Virginia Business Directory 1999-2000: The Ultimate Sales & Credit Tool (Virginia Business Directory, 1999-2000)

Book Description

A directory of 262,000 Virginia businesses! In depth information on each listing. You can use our premier database to find new customers and grow your sales and profits. You can create your own direct mail campaigns. Our information is simply the best for telephone sales or research; we make millions of phone calls every year to verify our information. Our credit rating codes* can help you evaluate probable credit worthiness for small trade accounts, qualify prospects, and manage financial risk. You can analyze your competition, plan your next sales and marketing campaign, or establish new sales territories.

In depth information:
Company Name, Address, and ZIP Code
Phone Number
Name of Owner or Manager
Estimated Sales Volume
Number of Employees
SIC Codes and Lines of Business
Credit Ratings* and More!

Ideal for:
Sales Leads
Market Research
Direct Mail or Telemarketing
Making Credit Decisions
Locating Suppliers
Comprehensive Business Reference

*Our credit rating codes are indicators of probable ability to pay. They are based on business demographic factors such as number of employees, years in business, industry stability and barriers to entry, and government data. While they do not reflect actual payment history, the ratings are a good starting point. We recommend that these ratings should not be the sole factor used in making a credit decision. You must obtain more information from bank and trade references, local credit bureaus, or other sources before extending credit. We will not be liable for any losses resulting from the use of this information.

Book Description

Praise for the Second Edition:

`Since the first edition I have recommended this text to many of my students (undergraduates and postgraduates) who, like Derek Haylock's own, evidenced more positive attitudes towards mathematics as a result. If the text is not on your required reading, it is, in my view, that it should, at the very least, be highly recommended' - Scottish Educational Review

`This Second Edition has been brought bang up to date, covering all the maths primary teachers are required to know. Many offerings claim to do this, several bearing the imprimatur of the Teachers Training Agency. This one does not, because, the author explains he has declined to submit it for the "approval" of government agencies.

But this is the one I would choose because of its friendly and clear explanations. While always mathematically correct, it never feels "mathematical". The author never makes the reader feel inadequate, just as we would wish to treat children. I can think of no higher praise' - Laurie Rousman for Times Educational Supplement

`This new edition of Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers which, incidentally, has slightly larger pages and a clearer layout than the earlier edition, is not just a confidence booster, a gap-plugger and a destroyer of misconception. Nor is it primarily a handbook: it has a plain index, no glossary and scarcely any remarks on "how to use the book". Much more importantly, it's a lucid and coherent embodiment of the wisdom of a highly experienced mathematics educator - a book to be returned to again and again, by anyone involved in teaching mathematics at this level' - Mathematics in Schools

Includes a CD-rom!

Derek Haylock's highly acclaimed and comprehensive guide effectively equips teachers with the confidence to explain mathematical ideas and procedures to pupils in ways that will deepen their understanding and enhance their development in the subject.

This expanded Third Edition has been thoroughly updated, with new examples and references. It now covers all requirements of The National Curriculum for Primary Schools, the requirements for Initial Teacher Training, and The National Numeracy Strategy, and includes:

" An expanded chapter on mathematical reasoning

" Detailed explanations based on frequently asked questions

" Teaching points distributed throughout the text

" Summaries of relevant research findings

" Self assessment questions to aid self study

" Annotated suggestions for further reading

" A useful glossary of mathematical terms in each chapter.

The new edition also includes a fantastic bonus CD with useful check-ups from Derek Haylock's Numeracy for Teaching, as well as a full glossary of the mathematical terms used in the new edition of Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers.

This book is the essential guide to primary maths for ages 5-11.

