Business Books

I am new as an ebay seller and I plan to open a store soon I hope. I bought this book in order to get good, helpful tips and advices. I got them! This book goes in depth in every aspect. Very detailed oriented and this is what I wanted. Definitely a great buy and a must have.

A Gotta Have book if you are planning on Marketing an eBay business. Great reference for the experienced eBayer.

I have been selling on Ebay for over 2 years. But after reading this book I realize how little I knew about marketing my product. This little gem contains very valuable information about making the most out of Ebay's competitive marketplace. This book is interesting to read and gives clear step by step instructions for changes you can make to Market your Ebay items. Like I said, I thought I knew a lot about Ebay but I was surprised by how much I learned from this book!

I've been selling on ebay since July 2005. Part time. I've read 8 books on ebay. This is one of the Best. I have not had time to use the info in it. But have tried to impliment some of the tips. It is full of great ideas and sources of the kind of information one needs to be successful on ebay. I highly recommed it.

This book is hardcore. Give a lot of info and can save painfull hours of try-and-faild. You need to read it.

This book was an excellent resource in recent interview preparations for a new hire and I will definitely keep it in my collection. I was able to quickly compile ones I thought were applicable and have a handy list for the interview. My only wish is that they made more interview books suited towards public sector jobs. Still I highly recommend it.

I have been interviewing & hiring candidates for several years now, but recently decided to do a little more research into the topic. This book is excellent. It is written in a manner that is easy to open and read at any relevant chapter, making for a quick reference style use or for more in-depth reading if needed. The suggested questions are insightful and the analysis for each question helps you take the candidates answers to the next level. The sections on checking references have also helped me move beyond the paralysis of not knowing what I am legally able to ask, therefore making reference checking the useful tool that it is meant to be.

Paul Falcone worked as the Employment Manager for a very large mortgage company. His 96 questions are a compilation of questions that he gathered over the years that help narrow down a candidate pool. These questions are above and beyond the normal tested legal quidelines, they ask whether a person can do the job as described.

If you are a hiring manager, this will help you to have a template to ask great job related questions. For those organizations who like to have structured interviews, this can be used to pick and choose questions for various managers to help compile a great profile from the interview process. Structuring allows you not to repeat the same questions and shows the candidates that you are careful in your selection process and are interested in getting the best.

If you are a recruiter, manager or even a job seeker wondering what may be asked in an interview, this is a great tool to have in your library.

Falcone offers invaluable advice as to how to "identify high performance candidates, probe beyond superficial answers, spot 'red flags' which indicate evasions or untruths, get references which provide reliable information about candidates, and negotiate job offers which attract winners." The value of this book is perhaps best indicated by the results of research conducted by Bradford D. Smart of more than 4,000 executives in 50 of the "Fortune 500" companies, shared in Topgrading which I have reviewed previously. The results confirm Peter Drucker's assertion that "The ability to make good decisions regarding people represents one of the last reliable sources of competitive advantage, since very few organizations are very good at it." For me, the most stunning revelations in Smart's book are found on page 50, in Figure 3.2, "Cost of Mis-Hire Study Results." According to the results of Smart's extensive research study, the sum of total costs of a mis-hire (on average) are as follows:

Base salary Less than $100,000: 14 times salary

Base Salary $100,000-250,000: 28 times salary

All Salaries: 24 times salary

Sobering statistics indeed. In his book, Falcone includes two recurring sections which define the context within which each of the 96 questions is asked: "Why Ask This Question?" and "Analyzing the Response." He also alerts the reader/interviewer to relevant "Red Flags" which might otherwise be invisible. Books such as this (and it's one of the best) can guide and inform a rigorous process by which to identify those candidates which offer the strongest talent, skills, and (yes) character. I strongly recommend this book to any and all decision-makers and decision-influencers who are involved in their organization's hiring process. But please keep in mind that candidates may have also read this book. For interviewers, it is highly desirable to reveal the person "behind the resume." It is also imperative to obtain "real information" from credible reference persons. My own opinion is that they as well as candidates need to be thoroughly checked out.

