Management decision making Books

Book SynopsisForeword by Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell WilsonFrom a top mental conditioning coach—the world’s best brain trainer” (Sports Illustrated)—who has transformed the lives and careers of elite athletes, business leaders, and military personnel, battle-tested strategies that will give you tools to manage and overcome negativity and achieve any goal.He knows how to win. More, he knows the many ways-subtle, brutal, often self-inflicted-we lose. As the most trusted mental coach in the world of sports, Trevor Moawad has worked with many of the most dominant athletes and the savviest coaches. From Nick Saban and Kirby Smart to Russell Wilson, they all look to Moawad for help finding or keeping or regaining their competitive edge. (As do countless business leaders and members of special forces.) Now, at last, Moawad shares his unique philosophy with the general public. He lays out lessons he''s derived from his greatest career successes as well as personal setbacks, the game-changing wisdom he''s earned as the go-to whisperer for elite performers on fields of play and among men and women headed to the battlefield. Moawad''s motivational approach is elegant but refreshingly simple: He replaces hardwired negativity, the kind of defeatist mindset that''s nearly everybody''s default, with what he calls neutral thinking. His own special innovation, it''s a nonjudgmental, nonreactive way of coolly assessing problems and analyzing crises, a mode of attack that offers luminous clarity and supreme calm in the critical moments before taking decisive action. Not only can neutral thinking raise your performance level-it can transform your overall life. And it all starts, Moawad says, with letting go. Past failures, past losses-let them go. The past isn''t predictive. If you can absorb and embrace that belief, everything changes. You''ll instantly feel more calm. And the athlete-or employee or parent or spouse-who''s more calm is also more aware, and more times than not ... will win.Trade Review“ In this book, you’ll learn how to use the same concepts I employ on the field in your life.” — Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks quarterback and Super Bowl champion “ Everyone must check out my dear friend, legend, and mental coach Trevor Moawad’s new book It Takes What It Takes. The Daily Vitamin you need.” — Ciara “To be a champion on and off the field, it takes not only being in peak physical condition but being in top mental condition as well. I have had the good fortune to work with Trevor for a number of years and he is very trustworthy and one of the top individuals in this space. This book will give you a front-row seat to some of the powerful concepts our coaches and players have had unique access to.” — Jimbo Fisher, head football coach, Texas A&M University “I have had the pleasure of working with Trevor for the past eighteen years, and if gold medals were awarded for commitment, honesty, and integrity, Trevor would certainly be a triple gold medalist. His tireless dedication to the athletes he works with is without equal. I have learned from Trevor and I depend on him for valuable advice in my own work.” — Michael Johnson, four-time Olympic gold medalist and president of Michael Johnson Performance “The field of sport psychology and its discipline of mental conditioning has grown dramatically within the past fifteen years, and Trevor Moawad has been at the center of its impact. I have been a colleague of his for eighteen years, and Trevor has not only navigated this field with some of the best college football programs, elite athletes, military, and top corporations, but he has dominated it. This book is a must read for players, coaches, CEOs, and everyone else wanting to improve their mindset!” — Chad Bohling, New York Yankees director of mental conditioning and Dallas Cowboys mental conditioning consultant “Trevor Moawad has a unique understanding of the truth about human behavior, and this book provides the tools needed to acquire the outcomes that we desire. He has the gift of making incredibly complicated realities simple so that as a head coach in an NCAA Power 5 Conference, I can take decisive action today that will help me get what I want. There are no shortcuts...This book gives you a front seat into what he has done for me, Nick Saban, Jimbo Fisher, Kirby Smart, and countless others for the last eighteen years.” — Mel Tucker, head football coach, University of Colorado “I train my body relentlessly in order to be prepared for competition. Working with Trevor on having a neutral mind has given me the same tools mentally and allowed me to build an invincible mind.” — Marcus Stroman, pitcher, New York Mets “The mind is so incredibly powerful, and Trevor does a great job of teaching how we can apply his lessons about neutral thinking to improve our performance in our everyday lives. It’s not only critical to understand what you need to do to achieve your personal and professional goals but also what behaviors you need to eliminate. Regardless of your vocation, Trevor can help you change the way you think, talk, and live.” — Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, LA Clippers “Trevor has had the unique ability to establish relevance with some of the most powerful sport leaders, athletes, and programs in the world. He not only built these relationships, but has sustained them, and continually found ways to add value.” — George Pyne, founder and CEO of Bruin Sports Capital “Trevor is at the top of his game when it comes to mental conditioning. His advice is invaluable on and off the field, in the classroom as well as in the boardroom. This book is a must read for anyone looking to step up their game and realize their true potential.” — Christopher Brearton, chief operating officer of MGM Studios and board member of USA Swimming

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Book SynopsisHave you ever come up with an idea for a new product or service but didn't take any action because you thought it would be too risky? Or at work, have you had what you thought could be a big idea for your company--perhaps changing the way you develop or distribute a product, provide customer service, or hire and train your employees? If you have, but you haven't known how to take the next step, you need to understand what the authors call the innovator's method--a set of tools emerging from lean start-up, design thinking, and agile software development that are revolutionizing how new ideas are created, refined, and brought to market. To date these tools have helped entrepreneurs, designers, and software developers manage uncertainty--through cheap and rapid experiments that systematically lower failure rates and risk. But many managers and leaders struggle to apply these powerful tools within their organizations, as they often run counter to traditional managerial thinking and practice. Authors Nathan Furr and Jeff Dyer wrote this book to address that very problem. Following the breakout success of The Innovator's DNA--which Dyer wrote with Hal Gregersen and bestselling author Clay Christensen to provide a framework for generating ideas--this book shows how to make those ideas actually happen, to commercialize them for success. Based on their research inside corporations and successful start-ups, Furr and Dyer developed the innovator's method, an end-to-end process for creating, refining, and bringing ideas to market. They show when and how to apply the tools of their method, how to adapt them to your business, and how to answer commonly asked questions about the method itself, including: How do we know if this idea is worth pursuing? Have we found the right solution? What is the best business model for this new offering? This book focuses on the "how"--how to test, how to validate, and how to commercialize ideas with the lean, design, and agile techniques successful start-ups use. Whether you're launching a start-up, leading an established one, or simply working to get a new product off the ground in an existing company, this book is for you.Trade Review"Recommended reading for Creative Leaders." -- FORBES.com "The Innovator's Method does an exceptional job of incorporating concrete research with other innovation concepts to support a holistic model that outlines an end-to-end process for creating and refining ideas and then bringing them to market." -- Research-Technology Management "The Innovator's Method is filled with techniques that can help you define the jobs that customers will pay you to solve." -- Inc. "Furr and Dyer present their ideas with clarity and enthusiasm, and include helpful diagrams and charts. Readers looking for a single volume on nimble innovation will find this guide indispensable." -- Publishers Weekly ADVANCE PRAISE for The Innovator's Method: Clayton M. Christensen, Professor, Harvard Business School; author, The Innovator's Dilemma-- "This is the first book that chronicles the process of innovation from beginning to end. If one faces a high-uncertainty problem, then the tools of lean start-up and design thinking they describe are valuable innovation tools." Steve Blank, author, The Four Steps to the Epiphany; father of the Lean Start-up Movement-- "An absolute must-read for any manager or entrepreneur." John Donovan, Senior Executive Vice President, AT&T Technology and Network Operations-- "The Innovator's Method lays out the importance of leadership and culture change within large companies in today's age of uncertainty. The method serves as the foundation for accelerating innovation and driving change by bringing great ideas to life." Robert I. Sutton, professor, Stanford University; Wall Street Journal bestselling coauthor, Scaling Up Excellence-- "The Innovator's Method provides complete guidance that will help every leader navigate the difficult journey from generating viable ideas to setting the stage for their success. Furr and Dyer weave together stories and principles to make crystal clear why and how leaders ought to take action." Brad Smith, President and CEO, Intuit-- "The Innovator's Method will help leaders create a culture of experimentation that empowers teams to make decisions grounded in real experiments. The leader becomes chief experimenter, not chief decision maker, thereby enabling the company to behave like a network of start-ups." Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO, salesforce.com-- "There are dozens of books you could read about innovation--or you could read just this one. Furr and Dyer have synthesized the best ideas from lean start-up and design thinking to provide real, actionable insights that can help you test, validate, and launch new innovations."

