Product Description
The indispensable resource for anyone in the music business. Every business arrangement in the music industry comes down to the written agreement between the parties engaged in the project at hand. When you're co-writing with other songwriters or making publishing agreements, recording agreements with independent record labels, or film sync license agreements for music used in TV, film, the Internet and commercials, what is in writing is what ultimately governs the deal with you and your business. Whether you are the publisher, label, studio, producer, engineer, or artist, The Music Business Contract Library contains over 125 different contract templates and forms that you need, along with Greg's professional experience in commentary on how he has used them and why. This massive library comes with a CD-ROM, which delivers over 125 forms in fully editable Microsoft Word format for use in your own business. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Music Business by Hal Leonard
This is an excellent book to read for anyone who is interested in taking that pathway into the music industry. It sets good guidlines for starting a sincere interest in starting a band with business practices. The many contracts that appear in this book certainly shines light on ways to protect yourself legally and get the most out of your musical career. I would highly recommend this book to all individuals who would like to explore this musical venture. ... Read more

Product Description
Just some of the books featured:

Charles Babbage, On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures (1832)- Meredith Belbin, Management Teams: Why They Succeed or Fail (1984) - Warren Bennis & Burt Nanus, Leaders (1985) - Jan Carlzon, Moments of Truth (1987) - James Champy & Michael Hammer, Reengineering the Corporation (1993) - Alfred Chandler, Strategy and Structure (1962) - Stan Davis & Christopher Meyer, Blur (1997) - Henry Ford, My Life and Work (1923) - Harold Geneen, Managing (1984) - Frank Gilbreth, Motion Study (1911) - Gary Hamel & C K Prahalad, Competing for the Future (1994) - Charles Handy, The Age of Unreason (1989) - Philip Kotler, Marketing Management (1967) - Nicoló Machiavelli, The Prince (1513) - Henry Mintzberg, The Nature of Managerial Work (1973) - John Naisbitt, Megatrends (1982) - Taiichi Ohno, Toyota Production System (1978) - David Packard, The HP Way (1995) - Michael Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (1990) - Frederick Reichheld, The Loyalty Effect (1996) - Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline (1990) - Fons Trompenaars, Riding the Waves of Culture (1993) - Sun Tzu, The Art of War (500 BC) - Max Weber, The Theory of Social and Economic Organization (1924) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellentshort summary of management history
I recently sat for (and passed) my doctoral comprehensive exams in Management, and used this book to help me develop context, so that I didn't lose my way in the forest. So many thinkers, so many papers, and such grim prose. This book, along with Crainer's "Key Management Ideas" were indispensible in helping to form a review outline. They could also be useful for an MBA student trying to understand the epistemological history behind some of the concepts spouted by practitioners, such as "tipping-point" and "network-effect." He or she will learn, as I have, that the progenitors often didn't receive the credit he or she deserved.

Some of my fellow students preferred Shafritz, Ott & Jang's "Classics of Organization Theory," to which I also referred, but as the previous reviewer pointed out, Crainer's laudible biographical sketches and context-setting side-bars (many provided by Gary Hamel, who understands the value of a clever phrase) within each section aid the reader in understanding the place each theorist occupies in the literature.

This book first appeared in 1997. That was recently enough that I believe that it should have included the work of Karl Weick, whose concept of sense-making has gained in stature and will likely have long-term importance. A minor quibble though about an excellent synopsis.

80 essential sources for any business library

This is the third edition of one of the volumes in the "The Ultimate Series" published by Capstone Publishing Limited. I have also reviewed Des Dearlove's The Ultimate Book of Business Thinking and John Middleton's The Ultimate Strategy Library. The three volumes comprise an especially informative and valuable resource for busy executives as well as those now preparing for a business career.The brevity of coverage of individuals and individual books is inevitable, given the scope of each volume. For example, during the course of a 301-page narrative, Stuart Crainer provides a briefing on a total of 85 of "the greatest books that made management." They are arranged by author in alphabetical order but Crainer also offers a series of time-specific clusters that range from "Management prehistory" (e.g. Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations) to "The nineties" (e.g. James Collins and Jerry Porras' Built to Last and Thomas Stewart's Intellectual Capital). The last works Crainer discusses were first published in 1998: Don Tapscott's Growing Up Digital and Patricia Seybold's Customers.com.

I like the format Crainer chose for each of the 80 commentaries.First, he provides a mini-bio of the given author, then a brief discussion of her or his "classic" book, followed by a few notes. In the Bibliography that follows the last commentary (devoted to William H. Whyte and Organization Man), Crainer lists all of each author's major works.Many readers will appreciate being introduced to certain works with which they may not have previously been familiar. For example, Frank Gilbreth's Motion Study (1911), Chester Barnard's The Functions of the Executive (1938), Frederick Herzberg's The Motivation at Work (1959), MarvinBower's The Will to Manage (1966), Taiicho Ohno's Toyota's Production System (1978), and Joseph M. Juran's Planning for Quality (1988). To paraphrase Isaac Newton, they are among the "giants" upon whose shoulders so many more renowned business thinkers have since stood.

Of course, no such list is complete nor does Crainer claim that his is. My own opinion is that there are some notable pre-1998 omissions (e.g. Eric Drexler, Thomas Kuhn, Michael Hammer, and James Womack) but, to repeat, no such list is complete.

