Strategy

Few books really have an impact on our lives. After reading this one, however, I came to realize how the prisoner's dilemna and the ideas and real world examples of cooperation of this book apply to everything around us. I've applied these ideas to my work, my relationships, my game playing and they have clarified and strengthened all of thse areas. And truly, anyone can read this book. Don't be scared away by "game-theory" and "prisoner's dilemna" and "math." It sounds cheesy but I truly believe that if everyone read this book, the would be a better place. READ THIS BOOK!!!!

If you're an intellectual and want to read a book that will change your perception of many facets of the world forever, this is the book for you. It's not a long read, but you will spend a lot of time thinking about all its implications as you read it. I found it applicable to everything from inviting people to parties, to business and personal relationships, to species competition, to wondering whether a theoretical race of super-powerful extraterrestrials would enslave us, to... Well, you just have to check it out!
I'm reading the sequel ("The Complexity of Cooperation") right now, which is also amazing. In it he quotes a letter written to him about EoC by a woman who claims that the principle developed in it helped her with her divorce proceedings! How can you miss a book with such broad applications.

It is really a fantastic book where you can get a lot about the importance of the inter-relationships among people and companies.

As a management consultant I found this book very useful indeed - much of it is directly applicable to shop-floor and pressure-politics situations - the 20-page cartoon "rulebook" at the end is more than worth the price of the book itself - buy it! And if you have the guts, apply what it says, too: It's been known for some time that organizations are designed according to "command and control" principles that very poorly match how humans are really built to behave. More complex self-ordering behavior is always observed when any lack of hierarchy exists, and the hierarchies that do emerge tend to be more effective than those that were designed by managers with experience in previous eras. Semler just chose to trust it more than, say, Tom Peters. Prof. Nicholson, head of London Business School recently wrote (in the Harvard Business Review) that Semler's model was the only one to really respect "stone age nature" of human behavior (the many insights from evolutionary psychology that tell us that we're far more often feeling our way through decisions than thinking our way through).

Workplace democracy is not an "experiment" nor a threat to productivity, it's a working fact in a hundred mature industries in a dozen countries - we have applied Semler's principles to systems integration, software development, finance, etc., and his experience is well worth spending a few hours on.

This is one of the finest gifts I have ever received in my life, and from one of the finest gentlemen I have known so far!

A wonderful book to read and an insightful journey into the entrepreneurial experience of a man who is not only a good leader but a wonderful human being too - Ricardo Semler. It is really difficult to carry business and personal life on the same track and yet not mix them together. This was exactly what Mr. Semler has done to his business making sure his employees get benefited too.

There are a lot of multinationals working somewhat on the thoughts and ideas of Mr. Semler but no company achieved the status that Semco enjoys. A company where all human values are respected, where workers are not questioned, where there are no set times to enter office, where there are no dress codes, where employees decide there own salaries, where adults are treated like adults and given the respect they deserve - that is what Semco is all about.

There are unions of workers almost in all organizations - and they are in Semco too, but with a difference. The rules set for unions are absolutely humanistic and makes sure that the decisions of Unions are respected too. This we see in action when the union goes on strike. The rules Semco follows are somewhat different from other companies. These are as follows: -

1.Treats everyone as adults 2.Tell the strikers that no one will be punished when they return to work. Then don't punish anyone. 3.Don't keep records of who came to work and who led the walkout. 4.Never call the police or try to break up a picket line. 5.Maintain all benefits. 6.Don't block worker's access to the factory, or the access of union representatives to the workers. But insist that union leaders respect the decision of those who want to work, just as the company respects the decision of those who don't. 7.Don't fire anyone during or after the strike, but make everyone see that a walkout is an act of aggressiveness.

This is just one example - there are a lot of other things, which makes Semco a real Masterpiece. Semco is a smorgasbord that signifies all possible qualities of a successful business with complete humane values incorporated in its decision-making.