Book Description

Sample-Path Analysis of Queueing Systems uses a deterministic (sample-path) approach to analyze stochastic systems, primarily queueing systems and more general input-output systems. Among other topics of interest it deals with establishing fundamental relations between asymptotic frequencies and averages, pathwise stability, and insensitivity. These results are utilized to establish useful performance measures. The intuitive deterministic approach of this book will give researchers, teachers, practitioners, and students better insights into many results in queueing theory. The simplicity and intuitive appeal of the arguments will make these results more accessible, with no sacrifice of mathematical rigor. Recent topics such as pathwise stability are also covered in this context.
The book consistently takes the point of view of focusing on one sample path of a stochastic process. Hence, it is devoted to providing pure sample-path arguments. With this approach it is possible to separate the issue of the validity of a relationship from issues of existence of limits and/or construction of stationary framework. Generally, in many cases of interest in queueing theory, relations hold, assuming limits exist, and the proofs are elementary and intuitive. In other cases, proofs of the existence of limits will require the heavy machinery of stochastic processes. The authors feel that sample-path analysis can be best used to provide general results that are independent of stochastic assumptions, complemented by use of probabilistic arguments to carry out a more detailed analysis. This book focuses on the first part of the picture. It does however, provide numerous examples that invoke stochastic assumptions, which typically are presented at the ends of the chapters.

Customer Reviews:

A reference not a how to book.......2001-08-15

This book is more of a reference book rather than what the title implies. It contains a lot of text on subjects other than implementation including background of the standard series and devlopment(36 pages),comparison of the ISO 14001 standard to other standards (75 pages), text of the standard and reference to other 14000 standards (38 pages). The remaining text on executing ISO 14001 (94 pages) is wordy and does not offer a clear cut method to implementation. This is not a how to book but rather a collection of some experiences.

Average customer rating:

Implementing Iso 14001
Dorothy Bowers
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Ecology | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1574447637

Handbook for Implementing an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System : A Practical Approach

Average customer rating:

ISO Handbook Review
Practical, Straight-forward Approach
Handbook for Implementing an ISO 14001 EMS: A Practical Appr
Handbook for Implementing an ISO 14001 Environmental
Cliff notes for the Professional.

Handbook for Implementing an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System : A Practical Approach
John Kinsella , and Annette Dennis-McCully
Manufacturer: IT Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Sustainable Development | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Natural Resources | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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

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

General | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0967147506

Book Description

This handbook provides the reader with a full understanding of the elements of an ISO 14001 environmental management system (EMS) and how to design and implement an EMS for themselves. To clarify and illustrate how an EMS works, the book provides real-world examples from five companies. The companies range in size from a small manufacturer with 30 employees to a multinational health products company with 42,000 employees. The book is presented in an easy to read format with plenty of tips, charts and quotes from EHS managers who have "been there, done that". A glossary of terms and useful websites is included.

Customer Reviews:

ISO Handbook Review.......2002-01-24

As an EMS project manager I found this book to very comprehensive with easy to follow case studies that were clear, concise and proved to be very valuable. So much of implementing an EMS deals with change management and this handbook lays out what changes an organization and skills a project manager needs to consider as it makes steps on this path toward ISO 14001 implementation. Another benefit is the excellent, easy to read examples created for each element of the standard providing a great starting point from which to take that leap! I recommend the handbook to others investigating environmental management systems.

Practical, Straight-forward Approach.......2001-02-22

Practical, straight-forward, simple approach to EMS implementation! We have used as part of our standard training with employee teams.

Handbook for Implementing an ISO 14001 EMS: A Practical Appr.......2001-01-29

This handbood explains the elements of ISO 14001 and how to implement them in a clear and concise manner. The authors make the reader feel confident that they can implement an EMS no matter what their industry.

I like how they step through each element of the standard, explain what it means and then show how others have addressed that element with real world examples. We hear from environmental managers in five companies (from a small, Midwest tool manufacturer to a mulit-national pharmaceutical conglomerate) how they implemented their EMS. Actual copies of policies, aspects lists, management meeting notes and cost data as well as tips and advice are, sprinkled throughout the book. There is also a list or resources and related websites listed in an appendix.

This is an easy read (a plus for anyone with limited time) and would make an excellent addition to an EMS training package. I will recommend it to my membership.

