Management decision making Books

Book SynopsisThis is a textbook on game theory for students of business and management, managerial economics, strategic analysis, negotiation, and microeconomics.Trade Review`Games, Strategies, and Managers will be helpful for both beginning managers and for advanced planners. In fact, I would recommend that anyone engaged in US-Japan negotiations - including the US Office of the Trade Representative and the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry - read this book.' Akira Omori, Arthur Anderson & Co`McMillan clearly and straightforwardly explains the most important insights of game theory ... We have long needed a book like this to make the power of game theory accessible.' Roger Myerson, Northwestern University`excellent introduction to strategic problems in economics ... The book is aimed at MBA students with little previous experience of mathematics or economics ... it could also be used to introduce these topics to undergraduates. In my opinion this book is very useful for students and others who require a quick introduction to recent developments in economic theory.' Economic JournalTable of ContentsPart I: Strategies of Decision-making: The Art and Science of Strategy; Playing Games as Games; Understanding Conflict and Cooperation; Weighing Risks; Part II: Negotiating: Gaining Bargaining Power; Using Information Strategically; Negotiating International Trade Agreements; Part III: Contracting: Creating Incentives; Designing Contracts; Setting Executives' Incentives; Part IV: Bidding: Bidding in Competition; Bidding in Olympic Competition; Part V: The Strategic Manager: Organizing a Network of Subcontractors; Putting it all Together; Appendix: The Details of the Games; More Games; Reading Guide

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Book SynopsisThe authors of this book argue that firms succeed or fail in their industries according to the degree that they are able to change what they do to meet changing market decisions. The authors present a framework for managing the process of organizational transformation, and the tools that are necessary to manage that change.Trade Review"In our dynamic world, every organization has to face the reality that it is either going to change the game or be changed by the game. Eric Flamholtz and Yvonne Randle have helped PowerBar do the former and I'm excited to see their tools available to everyone through this book."--Brian Maxwell, CEO, PowerBar Inc. "A clear, crisp guide to achieving the level of transformation necessary to become or remain a market leader. Flamholtz combines the need for strategic focus, alignment, discipline and entrepreneurial energy at the enterprise level in a very special way. I believe that he is on to something very powerful. Dealing with change will be with us forever."--J.M. Nugent, Worldwide President and CEO, Neutrogena Corporation "Changing the Game is a clear, crisp guide to achieving the level of transformation necessary to become or remain a market leader. Flamholtz combines the need for strategic focus, alignment, discipline and entrepreneurial energy at the enterprise level in a very special way...he is on to something very powerful."--Jeffrey M. Nugent, CEO of Neutrogena Corporation "Timely and well executed change process is critical to sustaining long-term success in any venture. Many businesses fall prey to their own growth when they fail to transform themselves to accomadate their success. In today's dynamic business climate, managers should pay attention to Changing the Game"--Brian Maxwell, CEO, Powerbar Inc.

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Book SynopsisStrategic Project Organizing takes a unique approach to project management that places emphasis on the strategic and organizational aspects of projects and their leadership. Structured around the Three Domains model, it covers all the fundamental project management concepts, whilst guiding the reader through the organizational challenges of enabling positive change.Through the lens of strategic leadership, this text equips students to know how to respond proactively to threats, as well as seize opportunities, in order to advantageously change the socio-economic environment in an organization''s favour. The text also helps students to understand the tools and techniques adopted during the process of organizational transformation.All chapters offer review and discussion-based questions to encourage critical thinking; as well as case vignettes and a longer, end-of-chapter case study to help students apply theory to practice. Real life projects featured in the case studies include the EdenTrade ReviewPerhaps the world's premier textbook on project organizing and strategy. If you would like to learn how organizations change through their investment projects and how they change the world we live in, this book is yours. Its focus on three domains and three interfaces of project organizing, and its unique 'project society' approach combine to make it a fascinating, down-to-earth, and useful reading on the art and science of projecting for students. * Lavagnon Ika, University of Ottowa *This book is a must. It takes stock of the strategic, organizational aspects of projects and the leadership required by proposing to look at them under the lens of three domains. It allows students but also practitioners and academics to master these concepts. Brilliantly structured, it offers vignettes and other online resources to deepen these concepts and test your knowledge. I highly recommend it, the book is in itself is an interesting "Voyage of life"! * Nathalie Drouin, Université du Québec à Montréal; and University of Technology Sydney *Strategic Project Organizing is a forward-thinking text that progresses our understanding of project management and must be read by students, project owners and suppliers alike. It provides a systemic look at the project profession, offering a new level of maturity that is currently missing from the content of many project management texts which seem to have difficulties moving away from the in-house, manufacturing-led, thinking of the 1950s. This text should be standard reading for any project management Masters course, as well as any modern MBA course that understands the increasing importance of project management." * Nicolas Lambrou, University of Westminster *Strategic Project Organizing offers a unique take and focus on projects which provides a welcome alternative to other textbooks. With research-based insights for different members of project teams, it offers advanced discussion around projects, their role in our current world and the people managing and leading these projects." * Christine Unterhitzenberger, University of Leeds *Table of Contents1: Introduction: projecting the modern world Part One: The Core Concepts of Strategic Project Organizing 2: The three domains of project organizing 3: Leading 4: Visioning and inventing Part Two: The Three Domains of Strategic Project Organizing 5: The owner domain 6: The supplier domain 7: The delivery domain Part Three: The Three Interfaces 8: The governance interface 9: The commercial interface 10: The resource interface Part Four: The Profession of Strategic Project Organizing 11: The core skills 12: Being a project leader

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Book SynopsisWhy does regulation vary so dramatically from one area to another? Why are some risks regulated aggressively and others responded to only modestly? Is there any logic to the techniques we use in risk regulation? These key questions are explored in The Government of Risk. This book looks at a number of risk regulation regimes, considers the respects in which they differ, and examines how these differences can be justified.Analyzing regulation in terms of ''regimes'' allows us to see the rich, multi-dimensional nature of risk regulation. It exposes the thinness of society-wide analyses of risk controls and it offers a perspective that single case studies cannot reach. Regimes analysis breaks down the components of risk regulation systems and shows how they interact. It also shows how different parts of the same regime may be shaped by different factors and have to be explained and understood in quite different ways. The Government of Risk shows how such an approach is of high policy releTrade ReviewReview from previous edition Full of insights. The classification scheme set out in the book will serve anyone involved in practical institutional design well beyond the specific examples it presents. * Political Studies *The Government of Risk is a significant contribution to the exisiting literature on risk regulation... a first... step towards a satisfactory comparative analysis of risk regulation schemes. * West European Politics *Sweeping in the breadth of [its] academic scholarship... The Government of Risk [is] sure to have an enduring impact on the debate. * Public Law *The Government of Risk is an important book, and perhaps a major one, for several reasons... This volume both brings some of the best developed resources of political science and public administration studies to bear upon issues of risk, from which both the field of risk scholarship and political science can only benefit.... In grounding this cross-disciplinary framework clearly in theory, the book presents future researchers with an invaluable book. * PERRI 6 *Table of ContentsSECTION 1: INTRODUCING RISK REGULATION REGIME; SECTION 2: EXPANDING VARIATION IN RISK REGULATION REGIMES; SECTION 3: EXPLORING THE DYNAMICS OF RISK REGULATION REGIMES