I would suggest this book to every senior personnel in any industrial set-up, to every entrepreneur, to every management student, and to all those who love to read real management and successful stories.

This is in deed a great book and I would suggest it as a must read for even those who are not related to business, because it also teaches the humanistic side of any company whatsoever the business conditions are.

A must read for anybody who loves to read.

Happy reading!

I have only reached half-way through this book but am writing this in case I forget later. I have read a few business books and few have touched me as much as Semler's open and somewhat naive style. I am building/managing multiple businesses and this book gives me the guidance to handle people in the right way for effective results. Read the other reviews - nuff said.

One of the best call center books on the market, Call Center Technology Demystified gives a practical explanation of call center technologies in language a non-techie person can understand. We have found it valuable in our call center in helping our management team understand what to purchase and how to get the most out of their technology investment. Good work!

An extraordinarily clear and helpful work. The emphasis on strategy is key. The authors speak directly to their readers by asking them to assess their current and future technology plans within the context of achieving specific end results (lower cost per contact via self-service, greater serviceability reach, higher agent retention) that align with the strategic nature of the larger corporate entity (threshold for change, timelines, ability or willingness to invest significantly in call center operations, customer service philosophy).

Dave and Lori hit home the idea that as each strategic variable changes so does the technology mix required. Use them and their expertise to navigate through the mechanics of telecom infrastructure, sophisticated application offerings, and emerging technologies. The discussion on technological transformation vs. automation is compelling in this context and worth the price of the book alone.

Three cheers to you, my friends! Job well done.

I have been in the call center world for a long time, and have seen the fads and the buzzwords and the technology come and go. The authors did a great job in covering the technology necessary to run an effective call center and get the most from your investment.

I was particularly impressed how they wove the technology story within the context of the business need. Obviously in an economy where capital dollars are tight, they concentrated on the business need first, and then described the various technologies that could meet that business need. For someone considering an investment, this is a great reference book to have.

The Cold War was a war of nerves. Like all war, it was costly and wasteful. And like most war, determining the key event or strategy that led to its particular end point may be subject to endless debate. Peter Schweizer's point is that but for the strategy developed by the Reagan team and adopted by President Reagan in 1981 to 1983, the particular ending resulting in the collapse of the Soviet Union would not have occurred. The story he tells is compelling. History may well confirm his analysis.

This is not an academic work. It is more a multiple memoir. Most of Mr. Schweizer's citations are of interviews he conducted of major figures in the Reagan Administration. It also reads like a cookbook with one recipe. The ingredients-military buildup, economic embargos, support of regional conflicts in Communist lands, and most important, adoption of the strategic defense initiative-are set up in the first part of the book. These ingredients were more or less in place by the end of 1983. The book then becomes repetitious, sort of like telling the cook to stir the pot and then stir the pot some more. In the end, Gorbachev comes on the scene, recognizes that the pot has boiled over and takes it off the stove.

Other authors have been critical of the Reagan team's efforts. Schweizer points out that some of the criticisms were expressed by team members (especially Haig and Schultz) at the time the secret decisions were made. As time passes and peace allows for a more expansive view of the events in the 1980s, criticism will likely increase. A book such as this one will be all the more important then, as a reminder of what was done and how and why it was done.

At times, it is easy to question the wisdom of the American electorate. Yet at truly critical junctures, the voting public has shown an uncanny knack for electing leaders who were ideally suited for the challenges of the times. Certainly, that was the case in 1932, with the election of FDR, and again in 1980, with the rise to prominence of Ronald Reagan.

The origin of the demise of the Iron Curtain -- and ultimate break-up of the Soviet Union -- can be traced to Reagan's arrival on the world geopolitical stage in the early 1980s. Author Peter Schweizer provides copious evidence for how the Reagan Administration's policies contributed to the collapse of the USSR. Some of these policies included: covert support for Afghan rebels and the Polish underground; the unprecedented military build-up and technology commitment (including SDI); the efforts to stem technology transfers and subsidized financial credits to Eastern Bloc nations, and significantly, to hobble the development of the Siberian natural gas pipeline; the "special relationship" forged with the Saudis, which ultimately led to the precipitous decline in oil prices (costing the USSR billions in lost hard currency).

