Strategy

As I am a hopeless optimist who is skeptical of everything, I exist in a state of tension between gullibility and cynicism.
Like Agent Mulder, I WANT to believe, but have had my hand slapped by Fate just too many times.
Fitzgerald tows the line, remains cold and objective, never lapping over into fakery.
The techniques he describes seem straight enough, and I'm willing to go the distance with him.

This has to be the first self-help inspirational how-to manual for attracting luck I've ever seen. Page after page, Fitzgerald gives us dozens of case studies of real people who have won big in the Lottery or at the Casino. I never knew such a feat was even possible. Imagine having a cold, objective study of one of those strange universal forces that no one (until now) could explain, or even try. My investment in this book will be more than compensated by just one big Lotto win, and I've bought my ticket!

I don't gamble, but I sure do enjoy having lady luck dance with me from time to time! This book is not just about games of chance. It's about how to access your intuition in ways you never imagined possible before. This book has helped me open to new ways of accessing information beyond my normal senses. For example, a dream I had resonated with a waking event to gave me an important clue that helped me follow my bliss. I began to understand that synchronicities are signposts along the road to luck. You have given me new eyes to view the world and find the magic in life. Thank you Randall Fitzgerald! You are truly "Doctor Luck!"

This book is solidly grounded in theoretical and analytical rationales. Yet, it presents a counterintuitive conclusion: Sanctions and boycotts do not work. We may have wasted our time pressuring multinationals that operated in South Africa, and now in Burma, Iraq and Israel. A must read to understand the dynamics of global power and how multinationals stave off controls.

This book takes an academic view of the theory behind multunational corporations.

Strengths: It skilfully questions some of the basic assumptions behind the modern theory of the multinational -- as the author illustrates these assumptions permeate all our other global theories but do not have predictive validity. It also tackles a very important social issue, whether our methods to influence multinational corporations work. Did they work in South Africa? The author very convincingly proves that they did not.

Weaknesses: Some of the weaknesses are inescapable in a scholarly work. The detailed quantitative analysis and data may be skipped (as the author indicates) by policy-makers. However, a large chapter deals with this issue. Also, although the author extends her theory of multinational corporations as chameleons from South Africa to other hotspots such as Myanmar (Burma) and Nike, I would have liked her to tackle some social questions: such as whether our pressuring multinational corporations to leave South Africa extended white economic domination in the country. This question and others of its ilk are probably politically incorrect, or beyond the book's already large scope, and the author skirts them. Consquently, this book leaves you thinking -- and that may be what a good book should do.

All in all a very comprehensive, systematic and courageous look at the assumptions, theories and institutions that shape global society.

Five stars!

The scholarly literature on multinational corporations is very weak when it comes to explaining why multinationals leave. This is the focus of this book. After one of the best reviews EVER on research regarding the multinational corporation, the author presents a very detailed study on why they left South Africa. The implications for this study extend to anyone who wants to know why multinationals leave -- or anyone who wants to influence whether they stay or leave! Excellent and highly recommended

As a Channel (agent) Manager for a CLEC telecomm company I was led to "Revenue Rocket" by VARbusiness Magazine's excerpts of this book that outline "10 Commonly Made Mistakes" in typing and segmenting channels.The key evidently, and thanks to Mr. Addison the author for this, is to properly recognize the 4 types of channel partners and manage the relationship with them differently.

I was not doing this and the book and strategies detailed have helped me focus on seeing each partner tpye differently, especially through their training requirements, and coaching them to a common performance sales parameter.

This is already leading to my better "coverage" of these partners, quicker and stronger callbacks, and better results from RFP's and proposals.

Thank you, John Addison.

Mr. Addison provides a manual for successful channel management based on proven methods. I used this book as a model to prepare for and win job interviews, and now I am using it to grow an effective channel model for my organization.
Mr. Addison delivers valuable practical approaches laced with refreshing humor. I refer to Revenue Rocket often to help me focus for effective execution. The execute actions and sales actions,at the end of each chapter, are very practical and provide a formula for success.

John Addison's "Revenue Rocket" provides significant value and insight to sales and marketing executives addressing "channel segmentation and balance." Which sales channels best serve your company's market focus? Who should become a partner? How do partners become more successful selling your products? What are the "do's" and "don'ts" of effective channel management?

In today's economy, it is a "buyer's market." Answers to these questions are critical to any company's profitability and long-term growth. In "Revenue Rocket," you will find clear examples, best practices, and actionable suggestions to strike the required balance in your distribution channels, direct sales and strategic partners. This book is full of practical advice about how to achieve market share growth and increase revenue, while managing cost of sales. Realize greater profits by nurturing the loyalty and confidence of your partners.