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Book SynopsisSince the mid-1990s risk management has undergone a dramatic expansion in its reach and significance, being transformed from an aspect of management control to become a benchmark of good governance for banks, hospitals, schools, charities, and many other organizations. Numerous standards for risk management practice have been produced by a variety of transnational organizations. While these many designs and blueprints are accompanied by ideals of enterprise, value production, and good governance, it is argued that the rise of risk management has also coincided with an intensification of auditing and control processes. The legalization and bureacratization of organizational life has increased because risk management has created new demands for proof and evidence of action. In turn, these demands have generated new risks to reputation. In short, this important book traces the rise of the managerial concept of risk and the different logics and values which underpin it, showing that it hasTrade ReviewPower's book is illuminating and bringing in the foreground a highly relevant topic for today businesses and society. As a preliminary exploration of the ideas embodied by risk management understood as risk governance, the book is really worth reading even if we will be missing the flavor of field studies, because Power's aim was so broad and ideational. Anyway, this book may help debunk many ideas about risk and risk management, written by a talented management accountant and philosopher. * Laurent Magne, Society and Business Review *...getAbstract recommends this informed and informative analysis to risk management professionals and professors who will appreciate Powers depth of knowledge. * getAbsract *Table of Contents1. Organized Uncertainty: An Introduction ; 2. Turning Organizations Inside Out: The Rise of Internal Control ; 3. Standardizing Risk Management: Making Up Processes and People ; 4. Putting Categories to Work: The Invention of Operational Risk ; 5. Governing Reputation: The Outside Comes In ; 6. Making Risk Auditable: Legalization and Organization ; 7. Designing a World of Risk Management

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Book SynopsisCase studies examining how firms co-ordinate economic activity in the face of asymmetric information are the focus of this volume. It studies the development of the flow of information and co-ordination of economic activity within and between firms.Table of ContentsIntroduction: History and Theory in Search of One Another Naomi R. Lamoreaux, Daniel M. G. Raff. 1: The Puzzling Profusion of Compensation Systems in the Interwar Automobile Industry Daniel M. G. Raff Comment Walter Licht 2: Industrial Engineering and the Industrial Enterprise, 1890-1940 Daniel Nelson Comment Michael J. Piore 3: The Coordination of Business Organization and Technological Innovation within the Firm: A Case Study of the Thomson-Houston Electric Company in the 1880s W. Bernard Carlson Comment John Sutton 4: Organization and Coordination in Geographically Concentrated Industries Michael J. Enright Comment Kenneth L. Sokoloff 5: The Boundaries of the U.S. Firm in R&D David C. Mowery Comment Joel Mokyr 6: Legal Restraints on Economic Coordination: Antitrust in Great Britain and America, 1880-1920 Tony Freyer Comment Victor P. Goldberg 7: The Evolution of Interregional Mortgage Lending Channels, 1870-1940: The Life Insurance-Mortgage Company Connection Kenneth A. Snowden Comment Timothy W. Guinnane 8: The Costs of Rejecting Universal Banking: American Finance in the German Mirror, 1870-1914 Charles W. Calomiris Comment Peter Temin Contributors Name Index Subject Index

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Book SynopsisCase studies examining how firms co-ordinate economic activity in the face of asymmetric information are the focus of this volume. It studies the development of the flow of information and co-ordination of economic activity within and between firms.

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Book SynopsisThe author asserts in this text that what most influences the way managers handle routine conflicts are the cultures created by their company's organizational structure: whether there is a strong hierarchy, a weak hierarchy, or an absence of any strong central authority.Table of Contents1: Introduction. 2: Setting the Scene. 3: Patterns of Conflict Management in Thirteen Executive Contexts. 4: Modern Times: Authoritative Conflict Management in a Mechanistic Bureaucracy. 5: Silent Hives: Minimalistic Conflict Management in an Atomistic Organization. 6: Brave New World: Reciprocal Conflict Management in a Matrix System. 7: Conclusion: Orthodoxy, Change, and Identity. Appendix A: Anatomy of an Ethnography of Business Elites. Appendix B: Aggregate Comparati ve Data. Appendix C: Glossary of Native Terms at Playco.

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Book SynopsisThe approach to project management is too often formulaic, describing what should be done, but not describing why those actions are important. This book outlines the what and how of project management, emphasizing why actions matter, the overall intention of the formulaic steps, and the strengths or weakness of various tools and techniques.Trade Review"For all those involved in project management, this is a book you simply must read. Improving Project Performance is a superbly written text that explains beautifully the intricacies of project management and illustrates ways to proactively shape project execution. This is project management on the front foot. Read it. Practice it. It works!" - Will Grocott, Head of OEM Vehicle Programs, Axeon, UK "A must read book for every project manager. Where other books focus on the what-to-do and how-to-do-it, this book takes focus on the key behaviors of the team. It s all about how to shape and manage those behaviors to create a successful project team that is focused on the outcome. In the end it s always about individual and team dynamics that are the key to a successful project. This book is a great tool for enabling project managers to achieve that success." - Paul Lavin, President, A*L Group "Jerry Wellman has the right credentials to author this book. He has the academic research coupled with 30 years of experience in Aerospace project management. His eight point plan for project management is enlightening. I recommend the approach for both the novice and the seasoned professional project manager." - Jay Lovelace, retired, Honeywell VP and GMTable of ContentsList of Figures and Tables Preface Acknowledgement Project Management Habit # 1 - Foster and Nurture a Shared Project Vision Habit # 2 - Translate the Project Vision Into Coherent Requirements Habit # 3 - Build an Integrated Plan for Accomplishing the Vision Habit # 4 - Continually Monitor Performance Against the Plan Habit # 5 - Acknowledge and Accommodate Both Uncertainty and Ignorance Habit # 6 - Embrace But Control Change Habit # 7 - Continually Act to Influence the Future Habit # 8 - Continually Communicate Epilogue

