History of specific companies / corporate history Books

Book Synopsis#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER ?President Donald J. Trump lays out his professional and personal worldview in this classic work?a firsthand account of the rise of America?s foremost businessman.?Donald Trump is a deal maker. He is a deal maker the way lions are carnivores and water is wet.??Chicago Tribune ?I like thinking big. I always have. To me it?s very simple: If you?re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big.??Donald J. TrumpHere is Trump in action?how he runs his organization and how he runs his life?as he meets the people he needs to meet, chats with family and friends, clashes with enemies, and challenges conventional thinking. But even a maverick plays by rules, and Trump has formulated time-tested guidelines for success. He isolates the common elements in his greatest accomplishments; he shatters myths; he names names, spells out the zeros, and fully reveals the deal-maker?s art. And throughout, Trump talks?really talks?about how he does it. Trump: The Art of the Deal is an unguarded look at the mind of a brilliant entrepreneur?the ultimate read for anyone interested in the man behind the spotlight.

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Book SynopsisIn the 1970s, while their contemporaries were protesting the computer as a tool of dehumanization and oppression, a motley collection of college dropouts, hippies, and electronics fanatics were engaged in something much more subversive. Obsessed with the idea of getting computer power into their own hands, they launched from their garages a hobbyist movement that grew into an industry, and ultimately a social and technological revolution. What they did was invent the personal computer: not just a new device, but a watershed in the relationship between man and machine. This is their story. Fire in the Valley is the definitive history of the personal computer, drawn from interviews with the people who made it happen, written by two veteran computer writers who were there from the start. Working at InfoWorld in the early 1980s, Swaine and Freiberger daily rubbed elbows with people like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates when they were creating the personal computer revolution. A rich story of colorful individuals, Fire in the Valley profiles these unlikely revolutionaries and entrepreneurs, such as Ed Roberts of MITS, Lee Felsenstein at Processor Technology, and Jack Tramiel of Commodore, as well as Jobs and Gates in all the innocence of their formative years. This completely revised and expanded third edition brings the story to its completion, chronicling the end of the personal computer revolution and the beginning of the post-PC era. It covers the departure from the stage of major players with the deaths of Steve Jobs and Douglas Engelbart and the retirements of Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer; the shift away from the PC to the cloud and portable devices; and what the end of the PC era means for issues such as personal freedom and power, and open source vs. proprietary software.

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Book SynopsisWhen André de Ruyter took over as Eskom CEO in January 2020, he quickly realised why it was considered the toughest job in South Africa. Aside from neglected equipment, ageing power stations and an eroded skills base, he discovered that Eskom was crippled by corruption on a staggering scale. Fake fuel oil deliveries at just one power station cost Eskom R100 million per month; kneepads retailing for R150 a pair were purchased for R80 000; billions of rands of equipment supposedly housed in the company’s storerooms was missing. Faced with police inaction, he was compelled to plunge into a world that was foreign to him – a world of spies and safe houses, of bulletproof vests and bodyguards. In Truth to Power, De Ruyter tells the behind-the-scenes story of how he launched a private investigation that exposed at least four criminal cartels feeding off Eskom. While fighting this scourge, he had to deal with political interference, absurd regulations, non-paying municipalities, unfounded accusations of racism, wildcat strikes, sabotage and a poisoning attempt. De Ruyter takes the reader inside the boardrooms and government meetings where South Africa’s future is shaped, with ministers often pulling in conflicting directions. He explains how renewable energy is the cheapest and quickest solution to our power crisis, in spite of fierce opposition from vested coal interests. De Ruyter candidly reflects on his three years at the power utility, his successes and failures, his reasons for leaving and his hopes for the future. As someone who worked at the highest levels of the state but is not beholden to the ruling party, he is uniquely placed to speak truth to power.

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Book SynopsisAn epic true story of ambition, greed and hubris – the collapse of Greensill Capital is a billion pound scandal that shredded the reputation of a British Prime Minister.'The British version of Bad Blood . . . [but] better' – The Sunday Times'Terrific' – The Observer, Book of the WeekPyramid of Lies charts the meteoric rise and spectacular downfall of Lex Greensill and his company. He had a simple idea that disrupted a trillion dollar industry and drew in Swiss bankers, global CEOs, and world leaders, including former British Prime Minister, David Cameron. But a staid business model concealed dubious practices, as Greensill made increasingly risky loans to fraudulent companies using other people’s money.Financial journalist Duncan Mavin, who helped expose Greensill, tells the incredible story of how a former sugar-cane farmer became one of the world’s richest men before falling back to earth. With a globe-circling narrative full of scandal and intrigue, Pyramid of Lies reveals how the grubby world of shadow banking really operates.‘Forensic and riveting’ – The New Statesman‘Meticulously researched’ – The Daily TelegraphTrade ReviewUnputdownably delicious . . . the British version of Bad Blood . . . [but] better * Sunday Times *Terrific . . . shows the emptiness behind the bombast -- Nick Cohen, Observer, Book of the WeekA meticulously researched and enjoyably lively account * Daily Telegraph *Forensic and riveting * The New Statesman *An incredible book, transforming a complex financial scandal into a rich character drama -- Bradley Hope, co-author of New York Times bestseller Billion Dollar WhaleQuite simply one of the best books of investigative journalism I have ever read. Duncan Mavin is a natural storyteller and a brilliant sleuth -- Matthew d’Ancona, author of Post-TruthLeaves little doubt that much is indeed wrong in the excessively close relationship between some financiers and politicians . . . [who] stood to gain millions of pounds -- Simon Clark, author of The Key ManMavin expertly demystifies the rise and fall of Greensill Capital and weaves an intriguing tale at the cross section of sleaze, power and greed at the heart of UK politics and global finance. A fascinating – and prescient – read -- Karl Holbrook, Executive Editor, Daily ExpressThe extraordinary story of Greensill’s rise and collapse is a microcosm of global finance in the last decade . . . a keen eye for the colourful – and at times absurd – human drama -- Peter Thal Larsen, EMEA Editor Reuters BreakingviewsThe definitive account of Greensill Capital’s rise and spectacular meltdown . . . and a searing inquisition into the political connections that make it all possible -- Mary Childs, cohost of NPR's Planet Money and author of The Bond KingA classic cautionary tale, as fun to read as it is disturbing. Meticulously reported and brilliantly narrated -- Katherine Bell, formerly Editor in Chief, Quartz and Barron’sMavin expertly unfolds a searing, unflinching, incisive, and definitively reported narrative on one of the great financial scandals of our time and the wreckage left in its wake . . . a must-read cautionary tale -- Sean Silcoff, co-author, Losing the Signal: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of BlackBerryA keen eye for the colourful and at times absurd human drama * Reuters *