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Book Synopsis"The Ostrich Paradox boldly addresses a key question of our time: Why are we humans so poor at dealing with disastrous risks, and what can we humans do about it? It is a must-read for everyone who cares about risk." —Daniel Kahneman, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow We fail to evacuate when advised. We rebuild in flood zones. We don't wear helmets. We fail to purchase insurance. We would rather avoid the risk of "crying wolf" than sound an alarm. Our ability to foresee and protect against natural catastrophes has never been greater; yet, we consistently fail to heed the warnings and protect ourselves and our communities, with devastating consequences. What explains this contradiction? In The Ostrich Paradox, Wharton professors Robert Meyer and Howard Kunreuther draw on years of teaching and research to explain why disaster preparedness efforts consistently fall short. Filled with heartbreaking stories of loss and resilience, the book addresses: •How people make decisions when confronted with high-consequence, low-probability events—and how these decisions can go awry •The 6 biases that lead individuals, communities, and institutions to make grave errors that cost lives •The Behavioral Risk Audit, a systematic approach for improving preparedness by recognizing these biases and designing strategies that anticipate them •Why, if we are to be better prepared for disasters, we need to learn to be more like ostriches, not less Fast-reading and critically important, The Ostrich Paradox is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand why we consistently underprepare for disasters, as well as private and public leaders, planners, and policy-makers who want to build more prepared communities.Trade Review"The Ostrich Paradox boldly addresses a key question of our time: Why are we humans so poor at dealing with disastrous risks, and what can we humans do about it? It is a must-read for everyone who cares about risk." * Daniel Kahneman, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow *"At a time when we face looming short- and long-term risks as varied as terrorism, cyberattacks, and climate change, this timely book diagnoses the innate psychological barriers to effective disaster planning and mitigation. Drawing on a variety of historical lessons and integrating insights into psychology, the authors prescribe practical approaches to disaster preparation. The Ostrich Paradox is a must-read, whether you are protecting the nation or your own family." * Michael Chertoff, Former United States Secretary of Homeland Security *"The Ostrich Paradox is an essential, sobering read for anyone interested in assessing and responding to tomorrow's hazards today. Robert Meyer and Howard Kunreuther don't just help us understand why we don't prepare for disasters as we should, they also show us how to alter those behaviors and improve preparedness." * Alan Schnitzer, Chief Executive Officer, The Travelers Companies, Inc. *"Good things typically come in threes. In The Ostrich Paradox, however, Meyer and Kunreuther skillfully distill a large body of recent psychological insights on the barriers to action in the face of potential peril into four steps of a behavioral risk audit and into four guiding principles to ensure preventive action." * Elke U. Weber, Gerhard R. Andlinger Professor in Energy and the Environment and Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs, Princeton University *

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Book SynopsisAdam Grant is an organizational psychologist at Wharton, where he has been the top-rated professor for seven straight years. His books have sold millions of copies, his TED talks have been viewed more than 30 million times, and he hosts the hit podcast Re:Thinking. His pioneering research on motivation and meaning has enabled people to reach their aspirations and exceed others' expectations. His viral piece on languishing was the most-read New York Times article of 2021 and the most-saved article across platforms. He has been recognized as one of the world's ten most influential management thinkers and Fortune's 40 Under 40, and has received distinguished scientific achievement awards from the American Psychological Association and the National Science Foundation. Grant received his B.A. from Harvard University and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, and he is a former Junior Olympic springboard diver. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and their Trade ReviewIn a world of aggressive certitude, Adam Grant's latest book is a refreshing mandate for humble open-mindedness ... not just a useful lesson; it could be a vital one * Financial Times *Wise, frank, and funny; a fabulous book about how to think more clearly and more kindly. Think Again offers a spellbinding mix of storytelling and groundbreaking research -- we urgently need this book right now * Tim Harford, bestselling author of How To Make The World Add Up *Adam Grant believes that keeping an open mind is a teachable skill. And no one could teach this hugely valuable skill better than he does in this wonderful read. The striking insights of this brilliant book are guaranteed to make you rethink your opinions and your most important decisions * Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner in economics and author of THINKING, FAST AND SLOW *Rule number one: never miss a new Adam Grant book! I loved this one! * Malcolm Gladwell *THIS. This is the right book for right now. Yes, learning requires focus. But, unlearning and relearning requires much more -- it requires choosing courage over comfort. In THINK AGAIN, Adam Grant weaves together research and storytelling to help us build the intellectual and emotional muscle we need to stay curious enough about the world to actually change it. I've never felt so hopeful about what I don't know * Brené Brown, Ph.D., #1 New York Times bestselling author of DARE TO LEAD *

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1 Tool The Portfolio Map p. 10 Explore Portfolio p. 14 Exploit Portfolio p. 27 Explore and Exploit p. 37 2 Manage Strategic Guidance p. 50 Explore Portfolio Management p. 70 Exploit Portfolio Management p. 109 3 Invent Pattern Library Frontstage Disruption p. 142 Backstage Disruption p. 162 Profit formula Disruption p. 188 Assessment Questions for Leaders p. 212 4 Improve Pattern Library Value Proposition Shifts p. 230 Frontstage Driven Shifts p. 242 Backstage Driven Shifts p. 254 Profit Formula Driven Shifts p. 266 Questions for Leaders p. 280 5 Culture The Culture Map p. 296 Designing an Exploration Culture p. 308 Innovation Culture Readiness Assessment p. 314

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Book Synopsis“Outstanding business insights in a work brimming with energy and vitality.” —Kirkus Reviews In this visual guide to thriving in the midst of chaos, scientist, entrepreneur and “Reinvention Guru” Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva brings together the insights from a community of 3000+ “reinventors” to offer a bold new method for business resilience during disruptive times. Running a successful business amidst constant change is overwhelming. Just as we handle one disruption, another crisis looms on the horizon. How do you survive and even thrive? 4-time TEDx speaker Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva and her global Chief Reinvention Officer community understand the struggle and helped countless companies and leaders deal with change by reinventing their products, processes, and leadership practices. Now she brings to you a powerful blend of cross-disciplinary research and battle-tested tools to help you diagnose, design, and implement a reinvention system that allows your company to stop combatting or resisting change – and instead helps you turn every disruption into your greatest opportunity.

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Book SynopsisMaster the demand forecasting skills you need to decide what resources to acquire, products to produce, and where and how to distribute them. For demand planners, S&OP managers, supply chain leaders, and data scientists. Demand Forecasting Best Practices is a unique step-by-step guide, demonstrating forecasting tools, metrics, and models alongside stakeholder management techniques that work in a live business environment. You will learn how to: Lead a demand planning team to improve forecasting quality while reducing workload Properly define the objectives, granularity, and horizon of your demand planning process Use smart, value-weighted KPIs to track accuracy and bias Spot areas of your process where there is room for improvement Help planners and stakeholders (sales, marketing, finances) add value to your process Identify what kind of data you should be collecting, and how Utilise different types of statistical and machine learning models Follow author Nicolas Vandeput's original five-step framework for demand planning excellence and learn how to tailor it to your own company's needs. You will learn how to optimise demand planning for a more effective supply chain and will soon be delivering accurate predictions that drive major business value. About the technology Demand forecasting is vital for the success of any product supply chain. It allows companies to make better decisions about what resources to acquire, what products to produce, and where and how to distribute them. As an effective demand forecaster, you can help your organisation avoid overproduction, reduce waste, and optimise inventory levels for a real competitive advantage.