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Book SynopsisA pioneer of sports data analysis synthesizes data-management tools, analytic models, information systems, and strategic decision-making practices to help a variety of organizations improve their game.Trade ReviewThis quick, interesting read is a valuable addition to the sports management field. It brings together information that is proprietary, to a significant degree, in the sports industry and therefore not readily available. It will appeal both to readers looking for guidance in setting up a statistical analysis system for their sport organization, as well as to general readers who have an interest in professional sport and team decision making. -- James Masteralexis, Western New England University Outstanding! This is a serious look at the challenges of bringing analytics into the 'actionable' realm within an organization, with great ideas and stories based on some of Benjamin C. Alamar's own experiences. -- Roland Beech, director of analytics, Dallas Mavericks Getting coaches and general managers to listen and understand the numbers is a classic problem for high-level stat geeks in pro sports. In this brisk narrative, Benjamin C. Alamar takes us inside that process, using telling anecdotes from his colleagues and his own experience as a consultant with the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is a great read for job seekers, teams interested in improving their own analytics platform, and smart fans wanting a peek inside team decision making. -- Zach Lowe, staff writer for Grantland Alamar combines first-hand experience as an analytics consultant with investigative research to provide an insider's view of team sports decision making. Using industry examples instead of complicated formulas or equations, he is able to bridge the gap between the executive suite and sports fans. This is a great read for anyone interested in learning more about how the sports world operates behind the scenes. -- Brian C. Kopp, vice president of strategy and development and head of Sports Solutions Group, STATS LLCTable of ContentsForeword Acknowledgments 1. Introduction to Sports Analytics 2. Data and Data Management 3. Data and Information 4. Predictive Analytics and Metrics 5. New Metrics 6. Information Systems 7. Analytics in the Organization: Innovation and Implementation 8. A Blueprint for Analytic Success 9. Building and Managing an Analytic Team Notes Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA wonderfully comprehensive view of competition and competitive strategy and illustrating it well with contemporary examples and citing of the scholarly literature and linking that to action oriented techniques. -- John Czepiel, New York University Stern School of Business With an incisive writing style rarely seen in studies of business strategy, Sherman neatly reevaluates some corporate reputations that have failed the test of time and elevates more lasting examples from his own research. The result is that all-too-rare combination for books on management: advice that is as valuable as it is readable. -- Alex Taylor, former senior editor at large, Fortune Sherman takes a machete to standard thinking in strategy, offering up a common sense but deeply insightful-and sometimes surprising-recipe for what it takes to win in business. -- Sydney Finkelstein, professor, Dartmouth College and author, Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent In this important book, Leonard Sherman takes on dangerous shibboleths of business strategy. Foremost among them is the purported priority of maximising shareholder value. Too often, this goal has led to manipulating short-term earnings and stock prices, in the interests of maximising gains to management from stock-related pay. Maximising rewards to shareholders is the outcome of a good business strategy; it is not itself a business strategy at all. -- Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator, Financial Times A thorough study of strategy and how it needs to be done today. The author's ability to put new strategy concepts in the context of fifty plus years of management science is a real gift. Detailed, rigorous, but never boring, this book gives every executive everything they need to know to run a business in today's fast changing world. A rare book that combines the right elements of marketing strategy with business strategy to come up with real winning business solutions. -- Paul F. Nunes, Global Managing Director of Thought Leadership, Accenture Research If You're in A Dogfight, Become A Cat! not only offers a devastating critique of the biggest and worst idea in business-maximizing shareholder value-it also offers a coherent and practical guide to the strategy of innovation that should replace it. -- Stephen Denning, author of The Leader's Guide to Radical Management Insightful, thought-provoking, and practical. Len Sherman takes us on an enjoyable journey through five decades of some of the most influential written works on business management and strategy and shows how history has judged these various concepts. He translates these observations into a framework that prompts you to drive clarity in how you can fulfill your company's core mission behind the execution of three strategic imperatives, and ultimately find sustained long-term profitable growth. The book is filled with case studies that will inspire you to think critically about how these concepts apply to your own business. Sherman offers insights that would be of value to all levels of business leaders who have an interest in sharpening their strategies. -- William Deutsch, founder and chairman, Deutsch Family Wines & Spirits Leonard Sherman's book If You're in a Dogfight, Become a Cat!, based on his decades of business management experience, provides a much-needed approach to sustaining an innovative enterprise. It should be read by everyone concerned about business from MBA candidates to their professors to incumbent executives. This book makes the company rather than the industry the focus of analysis, confronts the erroneous and damaging ideology that companies should be run to 'maximize shareholder value,' and offers executives a new set of principles for strategizing about how an enterprise can be innovative. The many real-life examples that Sherman provides should stimulate plenty of informed discussion about what an innovative enterprise is really about. -- William Lazonick, professor, University of Massachusetts Lowell and president, Academic-Industry Research Network This book provides countless concrete examples of how businesses can create real value and continuously renew competitive advantage. It's a must-read, as relevant to senior executives as to MBA students aspiring to become next generation business leaders. -- Marty St. George, executive vice president for Commercial and Planning, JetBlue This book integrates key ideas from the most influential strategy thinking of the last forty years with Len Sherman's extensive practical business experience to present a convincing and practical case for the three strategic imperatives that drive sustained profitable growth. Be a cat and pounce on this book! -- Niraj Dawar, Ivey Business SchoolTable of ContentsPreface 1. The Origins of Modern Business Strategy Thinking 2. There's No Such Thing as a Bad Industry 3. Why Are We in Business? 4. The Search for the Holy Grail of Business: Long-Term Profitable Growth 5. Do You Know What Your Strategy Is? 6. Getting Strategy Right 7. Creating Strong Brands 8. Brand Builders and Killers 9. What Makes Products Meaningfully Different? 10. Where Do Great Ideas Come From? 11. Strategies to Break Away from the Pack 12. Hitting the Bull's-Eye Notes Index