Crainer makes especially effective use of brief observations by Gary Hamel, each relevant to the given context, that are inserted throughout the narrative. Here are three representative examples:

On organizational learning: "If your organization has not yet mastered double-loop learning it is already a dinosaur. No one can doubt that organizational learning is the ultimate competitive advantage. We owe much to [Chris] Argyris and [Donald] Schon for helping us to learn about learning." (Page 8)

On the rise and fall of strategic planning: "Henry [Mintzberg] views strategic planning as a ritual, devoid of creativity and meaning. He is undoubtedly right when he argues that planning doesn't produce strategy. But rather than use the last chapter of [The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning] to create a new charter for planners, Henry might have put his mind to the question of where strategies actually do come from!" (Page 177)

On organizational culture and leadership: "It is impossible to change a large organization without first understanding that organization's culture. Ed [i.e. Edgar H.] Schein gave us an ability to look deeply into what makes an organization what it is, thus providing the foundation of any successful effort at `transformation' or `change.' [Schein's book] Organizational Culture and Leadership remains essential reading for all aspiring `change agents.'" (Page 243)

Those who share my regard for this book are urged to check the other two volumes in the "The Ultimate Series" as well as Crainer's The Management Century, another brilliant achievement. ... Read more

Product Description
Books in BarronÂ's Business Library Series speak to men and women who are starting a company or managing a small-to-medium-size business. Advice and instruction is geared to daily operations and finding practical solutions for typical problems. Topics discussed in this book include understanding cost concepts, job-order costing, process costing, activity-based costing (ABC), activity-based management (ABM), cost-volume and break-even analysis, budgeting, cost analysis for non-routine decisions, how to make capital budgeting decisions, performance metrics such as the balanced score card, and a variety of cost management tools, including target costing and life-cycle costing. The authors cover all important issues that relate to budgeting and affect company profitability. A helpful appendix presents tables that account for the time value of money, and a glossary gives definitions of specialized cost management terms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

another great book on financial management.
Great books on financial management.It cover all about cost accounting, cost analysis and budgeting.This book is a great addition to my library.By great authors too.

Handy Book
Real cases study for all financial situation.Great for managers and Jr. Financial Analyst.

jamike
The author tries to cover too many areas.He should have focused on COST MANAGEMENT and BUDGETS and taken one or two examples and defined all variances analysis from beginning to end,Then he would have HAD a fine book. Examples skip from one to another with no correlation to accentuating COST ANALYSIS-BUDGET development and management.

Great overview of cost accounting for manufacturing
This little book is a wonderful review of all the things you need to consider if you are doing accounting in a manufacturing concern. The ideas are applicable as well for service organizations but the examples are geared toward accounting for manufactured products.The authors talk about when or why you would use a certain type of costing method rather than just explain how it's done. For example, they explain the reason for using Just In Time costing and the benefits over traditional cost accounting and describe what performance measures you would use with each system.I'm only halfway through my libray copy but have decided to buy my own to keep for reference.

More Practical than Theory!
This is a very well - organized introduction to cost accounting. There are some very useful chapters on cost behavior and cost estimation, as well as cost-volume-profit and break even analysis. The theory is very clear,however, the quantitative examples are basic. Not a complete study guidefor the MBA student, but a great compendium to supplement theory and basicunderstanding.Plus, if you own several volumes from the Barron's BusinessLibrary you get the bonus of having them look cool on the bookshelf! ... Read more

Product Description
A Volume of the Business Analysis Essential Library Series

The heart of the business analyst's role is to drive various constituencies through processes to achieve consensus on the needs of the business. Successfully facilitating meetings whether a one-on-one interview or a larger presentation is essential to business analysis. The Art and Power of Facilitation: Running Powerful Meetings provides powerful tools that the business analyst can use to negotiate through the myriad of meetings, informal work sessions, and formal workshops that are necessary to develop business requirements.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: To Meet or Not to Meet...That Is the Question
Chapter 2: Meeting Management Best Practices
Chapter 3: Facilitation Its an Art and a Science
Chapter 4: The Business Analysts Facilitation Toolkit
Chapter 5: Requirements Elicitation Meetings
Chapter 6: Requirements Analysis Meetings
Chapter 7: Requirements Specification Review Meetings
Chapter 8: Deliverable Verification and Validation Meetings
Chapter 9: Closing Comments ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Stock reference for every BA
As a body of knowledge blooms for business analysis, you will find this book (and the others in its series) engaging and helpful. The books most positive feature is its format. By dividing the BA Body of Knowledge into smaller sub-categories, they have created a digestible portion, which then becomes easy to assimilate and add into your everyday working regime. ... Read more

Product Description

ANSWER KEY BUSINESS QUESTIONS

CONTROL COMPANY FINANCES

FORECAST SALES

PREPARE BUSINESS CASES

MAKE BETTER INVESTMENT DECISIONS

IMPROVE QUALITY

USE EXCEL 2010 TO GAIN DEEPER INSIGHTS, MAKE SMARTER DECISIONS, AND EARN MORE PROFITS

Using real-world examples, Carlberg helps you put Excel’s features and functions to work and get the power of quantitative analysis behind your management decisions.

Excel expert Conrad Carlberg shows how to use Excel 2010 to perform the core financial tasks every manager and entrepreneur must master: analyzing statements, planning and controlling company finances, making investment decisions, and managing sales and marketing. Using real-world examples, Carlberg helps you get the absolute most out of Excel 2010’s newest features and functions. Along the way, you’ll discover the fastest, best ways to handle essential tasks ranging from importing business data to analyzing profitability ratios.

Becoming an Excel expert has never been easier! You’ll find crystal-clear instructions, insider insights, complete step-by-step projects, and more. It’s all complemented by an extraordinary set of web-based resources, from sample journals and ledgers to business forecasting tools.

