economics-schools

This is one of several paperbacks in the "Essentials" series, each of which offers "cutting edge" thinking on a major business subject. Mike Beer served as the adviser to Richard Luecke while he wrote this volume. Brief information about both is provided. There are seven chapters following an Introduction in which Luecke observes that "Accepting the necessity and inevitability of change enables [all companies and their decision-makers] to see times of transition not as threats but as opportunities -- opportunities for reinventing the company and its culture." Indicators include a merger, acquisition, or divestiture; the launch of a new product or service; a new leader; or a new technology. "In this book you will learn how to manage change constructively, and how to help your company, division, and people deal with the upheavals of change. You'll also learn practical things you can do to make change initiatives more successful and less painful for the people you manage."

Each of the seven chapters (which are arranged in a logical sequence) focuses on a separate but related component of effective management of change and transition. For example, in Chapter 2, Luecke explains why leaders must be respected and effective for change to happen, the role of motivation in change-readiness, the importance of a nonhierarchical culture in implementing change, and then offers several "tips" on how to become "change ready." To me, one of the most valuable chapters is the sixth (in which Luecke examines the four stages of reaction to change (i.e. shock, defensive retreat, acknowledgment, and acceptance and adaptation), how individuals can help themselves navigate change, how managers can help employees cope with change, and alternative ways for managers to think about change registers.

At the conclusion of each of the seven chapters, Luecke offers an especially useful "Summing Up" section which facilitates a periodic review of key points. I also appreciate the provision of Appendix A ("Useful Implementation Tools") and Appendix B ("How to Choose and Work with Consultants"), both of which provide basic but sound information to supplement material covered in the previous chapters.

Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out Jim O'Toole's Leading Change, William Bridges' Transitions and Managing Transitions and Jon Katzenbach's Real Change Leaders, all of which are available in paperback editions.

This is a superb expose of Anglo-Dutch relations in the years 1721-1740. It is passionately written with unparalleled lucidity. I highly recommend it for both casual and academic readers.

A great book full of details and examples on great ways to improve your school and teaching.

A while ago I reviewed Israel Kirzner's excellent introduction to von Mises published by ISI ("Ludwig von Mises"). That work focused mostly on Mises's economic thought. If you would like to get an appreciation of the full scope of Mises's thinking, including political philosophy and sociology, this is a good place to start.

"The Meaning of Ludwig von Mises" contains eleven essays, hitting on all the key areas of Mises's thought. David Gordon's essay "Ludwig von Mises and the Philosophy of History" is excellent. If the basis of your sociological thought is methodological individualism, then any attempt to come up with "laws of history" as taught by the likes of Spengler and Toynbee is futile. Dr. Gordon then shows that Marxism is equally vulnerable. Nonetheless, I think Dr. Gordon's analysis is too sweeping. He concedes that Spengler and Toynbee made "insights." In fact, Dr. Gordon ends this essay by praising von Mises's suggestion that nationalism is largely explainable by economic interventionism. Hence there seem to be certain "patterns" in history, even if one doesn't wish to call them laws.

The essay I found most enjoyable was Leland Yeager's discussion of utilitarianism. Von Mises - in spite of his Kantian epistemology - was an advocate of utilitarianism. Rothbard broke with his mentor in this area, making sweeping statements about what a utilitarian can and cannot logically believe. Prof Yeager takes issue with Rothbard's understanding of utilitarianism and the theory of rights derivable from it. In particular, he makes some good arguments against Rothbard's view that blackmail should be legal. For example, according to Rothbard, Mr. A is free to tell Mr. B that he will spread lies about B's business unless B pays A money. Rothbard's conception of rights was excessively limited to property and contracts to transfer title to property. (For what it's worth, I put some comments about Rothbard's theory of rights in my review of "The Ethics of Liberty".)

The complete directory. Every agency has this on their desk. In most cases you need to put your name on it so it doesn't walk away. If your in the industry or want to be YOU NEED IT!

Hip-Hop Models and Talent Inc New York.

The book is an introduction to and overview of various schools of economic thought, with chapters written by representative experts in each area. There were chapters on philosophy and methodology of economics, the austrian school, the neoclassical school, the macroeconomics of the chicago school, the orthodox keynsian school, the institutionalist (evolutionary) school, and Marxian and radical economics.

A great overview for the beginner to intermediate or for anyone wondering if there is anything other than the orthodox economic line.

Mommies At Work is a fabulous book that has become a favorite bedtime read for my two and a half year old daughter. As a working mom, it's great to find a book that so positively depicts mommies doing all kinds of different jobs. Any child with a mom who works outside the home will find something to relate to in this book because it focuses on the important things that moms do to show their love for their kids. Mommies At Work communicates to a child that no matter what kind of job a mom does, her favorite thing is"..coming home to you." This little story reminds me of a similar yet more sentimental take on the subject of working moms - When Mama Comes Home Tonight. Mommies At Work is a nice book that lets kids know that their working mom loves them a lot! It is refreshing that this story is remarkably free of any particular political agenda regarding working mothers which is as it should be for the benefit of the children who read it.

Each of the 31 essays in this book explains the personal and professional influence that Murray Rothbard had on those who knew him. In particular, Joseph Stromgerg`s and Joseph Salerno`s essays provide the most detail, but all entries here are excellent.

Murray Rothbard was a seminal figure in the post-world war 2 intellectual movement for individual rights. (This movement is popularly refered to as "conservative," sometimes it is known as "libertarian." Regardless of the nomenclature the basic idea is a respect for individual liberty and rights.) Rothbard not only laid a theoretical foundation upon which a generation of scholars could continue his work, he actually practiced the "conservative" values of piety, humility, and a quest for knowledge AND understanding of the nature and essence of reality. This anthology of reflections of the impact that Murray Rothbard had on this group of academics and scholars suggests that his influence will be felt by many generations to come.

While I never meet Murray personally, I have my own testimony as to the impact that he can have on his readers. Through his books and articles I have been able to develop a much deeper and broader understanding of economics, philosophy, hisory, and government and politics. There will never be another Murray Rothbard but we should all be grateful for the legacy that he left behind.

David Ricardo was an English economist who simplified and refined Adam Smith's theory of working capitalism outlined in "Wealth of Nations." The present book, "Principles of Political Economy and Taxation" written in 1817 was Ricardo's most important work.

Ricardo strips away all of Adam Smith's assumptions that the owners of the means of production in society had any inherent right to profit from the labor of the working masses. Indeed, Ricardo laid out the conflict in modern capitalist society as clearly as anyone before or since his time. For Ricardo, the struggle in society was very plain. Capitalists made money off the surplus value created by workers, plain and simple. Therefore, capitalists needed to take as much of the surplus value as they possibly could with out any need for philosophical shilly-shallying. Capitalists need to recognise that their interests conflicted directly with the workers before it was too late. To increase profits capitalists should understand that they needed to reduce wages. Ricardo was elected to the pre-reform Parliament in 1819.

This book can help children understand the banking process. It discusses opening checking and savings accounts, and what their purposes are. I think this book would be educational for young children and teachers may want to use it for class discussions. Helpful for grades 3 through 5.