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Book SynopsisLeonard Sherman draws on decades of experience in management consulting, venture capital, and teaching business strategy at Columbia Business School to share practical advice on two of the most vexing issues facing business executives: why is it so hard to achieve long-term profitable growth, and what can companies do to break away from the pack?Trade ReviewNamed one of the 13 best business books of 2017 * CNBC.com *Named one of the top 10 business books of 2017. * Inc. *Named one of the best business books of 2017, best strategy book. * Toronto Globe and Mail *A Top Shelf Pick, Best Business Books 2017: Strategy"The most compelling business book on strategy this year....An expertly trimmed tree of knowledge that brilliantly summarizes and integrates what's been learned about strategy over the last 60 years." * Strategy + Business *A wonderfully comprehensive view of competition and competitive strategy and illustrating it well with contemporary examples and citing of the scholarly literature and linking that to action oriented techniques. -- John Czepiel, New York University Stern School of BusinessWith an incisive writing style rarely seen in studies of business strategy, Sherman neatly reevaluates some corporate reputations that have failed the test of time and elevates more lasting examples from his own research. The result is that all-too-rare combination for books on management: advice that is as valuable as it is readable. -- Alex Taylor, former senior editor at large, FortuneSherman takes a machete to standard thinking in strategy, offering up a common sense but deeply insightful—and sometimes surprising—recipe for what it takes to win in business. -- Sydney Finkelstein, professor, Dartmouth College and author, Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of TalentIn this important book, Leonard Sherman takes on dangerous shibboleths of business strategy. Foremost among them is the purported priority of maximising shareholder value. Too often, this goal has led to manipulating short-term earnings and stock prices, in the interests of maximising gains to management from stock-related pay. Maximising rewards to shareholders is the outcome of a good business strategy; it is not itself a business strategy at all. -- Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator, Financial TimesA thorough study of strategy and how it needs to be done today. The author's ability to put new strategy concepts in the context of fifty plus years of management science is a real gift. Detailed, rigorous, but never boring, this book gives every executive everything they need to know to run a business in today's fast changing world. A rare book that combines the right elements of marketing strategy with business strategy to come up with real winning business solutions. -- Paul F. Nunes, Global Managing Director of Thought Leadership, Accenture ResearchIf You're in A Dogfight, Become A Cat! not only offers a devastating critique of the biggest and worst idea in business—maximizing shareholder value—it also offers a coherent and practical guide to the strategy of innovation that should replace it. -- Stephen Denning, author of The Leader's Guide to Radical ManagementInsightful, thought-provoking, and practical. Len Sherman takes us on an enjoyable journey through five decades of some of the most influential written works on business management and strategy and shows how history has judged these various concepts. He translates these observations into a framework that prompts you to drive clarity in how you can fulfill your company's core mission behind the execution of three strategic imperatives, and ultimately find sustained long-term profitable growth. The book is filled with case studies that will inspire you to think critically about how these concepts apply to your own business. Sherman offers insights that would be of value to all levels of business leaders who have an interest in sharpening their strategies. -- William Deutsch, founder and chairman, Deutsch Family Wines & SpiritsLeonard Sherman's book If You're in a Dogfight, Become a Cat!, based on his decades of business management experience, provides a much-needed approach to sustaining an innovative enterprise. It should be read by everyone concerned about business from MBA candidates to their professors to incumbent executives. This book makes the company rather than the industry the focus of analysis, confronts the erroneous and damaging ideology that companies should be run to 'maximize shareholder value,' and offers executives a new set of principles for strategizing about how an enterprise can be innovative. The many real-life examples that Sherman provides should stimulate plenty of informed discussion about what an innovative enterprise is really about. -- William Lazonick, professor, University of Massachusetts Lowell and president, Academic-Industry Research NetworkThis book provides countless concrete examples of how businesses can create real value and continuously renew competitive advantage. It's a must-read, as relevant to senior executives as to MBA students aspiring to become next generation business leaders. -- Marty St. George, executive vice president for Commercial and Planning, JetBlueThis book integrates key ideas from the most influential strategy thinking of the last forty years with Len Sherman's extensive practical business experience to present a convincing and practical case for the three strategic imperatives that drive sustained profitable growth. Be a cat and pounce on this book! -- Niraj Dawar, Ivey Business SchoolChallenges readers to avoid the "copycat syndrome" because its a losing battle. * Small Business Trends *Sherman and others suggest six specific strategies for breaking away and staying ahead of the pack, and I believe every business owner should implement at least one of these on a quarterly basis. * Inc *In the most compelling book on strategy this year, If You're in a Dogfight Become a Cat, Leonard Sherman assembles a convincing brief that slowdowns companies face as they become successful and attract imitrators. -- Ken Favarov * Strategy + Business *Table of ContentsPreface1. The Origins of Modern Business Strategy Thinking2. There's No Such Thing as a Bad Industry3. Why Are We in Business?4. The Search for the Holy Grail of Business: Long-Term Profitable Growth5. Do You Know What Your Strategy Is?6. Getting Strategy Right7. Creating Strong Brands8. Brand Builders and Killers9. What Makes Products Meaningfully Different?10. Where Do Great Ideas Come From?11. Strategies to Break Away from the Pack12. Hitting the Bull's-EyeNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisIn this witty and wise guide to the dilemmas of entrepreneurship, Rizwan Virk debunks misconceptions about how the world of startups works and offers hard-earned advice for every step of the journey. Startup Myths and Models is an ideal companion for readers from those just embarking on the startup life to those looking for their next adventure.Trade ReviewIn this lively read, Riz Virk scrutinizes popular startup myths and provides crystal-clear startup models to guide entrepreneurs on their journey. Fortify yourself on this book’s rich experience and insights before you set out. -- Randy Komisar, partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, author of The Monk and the Riddle and Straight Talk for StartupsRiz Virk has been a founder, advisor and investor in startups for twenty-five years; Startup Myths and Models condenses those years of experience into a set of coherent lessons about the real challenges entrepreneurs face and how to overcome them. If you are going on the entrepreneur's journey, this book is a great companion for every stage of the adventure! -- Brad Feld, cofounder of Foundry Group and author of #GiveFirst and Venture DealsWhen launching a new business, there's no one I'd rather have at my side than Riz Virk as a cofounder or adviser. Having Riz's book, Startup Myths and Models, is the next-best thing. Equip yourself to win the battles that you'll encounter in your startup adventure by reading and digesting the lessons in this book. 100% results, no fluff! -- Mitchell Liu, cofounder of SLIVER.tv, Theta Labs, Gameview, and TapjoyIn Startup Myths, Riz Virk debunks common misconceptions about life in Startup Land. Both funny and wise, this book is a worthwhile read for any entrepreneur. -- Jeffrey Bussgang, Harvard Business School, general partner at Flybridge Capital Partners, and author of Mastering the VC GameI’ve founded five companies, made angel investments in over 100, and served on numerous startup boards—I wish I'd had a book like this before I started! Packed with hard-earned wisdom, Riz Virk does a great job of debunking myths and over-simple rules of thumb in the startup universe. -- Michael Dornbrook, COO of Harmonix (makers of Guitar Hero), member of Common Angels, and VP of marketing at InfoCom (makers of Zork)Startup Myths and Models is one of the best textbooks for founders who are going through accelerators, (and, of course for those that aren't). Riz Virk reveals secrets about starting, funding, growing, and selling your startup all while doing what's most important - staying sane and healthy. This is one of my go-to recommendations for any founder beginning or currently on the startup journey. -- Pat Riley, CEO of GAN (Global Accelerator Network)Riz Virk was one of my inspirations to be an entrepreneur. My advice to would-be entrepreneurs is to read Riz's book Startup Myths and Models, because it contains wisdom drawn from his twenty-five years of startup battles. -- Rajeev Surati, cofounder of Flash Communications (sold to Microsoft) and Photo.netWhether you're a curious student or a serial entrepreneur, Startup Myths and Models is on my recommended reading list for any startup founder. Riz's use of the Hero's Journey will help you understand how answering the call to the startup adventure will forever change you for the better! -- Tim Miano, associate director, Harvard Innovation Labs, and cofounder/CEO, SP@CEStartup Myths and Models cuts through all the startup noise, bringing real world experience to every entrepreneur in a super easy to access reference book. -- Will Herman, coauthor of The Startup Playbook, angel investor, founder of 5 startups (2 IPOs)This cogent, far-thinking explanation of how start-ups work will be invaluable for any aspiring founders stymied by traditional business wisdom. * Publisher’s Weekly *There are practical do's and don'ts, and a nuanced discussion of how to tell if a truism is going to help or hurt your particular situation. This is the kind of expertise most founders don't have direct access to, and there are plenty of useful nuggets here. * ZDNet *Table of ContentsIntroductionStage 1: The Call to Adventure: Myths About Starting a CompanyMyth #1: Build a Billion-Dollar CompanyMyth #2: Founders Start Companies to Make a Lot of MoneyMyth #3: You Have to Be First to MarketBonus Myth #B-1: Start Something You Are Passionate AboutStage 2: Fuel for the Journey: Myths About Raising MoneyMyth #4: A Great Product and a Big Market Are the Most Important ThingsMyth #5: Two Guys and a Business Are Better Than Two Guys and a PlanMyth #6: Talk to as Many Investors as You CanMyth #7: Take the Highest Valuation You Can GetBonus Myth #B-2: Raise as Little (as Much) Money as PossibleStage 3: Travel Companions: Myths About Hiring and ManagementMyth #8: Hire the Most Experienced People You Can FindMyth #9: Get Out of the Way and Let People Do Their Jobs, or I Can Do It Faster Myself!Myth #10: Better Management Causes Faster GrowthBonus Myth #B-3: If I own X%, Then My Stock Is worth $x!Stage 4: The Road of Trials: Myths About Going to MarketMyth #11: Focus, Focus, FocusMyth #12: My Product Failed Because My Sales Guy SucksMyth #13: If Only We Could Spend More on Marketing!Myth #14: Fail Fast, Pivot QuicklyBonus Myth #B-4: There Is No Such Thing as Bad PublicityStage 5: Acquiring the Treasure: Myths About Exiting Your CompanyMyth #15: At This Rate, My Startup Will Be Worth Twice as Much Tomorrow!Myth #16: They’re Buying Us Because Our Product is Awesome!Myth #17: The Best Way to Cash Out Is to Sell or Go PublicBonus Myth #B-5: Upfront Cash Is Better than Stock or an EarnoutStage 6: The Underworld and the Return: Myths About Life and Death in a StartupMyth #18: Startups Are Hard WorkMyth #19: Whew, I’m Glad That’s Over! No More Startups for Me!Bonus Myth #B-6: If My Startup Fails, My Life Is Over!Bonus MythsAppendix A: The Startup Market Lifecycle and CurvesAppendix B: Meet Our Cast of Characters and StartupsAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorIndex

