Weiss Ratings' Guide to Property and Casualty Insurers: Spring 2002 (Weiss Ratings' Guide to Property and Casualty Insurers, 32nd ed)

Book Description

The Fun, Fast, and Furious Way to Conquer the SAT Math Section.

SAT Math Mania is Kaplan's comprehensive review of the 100 most important math concepts on the SAT. This informative and entertaining approach focuses on exactly what you need to score higher on this important test.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.
KAPLAN MAKES IT FUN.

The math activities in this book are not the typical, dry SAT fare. Although they're designed to help you test more effectively, the activities in SAT Math Mania are fun, engaging, and downright offbeat.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book for mathematically challenged.......2004-06-21

Being more verbally inclined, I knew I would need some serious help boosting my pitiful math SAT score. I previously scored 45 (450) on my PSAT, and I knew that the colleges I'm looking at wouldn't even give me a second glance with that score. I had tried everything (tutors, SAT practice books, flashcards), the whole nine yards. Nothing could keep me interested! Luckily (a week before my June SAT date!) I found this book. It may sound far-fetched, but having pop culture and words explain these math concepts to me actually caused some of the problems to become ingrained in my memory. Now, with only a week to study, I can't say I did superb on my SAT score (580). However, this book isn't solely limited to JUST the SAT. Two weeks later (with more studying), I took the ACT and, although I haven't received my scores, I know I did considerably better than my previous ACT test.

The other reviewer is right. You definitely will need more practice than this book, and these questions aren't set up exactly the way the SAT is. (After all, ETS isn't going to ask you about 30-60-90 triangles and lounge singing). However, I think it's a great start for learning the foundation, and if you've had basic math classes (HS algebra), the concepts will come back to you after a while.

Entertaining and Helpful, if Condescending.......2002-01-02

As a high school student who works hard for high Bs and low As in a non-honors math class, I figured I could use some extra help preparing for the SAT I math. This book consists of 100 'math concepts,' starting with basics like the definitions of integers and nonintegers (#1), the definitions of rational vs. irrational numbers (#2), and how to add and subract signed numbers (#3), and ended with the geometry of solid figures (#98-100). Categories covered include "Ratios, Proportions, and Rates", "Powers and Roots", "Algebraic Expressions", "Factoring Algebraic Expressions", and "Coordinate Geometry", among many others. Each page has one 'concept' explained in very basic terms and then goes on to relate it to pop culture, concluding with simple practice problems. Most of the little pop culture blurbs were interesting, although some of them (especially at the beginning) were rather stretched and this book, like other Kaplan books, tends to talk down to readers. Topics of the blurbs include actors on NYPD Blue, Donald Trump, the price of gas, Sony and Cher (more than once!), and Mike the Headless Chicken. The explanations of the concepts were concise and clear, and I understood them immediately. Although I did not have a lot of time to review with this book before I took the PSAT, it still helped me. I had a problem which required knowledge of how to find the area of a sector (in a circle), and I remembered enough of the concept from reading this book that I was able to correctly solve the problem. My math score could have been better (63 PSAT and 620 SAT I, although I didn't study much using this book for the SAT I), but I know it would have been worse without the aid of this book. Great for brushing up on all those geometry rules and basic algebra. Make sure to use some real practice problems as well, though, because the problems in this book are not real problems that in any way resemble the SAT. (I recommend "10 Real SATs").

Book Description

Negotiation is a part of everyone's life, yet few people have been formally schooled in successful negotiating techniques. This guide teaches successful techniques for the entire negotiations process-from the initial planning stages, through opening negotiations, mid-game, end-game and follow-up-and gives advice and strategies for each step of the process. With information about data collection, achieving a win-win outcome, and discussions of legal and ethical issues, this book provides thorough preparation for negotiations in professional or personal settings.

Customer Reviews:

A Very Practical and Informative Book.......2006-08-31

This book provides more practical and applicable information than any other book that I have read on the subject.

