Organizations Books

If you are interested in this high challenging and highly satisfying skill of becoming a process consultant, read this book, by one of the biggest names in the PC universe...Edgar Schien. This book is a classic and all OD consultants should read it !

Process Consulting is not the typical consulting intervention where 20 somethings come into your organization, do a survey and hand over a thick report after collecting $ per hour !!

Process Consulting is both an art and craft performed by people who intervene in organization systems that are seen as 'human systems' and are sensitive in not inducing 'dependency' of the client. The delicate art is to intervene at the process level rather than the content level and extricate without creating much ripples. Most known consulting deals with 'content' consulting and therefore has more measurale outcomes than the supposedly soft process consulting.

Process consulting is truly empowering and the consultant is a traveller in the process of discovery with the client, constantly asking questions.

In this second volume, Schein builds on Volume I by dissecting the nature of process and change in lieu of the specific group processes that make or break effective group work. Likewise, in this volume, he brings the concept of process consultation home, so to speak, to help managers and leaders understand themselves and their organizations as a consultant might understand them.

Given that process consultation assumes that organizational leaders know their organizations best and are the most appropriate and capable managers of change, it makes sense that organizational leaders understand group processes. Schein emphasizes that diagnosing an organization's problems is intervening to fix them. He provides explanations of the circumstances when process consultation is most necessary. He advises leaders that more time must be spent intervening on how things get done than on what actually needs to get done. "An effective manager must be able to create situations that will ensure that good decisions are made, without making those decisions himself and without even knowing ahead of time what he might do if he had to make the decision alone." (p.39)

Schein provides a useful model for differentiating between the content, process, and structure of organizational challenges and the task and interpersonal aspects of those challenges. He advises that process should always be favored over content; that task aspects should always be favored over the interpersonal; and that structure, while potentially the most transformative element of change, is the most difficult area to address, because people will resist tampering with the comfort structure provides. He also provides explanations on the essential challenges relevant to content and process that every group must face. The lesson he offers for leaders and consultants is that whatever is done to solve a problem must begin with a clarification of the primary task of the group.

Schein devotes considerable space to explaining the ORJI model of intrapsychic processes. (We observe, we react - emotionally, we judge based on our observations and feelings, and we intervene to make something happen.) "The most important thing for managers or consultants to understand is what goes on inside their own heads." (p.63) The trap of ORJI is MIRI, i.e., that we misperceive, inappropriately react, react rationally based on bad data, and intervene incorrectly. To avoid the MIRI trap, we must check our cultural assumptions, our personal filters (see volume I), and our situational expectations based on previous experiences. Schein also provides a clear synthesis of the unfreezing, changing, refreezing model of change and improvement. In unfreezing, the motivation and readiness for change are developed; in changing, new points of view are adopted; and in refreezing, new points of view are integrated to affect changes in the process approaches to tasks.

Schein devotes most of the latter half of his book to explanations and analyses of intervention processes. He discusses the "exploratory", "diagnostic", "action alternative", and "confrontive" models of intervening, how they might initiated and when one might use each. "...The tactics of intervention should focus initially on exploration, inquiry, and diagnosis. Only when the consultant feels that the client is ready to think about alternative next steps is it appropriate to move to action alternatives and confrontive interventions." (p.157) Schein also provides specific kinds of interventions which might fall into any one of these four basic categories of intervention.

This volume, taken with the first, provide not only a clear theoretical framework for understanding organizational change, but also useful tools and approaches for pre-empting organizational roadblocks and addressing organizational dilemmas once they've appeared. These books are essential reading for any leader or consultant.

In this second volume, Schein builds on Volume I by dissecting the nature of process and change in lieu of the specific group processes that make or break effective group work. Likewise, in this volume, he brings the concept of process consultation home, so to speak, to help managers and leaders understand themselves and their organizations as a consultant might understand them.

Given that process consultation assumes that organizational leaders know their organizations best and are the most appropriate and capable managers of change, it makes sense that organizational leaders understand group processes. Schein emphasizes that diagnosing an organization's problems is intervening to fix them. He provides explanations of the circumstances when process consultation is most necessary. He advises leaders that more time must be spent intervening on how things get done than on what actually needs to get done. "An effective manager must be able to create situations that will ensure that good decisions are made, without making those decisions himself and without even knowing ahead of time what he might do if he had to make the decision alone." (p.39)

Schein provides a useful model for differentiating between the content, process, and structure of organizational challenges and the task and interpersonal aspects of those challenges. He advises that process should always be favored over content; that task aspects should always be favored over the interpersonal; and that structure, while potentially the most transformative element of change, is the most difficult area to address, because people will resist tampering with the comfort structure provides. He also provides explanations on the essential challenges relevant to content and process that every group must face. The lesson he offers for leaders and consultants is that whatever is done to solve a problem must begin with a clarification of the primary task of the group.

