Organizations Books

In Separate by Degree, Prof. Miller-Bernal brings to life the history of women's higher education at different institutions. The various approaches to educating women and the changes along the way are presented in a well-rounded manner and make for interesting reading. A lot of ground is covered here and some hallowed halls of learning receive tough scrutiny. Insightful, well-written and pertinent for many different kinds of readers, I recommend this book. As a Wells College graduate who took part in the four-year study, the second half of the book was of special interest to me. There were a couple of surprises when I got to review how my fellow students had responded to questions posed to us over ten years ago and a bit of regret that I can't exactly remember how I responded myself! The actual data from the survey may not be for everyone, but Prof. Miller-Bernal presents it clearly and draws some thoughtful conclusions that are relevant to the endangered status of women's single-sex education today.

In Separate by Degree, Prof. Miller-Bernal brings to life the history of women's higher education at different institutions. The various approaches to educating women and the changes along the way are presented in a well-rounded manner and make for interesting reading. A lot of ground is covered here and some hallowed halls of learning get tough scrutiny. Insightful, well-written and pertinent for many different kinds of readers, I recommend this book. As a Wells graduate who took part in the four-year study, the second half of the book was of special interest to me. There were a couple of surprises when I got to review how my fellow students had responded to questions posed to us over ten years ago and a bit of regret that I can't exactly remember how I responded myself! The actual data from the four year survey may not be for everyone, but Prof. Miller-Bernal presents it clearly and draws some thoughtful conclusions that are relevant to the endangered status of women's single-sex education today.

Choosing the right college is a difficult decision. For many it is based upon reasons that may not be totally valid. For some, the choice is not given much thought at all. For this reason, Professor Miller-Bernal's new book, Separate by Degree, should be on the reference shelves of our libraries and in the guidance offices of our high schools, for Professor Miller-Bernal gives some cogent reasons why single-sexed education might be a more suitable option for many of our young women.

Professor Miller-Bernal has done extensive and well-documented research on the treatment of women in four different kinds of colleges. She takes us to Wells (a small single-sexed institution), Middlebury, (a long-time coeducational college), Hobart and William Smith ( a coordinate school), and Kirkland/Hamilton (once a coordinate school and now a coeducational institution). She is totally honest about the good and bad points of all four colleges and has thoroughly researched what is happening to the women who graduated in the class of '88. She also tells us about the academic and social opportunities for women at these different institutions and how women fared in positions of leadership and responsibility in campus life. She shares suggestions on how all four colleges might better serve their female populations.

Professor Miller-Bernal has also done extensive research into the history of women's colleges. The cliche, "You've come a long way, baby," really does say it all in this case. Fortunately, society's reasons for educating women have changed, and truly it is only in recent years that women are finally receiving some sort of equitable treatment in higher education. Anyone interested in learning about women's struggle for rights will find this book enlightening and informative.

Madeline Nelson Teacher West Islip Public School System

Leslie Miller-Bernal's Separate By Degree is a timely, engaging and accessible book about the important differences in the educational experiences of women who attend women's colleges compared to those who attend coeducational institutions. The book is timely because it calls on the reader to reconsider the value of single-sex education at a critical moment of decline in the history of women's colleges. The book is engaging because Miller-Bernal tells an exciting and frustrating story of the struggle of women for gender equity in higher education. And the book is accessible, thanks to the easily understood manner in which the author writes.

Professor Miller-Bernal argues that single-sex education still has advantages for women. Those advantages include: a high proportion of women faculty who can act as role models for students; more opportunities for young women to develop leadership skills; and a supportive atmosphere where women do not have to defer to men. Her argument is based on quality research, including longitudinal surveys of women students at four Northeastern colleges: Wells, Middlebury, William Smith and Hamilton. The histories of the colleges are described in rich detail, the differences in the experiences of women students at the four institutions are carefully compared and contrasted, and the most recent literature on single-sex education is well presented and thoughtfully critiqued.

Although Professor Miller-Bernal asks the reader to reconsider the value of single-sex education for women, she does not fall into the nostalgia trap. She recognizes some of the past and current limitations of women's colleges, and she details the many factors that have made coeducational institutions more viable than women's colleges. She ends Separate By Degree with a set of recommendations for applying the beneficial aspects of women's colleges to coeducational institutions and a caveat--If colleges are really concerned about women and equality, they will have to attend carefully to meeting the needs of all women students and never waiver from the goal of achieving gender equity.

