Organizations Books

A clearly written book, which employs a simple language. Another beauty of the book is that all loose ends are tied up. As sentences unfold one will realize why a particular phrase was used earlier and so on. That makes a big difference for an engineering text book.

It is the best book that I know for fundamentals. Hence, it will be useful for years to come.

Must have for all embedded systems people.

Helped me in my undergrad (older version). Helped me when I gave subject GRE recently. Covered Pipelining superscalar, out-of-order execution processors, caching and secondary storage, combinational and sequential ckt review etc real well. No computer architecture book covered them all so clearly, and in one book.

This was the assigned text for my junior year computer engineering course on computer organization. I loved it. The explanations are clear, progress logically, and are clearly presented. I find myself picking it up from time to time, both to read the more advanced chapters out of personal interest and to look up details needed in more advanced coursework.

After reading this book do not believe you'll know everyting about computing , but you'll know more than others do.

I had a chance to recommend this to a colleague just last week. It is easily twice the price of the "competing" books on the market, but you get what you pay for. With this book plus (perhaps) a hands-on course in the microprocessor laboratory--interfacing various logic families to output devices, e.g., or whipping up a robot of limited capabilities--the student gains the ultimate understanding of what makes computer systems "tick," from the loftiest levels of software, through the details of instruction set implementation (microprogrammed control, prefetching, cycle-stealing DMA transfers) and even the detailed digital logic circuits that underlie the CPU.

I dare say the student who aces this course is all but prepared to build a simplistic CPU on his own--"simplistic" because, though the concepts can be understood quite completely, it's an intricate challenge. Notably, the book has kept pace with the times: while the PDP-11 instruction set is didactically wonderful--clear and easy and even sporting reasonable opcode mnemonics--you don't see lots of PDP or LSI (or, for that matter, VAX) minis floating around nowadays. So, HV&Z moved on to the 68000, the Power PC, perhaps even the Pentium in the latest (of five or six) editions. (Good move, gentlemen: you've actually done your homework rather than just changing "happy" to "glad" and reprinting with a new version number!)

I used this book as a junior, but (a) I went to Cooper Union, which operates at an extremely high intellectual level [let's put it this way: I took a number of graduate-level computer science electives--compilers, OS, etc.--taught by Bell Labs MTSs as a junior and senior; and some "doctoral" courses that I took at Case were--honest Injun--watered-down versions of similar courses I had taken at Cooper], and (b) I graduated more than twenty years ago, and requirements always creep downward: a few credits fewer, a few tangential courses eliminated, perhaps one fewer humanities elective necessary to matriculate, etc. By 2006 standards, I would reluctantly have to reclassify HV&Z as a postgraduate text.

(A little puzzle for the reader: we had to build--from NAND gates--a microcomputer featuring two three-bit registers, and my squad was the only one that implemented an "exchange registers" function that required only one cycle and used no auxiliary storage registers. How did we do it? Tick ... tick ... tick ... time's up! The circuitry compared corresponding bits from both registers. If they matched, it did nothing; if they differed, it flipped both! So, there was no literal "exchange" operation: rather, each was simultaneously reset to the value of the other.)

If, like me, you've been feeling that sending a check somehow isn't `enough', this is The resource that makes doing `more' easy.
If you're involved with inventing or organizing `service projects', it's a MUST. Definitely the handiest resource for getting your/ their imagination going anyone could possibly wish for.
And if you want to start making a difference before you even get the book, add copies for your local library and scout troops to your order. It's that great.

For some, compassionate feelings can overwhelm spare time and energy: readers with such a problem should consider The Difference a Day Makes : 365 Ways to Change Your World in Just 24 Hours a kind of recipe collection for doing good. Turn good intentions into powerful action with a guide which provides vast lists of good things which can be done in a few simple minutes or hours; from providing a resource list for a neighborhood to encouraging workplace and home use of the arts, and assisting an elder who has a pet.

What a refreshing read - both thought provoking and resourceful, In today's "information overload" society, it's nice to have a handy resource to help me accomplish many of my personal volunteer goals without it being so much work. In fact, I'm going to buy copies for all my nieces and nephews as they are all charged with doing community service projects and, in my opinion, need to experience that "giving back," among other things, makes you feel good about yourself!

This is a nice book. It shows how simple everyday deeds can have a positive impact upon the world. Too often people who genuinely want to do something good for society honestly don't know how to go about achieving anything. This book gives great suggestions and points would-be philanthropists in the right direction.

"The Difference a Day Makes" is a terrific book. Karen has done a great job in communicating the importance of giving back every day. There were several new ways to give that I learned through reading this book. It is easy to read, understand and implement in your daily life. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to make a difference (and that should be everyone).

As a United Church minister both interested in biblical scholarship and church history and also very concerned with nurturing genuine Christian community today, I have found Brian Griffith's book, Different Visions of Love, to be very interesting and helpful.


Griffith pulls together information from biblical and historical research to show that the very early church understood that Jesus' teaching about love leads to partnership relationships rather than relationships of domination and subjection.
Griffith book shows not only how this understanding was undermined early on as the church became institutionalized, but also how Jesus' understanding of love remained extant among many Christians and resurfaced from time to time.