Schein devotes considerable space to explaining the ORJI model of intrapsychic processes. (We observe, we react - emotionally, we judge based on our observations and feelings, and we intervene to make something happen.) "The most important thing for managers or consultants to understand is what goes on inside their own heads." (p.63) The trap of ORJI is MIRI, i.e., that we misperceive, inappropriately react, react rationally based on bad data, and intervene incorrectly. To avoid the MIRI trap, we must check our cultural assumptions, our personal filters (see volume I), and our situational expectations based on previous experiences. Schein also provides a clear synthesis of the unfreezing, changing, refreezing model of change and improvement. In unfreezing, the motivation and readiness for change are developed; in changing, new points of view are adopted; and in refreezing, new points of view are integrated to affect changes in the process approaches to tasks.

Schein devotes most of the latter half of his book to explanations and analyses of intervention processes. He discusses the "exploratory", "diagnostic", "action alternative", and "confrontive" models of intervening, how they might initiated and when one might use each. "...The tactics of intervention should focus initially on exploration, inquiry, and diagnosis. Only when the consultant feels that the client is ready to think about alternative next steps is it appropriate to move to action alternatives and confrontive interventions." (p.157) Schein also provides specific kinds of interventions which might fall into any one of these four basic categories of intervention.

This volume, taken with the first, provide not only a clear theoretical framework for understanding organizational change, but also useful tools and approaches for pre-empting organizational roadblocks and addressing organizational dilemmas once they've appeared. These books are essential reading for any leader or consultant.

Edgar H. Schein is Professor of Management Emeritus in the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a real academic heavyweight having written numerous books, articles and papers. In 1969 he published 'Process Consultation: Its Role in Organizational Development', of which he states that he "was writing more in anger than with perspective". In this follow-up book he tried to explain and clarify the concept of consultation and helping which was outlined in the first volume. "The goals of this new book, then, are (1) to reaffirm the concept of process consultation as a viable model of how to work with human systems, (2) to clarify the concept were needed, and (3) to introduce some modifications and new ideas that elaborate on the original ideas."

The book is split up in 3 parts. In Part I - Introduction and Overview, which consists of three chapters, Schein introduces the common grounds of managers and consultants (which is the helping orientation), process consultation, and "the process" itself. He introduces a definition of process consultation which "is a set of activities on the part of the consultant that help the client to perceive, understand, and act upon the process events that occur in the client's environment." Whereby he emphasizes that the concept of process central is to understanding consultation and management. "Process refers to how things are done rather than what is done." He continues, "Process is everywhere. In order to help, intervene, and facilitate human problem solving, one must focus on communication and interpersonal processes."

In Part II - Simplifying Models of Human Processes, which also consists of three chapters, Schein examines several models of consultation and argues that the process-consultation model works for consultants as interveners and is potentially most useful for managers. "The most important thing for managers or consultants to understand is what goes on inside their own heads." He introduces the basic ORJI cycle, which is based on the fact that our nervous system observes (O), reacts (R), analyzes, processes, and make judgments (J), and intervenes in order to make something happen (I). He later updates this cycle into a more realistic depiction of the ORJI cycle, through the introduction of 4 traps. Schein than states that the cultural rules of interaction is possibly the most powerful determinant whether a viable helping relationship will be established. In the final chapter of this part, he examines in detail a simplified model of the change process: (1) Unfreezing; (2) changing; and (3) refreezing.

In the final part of the book - The Consulting Process in Action, which is also the longest part of the book with five chapters, the author examines in detail the strategy and tactics of intervention. "The most important point to be made about clients is that the consultant must always be clear who the client is at any given moment in time, and must distinguish clearly among contact, intermediate, primary, and ultimate client." Schein discusses what the consultant or manager can actually say or do to accomplish some of the goals of process consultation. "The strategy and tactics of intervention have to be guided by the ultimate assumptions underlying the helping process." In addition, he provides categories of types of interventions and discusses the possible dilemmas that can arise in the consultation processes. "The skill of intervening is to be so tuned in to what is going on that one's sense of timing and appropriateness is based on the external events, not one's internal assumptions or theories."

Yes, this is a good book on process consultation. I was somewhat concerned when I started reading this book, due to Schein's highly academical background. However, the book has been a revelation. It is highly practical and has good tips on which can be put in practical use. I believe that it useful for both consultants and managers, as the author set out from the start. I believe that the three parts can be read in any order, whereby the last part is possibly the most useful as it is the most practical. Please note that the writing style is now somewhat outdated and academical. Highly recommended to consultants and managers alike.

This volume and its follow-up, Volume II, are essential reading for consultants and anyone interesting in taking a leadership role in improving an organization. Schein devotes entire chapters to the key human processes in organizations: communication, roles, group problem-solving, group decision-making, leadership and authority, intergroup processes, and interventions. In each one, he not only explains what he has learned through years of study and experience, but also the most salient aspects of organizational theory relevant to each area.

Schein differentiates process consultation from other forms of consultation by first making clear the role of the process consultant, who is not an expert providing information or advice, but rather a coach who seeks to help a client understand and act on events, which happen in the client's organization. Consulting is helping the client to understand problems and to decide how to solve them. The consultant's role is to teach diagnostic and problem-solving skills, not to work on the actual problems.