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Book SynopsisBryan Burrough is a reporter for the Wall Street Journal in New York. In 1987 he won the John Hancock Award for Excellence in Business and Financial Journalism. John Helyar worked for the Wall Street Journal for nine years. He is now a senior editor of Southpoint, a business magazine based in Atlanta, Georgia.Trade ReviewAll the suspense of a first-rate thriller - one of the finest, most compelling accounts of what happened to corporate America and Wall Street in the 1980s. * New York Times Book Review *One of the greatest business books ever written * New York Times *It's hard to imagine a better story * Chicago Tribune *The most bizarre financial mock-epic of our age. Read it open-mouthed; wonder and shudder. * Independent *

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Book SynopsisThis guide takes you on a tour of the "home of the brick," the official LEGO® House, so you can experience it for yourself at home!With photos, interviews, essays, and art from the LEGO archives, The Secrets of LEGO House explores the visual wonders and the themed "zones"—yellow for emotions, blue for problem solving, green for social interaction, and red for creativity—within the iconic LEGO House in Billund, Denmark.The Secrets of LEGO House offers an insider''s look at the creative philosophy behind the iconic brand. On each page, discover the true "secret" hidden among the 25 million LEGO bricks—that everything in the house is purposefully designed around nine core principles of learning through play.A joy for those who aren''t able to visit in person, and just as exciting for those who have, The Secrets of LEGO House is a bright, colorful celebration of the endless experiences possible with LEGO bricks.• EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: This book is a perfect gift or self-purchase for avid collectors and super fans seeking new, never-before-published content.• BROAD APPEAL: This book is not only perfect for longtime LEGO collectors, but also a broader audience of fans looking to explore the history of the toy they know and love.• BELOVED BRAND: For decades, the LEGO brand has inspired billions of people to stretch the limits of their imaginations. This book captures the creativity and joy at the heart of the LEGO brand, taking readers behind the scenes to reveal the brand''s core ethos and ideals.

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Book SynopsisDecline can be avoided.Decline can be detected.Decline can be reversed.Amidst the desolate landscape of fallen great companies, Jim Collins began to wonder: How do the mighty fall? Can decline be detected early and avoided? How far can a company fall before the path toward doom becomes inevitable and unshakable? How can companies reverse course?In How the Mighty Fall, Collins confronts these questions, offering leaders the well-founded hope that they can learn how to stave off decline and, if they find themselves falling, reverse their course. Collins' research project-more than four years in duration-uncovered five step-wise stages of decline: Stage 1: Hubris Born of SuccessStage 2: Undisciplined Pursuit of MoreStage 3: Denial of Risk and PerilStage 4: Grasping for SalvationStage 5: Capitulation to Irrelevance or DeathBy understanding these stages of decline, leaders can substantially reduce their chances of falling all the way to the bottom.Great companies can stumble, badly, and recover.Every institution, no matter how great, is vulnerable to decline. There is no law of nature that the most powerful will inevitably remain at the top. Anyone can fall and most eventually do. But, as Collins' research emphasizes, some companies do indeed recover-in some cases, coming back even stronger-even after having crashed into the depths of Stage 4.Decline, it turns out, is largely self-inflicted, and the path to recovery lies largely within our own hands. We are not imprisoned by our circumstances, our history, or even our staggering defeats along the way. As long as we never get entirely knocked out of the game, hope always remains. The mighty can fall, but they can often rise again.

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Book SynopsisThe concept behind this book is simple and brilliant: find out what makes companies that outperform their peers for decades enjoy that success - and then apply those lessons yourself. Written by multimillion-copy bestselling author, speaker and business management consultant Jim Collins and organizational theorist Jerry Porras, it's the only blueprint you need for sustained business growth.'Built to Last is an unusual business book - seriously researched, unconventional in its conclusions... [It] is well worth reading, particularly by those engaged in trying to reinvigorate our nation's largest enterprises.' -- Wall Street Journal'Outstanding from Jim Collins as always. A definite must-read' -- ***** Reader review'Blew my mind on how to run a business, every leader or business owner should read this book' -- ***** Reader review'Very enlightening!' -- ***** Reader review'This book among top 5 business book I ever read!' -- ***** Reader review*********************************************************************************************'This is not a book about charismatic visionary leaders. It is not about visionary product concepts or visionary products or visionary market insights. Nor is it about just having a corporate vision. This is a book about something far more important, enduring, and substantial. This is a book about visionary companies.'Drawing upon a six-year research project at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, multimillion copy bestselling author, speaker and consultant focused on business management and company sustainability and growth Jim Collins and organizational theorist Jerry Porras took eighteen truly exceptional and long-lasting companies and studied each company in direct comparison to one of its top competitors. They examined the companies from their very beginnings to the present day - as start-ups, as midsize companies and as large corporations. Throughout, the authors asked: 'What makes the truly exceptional companies different from other companies?'Built to Last is the result of that research: filled with hundreds of specific examples and organized into a coherent framework of practical concepts that can be applied by managers and entrepreneurs at all levels, Built to Last provides a master blueprint for building organizations that will prosper long into the twenty-first century and beyond.Trade ReviewA huge inspiration for our business growth strategy over the years. -- Andy Lothian, CEO of Insights Group * Management Today *'One of the most eye-opening business studies since In Search of Excellence.' -- Kevin Maney * USA Today *'Built to Last is an unusual business book - seriously researched, unconventional in its conclusions...[It] is well worth reading, particularly by those engaged in trying to reinvigorate our nation's largest enterprises.' -- Richard J. Tofel * Wall Street Journal *'In Built to Last, Collins and Porras present a brilliant and lucid analysis and, yes, a blueprint for organizational excellence. It should be required reading.' -- Warren Bennis

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for the African Business Book of the Year Award For Heineken, ‘rising Africa’ is already a reality: the profits it extracts there are almost 50 per cent above the global average, and beer costs more in some African countries than it does in Europe. Heineken claims its presence boosts economic development on the continent. But is this true? Investigative journalist Olivier van Beemen has spent years seeking the answer, and his conclusion is damning: Heineken has hardly benefited Africa at all. On the contrary, there are some shocking skeletons in its African closet: tax avoidance, sexual abuse, links to genocide and other human rights violations, high-level corruption, crushing competition from indigenous brewers, and collaboration with dictators and pitiless anti-government rebels. Heineken in Africa caused a political and media furore on publication in The Netherlands, and was debated in their Parliament. It is an unmissable exposé of the havoc wreaked by a global giant seeking profit in the developing world.Trade Review'Precisely and rigorously ticks off Heineken’s excesses and tribulations in Africa.' -- Le Monde'[This] critical account of the brewer goes to the heart of doing business in challenging markets . . . [a] provocative book.' -- The Financial Times‘van Beemen, the author of this well-researched and provocative book, has uncovered an astounding counter-story to the corporate spin . . . an almost perfect case study of what can go wrong when globalisation is unleashed in markets with huge financial potential but without the regulatory frameworks present in more stable parts of the world.' -- Prospect'A brilliant and exhaustive investigation into a corporate giant’s claims of its positive actions on that continent.' -- Counterfire'A complex tale of a company operating in a country defined by perpetual conflict and warlordism . . . this book it is an important window into how careless corporate behaviour can impede Africa’s development.' -- African Business'The unauthorised story of a beer giant’s African saga. … Van Beemen precisely and rigorously ticks off Heineken’s excesses and tribulations in Africa. … For a long time Heineken’s management refused to meet the journalist, before changing their minds and giving him interviews almost two years after the book first appeared, which offer a valuable counterpoint and make this remarkable survey all the more balanced.' -- Le Monde‘One of the most readable, nuanced and critical accounts of “multinationals doing business in Africa” . . .Van Beemen uses his unagitated and meticulously researched style to the fullest advantage . . . an excellent book.’ -- Aidnography Blog