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.

Finally, a book about action research that gets right to the point. It provides a good overview of action research in the context of other research paradigms. It describes many very simple and practical methods for collecting data. It can be used with a thesis or dissertation as well as short research projects.

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 found this book to be packed full of great, simple explanations of how the quality improvement tools and Lean tools compliment one another. The case study tied everything together and provided an excellent source for discussion throughout our training session. We plan on using these, as well as the other Lean pocket guides, as our sole training materials. The Simply Lean book is a great value!

I found this pocket guide (and the case study) very informative. A great balance of teaching the quality improvement tools with a lean twist. A must buy!

I like this small guide as a way to quickly refresh on lean tools and concepts. I find myself going back to it to look things up, instead of searching through my larger, more cumbersmen volumes. I hear there's a healthcare version in the works... can't wait!

The Simply Lean Pocket Guide - Making Great Organizations Better Through PLAN DO CHECK ACT (PDCA) Kaizen Activities does exactly what the title states, explains Lean relative to the PDCA methodology. The blend of the quality improvement tools (data collection, pareto, fishbone, prevention analysis, root cause, containment actions, countermeasures, etc.) with the Lean tools (takt time, standard work, visual controls, mistake proofing, pitch, etc.) is, by far, the most comprehensive set of tools in the market. The case study is explained step-by-step with each tool being demonstrated through an actual problem (with a Lean solution). This book has not only caught my attention but will use it as the primary training book for all our improvement activities. Simply Lean is just that, simple!

One of the main goals of this powerful book was/is to enable technical professionals (promoted into management positions)through the use of a well researched, pragmatic, highly effective and elegant communication model to systematically increase mutual understanding in the workplace.

It turns out, Lucy Freedman and Lisa Marshall have created an extremely comprehensive communication model which weaves together some of the best thought relating to communication modeling, applicable to *all* business relationships and all relationships for that matter.

The world of knowledge based work continues to change dramatically, and new skills, new capabilities, and new frames of reference are required to manage and lead. The authors reveal through the Syntax Model (Plan, Link, Balance, Inform, Learn) the underlying behavioral structure of people who are effective, and includes all of the ingredients included in the formula for dramatically successful interactions.

The focus is on effectiveness... I personally have enjoyed many workshops facilitated by Ms. Freedman, and can share with you that knowledge and practical application of the Syntax Model has transformed my life as well as my personal and business relationships.

I have had many wake up calls as a result of studying this book, including the realization that "the meaning of your communication is the response you get". This alone, for me, has been invaluable. Ms. Freedman gets into mental models, frameworks, patterns, perceptions, interpretations, listening, matching, leading, requests and agreements and many other areas in such a masterful way, I get a major rush of energy every time I read even a page of the book. This is a *powerful* book for anyone committed to excellence through mastering the art of communication.

If you are the kind of person who believes in "sharpening the saw", this could very well be the most powerful book in your library.

Imagine an entire team, group or organization sharing the same communication model. Imagine the possibilities you could achieve.

Do you believe the empirical evidence indicating that companies choosing to invest more dollars in employee development training enjoy higher revenue as a result? If so, I recommend you get a copy for every employee in your company. If not, I recommend you get a copy for every employee in your company.

This is the most valuable resource in my library of over 600 books, and I'm a corporate coach and trainer with an enviable library of related titles. My challenge to you regarding Smart Work? Get it. Read it. Study it. Practice it. Learn it. Live it.

One of the main goals of this powerful book was/is to enable technical professionals (promoted into management positions) through the use of a well researched, pragmatic, highly effective and elegant communication model to systematically increase mutual understanding in the workplace.

It turns out, Lucy Freedman and Lisa Marshall have created an extremely comprehensive communication model which weaves together some of the best thought relating to communication modeling, applicable to *all* business relationships and all relationships for that matter.

The world of knowledge based work continues to change dramatically, and new skills, new capabilities, and new frames of reference are required to manage and lead. The authors reveal through the Syntax Model (Plan, Link, Balance, Inform, Learn) the underlying behavioral structure of people who are effective, and includes all of the ingredients included in the formula for dramatically successful interactions.

The focus is on effectiveness... I personally have enjoyed many workshops facilitated by Ms. Freedman, and can share with you that knowledge and practical application of the Syntax Model has transformed my life as well as my personal and business relationships.