Communication is a central group process critical for effective functioning of groups and organizations. The process-consultant can help a client understand the communication patterns in a group by assessing who talks whom and how much. Interruptions, who interrupts whom, how much and when can be useful information when attempting to diagnose an organization's shortcomings. Schein includes in this chapter an explanation of the filters, which inhibit or enhance an individual's capacity to communicate effectively. They are: self-image, the image of other people, the definition of the situation, motives, feelings, intentions, attitudes, and expectations. When groups come together to accomplish a goal, certain predictable tensions may undermine the groups ability to solve problems. Individuals in the group may be concerned with their own role in the group, their ability or expectation to influence the group, the need to have the group's goals connect with their own goals, or whether they will be accepted and respected in the group. Sometimes groups need assistance in identifying and processing these tensions before they can concern themselves with the necessary task and maintenance functions required to accomplish their task.

For groups to solve problems they must become good at problem formulation, evaluating solutions, forecasting consequences and testing proposals, action planning, implementing action steps, and evaluating outcomes. Schein offers sage advice for groups wishing to develop their capacity to improve: (1) Don't confuse the symptom with the problem itself (2) Don't evaluate courses of action prematurely - remain open (3) Test proposals using multiple sources and methods, and (4) Plan for action carefully and methodically. Schein offers clear explanations of various decision-making models, which are helpful for a consultant or leader to understand. Groups will function most effectively when the decision-making model is clear and understood. Often models are employed by default, which can alienate and undermine group members and subvert effective improvement efforts. A central failure of leadership is often the gap between what leaders say and how they behave. An effective leaders and process consultants need to become experts in this problem and its potential effects. Awareness of group processes will not only help the leader avoid interpersonal or intergroup problems, but it will also help solve them should they arise. Schein includes useful sets of Likert scales to rate group effectiveness and mature group processes; a model of the stages of group problem-solving; and a continuum of leadership behavior.

Schein's view of the process consultant as a capacity builder parallels his implicit view that organizational leaders need to understand and seek patterns of behavior that downplay coercion and expertise and emphasize participation and differentiated responsibility. This volume and its partner, despite their ages, are still relevant and useful to the leader or consultant.

This is an excellent book, and a real ground-breaker when it was first released as "The Problem with Wineskins." What's got me so puzzled is why it's $26 bucks! At that price, only these reviews will be read.

If I were you, I'd find a used copy of it to read. BTW, the used copies sold by others here are probably not the 2nd edition, but the first edition published by TOUCH Publications in Houston, Texas (out of print and no longer available). However, I don't think there is much difference between the outrageously priced one and the first edition, which was really a revision of another version of the book released in the UK.

An excellent book, Rev. Snyder is right on time with his analysis. Also, another great book which is most revealing for today in the spiritual realm is that of "Community of the King." Both of these books are must haves for your library and study! BRAVO to this man of God! God's words printed for today!

I got in trouble for reading this book, and for passing it on to others. This book is a revision of Snyder's 1975 The Problem of Wineskins. I read the original one. It was radical then and it's radical now. I handed them out back then. In fact, a church board member of one of the first churches I belonged to in the 80's carried one into a board meeting only to be greeted by the Pastor, "You've been hanging around Chip again, haven't you?" Worth reading again-whether the older version or the new. It will help you think "out of the box" with regard to your faith, church-life, and community.

Snyder distinguishes between the "wine" of the gospel and the "wineskins" (church structures devised by humans for a particular time and place), as well as between the church, the people of God, and the organizations and structures it uses. He suggests that the institutional church has let structures become hindrances rather than aids to the Gospel, and that Christians need to gather in both small and large groups. This will result, he says, in more personal, less institutional interaction, as well as a more Spirit-led, first century-quality dynamic corporate life. He tackles the do-everything role of the pastor, the wastefulness and rigidity of the church building, the importance of preaching the gospel to the poor, and the role of spiritual gifts in creating an organic, Body-of-Christ type of church. This book is a revision of Snyder's 1975 "The Problem of Wineskins," from which a bit of technophobic, doomsday, 70's dystopian paranoia is preserved in the last chapter. Even so, this book does a great job of outlining the way the church should biblically seek to function. I highly recommend it if you are suspicious of non-traditional means of church organization and operation, or, on the other hand, if you are looking for something outside the imposing brick walls of traditional church structure.

In Radical Renewal Howard Snyder endeavors to examine the church from a biblical viewpoint within the context of modern culture. Based on Luke 5:37-39, Snyder sees the wine as the message of the gospel, which is essential and primary. He sees the wine skins as the way in which the church touches the culture with the gospel, which is secondary though necessary and useful. The problem comes when we take the ever-new gospel and try to contain it within the old wineskins of "outmoded traditions, obsolete philosophies, creaking institutions, and old habits." When we do, the powerful and life-changing gospel is constricted and must burst free. Snyder believes it is time for the church to update her wineskins. To remedy the problem, Dr. Snyder recommends a cataclysm that explodes the current church structures and creates new wineskins.