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Book SynopsisLeaders Leap goes beyond the standard business playbook and teaches you the secrets to creating the bolder, faster, and essential transformation needed to avoid becoming irrelevant in an era of profound and accelerating change. Renowned thought leader on business strategy and innovation Steve Dennis argues that most business transformations are doomed to fail due to two fundamental reasons: their leaders don’t aim high enough, delivering mostly incremental changes rather than something truly remarkable, and they move far too slowly to keep up with the pace of disruption. This gap between what is required in a world of seismic shifts in technology and customer requirements and what is typically delivered risks putting many organizations on the road to extinction. Solid strategy, team building, and process planning are

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Book SynopsisJust making a decision can be hard enough, but how do you begin to judge whether it's the right one? Chip and Dan Heath, authors of #1 New York Times best-seller Switch, show you how to overcome your brain's natural shortcomings. In Decisive, Chip and Dan Heath draw on decades of psychological research to explain why we so often get it very badly wrong - why our supposedly rational brains are frequently tripped up by powerful biases and wishful thinking. At the same time they demonstrate how relatively easy it is to avoid the pitfalls and find the best answers, offering four simple principles that we can all learn and follow. In the process, they show why it is that experts frequently make mistakes. They demonstrate the perils of getting trapped in a narrow decision frame. And they explore people's tendency to be over-confident about how their choices will unfold. Drawing on case studies as diverse as the downfall of Kodak and the inspiring account of a cancer survivor, they offer both a fascinating tour through the workings of our minds and an invaluable guide to making smarter decisions.Winner in the Practical Manager category of the CMI Management Book of the Year awards 2014.Trade ReviewA well-written, thought-provoking book. * Management Today *A leader's most important job is to make good decisions, which - minus perfect knowledge of the future - is tough to do consistently . . . The Heath brothers explain how to navigate the land mines laid by our irrational brains and improve our chances of good outcomes. * Inc. *The writing is humorous and often surprising . . . coupled with their insightful analyses, the book proves particularly insightful. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPart I: INTRODUCTION TO LEADERSHIP. 1. What Does It Mean to Be a Leader? Part II: RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES ON LEADERSHIP. 2. Traits, Behaviors, and Relationships. 3. Contingency Approaches to Leadership. Part III: THE PERSONAL SIDE OF LEADERSHIP. 4. The Leader as an Individual. 5. Leadership Head and Heart. 6. Courage and Moral Leadership. 7. Leadership Vision And Purpose. Part IV: THE LEADER AS A RELATIONSHIP BUILDER. 8. Motivation and Empowerment. 9. Leadership Communication. 10. Leading Teams. 11. Leading Diversity and Inclusion. 12. Leadership Power and Influence. Part V: THE LEADER AS A SOCIAL ARCHITECT. 13. Setting the Stage for Followership. 14. Shaping Culture and Values. 15. Leading Change.

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Book SynopsisAdrian Reed is an enthusiastic Business Analyst and Consultant who loves working with others to solve tricky problems. He is Principal Consultant at Blackmetric Business Solutions, a niche business analysis training and consulting firm based in the UK. He speaks internationally on topics related to business analysis and problem solving, and enthusiastically believes in the benefits of good problem definition and business analysis.Table of ContentsIntroduction About the AuthorAcknowledgements Chapter 1. Avoid the Solution Trap Speed Read 1.1 What’s wrong with a knee-jerk solution? 1.2 Think Holistically 1.3 Structure your problem solving 1.4 Scour the stakeholder landscape 1.5 Slow down to speed up 1.6 Uncover constraints 1.7 Be concise yet precise: Introducing the one page Problem Canvas Big Picture 1.1 What’s wrong with a knee-jerk solution? 1.2 Think Holistically 1.3 Structure your problem solving approach 1.4 Scour the stakeholder landscape 1.5 Slow down to speed up : Be prepared for challenge 1.6 Uncover Constraints 1.7 Be concise yet precise: Introducing the one-page Problem Canvas Chapter 2. Think Problem before Solution Speed Read 2.1 The importance of “Why”2.2 Defining a problem or opportunity statement 2.3 Encourage Divergent and Convergent Thinking 2.4 Get to the root of the problem 2.5 Consider the External Environment2.6 Consider Multiple Perspectives on the Problem 2.7 Gain Consensus and Move Forward Big Picture 2.1 The importance of “Why” 2.2. Defining a problem or opportunity statement 2.3 Encourage Divergent and Convergent Thinking 2.4 Get to the root of the problem 2.5 Consider the External Environment 2.6 Consider Multiple Perspectives on the Problem 2.7 Gain Consensus and Move Forward Chapter 3. Defining the Outcomes: What Does Success Look Like? Speed Read 3.1 Encourage Outcome Based Thinking 3.2 Start With the End in Mind: Define Critical Success Factor 3.3 Make it measurable with Key Performance Indicators 3.4 Attain Balance with the Balanced Business Scorecards 3.5 Revisit and Consider Constraints 3.6 Ensuring Organisational Alignment 3.7 Assess different perspectives on outcomes Big Picture3.1 Encourage outcome-based thinking 3.2 Start With the End in Mind: Define Critical Success Factors 3.3 Make it measurable with Key Performance Indicators 3.4 Attain Balance with the Balanced Business Scorecard 3.5 Revisit and Consider Constraints 3.6 Ensuring Organisational Alignment 3.7 Assess different perspectives on outcomes Chapter 4. Assessing Scope and Impact Speed Read4.1 The danger of “Scope Creep” 4.2 Know the difference: Impacted, Interested and Involved 4.3 Understand the problem situation 4.4 Find the Roles & Goals 4.5 Make it visual with a Business Use Case Model 4.6 Set the priorities 4.7 Set the boundaries of scope Big Picture 4.1 The danger of “Scope Creep” 4.2 Know the difference: Impacted, Interested and Involved 4.3 Understand the problem situation 4.4 Find the Roles & Goals 4.5 Make it visual with a Business Use Case Model 4.6 Set the priorities 4.7 Set the boundaries of scope Chapter 5. Solutioneering: Generating Solution Options Speed Read 5.1 Keep the outcomes clearly in mind 5.2 Get Together and Imagine Multiple Solutions 5.3 Start evaluating solutions: Create a “long list” 5.4 Getting Specific: Short list the best 5.5 Consider Doing Nothing 5.6 Compare the short listed options 5.7 Validate and make a recomme

