinations of Asset Prices 405 12.4.2 Risk Management of Options on Linear Combinations 409 12.4.3 Index Options 413 12.4.4 Options to Exchange One Asset for Another 415 12.4.5 Nonlinear Combinations of Asset Prices 417 12.4.6 Correlation between Price and Exercise 422 12.5 Correlation‐Dependent Interest Rate Options 425 12.5.1 Models in Which the Relationship between Forwards is Treated as Constant 426 12.5.2 Term Structure Models 430 12.5.3 Relationship between Swaption and Cap Prices 437 Chapter 13 Credit Risk 445 13.1 Short‐Term Exposure to Changes in Market Prices 446 13.1.1 Credit Instruments 447 13.1.2 Models of Short‐Term Credit Exposure 451 13.1.3 Risk Reporting for Market Credit Exposures 456 13.2 Modeling Single‐Name Credit Risk 457 13.2.1 Estimating Probability of Default 458 13.2.2 Estimating Loss Given Default 465 13.2.3 Estimating the Amount Owed at Default 468 13.2.4 The Option‐Theoretic Approach 471 13.3 Portfolio Credit Risk 479 13.3.1 Estimating Default Correlations 479 13.3.2 Monte Carlo Simulation of Portfolio Credit Risk 482 13.3.3 Computational Alternatives to Full Simulation 486 13.3.4 Risk Management and Reporting for Portfolio Credit Exposures 490 13.4 Risk Management of Multiname Credit Derivatives 493 13.4.1 Multiname Credit Derivatives 493 13.4.2 Modeling of Multiname Credit Derivatives 495 13.4.3 Risk Management and Reporting for Multiname Credit Derivatives 498 13.4.4 CDO Tranches and Systematic Risk 500 Chapter 14 Counterparty Credit Risk 505 14.1 Overview 505 14.2 Exchange‐Traded Derivatives 506 14.3 Over‐the‐Counter Derivatives 512 14.3.1 Overview 512 14.3.2 The Loan‐Equivalent Approach 513 14.3.3 The Collateralization Approach 515 14.3.4 The Collateralization Approach—Wrong‐Way Risk 521 14.3.5 The Active Management Approach 526 References 533 About the Companion Website 547 Index 553

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Book SynopsisThe Investment Classic from Jack D. Schwager, Market Wizards , is back with a brand new, never-before-seen Preface and Afterword from the author! "I've read the book at several stages of my career as it shows the staying power of good down-to-earth wisdoms of true practitioners with skin in the game.Table of ContentsPreface to the Paperback Edition ix Preface xv Acknowledgments xvii Prologue xix My Own Story xxi Part I Futures and Currencies 1 Taking the Mystery Out of Futures 3 The Interbank Currency Market Defined 7 Michael Marcus: Blighting Never Strikes Twice 9 Bruce Kovner: The World Trader 51 Richard Dennis: A Legend Retires 83 Paul Tudor Jones: The Art of Aggressive Trading 115 Gary Bielfeldt: Yes, They Do Trade T-Bonds in Peoria 139 Ed Seykota: Everybody Gets What They Want 151 Larry Hite: Respecting Risk 175 Part II Mostly Stocks 193 Michael Steinhardt: The Concept of Variant Perception 195 William O’Neil: The Art of Stock Selection 221 David Ryan: Stock Investment as a Treasure Hunt 239 Marty Schwartz: Champion Trader 257 Part III A Little Bit of Everything 281 James B. Rogers, Jr.: Buying Value and Selling Hysteria 283 Mark Weinstein: High-Percentage Trader 321 Part IV The View from the Floor 343 Brian Gelber: Broker Turned Trader 345 Tom Baldwin: The Fearless Pit Trader 367 Tony Saliba: “One-Lot” Triumphs 385 Part V The Psychology of Trading 405 Dr. Van K. Tharp: The Psychology of Trading 407 The Trade: A Personal Experience 429 Postscript: Dreams and Trading 435 Final Word 439 What I Believe 22 Years Later 441 Appendix 1: Program Trading and Portfolio Insurance 453 Appendix 2: Options—Understanding the Basics 455 Glossary 461 Excerpt: Edward Thorp 473

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Book SynopsisClear, insightful, and nondogmatic, this book gives us a new appreciation for one of our most ubiquitous institutions.Trade Review"There could be no better guide to the modern view of markets than John McMillan's book." -- Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel prize winner in economics

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Book Synopsis

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