Very practical book.......2004-08-17

I bought this book two years ago, and the lessons I learned from it have really stuck with me. These tactics have helped me tremendously in negotiations, from my travels in the developing world to my job in "Corporate America". What really made this book stand out for me is how focused it is on the practical. SOOO many books like this talk in the abstract, with a few examples, and leave it at that. I really like how the author spends much more time on practical examples and how to actually USE his tips than on "theory". Highly recommended

An excellent tool for work or home.......2001-07-17

I am a corporate labor relations manager for a Fortune 100 company. The practicle advice and reasoning in this book is very useful to me at the workplace and home. A definite thumbs up.

Kramer Does It Again!.......2001-07-08

This well-organized, unique and unusual approach to the presentation of negotiation theory has become one of my favorite desk reference tools. Kramer has succeeded in writing an excellent step-by-step "nuts and bolts" guide to negotiating and includes numerous "tips, tricks, and traps" that professional negotiators keep in their tool boxes. For those of us who are somewhat acquainted with the mechanics of negotiation, the detailed table of contents is a quick reference, an index-like guide, for locating specific information. Five stars!

Book Description

This best-seller is now newly updated to reflect the changing environment in manufacturing organizations - including the changing roles of operators or line workers, the use of cross-functional teams to solve problems and the shift away from quality control departments and toward total quality management systems.

The formula that works so well for SPC Simplified has been untouched - it's still a hands-on manual with practice problems in each module. Written in clear language, it simplifies the essentials for monitoring, analyzing, and improving quality. No mathematical background is needed.

You'll learn how to set up and use variable control charts and attribute control charts, and how to analyze frequency histograms, machine and process capability. New sections cover such problem-solving tools as checksheets, flow charts, and scatter diagrams. The final module examines how the tools of SPC are used in organizations committed to TQM and continuous improvement.

Customer Reviews:

excellent book.......2004-06-29

this book has simple and good explanation method
the disscussed cases were understood easily.
there are no complex formules
based on simple mathematic

Makes SPC easy and accessible to anyone.......2001-02-18

SPC is one of the most powerful tools available to any organization or workgroup that wants to implement continuous improvement. Unfortunately, it is not widely used outside of manufacturing or companies that are committed to quality. One of the reasons is that is perceived to be difficult to learn. This wonderful book changes that by introducing statistical process controls in a clear, gentle manner.

The book is divided into modules, each of which builds upon the preceding one, and can be used as a training text or as a self-study guide. The first module covers the basics: causes of variation, tools (historgrams, control charts, variable and attribute charts).

Modules 3 and 4 go deeper into the tools, explaining why you would use them, how to use them and how to interpret them. This is the heart of the book.

Machine and process capability, the subject of module 5, can be applied beyond the shop floor. For example, I work as an information technology consultant and was able to apply the knowledge from this module to project estimation and controls, service level measurement and quality assurance processes. This information is also applicable to other areas and will be useful to anyone who works at a company registered as ISO-9000.

Module 5 covers all of the common quality problem-solving tools ranging from brainstorming to scatter diagrams. IT consultants and practitioners will find the sections on cause and effect diagrams and Pareto analysis useful for process improvement for defect identification and removal, and other related objectives.

Elements of a TQM system covered in module 8 may have been better placed in module 1, but it is thorough and a good starting point for anyone who is new to quality.

This book finishes with a module that provides the answers and solutions to practice problems from the preceding modules, which underscores its value as a class test or self-study guide.

I recommend this book to associates who either have never heard of SPC (and there are a lot of them) or think it is beyond their ability to grasp. It is impossible to have a viable, effective program of continuous improvement without SPC. The authors have done a remarkable job of writing a book that lives up to its title by simplifying SPC. As such they have made an important contribution to quality by making this effective tool available to anyone who will take the time to read the book and apply what they learn.

Practical guide that you can put into action right away........1999-10-31

SPC Simplified came along at just the right time. I needed help developing statistical analysis that I could interpret to upper management. I used this text to assist me in constructing my first run charts, variance analysis, error analysis, root cause analysis, brainstorming session and my first Process Cause and Effect Analysis. Great job. A good buy for anyone in Performance Improvement.

Spc Simplified Workbook: Practical Steps to Quality

Average customer rating:

good book

Spc Simplified Workbook: Practical Steps to Quality
Robert T. Amsden
Manufacturer: Quality Resources.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Quality Control | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

SPC Simplified: Practical Steps to Quality

ASIN: 0527916382

Book Description

The Workbook, when used with SPC Simplified, is ideal for self-study, in-house training, or classroom instructions. As you work with and apply the SPC tools presented in SPC Simplified, the Workbook enhances problem-solving abilities.