Griffith, in his book, is particularly interesting and helpful in the way he uses historical examples to make his point. I have been delighted to find examples and other materials in his books that I can use in my sermons.


I recommend his book as useful to Christian churches, particularly to women in leadership positions.

Describing how Christianity changed over time, Griffith always includes the experience and values of women. He shows the contributions of female leaders and how women have often challenged the church. This history of the religion shows how important women have been from the beginning. It shows periods of great suffering for women, but also great progress towards a real partnership of both sexes.

Many religious people think their way of understanding is the only way to get close to God. They never think people should have freedom in accepting the religion in their own way. But Griffith goes through history, and shows how some of these ideas come from traditions of various cultures rather than from prophets and saints, and these "dominator traditions" mixed with religion. In general I can say Griffith respects different approaches for understanding religion. He thinks different kinds of religious people are learning to respect each other and work together. He criticizes a lot of inhuman things in the past, but mostly the book is very hopeful.

A book of Christian history that's very helpful to Muslims as well

As a Muslim, I found this book very helpful. We have a similar struggle in our history between different versions of our faith. We have our own long record of dominator Muslims, and also Muslims who want real partnership or equality. This book shows how Christians have made choices between those different moral standards, and what resulted from those choices. These are the kinds of choices Muslims face as well, and I would like to see somebody write a book like this for Islam. ]

A must read for anyone even remotely interested in Christian history. Brian Griffith develops the ongoing struggle between the forces that try to dominate church life and those that try to unify or make peace with diverse groups within the church. And he does this over the entire time span of Christian history. But don't think of it as a stuffy history book. Rather, it a dramatic study of the people involved and the times in which they lived. Once you pick the book up, it is hard to put it down. I think that anyone who reads this book will get an expanded view of Christianity and it's interplay with the social forces in the larger world. It is a masterful presentation and should have wide appeal within other great religous traditions.

Leadership is an elusive trait. It may be a learned skill or a genetic characteristic, but either way, teaching it to someone who is not a born leader is difficult. The way this book approaches that task is part inspirational, part self-assessment and part New-Age excess. Author Judith E. Glaser's DNA leadership concept is a clever, albeit gimmicky idea, using certain "genes" to describe leadership traits. Her system, however, has problems. She holds that it is verboten to criticize or state a negative viewpoint about another person, even if it is warranted. This makes this approach difficult to use in a business setting. Moreover, her politically correct approach blames leaders for bad workplace attitudes, even when the actual causes might be low pay or poor working conditions. The book is repetitive, which limits its applicability. However, Glaser offers useful surveys and self-assessments. getAbstract acknowledges the value of good leadership, and suggests this book to HR people who want to familiarize themselves with its New-Age leadership approach.

"Creating WE, Judith's first book, was incredibly valuable in helping leaders see the difference between the I-Centric and the We-Centric leader! The DNA of Leadership goes beneath the surface to analyze the DNA make-up of a true We-Centric leader. This book has the depth and wisdom to make a positive and lasting impact on any person who aspires to be a leader. While the first book shared a revolutionary and new framework for what it means to be a We-Centric leader, in this book Judith goes into great detail with real life examples of the leadership genes that drive personal and organizational success.

C-Gene = Community ~ Leaders practice open communication where people feel included, involved in the strategy, engaged in the business, and accountable for results.

H-Gene = Humanity ~ Leaders create an atmosphere that values uniqueness and diversity; and respect the talents of every individual.

A-Gene = Aspiration ~ Instead of using overt and covert threats to meets targets; these leaders support and encourage individual imagination.

N-Gene = Navigation ~ Instead of hiding the "map," these leaders ask others for guidance in making headway toward common goals.

G-Gene = Generativity ~ Instead of micro-managing and enforcing compliance, these leaders nurture innovation that leads to inspired breakthroughs.

E-Gene = Expressing ~ These leaders encourage everyone to speak up, take risks, and to develop themselves and the organization.

S-Gene = Spirit ~ Instead of cold calculations and expectations, these individuals create an atmosphere of ongoing homage, accomplishment, and evolution so that everyone pulls together to move the organization toward the future.

The DNA of Leadership is a virtual navigational guide to any leader trying to move their organization forward through difficult and challenging changes. While reading about the practices for great leadership, I found Judith's prescriptions applicable to not only worldwide organizations, but to personal relationships as well. Whether you strive to lead your organization or your family unit into greatness - living by these practices will ensure success.

I reference Judith and her extraordinary books in every leadership discussion in which I am involved. I can't imagine being able to achieve my goals without them! Congratulations Judith on another exceptional piece of work."

There are hundreds of books on leadership strategies, competencies, and tools, but even after reading and applying the learning, leaders still fail to be as effective as they might be. "The DNA of Leadership" is a user manual for creating a work environment where people can thrive and achieve greatness. It is a must read for leaders wanting to be highly successful in today's world of work.

Understanding your Leadership DNA, the seven genes defined by Judith E. Glaser, will enlighten each leader as to how they express their leadership in the organization. Is the leader able to create an environment where the human spirit can thrive in the face of internal and external challenges? If the leader is not able to create this environment, even the most competent and skilled leader will miss their opportunity for leadership greatness.