•  Use Excel analysis tools to solve problems throughout the business

•  Build and work with income statements and balance sheets

•  Value inventories and current assets, and summarize transactions

•  Calculate working capital and analyze cash flows

•  Move from pro formas to operating budgets that help guide your management decisions

•  Prepare business cases incorporating everything from discount rates to margin and contribution analysis

About MrExcel Library:  Every book in the MrExcel Library pinpoints a specific set of crucial Excel skills, and presents focused tasks and examples for performing them rapidly and effectively. Selected by Bill Jelen, Microsoft Excel MVP and mastermind behind the leading Excel solutions
website MrExcel.com, these books will:

•   Dramatically increase your productivity–saving you 50 hours a year, or more

•   Present proven, creative strategies for solving real-world problems

•   Show you how to get great results, no matter how much data you have

•   Help you avoid critical mistakes that even experienced users make

Customer Reviews (3)

A 'must' for any business or business-oriented computer library
Business Analysis: Microsoft Excel 2010 is a 'must' for any business or business-oriented computer library. It goes beyond the usual Excel basics to show how to use Excel 2010 to gain deeper insights into business. Excel expert Conrad Carlberg shows how to use Excel 2010 to perform core financial tasks from analyzing statements and managing sales to creating and using advanced queries. Very highly recommended!

Do better business with Excel
This book is different from other Excel books I've read. The usual approach is to explain what Excel can do and how to do it. This unusual approach reverses the process, identifying business problem and processes, then showing how Excel can help to do the job.

There are four sections: Analyzing Financial Statements, Financial Planning and Control, Investment Decisions and Sales and Marketing. Each section takes a business process, explaining it for those not familiar with it, then showing how Excel can help to eliminate work or illustrate information that might not have been evident.

For example, the first section deals with Income Statements, Balance Sheets, Inventories, Cash Flow and Ratios. In each case, the author shows what Excel can do to make your life easier.

The book uses Excel 2010 as its basis, but mentions how a process might be different when using an earlier version of Excel. Actually, very little reference is made to the tabs present in both Excel 2007 and 2010. Rather, the method of preparing the object at hand is the focus.

The Financial Planning and Control section covers Budgeting and Planning in some depth. The Forecasting chapter explains how the various estimation methods available in Excel differ andthe situations in which might be used. The author discusses moving average forecasts, regression and smoothing with Excel's functions. He even covers the concept of Box-Jenkins methods, although the subject is too extensive to cover in this book.

Another interesting chapter is Measuring Quality, which delves into the subject of sampling using various statistical methods.

Statistics comes up again in the Making Investment Decision Under Uncertain Conditions. Here the author covers using standard deviation, confidence intervals and regression analysis.

The book is filled with screen shots of Excel applying the ideas in the text. This gives you a good idea of how to apply the ideas to your own work.

The book includes a helpful glossary and a useful index.

This is a great book for one in business who is familiar with Excel and wants to use it to improve the company's analysis and operations.

Business Analysis
Business Analysis: Microsoft Excel 2010 covers two broad accounting topics: management accounting and financial accounting. The first part of the book looks primarily at day to day accounting procedures. This includes a well thought out discussion on whether to use Quick Books or other readymade accounting programs or to use Excel to create your own templates. There are pros and cons on both sides of the issue. It is also possible, if done carefully, to use the best of both.

Following this discussion, the book moves into how to create various schedules, ledgers, and summaries. For those new to the inner workings of accounting, the book explains some key concepts as well as the purposes behind the various forms and calculations. Various examples are used with instructions on the formulas and layouts. There are also lots of illustrations so that you know you are on the right track.

The book transitions to budgeting and planning. This is the part of the process where Excel really shines. It's so very easy to analyze, manipulate, and reorganize the data in a variety of different ways to not only see where your business is right now but also project how it could grow. Really, it's about making good business decisions based on fact and knowledge about the inner workings of your company rather than just tossing a coin in the air and hoping you made the right choices.
... Read more

Product Description
Many people can't find the time to read the books of major business thinkers. But managers and others in business do need to be knowledgeable about important ideas if they want to keep their careers on track and make worthwhile contributions to their companies. This unique book provides exactly the help they need, with:

**summaries of 50 influential business books, from 'The Art of War' to 'The Fifth Discipline,' with stops at Dale Carnegie, Peter Drucker, W. Edwards Deming, Tom Peters, Philip Kotler, Charles Handy, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, and others along the way
**commentary on each book by Gary Hamel (a major business thinker himself!)
**biographical sketches of each author and mini-descriptions of 50 additional business books (the "runners-up")

The summaries are written in a crisp, lively style that helps clarify the concepts of the original works (no matter what time period they are from). Hamel's commentaries provide readers with context and valuable insights.

This outstanding collection of outstanding ideas provides critical help for managers who crave knowledge but are short on time.Amazon.com Review
Business writer Stuart Crainer's The Ultimate BusinessLibrary: 50 Books That Shaped Management Thinking offers anexcellent overview of some of the most significant books ever writtenon the art of management. The selections--alphabetically from IgorAnsoff to Max Weber, and chronologically from 500 B.C. to 1994--arebooks Crainer feels have the greatest impact on management thought andpractice. His insightful summaries of each work, which include RobertTownsend's Up the Organization, Henry Ford's My Life andWork, and Peter Senge's The Fifth Discipline, are precededby a bio of the author and a commentary by London Business Schoolprofessor Gary Hamel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Introductions into 50 great management and business classics
Stuart Crainer is business and management writer, who quite often appears in The Financial Times. Gary Hamel is a top business writer/management guru, fellow at Harvard Business School, visiting professor at the London Business School, and chairman of California-based consulting firm Strategos. Both have written several business-related books.