Reagan's policy of active confrontation with the Soviet Union was a stark departure from bi-partisan orthodoxy, which had attempted to "accommodate," or, at best, "contain" Soviet expansion.

Peter Schweizer's first contribution to the telling the untold stories of the efforts of the Reagan Administration is quite stunning - offering a uniques inside perspective to the operations and the planning of them that led to the memorable scenes of the Belrin Wall falling.

"Victory" is the story of what happened, and the planning that went on behind the scenes, orchestrated by then-DCI William Casey, who took lessons learned while fighting Adolf Hitler as part of the OSS in World War II, and applied them to fighting the Soviet Union.

Casey will probably go down in history as one of the America's great unsung heroes, joining men like Edwin T. Layton and Joe Rochefort. Schweizer's efforts have laid out this untold story, fought in the shadow world of espionage and covert operations in an engaging story.

The toughest things to change in any business are your people and their processes. Today's fast changing environment is sending us tremendous amounts of information to digest and respond to. These changes can prove overwhelming without an enlightened leader to mark the path for their business organization. Rolf Smith has examined the necessary steps to lead every member of your organization, regardless of style or personality, through the enormous, necessary changes required of all successful businesses. The expression, "Change, or Die" has never had more meaning than today. This book proved very useful to my organization's implementation of new software systems. We were able to develop several approaches to accommodate the different learning styles/types based on Mr. Smith's observations and recommendations. Excellent read, entertaining, well organized and especially appreciated the wide margins to allow us to use this book as a workbook as well! The margins are full and immensely valuable to our group. We've all added comments to a plan that was tested against the book...chapter by chapter. I highly recommend this book and look forward to any additional future books by this author. Mr. Smith, kudos and thanks for the margins...excellent, excellent change...it's graduated from our bookshelf to our desktop...we have plans to use it with our consulting clients to document and develop their own successful plans for change!

WOW! Rolf Smith illuminates, illustrates, insights and BHAMs! the reader through change. Some of the examples and success stories reverberate with such impact you can hear the shouts of "Summit!". This book, and what Smith offers as a workshop (which he calls a Thinking Expedition) has the potential to change your life, as well as the livelihood of your business. But don't take my word for it; read about these workshops as well as from successful clients (from Fortune 500 clients to government to universities), on Smith's website; www.thinking-expedition.com. This book is NOT about CHANGE; it is about RESULTS. It is about the fundamental building blocks that people and organizations should consider to make change happen. A mountain can climb no higher than the depth of its foundation. Likewise, individuals and organizations cannot achieve the different results they desire, without building and understanding the fundamentals of their own "thinking". Smith explains that it is the "thinking behind the thinking" that sets you on the successful trail which yields truely, unique & different results. If you are looking for the type of results that will have major impact on your (and your competitors') business, get this book. If you are seeking to remain inside the staus quo, the norm & the paradigm, don't bother.

The ideas are presented in a clear,easy to follow way. To help drive home what you have read, Rolf provides exercises througouht the book. If you are serious about understanding yourself, and making changes in your life to reach your goals, read the book and do the exercises, then adapt them into your life.

Finally, here's a book that gives us the tools and wisdom for navigating a career in human resounces. While there are hundreds of management and organization development books or books that describe one aspect of the human resource function, this is the first book I've seen that offers itself as a trusted friend that will help you not only do your job better but also take your career to the top. Coming from Libby Sartain, it's not just theory. She's been there herself every step of the way. Warning. If you're used to the typically formal business book personality, HR From the Heart will come as a shock. Sartain's person-to-person style breaks the mold. Read this book and you'll want to invite her to your house for dinner. In fact, you'll feel as though you already have!