The book includes a series of questions to help you define and understand your DNA, but obtaining 360 degree feedback on leader DNA will provide the needed perspective. See her website for additional information about the book and other resources.

Creating WE, Judith's first book, was incredibly valuable in helping leaders see the difference between the I-Centric and the We-Centric leader! The DNA of Leadership goes beneath the surface to analyze the DNA make-up of a true We-Centric leader. This book has the depth and wisdom to make a positive and lasting impact on any person who aspires to be a leader. While the first book shared a revolutionary and new framework for what it means to be a We-Centric leader, in this book Judith goes into great detail with real life examples of the leadership genes that drive personal and organizational success.

C-Gene = Community ~ Leaders practice open communication where people feel included, involved in the strategy, engaged in the business, and accountable for results.

H-Gene = Humanity ~ Leaders create an atmosphere that values uniqueness and diversity; and respect the talents of every individual.

A-Gene = Aspiration ~ Instead of using overt and covert threats to meets targets; these leaders support and encourage individual imagination.

N-Gene = Navigation ~ Instead of hiding the "map," these leaders ask others for guidance in making headway toward common goals.

G-Gene = Generativity ~ Instead of micro-managing and enforcing compliance, these leaders nurture innovation that leads to inspired breakthroughs.

E-Gene = Expressing ~ These leaders encourage everyone to speak up, take risks, and to develop themselves and the organization.

S-Gene = Spirit ~ Instead of cold calculations and expectations, these individuals create an atmosphere of ongoing homage, accomplishment, and evolution so that everyone pulls together to move the organization toward the future.

The DNA of Leadership is a virtual navigational guide to any leader trying to move their organization forward through difficult and challenging changes. While reading about the practices for great leadership, I found Judith's prescriptions applicable to not only worldwide organizations, but to personal relationships as well. Whether you strive to lead your organization or your family unit into greatness - living by these practices will ensure success.

I reference Judith and her extraordinary books in every leadership discussion in which I am involved. I can't imagine being able to achieve my goals without them! Congratulations Judith on another exceptional piece of work.

If you are a leader or if you want to become a leader, Judith Glaser's newest book, "The DNA of Leadership" is a must read. My recommendation is to read her other books, "The Power of We", and "Creating We" at the same time.
Judith's E-centric way of looking at the world is a breath of fresh air for those in our family of coaches and leadership consultants. DNA is a book about empowering ones self and others to embrace change, to share a common vision and impact the world around us in a positive way. Through her stories, Judith provides a vision of common people who find the courage to look at themselves, and see how their behaviors have impacted others. Her stories tell us that we are just as capable of making the changes in our own behaviors, changes that allow us to become better leaders.
DNA has helped me to understand that what you say is not as important as how you make others feel.

If you are using the Rational Unified Process, or considering doing so, and worried about applying it to a whole IT department rather than separate projects then this book could well be useful. The book has four parts - From RUP to EUP, Beyond Development, Enterprise Management Disciplines and Putting it all Together. Each section has several chapters and the chapters all start with a nice reader ROI section (showing the payoff for reading that chapter). The writing is clear and there are plenty of diagrams, tables and helpful tips.

The book starts of with some background in the RUP. I particularly liked the description of RUP as serial in the large and iterative in the small. Within the RUP there are also nine disciplines (Business Modeling, Requirements, Analysis and Design, Implementation, Test, Deployment, Configuration and Change Management, Project Management, and Environment). The authors outline 10 best practices they see as core to the EUP (they extend the original 6 in RUP) - Develop iteratively, Manage requirements, Proven architecture, Modeling, Continuously verify quality, Manage change, Collaborative development, Look beyond deployment, Deliver working software regularly and Manage risk. Each is clearly described.

In addition to the change best practices, EUP adds a Production phase and a Retirement phase. They point out that the Production phase is not just maintenance or just operations and support but both and more. I think that any organization building systems should spend as much time and effort thinking about production and running their application in production (which includes maintaining it over time) as they do in building it and I was glad to see this so strongly proposed. They also added an operations and support discipline, mostly but not entirely in the production phase. This discipline includes running the system and making hot fixes. I think the Retirement phase is overkill for most organizations but some will find it useful.

They also added some "Enterprise Management" disciplines for use outside the context of a project and this too is a good idea. The disciplines are Enterprise business modeling, Enterprise Portfolio Management, Enterprise Architecture (I particularly liked the idea that "modifiability" should be considered as part of an enterprise architecture - far too few organizations do this well and fail to differentiate between stable services and much more changeable ones), Strategic Reuse (Again I liked the called-out focus on this - without a real plan no reuse is going to happen), People management , Enterprise Administration and Software Process Improvement (Another good one and a timely reminder to all that you should keep improving your software processes)

Overall I liked the book, though it was a somewhat dry subject (as methodologies often are). There was a lot of good advice, some nice tips and some clearly hard-won experience being shared!

Many IT organizations still pursue pet projects and develop duplicate applications in isolation, only to address later crises in corporate reporting, portfolio management, IT infrastructure, business objectives, and other areas.