From a job seeker perspective, this book has been worth personally more than 2000 times its list price. It is like being able to read the other team's playbook before the championship game! If you are seeking a job in Corporate America, don't go in without reading this book because this book will get you half way there......and in some unfortunate "buzz-word company" cases - all the way. It tells you everything they want to hear and why. Satisfy HR first, and then worry about your potenital new boss. Why waste your money on learning what you could say during an interview from other books. This book truly allows you to switch seats with your interviewer. This book is truly deserving of the yellow cover with black stripes and should be entitled, "Interviewing in Corporate America"

In Accidental Branding, David profiles the leaders of several companies whose brands took off seemingly out of nowhere and succeeded in different, but amazing ways. The people he profiles include Gary Erickson of Clif Bar, Julie Clark of Baby Einstein, Roxanne Quimby of Burt's Bees, John Peterman who created the J. Peterman brand and Craig Newmark who founded Craigslist. David qualifies an Accidental Brand as one that passes three tests:

1. An individual who is not trained in marketing must create the brand.
2. This individual must experience the problem that the brand solves.
3. The individual must control the brand for at least 10 years.

The great news for all of us is we can create a great brand regardless of whether we came from a wealthy family or attended an Ivy League university. Some of the people profiled did not even go to college.

To take an idea and make something great requires determination and focused intention. The people profiled in Accidental Branding offer great examples of how anyone can, by following sound principles, create something great. I highly recommend you add Accidental Branding to your reading list.

Vinjamuri has created an informative and entertaining collection of real life success stories. His in-depth research and easy writing style makes for a good read. I learned that developing brand loyalty does not require MBA credentials. Hard work, good instincts, attention to detail and several other characteristics are identified as common denominators of these successful entrepreneurs. I'm incorporating these pearls into my business and I heartily recommend this book to anyone who has a product to take to the marketplace.

Just a great, great read that any marketer or student of branding will enjoy. Vinjamuri talks to some of the most successful brand builders out there, and their insights are invaluable. Coupled with his readable style and you've got a book that's as enjoyable as it is educational.

I'm hesitant to call this book business journalism (though it is, and a first-rate example of the genre at that),for fear that this designation may turn off potential readers looking for analysis by a branding expert, or a how-to guide to building brands from the ground up.
Read the book, however, and you will find that it covers all three bases in brilliant style. Vinjamuri writes like a pro, and his individual chapters on start-from-scratch brand pioneers read like New Yorker profiles. At base, he's a storyteller, but in the tales he tells there are profound lessons about the importance of listening to customers, of getting the relationship right, and of creating resonant brands that thrive at the heart of committed and loyal communities.
Don't expect dry and reasoned dissections of the brands Vinjamuri covers. That's not what this book is about. But you will learn by example, because the not-so-ordinary people he profiles are true experts, and because they have learned by trial-and-error and come through as winners.

Once, I was reading Accidental Branding on the subway and two twenty-ish European women sitting by me paused to check out the book. "It's an interesting title," said the brunette.

The next day I was at UPS and a 30-something mother entered with her three-year-old. She asked to see the book, as it turned out she had Thanksgiving dinner with the author.

Later, I went to The Art of Shaving. This wasn't so accidental, as the company is prominently featured in the book as one of seven "accidental brands," which means it fits three criteria, according to author David Vinjamuri:

1. It was created by someone not trained in marketing.
2. The creator must experience the problem the brand solved (eg the co-founder of Art of Shaving experienced nasty razor burn).
3. The individual must control the brand for at least 10 years.

I was so captivated by the story of Shaving founders Myriam Zaoui and Eric Malka and so troubled over my own inability to get a decent shave that, as I was finishing the book, I took the subway to the nearest Art of Shaving store on East 62nd Street, the original store they opened. As the book hadn't been released yet, the store manager Angelo wasn't aware of it, but he was excited to glance at the chapter featuring his store. Fifteen minutes later, I learned enough from Angelo to attempt to try a new way of shaving at home, spending more than I ever have in my life on skin care products in the process.