Curtis Lindskog, President, Pacific Industrial and Business Association

Handbook for Implementing an ISO 14001 Environmental.......2001-01-24

It is often the curse of wise, visionary ideas: When they're new and haven't yet gained widespread use or brand-name familiarity they somehow seem more complicated--and difficult to implement--than in fact they are. This "appearance" of complexity keeps well-meaning people or companies from moving ahead--and so progress stalls. For those directly involved, and for the rest of us.

Such is the case with ISO 14001, an elegant new way for organizations to bolster their bottom lines--and their communities' environments--at the same time. The ISO idea only seems complicated.

This book demystifies the seemingly arcane concept and makes environmental management systems readily accessible to smokestack industries, high-tech companies, even government organizations.

When I needed to understand the hows and whys of environmental management systems for a project I was working on, the straightforward language and clear design of this book made my education quick as well as thorough. It made what felt like a huge and complex undertaking seem not only manageable but worth doing.

Today, if I were implementing an EMS in an organization, I'd get copies of this book to all of my key people and make sure they had the time to read it and then discuss it together. I can't recommend this volume highly enough.

Cliff notes for the Professional........2001-01-19

We have used this book as a training tool and as an appreciation gift for clients and staff. The book has a very practical approach. I've described the book as better than "Cliff Notes" but not a dissertation. We have clients requst bulk orders to use as training materials for their staff.

Average customer rating:

Book Falls Short

Helpful resource in developing effective work teams

Empowered Teams: Creating Self-Directed Work Groups That Improve Quality, Productivity, and Participation (The Jossey-Bass Management Series)
Richard S. Wellins , William C. Byham , and Jeanne M. Wilson
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Teaming Up: Making the Transition to a Self-Directed Team-Based Organization (McGraw-Hill Training Series)

Leading Self-Directed Work Teams

Succeeding As a Self Directed Work Team: 20 Important Questions Answered

Skill Building for Self-Directed Team Members: A Complete Course

Self Directed Work Teams: The New American Challenge

ASIN: 1555423531

Book Description

Provides the frank answers to questions about how teams work, what makes them effective, when they are useful, how to get them going, and how to maintain their vigor and productivity over the long haul. Draws on a survey of over five hundred organizations and an in-depth study of twenty-eight companies (conducted jointly by Industry Week and the Association for Quality and Participation).

Customer Reviews:

Book Falls Short.......2006-03-31

Among the books I have read about teambuilding, this is not one of the better ones. If an organization is seriously considering moving to a self-directed work team environment, I can see this book being helpful. However, for those who are simply reading the book to expand your own knowledge base, you will most likely find that you will learn little. This book contains little more than common sense solutions that can be reached without investing the time and pain necessary to read the entire book. Anybody with an education in management and/or experience in the management field will gain little from this read.

Helpful resource in developing effective work teams.......1999-09-16

Of the many books written on the subject of self directed work groups, this is one of the better efforts. In the course of providing the information necessary to implement self directed teams, this book helps point out the pitfalls your organization may face and provides potential solutions. When consulting with organizations on their process improvement efforts, reorganization and teamwork often become issues. This book is one of several that have helped me to assist my clients in addressing those issues. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me - adamleft@webspan.net.

Empowered Teams: Creating Self-Directed Work Groups That Improve Quality, Productivity, and Participation

Average customer rating:

Empowered Teams: Creating Self-Directed Work Groups That Improve Quality, Productivity, and Participation
Richard S.; Byham, William C.; Wilson, Je Wellins
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PAYWAO

Book Description

Although international finance and banking has been the subject of research and writing, the economic impact of banks on industrial structures and the relations between banking and industry in the twentieth century have remained relatively unexplored areas. This volume examines and interprets the economic effect of the financing of industry by banks and of the banks' credit intermediation in industrialized economies. Particular attention is given to the interplay of economics and politics, to the connections between bankers and industrialists, and to the significance of interlocking directorships. A special section is devoted to a hitherto wholly neglected problem in economic history: the vital influence of universal banking in small but highly industrialized countries in central Europe and Scandinavia.

