Strategy

Finally, a book to help patients suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The families of people suffering from COPD will have a better understanding of the disease after reading this book.

At the present time, COPD is not curable. However, by reading Life and Breath, it will help those suffering from COPD live longer, happier and healthier lives. The book will teach us how to better control COPD.

One is taught and is given a better understanding of the complete chest workup. Eating habits are gone over extensively, and we learn that by changing our diet we can breath easier and more normally.

Pulmonary protection and physical work outs will allow us to breath easier and realize it is never too late to give up bad habits. Treatment strategies for both asthma and COPD are outlined in the book and are extremely important.

I recommend this bood to doctors, COPD patients and their families.

Daniel J. Colona, NY

I first saw Dr. Schacter being interviewed on the Today Show in April while I was home recouperating from my third round of pneumonia in about 15 years. I ordered the book immediately and read it within a day of receiving it.

The information contained in the book was extremely helpful in educating me about how serious a chronic cough can be and how important it is to get appropriate treatment for anything that is related to your lungs on a timely basis. My sister is a severe asthmatic and I ordered a copy for her and sent it to her in California.

Following my bout of pneumonia, I have learned that I have a pulmonary nodule and again found the information in the book helpful as I have begun to navigate the ramifications of that health issue. When I was first diagnosed, I also emailed Dr. Schacter some questions and he responded to me personally which was certainly "above and beyond."

I highly recommend this book to anyone anyone with any pulmonary issues.

This is an excellent book for anyone suffering from or who has just acquired a breathing disorder. I bought it after coming down with a case of bronchitis that would not go away after several weeks. The book helped me realize the dangers of not getting the proper treatment for COPD. It also helped me be a partner with my doctor in the treatment of it. I understand the treatment decisions, the drugs used (and not used) and what to do to prevent a recurrance. The cost of the book is a small price to pay for being a knowledgeable patient.

Until now, it seems that most every book written on the topic of developing something new at a company has replaced the word "Product" with the word "Service" and carried on as if nothing changed.

Well, it has.

Products and services are two different business animals, and these authors FINALLY call a spade a spade and then deal with the consequences. While many of the approaches between new product development and new service development are deceptively similar, the authors point to some key differences that substantially affect results.

They answer questions like: When do you solicit customer input? How can reengineering save money but kill a service your company offers? Why are company new service brainstorming sessions ineffective? The answers seem intuitive - but only after you've read it.

It also gives you some talking points about why "Being better" can trap your company as an also-ran. I winced during and after taking their survey.

The part of reading this book that wasn't fun was realizing the work I needed to do in my company. The fun part was knowing I now have a map to get there. I found the book readable and useful, and I've already made changes based on its recommendations.

As the Managing Partner for a major consulting firm and having spent 13 years in the services sector, I can honestly say I have read hundreds of business books. This is by far one of the best I have ever read.

Terrill and Middlebrooks provide scores of frameworks and client examples that provide a literal How-To roadmap for anyone serious about growing their company -- in an extremely profitable way.

I found especially insightful the authors perspectives on how to fill the financial growth gap that most companies find to be the most challenging part of their longer term strategy. From new product development to segmentation to positioning and branding to communications, Terrill and Middlebrooks basically give you an MBA in a book.

I have to admit I have borrowed their concepts fairly liberally since I read this book as it serves only to provide my clients (as well as my company) with the best possible solutions to their growth challenges.

Thanks guys for taking the seminal thinking that already exists in the services sector several steps further.

Bravo!

I am the Managing Partner for a company that serves scores of clients every year, all seeking to improve their businesses.

Having spent the last 13 years in the services sector and constantly searching for new ways to serve my clients better, I finally found the book that teaches you how to "be the best that you can be."

Middlebrooks and Terrill provide scores of frameworks and examples from their vast experiences to lead the reader from point a to point b. Borrowing lessons learned from Fortune 10 companies to $20 million business to business specialty companies, I truly felt like I received a second MBA--for a lot less money.

The best insights I received from their book was tied to how to help my clients fill that strategic anomaly called the revenue and profit growth gap. This book helped me better understand not only how to help my clients (as well as my company)fill this gap but also the variety of approaches I have at my disposal to help them achieve their longer term plans.

From new product development to segmentation to branding and positioning to communications, this book is definitely an invaluable resource and a definitive how-to guidebook.