Now, that has much more to do with the brand than the book, but it also gets to what makes the book so compelling. Vinjamuri tells seven stories of accidental brands: J. Peterman, craigslist, Clif Bar, The Art of Shaving, Columbia Sportswear, Baby Einstein, and Burt's Bees. Perhaps more than any individual brand's story, I'll remember the storytelling. Each story's told with affection, and the tone shifts ever so slightly for each one, from the wilderness of Peterman to the trailblazing Clif Bar to the high class shaving to the bucolic Burt's Bees.

And then again, I'm just falling for a trap. The brand's founders are the stars of nearly every page of the book, and their personalities, as captured by Vinjamuri, shoot of this magnetism.

This is not a how-to book. Yes, there is some advice up front to tie it all together, six characteristics of accidental brands and their creators. While that's necessary in a business book and the book would feel lacking without it, one can understand why he puts it up front and keeps the afterward brief. You get your formal education out of the way, and then you get to really learn from experience - the experience of the accidental branders.

Entrepreneurs will find the most inspiration here, as will most in the marketing field. The storytelling merits an even wider audience.

You won't need this to complete your MBA or successfully run a marketing department, but you may well find some added inspiration to keep doing what you're doing, or perhaps pursue a passion of yours with more zeal than you've had before.

If you want to challenge your mindset, then this book is for you! My book club read this book and the little fictional book gave us greater challenges to become better and more effective leaders. I thoroughly enjoyed the trials that had to be overcome to achieve the desired results. I believe every leader needs to read this book to understand the true value in collaborative leadership.

Absolutely love it! It's funny and has learning points. An easy read. Feels like I'm watching an animated movie. Perfectly suits the need for which I made the purchase. Would definitely recommend to others!

The Aunt and The Elephent really drew me in and surprised me with it's simple leadership lessons that have a powerful impact. I highly recommend this and all of Vince Poscente's books.

A simple but illuminating parable that takes the reader into a childlike state of wonderment that leads to learning some valuable lessons about creating and reaching worthwhile goals. Like Kandee G, Bud Bilanich, Laura Lewis, and Tony Beshara, this guy has a knack, in the realm of motivational books, for sensitizing the reader's mind before inserting real humor and practical advice that works.

One may be disarmed by the fantasy orientation of this book and its ability to stay out of "scenes from the boardroom." I found it refreshing and edifying. Open Your Mind!

Author Vince Poscente's book is an interesting concept that works to bring the conscious (that of the ant) and subconscious (that of the elephant) minds together. This book is relatable in that it utilizes familiar accounts to help you discover your inner fears and redirect your efforts toward a more positive and worthwhile outlook. Because this book is in the form of a parable story, it is easy to follow as it does not contain a large amount of business jargon.

Appreciative Inquiry Handbook offers a rich, navigational guide for industries across the spectrum. Appreciative Inquiry Handbook reflects a new paradigm in American and global industry; a must-read for industry leaders!

I think this book is an essential first book on the theory and practical application of the positve appreciative process.It defines the terms, provides the research and background of the process and gives first hand stories of its application in the real world.

Excellent, I was very satisfied with the theoretical explanation as well as the practical guides for solving the change management issues.

The handbook is clearly written and introduces not only a new paradigm in thinking about orgaisational change work it also supports change agents in their endeavour to create sustainable and learning organisations. Great practical materials and tools across the spectrum of AI are designed with a lot of ideas how to apply any AI initiative.
This book is well organized and readable and a must for every OD practicioner and change agent.

This handbook guides you in applying appreciative inquiry methods in a variety of settings. We have had good results conducting two facilitation assignments with "Appreciative Intent".

In our most recent assignment, our client was impressed with the quality and quantity of the information gathered. Additionally, members of the client's leadership were also impressed with the level of participation from some of the more "quiet" people in the organization. The one-on-one questionnaire technique levels the playing field for people with a more introverted personality. Also, if you like applying a "Theory of Constraints" approach to operations you will observe that using the interview/questionnaire approach creates a multi-channel process when brain storming. (i.e. more conversations can be carried on simultaneously, thereby creating a larger stream of information or ideas in less time)

The CD alone is worth the investment!