The book starts with an introduction by Gary Hamel, who lists the books featured per issues - management, leadership, complexity, people, customerd, global, the future, renewal, competition, efficiency, strategy, and fun. Then, Stuart Crainer describes 50 management and business classics in alphabetical order of the authors. The classics featured range from Sun Tzu's Art of War (500 BC) and Machiavelli's The Prince (1513) through to modern works from Gary Hamel, Michael Porter, Peter Senge and Tom Peters. I do not think that anybody will argue the author's selection, since all books are truly greats. Since the complete book consists about 300 pages, each classic receives about 4-6 pages (introduction by Gary Hamel, biography of author(s), and a description of the main ideas and issues). This is enough for a quick insight and description, but do not expect to become a specialist in any of the issues.

The breakdown into issues makes it easy for readers to choose a subject/books. You can then have a quick flick through the particular summary/summaries. If you like the summary/summaries, you will still require to purchase or borrow the book(s) since the summaries are not that detailed. I used this book during my MBA-course (in particular during the earlier part), where I used it as a type of tool since it pointed me to the best book(s) for a particular subject. (I must admit that I also bought Stuart Crainer's 110 Ultimate Book of Business Gurus, but I do much more prefer/use this one.) The book is simple to use and is written in simple US-English.

Not enough meat
I like the concept of this book and I have no problem with its selections.However, I find that there isn't very much said about each of these business books.While historical context is provided for each, there is little that gives me a new perpective on things or provides me with something that I can apply.It is like viewing historical documents in a museum without there being a description of why they're relevant or how they impact the present day.I prefer the more vibrant discussion found in "The Guru Guide."

50 Books That Changed the World
This book gives you a tantalizing sense of business history and a context in which to hone your own wisdom.Few books give you the opportunity to sample the nuggets of the time-tested thought of 50 mentors like this one.One or more of its trains of thought could be just what you need to help you grow the roots of solutions and grease your strategic and visionary gears.

Great historical review
This book can be seen as a great condensation of management literature. The selection can obviously be discussed but the beaty is to be able to get the main points from 50 milestones in management thinking. Moreover, somebooks could be a discovering and prompt you to read them. The only weaknessis that some books are out of date (which doesn't mean old but overcome bytime) and I would have prefered 50 "still alive" books.

Many of these books are must reading for MBA students
This is a very useful book for anyone interested in the study of management.While the books listed are personal selections of the author, I think he did a respectable job given the enormity of the task. I applaudthe author for including popular and academic works both new and old.Onecould challenge some of the entries, but again, they are personalselections.Some titles are out of the mainstream literature and new findsto me--I'm sure anyone will find some useful books they were previouslyunaware of.One notable omission, in my opinion, is lack of any works onEVA.This is an important topic for any manager and should have at leastmade the "2nd 50" listed in the appendix. Overall, a very usefulbook for anyone wishing to pursue the literature on management. ... Read more

Product Description
Help your patrons create effective marketing research plans with this sourcebook!

Marketing Information: A Strategic Guide for Business and Finance Libraries identifies and describes secondary published sources of information for typical marketing questions and research projects. Experts in the field offer a guided tour of the signposts and landmarks in the world of marketing information—highlighting the most important features. This extensive guide serves as a strategic bibliography, covering over 200 printed books and serials, subscription databases, and free Web sites.

Marketing Information contains several useful features, including:

• basic bibliographic descriptions with publisher location, frequency, format, price, and URL contact information for each source listed
• special text boxes with practical tips, techniques, and short cuts
• an alphabetical listing of all source titles
• an index to subjects and sources

Product Description
A Volume of the Business Analysis Essential Library Series

Learn how the business analyst works collaboratively with the project manager and other core team members to create plans that customize elicitation activities to the unique needs of the project. The authors present techniques used by successful business analysts and defines key business analysis terms.

Examine the principles and practices for pragmatic, effective requirements elicitation and learn how to work collaboratively with project members and other core team members. Discover the steps necessary to create customized elicitation activities for the unique needs of each project.

Table of Contents

Part I
Chapter 1: Introduction to Elicitation

Part II Planning Requirements Activities
Chapter 2: Building the Foundation
Chapter 3: Assess Project Size, Complexity, and Risk
Chapter 4: Conduct a Stakeholder Analysis
Chapter 5: Determine the Project Life Cycle
Chapter 6: Plan Requirements Activities

Part III Elicitation in Practice
Chapter 7: Brainstorming
Chapter 8: Requirements Elicitation Workshops and Discovery Sessions
Chapter 9: Interviewing
Chapter 10: Surveys
Chapter 11: Documentation Review
Chapter 12: Analyzing Interfaces
Chapter 13: Eliciting Supplemental Requirements ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unearthing Business REquirements, a Review
This is a great'how to' book. It is full of useful information and templates. Some of the templates I really like are "Project Complexity Model", p. 27; "sample RACI RAM", p. 36 and "Project Characteristics and Product Cycles", p. 66. The authors also include sample Business Requirements Documents and a sample Requirements Management Plan.
The only reason they did not get 5 stars from me was the concept of the BA role seemed confusing, and I think they got the NASA "Vee Model" diagram arrows pointing in the wrong direction, p. 57.
This book brings the importance of requirements gathering to us in a straightforward way that is easy to understand and follow. Nice work by the authors.
Jim Sloane, OPM3CC, PMP, CM ... Read more

Product Description
A Volume of the Business Analysis Essential Library Series

With the continually changing business environment, the business analyst is becoming a critical project leader and business/technology consultant helping organizations ensure they are investing in the most valuable projects, and then managing the project benefits. Professionalizing Business Analysis: Breaking the Cycle of Challenged Projects focuses on the emerging business analysis profession, and describes both the strategic and tactical roles of the business analyst.