Some of the concepts investigated by "Radical Renewal" include the significance of ministry to the poor, the de-emphasizing of church buildings, the dynamic of Christian community, a Biblical church model, and small groups as the church's basic unit. His chapter devoted to "The Gospel to the Poor" was my favorite and was the most compelling portion of the book. Some of his concepts are presented in a radical and even an absurd way and then they are brought back to a practical and applicable balance. Other "radical" concepts (such as the acknowledging and releasing of spiritual gifts) have become accepted practice in many churches since the original release of the work. The year of its release, "Radical Renewal" would have been ahead of its time. It still contains insights and concepts that are of significant value to today's church.

I throughly enjoyed this book. As a Catholic girl I have considered becoming a nun at various stages of my life. Reading this book helped me to get a better perspective of what nunhood might be like. Mother Mary Francis discusses the ups and downs, and the beauties and the horrors of being a nun. I reccomend this for any one who wants to understand the beauty of religious life.

This book was actually published first in 1961; I discovered it in the early 70's and have enjoyed it time and again since then. For anyone who wants to know what life was like in every Poor Clare monastery before Vatican II and the decimation of the religious life, this is undoubtedly the book to read. The lifestyle still persists in a few monasteries and you might want to visit their websites. If you enjoy this book, Sr. Mary Francis has written others as well (though none is quite as good as this one!).

I loved this book so much, that I marked passages of it to share with other women I know who are discerning religious life. Mother Mary Francis tells us about a group of Poor Clare nuns beginning a new foundation in New Mexico. But that is just the superficial framework of the book. What she really gives us is a superb view of the theology of life as a Poor Clare nun.

In her writings on Saints Francis and Clare, her pen paints pictures that make these wonderful saints come alive for us. Mother Mary Francis shares with us their teachings to their nuns, and what impact those teachings have on their lives. So many consider the cloisered religious life to be a dark, solitary, very solemn life, but that is far from the truth. A monastery is a place of love, and light, and laughter, and no one tells us that so well as Mother Mary Francis.

I highly recommend this book to any and all, but especially to those discerning religious life and to those with a devotion to St. Clare. This book may be old, but it is far from outdated.

What a fabulous book this is! The author is a paragon of wisdom and a gifted writer to boot. Her joyful love for God, for Saint Clare, for the life she has chosen (or been chosen for), and really, for all of frail humanity, practically bound off the page. I didn't expect to laugh out loud while reading a book of this nature, but I certainly did! Mother Mary Francis has such a wonderfully whimsical way of looking at the most ordinary things and events; the reader is enfolded in her charm and warmth. At other times I found myself reading through a film of tears; the whole book is a subtle torch that melts the heart.

Though this book is about life in an enclosed order of nuns, it's not just for Catholics. I'm not a Catholic myself, but I feel like I gained about as much from it as anyone could, and I don't feel any separation or strangeness between myself and the sisters. I strongly recommend this book to seekers of God from whatever path or religion, because don't we all share the same human nature and face the same struggles? And this author kindly shares one way of gracefully navigating the difficult waters. Since the Poor Clares have been following the same path for over 750 years now, without dying out or changing their ways, we know that it is one road, no matter how unusual, that does work, and we can all take something from it.

Finally, I appreciated the prefaces that Mother Mary Francis added to this 2001 edition of her book. Since the book was written in the 1950's, don't you want to know what has happened in the Roswell monastery since then? I did! So the additonal material from the years 1973 and 2000 was most welcome. I don't want to spoil the surprise for anyone, but I'm happy to report that the monastery is thriving. Lucky them: Mother Mary Francis is apparently still the Abbess, God bless her beautiful, wise heart.

Note: Feb. 2006 addition to this review from February 2005: I have just learned that Mother Mary Francis passed away this month. May she rest in eternal peace.

Mother Mary Francis wrote a wonderful little book about her life as a Poor Clare nun. Her life in the convent was a happy one. She and her sisters laughed, danced and sang. This is a lovely peep into the cloistered life given to us by an eminently sensible and jolly woman.

"The Road of Lost Innocence" by Somaly Mam starts out reminding me of the novel, "Green Mansions" by W. H. Hudson. A deep forest that hides the innocence and beauty of a young girl. In the book, "Green Mansions" the forest protected "Rima" (the bird girl). In "The Road of Lost Innocence" the forest surrounds and devours Somaly Mam.

The fairytale forest world in Cambodia soon becomes a "hunting ground" for abominable acts of perversion, and genocide. Author, Somaly Mam becomes one of many young victims taken and sold into the dark alleyways of rape and child prostitution. She finds herself caught in a filthy and despicable "hell on earth." Somaly was actually sold into this diabolical world by family members in an effort to make money and "pay off debts" that ... "they" had incurred.

Ms. Mam realistically acknowledges that in Cambodia (as well as numerous other Asian countries i.e.: Vietnam, Thailand, etc), parents, and other family members are void of any feelings have to do with guilt, because their children are their property, and basically; "money on legs, an asset, a kind of domestic livestock."