Nelson French, Principal
Early Advantage Partners

carolina fernandez's rocket mom inspires us all to greatness...to be the best mom and raise happy, intelligent, responsible children while enjoying each stage of their growth. carolina shares her creative ideas, her enthusiam for life and her energy with her readers. a must read no matter what age your children are.

IT WAS SO GOOD THE READ SUCH POSITIVE, WHOLESOME FEEDBACK FROM A MOM WHO HAS SUCCEEDED AT RAISING WONDERFUL, WELL ADJUSTED CHILDREN. I WISH THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE THIS 30 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS RAISING MY CHILDREN. NOW, I PLAN TO SHARE THIS BOOK WITH MY DAUGTHER AS A REFERENCE IN RAISING HER TWO YOUNG SONS. CAROLINA'S POINT ABOUT INTRODUCING CHILDREN TO MUSIC IS TRUE AND SO IMPORTANT! NOT EVERYONE CAN BE THE QUARTERBACK FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM AND MUSIC IS SUCH A CREATIVE OUTLET THAT CAN BE UTILIZED FOR LIFE! THIS IS A "MUST READ" FOR MOMS (AND MAYBE SINGLE DADS) WHO WANT TO RAISE "NICE KIDS" WHO ARE ABLE TO TALK WITH ADULTS, BE GOOD STUDENTS, AND NICE TO BE AROUND! THIS IS A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOUNG FAMILIES AND/OR MOM'S TO BE! RAISING CHILDREN CAN BE FUN! (AND IS!) I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS AS MUCH AS I DID. I WILL EVEN USE SOME OF THESE IDEAS WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN.

Rocket Mom is packed with amazing wisdom so simply written that it is like sitting down chatting with your best friend. Carolina Fernandez has done a terrific job combining practical strategies, solid scientific reserach, and inspiring stories from her own life. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Building Character in Children. As the founder of the Nonprofit Organization The Creating Peace Project, www.creatingpeaceproject.org, nothing is more important than raising the next generation to become all they are meant to be. This book will inspire you as a parent to do just that, help your children become all they are meant to be.

The stories featured in A. P. Martin's Harnessing the Power of Intelligence are fun to read and talk about, at work and at home. I have used some of them to alert my customer-service team about hidden risks and untapped opportunities. We have been applying the ideas of the first six chapters (Part I) for about three months. Our interactions with customers are yielding better results. We are now moving aggressively to prevent tampering with our information assets as noted in the section titled "How Good Organizations Lose Intelligence".
Four of my high-school educated supervisors, who read the book, found Part I a down-to-earth eye-opener, and right on target, for making wiser choices and avoiding costly errors. They, however, thought Part II would be more applicable to middle and senior management. A drawback: the cases in the chapter on Psychographics lack the detail necessary to be useful.
I have also read C. S. Fleisher's Strategic and Competitive Intelligence. Both books represent, in my opinion, two different, credible and complementary approaches to intelligence-based decision-making. Except for some references, there is virtually no duplication of content. A big bonus!

Alain Paul Martin gives us a new, non-traditional, and thought-provoking guide to intelligence gathering and strategic planning. This book is must reading for decision makers. Its incisive analyses, practical framework, and real-world examples provide valuable lessons that can be immediately put to use as we cope with our ever-changing world. Mr. Martin deserves our congratulations and our gratitude for this masterful work.

"Ninety percent of the information used in organizations is internally focused and only ten percent about the outside environment. This is exactly backwards." -- Peter Drucker

As usual, in one pithy phrase, management sage Peter Drucker captured the central problem facing organizations in uncertain environments -- they look in the wrong place. In volatile times, humans tend to hunker down in the cocoon of the controllable. Effective leaders embrace such times as an opportunity for greatness, when the prepared organization can jump ahead of ostrich-like competition.

Yet, few management advisors opine on how to combat these human tendencies and systematically scan, analyze and act in uncertain environments. Michael Porter's classic works on Competitive Strategy and Competitive Advantage did dispense advice on competitive intelligence gathering, but did not attend to the conversion of intelligence into commercial advantage. Alain Martin's new book "Harnessing the Power of Intelligence" compiles tested processes which create such value.

