Teaches you about the way you think and act in business

What 'Purple Cow' was to products and services, 'Linchpin' is to career development. Seth Godin's basic thesis is that"Linchpins" are those who can see the reality of today, describe a better tomorow and then make it happen through their own ability to share ideas, make connections and drive change through their organisations, irrespective of their place in its formal reporting structure. It's a little way out in places but well worth the read for what it can teach you about the way you think and act in business.

Project Management Inside Out

Fantastic book I got old version as well, but not good for newbies, you need some thorough understanding or project management and its methodologies, bit dry but contains almost everything to the point as we need.

all good

a bit long to arrive but maybe because of the postal strike...<br />very good state of the book.

Also ran

It's an alright book and does what it says on the tin. Common sense rules.<br />It's not really a sufficient guide on it's own nor is it biographical more somewhere inbetween.<br />Read Bannatynes autobiography and business studies book instead you'll get more info and it will be better.<br />Sorry Deborah.

Law book

Good material recommended for those who seek a good knowledge and use of legal words, up to date and with internet resources as well, a must book in your personal library

A real gem for explaining Social media and making ti work

David Meerman Scott does a brilliant job of taking a topic which can be rather vague and woolly and making sense of it. He gives lots of practical advice, real-world examples and tips to follow. I found his honesty very refreshing and the practical nature of the book should give you lots of starting points to improve your marketing. I generally find marketing books rather tedious but this one is very readable.

The Great Free Market Failure

Joseph Stiglitz has made the transition from being at the centre of one of the main institutions of the Washington Consensus, to a principled opponent of these very same institutions, and the current"free" market orthodoxy which still tenaciously holds it grip on economic thinking at the global and national level. In"Freefall" he looks at the current economic debacle, how it happened, its origins, the inadequate response, as well as speculating on what might get us out of this awful mess. His focus is almost wholly on the US experience with only occasional sideway glances at events in Europe and across the globe.<br /><br />The narrative of the events, and processes, that led to the credit crunch are put before the reader in a concise and comprehensive manner, including the variety of complex financial innovations that contributed to the crash. Stiglitz then looks at the Bush and the Obama administrations, he is fairly scathing about the latter, in particular regarding his economic team, almost all of them have played a part in getting the US economy into its current state. Unsurprisingly he finds their responses to be inadequate, and primarily focused at preserving financial institutions that have failed, and a policy environment that has failed, at the expense of the majority of the US population (he calls the bank rescue program"The Great American Robbery"). Stiglitz appears to favour some sort of bankruptcy proceeding for banks, as well as legislating for a return to the separation of commercial banks from investment banks, amongst other measures.<br /><br />Next Stiglitz looks at the mortgage industry, particularly the sub-prime segment of it. The details of the practice of this industry in the US (and even in the UK where 42% of mortgages applications are apparently still self-certified) is enough to make the jaw drop of even the most cynical of readers. This is followed with a more general appraisal of Americas position with rising public debt, it's relationship with China, and a still dysfunctional financial sector.<br /><br />One of the more interesting chapters is Stiglitz look at the rise and failure of the free-market economics: one still awaits its fall or it being reduced to its proper place. Issues highlighted include persistent failure to deal with reality as opposed to the asinine assumptions it makes regarding it, the poor record it has regarding growth, and its failure to improve the circumstances of the American population (US GDP grew by 10% between 2000 and 2008, median household income fell by 4%!). The final chapter"Towards a New Society" steps back from the crisis and looks at how we can begin to move towards a society that works for the majority of the population, rather than one run in the interests of the few.<br /><br />A stimulating read, that packs a surprising amount of narrative, analysis and thinking into 300 pages. One shortcoming is that despite being fully referenced the book omits an index. I assume this will be rectified when"Freefall" is published in paperback? A book that I would have no problems recommending to anyone interested in how the economic crisis came about, the resulting response, it's roots, as well as some more fundamental thinking on the whole debacle.

Thorough Reference

This book will be more useful as a 'keep beside the PC Reference', than a read-through. Very thorough and authors explain very technical expertise in plain terms very well. One part they didn't explain in too much detail is the world of 'Short Selling',but that is probably because of the huge risk involved. A Great reference.

essential for every aspiring manager

great book. wish i had more time to write on it. it comprises all the basic components of modern management techniques. you'll have to own it to grasp the fundamental keys of management issues

Power introspection

Defines a new term called corporatocracy - the unholy nexus of governments, banks and large companies in seducing strategic countries into a perpetual debt trap. Written by a penitent perpetrator of the insidious mechanism, the book raises some fundamental questions about the nature and motivations behind 'globalization'. And some shocking insights into the US foreign policies of Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Panama, Iran and Venezuela.

Great book.

I really enjoyed Simon Singh's Fermat's Last Theorem and 'The Code Book' didn't disappoint. Simon Singh is an excellent writer and I would recommend his books to all.

Brilliant introduction to the topic and helped me pass ISEB Foundation

As someone with a number of years experience in this area, I purchased this book with a view to sitting the ISEB BA foundation exam, knowing that the content directly correlates with the ISEB syllabus. The text comprises the work of various experts in the field and for the most part the book addresses the subject well. It has a good breadth of coverage and provides a more than well rounded introduction to business analysis techniques. This learning provides a solid grounding to someone starting out in BA or wishing to consolidate their knowledge and was more than adequate for preparation in sitting the foundation certification.<br /><br />I would recommend this as a good starting point for someone wishing to undertake some formal study in Business Analysis.