Somaly Mam spends numerous years as a prostitute in this ugly world and is repeatedly raped, beaten, and tortured throughout her tenure. Despite her sad fate, she eventually brakes out of this "bubble world" through the assistance of several European clients. With their help, Somaly educates herself, tempers her tenacious spirit, and returns to the gutters of Cambodia with a mission of saving others who suffered the same fate.

In that process, Somaly and her French husband founded AFESIP (Acting for Women in Distressing Situations). This organization along with the newly formed "Somaly Mam Foundation" has continued to help thousands of young victims reintegrate into society as useful and healthy individuals. Ms. Mam is in my mind, a younger Asian version of Mother Teresa.

Most of the actual writing itself is in a direct straightforward and no nonsensical format. However, I felt a great deal of her story line and character application was redundant throughout the book. None the less, this is not a fairytale you would want to read to your children. This is a true and unequivocal horror story that will not easily fade from your mind or... your aching heart.

This was a terrible, awful, horrible story, but a wonderful book. The author was sold into prostitution as a child but managed to escape by getting married to a foreigner. She started an organization which rescues women from sexual slavery. This is her story and her expose of the corrupt political system that allows this sex trade to flourish.

Most sad of all is her conclusion about why this horrible system has developed in her country. Basically she says, after all the years of war and then the terror of the Pol Pot regime, people have learned to survive by looking out for themselves and only themselves. As a culture they have lost the civility of looking after one another and as such they are willing to sell their children or step-children. They are willing to rape children. They are willing to turn a blind eye to women being abused.

A portion of the proceeds from this book go to the author's foundation to help these women. For more information, please go to http://www.somaly.org I'm going to make a donation and urge you to do so too, even if you don't buy the book

"The Road to Lost Innocence" by Somaly Mam touched me so deeply that I must recommend this novel! Her writing style is simple and easy to grasp, allowing the reader to become so engrossed in this tragic and compelling story. She brings Cambodia to life through its interesting foods, fascinating customs and graphic description of the ethnic separation of the people. Through her words, I have sampled the region's oppression under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Her descriptions of the horrors of being torn away from everything familiar at the age of 9 or 10 by a stranger that promised to reunite Somaly with her parents were tempered by shining moments of kindness and hope in the midst of this tragic existence, revealing God's care and provision.

This book takes you through the tragedy that was Somaly's life to where she escaped and now rescues others. It made me smile. It made me weep. It made me angry. It made me think of (and pray for) all the people trapped in the sex slavery trade. It made me realize that I don't have a care in the world compared to those who are victimized by this very real horror everyday. It made me want to make a difference. I pray it makes you want to change the world, too.

The Road of Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam is a heart-breaking story of a woman's fight out of slavery and her quest to save others from suffering as she did. Somaly was raised in the forests of Cambodia in a primitive tribe without electricity or running water. Living in the remote jungles, her parents abandoned her and left her with a grandmother who then died before Somaly could remember any of them. She raised herself until the age of eleven, sleeping in a hammock, fishing for some meals, and receiving some little care from the rest of the villagers. At eleven, a man claiming to be her grandfather took her to a larger city and used her as slave labor, beating her and forcing her to work for others as well. She learned how to read at a small school run by a man who claimed to be her uncle and tried to do his weak best by her. At fifteen, her grandfather sold her into a violent marriage with a soldier, until he disappeared, and the grandfather appeared again to sell her into a brothel in Phnom Phen. There Somaly was raped and beaten until all of her will was driven out of her, and the fight to survive overcame the desire to be free. Eventually a French aid worker came to her aid, and Somaly was able to break free of this devastating life. But Somaly is more than the average women. She was unwilling to let other women suffer as she did, so she began distributing condoms to the brothels, and then opened a home to take in girls who fled their life of forced prostitution. She has faced threats, including the kidnapping of one of her daughters, but has emerged unwilling to bend again. Her story is amazing and awful, not something that is easily considered. It's much easier to skim over the details and refuse to internalize them. But when I read about men raping 5 and 6 year old girls and then pimps sewing the girls up again so they can be sold as "virgins", and then look at my own 5-1/2 year old daughter, my heart is broken. I can't imagine the degradation that these girls suffer daily. Somaly tells her story in raw, harsh words. They are not prettied up, nor does she gloss over what she has faced. This book needs to be read to expose the world to the truths about what is going on in Cambodia to these young girls. A portion of the profits from this book go to Somaly's charity that helps free girls from their abuse, and I know that her foundation is one that I will be donating to in the future.

Wow. I want to say there are no words to describe what this book will make you feel, but I'm going to try anyway.
Somaly Mam is the kind of person we all hope we could be, were we faced with the horrors she has lived. Sexual slavery, rape, abuse - she survived all these and has been brave enough to share her story with us. She recounts her experiences in a raw, unflinching tone, experiences which could break the strongest of us. And although Somaly escaped her own dark path, she has never left that world behind, but instead returns time and again to rescue other girls trapped in brothels, girls sometimes as young as four or five, girls who have been sold into sexual slavery.
Her story is amazing, the world she describes is horrifying, and in the end if you have not been moved to tears, then you are not human.
But this book is not just intended as a voyeuristic window into a world we should condemn. It is a necessary education for those of us who are lucky enough to live in a world where sexual slavery is a remote problem. And if, like me, you finish the book and find yourself enraged at what is being done, then you might do what I did and google her name, and find her foundation's website: www.somaly.org. There is something we can all do to help, and after reading this book you just might need to.