The SPC Simplified Workbook provides:

Review questions designed to provide overall review and reinforcement of basic principles.
Exercises that help you practice and apply the basics
Case studies that reflect actual problems and engage you in successfully implementing tools and techniques of SPC.

Customer Reviews:

good book.......2004-06-29

this book provides good and understable case studies.
reviews the information in textbook.
disscuss a lot of real cases using the tools in textbook.

Average customer rating:

Intelligent, fresh, ground breaking...

Lacking Costs & Decision-Support,, Brilliant in All Other Respects

quick delivery and good quality, thanks

''The Debates and the Book''

Strategy: Process, Content, Context--An International Perspective
Bob de Wit , and Ron Meyer
Manufacturer: South-Western College Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
MIS | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Systems & Planning | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text & Cases (7th Edition)

Management Accounting (5th Edition)

New Venture Creation: Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century with Online Learning Center access card

Strategy Safari: A Guided Tour Through The Wilds of Strategic Mangament

Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors

ASIN: 0324282710

Book Description

Bob De Wit and Ron Meyer's innovative and extremely successful strategy text encourages critical and creative strategic thinking. By introducing articles from key strategists to present differing perspectives on each strategic issue covered, the authors stress and contrast the diversity of views in the subject without endorsing any one approach.

Customer Reviews:

Intelligent, fresh, ground breaking..........2007-09-28

For my work, I do change, leadership and strategy research for a number of consulting firms so it would be an understatement to say that I've read a lot. Regardless of the domain, I find most work to be highly derivative, unoriginal and based on limited mindsets and thinking. Rarely do I find anything that challenges conventional ways of thinking and is also highly useful and not just another voice shouting out sensationalist ideas so that they can be noticed in a very crowded marketplace.

Recently I signed on to do some volunteer teaching in Cambodia and as is my usual process, I hit the internet, libraries, online databases and do a broad sweep of what's happening in the domains that I'm interested in. I expect that most of what I read will be based on outdated worldviews and limited perspectives so I'm usually happy to dig out the few nuggets of gold in a chapter of a book, an article or left of centre cuff thinking and patch it together into something that opens possibility, provokes thought and powerful mindsets and perspectives.

This book though was an unexpected find and a total gem. Why? If you're a student or a teacher you'll have looked at many books on strategy, and basically they all follow a very similar approach. They treat strategy as something that's fixed, logical, linear, formulaic and relatively simplistic (follow the steps or recipe and you're assured of success). As one of my mentors so often says... it's a nice idea... pity it doesn't work in the real world. If it did and people weren't so unsatisfied with how poorly most current approaches to strategic planning perform, we wouldn't have so many `new' books on strategy coming out each year.

Books that are groundbreaking and challenge conventional paradigms are difficult to write... and the authors have done a first class job of this one and are to be commended for the result. It's organized into a series of paradoxes, which cover the major issues of strategy formulation and execution.

If you can check out the introduction and first chapter you'll have a good sense of whether the book was for you. The table of contents alone sold me, and after reading their conceptual frame and introduction I was excited to read more.

To use some of the comments from the preface of the book to illustrate its structure and value, they discuss how most books on strategic management follow a recipe type approach. They present a limited number of perspectives and theories as accepted knowledge from which prescriptions can easily be described. If you've looked at more than 3 books on strategic management you'll know this to be true. The next use a simple step by step strategic planning approach as the books basic structure. They rework original material into the author's own words to create a consistent and easily digestible piece of text. The choice of perspectives, theories and examples is weighted towards the author's own domestic context (and then, slight adjustments are made for overseas editions.)

This book takes the opposite approach. It covers ten major strategic themes, those that the strategist must deal with in practice. The strategy process, (strategic thinking, strategy formulation, strategic change); the strategic content (business, corporate and network levels of strategy); the strategic context (industry, organizational and international) and organizational purpose.