I have had many wake up calls as a result of studying this book, including the realization that "the meaning of your communication is the response you get". This alone, for me, has been invaluable.

Ms. Freedman elegantly explains and explores many intrapersonal and interpersonal dynamics including mental models, frameworks, patterns, perceptions, interpretations, listening, matching, leading, requests and agreements and many other areas. This is a *powerful* book for anyone committed to excellence through mastering the art of communication.

For those of us committed to "sharpening the saw", this book is a valuable addition to our repertoire.

Imagine an entire team, group or organization sharing the same communication model. Imagine the possibilities you could achieve.

Do you believe the empirical evidence indicating that companies choosing to invest more dollars in employee development training enjoy higher revenue as a result? If so, I recommend you invest in a copy for every employee in your company. If not, I recommend you invest in a copy for every employee in your company.

As an experienced corporate coach and trainer with an enviable library of over 600 related titles, know that I personally consider Smart Work to be among the most valuable resources in my library. My challenge to you regarding Smart Work? Get it. Read it. Study it. Practice it. Learn it. Live it.

One of the best books I've read on communications and influence in the workplace. I've recommended it to many colleagues. Learn how to ensure that you and others are working towards the same goal, reduce resistance, and help people moved past self-imposed limits. The book is clear and well-written, and I think it is especially helpful for technical professionals who would like to communicate better.

What a valuable book! Reading Smart Work is a very smart investment of time for anyone who works in an organization today. It provides a clear guide to how individuals can learn to more quickly and easily create clear mutual understanding with their co-workers. For individual readers this can translate into greater effectiveness in their jobs, less stress, and more time to do the work they enjoy. For the organizations that employ them it can mean everything from shorter product development cycles, to superior products, to better customer support, and ultimately to higher sales. Although examples used in the book are drawn primarily from the work of technical professionals such as engineers, the lessons are universal. I can highly recommend Smart Work!

SPEECHLESS: THE EROSION OF FREE EXPRESSION IN THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE is a top pick for college-level business libraries, addressing issues of freedom of speech from legal, managerial and ethical perspectives and examining how the legal system affects employee speech rights and employer workplace management alike. From office politics and political correctness to protection for expression and how and why free speech works, SPEECHLESS is a key acquisition not just for business holdings, but for libraries strong in American politics and civil rights issues.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is an important book, and I read it with a growing sense of its value and force. It is in the American dialogue - the great national debate that takes place at the water cooler as well as the blogosphere; the church picnic as surely as the corner bar - that the warp and hue of our nation's culture take shape - finally forming through policy, legislation and influence the environment that we, and those who follow us, will inhabit.

If this is correct, as Vanderbilt University professor Bruce Barry makes a solid case for in his timely, lucid and meticulously researched "Speechless - the Erosion of Free Expression" in the American Workplace (swerving neither left nor right as he goes) then certainly, if we are to have a true democracy, this dialogue must carry forward the beliefs of all Americans. Nor are these beliefs merely intended for the ballot box; indeed, they are the essence of what Dr. Barry refers to as the marketplace of ideas. For it is in this marketplace (as Dr. Barry makes plain) with its tension, its push and pull of competing voices, that arises the most vital and important element of a functioning democracy: Truth.

This notion of a marketplace of ideas and the necessity of its vitality is not new. In Chapter 6 ("Why Free Speech Works"), Dr. Barry quotes Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes' famous dissent in the 1919 Abrams v. United States, in which Holmes describes "the best test of truth" as "the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market."

A marketplace for ideas, from which truth is sometimes "roughly" (mostly roughly, it seems) constructed - this very truth which informs our laws and policies and national conversation - we have this very marketplace now, right? And it's protected by the First Amendment, right? In fact, in the Internet age, this marketplace for ideas is bigger and better than ever, right? So why write a book called "Speechless - the Erosion of Free Expression in the American Workplace"? Ok, so maybe we can't always say what we want in the workplace, but doesn't that still give us weekends and evenings for speaking our mind?

Wrong. And this is where "Speechless" especially shines - as a compelling, sometimes unnerving study of the vast patchwork quilt of law and policy that many of us confidently suppose is there to cover our back.