Provides a concise and creative discussion of the economic and political dimension of global financial reform. --David Hale, Global Chief Economist, Zurich Group

Examines G8 policy dynamics over the last 30 years with rare vigour and insight. Both a sensible blueprint for a new international financial system, and the definitive handbook for a new kind of governance within the G8 architecture. --Dr Yoichi Funabashi, Deputy Editor for Economic Affairs, Asahi Shimbun

A welcome addition to the literature on this important global network. Significant and accessible contributions to the study of the G7/G8. --Millennium: Journal of International Studies

This is a first-rate piece of work that contributes significantly to our understanding of the current state and future prospects for stability and order in the international financial system. --Michael Hawes, Queen's University

Although the authors are senior established figures assessing the world establishment, they nonetheless reach some lively and controversial conclusions. It is a well-written and carefully considered overview of the problems of patching up the international monetary structure, as seen primarily from the viewpoint of the G7, at the very end of the last century. --Charles Goodhart, London School of Economics and Political Science

While working through my thesis I was required, and also elected, to purchase several books. Johnson's book is by far the easiest to read and puts this sometimes daunting process into a manageable perspective. It's not enough all by itself, but it is a must have addition.

This book is required for a graduate class in special education research. It is a practical and simply-written guide to producing decent research in the field of education. While action research is not as "rigorous" as traditional, scientific research, there are benefits for trying a strategy and measuring results. Whatever we can do to measure what we're doing, and report/share it, is good!

This book will tell you exactly how to conduct an action research project in your school or classroom. It takes you through ever step of the process and describes how reports and papers should be presented. It presents a variety of ideas for data and data collection, and describes how to analyze qualitative data. the most important chapter for me was the chapter that described how to use action research for a thesis or disertation. The author describes what would go into each chapter.

Teachers, administrators, human service personnel are often encouraged to be engaged in action research. However, obtaining a sound, thorough but readable text to assist such professionals in conducting action research has been very difficult. This book fills this void wonderfully. The book lays out the steps of action research, provides practical examples all in a way that is scholastically sound but engaging and interesting reading. No mean feat for any book on research! I would highly recommend this for working practitioners and for guides for students involved in masters and even doctoral projects associated with action research. An excellent resource!!

I bought this book to have a glimpse at what was awaiting me in my upcoming Action Research class for my masters program. I found the samples much better in comparison to the custom book that my program offered for this class. It gives a step by step directions, I know I will have to use it for further classes in my upcoming Doctorate degree. This book is a good place to start if you have no idea of where and how to start your project for research.

This book is at once fascinating and heartbreaking. As a non-Catholic, I was amazed at the accomplishments of Sisters in the US. I used to see them when I was a child, knew they existed but they were mysterious and hidden to me. Reading this book, I feel we have lost something so precious and powerful. As Christianity declines, it is not so much the religion itself I miss, but some - like these - of it's powerful institutions to help others.

By the time I entered a Catholic elementary school in 1980, only one elderly sister was rumored to be residing in the church's convent. Two years later, the building was used for storage and our music room. Today, daily obituaries show how accomplished many of these women were - receiving an education that would have been unheard of for most women in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. It was not until I read this book that I really understood just how important these brave women -- and in many cases, young girls -- were in the development of this country, the nursing of its sick, and the education of its youth. This book skillfully explained the complex reasons for the sudden demise and division in the sisterhood today. Even the non-Catholic will be moved to feel concern for aging nuns and gratitude for their efforts. This book also offered a glimmer of hope as it investigated the growth of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of reading this book as much as I enjoyed learning what it had to tell me.

Boy, if this isn't an eye-opener! Not a particularly scholarly treatise (thank God), the book nonetheless chronicles well the incredible story of the impact on our American history and way of life "the Sisters" have had. Living in the "heyday" of the 50's - early 60's, and having had the blessings of a parochial education, I was not only mesmerized by Fialka's exploration of the scope and breadth and depth of the impact nuns in America have had, but deeply saddened to get a fuller sense of the decline of this influence in our society. I'm no feminist, but if any women in our history deserve greater recognition and honor for what they contributed to our lives it's these women. Fialka's narrative bounces around a little, but he keeps you focused on the mostly selfless dedication many of these Sisters lived by. The stereotypical nun whacking your knuckles with a ruler obscures the realities Fialka chronicles in case after case of the love and devotion so many of these Sisters lavished on their students (or patients). His discussion of the causes of the decline of the Sisters as a force in our society cites numerous influences, not least of which were the upheavals in all corners of our social fabric in the mid-late-sixties, nor the disruption (my word) of the "Catholic eco-system" resulting from so much misguided interpretations of Vatican II doctrine. Good book. Read it, revel in your memories, and weep for its demise -- America's great loss.