Martin's frameworks are based on research at American Express, Boeing, Dell, DuPont, GlaxoSmithKline, and Microsoft as well as application of his ideas in businesses, government, and the military. The book has the most up to date, and complete list of intelligence sources. For example, Martin cites the University of California at Berkeley "invisible web" project, which has shown that search engines only document about 15% of the business intelligence available publicly, because the vast majority of it is either not in a standard hypertext format or not linked to a public domain name (the silent campers). His framework on issue incubation, shows that large scale issues go through a relatively predictable process of incubation and development. Many leaders make the mistake of getting on an issue too early or too late. The issue incubation process delineates ways to recognize the progression of topics, and provides advice on if, when and how to intervene. Martin also has a tool called, Factional Analysis that helps a manager analyze who is likely to influence a volatile situation (from allies to adversaries). This tool is much richer than the traditional stakeholder analysis for it includes roles that do not fit in the normal economic calculus. For example, he includes "fanatics" in the analysis -- people whose sole purpose is to disrupt.

A leader can take the advice in this book and use it to guide outward looking intelligence, assess the current state of issues (or do a triage on a surprise event), and then take concerted action.

At points, the book does suffer from the same weakness of Porter's books in that its desire for completeness, the text often has a "list-like" feel. But, on balance this book provides a framework full of tested tools to turn uncertainty into value.

IRA Wealth provides a series of alternatives to the traditional IRA Stock Market investment opportunities. The book is organized to first dispel the myth that investing in real estate with your IRA is illegal and second to explain how to structure your IRA investments with a "self-directed" IRA. The following chapters identify IRA real estate investments based on the level of risk associated with that particular type of real estate investment. The final chapters discuss some of the nuances of liquidating your real estate investments upon the time of your mandatory IRA distributions. Finally, IRA Wealth provides several appendices to help you start your own due diligence with regard to IRA investing in real estate.
Overall, I enjoyed reading IRA Wealth and found that it opened my mind to new ideas on IRA investments. Most of us have probably felt the sting of lackluster stock market returns during the past few years. So the prospect of low to moderate risk real estate investments is clearly of interest. I found the organization of the book to be well thought-out and comprehensive. If you have already read several books on real estate investing, you will realize that several investment methods continue to pop-up. IRA Wealth takes those methods and ties them to your IRA.
Regardless of your level of experience with regard to real estate investing, I believe you will find IRA Wealth a worthwhile read and well worth your time.

IRA Wealth: Revolutionary Strategies For Real Estate Investment is the collaborative effort of Patrick W. Rice (investment columnist and the owner of IRA Resource Associates -- offering expertise in investment real estate for self-directed retirement accounts) and Jennifer Dirks (personal finance and real estate issues staff, and winner of the U.S. Small Business Administration's 2002 "Journalist of the Year award for the Pacific Northwest), diverges sharply from the common understanding that IRA holdings can only be invested in stocks and certificates of deposit. In response to the decline of the stock market, IRA Wealth presents real estate as a profitable and worthy investment venture, and one that is perfectly legal to hold in any personal IRA account. Examining both low-risk and high-return real estate ventures, IRA Wealth is a superbly presented, "reader friendly", informational presentation for anyone seeking to diversify their IRA account holdings into property as a hedge against the volatility of the stock and bond markets.

I have just begun to read your book and it is perfect timing as my husband and I have a sum saved in our IRA. We plan to read the book together and investigate the investment strategies suggested. Thank you. The book is an easy and inspirational read on a complex subject.

With so many investing books out there, what a pleasure it is to read one that has practical information that actually works.

The "Profit-Line" Strategy will have you in the right investments at the right time and out before the roof caves in.
Dicks also goes into detail discussing sector funds and international funds. When to be in a money market fund and when to be in a bond fund. He also discusses "Investing for the times of your life" offering tailor made advice for people in their 20's, 40's and during retirement.

Overall, a very practical and workable book on how to successfully invest in funds. Also interesting is that Dicks was one of the first to warn about back-end loads and hidden fees and costs that most mutal fund companies used to keep hidden in the small print.

Although the book was written back in 1997, the principles are still very sound. I would like to see Dicks write and updated version with perhaps his feelings on ETFs which are low cost but charge commissions.

For business owners, I highly recommend Dicks "How to Incorporate series" and "Form Your Coporation and Launch a Business in Any State."

This excellent book by J.W.Dicks will take you from thinking about investing to actually investing and more importantly, investing profitably.Mutual funds are still the safest, most powerful way to invest in securities despite what is going on right now in the industry. The key is education and taking personal responsibility in lieu of turning your money over to a broker and saying "Here you invest it and watch it for me."J.W. Dicks will show you how to take control over your investments, start with little money but get big returns.I also recommend "Moonlght Investing", another book by Dicks as well as two other books by Dicks that were recommended to me and I jsut read are "Form a Corporation and Launch a Business in Any State" and"The Small Business Kit.Dicks is an attorney as well as a successful entrepneneur. Beware of other books written by people who are essentially brokers and write strategies to match the products they sell. There are also some book written by "How to Incorporate" by people who have yet to launch their own business, save selling used books and writing self published books.