In "Speechless," Barry shows us how that quilt is doing an increasingly uneven job of protecting us (us mainly being employees but by extension here, all Americans) as it inevitably, along the way degrades our national dialogue. Building his case that our backs are either not covered, or not covered very well (nor with any kind of predictability), Barry travels the country, producing case after case of this employee and that employee losing his or her job for reasons complex and simple, large and small. Drawing out guidelines based on state action (i.e., the right that congress will not curtail our speech), differences in public vs. private employment, and exceptions like whistleblower protection (including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), and others, we are left with a certain cold clarity: as a public-sector employee, "you have rights to free speech except where you don't," and rather worse for private-sector employees: "you have no right to free speech except when you do."

But it's not even that simple. Shoring up many of these free speech (or lack thereof) terminations (with, in these cases, their attendant litigation) is the rule of "at will" employment - basically meaning that both employee and employer either may be fired - or may quit - without "cause, notice or severance." In other words, if as an employer I decide I don't like your blog about, say, undocumented workers (regardless of what it says), and even though it has nothing to do with my company and you wrote it on your own computer, on your own time, I can fire you when you next walk in the door, and not hand over a penny in severance pay. (If as an employee, I don't like my boss's blog, I am free to quit my job without notice, etc, but I am the one without the paycheck.)

And as Barry points out, at-will employment is the "dominant employee relations policy in the United States."

Combine "at-will" employment with such additional conditions as (among others) a significant decline in union employees, judges increasingly likely to tilt toward management, an increase toward company political partisanship, and longer work hours w/the Internet at hand, and the net result is that our glorious marketplace of ideas is lately more often the kind of place where if you value your job, you'll want to watch what you say, and to whom you say it. Of course, anyone may contest a termination and push it toward settlement or courtroom - but the individual (possibly still minus a paycheck) will be squaring off against Goliath, and Goliath's well-paid lawyers.

Dr. Barry has performed a much needed job in rounding up so concisely the many loose strands that circumscribe America's environment for free speech. But he also done something else: in Speechless, he broadly and brightly illuminates areas of our lives as Americans that have slipped deeper into the shadows, where essential protections have begun to drop off and in some cases, no longer even exist. And it is only with this knowledge that we can begin to reclaim what we are losing.

This book is very well researched and scholarly but also written in a very readable format -- even with a respectful sense of humor in places. As a human resources professional, I find the subject of this work of particular interest. Not only does it cover the subject of free speech in the workplace in a very authoritative manner, but it also provides some excellent legal context on topics such as 'employment at will' in an easily understand fashion for the reader who may not have any formal legal experience. Overall, it was a very worthwhile read which both informed and captivated me on a topic of significant import in today's workplace. A respectable piece of writing on a complex and potentially controversial topic! Well done Professor Barry.

As a business ethicist, I expected to find in Speechless a detailed discussion of the implications of voice and silence for ethics in organizations, with references to topics like whistle-blowing, groupthink, and moral imagination. I found that discussion in Chapter 9, which is about the right length for it, because those topics have been covered well elsewhere, and Chapter 9 is a good introduction to many of the important works in that area.

The rest of the book treats the restriction of expression in the workplace as an ethical problem of a different order, with implications both for the quality of life of individual employees, and for the quality of participation in political and cultural institutions outside the firm. But despite clear advocacy for greater freedom of expression in the workplace, Speechless also explores the risks that such freedom poses: a hostile working environment, partiality in public bureaucracies, employees driven to distraction by each other, or the legal and reputational threats that can arise when someone says something thoughtless. The result is a thorough, evenhanded, and entertaining study of a perennial problem: with liberty comes liability, both for those who grant them and for those who take them.

Speechless's readable discussions of the relevant legal frameworks and cases are particularly helpful. They facilitate not only understanding the tensions between goods at stake, but also identifying remedies that can be taken at both the public policy and the enlightened-management levels. For scholars interested in exploring the implications of speech and its restriction in the workplace, this book is a useful introduction to the perspectives of law and management on the problem. Managers trying to ascertain what they have a responsibility to control and what they have the freedom to permit will also find Speechless to be a valuable resource . . . as will employees who are curious or nervous about the risk posed to their careers by the scope of their convictions or their recreations.

This book is an answer to the questions and rumors that circulate in today's world! It is an accurate history of Bob Jones University founded by Dr. Bob Jones in 1927. It explains its beginnings, struggles and unwavering Biblical stands that has made it what it is today.