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Book SynopsisTHE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLING PHENOMENON Do you regularly find yourself in long, unstructured meetings which end without a decision? Are you a team leader looking for tips on increasing productivity? Or are you looking for ways to enhance collaboration?Six Thinking Hats, Edward de Bono''s classic book on meetings, remains as relevant as ever. Used to huge success by big companies and organisations such as IBM, Siemens and NASA, the Six-Hats method is a proven way to:- Reduce meeting lengths to one quarter of what they were previously- Make decisions in just 15 minutes, rather than 3 hours- Increase productivity by nearly 500%This extremely simple tool not only increases efficiency in discussions and decision-making, but also encourages openness and trust among colleagues, resulting in happier team, a rise in productivity, and decisions which almost make themselves.''An inspiring man with brilliant ideas. De Bono never ceases to amaze'' Sir Richard BransonTrade ReviewAn inspiring man with brilliant ideas. De Bono never ceases to amaze with his clarity of thought. * Richard Branson *

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Book SynopsisStart With Why has led millions of readers to rethink everything they do, in their personal lives, their careers and their organisations. Now Find Your Why picks up where Start With Why left off. It shows you how to apply Simon Sinek''s powerful insights so that you can find more inspiration at work and in turn inspire those around you. This hands-on, step-by-step guide will help you to find your WHY. With detailed exercises, illustrations and action steps for every stage of the process, Find Your Why can help you address many important concerns including:-What if my WHY sounds like my competitors?-Can I have more than one WHY?-If my work doesn''t match my WHY, what should I do?-What if my team can''t agree on our WHY?Whether you''ve just started your first job, are leading a team or are CEO of your own company, the exercises in this book will help guide you on a path to long-term success and fulfilment, both for you and your colleagues.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewLeaders rexamines old notions of leadership - especially the outdated view that history is shaped by great men going it alone. General McChrystal shows us that leadership can take many forms, leaders often have different strengths, and great leaders can come from anywhere -- SHERYL SANDBERG * COO of Facebook and founder of LeanIn.Org *Leaders is a superb, thought-provoking challenge to conventional understanding of the nature of leadership. An enlightening, entertaining must-read about why we revere so many leaders who are often deeply flawed and even unsuccessful, and the lessons for thinking about and teaching leadership in the future -- ROBERT M. GATES * former US Secretary of Defense *Leadership, we learn, is complex. At a time when Americans yearn for leaders we can admire and respect, this book... will help you think differently about both leadership and our history -- WALTER ISAACSON * author of Steve Jobs and Leonardo da Vinci *No living American has more convincingly combined the practice and teaching of leadership than General Stanley McChrystal: that's why Yale students flock to his classes. Now, in Leaders, he invites us to join them, with Plutarch as his teaching assistant. No current or aspiring leader can afford to miss this shrewd and surprising book -- JOHN LEWIS GADDIS * Yale University *Leaders is a must-read for all leaders - whether they're just beginning their careers or whether they're already leading an entire organization -- KEN LANGONE * author of I Love Capitalism! *Whenever Stanley McChrystal talks, I take notes. I am so drawn to his ability to cut through pop-culture theories about leadership to get to the core of what actually makes a leader. Leaders takes us deeper than most other leadership books into the true and often messy mechanics of leadership. Anyone who considers themselves a student of leadership must read this book -- SIMON SINEK * optimist and author of Start With Why and Leader Eat Last *