Table of Contents

Part I Introducing the Business Analyst
Chapter 1: What Are Business Analysts and Why Are They Needed?
Chapter 2: The Business Analyst in the Organization
Chapter 3: Business Analysis Through Life Cycles

Part II The Functions of a Business Analyst
Chapter 4: Strategic Planning
Chapter 5: Enterprise Analysis
Chapter 6: Requirements Elicitation
Chapter 7: Requirements Analysis and Specification
Chapter 8: Requirements Documentation, Validation, and Management
Chapter 9: Business Solution Delivery, Operation, and Maintenance

Part III Other Considerations
Chapter 10: Requirements Engineering Considerations
Chapter 11: The Grooming of the Business Analyst
Chapter 12: A Business Analyst Maturity Model
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Need to be more detailed
I purchased this book by mistake. When i went throguth the content i thought each of the sctions should be more detailed. This is just my opinion.

Good Contribution to Business Analysis industry knowledge
This is an interesting book in the Business Analysis Essential Library series by Management Concepts. Like other Amazon clients, I read the "Click to Look Inside" and based upon the snippets that I saw the book was purchased.

This book provides some nuggets of knowledge that have not been well covered in the past and is a definite value-add.

The sections that I found valuable were
1. Requirements Engineering Considerations - it provides current material that is relevant to practitioners in our industry
2. A Business Analysis Maturity Model - it gives a framework to understand why certain organizations succeed and why others fail
3. Business Analyst Career Path - it gives a nice hierarchy that can be adapted as a first step by many organizations

Other material presented is not quite as valuable and is somewhat light in terms of detail. For example, Requirements Analysis and Specification is covered in seven pages and barely touches the core material. I would never present this publication to a new Business Analyst as a guide.

Overall - this book is a valuable contribution to our industry. I am not sure I would term it as essential based upon what we do day-to-day.

Great way to get introduced to Business Analysis
Business Analysis is an up and coming career opportunity. While Business Analysts work with Project Managers, they specialize in understanding the processes, their limitations and potential impact change will have on the processes (positive and negative). Kathleen's book is a great starting point to understand the Business Analyst role, responsilbity and value. ... Read more

Product Description
A sound and convincing business plan is an entrepreneurÂ's important first step in starting up a profitable business. ItÂ's also a prerequisite for getting financing and attracting investors. A sound business plan describes the business operations and goals, analyzes and forecasts markets and sales, sets up operating and marketing plans and schedules, and estimates operating expenses. This book shows how to organize and write a logical, business-savvy, and professionally polished business plan that can be presented to potential investors and financial institutions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

good information but very badly organised
This book contains all the right information that is needed to create a business plan, but the text is so badly organized that it becomes very frustrating when using it to actually write a plan.

Thoroughly confusing and cluttered
This book would be suited for people who have completed several business plans and want to sharpen their knives.For a beginner I found it an unbelievably useless reference.It made references to things that weren't there, many examples were unrelated to the text, undecipherable sections, addendums to chapters with no clear connection to the host chapter...I could go on and on.I suspect it was proofread by an insular group.

Great Little Book!!
I purchased the third edition of this book because I was tired of checking out the second edition from the library; I was using it that much! It has an excellent combination of business school theory and practical examples for a variety of businesses. The authors provide an outline for a business plan but also indicate when a section may not be necessary for a particular business or financing situation. This is a professional level book more for use by MBAs than by a mom and pop retail business but the material is clear enough to be used by both.

this is the book you need
I recently had to write a business plan and ended up using this book as a guide. I had 2 other popular books I bought on business plans but ended up using them only to create my table of content. This book compared with other material can be use for the core of your business plan. As this book should not be the only material you use for your business plan it should be the main book about general business plans. This book is not for somebody who contemplates about a business plan but for somebody who actually needs to write one. It is very good structured and the chapters go into details that are not covered in other materials. Thanks for the previous reviews that pointed me to this book, as for anybody who reads this; this book is the one you will need when you write your business plan.

This was okay
The book is helpful but too lengthy in details--makes the process seem more diffucult than it should be.If you are an analytical business owner, this might be your cup of tea.However, if you're looking to get the job done quickly but efficiently, this book is not for you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

We are spirtual beings--even at work
This book, as in all Dr. Lewis'books, has practical information that we can use in every aspect of our lives. This book is a reminder that we are what we are no matter where we are. We are spirit in essence and that never changes. What we do at work, what we teach our children, how we handle traffic jams--it all matters.

Lucid advice
Exactly as the title says, this book gives the Rosicrucian (via the AMORC organisation) viewpoint on business, goal-seeking and general conduct.While not delving into the private Rosicrucian teachings, author Lewisshares his knowledge of what works and what doesn't, offering manypractical tips and examples to members and nonmembers alike.Thediscussions of affirmations and asking-in-prayer are eye-openers. ... Read more

Product Description
Do we add that edgy urban novel to our teen collection? Should we initiate social networking? What about abandoning Dewey for a bookstore arrangement? Change is risky business, but librarians must be prepared to initiate change to best serve teens. YA service innovators Linda W. Braun, Hillias J. Martin, and Connie Urquhart explain how to be smart about taking risks without shying away from them. They offer concrete advice for

• Laying the groundwork for change in key areas such as collection building and programming
• Including technology components as part of traditional services, such as booktalks, information literacy instruction, and book discussion groups
  