The old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" is certainly appropriate with this one. I assumed that it would chronicle the history of all the major orders of nuns but it doesn't. This is a great book sharing with the readers the history of the Religious Sisters of Mercy from its founding to the present. To be honest, the author does include a few anecdotes concerning sisters from other religious orders that make this book even a better read. Being a Traditionalist in the Catholic Church, I didn't spend too much time on the chapters concerning the Vatican II and post Vatican II periods except the parts dealing with the Orders self-demolition. The RSMs liberation from the yoke of the Roman Church cost them dearly and it was the very elderly nuns who paid the price! It probably won't be too many more years until they die out. That is too bad for the wonderful group of nuns that I remember from St. Peters School in Omaha, NE.

"Sisters" is a comprehensive look at how Catholic sistes contributed to the development and growth of the United States of America. From hospitals, to schools to homes of refuge for prostitutes, one can see that Catholic sisters are a fearless cadre of determined women who work long hours, sacrifice much and give without counting the cost. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learning about the Sisters of Mercy in particular, and what it means to be a religious in general. Even the famous Mayo Clinic had its beginning with a Catholic nun, Sr. Roberta, who encouraged Dr. Mayo to create a world-class clinic in the middle of nowhere. He was skeptical, but she was sure she had a mandate from God. Thank you Sr. Roberta for encouraging the Mayo family in this regard.

I felt thankful to all of the sisters who had worked diligently in the Catholic schools I attended as a child and I am glad that Mr. Fialka wrote this book to give nuns recognition which they neither desire or expect, but certainly deserve.

It should be a part of our American history curriculum.

This is a book by an experienced principal and professor--- written for principals. Upbeat and positive, with practical ideas to use everyday. Want to know how to connect with your staff? Want ideas on dealing with tough issues? Have you forgotten why you wanted this job in the first place? This book is for you. Not a canned step-by-step program, but a handbook with easy to use sections. The advice in Straight Talk for Principals is caring and compassionate, full of common sense and yet inspiring. Anyone even thinking of being a principal should read this book. Fun to read, perfect on your resource shelf, this is a great book!

Dr. Lemley was my first administrative mentor. I worked with him in Madison, CT many years ago. The high school he very effectively lead, became an outstanding school managed by a team of exceptional educators inspired by Dr. Lemley. He has provided me with valuable insights, motivation, feedback, and support for almost thirty years. This book is a fascinating collection of the way Ray ran his school every day: with energy, honesty, and courage. Whether he was at a football game cheering, quietly observing a classroom, walking the halls with a big smile, or holding court with ten or fifteen students sitting in a hallway, he lived and breathed what he believes and what he speaks to in this book. At the time, I did not know I would go on to become a school principal. When I did, I wish I had had his book as a day-to-day reminder. The book very cohesively summarizes the key aspects of being an effective leader and maintaining a true community of learners. The best part for me is that reading the book is like sitting at dinner with Ray. The words are his and the message is the honest and true way he runs his schools and his life: with a joy and enthusiasm that is contageous. Today's schools are very different than the schools of thirty years ago, but Ray's words hold true. I urge every aspiring and current administrator to listen to the message and follow these simple yet profound principles. Your school community will thrive!!

"Straight Talk For Principals" is a quick read, chock full of practical advice from an accomplished school principal and nationally recognized leader in the field. Raymond Lemley's insight and passion jump off the pages as he talks about such issues as how to build and implement a school's vision, how to be an instructional leader, how to find and support new teachers, and how to develop and maintain a healthy organization. The checklists found in the appendices make excellent self-evaluation tools.

As a former principal and superintendent of schools, I can honestly say that this book is a must read for not only practicing principals and other educational leaders, but for apsiring school principals as well.

David H. Larson, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents
West Hartford, Connecticut

Upon reading this book, I remembered why I choose to become a principal! It reminds you what is important -- and that is the kids! I find myself picking up the book again and again to get "re-fueled" for the principalship. It is an easy and enjoyable read -- I found myself chuckling through out the book. It is straight talk "from the heart" on how to lead a school. Dr. Lemley gives it to you "straight" on what is important and what is not. It sharpens your focus and gives you direction, hope, and most of all -- inspiration!

Upon reading this book, I shared it with all of the middle school principals in my district. They, too, have found the book to be uplifting, inspiration and extremely helpful. This book is now required reading for my Assistant Principals and teachers in leadership roles.

If you are going to read anything about the principalship -- this is the FIRST book you should read!!!

I have been an educator for 35 years and am about to retire. Twenty-five of those years have been spent as an administrator in high schools. Being a principal is all I've known for most of my adult life and I've enjoyed every day. Only recently have I begun to reflect upon what made the job so enjoyable and then I read Dr. Lemley's book. There it was spelled out clearly, succinctly, and entertainingly. In a nutshell, the principal sets the tone of the school and is the prime mover in creating the culture. It is he or she who must live and breathe each day the beliefs that are the tenets of that culture. The principal is important. The principal does make a difference. People do care what the principal thinks about teaching, learning, students, teachers, and parent involvement. The principal can create the school of his/her dreams even while taking care of the day-to-day business of paperwork, purchase orders, discipline, meetings, budget and the crisis of the day.