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for Eccentric Orbits: Named one of the “Top 10 Nonfiction Books of 2016” and one of the “20 Books That Defined Our Year” by the Wall Street Journal Named a Book of the Year 2016 by the Economist An Amazon Best Book of the Month A Hudson Booksellers’ Best Book of 2016 (Best Business Interest) “Engaging and ambitious . . . Eccentric Orbits is maximalist nonfiction, 500 pages of deep reporting put forward with epic intentions . . . a panoramic narrative, laced with fine filigree details, that makes for a story that soars and jumps and dives and digresses . . . [A] big, gutsy, exciting book.”—Wall Street Journal “Those with visions of vast satellite communications networks dancing in their heads would do well to read John Bloom’s new book on [Iridium] . . . Bloom . . . tells this story well . . . He does a good job of explaining the technology and the importance of the inventors who made the technology possible.”—Washington Post “Think of Final Cut, Steven Bach’s gripping account of the notorious movie disaster ‘Heaven’s Gate.’ Or The Smartest Guys in the Room, Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind’s chronicle of the collapse of Enron, and The Big Short, Michael Lewis’ tale of the cratering of the national economy. Eccentric Orbits . . . is a tale of ham-fisted management that’s lively enough to invite comparisons to those modern classics.”—Los Angeles Times “An exhaustive account . . . Eccentric Orbits not only offers good corporate drama, but is an enlightening narrative of how new communications infrastructures often come about: with a lot of luck, government help and investors who do not ask too many questions.”—Economist “Eccentric Orbits is a story rich in larger-than-life characters, including shady Cold War operatives and warrior-like Motorola executives . . . Bloom gives a wonderful sense of what an engineering marvel Iridium was.”—Bethany McLean, Strategy + Business (Best Business Books 2016) “An inspiring history as well as an effective business thriller . . . Bloom argues convincingly that creating and then saving Iridium was one . . . desperately difficult—and brilliant—achievement.”—New Scientist “Extensive . . . Sprawling . . . A detailed and entertaining history of the rise, fall, and rebirth of Iridium.”—Space Review “A good read.”—Marketplace “Highly engaging . . . Check it out.”—News Tribune “A prize-worthy example of the investigative genre . . . [Eccentric Orbits] has conflict and triumph on a Wagnerian scale . . . John Bloom has achieved in Eccentric Orbits an admirable balance of the human and the technological in what is at heart an age-old tale of one man’s triumph against apparently insuperable odds.”—Literary Review “An outstanding read . . . [An] inspiring story . . . Highly recommended.”—ATC Reform News “Eccentric Orbits does for the 1990s birth of the satellite phone industry what Tracy Kidder’s Soul of a New Machine did for the next-generation computer business. It’s a wild story . . . Funny, informative, exciting . . . A sprawling masterpiece of history and reporting.”—Shelf Awareness “Spellbinding . . . A tireless researcher, Bloom delivers a superlative history . . . A tour de force.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Eccentric Orbits is a remarkable work. I had known about Iridium but not about its fascinating history. John Bloom’s writing style is attractive and the level of detail is astonishing. This was a page-turner for me!”—Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist, Google “Interested in giant, head-scratching miscalculations by a great American company? The power of one man to rescue the world’s biggest deployment of low-earth satellites? A place where genius engineering meets a total lack of common sense? Then John Bloom’s book about Motorola’s multibillion-dollar debacle, Iridium, is for you. Eccentric Orbits is both a novelistic thriller and a cautionary tale, a page-turner about a reach for the heavens and a business primer on a near-fatal fall back to the earth.”—Julian Guthrie, author of The Billionaire and The Mechanic “John Bloom’s Eccentric Orbits, which tells the story of one of the most ambitious projects in the history of technology, is the most compelling book I have read in a long while. Bloom somehow coaxed the deepest thoughts and darkest secrets out of many satellite engineers, skeptical VCs, business royalty, inner-city tycoons, Italian marketers, Russian rocket launchers, Arabian princes, corporate CEOs, African leaders, Washington insiders, insurance giants, Pentagon brass, government lifers, politicians, and frustrated bankruptcy judges. This is a masterpiece of research and storytelling. If not for Bloom, one of the greatest stories of American ingenuity and bullheadedness would still lie scattered in thousands of documents and the memories of those who lived it.”—Gary Kinder, author of Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea “This is a monumental piece of non-fiction, not just for the breadth and depth of the research, but for its audacity: Bloom seeks to make technology and marketing and high finance dramatic and funny and instructive of the human condition—and succeeds. Until I read this, I had always assumed that my cell phone was created by something like spontaneous combustion; like one day, it just appeared between my right hand and my ear, as if it had always belonged there. Bloom has given all of us—all billions of us—the back story on it, and what a strange, tangled, convoluted, fairly hilarious one it is.”—Jim Atkinson, Texas Monthly contributing editor “Build a better mousetrap, and the world will erect every possible obstacle to its success. That’s the sobering lesson of John Bloom’s book on the progress of a reliable, cheap, encrypted, worldwide mobile phone system to supermarket shelves. The exhilarating lesson is that it can be done if you have visionary geeks, hard-boiled veterans, retired capitalists, and the occasional eccentric rebellious bureaucrat determined to do it. This is high scientific journalism, exciting business journalism, and a rattling good tale. It even includes Nazis.”—John O’Sullivan, author of The President, the Pope, and the Prime Minister: Three Who Changed the World “Impeccably researched, and in smooth, easy prose, John Bloom interweaves fascinating historical trivia about the space race, satellites, and global communications with detail-filled personality snapshots and cringingly revealing, often disturbingly humorous, insights about the many ways big business can shoot itself in the foot.”—John Brewer, former president and editor-in-chief, New York Times Syndicate and News Service “Pacy [and] . . . worth reading, not just for the wild ride that involves secretive Saudi sheikhs, plucky terrorists, never-say-die businessmen and Bill Clinton, but also as a reminder of how vast business can be vastly dumb . . . A thrilling boom-to-boom corporate drama.”—Sunday Times (UK) “John Bloom’s account of the Iridium satellite network is more than a ripping read, it is both a commentary on the way we do technology today and a reminder of Friedrick Hayek’s observation that presumed experts and planners are the last people you want picking winners. A tale well told is a thing of delight, and John Bloom’s Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story does not fail.”—Quadrant (Australia) “Riveting . . . I’ve never used the term ‘tour de force’ in a book review before, but if it ever belonged in one, it is this review of Eccentric Orbits.”—800-CEO-READ