This book is a must have for every one. I have been in Sales, Product management and Sales Management for 15 years and read numerous books on the 'sales' side though this book sums up what most people including sales people do 90% of the time - negotiate.

The book is a very helpful tool in learning negotiations. His style of explaining the concepts makes it easy to understand and makes you want to get out and try your new skills.

There are two basic styles or strategies in negotiation literature: advantage seeking and joint gain finding. The best work on joint gain is the seminal work by Roger Fisher, Getting to Yes. The best work on advantage seeking is the work of Chester Karrass who extols high aspiration and concession management. The great thing about this book is that it is simultaneously the second best book in two very different paradigms. This is the best work on the topic of the information parties exchange as part of the negotiation process. That is why this is such an insightful work and worth every penny spent to buy it and hour it takes to read it Five stars and there are only four books in this entire niche subject that deserve that rating. Since I teach this stuff I read or at least skim scores of negotiation books. Many are thoroughly second rate. Reading a really good book on a subject you care about makes you want to write a review for Amazon. See.

I found myself dozing off to sleep sometimes just trying to get past some of the "duh" moments in this book. Perhaps only for newbie b-schoolers or those getting a start in a career where heavy negotiating is key will this book really be a benefit. Otherwise, the best parts were the self-assessment to determine your personal negotiation style, and the chapter about "leverage." Recommended for those who may not have had very much business or sales experience, or experience particularly in a global forum where dealing with international company execs is uncommon.

As a long time mediator I've read many books on the subject of negotiating. I found Bargaining for Advantage so informative I bought copies for my grown children. Shell brings science into the "art" of negotiating and makes sense of an often mysterious subject. My two daughters especially enjoyed the discussion of women and wages and why women may earn less than men - because they don't ask for more! If there are two or more people in a room, then there likely is negotiating taking place, at one level or another. Do yourself a favor and get this book.

An interesting, poignant history of Silicon Valley from the perspective of women who, against all odds, have broken the glass ceiling. The individual annecdotes will insspire us all.
Adele Langendorf, former affiliated scholar at The Institute for Reasearch on Women and Gender, Stanford;. author of the forthcoming book: HOW I ALMOST BETRAYED ROSIE THE RIVETER

This book provides the reader with a great insight into Silicon Valley. A must-read not only for women but also for men.

As someone who provides professional leadership development, and motivational strategies, for women, I originally ordered "Beyond Superwoman" as a resource for my work. By the time I was through the first chapeter, I was calling my female colleagues and buying extra copies for my daughters. The wisdom and shared experience in this book speaks to women of all generations. You don't have to be a CEO to recognize the struggles and tough decisions these "superwomen" faced. I've come away with a renewed promise to myself to streamline my own life, prioritize my goals, and to convey that message with more vigor to my clients and audiences.

Beyond Superwoman, is a gift of current wisdom for women and for men. It is an essential glimpse at personal life before, during and after success. It offers a rare and fascinating, explorative conversation with top female CEO's. If this advice had been available to me when I was 13 my life would have been much more productive; I am motivated. The impact of this book can truly improve the world as we are inspired by example to live our lives with focus and good decisions.
I had just finished reading Issacson's, Ben Franklin biography, so impressed with Franklin's networking and multi-dimensional life, when I started Beyond Superwoman. Beyond Superwoman would be in Franklin's library and fortunately it can be in ours. It chronicles some of the most important conversations going on today. Relevant current history to guide us all. I thank the authors for researching and sharing what has not been available before.

What a terrific primer for any woman who is looking at maximizing her life experience! Although this book focuses on the high-powered lives of 25 very successful women, the experiences of these woman and the basic tenets of the book apply to any woman who desires a balance in her life of family and career.
At Inspiritrix, we assist our clients to make choices that will lead them to living inspired lives; their career choices are a major part of the decision-making process. We are now recommending "Beyond Superwoman" as a "must-read"!!
Thanks, Karen and Peggy, for your insight and sense of timing!