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Book Synopsis''An invaluable resource for making sense of the world, making good decisions, and placing smart bets. A fast-paced and fun read jam-packed with useful information on every page.'' Annie Duke, author of Thinking in Bets ________________ Turn yourself into a superthinker and make the right decisions every time. You want to make better decisions. You want to be right more of the time professionally and personally. However, being more right consistently is a hard problem because the world is such a complex, evolving place. How do you navigate this complexity? Mental models are decision-making tools that guide our perception of the world and our behaviour in it. They help us understand life, make decisions and solve problems. The best models help us make intelligent investments, develop ground-breaking technologies and even travel to outer space. - Note your frame of reference before debating someone with different pTrade ReviewYou can't really know anything if you just remember isolated facts. If the facts don't hang together on a latticework of theory, you don't have them in a usable form. You've got to have models in your head -- Charlie Munger * investor, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway *An intellectual playground that will have your brain doing mental reps and seeing the world differently -- Shane Parrish * creator of the Farnam Street blog and host of The Knowledge Project podcast *An invaluable resource for making sense of the world, making good decisions, and placing smart bets. A fast-paced and fun read jam-packed with useful information on every page. I wish I'd had this book ages ago! -- Annie Duke * author of Thinking in Bets *Internalizing these mental models will help you understand the world around you. Once you can spot them, you can change your own behavior to avoid common traps, adjust how you interact with people to get better results, and maybe even articulate new mental models of the world that have yet to be discovered -- Brian Armstrong * Cofounder & CEO of Coinbase *Internalizing these mental models will help you understand the world around you. Once you can spot them, you can change your own behavior to avoid common traps, adjust how you interact with people to get better results, and maybe even articulate new mental models of the world that have yet to be discovered -- Brian Armstrong * Co-founder and CEO of Coinbase *

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Book SynopsisWe live in the age of big companies where rising levels of power are concentrated in the hands of a few. Yet no government or organisation has the power to regulate these titans and hold them to account. We need big companies to share their power and we, the people of the world, need to reclaim it. In Competition is Killing Us, top business and competition lawyer Michelle Meagher establishes a new framework to control capitalism from the inside in order to make it work for the many and not just the few. Meagher has spent years campaigning against these multi-billion and trillion dollar mammoths that dominate the market and prioritise shareholder profits over all else; leading to extreme wealth inequality, inhumane conditions for workers and relentless pressure on the environment.In this revolutionary book, she introduces her wholly-achievable alternative; a fair and comprehensive competition law that limits unfair mergers, enforces accountability and rTrade ReviewThis is a rallying call for change! Michelle adds her voice to the many that are demanding accountability from our global companies and offers a passionately-articulated solution. A fascinating read! * Danny Dorling, author of Inequality and the 1% *A trenchant and thought-provoking analysis of modern capitalism. Far from serving us, it is causing us all harm. What's more, Meagher has a positive agenda for reform that will force big businesses to take responsibility for a system stumbling from crisis to crisis and to start addressing the global problems they have helped cause * Professor Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy, University of Cambridge *A book arguing passionately for genuine stakeholder capitalism might have seemed Utopian before Covid-19, now it is a must-read as Britain debates the world it wants to create post the pandemic. The case Meagher makes could not be more timely or relevant * Will Hutton, author of The State We're In *Eloquent, accessible and massively well-informed... Competition is Killing Us should be required reading for every anti-trust lawyer, every fund manager and every executive board in the land. It does the rest of us a huge service, not only in busting the myths that sustain corporate exceptionalism, but in signposting the path towards a genuine and transformative model of stakeholder governance. * Tim Jackson, Director of the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity at The University of Surrey and author of Prosperity Without Growth *

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Book SynopsisBrought to you by Penguin.The highly anticipated new book from Malcom Gladwell, host of the chart-topping podcast Revisionist History. With original archival interviews and musical scoring, this enhanced audiobook edition of Talking to Strangers brings Gladwell''s renowned storytelling to life in his unparalleled narrating style. The routine traffic stop that ends in tragedy. The spy who spends years undetected at the highest levels of the Pentagon. The false conviction of Amanda Knox. Why do we so often get other people wrong? Why is it so hard to detect a lie, read a face or judge a stranger''s motives?Through a series of encounters and misunderstandings - from history, psychology and infamous legal cases - Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual adventure into the darker side of human nature, where strangers are never simple and misreading them can have disastrous consequences.No one challenges our shTrade ReviewI love this book . . . reading it will actually change not just how you see strangers, but how you look at yourself, the news - the world. Reading this book changed me. * Oprah Winfrey *Fascinating . . . you should read the book . . . He's tackling the dark side of human nature - what do we ever know about other people? -- Sathnam Sanghera * The Times Magazine *Now that practically everybody seems to be spoiling for a fight, I have found Malcolm Gladwell's Talking to Strangers invaluable . . . His moral - to approach new people with caution and humility - has become my motto. * Evening Standard *Taut, provocative, smart . . . Gladwell's cool, playful intelligence has made him one of our leading public thinkers * New Statesman *A book examining the ways we misinterpret or fail to communicate with one another could not feel more necessary . . . the page-turning urgency of a thriller -- Chris Barton * Los Angeles Times *Superb writing. Masterful . . . bears all the marks that have made Gladwell one of the most successful non-fiction authors of his generation. -- Pilita Clark * Financial Times *A dazzling book . . . Gladwell is a rock star of nonfiction . . . ideas are slowly revealed until the reader arrives at a conclusion they didn't expect. Gladwell is advancing ideas and, sure, they are all open to challenge . . . but they are stimulating and convincing - and you won't regret a minute you spend mastering them * The Times *A wonderful provocation which Gladwell delivers like no other, an awakening to just one of the fascinations that lie in ordinary human experience . . . as ever, Gladwell's genius is in the telling. * Spectator *Malcolm Gladwell made his name bringing intellectual sparkle to everyday subjects, and his new book - about how strangers talk to each other - is no exception. -- Sean O’Hagan * Observer *

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Book SynopsisDiscover everything you need to know to improve your management skills, and understand key management and business theories with this unique graphic guide.Combining clear, jargon-free language and bold, eye-catching graphics, How Management Works is a definitive and user-friendly guide to all aspects of organizational management. Learn whether it is more effective to lead through influence or control? Is delegation the key to productivity and how do you deal with different personalities?Drawing on the latest theories and practices - and packed with graphics and diagrams that demystify complex management concepts - this book explains everything you need to know to build your management skills and get the very best out of your team. It is essential reading if you are an established or aspiring manager, or are studying a course in business or management. Much more than a standard business-management or self-help book, How Management Works shows you what other titles only tell you, combining solid reference with no-nonsense advice. It is the perfect primer for anyone looking to start their own business, become a more effective leader, or simply learn more about the world of business and management.

