Distribution Books

It's a useful book for an engineer who has knowledge in solid mechanics.
It has an appropriate theoretical presentation and very useful solved examples in units of the international system MKS.

As supply chain networks become more global in their market reach and outsourced supply, it becomes critical to learn how to secure network logistics and distribution. Colonel Joe Walden gives us a fascinating perspective from the military in Velocity Management in Logistics and Distribution. Colonel Walden's hands-on experience, most recently in Iraq, is relevant to commercial supply chain operations in today's Low Cost Countries like areas of China and Eastern Europe where secure, fast logistics and distribution infrastructure are sometimes lacking.

This book covers topics in risk assessment, risk management, and the classification of threats to security. It then presents practical methods for professional development in supply chain staffing followed by supply chain leadership learnings from the ancient writings of Sun Tzu through Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. I have used the After Action Review from this book to critique an inventory reduction project, and have found the risk assessment checklists from this book useful during a corporate disaster recovery planning audit.

William T. Walker, CFPIM, CIRM
former Director Supply Chain Management
Siemens Building Technologies

This book is for people who want to learn statistics by conducting experimentations.
With the aid of my notebook, I really enjoyed having a portable statistical laboratory which enhanced my understanding to some difficult statistical theories. The examples also enrich the understanding as well as provide a practical dimension to most of statistical concepts.

Finally, thank heaven, there is a practical management book that was written by people who clearly have real life, in-the-trenches, experiences at all levels of the corporate ladder. Absent from this book are the feel good, pie in the sky, out of touch recommendations so prevalent in contemporary management writings. Any recommendations to changing a business culture comes with clear instructions to orchestrating the change. Checklists are used effectively throughout the book facilitating execution and ensuring significant bottom-line benefits.

The diet metaphor is wonderfully used. The similarities between achieving sustainable results on a persoanl diet and achieving sustainable results in a business organization become so striking when you read this book that you'll never forget them.

Supply chain management concepts are masterfully reviewed. When, how, and to what degree outsourcing is appropriate is meticulously covered.

If everyone enrolled in an MBA program were to have a course dedicated to the concepts used in this book, productivity would improve world-wide. A GREAT BOOK!!

This informative monograph, directed at the general public, uses anecdotes to illustrate many of the problems associated with the influenza vaccine shortage of 2004.

The first section, tangential to the main topic, describes the 1918 influenza pandemic. The next two sections get back on track by presenting a short history of the development of influenza vaccine followed by a description of current production methods. Regulatory burden has led many manufacturers to withdraw from producing vaccines. By 2004, only three companies were licensed to sell influenza vaccines in the United States.

The author discusses the globalization of vaccine production. Some US-based production facilities are owned by foreign companies, and US companies have production facilities outside our boundaries. This obviously complicates oversight by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On October 5, 2004, the sudden announcement that the Chiron vaccine, which constituted almost half the US supply, would not be available caught US policy makers by complete surprise. The chaos and confusion that followed are well described.

(excerpt from extensive review in JAMA)
W. Paul Glezen, MD
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Tex

It's a beautifully written book. Many useful techniques with examples of application. Great reference book. Must have in your library.

In this fascinating look at the U.S. economy, Kolko reveals the names of the families that really run America. While the author is not high on capitalism, valuable knowledge about its workings can bee gleened from this history classic. It is somewhat dated now that the names have changed to people like Bill Gates, but the book remains a memorable treasure.

A distinguished group of academics and practitioners revisits Blair's earlier book Ownership and Control: Rethinking Corporate Governance for the Twenty-First Century. In less than 90 pages, the participants review some of the most significant arguments in the field concerning Blair's contention that employees are legitimate stakeholders in corporations and that like shareholders, they too have firm-specific investments at risk, in the form of human capital. Blair looks at the current system and asks whether the allocation of risks and rewards is inevitable or should labor also be considered a residual claimant. The group seems to come close to consensus that firms should greatly expand their use of equity-based compensation systems in exchange for salary reductions. Blair suggests the use of restricted stock which can encourage commitment to the firm by requiring they continue their employment in order to reap the full benefits. In fact, many are already doing so, especially, as pointed out by Ronald Gilson, in high-technology industries. Some pension funds have recognized this in their proxy voting guidelines (see, for example TIAA-CREF which has different stock dilution guidelines for high-technology industries). An encouraging note comes from Jonathan Low, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Work and Technology Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor who indicates that five different groups have approached the Department that are looking to set up screens or create funds based on workplace practices and investments in human capital. Low also cites a study by Wayne Cascio, of the University of Colorado, on the effects of massive downsizing. Three years after downsizing, sample companies had subsequent earnings increases of 183%, whereas comparison firms in the same industries that did not downsize had earnings increases of 422%. Cumulative stock returns over three years were 4.7% vs 34.3%. He concludes that pension fund managers "would be justified in encouraging a second look at such tactics."

I recently started working in reliability, and I began seeing the Weibull distribution on a regular basis. I started reading about the Weibull distribution, but other than an brief overview, and some theory, nothing I found really helped me understand why I was using the Weibull distribution. This book provided what I was looking for. It is written from the viewpoint of someone who is trying to apply the Weibull distribution to everyday problems. The best part is the book comes with a slick Windows based software package to perform the calculations. And the software is a full version. It isn't a trial version. I wish this book was hardcover.

I found that the resulting studies printed in these pages revealed a great amount of insight about successful Native American economic development and the interplay of culture, tradition, politics and tribal governmental mechanics. The book also reveals that the task of reforming tribal government may be a difficult task to achieve.

I would recommend a brief reading by any individual, company, or agency that maintains or wishes to develop a working relationship with Native American Tribes.