The Art of Project Management (Theory in Practice (O'Reilly))

Book Description

The Art of Project Management covers it all--from practical methods for making sure work gets done right and on time, to the mindset that can make you a great leader motivating your team to do their best. Reading this was like reading the blueprint for how the best projects are managed at Microsoft... I wish we always put these lessons into action!" --Joe Belfiore, General Manager, E-home Division, Microsoft Corporation

"Berkun has written a fast paced, jargon-free and witty guide to what he wisely refers to as the 'art' of project management. It's a great introduction to the discipline. Seasoned and new managers will benefit from Berkun's perspectives." --Joe Mirza, Director, CNET Networks (Cnet.com)

"Most books with the words 'project management' in the title are dry tomes. If that's what you are expecting to hear from Berkun's book, you will be pleasantly surprised. Sure, it's about project management. But it's also about creativity, situational problem-solving, and leadership. If you're a team member, project manager, or even a non-technical stakeholder, Scott offers dozens of practical tools and techniques you can use, and questions you can ask, to ensure your projects succeed." --Bill Bliss, Senior VP of product and customer experience, expedia.com

In The Art of Project Management, you'll learn from a veteran manager of software and web development how to plan, manage, and lead projects. This personal account of hard lessons learned over a decade of work in the industry distills complex concepts and challenges into practical nuggets of useful advice. Inspiring, funny, honest, and compelling, this is the book you and your team need to have within arms reach. It will serve you well with your current work, and on future projects to come.

Topics include:

How to make things happen
Making good decisions
Specifications and requirements
Ideas and what to do with them
How not to annoy people
Leadership and trust
The truth about making dates
What to do when things go wrong

Customer Reviews:

real world pm.......2007-06-29

An easy and fun to read book, based on real life examples and experiences. While reading it, I got many tips from the book and apply them in my onw work.

project management with your feet on the ground and your heart on it.......2007-05-24

I really love this book!! I've read many books about how to run projects, to keep teams motivated, to be an effective leader, and I think this book compiles all of the above, plus it gives you a grounded point of view. There are no promises, only hard work and ways to improve your performance.
I've used some of the recommendations included in chapter 13: How to make things happen and, although is not a guarantee of success, I have accomplished some of my most difficult projects with it and the ones I didn't, at least I know why.
[...].

highly practical and thorough coverage.......2007-05-12

Reading this book is almost as good as having a highly experienced mentor help you manage a project. The book provides very thorough coverage with sound, practical advice. There is a good list of reference material as well. I have been a software developer for more than 25 years and have managed several projects and still found I learned a lot from this book. I wish it had been available years ago. The book also provided confirmation for many of my beliefs about which I disagree with my current project manager. I hope to use this book to help convince him to change. I will be managing my own project again soon and plan to use use this book to help me succeed. Every software developer should read this book even if they are not a project manager. My only very slight criticism is that the book is most helpful to software product projects, but I think even internal development projects should be run as this book explains.

Great book.......2007-05-09

This is a great book.
Filled with real-world wisdom, it prepares you for what to expect in the world of project management as a career option.
Especially usefull for people from software development background.

Best book I've found on Project Management.......2007-03-14

This is an O'Reilly publication, although it lacks their characteristic animal on the cover. It is a fabulous book. While most Project Management books focus on helping you pass the PMI test, this book is focused on real life and has extensive chapters on dealing with difficult situations and so-called "difficult people".

Average customer rating:

A High Quality Book
Helpful textbook
Leadership
Good Stuff
Interesting reading with good practical application

Leadership: Theory and Practice
Peter G. Northouse
Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 141294161X

Book Description

“This book offers a full coverage of contemporary notions of leadership, including traditional theories, salient models, and new domains. The chapters on women in leadership, culture, and team leadership are welcomed additions. The sophisticated but readable style and the inclusion of superb case material make this book a valuable resource for both entry-level and advance leadership courses.”

—Linda L. Putnam , Texas A&M University

“The additions to the Fourth Edition are excellent, especially the new section on ‘Culture and Leadership’ and the updated chapter on ‘Women and Leadership.’”

—Gill Robinson Hickman , University of Richmond

“The excellent work of Peter Northouse invites teachers to grow along with students in research-based knowledge of leadership theory and practice. Peter’s book leads in and of itself!”

—Taggart E. Smith , Purdue University

“Northouse skillfully presents both thorough and up-to-date theory on leadership in this Fourth Edition. The new leadership chapter addressing the topic of culture is especially informative for our increasingly global classroom discussions. His ability to provide great application-based cases helps this leadership theory come alive. Northouse continues to be a scholar, as well as a student, of current leadership knowledge.”

—Mary F. Sully de Luque , Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management

“Northouse has given a gift to leadership professors and students by compiling this concise, insightful, critical, and user-friendly exploration of the somewhat bewildering and confusing literature on leadership theory.”

—Robert E. (Bob) Colvin , Christopher Newport University

Heartened by the positive response to previous editions of Leadership: Theory and Practice, this Fourth Edition is written with the same objective to bridge the gap between the often simplistic popular approaches to leadership and the more abstract theoretical approaches.

