economics-textbook

This collection of essays is divided into five parts: 'methodology', 'microeconomics', 'macroeconomics', 'global dimensions' and 'the changing form and content of introductory textbooks'. All of the essays provide reviews (sometimes quite critical) of a number of topics covered by current introductory textbooks. In this, they at least perform the function of getting a 'bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed' instructor thinking about the essentially limited nature of textbooks: the glossing over of controversial theoretical issues and the complete neglect of others, the use of overly stylised examples, the unconscious (and sometimes conscious) ideological biases in policy suggestions, the ommission of important contempory economic concerns, etc. In this respect, the book is laudable.

In another respect, however, it is less satisfactory; i.e., there is no section devoted to a systematic discussion of an alternative approach to the pedagogical practices in economics - 'The Textbook' being a core component of this. There is no discussion of what a 'counter-textbook' might look like, or even mention of such a beast. Given this observation, it hardly needs to be said that there is no suggestion that a course might be taught WITHOUT a textbook. This, to me, suggests an implicit flaw: this collection of essays often rails against 'The Textbook' as not sufficiently catering to the needs of the interested and engaged instructor, but this very act of complaint invariably 'thinks within the square'; i.e., accepts the necessity of it. And this, of course, begs the question of why it is that these economists (the authors & editors) have become so dependent upon the textbook paradigm that they do not even realise that it is merely that - ONE paradigm among others.

This book, although quite imformative and related to class discussions, was a little boring when I read it. Also, as it usually happens with business textbook it lacked "When good idea goes bad" examples. But, I guess, management never makes any mistakes... that's what you have to understand in it.

The book is pretty average. The author explains relatively well unit roots and tests on whether they are present in time series or not. When it comes to cointegration the author explains well the Engle-Granger methodology and its caveats. He also explains a dynamic approach whic is superior in terms of less bias in equation estimation and inference. However when it comes to the systems approach developed by Johansen ( a VAR approach) the explanations get confusing when it comes to testing hyptoheses. By trying to simplify too much, there is a great risk the non-knowledgeable reader can get easily lost and discouraged.

I recommend it to everyone. I liked it because it was very funny

Me encanto el libro, me intereso sobre todo como relaciono el tema del contexto cultural con las practicas administrativas.

This is a great book for persons who want an integrated approach to financial analysis. I think it is best used as a reference (I wouldn't want to read through it), and have used it frequently as such, post-MBA (NYU). It should definitely not be looked at as an accounting primer, nor even as an accounting textbook. While another leading text instructs on one-dimensional "analysis" of financial statements, this book provides a much more multi-dimensional framework for analyzing information. Not for the faint-hearted or for those who just want rote number-crunching techniques.

Many people get this book wrong. This is a book for graduate students, not for undergraduates. It introduces the concepts of financial accounting in a condensed way, which does require more time and patient to understand it, like the way we study in MBA program. Since this book assumes its reader as future statement readers, it introduces finanical statements, including balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement,in the first few chapters to let student understand the linkage among them. It is usually very difficult to understand for those without background, though. Plus, given the fact that this book is required by most of top MBA programs, like Chicago, Columbia, and NYU, I'd like to say that accounting professors have told us the quality of this book. For those who have a hard time on this, I would also recommend its accompanied study guide and solution manuals (used one available on amazon website ISBN 0030269695& ASIN: 0030182697; make sure get the right edition!!). After all, this is a good book, but requires more practices. Good luck.

I am currently enrolled in the CFA program (Level II candidate), and this book was used for my first corporate finance class. I must say that I was a bit turned off at first by the amount of colorful pictures and charts the Brigham book contained under the assumption that the more staid the book was, the less gimmicks it had and the better it was (like the Brealey-Myers book). However, I was repeatedly struck by how conscise Brighams' explanations and examples were. The book not only had exhaustive coverage, but it was very well-written. The vignettes at the beginning of each of the chapter really shows a good application of the chapter's lesson in the real world.

When ever I come across a question concerning finance, I almost always reach for the Brigham and Houston book first--it's that good.

This book starts well, and it's obvious that the authors had the initial intention of making this material accessible to the average student. Of the book's 11 chapters, the first several are easy to read; there are "case studies" following the first 10 chapters which illustrate ideas, generate questions, and give students some material to evaluate. Unfortunately, things take a downward turn toward the middle of the book, plummeting into a death spiral in the last few chapters. It felt as if the authors either got tired of translating complex ideas into easy-to-read language or simply ran out of time. The last few chapters are an uphill slog through heavy jargon - just when you're trying to gear up for the final exam.

From the beginning, they relied too heavily on lists, lists and more lists. There were over 100 "core communication skills" of various types strewn about in parcels of up to 20 at a time, and there was no master list to refer to. There are numerous additional lists (the 4 signs of this, the 8 kinds of that, etc.) which a teacher can plunder for exam material - much to the student's grief. Nowhere is there a list of the 14 ways to mutilate a textbook - I'll just have to experiment.

As for the writing style, it varies from friendly and chock full of real-life analogies to passages like this example from Chapter 11: "Differences in the characteristics of individuals are also a class of variables that complicate a unified communication-based theoretical explanation of group output (Gouran and Fisher 1984). Here, we again define the term individual rather expansively to include any demographic (e.g., gender, age, race), psychographic (e.g., belief, attitude, ego involvement), or sociographic (e.g., student, Mason, argumentative) factor that may impact group outcome." Yes, it's readable on the second or third try, but the chapter goes on and on.

If this is the required text for a Small Group Communication course you're planning to attend, you might want to take another look at your schedule.

I have used this textbook to teach Introduction to Small Group Communication for 10 years. It is a solid overview of key communication concepts, processes and skills in small group communication. I would disagree with the review written by dharting. The average undergraduate has no difficulty reading this book. It may not be in dharting's Top 10,000, but I suspect the bulk of this list is comic books.

If your MBA professor offers Schonberger as the answer to 21st Century Operations Management, seek a transfer quick. Obsessed with a touchy-feeling "quality paradigm", there is not enough meat here to frighten off the most zealous vegetarian. The chapters on "managing projects" and "facilities management" are especially shallow.

Fairly good survey book. Having an undergrad operations background, I found this book mirrored the strengths and weaknesses of a more detailed operations curriculum. Book is best in framework and quantitative model overviews, weaker on softer subjects like staffing, project management, & holistic quality.

The author took a wonderful idea (Geography as a factor in growth) and extensive research, and combined them into a book that would have done better as individual articles. The data was extensive, but the structure of the book did not make for a comprehensive read, and left me (as a reader) without a clean understanding of the authors point. A wonderful idea, but a bit hard to trudge through.

This morning 4/26/99, I read several reviews which depicted this book in a very bad light. What happened to those reviews?! Why has Amazon.com removed them. They were very helpful in making a decision as to buy or not. I decided not to buy. Why were those reviews removed?!