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Book SynopsisDelivers the inside story behind Google, the most successful and admired technology company of our time, now updated with a new Afterword.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive history of the Porsche 981-series Boxsters and Caymans, with all major markets looked at in detail to cover all variants and to put the story into perspective. Illustrated throughout with contemporary photography sourced from the factory, this book serves as the perfect guide to this generation of open and closed cars in all its forms. Written by an acknowledged Porsche expert, with the full co-operation of the factory.Table of Contents1. Boxster & Cayman Heritage 2. Birth of a New Generation 3. The Early Production Models 4. Expanding The Range 5. End of the Line A1. Year-by-Year Range Details A2. Engine Specifications A3. Chassis Numbers A4. Production Figures

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Book Synopsis‘Essential for any leader in any industry’ – Kim Scott, bestselling author of Radical CandorWorking Backwards gives an insider’s account of Amazon’s approach to culture, leadership and best practices from two long-time, top-level Amazon executives.Colin Bryar and Bill Carr joined Amazon in the late 90s. Their time at the company covered a period of unmatched innovation that brought products and services – including Kindle, Amazon Prime, Amazon Echo and Alexa, and Amazon Web Services – to life. Through the story of these innovations they reveal the principles and practices that drive Amazon’s success.Through their wealth of experience they offer unprecedented access to the ‘Amazon way’ as it was refined, articulated and proven to be repeatable, scalable and adaptable. Working Backwards shows how success is not achieved by the genius of any single leader, but rather through commitment to and execution of a set of well-defined, rigorously executed principles and practices that you can apply at your own company, no matter the size.‘Working Backwards should be read by anyone interested in the real thing – the principles, processes and practices of twenty-first-century management and leadership’ – Forbes‘Gives us the story as it developed at the time – and that is probably worth the cover price of the book in itself’ – Financial TimesTrade ReviewColin Bryar and Bill Carr dive deep into how Amazon has become the company to study if you want to succeed in 21st-century business. -- Tim O'Reilly, owner of O'Reilly MediaFor those looking to change the world in ways (very) large and small via innovation and business, my strong recommendation is to dive deeply into Working Backwards . . . I anticipate Working Backwards to quickly become required reading in board rooms and classrooms around the world -- Jason Kilar, CEO of WarnerMediaColin Bryar and Bill Carr have operationalized the core management practices that lie behind Amazon's success . . . You'll want to have your highlighter ready and keep this book close at hand for quick reference. -- Kim Scott, bestselling author of Radical CandorLeaders who want to foster customer obsession and drive operational excellence within their organizations should read this book. -- Jim Whitehurst, President, IBMA must-read for every entrepreneur or business leader focused on driving growth. -- Mariana Garavaglia, Chief People & Business Operations Officer, PelotonColin and Bill have captured the essence of what it means at Amazon to start with the customer and work backwards. -- Serguei Netessine, Vice Dean and Dhirubhai Ambani Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at The Wharton SchoolWorking Backwards should be read by anyone interested in the real thing – the principles, processes and practices of 21st-century management and leadership * Forbes *Rather like a potted business school case-study, this book gives us the story as it developed at the time – and that is probably worth the cover price of the book in itself -- Financial TimesThis book reads like a how-to guide, which perhaps is by design? -- Associated PressRather than offering a dull catalog of the company’s 14 Leadership Principles and three implementation mechanisms, Mr Bryar and Mr Carr provide concrete and accessible examples of how these are put into practice across a range of functions, from hiring and communications to organizational and product design. -- New York Times

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive pictorial history of Volvo cars produced from 1945 up to and including models in production in 1995. This really is the 'go-to' publication if you need to compare specific models. The many models are categorised and detailed across several chapters. This book is a trip down memory lane for any post-war car enthusiast with fantastic illustrations from several sources, including line drawings, black & white plus colour period photos including interior detail. All models are covered including saloons, sports derivatives, limited editions, estates and coupes. A section on motor sport achievements and TV/movie appearances is included, along with contemporary advertising headlines, complementing the historical content, technical specifications, key production changes and build figures. Trevor Alder learned to drive and passed his driving test in a 145E, and has previously written and compiled several motoring publications from his massive self-indexed magazine archive. This is a bookshelf-must for anyone interested in a slice of Volvo motoring heritage.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1. PV444 & PV544 Chapter 2. Amazon series Chapter 3. P1800 series Chapter 4. 140 & 160 series Chapter 5. Early Dutch Volvos: 66 & 340 series Chapter 6. 240 & 260 series Chapter 7. 740, 760 & 780 series Chapter 8. Later Dutch Volvos: 440,460 & 480 series Chapter 9. 940 & 960 series Chapter 10. 850 & T-5R series Chapter 12. Commercial & Military vehicles Appendix 1. Key achievements in motor sport Appendix 2. Volvo on the screen, main TV & Movie appearances Comprehensive Index

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Book SynopsisThe fall of Enron was much more than a business scandal. Not only did the events of October 2001 have a more damaging effect on the markets than 9/11 but, like Watergate, it was an event that sent shivers throughout the whole world. This is an in-depth investigation of the fall of Enron.Trade Review...the most comprehensive picture yet of how the company went off the rails. The sheer accumulation of detail makes it possible for the first time to understand how Enron got away with its blend of hubris and incompetence for so long. . . This is more than a business story. It is also about what can happen to any institution when weak and complacent leadership allows itself to be swept along by strong vested interests and the mood of the times. * Richartd Lambert, ex editor of Financial Times and member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee *

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Book SynopsisThis re-fuelled edition of our bestselling Harley-Davidson book features 32 new pages and several updated chapters, honouring the Harley in all its facets. Ride through the history of the Milwaukee legend, get up close to its pristine design, and explore the Harley-Davidson lifestyle that sees riders on the beach, the ice, or in the mountains. A must-have book for all who agree with the grandson of company founder, Willie G. Davidson: “On the eighth day, God created Harley-Davidson.” Text in English, French, and German.