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Book SynopsisWinner of best smart thinking book 2022 (Business Book Awards)Guardian best books of 2021''Original, thought-provoking and a joy to read'' Tim Harford''Highly recommended. It''s not easy to become (more of) a scout, but it''s hard not to be inspired by this book'' Rutger BregmanWhen it comes to what we believe, humans see what they want to see. In other words, we have what Julia Galef calls a ''soldier'' mindset. From tribalism and wishful thinking, to rationalising in our personal lives and everything in between, we are driven to defend the ideas we most want to believe - and shoot down those we don''t.But if we want to get things right more often we should train ourselves to think more like a scout. Unlike the soldier, a scout''s goal isn''t to defend one side over the other. It''s to go out, survey the territory, and come back with as accurate a map as possible. Regardless of what they hope to be the case, aboTrade ReviewJulia Galef doesn't simply harangue us for not thinking clearly; she diagnoses why we do it, and suggests concrete ways to improve our rationality. This is a book that will make a real difference in how you think -- Sean Carroll, author of Something Deeply HiddenJulia Galef is an intellectual leader of the rationalist community, and in The Scout Mindset you will find an engaging, clearly written distillation of her very important accumulated wisdom on these topics -- Tyler Cowen, author of Big Business and The Great StagnationDrawing on her extensive knowledge of the scientific literature and of popular culture, Julia Galef explores the remarkable human capacity for self-deception - and shows us how we can catch ourselves in the act of fooling ourselves -- Philip Tetlock, author of SuperforecastingThe Scout Mindset offers an insightful, entertaining and genuinely useful guide to thinking more clearly -- Don Moore, author of Perfectly ConfidentAn engaging and enlightening account from which we all can benefit * Wall Street Journal *Highly recommended. It's not easy to become (more of) a scout, but it's hard not to be inspired by this book -- Rutger Bregman, bestselling author of Humankind and Utopia for RealistsWe know a lot about how flawed human reasoning is, but surprisingly little about how to repair it in our daily lives. Thankfully, Julia Galef is here to change that. With insights that are both sharp and actionable, her book picks up where Predictably Irrational left off. Reading it will teach you to think more clearly, see yourself more accurately, and be wrong a little less often -- Adam Grant, author of Originals and Give and Take, host of WorkLife podcastJulia understands human thinking with incredible clarity and she's a master at communicating that clarity to others through her writing and metaphors. I haven't stopped thinking about the scout mindset ever since I first heard Julia explain it -- Tim Urban, writer and creator of Wait But WhyJulia Galef is one of the smartest, most exciting voices not just in American rationalism, but in American writing period. She is consistently fascinating -- Johann Hari, international bestselling author of Stolen Focus and Lost ConnectionsJulia Galef, one of our foremost experts on identifying the problem of motivated reasoning and cognitive biases, has produced the best work to date on what to do about it, both personally to improve our lives and socially to make the world a more rational and reasonable place for all. A must-read for all who have trouble saying "I was wrong" and "I change my mind", which is all of us -- Michael Shermer, writer, founder of Skeptic, and New York Times bestselling author of The Moral ArcThe Scout Mindset is essential reading for understanding how the stories we tell ourselves sacrifice better decision-making in the long-term for a short-term boost to our egos . . . A must-read for anyone looking be more rational in their choices -- Annie Duke, author of Thinking in BetsMost books tell you what to think. This is something rarer, and more valuable: A book about how to think and how to learn, without the fear or favour that so often holds us back from inching closer to the truth. The beauty of The Scout Mindset demonstration is it is, itself, an example of the ethos it teaches. The delight it takes in questioning its own premises, and understanding the alternative arguments, will make you want to be a scout, too -- Ezra Klein, cofounder of Vox, author of Why We Are Polarized, and host of The Ezra Klein Show podcastI've learned more about how to think and reason well from Julia Galef than from almost anyone -- Dylan Matthews, senior correspondent at VoxAn engaging and enlightening account from which we all can benefit * Wall Street Journal *Highly recommended. It's not easy to become (more of) a scout, but it's hard not to be inspired by this book * Rutger Bregman, bestselling author of Humankind and Utopia for Realists *

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Book SynopsisDavid Cotton spent 21 years with Arthur Andersen and PwC before becoming a freelance trainer in 2002. He has worked in four continents and more than 40 countries, delivering a wide range of training in management, leadership, communication skills, business networking, confidence building, dealing with difficult people, change management, business strategy, coaching and mentoring. David's clients span local and national government and nearly every industry sector and include the European Parliament, European Commission and many of its agencies, the United Nations, BBC, Syrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Russian Federal Commission, Croatian MOD, PwC, most of the major Middle Eastern oil and gas companies, Manchester Business School and many others. He has published scores of articles and more than a dozen books, including Key Management Development Models (FT Publishing, 2015).Trade Review“The essential guide for any problem solving situation. Effective, practical and very accessible. Highly recommended.” Chris Garthwaite, CEO CGA Consulting "There isn't a single individual or organisation that could fail to benefit from the many practical approaches to problem-solving in this book. Everyone should read it!” Andrew Hilton, Managing Director, Corporate Training Partnerships Ltd “F. Durrenmatt says 'What concerns everyone, can only be solved by everyone' - and David's book is the practical guide to getting everyone fully engaged with a creative technique to solve any of your challenges.” Peter Schwanh™ußer, Partner, papilio ag, ZurichTable of ContentsAbout the author Acknowledgements Introduction Part 1 - Which tools to use and when Tools for broad problem areas Tools for specific problems Part 2 - Problem solving essentials Barriers to problem solving Framing a problem Stages in problem solving Preparation for group problem solving Equipment needed Part 3 - Problem solving techniques for individuals and small groups 1. Force field analysis and graphical force field analysis 2. Tough questions 3. Ritual dissent (and ritual assent) 4. Brain-friendly brainstorming 5. Reverse brainstorming 6. Procrastination 7. Cartesian logic 8. Brainwriting 9. Individual and collective mind mapping 10. Structured walkthroughs 11. Life through a lens 12. Nominal group technique 13. GROW for problem-solving 14. Head/Heart-Push/Pull 15. Osborne-Parnes critical problem solving process 16. Appreciative inquiry 17. Competitive ideas 18. Why not? 19. MUSE 20. Ishikawa fishbone diagrams 21. Deming’s PDSA Cycle (The ‘Shewhart Cycle’) 22. 3D stakeholder mapping 23. Two words technique 24. The association grid 25. Delphi technique 26. Lotus blossom technique 27. Photographic associations 28. Random word technique 29. Challenging assumptions 30. Metaphorical problem-solving 31. Who else has solved this problem? 32. How-How? 33. The 5 Whys/Question Everything 34. Jelly Baby Tree 35. Future shock 36. What if? 37. What if we didn’t? 38. Reframing 39. Ripple effect (systems thinking) 40. What I need from you 41. Concentration diagrams 42. Pareto analysis – simplified version 43. Solution effect analysis 44. The work map 45. Competing values framework 46. Timelining 47. One question 48. Peer assist 49. Action learning 50. Story circles 51. Swim Lane diagrams (Rummler-Brache diagrams) Part 4 - Large group problem solving techniques 52. Crawford’s Slip 53. Charrette Procedure 54. Starbursting 55. Open space 56. World café 57. Pro-action cafe Part 5 - Problem solving business games When and how to use business games 58. Retirement speeches 59. Convince me 60. Evolution 61. It’s in the news 62. The trial 63. Tortoise and hare 64. Art gallery 65. Proverbial problem solving 66. There are no rules 67. Documentary 68. Pitch Perfect Part 6 – Sharing and implementing solutions Sharing solutions Implementing solutions

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Book SynopsisIDEO founder and Stanford d.school creator David Kelley and his brother Tom Kelley, IDEO partner and the author of the bestselling The Art of Innovation, have written a powerful and compelling book on unleashing the creativity that lies within each and every one of us.Too often, companies and individuals assume that creativity and innovation are the domain of the creative types.  But two of the leading experts in innovation, design, and creativity on the planet show us that each and every  one of us is creative.  In an incredibly entertaining and inspiring narrative that draws on countless stories from their work at IDEO, the Stanford d.school, and with many of the world's top companies, David and Tom Kelley identify the principles and strategies that will allow us to tap into our creative potential in our work lives, and in our personal lives, and allow us to innovate in terms of how we approach and solve problems.  It is a book that will help each of us be more productive and successful in our lives and in our careers.