EUP gives a coherent roadmap of how to architect smarter and for the long term. For organizations that don't have a strong enterprise aptitude, this book is a lifesaver. The EUP provides the business case for implementing EUP that will help cut through the politics by addressing the benefits to the bottom line for pursuing an Enterprise Unified Process.

I will be referencing the EUP regularly, and passing it around to others in my organization!

The Enterprise Unified Process (EUP) unites diverse disciplines, including development, enterprise architecture, operations, production and portfolio management, reuse and business process modeling, under an easy to follow framework. It was refreshing to find a book that recognizes the need to accommodate the installed base of existing software as part of the planning, development and deployment process. This is an excellent guide for any manager who wants to ensure that essential IT disciplines are addressed.

The focus of EUP is to enhance the commonly accepted Rational Unified Process (RUP). The authors have added new disciplines to RUP that include business modeling, portfolio management, enterprise administration, reuse, enterprise architecture and process improvement. The introduction of business modeling into the overall process is essential to weave IT processes and disciplines into the most essential driver of any systems initiative - the business. The enterprise architecture discussion was also refreshing given that many organizations have forgone this discipline and have created redundant, stovepipe applications and data structures that significantly stifle business agility.

The "Reuse" chapter raises the rarely deployed reuse strategy. It is critically important to not replicate business processes, models, systems, data structures, source code and interfaces. The costs and risks of trying to keep parallel assets synchronized have been written about extensively. This book promotes the idea that reuse is just another aspect of the enterprise unified process. It is also one of the few discussions about reuse that recognizes the value of harvesting existing assets.

Also of note is the portfolio management discussion that focuses attention on the need to incorporate project management with application management. It should be noted, however, that portfolio management has much less focus on applications than the traditional industry definition as promoted by Gartner, Inc.

Finally, this book makes great use of tips, tool references and citations to books or papers that readers can use to expand on their understanding of a given topic. The last chapter of the book takes a realistic and honest look at deploying the enterprise unified process, including its possible retirement.

This book is must readying for any organization using -- or attempting to use -- the RUP. The EUP's additional disciplines completes the RUP in a necessary and sufficient manner.
The book is written in a straight-forward manner, is easy to read and is well-organized. Each chapter reminds you to be practical (the antipatterns), explains how the additional discipline relates to the others and provides software tools and suggested reading.
Don't RUPture your software development efforts without having the more comprehensive approach of the EUP!

The book provides a very readable coverage of IBM's Rational Unified Process, as well as useful extensions that address important aspects of enterprise systems planning, development, and management. The systematic and disciplined treatment is greatly enhanced by the inclusion of much useful, pragmatic advice that draws from the practical experience of the authors in building real systems.
I quite liked this book. Although it doesn't give enough emphasis to conceptual data analysis (something RUP has always been weak on), it has loads of useful, practical content that make it a worthwhile addition to the literature.

Get this book not so much to use as everyday "how to" but rather to explore your ideas and concepts on your business.Great book for anyone at stage 1 in creating a business.This book will definitely lift any fog that clouds your vision.Be sure and heed author's warning...DO NOT GET THIS BOOK IN LOOKING FOR EXAMPLES ON FORMULATING A BUSINESS PLAN...get this book to be sure your plan covers all your needs and desires in growing the business.

It's really great book as for beginners, as for already established ones in Business. Book is covering all essential items, which you can be in touch during Business Planning. Just one comment. I found it strange that Information Technology was not shown clearly as one of the major items. Of course it may be included to operational expences for example. But issues regarding this are not lighted also. Anyway it couldn't decrease rating of this book. The book is really great and my personal thanks to author for such succesful work.

If you have a need to get your business strategy together, BUY THIS BOOK. After reading it myself, I bought one for everyone on my management team and have given copies to many fellow business owners. This book takes you through a very practical step-by-step approach to business planning. Many templates, help aids, and real-world suggestions provided. I believe any small or medium size business owner will benefit from applying the principles outlined within. Following the plan will help you get your business focused in no time. A MUST READ IN TROUBLED TIMES!

I have a degree in finance and have run many businesses. This book is one of my top recommendations to anyone wanting to improve and/or focus their business. I've purchased other books in the "Fast Forward" series, and maybe 6 others on business strategy, and this is the best. Buy a few copies, you will mark your copy up and not want to give it away. Highly recommended. Enjoy!

The author provides a useful step-by-step approach for not only writing a business plan, but also provides a method to ensure that the plan is followed and managed to success. This is a book that is easy to read - it's only 200 pages long, but is packed full of useful information.

A brilliant action-oriented plan in 3 steps that give your business the steady growth it needs to survive and succeed in today's fast business world. Step 1: Identify the Issue. Step 2: Develop a Plan. Step 3: Manage the Plan. Very well explained with examples for better understanding.

I am new as an Inquirer to the Secular Franciscan Order. This book is a must read and was recommended by a Franciscan Priest.

If you are interested in Franciscan Spirituality this book is an absolute must; but beware this is St. Francis and St. Clare full force from a fire hydrant. Watch out! If you are used to getting St. Francis via an eyedropper you are going to get soaked! The editors have added scriptural references to the text. This allows the reader who has a Bible handy to go from St. Francis' or St. Clare's words right to Holy Scripture. That is a powerful combination. Don't read this book in a week, take a long, long time. You will be glad you did.