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Book SynopsisFor almost a hundred years from the 1860s, the City of London''s overseas banks financed the global trade that lay at the core of the British Empire. Foremost among them from the beginning were two start-up ventures: the Standard Bank of South Africa, which soon developed a powerful domestic franchise at the Cape, and the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China. This book traces their stories in the nineteenth century, their glory days before 1914 - and their remarkable survival in the face of global wars and the collapse of world trade in the first half of the twentieth century.The unravelling of the Empire after 1945 eventually forced Britain''s overseas banks to confront a different future. The Standard and the Chartered, alarmed at the expansion of American banking, determined in 1969 on a merger as a way of sustaining the best of the City''s overseas traditions. But from the start, Standard Chartered had to grapple with the fading fortunes of its own inherited franchise - badly dented in both Asia and Africa - and with radical changes in the nature of banking. Its British managers, steeped in the past, proved ill-suited to the challenge. By the late 1980s, efforts to expand in Europe and the USA had brought the merged Group to the brink of collapse.Yet it survived - and then pulled off a dramatic recovery. Standard Chartered realigned itself, just in time, with the phenomenal growth of Asia''s ''emerging markets'', many of them in countries where the Chartered had flourished a century earlier. In the process, the Group was transformed. Trebling its workforce, it brushed aside the global financial crisis of 2008 and by 2012 could look back on a decade of astonishing growth. Recent times have added an eventful postscript to a long and absorbing history.Crossing Continents recounts Standard Chartered''s story with a wealth of detail from one of the richest archives available to any commercial bank. The book also affords a rare and compelling perspective on the evolution of international trade and finance, showing how Britain''s commercial influence has actually worked in practice around the world over one hundred and fifty years.Trade Reviewexcellent ... Duncan Campbell-Smith's sparkling new account of Standard Chartered Bank ... is a door-stopping, desk-breaking heavyweight tome ... of patient text and brilliantly evocative photographs. Campbell-Smith, a former banker and journalist, had access to Standard Chartered's rich archive, and what emerges is work of painstaking scholarship. Multiple sources are woven together into a compelling record of imperial and post-imperial banking -- Philip Augar * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive pictorial history of all Vauxhall cars produced from 1945 up to and including models in production in 1995. This really is the ‘go-to’ publication if you need to compare your Vivas, Victors, Ventoras or Viceroys! Breaking down the many models into several chapters, this is a trip down memory lane for any postwar car enthusiast. Comprehensively illustrated, the book includes line drawings, black & white plus colour period photographs, together with interior detail. All models are covered along with sports derivatives, limited editions, vans, estates, coupes. It includes a section on motor sport achievements and TV/movie appearances. Contemporary factory advertising slogans used is key throughout. Complimenting the historical content, technical specifications, key production changes and build figures are also detailed. Trevor Alder has been driving Vauxhalls and Opels for many years and has previously written and compiled several Vauxhall/Opel publications from his massive self-indexed magazine archive. The research for this book suggests this a bookshelf-must for anyone interested in a slice of Britain's motoring heritage.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1. Early post-war cars: H, I, J & L-types Chapter 2. Ten years of Wyvern, Velox & Cresta: E-series & PAs Chapter 3. Twenty years of Victors, Ventoras & VXs: The F-types Chapter 4. Small family cars: Viva HA, HB & HC plus derivatives Chapter 5. 1960s opulence: PB & PC Cresta, Velox & Viscount Chapter 6. 1970s European influences: Chevette Chapter 7. The big V-cars: Carlton, Viceroy, Royale & Senator Chapter 8. 1976-1994 family wheels: Cavalier Mk1, 2 & 3 plus Calibra Chapter 9. Front wheel drive arrives: Astra Mk1, 2 & 3 Chapter 10. Small hatchbacks: Nova & Corsa Chapter 11. 1994 & towards the millenium: Tigra & Omega Chapter 12. Commercial & 4x4 vehicles: Frontera, Monterey & Brava Appendix 1. Key achievements in motor sport Appendix 2. Vauxhall on the screen, main TV & Movie appearances Comprehensive Index

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisA journey through the Index Revolution from the man who started it all Stay the Course is the story the Vanguard Group as told by its founder, legendary investor John C. Bogle. This engrossing book traces the history of Vanguardthe largest mutual fund organization on earth. Offering the world's first index mutual fund in 1976, John Bogle led Vanguard from a $1.4 billion firm with a staff of 28 to a global company of 16,000 employees and with more than $5 trillion in assets under management. An engaging blend of company history, investment perspective, and personal memoir, this book provides a fascinating look into the mind of an extraordinary man and the company he created. John Bogle continues to be an inspiring and trusted figure to millions of individual investors the world over. His creative innovation, personal integrity, and stubborn determination infuse every aspect of the company he founded. This accessible and engaging book will help you: Explore the history of some of VTable of ContentsAbout Stay the Course xiii Foreword by Burton G. Malkiel xvii Part I. The Story of Vanguard 1 Chapter 1 1974:The Prophecy 3 Chapter 2 1945–1965: The Background –Blair, Princeton, Fortune, and Wellington 9 Chapter 3 1965–1974:The “Go-Go” Era, the Aftermath, and the Formation of Vanguard 17 Chapter 4 The Index Fund Revolution: From Birth to Dominance 37 Chapter 5 1974–1981: A New Beginning 53 Chapter 6 1981–1991: Setting the Stage for Future Growth 75 Chapter 7 1991–1996: Preparing for a New Mutual Fund Industry 89 Chapter 8 1996–2006: The ETF Revolutionizes Indexing 107 Chapter 9 2006–2018: The Momentum Continues – Strategy Follows Structure 121 Chapter 10 Caring: The Founder’s Legacy 149 Part II. The Vanguard Funds 163 Chapter 11 Wellington Fund: Vanguard’s Alpha and Omega 165 Chapter 12 The Index Funds 177 Chapter 13 The Windsor Funds 187 Chapter 14 The PRIMECAP Funds 195 Chapter 15 The Bond Funds 205 Chapter 16 Problems and Perspectives 217 Part III. The Future of Investment Management 227 Chapter 17 The Fund Industry Becomes Mutual 229 Chapter 18 The Challenge to the S&P 500 Index Fund 241 Chapter 19 “The Financial Institutions Act of 2030” 249 Part IV. Personal Refl ections 255 Chapter 20 What Really Matters: A Memoir 257 Index 281 Books by John C. Bogle 293

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Book SynopsisWeaving together vivid history and economic analysis, this book makes for a gripping narrative.