If you're employed in the human resources field, you'll get a lot out of this book. You'll enjoy a conversation about a wide range of relevant topics with someone who's become a sort of legend in the human resources (HR) field. If you're not in HR, thinking about going into HR, or related to someone in HR, this book will have less value for you.

That said, we must appreciate that a book written in one specialty field may also have value for professionals in another field. While many of the stories and perspectives won't be germane for marketing people, financial folks, or sales professionals, there are some cross-functional lessons to be learned. Although the book is obviously intended for an HR audience, it will have value for people in other professions in the corporate world.

Over the course of 44 chapters, Sartain, who gained fame as Vice President of People for Southwest Airlines, shares her experiences-and some advice-with readers. She shows how valuable HR can be to an organization and how meaningful a career HR can be. This volume will be powerfully reinforcing for people in the field, describing some of the ups and downs and lessons of the author's experience. Anyone contemplating entering the field-or debating about staying in HR-should read these pages.

Readers will gain a better understanding of what Sartain did to build her career, as well as where things didn't go so well. This is not a touchy-feely gushy book as the title might imply, but a realistic report that confronts a wide range of issues in the profession head-on. The chapters are full of advice, some presented directly and some inferred by the lessons learned by the author.

HR from the Heart is the kind of book that will be read thoughtfully by a senior or mid-level professional in the HR field, then passed around to colleagues. Thought-provoking, its reading will stimulate conversations that will raise sensitivities, intensify reality, offer balance, and probably hold some people in the profession that have given some thought to leaving. HR is a field in transition, in search of its rightful place in the corporate design. The contents of Sartain's book, assembled with the able assistance of the insightful professional writer, Martha Finney, comfortably address issues in a way that will aid in the growth of respect for HR and its influence on the corporate world.

Libby and Martha have written an excellent book reflecting the learnings of many years of HR Experience. For those with lots of experience and a caring heart, you will reflect on your HR career and say "hey, that's what I've learned in 20 years." There are good ideas on how to be a strategic and caring leader that will help you be more successful.

For those newer to HR, the book will provide insights that may prevent you from making the same mistakes that us older folks have made. There are also insights on managing your HR career.

I would also recommend the book to CEO and other high-level Execs that 1) want more from their HR department or 2) don't know what they want or what HR can be.

The book is well written and inspirational. Thanks to the authors.

All compliments to Brad Sandy for taking us beyond the basic understanding of the ACT contact database into a realm of really understanding the way it can impact business. Increasing revenue is the goal of all sales organizations, Brad Sandy helps use transformation information into results. Bravo!

I have been using Act! for over four years. Act has also been mandatory for our sales team to use. I had requested that everyone read Brad Sandy's book as I felt this gave us an edge with a PROCESS to support our sales effort. Although many didn't immediately see the benefits, within 2 weeks I had strong converts! I love this book - it's an easy read, and is written in language everyone can understand. The basic lay out of the book makes sense with important points highlighted along the way. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in growing their sales base with tools they already have! Too often Act! is only thought of as a reporting function or information sharing program - Brad Sandy shows us how to use it as a STRONG sales tool to easily increase business through a simple step by step process!

Every sales person will agree that keeping sales contact information updated and organized is the key to success in business. The tools provided in this book have helped me to use Act effectively and efficiently. Since I started using Act I can't live without it!!

"Stopped at Stalingrad" is one of those genuine surprises. Just when you think you have read everything you need to read or want to read about a given subject, along comes a book that forever alters your view of that subject.

This book's principle focus is on the Luftwaffe's role on the Eastern Front. It may, indeed, be the only book length treatment of the subject. Joel Hayward demonstrates with great care that the German's use of air power as a tactical, and not strategic, weapon in close support of ground forces was perhaps THE key factor in the German army's early successes in the East. Patton and the Allied Generals could only DREAM of tactical air-ground support on this level. Writes Hayward, "The Luftwaffe, together with the army meticulously co-ordinated their operations and created joint "Schwerpunkte"(points of main efforts)." I may be demonstrating my own woeful lack of knowledge, but this is the first time in all my reading about the German war effort that I encountered a discussion of the critical doctrine of Schwerpunkte.