Download Description

Book Description

Helps make the writind process clearer and helps students organize their thoughts about the writing task.

Customer Reviews:

thesis research .......2007-03-14

This is an excellent resource as I am writing a thesis on self-regulated strategy instruction in the area of written language.

Average customer rating:

Making the Training Process Work
Donald F. Michalak
Manufacturer: Writers Club Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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

Education | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0595199925

Book Description

Michalak and Yager have done it again. Their detailed explanation of the training process is practical and fills the gap between the theories and what effective trainers actually do. It’s a great resource for the novice and experienced trainer alike. Ron Kregoski, President Kregoski Associates, Brighton, MI Many books on training promise the world, but few provide practical, step-by-step answers to everyday training challenges. I am excited about this valuable resource. So much so, that if I had the power, I would see that a copy of this book was in every HR student’s and training professional’s library. Wanda J. Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Human Resource Management Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA Clear, concise, and to the point. Michalak and Yager go beyond the fad approach to training and address larger organizational and management issues. Must-reading for the trainer, manager, and consultant. Calvin Sun, President, Technology Horizons, Paoli, PA This book will provide trainers with the detailed steps they need to provide solutions that result in improvement for the organization. First, they conduct a short needs analysis to determine whether training is the appropriate solution to the problem. (It is not uncommon for the solution to be found in organizational or system changes rather than in a training session.) If training can solve the problem, additional needs analysis will identify the specific causes of the problem in question. Next the trainers develop behavioral objectives for the program and get management’s buy-in to those objectives. Then they design the program with learning methodologies appropriate to the objectives. Only then do they (or someone else) conduct the program. They also make sure a maintenance-of-behavior program is in place to increase the probability that what was learned in the classroom is applied in the workplace. Finally, they conduct an evaluation to determine whether the training program did what it was supposed to do

Average customer rating:

Making Training Process Work

Manufacturer: Not Avail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0673249956

Making the Training Process Work (Continuing management education series).

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Making the Training Process Work (Continuing management education series).
Donald F. Michalak
Manufacturer: Harpercollins College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEI9KA

Average customer rating:

highly recommended

Do-it-yourself PR

New to Public Relations? Just buy this book first.

A *real* step-by-step guide

Steve's Review of Complete Publicity Plans

Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity That Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement (Adams Streetwise Series)
Sandra L. Beckwith
Manufacturer: Adams Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Advertising | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Public Relations | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Publicity Handbook, New Edition : The Inside Scoop from More than 100 Journalists and PR Pros on How to Get Great Publicity Coverage

Full Frontal PR: Building Buzz About Your Business, Your Product, or You

Guerrilla Publicity: Hundreds of Sure-Fire Tactics to Get Maximum Sales for Minimum Dollars

The New PR Toolkit: Strategies for Successful Media Relations

Writing Effective News Releases...: How to Get Free Publicity for Yourself, Your Business, or Your Organization

ASIN: 1580627714

Book Description

All business owners want to garner publicity for themselves, their products, and their organizations. So how do you create distinctive materials and more importantly—the buzz that sets you apart from the competition? Award-winning publicist Sandra Beckwith goes beyond other PR primers to not only show the mechanics of writing pitch letters and publicity kits, but also how to strategically create a PR plan for your business.

Streetwise® Complete Publicity Plans is filled with sample forms, resources, and great ideas that you can use right away:

·Press releases
·Pitch letters
·Press kits
·Op-eds and public service announcements
·Sample editorial calendars and media checklists

Target Your Approach, Get Results

·Different types of media exposure—and which is best for your business
·How to tailor PR plans for trade vs. consumer media
·Dealing with print vs. electronic media
·What is—and isn't—newsworthy

Reaching the Right People

·Determine your audience
·Reach diverse communities
·Building relationships with the press
·Media directories

Executing Your Plan

·Staying within budget
·Managing schedules and timelines
·Hiring outside help

Quantify Your Results

·Track new clients or product sales
·Jumpstart a stalled publicity campaign
·Refine your media base
·Justify your effort

Streetwise® Complete Publicity Plans doesn't just show you how to put a plan together, it enables you to maximize results!