There are several BJU histories on the market. Satnding Without Apology is by far the best. While written by an insider it gives a balanced and thorough history of the school. It does an excellent job of allowing the reader to understand the cultural and spiritual forces which lead to the establishment of this unique University and which molded the school. Further, it gives a real feel of the Personalities (Bob Jones Sr., Bob Jones Jr. and Bob Jones III) which have lead the school for almost 80 years. Unlike, some other histories on the market Standing Without Apology gives the information and allows the reader to draw their own conclusions.

For anyone interested in understanding the cultural phenomenom that is Bob Jones University, this book is a must. There is no substitute for this detailed, documented history of the school.

As a former student, I can better appreciate Bob Jones University after reading this excellent history book. I was not aware of all the struggles that this institution went through. BJU is still a working miracle.

As a trainer in the financial services industry, I often use stories to help me convey complex topics. I enjoyed reading Mr. Gargiulo's book as it supports my approach, but also triggers some thoughts on new/different ways to incorp & leverage the power of stories in my training and educational programs.

At last we have a definitive study by an original thinker who understands the difference between having something of value to say and having to say something. Terrance Gargiulo takes the reader by the hand and walks them through a garden of delightful stories told by real people in real businesses. Their powerful descriptions of what it's like to make critical decisions under pressure are crafted in story form, so that the reader is both enlightened and entranced. The final chapters of his book are are competency builders of first-rate quality, showing step-by-step how to improve your powers of observation and reflection so that you too can tell great stories.

As a corporate presenter and technology coach I often get asked to construct themes and prepare story spines for important presentations. For me, Gargiulo's work is a terrific guide in devising a beginning, middle and end structure to match any client's business aim, be it organizational, strategic, market driven or entirely different. Gargiulo has a knack for understanding how stories can enrich and empower communication of all kinds, but in the generally dry corporate environment, they can be an important catalyst for change and deeper communication. I particularly liked Gargiulo's nine basic story types and what they can help the reader accomplish. Book is highly recommended for anyone seeking to broaden their communication skills in the corporate or academic arenas.

We don't have to be so frenetically, and I think ineffectively, busy all the time." That's good advice from Terrence Gargiulo's latest foray into the world of communications behavior: good, bad and ugly. His first book, "Making Stories", opened our eyes to the power of story telling as the basis for getting our needs met. This current work carries through with the testaments of real people in real jobs. Their examples of what worked (and what didn't) are followed by a series of practical exercises that are, at once, so simple and so powerful that we have to do them. Watch closely, because as you do the exercises your life is going to change and others will notice. At that point, the book has paid for itself and that's just the beginning. Start reading it now and be prepared for an adventure that won't stop!

It was back in 1987. Our computer architecture teacher presented us with the second edition of this book (1984 ed.). The book opened a new understanding on systems technology and machine sequencing for me. I even designed in paper a version of Mic1 microarchitecture to solve a problem we had with a hand held device.

This book will provide you with a good and basic background on machine sequencing and multilevel models. Use this as a base for your TCP/IP or stack communication protocol study (see my review of TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 2 - Implementation).

Highlights (fifth edition, 2006):

* Multilevel vision of machines (a very important basic topic), pages 2-7
* Principal metric (prefixes) units, page 46
* Bits, bytes, byte ordering on memory, pages 69-73
* Binary numbers on Apendix A and B
* Binary codes and Communication equipments, pages 117-130
* Basic transistor switching logic and logical design, chapter 3 complete
* Java virtual machine and interpreter design (beautiful description!), chapter 4 complete
* The DVD includes a graphic microarchitecture simulator and Java byte-code assembler (back in 1988 I started my own bipolar npn transistor/resistance/prototype board based Microarchitecture! but it was so large and I only complete a 4 bit ALU and 8 register data path). Now (2008) you can enjoy and program a Java version with the DVD material

In resume, this book as long as TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 2 - Implementation, is a good (like a toy) self learning path in machine organization and interconnection.

Good book to understand the organization of computers. I used it in undergrad course. Will recommend it.

I'm only 1/3 through the book so far, but it's been good. There's even a few snippits of dry humor that make it a little more interesting. As far as breadth and depth of material goes, it starts out assuming you know very little about hardware/architecture, and takes you step by step from there. Assuming the book stays as interesting and downright wooty, I'll give it 5 stars. It's not very often that I find a computer book that I'm willing to read cover to cover.

Tanenbaum is one of the CS classical authors. Any CS student or instructor should own a copy of this updated edition of Structured Computer Organization.