I am a better business leader and my clients will be better served as a result of reading this landmark book.

Thanks guys for providing me with an incredible roadmap for future success.

Editors at Financial Times (FT) co-authored this volume, with Tim Dickson serving as executive editor . It offers "The Complete MBA Companion in Strategy," the result of FT's strategic alliance with the University of Chicago Business School, INSEAD, the University of Michigan Business School, and the Said Business School at Oxford University. This is the seventh volume in what is identified as "The Financial Times Mastering" series. It contains articles that first appeared in FT in late-1999.

The material is carefully organized within 16 chapters. In the first, there are two essays: "Strategy and the delusion of Grand Designs" authored by John Kay, Director of london Economics; the second -- "Strategy, blind men and the elephant" was co-authored by Henry Mintzberg of McGill University and INSEAD, Bruce Ahlstrand of Trent University (Ontario), and Joseph Lampel of the University of Nottingham Business School.

As for the final chapter, "Fresh Challenges for the Future," it was written by Dan Schendel, founding and current editor the Strategic Management Journal. The reader is advised that "This final module sums up the main themes of the book, addresses some of the current controversies, and offers pointers on how the field may develop in coming years. The core message is that those who fail to keep up with the best in strategic management risk losing their businesses and losing their jobs. The cases of failure cited throughout the book underline the point." My own crystal ball imploded long ago so I now cut Schendel considerable slack, given the fact that his comments on "fresh challenges" were composed five years ago. In fact, I think his analysis holds up remarkably well.

Although exceptionally well-written and skillfully-edited, this volume is by no means an "easy read." My own opinion is that it will be of greatest interest and benefit to the more capable students enrolled in graduate schools of business, and, to senior-level executives. Of course, the immediate value of each chapter will be largely determined by the immediate needs and interests of each reader. I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the superb graphics provided by Graham Parish. I also want to commend, again, Tim Dickson and his associates -- notably Ken Pottinger, James Pickford, Laura Scanga, and various school "co-ordinators" -- for pulling together so much excellent material, then getting it all properly presented. Bravo!

This is a great collection of articles covering all aspects of business strategy. Prior knowledge about the subject matter, though is not necessary, will help you appreciate the material more. I strongly recommend this book to those people interested in building a thorough understanding of strategy.

Mastering Strategy contains essays with consistently excellent quality, the topics cover a broad spectrum. The book provides a great perspective on various dimensions of strategy; namely: social impact, historical development, academic interest, operational issues etc. All essays are concise and further readings are suggested at the end of each article, in order to guide readers for further investigation.

This is a set of case study information out of a highly competitive commercial industry that has seen both public outlook and technology change dramatically over the last four decades. While told in story form, the lessons are real and translatable to other industries rather readily. It suggest that management (upper) should take a close look and the non-conforming individuals to find the results of their actions, and potentially give them some more rope to succeed with.

I had a great surprise when a friend from work lent me this book and said, "You have to read this." The book reads effortlessly, like a good friend telling you a great story. When I finished reading it I found the author had put a lot of things into perspective for me. I have a much greater insight into the maverick and how mavericks can benefit a business organization. For anyone in business this is required reading. For everyone else it is enlightenment and entertainment.

Cheverton's been-there-done-that business sense combines with a novelists knack for entertainment makes The Maverick Way a star in the crowded field of business books. Instead of charted, statisitically oriented information on climbing the corporate ladder, Cheverton takes us on a wild ride as the corporate Maverick is identified, makes waves, gets things done, leads when necessary, follows when he must and works his way through the system with a vision that can't be confined. The Maverick Way made me want to get to work, rethink my strategies and be a maverick too. When I was finished with this book I wasn't left with a list of things to do but with the true spirit of what makes business great, risky and so satisfying. A must read for anyone who is serious about making a mark.

This book is an outstanding resource for anyone who has to lecture at the college or university level. Each chapter is a research-based (and experience-based) guide to the key issues that arrise in different instructional environments. For several years, this book was given to all new faculty at my institution (Univ. Washington, Seattle) as part of the orientation process. It is ideal for that purpose, and still holds many useful comments for more experienced instructors, also.

Having just finished my first year of teaching undergraduate psychology courses, I would like to confirm the praise of this book written elsewhere. I cannot imagine a better introduction. Twenty seven short and specific chapters make this an easy read and a useful reference. Each chapter ends with annotated recommendations for further study. No wonder Teaching Tip's is on so many bookshelves.