You can find an abundance of books about doing business in China. This one, however, takes a rare approach. Ad expert Tom Doctoroff confines his commentary (for the most part) to a subject he has the expertise to address - advertising - although he tends to generalize a bit about Chinese history and philosophy. He offers evidence and examples from both successful and unsuccessful ad campaigns to support his assertions about what will work if you want to build your brand in China. We find that this short book offers interesting perspectives on the Chinese consumer market, while it also provides a refresher course on the main principles of advertising and brand building in any market, whether it be East or West.

Confucius, Daoism, Communism, Industrialization, Urbanization, One-Child Families, Great Leap Forward, Education and Profit Is Good: What do these themes mean for those who wish to sell in China? They are all important influences which you need to understand. Each Chinese consumer is uniquely influenced by the combination. The result includes some pretty interesting apparent contradictions such as prudishness about sex in advertising in a country where sexual trade is wide open at the street level.

In this insightful book, JWT Greater China CEO, Tom Doctoroff explains those influences and how they operate today. That's just the beginning.

From there, he shows you case history after case history of how global and Chinese companies have done well and poorly in acknowledging those influences. I found seeing the actual advertisements to be extremely helpful in understanding the book's points.

If that weren't enough, Mr. Doctoroff goes on to provide excellent perspectives into management challenges of properly serving 1.3 billion consumers in China.

Most books about China are filled with glittering generalities that leave you just as uninformed as you were when you started. Through careful description, segmentation and exposition of specific marketing challenges, Billions makes you feel as at home in China as you would feel in marketing a new video game to American teens.

As an example of how focused the book is, Billions provides:

-- Ten basic tips for effective Chinese advertising
-- Five mistakes most often made by multinational companies in China
-- Five structural barriers within Chinese corporations that harm the development of strong local brands
-- Three areas of Chinese domestic brand stagnation
-- Three areas of Chinese domestic brand progress
-- Six effective MNC-counterattack strategies to offset the domestic Chinese brands
-- Ten ways to shape international brands into global icons with Chinese characteristics to serve the Chinese community world-wide.

I thought that the description of how the Beijing Olympics should be pursued as a branding opportunity was worth the price of the book alone.

Usually, companies send second-raters to markets like China. JWT obviously sent its best when Mr. Doctoroff took over. Read and learn to profit!

Great book if you would like to obtain an indepth view of the Chinese Consumer. A MUST read!!

BILLIONS: SELLING TO THE NEW CHINESE CONSUMER comes from a CEO with direct experience selling into the Chinese market, and discusses the code of marketing as it relates to modern China. Many companies come to China with ideas on how to apply Western thinking to their very different marketplace: thus BILLIONS' tips are a necessary set of instructions for any who would break into the Chinese marketplace. From cultural influences in buying patterns to investment challenges and multinational lessons on winning and losing in China, BILLIONS is a recommended pick for any company who would consider entering this new, large market.

Love this book. Focus group, quantitative analysis, qualitative research, or any else you learned in the Marketing Research course at the MBA curriculum, may not work in China. WIth 1.3 billion customers, this is the dream market for any multinational corporations: Unilever, Ford, Nokia, Motorola, Sony, Samsung, Protor Gamble, DeBeers(DTC), VW, Shell, Pepsi, Coke, Nestle, Avon, Nike, Siemens, IBM, Dell.... While they are compeitng, the locals are copying quickly: Haier, TCL, Konda, China Mobile, China Unicom, Lenovo, CNOOC, Yili Diary, Sedrin beer, 999 Pharmaceutical..... hundreds of them doing shampoo, shoes, ....every thing under the sun. How can you win? That is the beauty of this book. It got many strategies laid out in the step-by-step fashion. It is a must read for any one who is doing business in China. The book will be better if more comparison can made on the effectiveness of the ad such as Motoroal vs a Chinese brand.