The book structure remains the same, but there are many important updates, mainly in the examples and case studies. Tanenbaum's style is also the same: a bit arid and telegraphic, specially for newcomers, but his approach is much better for an introductory computer organization and architecture course than the books by Patterson/Hennessy (which are mandatory reading for any CS student/instructor as well).

I have basically one criticism to this book: it is very pricey! Particularly for an instructor whose wages are not paid in dollars...

I refer to this book on almost a daily basis. While it can be obscure, it the most thought-provoking and well-researched book I have found in the field of organizational psychology to date. The sections on the use of tacit knowledge to usurp existing knowledge or information systems bring theory headlong against existing practices and peer practics.

The process of generating knowedge is triggered off by the articulation of ambiguous, implicit insights into concepts, which are successively inscribed into more explicit and concrete forms of organizing. Such activities and practices have to do with "doing" as much as wth "knowing". Our activities are open-ended for they cannot be captured in rules, reciptives or normative models. Such insights are the forte of Philipe Baumard's book.

Philippe Baumard is seeking to stake out a distinctive domain - the use of tacit knowledge by top managers. Knowledge, especially tacit knowledge, provides sense-making frameworks within which top managers process information and make decisions. When sense-making frameworks prove ineffective - as they inevitably do in some situations - top managers misinterpret problems and they find themselves unable to generate successful actions.

I loved the book because I am currently struggling with a corporate program of "tacit knowledge management" and I have been looking for something precise for more than three years. Our corporation has more than 72.000 employees, and we needed very precise categories of what kind of tacit knowledge can be preserved in our organization. The book provides an amazingly precise framework, that we currently use in our company.

Much has been written about organizational change. The ability for an organization to successfully change and sustain the change is a key differentiator today's competitive world. I found this book was "manager friendly". I could quickly review the "Points to Remember" and "Common Trip Points" as listed in each task to ensure our team was focused on the right things. The Ten Tasks of Change is a ideal book to simplify every leader's most complex issue: change.
-- Don Langewisch, Performance Systems Manager, ChevronTexaco Corporation

I've just finished the Ten Tasks of Change and found it to be a practical guide to managing change. In my work in education, I find one of the most challenging hurdles is guiding people through change.

This book provides useful advice from the get-go, translating conceptual principles into plain language, as in "Swiss-cheesing the overwhelming.... poking a few holes in the task by getting on with what you can do now."

The authors also do an excellent job of synthesizing and building upon the work of others, as seen in their `Checklist for a Well-Designed Job'.

Lastly, I found it most useful that they not only stress what to ideally `do and attempt' when facilitating change, but also include advice on what to avoid doing, with a list of `Common Trip Points' at the end of each chapter.

Organizations are changing rapidly and unpredictably and such change has now become the norm for successful companies. Ten Tasks Of Change: Demystifying Changing Organizations provides managers and owners with a whole-systems approach to handling and modeling changes, using a basic foundation of planning and managing work to help changes take place smoothly. Chapters provide an easy, pragmatic approach to achieving the basics tasks of the framework presented by the authors.

Jeff Evans and Chuck Schaefer have created an excellent and multifaceted tool for anyone dealing with change - which reads like a road-guide but is not prescriptive - I am already using it to assisting the District of Columbia in creating a new State Level Department of Education, as well as a guide for developing "Requests for Proposals" for contractors helping the City reinvent/restructure its delivery of services.

As an organizational consultant working with local, state, and federal organizations for over 20 years, I have used and seen a variety of strategies/tactics to address a myriad of changes. This easy to use book is a unique approach that provides any user with a simple and effective methodology - that is clear and concrete - and at the same time avoids the danger of being "cookie cutter" in application.

The authors have done a remarkable job anchoring this approach in well researched and time tested theories, without overwhelming the user in the acedemics, and thus loosing site of the real purpose, the need for a powerful, practical tool that transcends the challenging paradox of change; it addresses the true comlexity and chaos found in most organizational contexts - i.e., it addresses the reality of the world we live and work in -in a wonderfully effective yet simple framework - Ten Tasks!

Thanks for capturing the approach that I have felt has been missing thoughout my 20 year career - the nexus of theory and application - in a clear and understandable form(I am glad someone finally wrote the book - and I wouldn't change a thing)!

Thanks, and Best Wishes

Bill Zybach

Business Process Manager, Office of the Chief of Technology Officer, Office of the Mayor, Washington, DC