Frequently, to suit the author and their own agenda, translations of Francis' and Clare's works are either watered down or misunderstood. Regis Armstrong is one of the rare authors who truly understands the Franciscan mentality. He is, therefore, able to do outstanding translations that allow the true spirit of Francis and Clare to emerge. As a former Poor Clare (Poor Lady of Assisi), this book was highly recommended by our Mother Abbess (who is a highly valued Franciscan theologian in her own right). If it were possible to rate this book with 6 stars, it would be well deserving of it!

"Francis and Clare: The Complete Works" is a collection of the Rules, Letter, Prayers and any other writings believed to have been written by these two founders of the Franciscan movement, Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi. I say "believed to have been written" because the authorship of some of the writings is based on the best scholarly research available, not on a reliable canon collected during the saints' lifetimes. The writings of Francis are presented first, followed by those of Clare.

Because the works consist of a collection of unassociated writings, they do not provide a guide to holiness, as do other works, such as St. Francis' DeSales "Introduction To The Devout Life" or St. Ignatius of Loyola's "Spiritual Exercises". This is more like a law school case book in which one reads the material in order to discern the important themes.

The important themes are not difficult to ascertain. One obvious one is the well known Franciscan emphasis on poverty. From these readings the reader gets the idea that the virtue of poverty is the detachment from things of earth so that one may concentrate on the things that truly matter. A second theme, which I had not associated with Francis, is that of reverence for and adoration of the Holy Eucharist. The prescriptions made by Francis in his day resonate well in our time with its struggle in maintaining a balance between Eucharist reverence and accessibility.

This book serves well as a tool in a study of the life of St. Francis. We look to biographies to learn from him through an organized rendering of his life. We look to "Francis and Clare: The Complete Works" to learn from the saint himself.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the writings of St Francis and St Clare. The Classics of Western Spirituality volumes are generally well-researched, relevant, and well-introduced selections, and this is no exception.

Most editorial and Amazon reviews praised this book of its value on organisational management. To me, this is more a personal management book which I learnt some new ideas and revisited some present ones, all in a highly comprehensible, interesting and easy reading manner. Some points for your reference are:-

1) The heart is not just an organ for pumping blood, but with the second largest amount of neuron (the same type of cell for the functioning in our brain). We do have a lot of it in our digestion system as well, a possible explanation to our heart and gut feelings.

2) Stress affects our production of hormones and drains our energy. Extended period of stress leads to maladaptation and thus premature aging and health problems. I like the author's refering to the fish in the highly contaminated Hudson River.

3) The analogy of the natural frequency in nature (ref the resonance for string instructment) to the need for dynamic balance inside a human and thus an organisation for optimal performance.

In short, though I dont believe the approach prescribed by this book can help much to improve the culture of many big corps, I do regard this as a very good book and I do recommend this to any business person who still has the heart for improvement.

Balance and Coherence in the corporate world? Ha! Then I read the book.... As an Executive Assistant with over 18 years of experience I wish that each and every Manager, Director, and VP that I have supported read this book - AND practiced the methods that Childre and Cryer describe. I will be buying copies of this book for all my "bosses".

Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer have identified a simple blueprint that I think will be the key to changing existing corporate cultures and organizational climates into what they will need to be to survive in the 21st century. Leaders like Jack Welch of GE and Steven Covey have already told us that what will be critical to success in the future is "soft stuff with hard results" and From Chaos to Coherence shows us how to do that with ease, grace, and success!

For any CEO, VP, Manager, Staff, Front Line worker- the simplicity of the concepts, the scientific foundation of the technology, and the ratio of success achieved by major organizations makes this book worth the read.

The simple premise of exercising, on a consistent basis, the innate positive qualities of basic human nature is consistent with the success we see Fast Companies having. With the increasing mental and emotional chaos written about in many articles, business magazines, newspapers, and management books, this book by Childre and Cryer is not only refreshing, but also provides practical solutions carefully laid out in what they call the four dynamics of inner quality management.

I have already started applying their simple processes to my life and my business problems and am experiencing immediate improvements in my mental clarity, productivity, and emotional state, particularly in high pressure situations. As the phrase inner quality implies, I believe we have to take care of ourselves internally first so that we can take care of business!

Balance and Coherence in the corporate world? Ha! Then I read the book.... As an Executive Assistant with over 18 years of experience I wish that each and every Manager, Director, and VP that I have supported read this book - AND practiced the methods that Childre and Cryer describe. I will be buying copies of this book for all my "bosses".