• Effectively gaining support from administrators and colleagues

Customer Reviews (1)

Will prove an invaluable resource for any library that wants to be on the cutting edge
It may seem appealing to try to appeal to teens, but there are risks in radical transformations. "Risky Business: Taking and Managing Risks in Library Services for Teens" is a discussion of steps that can be taken to make a library appeal to young adults, and the things to consider while moving towards catering to them. From the simplest of concerns of carrying books that may prove controversial, technology integration, becoming a social center, or even shifting layouts against century old systems. Discussing these topics at great length and weighing the pros and cons of each, "Risky Business" comes with many useful appendixes, and will prove an invaluable resource for any library that wants to be on the cutting edge.
... Read more

Product Description
A Volume of the Business Analysis Essential Library Series

The business analysts serving as internal business/technology consultants is rapidly emerging in organizations. Learn about this challenging leadership role as they become strategic leaders of change for their organizations.

Become equipped with the principles, knowledge, practices, and tools needed to assume a leadership role in an organization. From Analyst to Leader: Elevating the Role of the Business Analyst uncovers the unique challenges for the business analyst to transition from a support role to a central leader serving as change agent, visionary, and credible leader.

Contents:
Chapter 1: Project Leadership
Chapter 2: The Business Analyst as Project Leader
Chapter 3: The Business Analyst s Leadership Role throughout the Business Solution Life Cycle
Chapter 4: The Business Analyst as Team Leader
Chapter 5: The Business Analyst s Role in Communications
Chapter 6: Customer Relationship Management: Politics and Stakeholders
Chapter 7: Carving Out Your Leadership Role
Chapter 8: Establishing a Business Analysis Center of Excellence in Your Organization ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Lacking
I felt this book was subpar. The book felt like an advertisement for the Business Analsis Essential Library as topics are frequently referenced as being in other book and not explain within this book.

The book didn't focus enough on practical.What are practical steps to take to step into the leader role. The book also spent an entire chapter on Centers of Excellence. It's obvious this was a topic of great interest to the
author(s). Instead, it would have been good to have a chapter that provided brief overviews of different analyst roles (Financial, Security, Data, System, Support, etc.).

Enjoying the Read!
I have been reading a chapter at a time and there is a lot of great information provided in this book for someone who wants to advance their leadership value as a Business Analyst. ... Read more

Product Description
This three-volume work examines the research on the multinational enterprise (MNE) and presents a comprehensive, scholarly discussion of significant articles in this field. The two eminent editors, experts in this area, focus on the micro issues of the MNE identifying important research that has defined the field in many ways. The set includes a variety of articles (i.e. the classics as well as more recent publications) from a wide selection of international sources and provides a good balance between U.S. and non-U.S. papers. ... Read more

Product Description
Business success does not hinge on a single practice, product, or idea. As a business grows, a company must learn to change and find different ways to maintain and expand its success. Surviving Success will teach you how to lead your business to its next level of growth success by setting different priorities and establishing different organizational structures and cultures.

Surviving Success describes five phases of business growth and development, the modes of operation most effective in each phase, and the style of management that is naturally most effective at creating the right mode of operation. Surviving Success then describes the priorities and practices that are at the heart of achieving success in each phase. It then concludes with 10 survival tips that will enable you to be more effective in a greater range of your company's different growth phases.

The book, based on research of more than 200 businesses, uses self evaluation forms to help business owners identify which management practices need to be changed as businesses grow. You will learn how your approach to decision-making can influence your management practices, and how to forecast key management challenges and to prepare for them.

If you have achieved success in your business, then Surviving Success is the next logical step to help you maintain and expand your achievements through targeted management techniques and careful decision-making. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fantastic for growing companies!
Hansen's book, Surviving Success: Managing the Challenges of Growth, takes the mystery out of the growth and change caused by success. Surviving Success gives entrepreneurs, managers, and venture capital investorseffective, hands-on tools to successfully navigate the deep waters ofbusiness growth and change.This popular book is already in its secondprinting. ... Read more

Product Description
More than 3,000 entries that hundreds of gifted communicators have used through the years to fix a point and make a lasting impression. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Mindless Compilation
I tossed my copy out. This book is a thoughtless, mediocre cut-and-paste job. Don't buy this book if you want more than homilies.

Okay Resource
This is a well organized book of jokes and
anecdotes.

However, none of it is very fresh or informative.

It reads like clip art for speeches. It may
allow a breather to gather thoughts
but will do little to actually stimulate.

A good addition to a reference library, but
a well written case study has far more resonance
and applicability.

Valuable Collection!
This is a thoroughly enjoyable and valuable collection of business humor anecdotes. I found them to be very useful on many speaking occasions. In the same business/humor category, I would like to also highly recommend the the hilarious satire: "MANAGEMENT BY VICE", as another great source of witty-sharp, humorous anecdote-like episodes and workplace wisdom --- in prose, easy-to-recall, apply and repeat brief verses and comic illustrations. The follies of mis-management in high-tech R&D were applicable to numerous business situations. Combining the wit in both these books, I found much to chuckle over and discuss with my close friends and on many diverse business social occasions!

Extremely Useful & Well Organized
This is a great book for the novice as well as the experienced speaker.My current assignment requires me to gather ideas for speeches and put together presentations nonstop.I use this book all the time.My boss now carries a copy of it with him every place he goes. ... Read more

Product Description

In this biography, author and scholar Harold C. Livesay examines the life and legacy of Andrew Carnegie, one of the greatest captains of industry and philanthropists in the history of the United States.