But one of this book's best offerings, comes at the very beginning where Hayward outlines in detail the crucial role that oil, or the lack thereof, played in the entire German war effort. From the outset, the German's were running at a critical deficit. And even with the Rumanian oil fields running at full capacity, the German's were in terrible trouble. And every time they absorbed a new chunk of territory, their situation became all the more desperate.

So great was Germany's reliance upon the Rumanian oil fields that Hitler became obsessed with the potential for Russian bombers to turn them in to what he called, "an expanse of smoking debris." The fear proved, of course groundless, the Russians were never able to mount an effective long-range bomber command. But this fear led to a costly, Quixotic "cleansing of the Crimea" -- the so-called "Operation Bustard Hunt".

When the German's launched Operation Barbarossa, their requirements for oil became critical. And this chronic problem led Hitler to focus on the oil fields of the Caucasus. Indeed from this point on much of the German strategic war effort was geared towards securing a reliable oil supply (or developing alternatives).

The effort to reach the Caucasus proved, in many respects, to be Germany's undoing. And it was a fruitless effort to begin with. It assumed that: (A) they could reach the fields at all; (B) that if they reached them the oil fields were not so badly sabotaged that they could be put into production in time to make a difference; and (c) the oil supply once secured could be actually brought back to German over a SINGLE rail line of varying gauges that crossed thousands of miles of terrain open to sabotage and air attack. But Hitler was blind to all of this.

Hayward writes with great passion and precision. At times one feels a little overwhelmed by details. But his portraits of the individual German pilots and commanders, as well of the shocking conditions under which they fought and died, is truly memorable.

This is a book that is not only for the specialist. Anyone with an interest in the Second World War needs to read this book. It makes a brilliant companion to Antony Beevor's book, "Stalingrad".

This is a detailed book with a strong analytical component, great new photographs, and a good bilingual bibliography. The author begins in March 1942 and takes the Stalingrad campaign through to its death in February 1942. Both air force and ground operations get good coverage, but the real strength of this book is its explanation of how the two branches (and even the German navy in the Black Sea) cooperated together. The account is based on a careful reading of scores of unpublished war diaries and other rare documents, and is therefore a nice surprise after reading countless previous Stalingrad books which all quote the same, readily available sources (Lost Victories, Chuikov's book, etc). The book is stronger overall than Beevor's book, even if the latter is faster paced and has more on the Soviets.

Put plainly: you can't understand the Battle of Stalingrad without this book. It is the only analysis of air and joint components of that hell on earth battle. Its author did a huge amount of work in archives and relies on unpublished diaries, notebooks, situation reports, squadron records, afteraction assessments and so on. The argument is clear and persuasive: that much of the credit for German successes during the eastern battles of 1942 must go to the Luftwaffe. Whereas many enthusiasts and some scholars have always presented the Luftwaffe as the secondary, supportive arm, with the army dominant, Dr Hayward makes clear that that view is out of date and unsupportable. The Luftwaffe led and dominated during the entire 1942 campaign. That doesn't mean that it could perform the impossible task Goering and Jeschonnek gave to it: supply of Sixth Army. Hayward's analysis of the airlift is the only authoritative account. The book is superbly crafted and compellingly written. It is one of three or four books that every Stalingrad reader MUST own.

This book is one of a kind! My positional play is strong, yet even though I know my pieces are stronger than my opponents I often cannot find a way to take advantage of it. This book opened my eyes to all the attacking themes found in chess. I just played one of my best games ever 2 days ago, and without this book the spectacular mating attack would have never happened. If you lack attacking skills in the middle game, this is the best book out there. Not for beginners, but great for intermediate players. One of the top 2 chess books I've read (out of MANY). The other being "Modern Chess Strategy" - another essential middle game book - based on the positional side of chess whereas this book is on the tactical side. They complement eachother very well.