I am a business consultant. As I read this book the words "This is it" kept running through my brain. These principles of Internal self-management are the antidote to the illness I see in too many organizations. Very talented individuals with a desire to do their very best are losing their spirits and hemorrhaging under the perception that they "can't manage the pace" anymore. Stress and overwhelm feed cynicism which quickly leads to breakdown. Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer have show us the map to restore and sustain organizational vitality and wellness. How to thrive as individuals and then thrive as teams and organizations. I clearly see that these tools are practical, have scientific underpinning and have been field-tested and proven. Imagine the impact on quality, climate and profits if an organization was able to transform even 15% of its Chaos into Coherence. If each organization has a "collective brain", it should be processing its information coherently and creatively, and the lifeblood of that organization (the spirit of its employees) should be coursing thru this oganism with full hearts. Bravo to Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer for showing us how to enter the 21st century with the tools to make this a reality. I'm recommending that every business manager, CEO, VP, administrator and politician study this book, learn the techniques for themselves and bring this to their organizations.

This remarkably scholarly book by Colson combines both his profound knowledge of Christian ideals with a well-versed political understanding garnered from his years in the problematic Nixon administration. Colson's own experience in government and his rather unlikely conversion to Christianity gives the book credence even to those who may not fully agree with his arguments. Colson judiciously inserts historical fact amidst modern day arguments, and my husband said of the book, "Every time I think, `I'd like to hear that backed up' he provides exactly that in the very next paragraph."

Colson's wide range of sources make him a pleasure to read. He cites works ranging from Cicero to Nietzsche, C.S. Lewis to Augustine. He quotes from Supreme Court decisions and references the Bible. Each chapter is heavy with both footnotes and endnotes, and Colson also provides a list "For Further Reading." This is a great read, perfect for academics and the casual reader alike.

Although not strictly a scholarly work, Colson draws enormous breadth and integrity of expertise into this epochal exposition of the relationship of church to state.

I must confess that it took me 20 years to pick up this book, and that only on a whim. I had no desire to read Colson, having little belief in the value of celebrity or notoriety in lending value to a man's words. Though not a hater of things American, I am not starry-eyed about American mentality, especially when it comes to politics, and rather turned off by the way Americans (and others) confuse the domains of religion and politics, not just on the political right but at all points of the political spectrum. That Colson had been a special advisor to Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal had pretty well put him off my radar.

I could not have been more wrong about him.

This book is the first I have read in which a comprehensive exposition of an appropriate relationship of church to state is laid out. Colson cannot be accused of confusing the two domains, yet he is clear about the valuable relationship between personal, and collective, faith, and public domain politics. A man highly qualified to speak about both, and his education in the school of hard knocks has paid off in spades. Though some reviewers appear to regard the book as a vilification of the religious and political right this is quite unfair -- Colson is balanced in both domains and his writing reveals little pandering to partisan interests. He could equally address a Republican Convention, or a Democrat one, or stand aside and offer telling criticism of both parties. The same balance is evident in his theological writing. I am reminded of the angel leading an army whom Joshua met and asked, "Are you with us or with our enemies?" The angel replied "Neither. I am for the Lord".

As for the book itself, it has an engaging style. The chapters are short, mostly in the form of parables. The first is an account of a fictional American president whose religious zealotry leads the world to the brink of war, a cautionary tale. Other chapters are straight retelling or dramatizations of the lives of men and women who held in their hands the keys to major world events of the 20th Century, retelling in gripping form the rise of the Third Reich, the behavior of the Church in Germany, the weak response of Chamberlaine, slippery dealings in the hallowed halls of American government, murder, redemption and forgiveness in the Phillipines and Northern Ireland, and much more.

The weakest point is a short digression into science and cosmology early in the book, a subject Colson would probably to best to leave untouched in his writing. It's the only blemish I can find on what is otherwise a masterwork.

Although written to the current state of the world 20 years ago, prior to the Fall of the Soviet Union, the Tienamen Square massacre and the First Gulf War, and the rise of globalized Jihadism in its current form, the book is strikingly current and insightful. Perhaps it is because the context of his writing is merely context---he does not write for it, but he draws on that background to write timeless wisdom.

I highly recommend the book not only to Christians but to anyone interested in answers to the unsolvable political and religious conundrums in the world. Although Colson offers few answers beyond Christ, it is perhaps enough to note that the answers he does offer are rock solid, and his book is more of an arrow in a direction than an 'X' marking the spot where treasure is buried.

When reading this book back in 1989, one had to assume Colson was thinking of Pat Robertson's run for the White House when he wrote this book. Eleven years later the American people elected a born-again Christian as President in George W Bush. Some of the things Colson warned about have now come to pass.

Although the events of 9/11 were out of the President's control and demanded action, there is little doubt that his Faith has shaped his view of world events.

"Kingdoms in Conflict" is a warning that God's Kingdom is not of this world and it cannot be forged through politics or war. Man's kingdoms and God's Kingdom are in conflict.

Colson's time in the Nixon White House and his born-again experience has allowed him to see the dangers of using politics to advance a religious belief. This book is more relevant today than it was in 1989.

Like Colson's other books, Kingdoms in Conflict challenges you to think deeply about what and why you believe.

The title focuses on the precarious balance Christians experience between heavy involvement and no involvement in politics. Colson's thesis seems to be that Christians need to maintain a balance - being in the world while not being of the world and Christians must be a light to the world and salt of the earth.

Colson uses the examples of Christian involvement (and lack of) in resisting Hitler, Marcos, and other brutal figures in history to illustrate the importance of Christians being involved in the political process without being consumed by the power that goes with politics.