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Book SynopsisA BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES AND FORTUNE MAGAZINE. The epic story of how a young social climber from Malaysia pulled off one of the biggest financial heists in history. In 2015, rumours began circulating that billions of dollars had been stolen from a Malaysian investment fund. The mastermind of the heist was twenty-seven-year-old Jho Low, a serial fabulist from an upper-middle-class Malaysian family, who had carefully built his reputation as a member of the jet-setting elite by arranging and financing elaborate parties for Wall Street bankers, celebrities, and even royalty. With the aid of Goldman Sachs and others, Low stole billions of dollars, right under the nose of global financial industry watchdogs. He used the money to finance elections, purchase luxury real estate, throw champagne-drenched parties, and bankroll Hollywood films like The Wolf of Wall Street. Billion Dollar Whale reveals how this silver-tongued con man, a ‘modern Gatsby’, emerged from obscurity to pull off one of the most audacious financial heists the world has ever seen, and how the financial industry let him. It is a classic harrowing parable of hubris and greed in the financial world.Trade Review‘An extraordinary tale … richly woven … with dogged reporting … Like all good business stories, Billion Dollar Whale is bigger than the immediate one it tells. It is a story of emerging markets crippled by corruption and cronyism and comes from the era of egregious — and mostly punishment-free — banking … One thing is clear. If ever Hollywood gets round to telling the story on screen, here is perfect material for the script.’ * Financial Times *‘If you like global intrigue, financial crime, wealth porn, and absurdity, Billion Dollar Whale, by Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, is for you … It almost seems made up. Still, anyone who has followed the news out of Malaysia will know that the story is all too real.’ * The New Yorker *‘As Bad Blood is to biotech, Billion Dollar Whale is to international finance … a wonderful read … Thrilling.’ -- Bill Gates‘An impeccably researched book.’ -- Matthew Valencia * The Economist *‘One of the best business books in a long time.’ * Brian Sullivan, CNBC *‘What a blast to read! A true life thriller that reads like a Hollywood movie, Billion Dollar Whale traces the exploits of the most mercurial, mysterious big player in history. Jho Low is Gatsby with twice the bank account and ten times the ambition, and the stories surrounding his exploits leap right off the page!’ * Ben Mezrich, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires and Bringing Down The House *‘I couldn’t put it down.’ -- Pete Tong * The Times *‘One of the most important books of 2018.’ * MoneyLaundering.com *‘Wright and Hope deliver a scintillating and prodigiously reported tale of a globe-spanning modern Gatsby and his audacious fraud.’ * Jesse Eisinger, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for ProPublica and author of The Chickenshit Club *‘This story of a Wharton graduate who carried out the $5 billion swindle known as 1MDB offers a textbook case of financial fraud in the modern age.’ * New York Times *‘A rip-roaring case in kleptocracy.’ * The Economist *‘An incredible story … If you need some billionaires to despise—look no further than these charlatans.’ * Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit *‘Even the most skilled fiction writer would have trouble conjuring the corrupt and colorful protagonist of Billion Dollar Whale. Bradley Hope and Tom Wright's gripping portrait of Jho Low and his enablers throughout the global financial system will both fascinate and enrage you.’ * Sheelah Kolhatkar, staff writer at The New Yorker and New York Times bestselling author of Black Edge *‘The story of a massive international financial scandal … As the authors amply prove, the scandal reaches far beyond Low. To succeed, he relied on the naivete, greed, and generally immoral conduct of huge banks as well as corrupt governments.’ * Kirkus *‘Wright and Hope transform their investigation of a mind-boggling financial fraud into a nonfiction thriller … This is an epic tale of white-collar crime on a global scale.’ STARRED REVIEW * Publishers Weekly *‘An amazing tale of greed … juicy and entertaining.’ STARRED REVIEW * Library Journal *‘Well-researched and well-documented … Reveals how Low used a bag of tricks, including financial fraud, to make himself seem more powerful, more influential, and more successful than he actually was … This is a must-read.’ * Booklist *‘Billion Dollar Whale does more than dissect a financial fraud of epic proportions; it takes the reader on a fascinating journey inside the heart of a con that was years in the making. Wright and Hope show how perception becomes reality in the hands of a consummate financial illusionist. Billion Dollar Whale proves once again that truth is stranger than fiction.’ -- Gregory A. Coleman, retired FBI Special Agent; Case Agent, ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Investigation‘The authors strike a good balance between keeping Low’s story at the centre and making it clear that 1MDB was a scandal waiting to happen … they also provide some telling anecdotes.’ * Money Week *‘I highly recommend this rip-roaring story of brazen fraud … political corruption … and investment-banker callousness.’ * Adam Lashinsky, Fortune *‘Jaw dropping.’ -- Ed Needham * Strong Words *‘Gripping … The heist of the century.’ * Axios *‘Take one chubby Malaysian business school graduate. Mix with Middle Eastern sheikhs and greedy Southeast Asian politicians. Add Wall Street investment banks, law firms and Swiss wealth managers. Then mix in superyachts, five-star hotels, luxury apartments, nightclubs, models, A-list movie stars — and bathtubs of champagne … [This] richly reported page-turner is meticulously pieced together from interviews, documents and emails by Wall Street Journal reporters Tom Wright and Bradley Hope.’ * Peter Thal Larsen, Reuters *‘Compelling.’ * Minneapolis Star Tribune *‘A wonderful book … A rip-roaring, absolutely delightful account of one of the biggest financial cons in the history of the world … If you liked Bad Blood, you might well enjoy Billion Dollar Whale … An incredible story of a con artist at the height of his game.’ * David Plotz, Slate “Political Gabfest” *‘A cracking read.’ * Unreserved Media *‘An incredible story.’ * Knowledge@Wharton *‘Just finished reading Billion Dollar Whale and was blown away. I thought I had seen it all with Russian kleptocracy, but the story of the money stolen in Malaysia in 1MDB and all the enthusiastic Western enablers was unbelievable.’ -- Bill Browder, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Notice‘This thrilling true story reads like a Hollywood movie.’ * Sheerluxe Man *

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive and informative guide to allRiley cars (1953-1969) and Wolseley cars (1948-1975). Wolseley cars are easily recognised by their illuminated radiator badges and unique front grilles, while Riley cars often combined the technical features of MG models with the equipment levels of Wolseley models. Illustrated with original colour photographs, and with detailed information including colour schemes, optional equipment and technical specifications, this book provides a complete history of the Riley and Wolseley cars of the of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s to the end of their production in 1969 and 1975 respectively, These classic British cars are rarely covered in other books, and never in as much detail as you will find here - this is the ultimate guide for all Wolseley or Riley enthusiasts!Trade Reviewpacked with info. - Classic Car WeeklyTable of ContentsChapter 1 A History of Wolseley Chapter 2 Nuffield cars from 1948 Chapter 3 Palmer designed cars Chapter 4 Issigonis inspired cars Chapter 5 The Farina cars Chapter 6 The last Wolseleys Chapter 7 A History of Riley Chapter 8 Palmer designed cars Chapter 9 Issigonis inspired cars Chapter 10 The Farina cars