Reading the book made me happy. I recommend it to anyone who is now a principal or is thinking of becoming one. Yes, the job has changed dramatically over the years. In my opinion it is much more difficult than it was when I started. The differences are all external, however. Being a dynamic principal is still very possible and just as much needed as ever before. Read the book to feel good about what you do. Read the book to help you decide to be a principal. Read the book to help you understand why American high schools are such wondrous institutions, creating magic often under dire circumstances. Read the book. You owe it to yourself.

Aimed at licensed therapists, this book makes you feel like you have your own business coach sitting alongside you. It is a well-written guide for the licensed therapist who is looking to improve his/her practice or change it altogether within a related field. - Cris Walker Roskelley, MFT, Author of the MFT Handbook titled "On the Road To Becoming a Successful Marriage and Family Therapist: An Insider's Guide From Graduate School Through Licensure... and Beyond!" On the Road To Becoming A Successful Marriage and Family Therapist

If you are a therapist needing help to develop a therapy practice, this is the book for you. It's tough building a practice these days. Things are way more competitive than they have ever been. Larina Kase's book is a good step-by-step analysis of what works. I recommend it highly and am going to use it with those therapists that I coach around practice development.

This is a comprehensive guide to starting a private practice that does an exceptional job combining the broader concepts of successful practice building with ample details and user-friendly examples. I found it simple to implement Dr. Kase's recommendations and quickly saw positive results in my own practice.

I am part of a consultation group of early career psychologists and we regularly discuss issues related to starting and building a practice, marketing, developing a niche area, and issues related to the business of owning one's practice. This has book has been referenced numerous times by our group and has been so helpful and informative to us, particularly b/c these issues have not been taught in graduate school or in our training. I would not forge ahead in the field of psychology and in your career as a psychologist without looking at this book first.

I have a private practice as well as a coaching business. I found this book full of excellent information and resources. I am now pursuing other business options as a result of reading this book. I have also purchased a number of Dr. Kase's ebooks, and have found them extremely helpful. She consistently gives you more than you pay for.

This book provides a great understanding of the basic elements of brain and their interactions. It takes a radical approach of synaptic organization as the basis of brain functions. It is a must for everyone interested in neuro/brain/mind science.

This is a very good neurophysiology book from the morphological and physiological viewpoints. It's inexpensive and well written. Thanks Gordon.

my brain study group used this book for textbook. my major is traditional chinese medicine treatment of neurology disease, so i need some neuroscience part. this book is not easy reading, but this book gaved me many information for neuroscience.

I became acquainted with this book when I read the first edition, way back in the late 70s when I was a neuroscience grad student. I remember how impressed I was that here, for the first time really, different areas of the brain could be analyzed and compared by how the neurons wired up with each other. Later in life as a young neurologist I read through the 3rd edition, and now as a more seasoned one I've just finished reading the fifth. The book has maintained its basic organizational structure while greatly expanding its content, sometimes to the detriment of clarity being lost in the details, which is why I took off a star. The first two chapters are very helpful, with one of the best discussions of different ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors in the context of neural cell physiology I've seen. In subsequent chapters the basic circuitry of the spinal cord, cochlear nucleus, olfactory bulb, retina, cerebellum, thalamus, basal ganglia, olfactory cortex, hippocampus and cerebral cortex are discussed in similar fashion. First the neuronal elements--cell types--are defined, then the basic anatomy of the area, then the synaptic connections between different types of neurons, then the anatomy of the circuitry, then the physiology of the synaptic actions. Finally an attempt is made to relate all of these basics to how the brain area functions for the organism.
As others have pointed out, the book requires concentration to read, even to somebody with my long background. But it is rewarding to see how far the field has come in the nearly 30 years I've been studying it. It's only marginally clinically relevant for a neurologist, but for basic neuroscientists I'd consider it a must read.

This is an excellent book: clear, well-organized, and well-written. It examines how groups of neurons give rise to brain functions. The introductory chapter lays the groundwork, going over basic theories of how groups of cells perform computations and what mechanisms they use to do it. Subsequent chapters stand alone, each with a focus on a particular brain region (hippocampus, basal ganglia, cortex, thalamus, retina, etc.).

I agree with an earlier reviewer: this book is not for the uninitiated, although it is spectacularly helpful for theoretical neuroscientists who are modeling cell assemblies as well as experimentalists working at the cell or systems level. However, I disagree with his list of good introductory books. "Principles of Neural Science" in particular is a good reference but not terribly readable. I would recommend Nicholls' "From Neuron to Brain" as a more accessible book about brain function. The Scientific American series, including "The Scientific American Book of the Brain," is quite good factually and provides a more general overview including some psychology, but the quality of the writing varies. Finally, for kicks, a newcomer should try the enjoyable, controversial "How the Mind Works" by Stephen Pinker. He is biased and arrogant, but also clever and entertaining.