This book by J.W. Dicks is possibly the best mutual fund book available today. I have been using his profit line strategy for the past 3 years and have made money while others have lost money. Dicks is one of the very few that recommends moving averages and relative strength factors with mutual funds.The chapter on how to reduce taxes was also very helpful.I also recommend Moonlight Investing also by J.W. DICKS.

This is a super book. I work with writers every day- and this is the book I tell them to go buy. Every new writer needs this book. Congratulations- this book is fun and gives writers the information they need to know in today's marketplace. ...

Michael Sedge, owner of Strawberry Media Agency and guru of marketing strategies great and small, has his finger on the pulse of struggling writers and authors everywhere because he has been there. Sedge has been able to parlay his writing skills into an impressive global business and shares his tricks of the trade in this fascinating volume.

Sedge focuses on, very simply, how to sell writing. He dubs his game plan "guerilla marketing," and he creates an orderly universe out of a terrifying and confusing market. He offers a powerful litany of ideas for: researching the marketplace; smoozing with secretaries and others who are in support positions; anticipating markets based on current events, dates, and trends; using personal style to create markets; maximizing profits and minimizing work; how to create publicity packets; and many other useful tips to new writers.

Sedge throughly understands image, and scatters examples of how to seem larger than life in order to better promote oneself:

"Distancing yourself makes everything more profession, more 'big league.' If you are requesting information about John Hendricks, founder and CEO of the Discovery Channel, would you expect to receive it directly from Hendricks? Of course not; he is much too busy for that. The company has a public relations office for such things. This is the exact image you want to present for your business."

Marketing Strategies For Writers is a bible for marketing. It is the type of book that should occupy the same space as the best writing books in a writer's collection. Sedge writes with humor, the earnestness of an excellent teacher trying to impart pearls of wisdom, and genuine compassion for the plight of writers everywhere. He gives writers hope with his abundant wisdom and optimism; and he prods and emphasizes with interesting tales of his own success.

Sedge is someone who should be listened to, as he has produced an incredible 2600 articles, several books, and tapes and scripts. His agency handles photography, marketing, writing, editing, and anything else that is required within the publishing field. He is truly the guru of marketing...and writing.

Michael Sedge's latest book has only one purpose: To help you make a lot of money at writing. It is that simple, yet that outstanding. While other books on this topic are either broad overviews or blatant chest thumping, Marketing Strategies for Writers is neither. Sharing with the reader what has worked for him--and what hasn't--Sedge offers clear step by step advice. He also describes in detail how to make editors want YOU! Not just for writers, this book is an excellent reference for marketing in all fields. My wife runs a real-estate agency, and has bought a box of these books for her staff. Bound to be an instant classic. If you are serious about writing, this is the book for you.

this guide is awsome you must buy i

This book is the best because it shows you every move and fatality you every wanting to see. But with this book you can do the moves and fatalities.

Mortal Kombat 4 is probably the most defining fighting games ever made, so the strategy guide will be right up there with it.

Finally a book that actually uses the peer reviewed literature. It was a pleasure to read this book knowing that you were getting factual and scientifically valid information. If you want to know what works in training and nutrition this is the book. Now I dont have to buy all those supplements - and have I saved a heap of $'s.

After battling with a school physical education project on training principles, I found this book in our library and WOW, the assignment was easy! This book really made good practical sense and turned my essay from boring science to cool information. I now find myself wanting to read all the sports magazines to find out more about how world class athletes train and what they eat. Sounds to me like some of them need to buy a copy of this book to read!

There are so many good points about this book I hardly know where to start. What impresses me most is that the authors have maintained a balanced and rational view on the many diverse and sometimes conflicting inputs - lab. tests, experience in the sport, folklore, practicalities - all of these impinge on the attitudes of athlete and coach, and can result in a lot of confusion and uncertainty. The book does an excellent job in unravelling these tangled strands of knowledge and half-knowledge to present the a clear and accurate picture to the reader. Uncertain points are made clearer, several myths are debunked (some of my own misconceptions were cleared up). Yet where the truth remains hidden or is unclear this is commented upon. Concerning scientific studies the source material is extensive and up to date.

The layout and language are so clear and reader-friendly, and the material so interesting that I found it hard to put the book down. However, I'd have to advise readers not to try to take in too much at a time.

The few inaccuracies in some of the details didn't detract from the message or the overall quality. There is one slightly surprising omission, namely the absence of any discussion of the Conconi test for aerobic performance. Nevertheless, the sections on training are excellent; the ones on nutrition are even better.