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWill twenty-first-century social media technologies finally liberate organizations from stifling bureaucratic hierarchies? After spending ten months closely observing a software firm, Catherine J. Turco, one of sociology's brightest young stars, surprises with fascinating and nuanced answers. Brimming with vivid examples, The Conversational Firm will not only shape scholarly debate but also engage general readers interested in corporate life. -- Viviana A. Zelizer, author of Economic LivesThe Conversational Firm opens a new chapter in the study of workplace democracy by analyzing how social media enable a new balance between workers' autonomy and productivity in high-tech corporate settings. With a particularly keen ethnographic eye, the author reveals a brave new world in which some of the bars of the bureaucratic iron cage are pried open while others remain in place for the pursuit of corporate goals. While millennials gain a more personalized and empowering work environment in the bargain, business leaders gain fuller access to their inner thoughts and creativity. This book will have a lasting impact on the study of corporate cultures and new organizational forms. -- Michèle Lamont, author of The Dignity of Working MenWith The Conversational Firm, Turco uses the role of social media to challenge our fundamental assumptions about how modern organizations function. In this masterful work, she uncovers a new way of organizing where openness and hierarchy complement, rather than contradict one another. I'm putting this book next to my copies of Weber, Barnard, and Chandler. -- Damon Phillips, Columbia Business SchoolIn The Conversational Firm, Turco argues that organizations can transcend bureaucracy, but still they are held in check by certain workplace demands for reproduction and stability. These checks seem to prevent the organization from becoming complete anarchy. Yet perhaps just as important, The Conversational Firm is a rich and delightful organizational ethnography of how work is being transformed in the era of social media. -- Brayden King, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern UniversityWith a book that is as readable as it is wise, Turco makes a powerful case for the depth of insight that can only come from the best ethnographies—and is unavailable from the 'big data' analyses currently in vogue. Practitioners and scholars alike will come away with their understanding of firm hierarchy, culture, and communication transformed and enriched. -- Ezra Zuckerman Sivan, MIT Sloan School of Management[A] well-written, insightful ethnographic study. -- Theodore Kinni * strategy+business *The right book just at the right time in the right place. . . . An excellent ethnographic account of organizational life. * Organization Studies *Turco does an excellent job....In part, this is the result of the method she chose: ethnographic research of a company that is at the forefront of the social media revolution. In part, it is the result of her accessible writing style; last but not least, it is the result of her deep knowledge of organizational theories. * American Journal of Sociology *A rare and wonderful empirical example of life in a digital startup. * Contemporary Sociology *This book is an excellent addition to the field of publications. . . . Turco accompanies this emotional analysis with rigorous academic context, but this does not impede accessibility. * Isreal Book Review *[Turco's] efforts greatly contribute to shaping the academy's understanding of millennial impact on corporate culture. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction1. The Social Revolution2. Open Communication3. Open Control4. Openness Controls5. Open Culture6. A Conversation About Bureaucracy7. Conversational Spaces8. The Conversational Firm: Implications for Theory9. The Future of the Conversational FirmMethodological Appendix Acknowledgments Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisSince its origins in the 1920s as a refrigerator factory in Qingdao supplying the Chinese market, Haier has risen to become a major multinational company, overtaking the likes of Whirlpool and LG, to become the world's leading manufacturer of household appliances today, with revenues of $30 billion. How did Haier achieve this amazing feat? This book examines Haier's organizational transformation, which can be traced back to 1984 when Zhang Ruimin (Haier's current CEO) joined the company, and which became the essence of Haier's sustained competitive advantage. In particular, it looks at the "RDHY Win-Win Model of Employee-Customer Integration", the latest management practice in Haier, which has had a profound effect on the company's performance, and which has captured the attention of academics and managers around the world.

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Book SynopsisThe best of W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne's articles on blue ocean strategy, all in one place. The seminal book Blue Ocean Strategy has sold over 3.6 million copies globally and is in print in 44 languages. But much of W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne's work on creating new market spaces was originally published in the pages of Harvard Business Review. This book brings the best of those articles together all in one place. Piece by piece, these articles explain the process of creating "blue oceans"--uncontested market spaces, untainted by competition. Kim and Mauborgne introduce tools for exploring and exploiting these markets, such as the Value Curve, the Strategy Canvas, the Price Corridor of the Mass, and the Business Model Guide--tools that have come to make up the blue ocean strategy framework. This collection also features the authors' latest Harvard Business Review article, "Red Ocean Traps." Whether or not you're familiar with blue ocean strategy, this book will give you a new perspective on this important framework--and help you implement it in your organization.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR THE AUTHORS' BOOK BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY: "Blue Ocean Strategy is the most successful book on business master-planning in recent years." -- The Economist * A bestseller across 5 continents * More than 3.6 million copies sold worldwide * Now in 44 languages * A Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and Fast Company bestseller * Thinkers50 Strategy Award for Best Business Book of the decade * Inducted into the Fast Company Leadership Hall of Fame * Winner of the Carl S. Sloane Award for Excellence in Management Consulting

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A clear-eyed assessment of hedge funds as engines of inequality. . . . Neely’s analysis is on point and fair-minded. Finance industry workers and those aspiring to join the industry should consider it essential reading." * Publisher's Weekly *"Beautifully written and a page turner. . . . The analysis is also skilfully interwoven with observations and interviews, making it accessible and embodied by real flesh-and-blood characters." * British Journal of Sociology *Table of ContentsContents List of Tables and Figure Acknowledgments Preface Introduction: Hedging In and Out 1 From Financial Steward to Flash Boy 2 Pathways to the Working Rich 3 Getting the Job 4 Inside the Firm 5 Moving Up the Ranks 6 Reaching the Top 7 View from the Top Conclusion: Picking Winners and Losers Methodological Appendix: Studying Up Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA major work of economic, social and political history, Niall Ferguson's The House of Rothschild: The World's Banker 1849-1999 is the second volume of the acclaimed, landmark history of the legendary Rothschild banking dynasty.Niall Ferguson's House of Rothschild: Money's Prophets 1798-1848 was hailed as a great biography by Time magazine and named one of the best books of the year by Business Week. Now, with all the depth, clarity and drama with which he traced their ascent, Ferguson - the first historian with access to the long-lost Rothschild family archives - concludes his myth-breaking portrait of once of the most fascinating and power families of all time.From Crimea to World War II, wars repeatedly threatened the stability of the Rothschilds' worldwide empire. Despite these many global upheavals, theirs remained the biggest bank in the world up until the First World War, their interests extending far beyond the realm of finance. Yet the Rothschilds' failure to establish themselves successfully in the United States proved fateful, and as financial power shifted from London to New York after 1914, their power waned.A stupendous achievement, a triumph of historical research and imagination.—Robert Skidelsky, The New York Review of BooksNiall Ferguson's brilliant and altogether enthralling two-volume family saga proves that academic historians can still tell great stories that the rest of us want to read.—The New York Times Book ReviewSuperb ... An impressive ... account of the Rothschilds and their role in history.—Boston GlobeNiall Ferguson's new book The Square and the Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook will be published in January 2018. Trade Review"A stupendous achievement, a triumph of historical research and imagination."—Robert Skidelsky, The New York Review of Books"Niall Ferguson's brilliant and altogether enthralling two-volume family saga proves that academic historians can still tell great stories that the rest of us want to read."—The New York Times Book Review"Superb ... An impressive ... account of the Rothschilds and their role in history."—Boston Globe