It then uses several original readings (sometimes condensed in size but not in terms of their original meaning) that are significant or classics in that field and presents them as a series of paradoxes - one that covers each side of the issue and explores each of the key themes and areas of contention. For example the paradox of globalization and localization in terms of the international context; in the area of strategic thinking the paradox of logic and creativity and in the area of strategy formulation the paradox of deliberateness and emergentness. Thus exposing the reader to a wide range of theories and perspectives to enable the student to hone their own strategic thinking skills rather than to learn a recipe. The book has an international perspective so as to highlight cultural differences and assumptions and to address the true nature and context of many multinational companies today. Case studies are drawn from companies worldwide to give a spread of companies, industries and countries. There's more than 30 cases in the book from over 20 countries.

Challenging... yes. Intelligent... absolutely! Relevant to the needs of people working with strategy... undoubtedly!

If you're a student and this is not your text book, pick it up, read it, use the frames and develop your thinking and you'll be light years ahead of your colleagues. You will have learned how to think, and think in terms of possibilities, examining and challenging assumptions and dynamically and creatively adjusting your approach... rather than just learning a formula or a bunch of ideas that mostly don't work quite nearly so precisely in the real world as they're described in most textbooks by most authors.

The book is also supported by a website for both students and teachers full of additional resources. This book isn't just for students though. Managers, consultants, and others with an interest in practical strategy and the challenges it poses will also find the book very useful. That this book's first edition was written so long ago is a testament to how forward thinking the authors are.

This is an exceptional piece of work. Highly recommended.

Lacking Costs & Decision-Support,, Brilliant in All Other Respects.......2007-06-30

I have left this book at five stars despite its lack of a focus on the totality of the costs picture, and the urgency of decision-support, because I want to cross-fertilize this book into the national, military, and law enforcement strategic regimes (largely non-existent, hence the need), and I consider it to be world-class in all that it presents.

First the gaps: neither "costs" nor "intelligence" (nor "decision-support" appear in the index to this book, which is both a commentary on the content, and a commentary on the index, since I do see the words elsewhere in the book.

"True costs" or "natural capitalism" is emerging as the single most important strategic concept for both political and business leaders. Up to this point corporations have been allowed to privatize profit and externalize the bulk of their "true costs" to the individual taxpayer. That is coming to an end. The public now has a digital memory, the World Index of Social and Environmental Responsibility (WISER) is calculating and posting the true cost of everything (e.g. a T-Shirt from Bangladesh has 4,000 liters of virtual water they do not have to export), and Amazon is positioning itself to provide point of sale "true cost" to the individual buyer via cell phone scan back on the bar code: water, fuel, sweatshop, and tax avoidance content at the point of sale. Revolutionary. It will change the marketplace and who wins, who loses in business, nearly overnight (ten years).

On decision-support, other than refer to my short list of a handful of really important commercial intelligence guides, I will simply note that Ben Gilad, one of perhaps ten really great international commercial intelligence practitioners, says in his first seminal work, "Business Blindspots: Replacing Myths, Beliefs, and Assumptions with Market Realities (Infonortics UK, 1996) that:

"Top managers' information is invariably either biased, subjective, filtered, or late."

This tallies nicely with my own findings over a 30 year career in national and military intelligence: Washinton, certainly, London, Paris, Beijing, and other capitals probably, are operating on 2% of the relevant information. They are ignoring 95% of the information that is not secret, not online, not in their language, and not being collected by either their intelligence agencies or their Cabinet departments, which specialize in staffing stakeholder policies divorced from reality and focused on grabbing budget share.

It merits comment that this book comes to us from The Netherlands, the unheralded owner of much of US real-estate and much of the world's structured knowledge. Consequently, the authors are not suffering from American naivete, they have avoided the traditional shortcomings of most textbooks in English (myopia, avoidance of complexity, generic presentation from one author) *and* they fully int3egrate the vital importance of understanding cross-cultural differences, the international context, and the value of international cases that do NOT follow normal US "rules of the game" including authorized "reasonable dishonesty."

This book a monster at 950+ pages, is of great value to non-business strategists, the few that are emergent, and below I list some other relevant books from the national side that may be helpful to business leaders and academic theorist-practioners.

I am creating and loading an image of their Figure 1.6 on Strategy topics, paradoxes, and perspectives because in that one image they capture the enormous value of their book and their process. For that image, and the first half of the book on the process, this is a very high value acquisition worthy of deep study.