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Book Synopsis"Artful scenario spinning is a form of convergent thinking about divergent futures. It ensures that you are not always right about the future but--better--that you are almost never wrong about the future. The technology is powerful, simple, and enjoyable, and so is Schwartza s book.Table of ContentsIntroduction to the Paperback Edition: The Strategic Conversation - Broadening The Long View The Pathfinders Tale The Smith & Hawken Story: The Process of Scenario-Building Uncovering the Decision Information-Hunting and Gathering Creating Scenario Building Blocks Anatomy of a New Driving Force: The Global Teenager Composing a Plot The World in 2005: Three Scenarios Rehearsing The Future Epilogue: To My Newborn Son Afterword: The Value of a Strategic Conversation Appendix: Steps to Developing Scenarios

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Book SynopsisThe Missing Link to Toyota-Style SuccessâLEAN LEADERSHIPWinner of the 2012 Shingo Research and Professional Publications AwardâœThis great book reveals the secret ingredient to lean success: lean leadership. Not only is it a pleasure to read, but it is also deep and enlightening. This book is an absolute must-read for anyone interested in lean: itâs both an eye opener and a game changer.ââMichael BallÃ, Ph.D., coauthor of The Gold Mine and The Lean ManagerâœThis will immediately be recognized as the most important book ever published to understand and guide âTrue North Leanâ and the goal of perpetual business excellence.ââRoss E. Robson, President and CEO, DnR Lean, LLC, and the original Director of The Shingo PrizeâœAn excellent book that will shape leadership development for decades to come.ââKaren Martin, Principal, Karen Martin & Associates, and author of The Kaizen Event PlannerAbout

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Book SynopsisFeaturing diagrams and drawings, this title contains practical tools and techniques to train your brain to solve problems, create solutions and make faster, better decisions.Trade ReviewIf everyone made decisions like Ken Watanabe, the world would be a better place * Seth Godin, author of Tribes *Problem Solving 101 teaches us to recognize the common elements in the decisions we face every day, and how to think carefully about them. It offers tricks and tips for every age * Dan Ariely, author of the New York Time bestseller Predictably Irrational *a business best seller * Business Week *This is an excellent primer on problem solving * Lowell Bryan, author of Mobilizing Minds *

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Book SynopsisIIE/Joint Publishers Book of the Year Award 2016! Awarded for an outstanding published book that focuses on a facet of industrial engineering, improves education, or furthers the profession .Table of ContentsPreface xi 1 Introduction to Engineering Decision Making 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Decision Making in Engineering Practice 4 1.3 Decision Making and Optimization 5 1.4 Decision Making and Problem Solving 6 1.5 Decision Making and Risk Management 7 1.6 Problems in Decision Making 8 1.7 The Value of Improving Decision Making 8 1.8 Perspectives on Decision Making 9 Exercises 10 References 12 2 Decision-Making Fundamentals 15 2.1 Decision Characteristics 16 2.2 Objectives in Decision Making 17 2.3 Influence Diagrams 22 2.4 Rationality 24 2.5 Dominance 29 2.6 Choice Strategies 31 2.7 Making Tradeoffs 33 2.8 Reframing the Decision 34 2.9 Risk Acceptance 36 2.10 Measurement Scales 37 Exercises 39 References 46 3 Multicriteria Decision Making 51 3.1 Pugh Concept Selection Method 54 3.2 Analytic Hierarchy Process 56 3.3 Multiattribute Utility Theory 62 3.4 Conjoint Analysis 67 3.5 Value of a Statistical Life 70 3.6 Compensation 71 3.7 The Impact of Changing Weights 74 Exercises 76 References 81 4 Group Decision Making 85 4.1 Ranking 88 4.2 Scoring and Majority Judgment 92 4.3 Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem 95 Exercises 96 References 99 5 Decision Making Under Uncertainty 101 5.1 Types of Uncertainties 103 5.2 Assessing a Subjective Probability 105 5.3 Imprecise Probabilities 107 5.4 Cumulative Risk Profile and Dominance 108 5.5 Decision Trees: Modeling 110 5.6 Decision Trees: Determining Expected Values 112 5.7 Sequential Decision Making 114 5.8 Modeling Risk Aversion 115 5.9 Robustness 120 5.10 Uncertainty Propagation: Sensitivity Analysis 125 5.11 Uncertainty Propagation: Method of Moments 127 5.12 Uncertainty Propagation: Monte Carlo Simulation 129 Exercises 132 References 138 6 Game Theory 141 6.1 Game Theory Basics 144 6.2 Zero-Sum Games 144 6.3 Optimal Mixed Strategies for Zero-Sum Games 145 6.4 The Minimax Theorem 147 6.5 Resource Allocation Games 147 6.6 Mixed Motive Games 148 6.7 Bidding 151 6.8 Stackelberg Games 152 Exercises 153 References 157 7 Decision-Making Processes 161 7.1 Decision-Making Contexts 164 7.2 Technical Knowledge and Problem Consensus 165 7.3 Optimization: Search and Evaluation 169 7.4 Diagnosing Risk Decision Situations 170 7.5 Values and Ethics 171 7.6 Systematic Decision-Making Processes 172 7.7 The Decision-Making Cycle 174 7.8 The Analytic-Deliberative Process 175 7.9 Concept Selection 176 7.10 Decision Calculus 177 7.11 Recognition-Primed Decision Making 178 7.12 Heuristics 178 7.13 Unconscious Decision Making 179 7.14 Search 179 7.15 Types of Search in Practice 183 7.16 Secretary Problem 185 7.17 Composite Decisions 187 7.18 Separation 189 7.19 Product Development Processes 194 Exercises 197 References 200 8 The Value of Information 207 8.1 The Expected Value of Perfect Information 212 8.2 The Expected Value of Imperfect Information 214 8.3 Experimentation to Reduce Ambiguity 221 8.4 Experimentation to Compare Alternatives 225 8.5 Experimentation to Compare Alternatives with Multiple Attributes 228 Exercises 232 References 237 9 Risk Management 239 9.1 Risk Management Process 244 9.2 Potential Problem Analysis 247 9.3 Risk Management Guide for DOD Acquisition 252 9.4 Risk Management at NASA 253 9.5 Precursors 254 9.6 Warnings 257 9.7 Risk Communication 259 9.8 Managing the Risk of a Bad Decision 265 9.9 Learning from Failures 271 9.10 Transforming Failure Information 275 Exercises 276 References 282 10 Decision-Making Systems 289 10.1 Introduction to Decision-Making Systems 291 10.2 Mechanisms of Organization Influence 292 10.3 Roles in Decision-Making Systems 293 10.4 Information Flow 296 10.5 The Structure of Decision-Making Systems 297 10.6 Product Development Organizations 298 10.7 Information Flow in Product Development 299 10.8 The Design Factory 302 Exercises 302 References 303 11 Modeling and Improving Decision-Making Systems 307 11.1 Modeling Decision-Making Systems 309 11.2 Rich Pictures 310 11.3 Swimlanes 311 11.4 Root Definitions 313 11.5 Conceptual Models 315 11.6 Models of Product Development Organizations 317 11.7 Improving Decision-Making Systems 317 11.8 An Integrative Strategy 319 Exercises 325 References 326 Index 331

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

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Book SynopsisDecision-making is an activity in which everyone is engaged on a more or less daily basis. In this book, Karin Brunsson and Nils Brunsson explore the intricacies of decision-making for individuals and organizations. When, how and why do they make decisions? The authors identify four distinct ways of reasoning that decision-makers use. The consequences of decisions vary: some promote action, others impede it, and some produce more responsibility than others. With in-depth discussions of rationality, justifications and hypocrisy, the authors show how organizational and political decision processes become over-complicated and difficult for both decision makers and external observers to understand. Decisions is a concise and easy-to-read introduction to a highly significant and intriguing topic. Based on research from several fields, it provides useful reading and essential knowledge for scholars and students throughout the social sciences and for everyone who wants to understand their own decisions and those of others.Trade Review'Decision-making is often a confusing and confused process. Emotions, judgements and prejudices can all play a part, whether a decision is made by an individual, a group or an organization. The study of decision making, however, doesn't have to be either confusing or confused as this excellent book eloquently demonstrates. The four logics of decision-making identified here provide the authors with a framework which enables them to explain in clear and simple terms decisions that appear complex, confusing or irrational.' --Yiannis Gabriel, University of Bath, UK'This rich, imaginative little book offers fascinating insights into the intricacies of decision making by both individuals and organizations, and a sobering appraisal of the delayed Swedish response to the 2004 tsunami. Any new book by Karen and Nils Brunsson is a welcome treat, and this one is a gem!' --Walter W. Powell, Stanford University'Decisions: The Complexities of Individual and Organizational Decision-Making by Nils and Karin Brunsson offers an excellent introduction to the complexities of decision-making. Decades of research on decision making are succinctly summarized and presented in a refreshing and easily accessible way. A must read for researchers, students and practitioners who want to get an overview of the latest insights into the particularities of individual and organizational decision-making.' --David Seidl, University of Zurich, SwitzerlandTable of ContentsContents: The Quake 1. Decisions 2. Individuals as decision makers 3. Organizations as decision makers 4. The Consequences of Decisions 5. Complex decision processes After the tsunami References Index