Paperback, brief, and inexpensive, each of the titles in the Library of American Biography Series focuses on a figure whose actions and ideas significantly influenced the course of American history and national life. In addition, each biography relates the life of its subject to the broader themes and developments of the times.

Customer Reviews (14)

A disappointingly shallow view of a great life
Livesay's book is neither a good biography of Carnegie nor a good essay on the rise of big business.
The book fails to paint a good psychological profile of the man, and fails to give the reader a good grasp of the man's intellectual make-up. Through choice examples one gets a bit of Carnegie's business philosophy, ethics and practice, but not a textured account of his travails and successes.
The book emphasizes the poor-Scott-to-rich-American story, but it leaves out most of Carnegie's personal life development. As a any reader of historical biographies knows, this part colors the personal motivation of great achievers.
As a text on the history of the rise of big business in America, this book is really short on substance.
Of course, its shortness and clear writing makes it a perfect book for the busy college student that needs a quick read on Carnegie or a broad-stroke brush with that time-period and of early American Industrial Revolution. This point earns the book its two stars.

Had to read for a class, but could've been worse
Normally, I don't really get into reading books for classes, I just get on with them and that's that. I'd like to say this book was different, but I can't go that far. It was slow in the start from his beginnings, but towards the end it offers some good business advice and some of the strategies he used to make it big during his time period of an evolving society and America. Not a bad read if you care about other people's entire life story, but since I can say that I don't, it was just OK. I wouldn't have picked up the book if I didn't HAVE to, and I'll leave it at that. Not a bad read, but not great either.

got it like new!
easy read! very informative on the whole processes of the steel and railroad companies and production.

money money money
I'm also reading this for a history class, and I really don't like it. I should mention that I'm only four chapters in at this point, but I'm seriously doubting my ability to finish it - and I'm an English major, so I'm pretty good at reading anything I have to. The first chapter isn't so bad - it's about the Carnegie family's immigration and beginning in America - but as the book goes on, it seems to get dryer and dryer, and the story becomes more about capitalism and industry than about Carnegie himself. It describes how each business got better at doing stuff, and then how much money it made, and then how it changed something, and then how much money it made, and then the change in management..... It's probably a useful book for learning about "big business" if you're into that sort of thing, but I find it incredibly boring to read about how Carnegie wanted to be in charge of things all the time, and how he came up with ideas about how to make more money off his businesses. I've read worse books, but for an intro-level history course, I should be more engaged - and for a biography, I'd like to feel like I know the man it's about. The author talks vaguely about how Carnegie was persuasive and had friends, but he still feels very mysterious and unfamiliar. All I know is that he liked to make money out of money. The author may be trying to avoid melodrama, but that doesn't mean all the interesting personal stuff should be cut out. And if I have to learn about big business, I'd rather not read a long narrative about it - a textbook format would probably be more accessible and interesting.

Also, the pun regarding an oil merchant's "oleaginous imagination" made me die a little inside.

BORING
I too had to read this horrible waste of a tree for my history class - i thought it was and intresting story the whole rags to riches thing but i never finished a single chapter because i didnt have the will power to push through the dryness of this book, most often i even fell asleep. livesay may have acuratley described the rise of andrew carnegie but this book is crap - only a true history nut would find any enjoyment in the book, and thats pushing it ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you are searching for a new business site or relocating an existing business, you have the power to dramatically increase or decrease your profits by choosing the right location. Location is the most important ingredient for success for any business that depends on customers finding it. But how can you tell what is a good location? Experienced real estate executive Luigi Salvaneschi shares all he knows about the topic in this new guide for retail business owners, managers, corporate and franchise operators, and real estate agents.

This book clearly explains how to:

* Spot the essential characteristics of the best location
* Understand why and how people move from one point to another and how this movement affects their retail business
* Analyze and learn from your competitor's business so you can make your store a better shopping option
* Use the concept of the analogue store to successfully project your store's sales
* Learn about the retail trading zone and how to use it to capture the most customers

Use the following worksheets and instructions along with others to help walk you through the site selection process:

* Retail Trade Zone Survey and instructions
* Long-Range Store Development Plan and instructions
* Real Estate and Construction Checklist and instructions
* Analogue Rating Score Sheet
* Hourly Sales Analysis Worksheet
* Success Model Worksheet

Helps you identify and understand your retail trading zone and gives industry insights on using city layout and traffic patterns to your benefit. Also shows unique methods for analyzing your competitors to maximize your retail potential. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent tips on establishing a location!
This book covers in depth factors to look for in establishing the best location for any type of business.It is worth the read, but it is better to begin reading this before you have actually picked out the location.This book considers needs of small and large businesses, retail to manufacturing.

good book
Great book, I didn't read it, my brother is the one that wants the book, he said he read it in the library, and after finished it, he wanted to buy one to keep it...

It delivers
One of the great mystries of the business world skillfully uncovered, at least for me.

The BEST book ever for retail business location
Simply the best practical book for finding the best location for your retail store.It is full of practical ideas and tips on how to choose a location.I have read evey single page several times. The proposed techniques are useful for a start up business and a mega chiain store.It is full of sketches to show the impact of different locations on the store traffic.

If you only need one book for store location. Then this is it.