Read and be encouraged to be rightly involved in politics while remembering that ultimately we are citizens of another kingdom to come that will last forever!

Colson takes a topic that has been discussed by Christians ever since the disciples questioned Jesus about it when He was in Galilee with them, i.e., the role of God's kingdom and that of man's. Colson contends that the kingdom of God is within a person. It is not an external means of control exercised by political power. In the Epilogue he cites Winston Churchill's last words, "there is no hope." But Colson counters that statement by explaining that spiritual things are not based on the circumstances of this present world.
On the other side of the coin, however, Colson presents specific examples throughout history where Christian have actively been involved in politics and government because of their belief in the eternal, unseen kingdom of God within. Having an awareness of things eternal, while contributing in this life is the balance he is seeking to describe.

This Handbook is a valuable, broad scope look at public and private sector systems currently engaged in change iniatitives around the world. Relatively free of jargon and untried theories, these field-tested case studies will appeal to a wide spectrum of readers from organization leaders and HR professionals to business school students. I came away with some important new ideas for my work and avoided a few pitfalls after reading the book.

Through the many cases presented, Barbara and Billie were able to present to the reader how the different Large Group Methods actually can be applied, and, specially, how they form part of a larger roadmap for systemic change. Interesting also how all cases have a reflections session, which is very usefull in giving actual or to-be practitioners concrete tips for implementation.
The combination of cases with theory about the methods and innovative ideas (for example, on the use of Technologies and Graphic facilitation)resulted in a superior learning experience and complements very well their first book ("Large Group Interventions: Engaging the Whole System for Rapid Change").
Last but not least, I was happy to note how there was a shift in attention from method to challenges that organizations or communities are facing - so a focus on impact and change. A book worth reading for those that are facing or will face large scale changes.

Trust Alban and Bunker to use their social science prowess and rich professional experiences to create an eminently pragmatic handbook for leaders of systems change. To their credit, the entire construction of the book also employs the very principles espoused by the contributors: inclusion of stakeholders, engagement of multiple perspectives, search for common ground, transparency, and appreciation for diversity. After soliciting cases from around the world, the authors organized them into helpful categories of interventions around "six challenges for the 21st century" and added their views on the issues created by those challenges. These chapter inputs are perfect executive summaries for clients who are mired in these dilemmas daily and are looking for solutions and they will help introduce the large group engagement methods the consultant is offering. Also invaluable is the authors' matrix of each case that delineates the organizational sector, the situation addressed, and the methods used--truly makes the text handy.

Although the book stands on its own merits for the sophisticated organization consultant, reading their previous Large Group Interventions (Jossey Bass, 1997) would give the appropriate context for the creative adaptations of the original methods that their latest book so well describes. The Handbook has not only added new methods (Appreciative Inquiry Summit, World Café and AmericaSpeaks) but, more importantly, it describes combinations of traditional methods along with new twists which are thoroughly described. Appropriately, there is a greater reliance on engagement principles for a change process instead of previously prescribed recipes for events in their prior book.

The consultant contributors have been generous with details, for the most part, so that seasoned organization development consultants will feel comfortable employing these tested methods of engagement. On the other hand, there also could also be a warning sticker that reads: "Don't Try This Alone in your Ballroom!" because much of the success comes with years of experience working with diverse groups and learning what doesn't work. Partnering with such experts is the wisest way to dive into whole system change.

As a trainer of large group principles, I particularly appreciated the enhancement tools this handbook describes--Polarity Mapping (B. Johnson), Gestalt therapy, coaching theory, using professional actors for storytelling, graphic facilitation and more. I look forward to the 2017 iteration Bunker and Alban offer to keep us on our toes!


Elizabeth K. Olson
Preferred Futures, Inc.

In the complex, interconnected, global environment that most organizations work in daily, it is no longer possible for a few people "at the top" of the organization to have all the knowledge, expertise, and perspective needed for its success. At NovaLearning, we have used large group methods with colleges and universities for about fifteen years. I have constantly seen how institutions become better -- more focused, more strategic, but also more humane -- as they incorporate ideas and insight from across the system into their operation. When Bunker and Alban's earlier book was published, I was delighted because it captured well the range of large group approaches that had developed by 1996. This new handbook goes much further.

These are substantive case studies exceptionally well framed by Bunker and Alban's insight and experience. The diverse case study authors are generous in sharing at a level of specificity that makes real learning from their experiences possible. Each chapter is organized around the presenting challenge, the context and methodology (and why chosen), a detailed description of what actually happened, and perhaps most importantly, a set of reflections and insights that give the reader the chance to share in the authors' learning. I also found valuable the examples of how the innovative use of communication technologies can provide new opportunities as well as sometimes create unexpected limitations. I strongly recommend The Handbook of Large Group Methods to consultants who use or want to use large group methods. Individual chapters will also be important and provocative for corporate, academic, social, and political leaders and change agents.

I agree with the reviewer who notes that something may be missing (other slices of large group imagination and so on) but what I see in this book is a 5 star original updating the first original work. I am also impressed by the manner in which the author-editors have engaged a total of 49 collaborators.