I almost feel intimidated trying to review this chess book and not being that much of a player myself. Still for the many amateur players who play chess to have fun (not to reach ratings, etc.) here are some thoughts on why this is a good book to own.

Most chess books that I own delve very quickly into positional analysis and the virtues of having your piece X on square Y. I understand that this is a vital part of modern chess and that most games on higher level are probably won by positional play. This book however, takes a different approach - it systematically explores the most fun concept of all - how to mate the king. One after another, the book develops outrageous strategies for preparing mating nets, sacrificing pieces, etc. and presents the reader with one amazing attack after another. I thought it was tons of fun after all the positional stuff. The analysis of classic games by Alekhine and Capablanca in the context of how to attack a castled king, uncastled king, focal points ofthe attack, piece sacrifices, etc. changed my play a lot.

As a result of a series of books I have studied, my play was slowly becoming very boring to myself. I spent most of my time before the endgame trying to develop a particular position on the board and endlessly trying to calculate if the opponents moves are not leading to some attacking combination that would disrupt my nice positional setup. I probably won more games that way than I do now but it was boring. Now I boldly attack whenever I see an opportunity and although I loose more often I have played some games I am really proud of.

I am no chessmaster and my interpretation of the approach of this book versus other books is probably not very educated. But still, this was a lot of fun for me. Try it.

As you can quickly realize by reading the other reviews about this book, it is one of the best books ever written on attacking chess. Nevertheless, I disagree with the people that claims that this is the first instruction book you should get. I would recommend those players with a rating below 1600 to go through other more basic tactics books first. A good book for this is Chess Tactics for the Tournament Player by Alburt and Palatnik. Once you master the basic tactics the Art of Attack in Chess will put you through to the next level.

You will also love this book if you are one of those players that was disappointed after trying to study Think Like a Grandmaster by Kotov and realized that it was way too complicated for you.

Hope this helps!

The title R.L. Wing has is far more representative of the content. It really is not all about "The Art of War", though it does address combat strategy. I find it is far more about success without ever having to come to blows. The commentary on the "four conflicts" is of interest as we appear to live in a society that only recognizes three of the four stated and denies the remaining one. From the other side of the world, a radically different time, a very different culture, and more than a thousand years ago he predicts the consequences. As he is dealing with human nature and behavior, the book is timeless in its commentary.
A Chinese national who I once worked with told me after reading this edition he thought it the best translation visually and in content he had seen to date.

I have read numerous translations of the "Art of War", however "The Art of Strategy" takes the classic Chinese strategy to a level that modern Americans can easily relate. I use this version of the book in a course taught on public relations strategy and it is always well received by the students. It seems to be less militaristic in its presentation and more applicable to modern problems including those of a more personal nature. While I personally prefer Thomas Cleary's translation, there is no question that my students get much out of Wing's new twist. Great book!

Chinese language and culture differ so strongly from American thought and culture that it is impossible to think that a single translation of a classic Chinese text can give the reader the complete experience of having read the text in its original language and context. RL Wing's translation brilliantly shines a light on the ART OF WAR.

I came to Wing's translation after having studied and studied the old public domain English translation with its copius notes and explanations. Wing gives the reader a tremendous insight into THE ART OF WAR, the brevity and compactness of Chinese language expression, the morality and thinking of Sun Tzu, and the different ways that the Eastern mind comprehends war from the Western mind.

If you are a dedicated student of Sun Tzu's ART OF WAR, this translation belongs in your collection. I don't know if it's the best or not, but it's a vital translation. If peace is your highest aim and the resolution of conflict without coming to violence is your highest aspiration, this book displays the wisdom of the great general in terms that clarify meaning for Western readers.