Confused about what to eat?

If you are confused about what to eat while pregnant, get this book. It has really helped me make healtier choices about what to eat while pregnant. I also recommend, to go along with it, Your Pregnancy Bible: The Experts' Guide to the Nine Months of Pregnancy and the First Weeks of Parenthood. New updated edition.

Everyone should have a copy!

This was the best purchase I have ever made!<br /><br />It is written for Americans but the principles are equally applicable anywhere else. The directory with it is not so useful if you are not American but the job hunting and interview advice is indispensable!

Nice introduction

Nice book for those new to economics.<br />It gives an overview of the field, presenting some its most influential names and theories throughout history, with (almost) no mathematical formulas.

Excellent Book

This is a great book and I would recommend it to all, it gives a fresh perspective on time management and has really helped me in the work place. The Book arrived in perfect condition and was excellent value.

Obliquity

Great insight to the importance of striving to be the best, which will lead to sucess. Explained well through relavent examples and case studies.

Interesting read

This book is written by a journalist so it has a large amount of the 'human interest' element in it. Don't buy it expecting in-depth technical information about fixed income arbitrage. Whilst a little more detail would have been nice I was quite content not having to reread my A-Level maths books just to understand it. <br /><br />The story is entertaining enough. Giant hedge fund implodes. Threatens to bring about financial apocalypse. Saved by Fed-sponsored bailout. Alarming that it happened 10 years before 2008 though - surely ample time to learn from past mistakes?<br /><br />History lessons aside, it was a quick, amusing read.

explains the root of the problem

This book explains how the economic problems we are facing evolved, an easy to understand explanation that is non technical.<br /><br />Mr Rajan seems to not have an axe to grind, and it is easy to follow his step by step analysis.<br /><br />Probably the best book to buy to see how the mess we are in started and it does offer hope of how they may be resolved.

The Twist in the Tale!

John Lanchester takes on the litany of insanity that constitutes orthodox economic theory - the myth of the rational market, the unhinged reliance on such slippery concepts as Value at Risk, the alphabet soup of MBSs, CDOs and CDSs and the conflicts of interest that were justified by the term `free market' (which seems to have become synonymous with `anarchy'). The major players are paraded for ritual humiliation - from the investment banks, to the ratings agencies, the `regulators' and government - all in thrall to a deeply flawed theoretical construct that served their own interests. The neoliberal ideal is ridiculed and exposed as the ideological construct that lay behind the rhetoric. Alan Greenspan is given special pride of place as the high priest of the Randian religion of self-interest.<br /><br />And then ... just as the laissez-faire creed is lying prostrate on the canvas, after a pasting that makes Rocky Balboa's injuries look superficial, it's allowed to haul itself up on the count of nine and land a sucker punch direct to the chin of Lanchester's argument. It's as if the Donald Sutherland character in Invasion of the Bodysnatchers, who has been on your side all through the film suddenly turns and points the finger directly at you, screeching the high pitched whine of There Is No Alternative. It's as if Superman has turned out to be the bastard offspring of Lex Luther; as if Gary Cooper decides to throw his badge in the dust and hop on the noon train - Lanchester simply ditches his opposition and joins the enemy.<br /><br />OK, so the bankers are wearing the black hats, but it's you townsfolk that are complicit. You may not have been eligible for social housing, you may have been living with your parents, you may have been prey to the enticements of Kirsty and Phil, you may have believed all (or almost all) of the `expert' opinion telling you that the problems of running modern economies had been solved, but you still made the CHOICE to take out a mortgage. Your wages may have stagnated, but you still listened to the siren bankers calling you to credit card island. Politicians may have been relaxed about the 'filthy rich', newspaper columnists may have been (almost) universally trumpeting the Murdoch mantra, even the BBC may have been co-opted on pain of a licence review - but YOU took the bait.<br /><br />Then, having apparently slain the dragon of `free markets', Lanchester ends by accepting that orthodox (i.e. neoliberal) solutions are the only game in town. Slashing the public sector, laying off doctors, nurses, teachers and policemen. He doesn't explain how excising these jobs at a time when aggregate demand is already heading off a cliff will lead to anything other than a classic deflationary death spiral. It's as if aliens have wiped the views of Keynes - whom he quotes glowingly throughout - and Krugman from his memory banks. He perpetuates the canard that the public and private sectors are set in opposition, rather than symbiosis. He doesn't say why putting nurses and teachers on the dole will improve the prospects of private sector workers. Nurses and teachers buy cars and houses, furniture and TVs, restaurant meals and groceries - if they stop spending while the private sector remains in the land of the living dead, how does this help the economy in a downturn? How does halting the building of hospitals, schools and roads help laid off construction workers? Yes, borrowing will have to be reined in but, as in 1937, 'Grant us chastity and continence, only not yet.' Of course, Keynes would argue that a synchronised retrenchment of the kind Lanchester accepts as inevitable is the last thing the world economy needs - but by this time he's been airbrushed out of history as cackhandedly as Trotsky in a group shot of the Politburo. <br /><br />This kind of argument is more insidious than the overt propaganda we get from right-wing economists because, while it parades all the obvious inconsistencies inherent in their economic models, it ends with the same message: THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE to the dismantling of welfare and open warfare on public services. If I was a Friedmanite I would be smiling in smug satisfaction.