Informative, Insightful, and Instruction
The basic premise of this book is based on the relationship between two things: location and market. To borrow a quote from the book - " The right location in the wrong market will cause your business to fail - morethan if you plan the wrong location in the right market." Buildingupon this belief, the author teaches the reader how to systematically goabout researching for the right information as well as analyzing it. Thebook is written in a down to earth manner and is very easy to follow. It iscomphrehensive and is one of the best books on choosing location. ... Read more

Product Description

This guide offers invaluable assistance to those who wish to start or have already embarked upon a small business enterprise. Utilizing a step-by-step approach, it takes users through a process of planning, establishing, growing, maintaining, and even exiting a small business. For each step, the book offers dozens of the best information sources in print and on the Web, putting vital business information at your fingertips. This is a must-purchase for any library that serves entrepreneurs or future entrepreneurs. In fact, multiple copies may be in demand—for the reference desk and the circulating collection. In addition, it is a valuable guide for collection development.

Every year hundreds of thousands of new small businesses open. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Statistics and Research Center, small businesses in the United States, represent more than 99% of all employer firms and employ 51% of all private workers. According to the Small Business Administration, nearly 2/3 of college students say they intend to be entrepreneurs at some point in their careers. Nevertheless, business schools and textbooks offer little in the way of guidance for future entrepreneurs. Beyond contacting the SBA, most people are at a loss to find the current and accurate information they need to start and manage a small business.

This guide offers invaluable assistance to those who wish to start or have already embarked upon a small business enterprise. With a step-by-step approach, it takes users through a process of planning, establishing, growing, maintaining, and even exiting a small business. By identifying and describing hundreds of the best information sources in print and on the Web for each step of the business building process, it puts information vital to business success at your fingertips, enabling you to locate and use data from a wide range of resources. Chapters cover: Are You an Entrepreneur? Gathering Information and Statistics; Start Up; Your Business Plan; The Ups and Downs of Franchising; Raising Capital; Marketing and Advertising; Management; Personnel/Human Resources; Legal/Taxes; Working with the Government; Competitive Analysis; Growing Your Business and Moving On. In addition, there is a glossary of small business terms; and a detailed index concludes the guide. A first (and last) stop for any small business owner or would-be entrepreneur, this is a handy ready reference for librarians, and an essential collection development tool.

Customer Reviews (3)

Key Resource for Would-Be Entrepreneurs (and Those Helping Them)
This sourcebook serves two purposes: as a walk-through of the processes and questions involved in starting a new business, and a directory of resources you can use to complete those processes and/or answer those questions. Covers such topics as selecting what business you want to start (and grow), putting together a business plan, pros and cons of franchises, raising capital, marketing and advertising, and other operations topics. The sections on competitive analysis, landing government contracts, and "moving on" - e.g., selling and other exit strategies - are especially helpful.

Highly recommended for individuals considering entrepreneurship as well as those organizations (libraries, Small Business Development Centers, SBA offices, etc.) dedicated to helping them.

Excellent resource
I've read several chapters in this book and have been VERY impressed. Very thorough, especially compared to other books that are out on the market. I would highly recommend that any budding entrepreneur buy a copy.

One of those great initial resources an entrepreneur should use when writing his or her biz plan in '06 or a fewyears thereafter

I pulled this book from my public library's shelves the other day. I noticed it had a 2006 copyright date. So I figured it was worthy of a book review. I'm glad I decided to read it and write a review. It is a good book for wanta-be entrepreneurs to read.

I highly recommend you use it to help you put together your business plan. It is written by a university librarian. She's done a pretty good job citing books and online resources to be examined when doing the necessary research to write a sound business plan for your business. The book is comprised of the following chapters:

0. Introduction
1. Are you an entrepreneur?
2. Research, statistics, and information gathering
3. Start-up
4. Your business plan
5. Ups and downs of franchising
6. Raising capital
7. Marketing and advertising
8. Management
9. Personnel/human resources
10. Legal/taxes
11. Working with the government
12. Competitive analysis
13. Growing your business and moving on

Over the past year and a half now that I have been researching small business resources and writing book reviews on Amazon to help me in my SCORE volunteer work I have come across many of the books and Web sites cited in this book. Some of them I like. Some of them I'm not particularly fond of. But it's nice to see a fairly good list compiled by the author. And it will make your life easier when writing your business plan. Beware that in a few years this book will be out of date since it cites a bunch of Web sites and books that will no doubt go out of print.

I particularly liked the chapter titles and organization of the book. It was very comprehensive. I was a little disappointed that SCORE was not mentioned more often along with its Web site's URL. But we're in there enough. I would have liked the book better if in Chapter 4 the multi-volume Business Plans Handbook series had been cited. It wasn't. See BHP Volume 1 at ISBN 0810392224. There are currently 13 volumes as of 2007.

I'm not so sure Chapter 5 on franchising was necessary. I'm not a fan of franchises and I don't usually consider it to be part of entrepreneurship per se. And when LLC's were discussed the author suggested they are just as expensive to put together as a corporation. They usually are more expensive if they are multi-member LLCs. But they are far less expensive if they are single-member LLCs. The difference in cost depends on whether an Operating Agreement is necessary. 5 stars! ... Read more

Product Description

Learn how to maximize your library's resources, gain access to more resources in your community, promote services, and reach new segments of the population through partnerships—with businesses, with schools, with other nonprofit organizations. Drawing on their experiences in developing successful partnerships with a variety of organizations, these authors show you how to go about creating productive and mutually beneficial community partnerships. They also explain how to avoid some of the common partnership pitfalls along the way. Based on what has become widely known as the WRL model, the guide begins with the rationale for partnerships and the organizational library structures needed; and then shows you how and with whom to form partnerships, how to handle challenges that may arise, how to meet partners, and how to create and maintain mechanisms for tracking and evaluating partnerships. The authors use the analogy of courtship to clarify the various phases of partnership development: glances, dating, engagement, and marriage. Brimming with samples and reproducible forms, this practical hands-on guide contains everything you need to get started on the partnership path.