Customer Reviews:

highly recommended .......2007-06-27

as a public relations director, i was really missing this book. It refreshed my knowlege and added new inputs to me. this book is good for beginners as well as PR professionals. I highly recommend it for those who want to grasp pulbic relations and corportat communications subjects.

Do-it-yourself PR.......2006-08-24

This excellent book goes into great detail about publicity and how to get it. Beckwith covers everything you need to know in order to put together a working PR plan and how to implement it. If you have the drive, you can turn her advice into business-generating PR that will put you ahead of the competition.

New to Public Relations? Just buy this book first........2006-02-15

I'm starting a new company and publicity is going to be a big part of our marketing and marketing communications activities. I'm kind of process and checklist driven -- and wanted a book that would refresh me on the basics so I could put together an effective publicity plan.

Well, I just finished reading three books on the subject -- and must say Sandra's book is the best by far.

What is so impressive is how complete it is. Seriously? I've been in the advertising business for 20 years. During this time, I worked with a number of VP level clients who oversaw all of their company's communications -- so I've been around some big PR firms and seen them in action. Believe me, there are public relations firms out there charging $20,000 a month retainers that don't provide the smart and insightful counsel Sandra does. She's that good -- and she can make YOU that good.

So if you think PR is simply cranking out press release after press release after press release -- and either mailing or e-mailing it to editors everywhere with hopes that something will stick -- you will learn that is a sure-fire recipe for failure. Sandra explains the difference between working hard and working SMART -- and why the smart part of the equation separates the 1% of people who do publicity right from the 99% of people who crank out junk mail and spam.

Bottom line? If you want to learn the difference between success and failure -- such as setting goals, determining strategies, tactics to employ, and create information that will gain attention from the press instead of being deleted or thrown in the garbage -- buy this book first. It's the only one you'll need.

A *real* step-by-step guide.......2006-01-25

In contrast to most books on getting media coverage, this one is a genuine step-by-step, how-to guide. It bypasses the chatty anecdotal style of many PR-professionals-turned-authors, and goes for the "dummies guide" approach.

Personal taste of course, but I much prefer this approach. A flaw of the books by "experts" is that they focus on just one or two of their pet strategies (despite what the blurb claims), while leaving holes in vital areas you need. This book truly takes you from step 1 and covers everything you need thereafter.

A particular strength is that it compares and contrasts your different choices available - a pitch letter vs. a press release; a staff-written story vs. by-lined. It really gets down to what's the right approach for a given situation.

If you want a comprehensive (but plain) how-to guide, go for this. If you want the chatty advice of an expert (with some holes in it), go for Laermer.

Steve's Review of Complete Publicity Plans.......2005-11-22

This is an excellent book that can teach you a lot about the oft-misunderstood world of publicity. The author Sandra L. Beckwith holds nothing back as she clearly and logically lays out the plans for mounting a successful attack on the publicity campaign trail.
As anyone who has tried knows getting real publicity by simply sending out a PR (press release) is NOT ever going to guarantee an avalanche of interested traffic. Knowing exactly what to say, how to say it, and still more importantly what not to say is crucial and vital to having any real measure of success with PR people and the media at large.
This is where this book is so valuable. Sandra can help you save thousands of dollars and even potentially months and years of wasted effort by giving you a concise road map to achieving noteworthy or newsworhty publicity. I wish I had had this book when I did my first press release. The book is not quite a 5 star book but few are. I would have liked the book to have been just a bit longer with more examples but 4 stars is huge, a really great resource. Buy it at all cost. Using some of Sandras tips I am now getting better results promoting my book Car Wealth - How To Become Wealthy In The Automoblie Resale Business available for instant download at [...]