Other strategic books that I favor, in relative order of importance:
Modern Strategy
Strategy: The Logic of War and Peace, Revised and Enlarged Edition
Strategy: Second Revised Edition (Meridian)
The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition
Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War
High Noon 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them
Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming
Ecological Economics: Principles And Applications
The New Craft of Intelligence: Personal, Public, & Political--Citizen's Action Handbook for Fighting Terrorism, Genocide, Disease, Toxic Bombs, & Corruption
Preparing America's Foreign Policy for the 21st Century

Unforutnately, some of the best books, such as "The Art and Practice of Military Strategy" edited by George Thibault, are published by the National Defense University in limited edition and not listed on Amazon nor available for purchase via normal channels. This is a useful illustration of the concept of "gray literature": very often the most important information is freely available, but not through the traditional channels. The height of strategy, apart from knowing yourself and not wearing blinders, is to know all that can be known about your environment and the other players, not just that which is convenient to know, or that your generally self-preserving subordinates want you to know.+

quick delivery and good quality, thanks.......2007-03-09

It arrived in a short time, a good seller, I would like to do the deal with the seller again.

''The Debates and the Book''.......2000-07-16

This book may not ''obliterates'' what is known about strategy but definitely is not just an additional ''improvement''. It is focused on strategy (theory) but also gives many interesting examples and cases of/for real/mental implementation. It builds a ''network'' of thoughts giving the possibility to visualize the individual ''capabilities'' in the searching of a personal ''core competence''. I think it acts like a ''strong'' or ''weak'' force for a ''continuous learning''; depends on the ''motivation''.

Teaching Guide to Accompany Strategy Process, Content, Context, an International Perspective, Second Edition

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Teaching Guide to Accompany Strategy Process, Content, Context, an International Perspective, Second Edition
Bob De Wit , and Ron Meyer
Manufacturer: Thomson Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Strategy & Competition | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1861521405

Book Description

Osterman begins by sketching the rise and fall of the postwar labor market, showing that firms have been the driving force behind recent change. He draws on original surveys of nearly 1,000 corporations to demonstrate that firms have reorganized and downsized not just for the obvious reasons--technological advances and shifts in capital markets--but also to take advantage of new, team-oriented ways of working. We can't turn the clock back, Osterman writes, since that would strip firms of the ability to compete. But he also argues that we should not simply give ourselves up to the mercies of the market.

Osterman argues that new policies must engage on two fronts: addressing both higher rates of mobility in the labor market and a major shift in the balance of power against employees. To deal with greater mobility, Osterman argues for portable benefits, a stronger Unemployment Insurance system, and new labor market intermediaries to help workers navigate the labor market. To redress the imbalance of power, Osterman assesses the possibilities of reforming corporate governance but concludes the best approach is to promote "countervailing power" through innovative unions and creative strategies for organizing employee voice in communities. Osterman gives life to these arguments with numerous examples of promising institutional experiments.

Download Description

We live in an age of economic paradox. The dynamism of America's economy is astounding--the country's industries are the most productive in the world and spin off new products and ideas at a bewildering pace. Yet Americans feel deeply uneasy about their economic future. The reason, Paul Osterman explains, is that our recent prosperity is built on the ruins of the once reassuring postwar labor market. Workers can no longer expect stable, full-time jobs and steadily rising incomes. Instead, they face stagnant wages, layoffs, rising inequality, and the increased likelihood of merely temporary work. In Securing Prosperity, Osterman explains in clear, accessible terms why these changes have occurred and lays out an innovative plan for new economic institutions that promises a more secure future. Osterman begins by sketching the rise and fall of the postwar labor market, showing that firms have been the driving force behind recent change. He draws on original surveys of nearly 1,000 corporations to demonstrate that firms have reorganized and downsized not just for the obvious reasons--technological advances and shifts in capital markets--but also to take advantage of new, team-oriented ways of working. We can't turn the clock back, Osterman writes, since that would strip firms of the ability to compete. But he also argues that we should not simply give ourselves up to the mercies of the market. Osterman argues that new policies must engage on two fronts: addressing both higher rates of mobility in the labor market and a major shift in the balance of power against employees. To deal with greater mobility, Osterman argues for portable benefits, a stronger Unemployment Insurance system, and new labor market intermediaries to help workers navigate the labor market.