McKeachie is a psychologist, and his personal experience is in teaching the social sciences. His preferred approach is constructivist rather than didactic (he prefers discussion to lectures), and his personal value system (chapter 25) can be sensed in most of his advice. His highest value is love and respect for others within a relativistic framework. He is quite committed to active learning in all its various guises.

In a fragmented discipline like psychology, McKeachie's approach is likely to be quite successful. I wonder if those teaching in disciplines with a higher fixed content will find his advice as useful.

The primary strength of this book is the smooth blend of theory with practical advice. Research-supported theory (learning and memory in chapters 4 and 5, Bloom's taxonomy in chapter 24) is introduced with a light touch that makes it easy to assimilate - often with a "take what you want, leave the rest" attitude. In like fashion, the practical advice (cheating, discussion monopolizers) is not heavy-handed, but suggestive.

I read this book through over a two day period, finding that it bogged down only in Part 5 that focused on teaching in contexts that I am unlikely to encounter in the near future. Twice I found myself revising my typical course syllabus.

This was a very helpful book. I was given it as a gift when I got my first college teaching job and it answered many of my questions. I especially liked the chapters about advanced class preparation (including a time line) which helped me feel much more prepared for the first day of class. Throughout the semester I used the book to answer questions about situations that happened in class (getting students to participate, cheating, etc.). I definitely recommend this book to any new teacher!

Exceptional book describing the background of the Natural Step process but more importantly provides evidence that companies who embrace sustainabilty in every aspect will be well rewarded for their efforts. Well done with loads of detail.

The authors provide a real service with this book. So far much of the published work on The Natural Step framework has remained conceptual, without a lot of practical examples of the model in practice. The case examples of IKEA, Collins Pine, and Interface provide valuable references for organizational managers and consultants who are working to build more sustainable organizations. I highly recommend this book.

This is a terrifc book in that it not only lucidly explains the framework of the Natural Step but also gives some excellent practical examples of major corporations starting down the path towards sustainability. This will give them a great competitive edge. With examples like the Natural Step model being applied by the likes of IKEA and Interface one can remain optimistic in the face of the torrent of negatives about the degenerating nature of the world environment. I hope that this book will encourgae others to look nto what the Natural Step has to offer..

The book is as great as his Jamacian-Swiss accent. I owe my love for marketing to this man and his book.
The book is laid out in an easy fashion, thus making it simple to learn such a complex idea.
If you haven't had the pleasure of taking his many wonderful marketing classes, you must pick up this book.
I'm surprised that so many people have chosen to return this book; I would never return mine. I consider it a true keepsake.

This book is a must for any business major. I learn the in and outs of business just in this book and many other books are outdated material. This book will not put you to sleep. It focus on the basic concepts of each chapter. I would highly recommend to any college students or business persons.

Dr. Stauble is my mentor and currently my professor, who teaches Marketing with passion. He knows his stuff and he's always there for everyone with questions. This book is a must have for any Business major

This book covers certain important aspects of the Sicilian well, namely the Dragon, Kan, and Scheveningen. It also includes a "one size fits all" system against the Closed Sicilian. However, certain aspects of the book are left wanting:

1) It does not provide a great deal of content on the Najdorf, which is one of the most important variations in the Sicilian. It just includes a few games and says "don't attempt without preparation."
2) While it provides a lot of information on the Scheveningen, it does not cover enough on the Keres Attack, which is a very deadly White weapon in this particular variation (in fact, because of it, many transpose into the Schev via the Najdorf by playing ...a6 first).
3) While its one-for-all system against the Closed Sicilian (which the author defines as anything other than 2. Nf3 and 3. d4) is adequate, it does not mention 2. ...d5 3. exd5 Nf6! against the Grand Prix attack, which is a very viable option for Black.
4) It repeats itself a lot in the "mastery" boxes.
5) It does not even mention the Accelerated Dragon.

Despite these pitfalls, the book is well worth reading, especially for those wanting to play the Dragon.

If you want a book the shows the major plans and themes in various c5 opens, then this is the book for you. If you already know the plans & themes you wont be pleased as this imformation. It is gearded toward the player who can play but aspires to have an intimate knowledge of the system being used. Plans for white and blk are given, the bias is toward black repectively. I fell in the "wanting to know more" category. This was a winner for me.