How to Plan Press Advertising (How to Guides)

Average customer rating:

How to Plan Press Advertising (How to Guides)
Iain Maitland
Manufacturer: Cassell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Advertising | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Journalism | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0304334324

Average customer rating:

Change's your life

Practical Advice for Front Line Managers

Excellent for all professions

Highly Recommended!

Salka - "A Fire Officer Always Thinking Out of The Box"

First In, Last Out: Leadership Lessons from the New York Fire Department
John Salka
Manufacturer: Portfolio Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Last Men Out: Life on the Edge at Rescue 2 Firehouse

Pride & Ownership: A Firefighter's Love of the Job

Report from Engine Co. 82

The Greatest Firefighter Stories Never Told

Truck Company Operations

ASIN: 1591840686
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Amazon.com

After twenty five years in the most dangerous of all occupations, John Salka, Battalion Chief of The New York City Fire Department, offers tough and tender lessons in leadership. Salka masterfully leverages examples from fire fighting--"where lack of leadership can kill people"--to create values for leaders in every organization. He alternates vivid summaries of historic and terrifying fires (the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist factory, the 1993 World Trade Center explosion and ground zero) with metaphors from the firehouse to describe three commitments for decisive leadership. "Follow the smoke," is an imperative to uncover reality in yourself, your organization and your industry. Next, Salka counsels, "know their names before you send them into the flames," and encourages leaders to identify the contributions of each employee. The maxim, "Find your top whip" conveys ideas for developing future leaders and making a job into a classroom.

Other standout chapters focus on the nuances of building trust, clear decision-making and execution and tools for aligning individual and organization goals. Those expecting a macho approach to high-stakes leadership will be pleasantly surprised. Salka embraces intuition as "your subconscious trying to offer up a life time of experiences" and he explains how "managing emotional triggers" are ways of gaining competitive advantage. Salka's inspiring and passionate vision of leadership is a combination of reality testing, self-knowledge, and a shared mission when the heat is on. --Barbara Mackoff

Book Description

What does it take to lead people into a burning building? How do the leaders of the New York City Fire Department develop so much loyalty, trust, and grace under pressure that their subordinates will risk their very lives for them?

As a high-ranking officer of the FDNY, John Salka is an expert at both practicing and teaching high-stakes leadership. In First In, Last Out, he explains the department's unique strategies and how they can be adopted by leaders in any field—as he has taught them to organizations around the country. In a tough-talking, no-nonsense style, Salka uses real-world stories to convey leadership imperatives such as:
• first in, last out—your people need to see you taking the biggest risk, as the first one to enter the danger zone and the last to leave
• manage change—the fire you fought yesterday is not the one you'll be fighting tomorrow
• communicate aggressively—a working radio is worth more than 20,000 gallons of water
• create an execution culture—focus your people on the flames, not the smoke
• commit to reality—never allow the way you would like things to be to color how things are
• develop your people—let them feel a little heat today or they'll get burned tomorrow Illustrated by harrowing real-life situations, the principles in First In, Last Out will help managers become more confident, coherent, and commanding.

Customer Reviews:

Change's your life.......2005-11-28

Always managing and being a firefighter in parallel never truly made me a better person. Now after having read Salka's book and truly understood my management style and applying Salka's hints, I feel I am truly a good manager. My staff has noticed the change as has my senior managers. I have passed the book along and regularly mentor my newer managers with this book. Do not pass this book up!

Practical Advice for Front Line Managers.......2005-06-02

Salka's advice is modeled on the leadership lessons of the New York City Fire Department. He takes many of the basic principles of effective leadership that are used to define the officers of FDNY and applies it to real life situations that can be used at any level of leadership by comparing these situations to those faced by the firefighters and their daily battles.

This book's real strength comes from Salka's approach: he writes to the front line supervisor/manager, the folks who are often on the first tier of management. While many books, as good as they are, assume that the reader is in a position to affect policy and choose their entire team, "First In" speaks to managers whose responsibility is the daily performance of the staff.