Customer Reviews:

Socialism in the Business School.......2000-07-08

I have carefully read this book and have seen Dr. Osterman deliver several lectures. The theoretical model underlying all of his work is the transfer of money and resources from those who have earned it to those who have not - in other words socialism.

One of the primary pieces of evidence in this book and others is the growing wage gap between the "rich" and the "poor." Paul and other policy wonks of his ilk know very well these are misleading statistics. Ours is a dynamic economy. Long term studies of the rich and poor show that the folks in the bottom end of the income spectrum are very young and/or uneducated. Over any 5 year period of time fewer than 20% of the people at the bottom remain at the bottom. Dr. Osterman recommends policies to move people out of these temporary brackets not by individual hard work but by income redistribution - overseen, presumably, by academic elites like himself.

Lefties such as Osterman believe a small group of elites can make better decisions provide better outcomes for society than individuals making decisions for themselves. I discourage the purchase of this book; a subscription to the Wall Street Journal is money much better spent.

Wise look at the need for raising all ships.......2000-06-13

Osterman presents a carefully researched look at the problems facing American workers in the new economy. He puts forth so solid a case for the need to ensure equity for all--not just technologists--that he even convinced this consultant that something has to be done. Like many, I thought the disillusionment and chaos of the past was history, but he proves that only by forming new kinds of institutions will workers be able to ensure that they are allowed the opportunity to succeed in what remains a very difficult environment for all too many workers.

Securing Prosperity The American Labor Market: How It Has Changed and What to Do About It

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Securing Prosperity The American Labor Market: How It Has Changed and What to Do About It
Paul Osterman
Manufacturer: Princeton U.P.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W5H024

Securing Prosperity The American Labor Market: How It Has Changed and What to Do about It.(Review) (book review): An article from: Government Finance Review

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Securing Prosperity The American Labor Market: How It Has Changed and What to Do about It.(Review) (book review): An article from: Government Finance Review
Scot Diaz
Manufacturer: Government Finance Officers Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Government Finance Review, published by Government Finance Officers Association on June 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1281 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Securing Prosperity The American Labor Market: How It Has Changed and What to Do about It.(Review) (book review)
Author: Scot Diaz
Publication: Government Finance Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2000
Publisher: Government Finance Officers Association
Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Page: 47

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

In this book Geoffrey Timmins examines the nature and course of industrialization in Lancashire from Tudor times until the present day. Drawing on the extensive literature relating to the theme, and incorporating new research findings, it analyzes the rise and decline of the county's industrial sector. While the long-term dominance of the textile industry is emphasized, its importance is viewed as part of the wide range of industrial activity that came to characterize the county's economy. The text is divided into four parts, each dealing with a distinct phase of economic change and engaging with key historiographical issues. The first covers the period up to the late 18th century, contributing to the debate on proto-industrialisation. The second concerns the Industrial Revolution era, assessing the degree of economic discontinuity that occurred. The third examines economic change from early Victorian times until the outbreak of World War I, incorporating discussion on the notion of entrepreneurial failure. The final part analyzes the decline of Lancashire's staple industries from World War I, considering how far the county's economy can now be seen as de-industrialization.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Utopian Studies, published by Society for Utopian Studies on January 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1071 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Daniel Delis Hill. Advertising to the American Woman 1900-1999.(Book Review)
Author: Batya Weinbaum
Publication: Utopian Studies (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2003
Publisher: Society for Utopian Studies
Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Page: 212(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Amazon.com

As the Age of Reason nears its 500-year anniversary, the authors of The 500-Year Delta argue that our world is on the precipice of massive change. The authors, businessmen Jim Taylor and Watts Wacker, believe this transformation will manifest itself as a shift from reason-based to chaos-based logic; the collapse of producer-controlled consumer markets; and a splintering of social, political, and economic organization. In pithy phrases and thought-provoking chapters, they outline strategies to help companies and individuals succeed in the increasingly unpredictable future they describe. Taylor and Wacker are skilled at incorporating historical facts to support their ideas of how corporate societies and world communities will evolve. The book is designed to help business owners and private citizens understand every element of their complex world so that they can excel in a future the authors term the "Age of Possibility."