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Book SynopsisA Dozen Lessons for Entrepreneurs shows how the insights of leading venture capitalists can teach readers to create a unique approach to building a successful business. By better understanding the views and experiences of a wide range of entrepreneurs, readers can discern which of many possible paths will lead to success.Trade ReviewWhen I first came to Silicon Valley, I was struck by how much people teach and learn from one another. In this book, Tren continues that spirit by sharing his own learning from others-and explains how investment judgments and decisions are made in the world of tech start-ups. -- Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz The book is among a select few to categorize the key learnings of leading VCs. -- Chris GoulakosTable of ContentsConcept DirectoryForeword, by Scott BelskyIntroductionI. The Founder Coaches1. Steve Blank2. Bill Campbell3. Eric RiesII. The Venture Capitalists4. Sam Altman: Y Combinator5. Steve Anderson: Baseline Ventures6. Marc Andreessen: Andreessen Horowitz7. Rich Barton: Expedia, Glassdoor, Zillow8. Roelof Botha: Sequoia Capital9. Jim Breyer: Breyer Capital10. Chris Dixon: Andreessen Horowitz11. John Doerr: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers12. Peter Fenton: Benchmark13. Jim Goetz: Sequoia Capital14. Paul Graham: Y Combinator15. Kirsten Green: Forerunner Ventures16. Bill Gurley: Benchmark17. Reid Hoffman: Greylock Partners18. Ben Horowitz: Andreessen Horowitz19. Vinod Khosla: Khosla Ventures20. Josh Kopelman: First Round Capital21. Jenny Lee: GGV Capital22. Doug Leone: Sequoia Capital23. Dan Levitan: Maveron24. Jessica Livingston: Y Combinator25. Mary Meeker: Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers26. Michael Moritz: Sequoia Capital27. Chamath Palihapitiya: Social Capital28. Keith Rabois: Khosla Ventures29. Andy Rachleff: Wealthfront30. Naval Ravikant: AngelList31. Heidi Roizen: Draper Fisher Jurvetson32. Mark Suster: Upfront Ventures33. Peter Thiel: Founders Fund34. Fred Wilson: Union Square Ventures35. Ann Winblad: Hummer Winblad Venture PartnersConclusionGlossary

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Book SynopsisThough technology has evolved at hyper speed over the past hundred years, management styles have mostly stayed the same. The higher-ups make the decisions, and the employees grind it out, often without knowing the endgame. In 1983, Jack Stack created a new game: The Great Game of Business. Get In The Game further explains the rules of this Game: to win, you must get everyone at all levels of the business as informed, involved, and engaged as the owner. This book offers a step-by-step guide on how to teach employees the numbers, show them the big picture, and let them have a say in the company’s future. The Game has already benefited thousands of companies: Is yours ready to get in The Game?

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Book SynopsisNo matter your field, industry, or specialty, as a leader you make a series of crucial decisions every single day. And the harsh truth is that the majority of decisions—no matter how good the intentions behind them—are mismanaged, resulting in a huge toll on organizations, the people they employ, and even the people they serve.So why is it so hard to make sound decisions? In Think Twice, now in paperback, Michael Mauboussin argues that we often fall victim to simplified mental routines that prevent us from coping with the complex realities inherent in important judgment calls. Yet these cognitive errors are preventable.In this engaging book, Mauboussin shows us how to recognize and avoid common mental missteps. These include misunderstanding cause-and-effect linkages, not considering enough alternative possibilities in making a decision, and relying too much on experts.Through vivid stories, the author presents memorable rules for avoidinTrade Review"... a fine pick for any business collection strong in management issues, and addresses some of the predecessors of bad mistakes." -- Bookwatch

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Book SynopsisWritten by the author of "The Art and Science of Negotiation", this title incorporates three strands of inquiry: individual decision analysis, judgmental decision making, and game theory.Trade ReviewHarvard professor emeritus Raiffa and his co-authors have everything covered in this exhaustive work, which examines the dynamics of win-lose, win-win and multi-party negotiations and throws novel approaches like game theory into the mix. Especially timely is the analysis of "external help," in which the authors evaluate the growing trend of mediation and arbitration...It's certainly thorough, with its plethora of decision-making scenarios...to bring advanced theories to life. And Raiffa is one of the deans of the field. * Publishers Weekly *Negotiation Analysis makes a significant contribution to an important field...This is a classic text, synthesizing two approaches to negotiation: the 'art' handles human factors and the 'science' structured models. The book aims to equip negotiators with the skills 'to do a better job.' It is a massive work--550 pages--created by perhaps the most powerful intellect in the field. -- Douglas Hague * Times Higher Education Supplement *Howard Raiffa created the field of negotiation analysis, and this book is a great development of his ideas. It pushes negotiation analysis to a higher level and should be required reading for all serious students and practitioners of negotiation and alternative dispute resolution. The book is brilliant. It will help to make the world a better place. -- Max Bazerman, author of Judgment in Managerial Decision MakingTable of ContentsPreface Part I. Fundamentals 1. Decision Perspectives On four approaches to decision making 2. Decision Analysis On how individuals should and could decide 3. Behavioral Decision Theory On the psychology of decisions; on how real people do decide 4. Game Theory On how rational beings should decide separately in interactive situations 5. Negotiation Analysis On how you should and could collaborate with others Part II. Two-Party Distributive (Win-Lose) Negotiations 6. Elmtree House On setting the stage for adversarial bargaining 7. Distributive Negotiations: The Basic Problem On the essence of noncooperative, win-lose negotiations 8. Introducing Complexities: Uncertainty On deciding to settle out of court and other problems of choice under uncertainty 9. Introducing Complexities: Time On entrapments and downward escalation; on real and virtual strikes 10. Auctions and Bids On comparing different auction and competitive bidding procedures Part III. Two-Party Integrative (Win-Win) Negotiations 11. Template Design On brainstorming alone and together; on deciding what must be decided 12. Template Evaluation On deciding what you need and want 13. Template Analysis (I) On finding a joint compromise for a special simple case 14. Template Analysis (II) On finding a joint compromise for the general case 15. Behavioral Realities On learning how people do negotiate in the laboratory and the real world 16. Noncooperative Others On how to tackle noncooperative adversaries Part IV. External Help 17. Mostly Facilitation and Mediation On helping with people problems 18. Arbitration: Conventional and Nonconventional On how a neutral joint analyst might help 19. What Is Fair? On principles for deciding joint outcomes 20. Parallel Negotiations On negotiating without Negotiating Part V. Many Parties 21. Group Decisions On organizing and managing groups 22. Consensus On how to achieve a shared agreement for all 23. Coalitions On the dynamics of splitting and joining subgroups 24. Voting On anomalies of collective action based on voting schemes 25. Pluralistic Parties On dealing with parties fractured by internal conflict 26. Multiparty Interventions On the role of external helpers in multiparty negotiations 27. Social Dilemmas On the conflict between self-interest and group interest References Note on Sources Index

