economics-schools

This book helped to clarify what has been called the "corporatization of education" that is taking place not only in higher education but in education in general. With corporations looking to education as a potential profit mine, the mission of education as a tool for a democratic society is being eroded. Shumar takes the concept of commodification and analyzes this trend throughout U.S. history with great detail. Although this book is pretty academic, and the postmodern terminology can turn some people off, this is a valuable resource for everyone looking to combat the corporate takeover of education and work to make it for what it should be intended for, a key tool for democracy.

I found this to be a very useful book, with excellent illustrations in color. I wish the chapters were more detailed. The words to know in the back of the book are good, along with lots of other helpful information. I recommend this book for students in 5th, through 8th grades, and for the teachers, as well.

I would like to know when this book will be reprinted, because I have a solicitation in the Library where I work as librarian. My client is a student of master course. He needs this book very mauch. Thanks, for your attention. Regina S.S. Tonini

With crisis situations mounting all around us in the US and the world, there's no better time to learn how to handle crisis. Everyday I read about a new event in the papers, whether it be in the Middle East or at home on 9/11. I loved this book because it taught me a lot about crisis and business management. It was also exciting to read as it was written like a mystery novel. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in business management, dealing with everday crises, history, politics, economics, high schools, interesting careers, inventions, saving money, learning about innovative solutions to challenging problems in the real world, or anyone who enjoys a good story!

In the final course in my graduate program, this was required reading to complete the program. With a background in medical and electronics instrumentation, I was not thrilled. Secondly, I was puzzled that anyone at Harvard would spend over a year to write a book with a fairly narrow audience--the right way to develop new products for the pharmaceutical industry. I wasn't disappointed. The development of new products in this sector is a different landscape from typical product development and manufacturing--a strategic chess game where timing, investment, weighing uncertainty and gutsy decision making are everything in the successful development on new products going through clinical trials. Pisano insights are good advice. If you an exec or manager, this would not be one of those popular business books. If you are in the medical sector, this should be part of your outside reading to avoid the potholes of new product development. Highly recommended.

A technical analysis (written by a Phd in Economics) of a pure gold standard. Well written and very convincing.

For paleolibertarians, the Ludwig von Mises Institute is the intellectual fountainhead. Included in this volume is what comes out of the fountainhead: a delightful spray of right-on critiques of statism. This book is useful to bring along on long trips when you have hours on planes or trains and need to keep your brain cells in use.

Authors Frank Kemerer and Jim Walsh have written one of those "must-haves" that belongs in your professional library. If you are an educator in Texas, you need this book. Readable and thorough, the book touches all areas of concern, with emphasis on how the law applies in Texas. Kemerer is Regents Professor of Education Law and Administration at UNT and Walsh is senior partner in the Walsh, Anderson, Underwood, Schulze & Alderidge firm which has been heavily involved with districts across the state for some time now. This one is a needful reference, no matter what you level you teach.

I purchased this book for my 8.5 year old daughter who has enjoyed cooking at my side and has an interest in learning to cook. This cookbook provides a wonderful introduction to the world of culinary arts, beginning with an understanding of basic food ingredients, cooking and baking tools and terms and continues with advise on safety and menu planning.

The level is probably best suited to children from 10 - 14, however, with some guidance and supervision my 8 year old can prepare most of the recipes.

Recipes include all the basics from Vegetable soup to Chili to Banana Nut Bread, Brownies, Pies and Punch. All recipes inlcude an equipment list along with the ingredient list and clear, easy to follow step-by-step instructions with important safety tips like "wearing oven mits, remove the cookie sheet from the oven."

We've tried several of the recipes and have not been disappointed. This junior version of the classic compares well. I expect that my daughter will one day take this cookbook off to college.

This one of the volumes in the new Harvard Business School Essentials Series. Each offers authoritative answers to the most important questions concerning its specific subject. The material in this book is drawn from a variety of sources which include William J. Bruns, Michael J. Roberts, and Robert S. Kaplan as well as Harvard Business School Publishing and Harvard ManageMentor®, an online service. Each volume is indeed "a highly practical resource for readers with all levels of experience" but I think those who have only recently embarked on a business career will derive the greatest benefit.

This volume explains the basic concepts of finance to managers who are not financial managers. As Richard Luecke notes in the Introduction, "Knowing how to finance assets, forecast future cash flows, maintain a budget, determine which operations are profit generators and which are not, and judge the real economic merits of different investment opportunities will help you stay in business and turn a profit." Samuel L. Hayes served as subject advisor to Luecke, writer of this and other books in the Harvard Business School Essentials Series and author or developer of more than 30 other books as well as several dozen articles.

There are ten chapters followed by an Appendix: Activity-Based Budgeting. (More about that material in a moment.) Each chapter is introduced by a list of "Key Topics" to be covered in it. For example, in Chapter 5, the focus is on start-up financing, financing current operations, financing growth, establish a proper match of assets with financing, and typical financing arrangements. Obviously, all of this material may seem basic (if not self-evident) to the experienced financial manager but keep in mind that the material was carefully selected for managers who are not financial managers.

One of the most informative discussions is provided in the Appendix when brief but sufficient attention is given to "Developing Cost Drivers" and more specifically to activity-based budgeting (ABB) and how it differs from activity-based costing (ABC). Less experienced non-financial managers are frequently asked to prepare a report which, more often than not, involves a budget or at least a cost analysis. A basic understanding of ABB and ABC will guide and assist the completion of that task. Whereas ABC starts with the cost of resources, allocates these costs to activities, and then allocates these costs to products and/of services, ABB starts with the planned product or service, estimated sales volume, and mix and comes up with the requisite activities to produce the mix and volume.

Financial managers as well as non-financial managers who supervise other non-financial managers should seriously consider providing copies of this book to those who currently do not understand "how to finance assets, forecast future cash flows, maintain a budget, determine which operations are profit generators and which are not, and judge the real economic merits of different investment opportunities" which will help [their organization] stay in business and turn a profit." Of course, younger executives need not wait for such provision. Published as a paperbound volume and priced attractively, Finance for Managers would be a modest investment for them to make in their own careers.