Despite its size this is an easy to read and appreciate book, and in my own limited experience within this literature, stands in a class by itself.

Key Point: Must recognize and engage ALL stakeholders, including those that may be "external" to "the system" but are either inputs or outputs or victims, etc.

Key Point: This literature has developed from the 1960's focus on the social psychology of organizations, to the social psychology of networks.

Key Point: Many Small Groups = a Large System (susceptible to whole systems methods) = Future Search and Shaping.

Key Point: Real time strategic change is now known as whole-scale change (I am reminded of Kirkpatrick Sale's seminal work, Human Scale

Five methods for planning the future:
+ Search Conference
+ Future Search
+ Whole-Scale Change
+ ICAA Strategic Planning Process
+ Appreciative Inquiry

This book was published before Jim Rough's pioneering work at the Center for Wise Democracy or Tom Atlee's Co-Intelligence Institute. See:
Society's Breakthrough!: Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People
The Tao of Democracy: Using Co-Intelligence to Create a World That Works for All

Large Group Methods (LGM) is very ably presented by the authors and collaborators as being ideal for working with diverse groups that have different cultures, structures, and priorities. I am reminded that we live in a world dominated by pyramidal organizations that still believe in top-down elite "command and control," and this book is therefore a revolutionary handbook for enabling bottom-up sense-making and localized social resilience.

Key point: whereas the first book focused on methods, this book focuses on challenges, the challenges rather than the methods are driving the practices.

Here are my fly-leaf notes. Some books I read to learn in depth, others I read to learn what I do not know and persuade myself the authors are essential future consultants. This is such a book. In my lifetime I cannot learn what these 49 collaborators articulate so capably.

WIDELY-DISPERSED ORGANIZATIONS
+ Defining and holding the vision
+ Tolerance for Ambiguity
+ Relationship-building

WHOLE-SYSTEM ENGAGEMENT WITH COLLABORATIVE TECHNOLOGY
+ 10% technology, 90% human interaction
+ Higher quality goals and strategies result
+ Faster decision making
+ Rapid global stakeholder alignment
+ Enhanced organizational readiness for implementation
+ New model for governance as well as participation

ORGANIZATIONS IN CRISIS
+ Focus
+ Timeline
+ Openness
+ Involvement
+ Preferences stimulate engagement
+ Seek coherence
- Directional
- Relational
- Task
- Contextual

POLARIZED AND POLITICIZED ENVIRONMENTS
+ LSG methods are more respectful of differences
+ Trust & Transformation
+ Multiple competing interests accomodated
+ Clearing the air
+ Working with tensions
+ Seven Principles
- Focus on common ground
- Rationalize conflict
- Manage conflict
- Expand individuals' view of the situation (beyond egotistic)
- Acknowledge history of group conflict and feelings
- Manage public airing of differences
- Reduce hierarchy as much as possible

COMMUNITIES WITH DIVERSE INTEREST GROUPS
+ Different from organizations, less structured, more ambiguous
+ Need sponsorship and sustainability of effort
+ Need representative planning groups from across the community
+ Skilled facilitators are essential
+ Conclude by recognizing, recording, and tracking commitments

WORKING CROSS-CULTURALLY
+ Be aware of what you do not know
+ Relationship-oriented, NOT "USA Work Before Pleasure"
+ Respect desire to maintain distance and privacy
+ Pace of decisions can be very slow
+ Respect desire to be part of a collective voice instead of an individual on the spot
+ Four Worlds
- North = intellect
- South = feeling
- East = intuition
- West = pragmatic
+ Conversations are for:
- Relationships
- Possibilities
- Action

EMBEDDING NEW PATTERNS
+ Patience
+ Respect self-organizing tendencies
+ Keep it simple

The resource section contains three additional contributions. The middle one, on graphics, captured my attention.

GRAPHICS:
+ Engage participants
+ Focus and ground energy of group
+ Provide space where participants feel heard
+ Bridge cultures
+ Surface unheard voices
+ Provide summative and integrative function
+ Provide continuity and enhance sustainability

I have personally witnessed the effectiveness of graphics at Nexus for Change and Bioneers. It is a hugely impressive technique for eliciting, capturing, and visualizing the disparate contribution of many individual minds. Those who are able to execute this function are gifted.

My eye was also caught by Covision's fast feedback cycle (bottom to top):
+ Ambivalence
+ Awareness
+ Understanding
+ MUTUAL Understanding
+ Alignment
+ Buy In
+ Commitment

The book ends with a reading list (part of what persuaded me it is better to engage these talents than try to replicate their knowledge), short bios of the very impressive collection of 49 collaborators, and a first-class index.

This is an important book. See also:
The Change Handbook: The Definitive Resource on Today's Best Methods for Engaging Whole Systems
The World Cafe: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter
How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas, Updated Edition
The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World
One from Many: VISA and the Rise of Chaordic Organization
Collective Intelligence: Creating a Prosperous World at Peace

I am limited to ten links. See also Group Genius, Five Minds, Smart Mobs, Wisdom of the Crowds, Wealth of Networks, Revolutionary Wealth, Infinite Wealth, Wealth of Knowledge, Army of Davids, etc.