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Book SynopsisThis revised and updated fifth edition of Accounting for Managers builds on the international success of the previous editions in explaining how accounting is used by non-financial managers. Emphasizing the interpretation as opposed to the construction of accounting information, Accounting for Managers encourages a critical rather than unthinking acceptance of accounting techniques. Whilst accounting information is immensely valuable for planning, decision making and control, users need to recognize the assumptions behind, and the limitations of, particular accounting techniques. As in the previous editions, Accounting for Managers combines theory with practical examples and contemporary case studies drawn from real business situations across a wide range of manufacturing, retail and service industries. Accounting for Managers is an ideal companion for postgraduate and undergraduate students, as well as non-financial managers in execuTable of ContentsPreface to the Fifth Edition xiii About the Author xvii Acknowledgements xix Part I Context of Accounting 1 1 Introduction to Accounting 3 Accounting, accountability, and the account 3 A short history of accounting 5 Introducing the functions of accounting 7 The role of financial accounting 7 The role of management accounting 8 Recent developments in accounting 10 The relationship between financial accounting and management accounting 12 A critical perspective 14 Conclusion 16 References 16 Questions 17 2 Accounting and its Relationship to Shareholder Value and Corporate Governance 19 Capital and product markets 19 Shareholder value‐based management 21 Shareholder value, strategy, and accounting 23 Company regulation and corporate governance 25 Risk management, internal control, and accounting 28 A critical perspective 29 Conclusion 30 References 30 Questions 31 3 Recording Financial Transactions and the Principles of Accounting 33 Business events, transactions, and the accounting system 33 The double entry: recording transactions 35 Extracting financial information from the accounting system 38 Basic principles of accounting 42 Cost terms and concepts: the limitations of financial accounting 45 Conclusion 47 References 47 Questions 47 4 Management Control, Accounting, and its Rational‐Economic Assumptions 51 Management control systems 51 Planning and control in organizations 54 Non‐financial performance measurement 58 A theoretical framework for accounting 64 Conclusion 65 References 65 Websites 67 Questions 67 5 Interpretive and Critical Perspectives on Accounting and Decision Making 69 Research and theory in management control and accounting 70 Alternative paradigms 73 The interpretive paradigm and the social construction perspective 75 Culture, control, and accounting 77 The radical paradigm and critical accounting 78 Power and accounting 80 Creative accounting, ethics, and accounting 84 Conclusion 90 References 91 Questions 93 Part II The Use of Financial Statements for Decision Making 95 6 Constructing Financial Statements: IFRS and the Framework of Accounting 97 International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 98 Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements 100 True and fair view 103 Reporting profitability: the Income Statement and Statement of Comprehensive Income 104 Reporting financial position: the Balance Sheet or Statement of Financial Position 107 The matching principle and accruals accounting 109 Depreciation 111 Specific IFRS accounting treatments 112 Reporting cash flow: the Statement of Cash Flows 116 Differences between the financial statements 118 A theoretical perspective on financial statements 120 A critical perspective on financial statements and accounting standards 121 Conclusion 122 Reference 122 Websites 122 Appendix to Chapter 6: List of IFRS and FRS 123 Questions 125 7 Interpreting Financial Statements 129 Annual Reports 129 The context of financial statements 131 Ratio analysis 132 Profitability 133 Liquidity 135 Gearing 135 Activity/efficiency 136 Working capital 137 Managing receivables 138 Managing inventory 138 Managing payables 139 Managing working capital 139 Shareholder return 140 The relationship between financial ratios 141 Interpreting financial statements using ratios 143 Using the Statement of Cash Flows 145 Limitations of ratio analysis 152 A wider view on corporate reporting 156 Intellectual capital 157 Institutional theory 158 Corporate social and environmental responsibility 158 Applying different perspectives to financial statements 161 Conclusion 162 References 163 Questions 163 8 Accounting for Inventory 171 Introduction to inventory 171 Methods of costing inventory in manufacturing 175 Management accounting statements 180 Conclusion 181 Questions 182 Part III Using Accounting Information for Decision Making, Planning, and Control 185 9 Accounting and Information Systems 187 Introduction to accounting and information systems 187 Methods of data collection 188 Big data 190 Types of information system 190 Business processes 192 Information systems design and controls 194 Conclusion 196 References 196 Questions 196 10 Marketing Decisions 197 Marketing strategy 197 Cost behaviour 199 Cost–volume–profit analysis 201 Alternative approaches to pricing 208 Segmental profitability 212 Customer profitability analysis 216 Conclusion 219 References 219 Questions 220 11 Operating Decisions 223 The operations function 223 Managing operations – manufacturing 225 Managing operations – services 227 Accounting for the cost of spare capacity 228 Capacity utilization and product mix 229 Theory of Constraints 231 Operating decisions: relevant costs 232 Supply chain management, total cost of ownership, and supplier cost analysis 237 The cost of quality 239 Environmental cost management 241 Conclusion 246 References 247 Questions 247 12 Human Resource Decisions 251 Human resources and accounting 251 The cost of labour 252 Relevant cost of labour 255 Conclusion 261 References 262 Questions 262 13 Overhead Allocation Decisions 267 Cost classification 267 The overhead allocation problem 271 Shifts in management accounting thinking 272 Alternative methods of overhead allocation 273 Differences between absorption and activity‐based costing 282 Contingency theory 285 International comparisons 286 Behavioural implications of management accounting 287 Conclusion 290 References 291 Questions 292 14 Strategic Investment Decisions 297 Strategy 297 Capital expenditure evaluation 298 Accounting rate of return 301 Payback 304 Discounted cash flow 304 Comparison of techniques 307 Conclusion 311 References 311 Appendix to Chapter 14: Present value factors 311 Questions 313 15 Performance Evaluation of Business Units 317 Structure of business organizations 317 The decentralized organization and divisional performance measurement 320 Controllability 323 Comparison of methods 326 Transfer pricing 327 Transaction cost economics 329 Conclusion: a critical perspective 330 References 331 Questions 332 16 Budgeting 335 What is budgeting? 335 The budgeting process 336 The profit budget 339 Cash forecasting 345 A behavioural perspective on budgeting 349 A critical perspective: beyond budgeting? 350 Conclusion 354 References 354 Questions 354 17 Budgetary Control 359 What is budgetary control? 359 Variance analysis 361 Flexible budgets and sales variances 362 Flexible budgets and cost variances 363 Interpreting variances 365 Criticism of variance analysis 366 Applying different perspectives to management accounting 368 Conclusion 368 References 369 Questions 369 18 Strategic Management Accounting 371 Trends in management accounting 371 Strategic management accounting 372 Accounting techniques to support strategic management accounting 374 Lean production, lean accounting, and backflush costing 381 Conclusion 384 References 384 Further reading 385 Questions 386 Part IV Supporting Information 387 Readings 389 Reading 1 Cooper and Kaplan (1988). How cost accounting distorts product costs 390 Reading 2 Dent (1991). Accounting and organizational cultures: a field study of the emergence of a new organizational reality 403 Glossary of Accounting Terms 435 Solutions to Questions 449 Index 509