In addtion to great advice that can be put to practical use by leaders at any level, Salka regails the reader with colorful stories of the men and women of the FDNY. Overall, a great read.

Excellent for all professions.......2004-12-23

As an officer in a volunteer fire department and having a real world management job, I was able to use everything this book gave me. At first, I did buy the book to be a better fire department officer but I found myself using many of the principles in everyday business life. This book is one of the easiest educational reads I've ever experienced. Hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did.

Highly Recommended!.......2004-08-30

The New York Fire Department (FDNY) seemed a company of heroes in the months after September 11, 2001. Later, when investigations revealed the enormity of the blunders and the degree to which petty political infighting had literally doomed firefighters to death, the FDNY lost a bit of its luster. But FDNY traditionally has a core of strong leaders, and John Salka is one of them. In this book, he shares his leadership philosophy. It's no slur to observe that this is a leadership book for firehouse buffs who are as interested in firefighter yarns as in leadership. The leadership principles outlined here are sound but not new; what is fresh is that the author illustrates those principles with fire fighting stories, clearly far more interesting than war stories from accounting - even if a bit remote from most people's everyday business reality. After all, few business people risk their lives in their daily work, and probably no business has the esprit de corps of a firehouse. We recommend this book to business people across the professions. The ride inside the fire truck will keep you engrossed in its solid leadership lessons.

Salka - "A Fire Officer Always Thinking Out of The Box".......2004-06-07

John Salka's book is an extension of his tremendous success as a fire officer. As his former Captain in FDNY on Manhattan's Lower East Side I spotted Salka as a bright, agressive, well liked Lieutenant that was always trying to make his organization better. John not only went through the ranks leading his troops honorably, he had the expertise to teach management techniques that were way ahead of his time in America's fire service. His book First in and Last Out is a tribute to this fine officers knowledge and a must read for fire service personnel or managers.

Book Description

"Book of the month": Learn from and with others. Now it has finally arrived - the book BENCHLEARNING. An important part of the book deals with the pre-conditions for grown-ups to learn in work life. Benchlearning combines operations and the human element in a win/win-situation. The employers achieve increased efficiency and the employees attain a richer work life. The book contains both the theories in management and pedagogics as well as practical examples from actual projects. Benchlearning change peoples mind-set towards increased awareness and a higher degree of participation and renewal.
Chef

"Management issues mostly focus on the executive perspective. The authors instead emphasise the role of the employees and Benchlearning as a method to develop the "learning organisation". There is substantial new pedagogical thinking and the book constitutes a good example of creative innovation in Swedish management thinking."
Dagens Industri

Following the success of his previous book, Benchmarking - A Signpost to Excellence in Quality Productivity, Bengt Karlöf creates a new concept - Benchlearning - by combining the practical technique of benchmarking with the more abstract ideas of Knowledge Management and Organisational Learning.

Benchlearning details a completely new way of thinking which provides insights, methods and tools which deal with the continually increasing importance of the human element in organisational development, acknowledges existing theories of knowledge formation and provides case histories (such as Ericsson) and methods with which these new Benchlearning concepts can be applied.

The main feature of the book is how to combine efficiency with organisational learning. Using examples from different organisations Benchlearning shows how to monitor efficiency, provide inspiration for a development drive, and illustrate how people's attitudes can be influenced. This emphasis on learning from other people's experience is a key point for successful development.

The application of the authors concepts promotes a win-win-win situation - Employee performance improves as they learn to develop, customers gain more value and choice and owners benefit from a more competitive organisation. This book provides the next step in benchmarking.

Customer Reviews:

An inspiring piece of work.......2002-03-27

Although I could discuss their definition of Knowledge Management (KM) and therefore the distinction they make between KM and benchlearning, I found this book very, very inspiring! It provides the background to support the theories and offers a process organisations can use to incorporate learning through examples on their culture.

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