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Book Synopsis''A feel-good extravaganza, nourishing both heart and mind ... What unites the stories are the twin ideas that an advantage can sometimes be a disadvantage and that a disadvantage can sometimes be an advantage. Yet there is something more powerful and more uplifting that links them'' Kate Kellaway, Financial Times''I devoured in a single reading'' Richard E. Grant''When you read it, you feel like you can topple giants'' Jon Ronson''An energetic, counterintuitive exploration of why (and how) underdogs succeed'' Lisa Appignanesi, Guardian, Books of the Year''Breathtaking'' The New York Times''Truly intriguing and inspiring'' Los Angeles TimesTrade ReviewBreath-taking and thought-provoking * The New York Times *Truly intriguing and inspiring * Los Angeles Times *Gladwell's most enjoyable book so far. It is a feel-good extravaganza, nourishing both heart and mind. Each of its stories ... has an ending that is both happy and surprising. What ostensibly unites the stories are the twin ideas that an advantage can sometimes be a disadvantage and that a disadvantage can sometimes be an advantage. Yet there is something more powerful and more uplifting that also links them. It is that good beats bad - just when you least expected it * Financial Times *When you read it, you feel like you can topple giants -- Jon Ronson

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Book SynopsisHow people make decisions in an era of too much information and fake news.Humans originally evolved in a world of few choices. Prehistoric, preindustrial, and predigital eras required fewer decisions than today's all-access, always-on world of too much information. Economists have largely discarded the idea that agents act rationally and the market follows suit. It seems that no matter how small or innocuous a decision might seem, there's almost no way to guess the effect it might have. The authors of The Importance of Small Decisions view decisions and their outcomes from a different perspective: as key elements in the evolution of culture. In this trailblazing book, they examine different kinds of decisions and map the outcomes, both short- and long-term. Drawing on this, they introduce a map of social behavior that captures the essential elements of human decision-making.The authors look at the New England Patriots' decision in 2000 to draft an underachievin

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Book SynopsisAn examination of the cognitive tools that the mind uses to grapple with uncertainty in the real world.How do humans navigate uncertainty, continuously making near-effortless decisions and predictions even under conditions of imperfect knowledge, high complexity, and extreme time pressure? Taming Uncertainty argues that the human mind has developed tools to grapple with uncertainty. Unlike much previous scholarship in psychology and economics, this approach is rooted in what is known about what real minds can do. Rather than reducing the human response to uncertainty to an act of juggling probabilities, the authors propose that the human cognitive system has specific tools for dealing with different forms of uncertainty. They identify three types of tools: simple heuristics, tools for information search, and tools for harnessing the wisdom of others. This set of strategies for making predictions, inferences, and decisions constitute the mind's adaptive toolbox.T

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Donald Waters is the author of many successful textbooks and is well known for his clarity of style.  He was a professor of finance and operations management and now works in management analysis, research and education.

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Book SynopsisLooks at the ways the global form of capitalism affects our lives. This book analyzes how changes in work ethic, in our attitudes toward merit and talent, and in public and private institutions contributes to 'the spectre of uselessness'. It concludes with suggestions to counter this disturbing culture.Trade Review"packed with thought... profound and challenging... Sennett is here opening up a fascinating debate about how modern institutions, with their constant restructurings and delayerings, are generating ever-sharper inequality." Madeleine Bunting, New Statesman "Sennett has been observing for some years how modern work patterns make self-respect ever harder to achieve. Now, he has brilliantly pushed his thinking to a remorseless conclusion... a triumph" Will Hutton, The Observer "Hardly any social thinkers have given serious thought to the drastic changes in corporate culture wrought by downsizing, 're-orging', and outsourcing. Fortunately, the exception - Richard Sennett - is also one of the most insightful public intellectuals we have. In The Culture of New Capitalism Sennett addresses the new corporate culture with his usual vast erudition, endlessly supple intellect, and firm moral outlook. The result is brilliant, disturbing, and absolutely necessary reading." Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream "Reflective, studded with sharp insights, moving with grace between big ideas and specific cases. This is vintage Sennett." Douglas W. Rae, author of City: Urbanism and Its End"

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Book SynopsisAn informative and entertaining account of how actions send signals that shape behaviors and how to design better incentives for better results in our life, our work, and our worldTrade Review“Getting [an] incentives balance right can be complicated. But Gneezy hopes his book provides insights that help people feel prepared to take on the concept and design better incentives.”—Financial Times“An enjoyable new book on incentives.”—The Economist“Stimulating.”—NatureWinner of the 2023 Porchlight Business Book Award, Marketing and Communications/ Sales and Influence category, sponsored by Porchlight Book CompanyLonglisted for the 2023 Non-Obvious Book Awards“Mixed Signals humanizes economics. It describes people as constantly signaling—to themselves, and to others—their good intentions. In his usual style, Gneezy’s examples are important, fascinating, and fun.”—George A. Akerlof, winner of Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences“A well of information and inspiration drawing on research from around the world, Mixed Signals is an incredible resource for anyone who has to motivate people to get things done the right way.”—Iris Bohnet, author of What Works: Gender Equality by Design“Incentives are everywhere and yet commonly misunderstood. In this instant classic, Uri Gneezy explains why all incentives are, in essence, signals—and how to make sure we're sending them correctly. I can't remember the last time I read something so practical, thoroughly researched, and yet funny and personable. Required reading for anyone who is hoping to change behavior for the better.”—Angela Duckworth, author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance“With unparalleled genius, Uri Gneezy masterfully unlocks the hidden motives underlying our behaviors, providing a secret playbook to anyone who wants to change the world.”—John A. List, author of The Voltage Effect: How to Make Good Ideas Great and Great Ideas Scale“With cartoons, engaging stories from his own life, and tales of managerial brilliance and failure, Gneezy explains why incentives often have unintended consequences and shows how they can be designed to accomplish the goals they are intended to serve.”—George Loewenstein, Herbert A. Simon Professor of Economics and Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University “Written by one of the leading behavioral economists of our time, this eye-opening book pulls back the curtain on the forces that rule the world: incentives, the signals they send, and their alignment with our goals.”—Nina Mazar, coeditor of Behavioral Science in the Wild “Packed with great science and stories, Mixed Signals will teach you everything you need to know about the power and pitfalls of offering rewards.”—Katy Milkman, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be “Uri Gneezy combines important academic and practical insights into how incentives work.”—Alvin E. Roth, winner of Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences “How do we get people to change their behavior? Gneezy’s pioneering research shows how well-intended incentives often backfire, and his new book is a fascinating tour de force on how to craft effective incentives.”—Lise Vesterlund, coauthor of The No Club: Putting a Stop to Women’s Dead-End Work