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAs a respected equity analyst, Kenneth A. Posner has seen firsthand what it means to be blindsided by black swans. In this deeply thoughtful and heartfelt book, he traces out the sources of what we think of as 'surprise events' and offers a pragmatic approach for confronting and hopefully mitigating their adverse effects. Along the way, there are many beautifully elaborated stories depicting how swans often won the day, as well as descriptions of the all-too-rare positive outcomes. This is a valuable book for anyone who treads a path through an uncertain world (hint: that should be everyone!). -- Martin Leibowitz, managing director, Morgan Stanley, and coauthor of The Endowment Model of Investing How do highly intelligent bankers and investors get surprised and brought down by financial crises created by their own interactions? Why can't formulaic rules and regulations prevent such crises? How can sophisticated models be so far off? How can one cope with the 'the unpredictability of collective action'? Posner provides insightful, honest, and very instructive real-world adventures in how 'to learn to live with extreme volatility,' as financial markets marched, trumpets blaring, into the quicksands of recursiveness. -- Alex J. Pollock, American Enterprise Institute, and former president and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago Posner's Stalking the Black Swan is an insightful integration of the emerging field of behavioral economics with real-world insights about financial markets. Posner combines true intellect, a fascinating professional background, and a critical mind to help us understand where laboratory insights hold up and where they might not. This book will be a valuable read for anyone interested in the role of behavioral economics in predicting market behavior. -- Max H. Bazerman, Straus Professor, Harvard Business School, and author of Negotiation Genius (with Deepak Malhotra) and Judgment in Managerial Decision Making (with Don A. Moore) Posner has drawn on his extensive experience as a first-rate analyst to examine the clues leading up to the recent meltdown of a number of once-respected financial institutions. But this is not a financial retrospective. He shows us how to combine numbers crunching with intuition, and he provides us with a set of disciplines to use in anticipating future Black Swan events--both positive and negative--and to profit accordingly. -- Byron R. Wien, Blackstone Advisory Partners LP If you are looking for a well-written book which seeks to merge quantitative analysis, fundamental research, and human psychology, Stalking the Black Swanprovides a great resource to help you fine tune your investing framework for the volatile environment of our times. Wall Street Cheat Sheet a wonderful read on how to think about, analyze, and react to extreme events. Motley Fool Stalking the Black Swan provides a great resource to help you fine tune your investing framework for the volatile environment of our times. -- Damien Hoffman Wall St. Cheat Sheet Stalking the Black Swan doesn't attempt to explain why or how the crisis happened, but instead offers practical, crisis-tested advice on methods for uncovering a similar looming disaster in your own portfolio. Seeking AlphaTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction PART I: Uncertainty 1. Forecasting in Extreme Environments 2. Thinking in Probabilities 3. The Balance Between Overconfidence and Underconfidence, and the Special Risk of Complex Modeling PART II: Information 4. Fighting Information Overload with Strategy 5. Making Decisions in Real Time: How to React to New Information Without Falling Victim to Cognitive Dissonance 6. Mitigating Information Asymmetry PART III: Analysis and Judgment 7. Mapping from Simple Ideas to Complex Analysis 8. The Power and Pitfalls of Monte Carlo Modeling 9. Judgment Notes Index

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Book SynopsisAndy Brophy is a lean & innovation facilitator who has been working in the lean field for the past twelve years in domains including manufacturing, hospital, software development, hospitality, food and financial services. He is Director of the consultancy business Lean 2 Innovative Thinking. Andy holds a 1st Class MSc in Lean Operations and is a Six Sigma Black Belt. In 2010 he published a co-authored book with John Bicheno called Innovative Lean.   http://www.lean2innovativethinking.com/  Table of Contents Part I: Getting started: Lean orientation and diagnostic phase Chapter 1 Lean management Chapter 2 Hoshin Kanri strategy deployment Chapter 3 Value stream mapping Part II: Lean transformation practices Chapter 4 Lean methods and tools (part I) Chapter 5 Lean methods and tools (part II) Chapter 6 Lean methods and tools (part III) Chapter 7 Lean methods and tools (part IV) Chapter 8 Lean methods and tools (part V) Chapter 9 Lean methods and tools (part VI) Part III: Leading the Lean transformation Chapter 10 Developing the Lean culture Chapter 11 The technical side of sustaining Lean Chapter 12 The people side of sustaining Lean Chapter 13 Putting it all together: The Lean Roadmap to Transformation References and further reading Glossary Appendix Index

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Book SynopsisTHE classic work about improving creativity from world-renowned writer and philosopher Edward de BonoIn schools we are taught to meet problems head-on: what Edward de Bono calls ''vertical thinking''. This works well in simple situations - but we are at a loss when this approach fails. What then?Lateral thinking is all about freeing up your imagination. Through a series of special techniques, in groups or working alone, Edward de Bono shows how to stimulate the mind in new and exciting ways. Soon you will be looking at problems from a variety of angles and offering up solutions that are as ingenious as they are effective. You will become much more productive and a formidable thinker in your own right.Trade ReviewIf more bankers and traders had read Lateral Thinking and applied the ideas of Edward de Bono to their own narrow definitions of risk, reward and human expectations, I suspect we would be in much better shape than we are. Sir Richard Branson

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Book SynopsisToday''s most successful companies are Intelligent Companies that use the best available data to inform their decision making. This is called Evidence-Based Management and is one of the fastest growing business trends of our times. Intelligent Companies bring together tools such as Business Intelligence, Analytics, Key Performance Indicators, Balanced Scorecards, Management Reporting and Strategic Decision Making to generate real competitive advantages. As information and data volumes grow at explosive rates, the challenges of managing this information is turning into a losing battle for most companies and they end up drowning in data while thirsting for insights. This is made worse by the severe skills shortage in analytics, data presentation and communication. This latest book by best-selling management expert Bernard Marr will equip you with a set of powerful skills that are vital for successful managers now and in the future. Increase your market value by gaiTrade Review‘…provides an effective, simple and practical model…useful to all managers who need to make clear objective decisions.' (Proffessional Manager, October 2010) ‘Bernard's simple, step-by-step model offers managers a vital tool for analysing their business and improving performance.' (Better Business Focus, August 2010). ‘Bernard Marr's book is manna from heaven for those who prefer to base decisions on facts.' (Quality World, October 2010).Table of ContentsABOUT THE AUTHOR xi FOREWORD xv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xix 1 THE DATA–KNOWLEDGE CRUNCH 1 Introduction 1 The data and information explosion 2 The failure to turn data into mission-critical insights 3 Investment in business intelligence 6 Evidence-based management 9 Conclusions 12 2 THE EVIDENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT MODEL 13 Introduction 13 Evidence-based medicine 15 The scientific method 15 The EbM model explained 16 Conclusions 20 3 IDENTIFYING OBJECTIVES AND INFORMATION NEEDS 21 Introduction 21 How a police ‘SWAT’ team uses EbM 22 Step 1 – sub-step one: what do we need to know? 25 Strategic performance management frameworks 30 A strategy map as a hypothesis 50 Who needs to know what, when and why? 52 What are the most important unanswered questions? 54 Ten steps for creating good KPQs and KAQs 58 Conclusions 63 4 COLLECTING THE RIGHT DATA 65 Introduction 65 Key performance indicators and building evidence 67 Collecting the right data 69 What is evidence and what is data? 70 Data collection methodologies 71 Quantitative data collection methods 72 Qualitative data techniques 78 Using both quantitative and qualitative data 83 Making data collection part of the job 84 Engaging people in data collection 87 Assigning meaning to data 89 Reliability and validity 93 Planning the data collection process 94 The role of IT infrastructure and applications in the collection of data 96 Conclusions 100 5 ANALYSE THE DATA AND GAIN INSIGHTS 101 Introduction 101 Data analysis 104 Budgeting and planning 112 Reporting and consolidation 113 Value-driver modelling 113 Experimentation 117 Role of IT infrastructure and applications in analysing data 129 Conclusions 132 6 PRESENT AND COMMUNICATE THE INFORMATION 135 Introduction 135 How to get the attention of decision makers 137 Publishing analogies 138 Guidance for presenting information 144 The role of IT infrastructure and applications in presenting information 151 Conclusions 160 7 TURNING INFORMATION INTO ACTIONABLE KNOWLEDGE 163 Introduction 163 Ensure that the available evidence is used to make the best decisions 167 Turning knowledge into action 172 The knowing doing gap 173 Conclusions 188 8 CONCLUSION AND ACTION CHECKLIST 189 Introduction 189 Action checklist 193 Final words 207 REFERENCES 209 INDEX 213

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