Blindedsided helped me think about the many "What Ifs" for emergencies. It helped me during the planning process for our Emergency Plan for my college. All emergency managers should read this book at least once and keep it on their shelf.

This book is invalualble in any business continuity professional's library. It is an excellennt, and detailed reference on how to plan and execute crisis communications that show "Control, Confidence, Care, and Concern". For anybody studying for the CBCP or other certifications, this book is a must read. This book is a very practical tool to use and includes examples of what to do and say, and what not to do and say.

I am a PMP, a CISSP, and am preparing for my CBCP. I feel that this book has given me an edge in the "Crisis Communications" professional practice area for the exam. I highly recommend this book.

This is a terrific book that will help anyone in a management position better prepare for a crisis. I believe it is the best book I have read on the subject - most tend to be dry and technical, but this was actually hard to put down. The combination of advice from actual crisis Mr. Blythe has responded to along with a systematic approach to preparing for a crisis before it happens is both practical and insightful.

This is a very unique and practical book with a singular purpose - to help you answer the question from a workplace preparedness perspective: `What should your company do when something highly unexpected happens - like the September 11 attacks or a Hurricane?'

This book is full of practical advice that is split into two parts. The first part deals with Response and the second part deals with Preparedness. None of us imagines that something bad could happen at our workplace but everyday it happens in somebody's workplace. So why can't it happen in yours? And the answer is that it can happen anywhere so it really helps to be prepared.

As you read the book, you will encounter lists after lists of a step by step approach to a particular issue associated with disasters at your workplace. For example - pages 30 to 33 address how to immediately respond to such a disastrous event with a checklist of descriptions followed by a giant checklist of all the actions you need to take.

I was at first hesitant to read this book as I didn't really see it as something requiring my immediate attention but if I waited till I needed this book, it would be too late. So I decided to finally pick up this book and started skimming it. That's when I realized that one can't afford to wait to read a book of this nature. You are better off reading it right away so you don't have to scramble to find it when you really need it!

This book is about being prepared so if you own a business or manage a workplace this book is necessary reading. The author is an experienced Crisis Management professional that has helped businesses handle many high profile disasters like the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 and Hurricane Andrew. So the information is coming from a highly credible source who now has over a 1,000 clients that utilize his services.

Disaster recovery planning is traditionally focused on finding an alternative worksite, getting the necessary computer systems back up and running and giving employees the equipment they need to get back to work. Unfortunately, the employees themselves have often been overlooked or treated like any other resource necessary to get the job done. It generally takes an actual crisis to expose this falicy and point out to management and disaster recovery planners how very different the human element really is. This book is by far the best "How To Do It" book to come out in years on this most important of issues in disaster recovery planning and crisis management. It is laid out in a logical and progressive manner and leaves no stone unturned in addressing the most important issues of how do we get the people back to work. No tricks here, no management prospective, just genuine concern for the physical, mental, and emotional well- being of our fellow human beings. This is a must-read if you're serious about doing a complete job in the area of disaster recovery planning and crisis management.

I find that self-help books typically come off somewhat preachy and gimmicky. That's not the case with this one. Bell uses interesting life experiences to demonstrate that solutions are generally found in the middle ground, not in the extremes which are the domain of fanatics. It's a useful book you can enjoy and learn from without the sense you're joining a cult following.

Randall Bell has written a very readable, helpful and inspiring book. His range of experiences is incredible, and he has translated the lessons learned from them into suggestions and directions that will be valuable to anyone who will read and apply them. He assures us that bottom line results come about by the same process, whether in leading a business, a community or charitable organization or being a homemaker. He is right on.

The book was clearly instructional as well as engagingly entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the way the author presented the wide array of models and tools. The lessons are practical and easy to apply. It is a book for every professional's library.

Bottom Line Results provides an insightful and comprehensive methodology for strategic planning in any situation. Bell relies on real world experiences to successfully integrate and explain the factors essential to effective decision making. Highly recommended.

Interesting and unique stories that have a lot of lessons from which we can all learn from. Bell teaches us how to apply them in our lives. Highly recommended!