Book Description

Are you ready for the future?
Because it's only seconds away and coming on fast.Noted futurist Watts Wacker and Jim Taylor are ready -- ready for the collapse of traditional consumer markets; for the splintering of every current political group, every social and economic organization. They know that we will have to change the very way we think.And they want to tell you all about it.In the 500-year Delta, Wacker and Taylor share their stunning vision of the next 500 years, because they know that these stunning changes will create a world of amazing opportunities -- not just for business, but for anyonbe trying to survive in the new millennium. Are you ready for the future? You'd better be.

Customer Reviews:

Maddening.......2006-08-10

A stunningly bad exercise in stupidity. The book was both poorly reasoned and poorly written. The authored failed to support their "argument" with even the most rudimentary analysis and quantitative evidence. In addition, they completely failed to place their loose ideas into context and apparently have no understanding of history. To wit: A poll tax on voting? Um, excuse me? Have you no education in the history of voting oppression and the fight for civil rights in history?

Interesting and insightful but overly wordy.......2001-04-13

In short the book could have been about 60% shorter. At times the hypothesis drawn are illuminating but very often the authors are spending entirely too much time to support their insights. My feeling is that anyone reading a book such as this doesn't necessarily need a whole lot of convincing as long as there is some sound rationale and telling examples to support the theories.

Having just completed the book I would recommend that anyone interested in picking up the book just look at the last 15 pages to get a sense of the nature of the book where the authors make predictions regarding the next 500 months and the next 500 years.

There are however some very keen insights on the power and use of technology (connectivity), tribalism, the role of corporations and government, business and social constructs, the importance of constant education, the nature of chaos, the power of the consumer... and almost all of this is addressed from primarily a marketing perspective.

There was very little that was written that I disagreed with but I feel like the same thing could have been said in many fewer words.

Baloney.......2000-07-15

The only thing I can say after reading this book is--baloney! I've never read a more useless business book such as this. I have no doubt that the author has never worked a day in his life. Get a job! Get a life!

Baloney warning.......1999-09-04

I couldn't agree more with the reviewer from "Sodom-on-the-Bay." Beware authors whose self-esteem rests so strongly on their image as iconoclasts. Beware them particularly when they resort to "paradox" as an explanation for any line of reasoning that leaves them painted into a corner. On the other hand, these guys are trying to take a fresh look at business and marketing conundrums, and their stories often yield interesting insights which, unfortunately, they're not so great at articulating or generalizing from. Instead, they opt for sounding "deep" by claiming that the stories defy traditional analysis. A useful rule of thumb might be to skim any paragraph that deals in abstracts (high balderdash quotient there) and pay more attention to the anecdotes.

Well-intentioned, occasionally useful, but..........1999-06-10

You really have to approach this book with your baloney detectors on 'High.' There's a lot of excellent, insightful analysis on what's going on with the change 'jerk' (where 'jerk' is defined as the rate of change of the rate of change -- the acceleration of acceleration) of recent years, where changes in technology drive societal changes at an expanding pace. There's also a whole lot of unfocused hogwash and one-true-wayism; these kids take themselves quite seriously, in that bedrock way that people who think they *don't* take themselves too seriously sometimes do. You can sift through the bullpuckey to find a good haul of useful nuggetry, but if you swallow this book whole, you'll find that the sharp corners don't go down so easy.

The 500 Year Delta - What Happens After What Comes Next

Average customer rating:

The 500 Year Delta - What Happens After What Comes Next
Taylor & Wacker
Manufacturer: HarperCollins, 1997
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UBVQAW

Average customer rating:

A MUST READ

500 Year Delta What Happpens After What
Jim Taylor , Watts Wacker , and Howard Means
Manufacturer: LPC Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Decision-Making & Problem Solving | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

A MUST READ.......2006-12-09

Though 1997 seems like a lifetime ago and a completely different market ago, this book shares insights into who we have become as a society of consumers and purveyors. A clear and concise picture of where our society and economy have been and where we are headed. The author is a very interesting fellow and an amazing speaker. Buy the book and attend one of his speaking engagements. If you don't learn something from both...well...perhaps you're dead. Seriously, this is a great book.

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