A masterly work on the best system vs 1.e4 - the sicilian. Learn this opening not through variations and weird sicilians like the Sveshnikov but thematically using "bread and butter systems" These systems would be: the classical, the Dragon sttructure, Najadorf, Schevenigen and Kan. I like attacking chess but have always been intrigued by the more positional sicilians like the schevenigen. Here Kopec reveals how to play this system without knowing every detail of theory successfully. Maybe after reading this book I too may play the schevenigen, by trasposing via the najadorf!! Anyway, this is a great book which teaches you esstenial sicilian themes and where to place your pieces and use your pawns. May this take care of all your sicilian needs.

This was the question many of our service line leaders asked when the CEO told us we would collect, analyze, and report our service metrics to the Board of Directors. The problem was that very few persons understood what was meant by the term "metrics". Dr. Frost does an excellent job of explaining the importance of measuring performance to improve efficiency, meet regulatory standards, improve communication, improve safety, and serve as a basis for recognition and achievement. In just over 90 pages and two hours, I was convinced that I could make a difference in my organization by understanding and using metrics. Precise and clear explainations of the terms "balanced scorecard", and "key performance measures" served as catalysts to help me decide what to measure and how to do it. This is an excellent primer for the more rigorous study of measurement and metric design.

I really enjoyed this book, especially for the price. It opened my eyes to how modern corporate measurements have been evoloving. My copy of this book has lots of sticky notes sticking out of it as there are a lot of novel points I want to go back to. The only bad thing about the book is that it is only 96 pages long. It is easy to read and makes a good reference book. I emailed the author a question and he quickly responded...added bonus.

This has to be one of the most sensible, best written books on performance measurement ever written. True, it's less than 100 pages and any single topic in the book would merit 100 pages, but the way the author clearly presents the information and his gift for explaining complex topics and concepts in simple terms makes this a valuable resource for those of us who never seem to catch up on our reading backlog.

Highlights: (1) Part 1's chapter on The Balanced Scorecard manages to capture the essence of Kaplan's and Norton's seminal book on that subject. (2) All of Part 2, including measurement models, defining metrics and the three-step method given by the author are invaluable tools. (3) Part 3's Using Metrics to Improve Performance is on the mark in each of the chapters. Likewise, Part 4's Advanced Metrics is excellent because the treatment of process and capability metrics makes these two topics understandable (I had a hard time grasping these topics in other books).

This book earns 5 stars and goes on my short list of books to recommend to clients and colleagues.

The MW3 strategy guide has a lot of info, but there are a number of obvious flaws. The vehicle descriptions are all messed up when it comes to vehicle weapons (donar choppers don't have ER medium lasers!), and guide's suggested 'mech configurations don't have a lot of ammo and heat management is nearly non-existent. However, the battle-maps and run-throughs are exceptional, as are the combat and 'mech customization tips. Besides the minor glitches, this Prima is one worth using.

Wow pretty much sums this guide up. You think it's got a lot of info in it? It's 279 pages! You bet it does! They crammed so much info in this book it's easy to see why it has a listing price of 20 bucks. This book lists every 'Mech along with their cruising and top speeds, normal and max tonnage, primary weapon configurations, as well as a full page description of each of the 'Mechs pros and cons along with suggested weapons and equipment grouping. It lists every weapon, the heat it generates, their damage potential, and range. The walkthrough is very well done with suggested routes to take and what 'Mech to pilot as well as what 'Mechs to have your lancemates control. Before every mission, there is a page which states everything you'll find there, as in missle placements as well as the number and identities of every enemy 'Mech out there. It explains excellent customizing of 'Mechs, giving you awesome firepower for any range, the heat sinks to allow repeated fire, and the armor and speed to live through any battle. The book also explains all the controls and gives you ideas on how to get adjusted to any combat situation. I really haven't even begun to scratch the surface of this book, but this should be enough to help you with your decision to buy it. So....what are you waiting for? buy it!

As with the MechWarrior 2 Guide; this one helps you thru the rough spots AND helps you figure out which weapons make the best combo for you. Don't want to give away the whole book but...a couple of "dogs" in MW 2 are my favorites now.

BTW, D/L the vers 1.1 patch for the game itself from microprose