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Book SynopsisSometimes radical yet always applicable, Brick by Brick abounds with real-world lessons for unleashing breakthrough innovation in your organization, using LEGO--which experienced one of the most remarkable business transformations in recent history--as a business model. As LEGO failed to keep pace with the revolutionary changes in kids' lives and began sliding into irrelevance, the company's leaders implemented some of the business world's most widely espoused prescriptions for boosting innovation. Ironically, these changes pushed the iconic toymaker to the brink of bankruptcy, showing that what works in theory can fail spectacularly in the brutally competitive global economy. It took a new LEGO management team--faced with the growing rage for electronic toys, few barriers to entry, and ultra-demanding consumers (ten-year old boys)--to reinvent the innovation rule book and transform LEGO into one of the world's most profitable, fastest-growing companies.  Along the way, Brick by Brick reveals how LEGO:- Became truly customer-driven by co-creating with kids as well as its passionate adult fans- Looked beyond products and learned to leverage a full-spectrum approach to innovation- Opened its innovation process by using both the wisdom of crowds and the expertise of elite cliques- Discovered uncontested, blue ocean markets, even as it thrived in brutally competitive red oceans- Gave its world-class design teams enough space to create and direction to deliver built a culture where profitable innovation flourishes Whether you're a senior executive looking to make your company grow, an entrepreneur building a startup from scratch, or a fan who wants to instill some of that LEGO magic in your career, you'll learn how to build your own innovation advantage, brick by brick.

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Book SynopsisChip and Dan Heath, the bestselling authors of Switch and Made to Stick, tackle one of the most critical topics in our work and personal lives: how to make better decisions.　   Research in psychology has revealed that our decisions are disrupted by an array of biases and irrationalities: We’re overconfident. We seek out information that supports us and downplay information that doesn’t. We get distracted by short-term emotions. When it comes to making choices, it seems, our brains are flawed instruments. Unfortunately, merely being aware of these shortcomings doesn’t fix the problem, any more than knowing that we are nearsighted helps us to see. The real question is: How can we do better?   In Decisive, the Heaths, based on an exhaustive study of the decision-making literature, introduce a four-step process designed to counteract these biases. Written in an engaging and compulsively re

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From the Nobel Prize-winning author of Thinking, Fast and Slow and the coauthor of Nudge, a revolutionary exploration of why people make bad judgments and how to make better ones—'a tour de force” (New York Times).  Imagine that two doctors in the same city give different diagnoses to identical patients—or that two judges in the same courthouse give markedly different sentences to people who have committed the same crime. Suppose that different interviewers at the same firm make different decisions about indistinguishable job applicants—or that when a company is handling customer complaints, the resolution depends on who happens to answer the phone. Now imagine that the same doctor, the same judge, the same interviewer, or the same customer service agent makes different decisions depending on wheth

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2021In The 4 Day Week, entrepreneur and business innovator Andrew Barnes makes the case for the four-day work week as the answer to many of the ills of the 21st-century global economy. Barnes conducted an experiment in his own business, the New Zealand trust company Perpetual Guardian, and asked his staff to design a four-day week that would permit them to meet their existing productivity requirements on the same salary but with a 20% cut in work hours. The outcomes of this trial, which no business leader had previously attempted on these terms, were stunning. People were happier and healthier, more engaged in their personal lives, and more focused and productive in the office. The world of work has seen a dramatic shift in recent times: the former security and benefits associated with permanent employment are being displaced byTrade ReviewGreat books stretch us. They broaden and deepen intellect, trigger emotion, create momentum and generate hope. The Four Day Week delivers thatBarnes is truly evangelical about the benefits (fewer commuter journeys) and the effects on the gender pay gap. He highlights compelling evidence around the positive financial impact too, claiming his own firm saw profitability increase by 12.5% since the trial period. The writing is punchy and . . . offers plenty of evidence for anyone seeking to [implement a four-day week] * The Scotsman *The 4 Day Week is well researched and up to date. It offers a springboard for further investigation. Barnes is thorough in addressing obstacles. This book certainly opens the opportunity for conversation in higher levels of management and between each of us about how and why we work * NZ Booklovers *This book is no radical left manifesto, but a research-based study that the authors firmly believe can be the future of capitalism and a prosperous economy. The 4 Day Week is an enjoyable read, with thought provoking ideas and research. * FT Adviser *More flexible working hours and the 4-day-week are long overdue and it is mind-boggling why policy-makers have not been pushing for this earlier given the pressures on work-life balance. Luckily there are visionary business leaders like Andrew Barnes who dare to implement progressive company policies and have them evaluated scientifically . . . This book is a must-read for all progressive managers that care about people, profits and planet - because, yes, a 4-day-week would also make our economies more sustainable. If ever there was a triple win, this would have to be it

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Book Synopsis''Original, thought-provoking and a joy to read'' Tim HarfordWinner of best smart thinking book (Business Book Awards) and a Guardian best books of 2021When 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, above all, the scout wants to know what''s actually true.In The Scout Mindset, Galef shows that what makes scouts better at getting things right isn''t that they''re smarter or more knowledgeable than everyone else. It''s a handful of emotional skills, habits, and ways of looking at the world - which anyone can learn.With fascinating examples ranging from how to survive being stranded in the middle of the ocean, to how Jeff Bezos avoids overconfidence, to how superforecasters outperform CIA operatives, to Reddit threads and modern partisan politics, Galef explores why our brains deceive us and what we can do to change the way we think.''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''With insights that are both sharp and actionable, The Scout Mindset 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 GrantTrade 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 Vox

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