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Book Synopsisboo hoo is a gripping, insider''s account of the rise and fall of this most controversial of internet startups - a global, online retailer of sports and designer clothes.Trade ReviewSuch a dazzling version of the boo phenomenon that as readers turn the pages they will be rooting for the company to survive even though they know the story ends in disaster. * The Sunday Times *Boo Hoo is an engrossing account of how two childhood friends persuaded some of the world's savviest investors and fashion houses - including Bernard Arnault's LVMH and the Benetton family - to fund a sports and designer clothing company to the tune of $100m. * The Guardian *[his] tale captures the hype and excitement of developing what was seen by many as a ground-breaking company with state-of-the-art technology- Along the way, it tells of endless rounds of raising finance, glamorous parties, staff clashes and bitter sparring with the press. * BBC.co.uk *The game would be to bring boo.com to market, when it would soon be worth more than $1 billion and make its backers rich. Can all this have happened last year? It seems more like a tale from a different aeon, but the lessons it teaches are timeless. * The Spectator *Reading [this] has the fascination of watching a high-speed car crash replayed in slow motion. You know what's going to happen, you can see the confident glow on the drivers' faces, but can't warn them about the curve in the road that is coming to unstick them. Schadenfreude is irresistible. And yet everyone walks away unhurt. * The Independent *

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Book SynopsisThey helped invent the bar code. They revolutionized business schools and created the corporate practices that now rule our world. McKinsey employees are trusted and distrusted, loved and despised. They are doing behind-the-scenes work for the most powerful people in the world, and their ranks of alumni include the chairman of HSBC and William Hague. Renowned financial journalist Duff McDonald uncovers how these high-priced business savants have ushered in waves of structural, financial, and technological shifts but also become mired in controversy across the years. Discover how the firm celebrated Enron’s disastrous corporate structure and how they’ve been instrumental in the government’s controversial NHS reforms. Are they worth their astronomical fees? And what do firms and governments actually get for their money? Based on exclusive interviews with key McKinsey players and written in gripping prose, this is a revealing window onto one of the most secretive and powerful companies in the world.Trade Review'Quickly, McDonald gets into his stride... a rattling good read.' * The Times *'At a stroke, McDonald sums up the attraction of McKinsey to the world’s largest companies, the mystique surrounding its methods, the envy it inspires in competitors and the anger it sometimes incites… a very readable account.' * Financial Times *'[An] admiring book that nevertheless asks hard questions about the organization’s future.' * The Economist *'Thought-provoking… offers a fascinating look behind the company’s success.' -- Andrew Ross Sorkin * New York Times *‘Is this a good book? Yes. It is meticulously researched, well-written, and comprehensive and balanced. Is it enjoyable? Yes.’ * Management Today *'An up-to-date, full-blown history, told with wit and clarity…' * Wall Street Journal *'This is critical reading for anyone who wants to understand how the world of business really works.' -- Bethany McLean, coauthor of the New York Times bestseller All the Devils Are Here'Revealing… McDonald combines a lucid chronicle of McKinsey’s growth and boardroom melodramas.' * Publishers Weekly *'Timely.… A fast-paced account of a key business institution, its deeds and misdeeds.' * Kirkus Reviews *'Fascinating. If you want to know what it is about the culture of the firm that sets it apart and has made it so successful, read this book.' -- Liaquat Ahamed, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lords of Finance'A superb examination of one of the most powerful, secretive, and least understood organizations on the planet.' -- William D. Cohan, bestselling author of Money and Power: How Goldman Sachs Came to Rule the World

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Book SynopsisBuy now with one-click. Amazon''s business model is deceptively simple: make online shopping so easy and convenient that customers won''t think twice. Yet Amazon''s success is largely down to CEO and founder Jeff Bezos, a man described as both a ''happy-go-lucky mogul'' and a ''notorious micromanager''. His high energy, passionate approach to retailing has driven Amazon to the top.Jeff Bezos is smart. Originally a computer geek, he had the vision to capitalise on the untapped online market for books. He''s also a calculating machine who creates ''deal-flow'' charts for every major decision, from what business to create to how to choose a spouse. One Click explores what makes Bezos Bezos. Through detailed research and interviews with Amazon employees, competitors and observers, Richard Brandt has deciphered how Bezos thinks, what drives his actions and how he makes his business decisions.Amazon.com was waiting to be discovered. It took Bezos''s u

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Book SynopsisClassic style and British manufacturing are both experiencing a boom in demand-driven by a desire among consumers for authentic, quality products. Britain is uniquely placed to benefit from this resurgence, given the number of heritage companies still producing at the top of their game. From the world-famous Barbour in South Shields in the north of England to John Lobb in London, many of these fine businesses remain in family ownership, protective of their traditions and justifiably proud of their products. Many are the bearers of warrants from the British Royal family and all are over 100 years old. Horst Friedrichs explores the historic places where these British brands have become some of the strongest in the world: Johnston's of Elgin in the north of Scotland, Corgi socks in southern Wales and John Smedley in Derbyshire. By highlighting the stories of these legendary brands-both new and old, grand and humble- Friedrichs and Crompton show how relevant these companies and their traditional production techniques still are. A Very British Heritage is a must-read for anyone that appreciates well-crafted products and timeless style.

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Book SynopsisIn 1962, Masahiro Shima founded Shima Seiki, with the aim of developing a fully automated seamless glove-knitting machine. Following this success, the company expanded into flat knitting machines. However, the age of the computer brought a whole new era for Shima Seiki. By committing to computerization in its mainstream products, Shima Seiki gradually began to stand apart from its competitors. Shima Seiki's focus on computer-aided knit design and programming, in fact led to a revolution in the fashion industry. Written by the inventor himself, this book looks at how Masahiro Shima developed both the technology and philosophy to enable his company to be market leaders in industrial knitting machines - and fundamentally change the fashion industry. This culminated in the launch of the company's Wholegarment knitting machine in 1995, which altered forever the way knitted garments are produced, and which today is used by fashion manufacturers across the world.

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