In addition to the new two color-layout, the Fourth Edition also:

Examines the latest research on culture, the dimensions of culture, and how culture affects the leadership process in a new chapter titled “Culture and Leadership”.
Takes a closer look at styles of female and male leaders, the causes for the “glass ceiling,” and how the glass ceiling is being broken in organizational settings in a newly written “Women and Leadership” chapter.
Includes new real-world case studies, research references, new figures and tables, additional research-based applications, and expanded discussions of selected leadership topics.
Provides an Instructors Resources CD with PowerPoint slides, a test bank, writing assignments, chapter reviews, and much more. (Place your order with SAGE customer service)

Intended Audience: This book will appeal to a variety of upper level undergraduate or graduate level courses in Management, Leadership, Educational Administration, Public Administration, Nursing and Allied Health, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Communication, or Religion. Political and military science studies, as well as corporate training and development programs will benefit from this book.

What a deal! Order Peter Northouse's Leadership: Theory and Practice with W. Glenn Rowe's Cases in Leadership for only $69.95. Buy now!

Customer Reviews:

A High Quality Book.......2007-10-02

According to Kurt Lewin, "There is nothing as practical as a good theory". This is an apt comment in reference to Peter Northouse's book "Leadership: Theory and Practice". The author methodically and clearly explained the major theories and concepts of leadership in a readable and easily understandable manner, in a way that readers can easily implement them.

Northouse stresses the need to link leadership with ethics and values and how to apply the leadership concepts and approaches in practical real-life situations in organisations. When leadership theory and concepts are spelled out as clearly and cogently as they are in this book, their application in organisations becomes self-evident. The author does a good job of presenting the leadership process in an easy to read and understand manner that is both useful and practical to all those that are interested in running successful and effective organisations. Novices will be provided a path whilst the seasoned practitioners will find affirmation.

Helpful textbook.......2007-08-10

This book is used for my Leadership course. It is not too dense, and each chapter follows the same, easy-to-use format. The case studies give more life to the theories presented in each chapter.

Leadership.......2007-07-23

Excellent and detailed book on leadership, a must have for any manager who is looking to accelerate his or her career.

Good Stuff.......2007-06-27

This book is chock full of theory-related leadership styles and gives a lot of insight on your path on becoming a leader and realizing that there is a differance between being a leader, and being a manager. Vital to any up and coming leaders out there.

Interesting reading with good practical application.......2007-05-16

I purchased for a class, the reading is easy to understand and this new edition has a chapter related to culture and leadership that previous editions don't have which I found useful. Overall a good book worth reading.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Organization Change: Theory and Practice (Foundations for Organizational Science)

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Organization Change book review
There has to be something better then this book
comprehensive text on change

Organization Change: Theory and Practice (Foundations for Organizational Science)
W. Warner Burke
Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0761914838

Book Description

"Burke manages to integrate the extant theories of organizational change with case examples that make the theories come alive. He skillfully combines his strong interests in the abstract with his four decades of practical, personal experience in facilitating large-scale organizational change efforts. This book is clearly the work of a master at the peak of his career."

—LEONARD D. GOODSTEIN, Consulting Psychologist and Former CEO, American Psychological Association

Organizations change internally at a much slower pace than the external environments in which they function, and must continually evolve to keep pace. Further, these environments are in constant flux and challenge the assumption of continuity on which organizations are created and developed. Now more than ever, there is a clear need for a greater understanding of how to understand, lead, manage, and change organizations. Organization Change: Theory and Practice provides an overview of the theoretical and research foundation for our current understanding of organization change, including the nature and types of change organizations experience. The author reviews various models, including a new model developed by Burke-Litwin, and uses cases to demonstrate how these models can be used to diagnose change issues in organizations. Emphasizing planned, revolutionary change over the typical gradual, evolutionary change organizations experience, Burke combines and integrates theory and research with application for insight into all aspects of organization change.

This book will prove invaluable to students and professors of MBA-level courses in organization change, organization psychology, industrial psychology, and organizational behavior. It will also benefit professionals and consultants in need of a reference for analyzing organizations. About the Author:

W. Warner Burke is Professor of Psychology and Education and coordinator for the graduate programs in Social-Organizational Psychology, in the Department of Organization and Leadership, at Teachers College, Columbia University, in New York. He is also senior advisor to the organization and change strategy practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Customer Reviews:

Organization Change book review.......2007-01-04

I found this book to be boring and slow at parts, but educational. It was an assigned read for a Human Services class, and I would not have read it on my own if I didn't have to.

There has to be something better then this book .......2006-02-25

I had to buy this book and use it for a class. I find the book to be filled with a wide range of simple common sense theories. It is not a book I would recommend to anyone if they are looking for clear and valuable techniques to utilize there has to be something better then this.

comprehensive text on change.......2002-12-01

So much of the literature on change is often a simplistic cookbook claiming change can be executed in 7 easy steps. Burke provides the reader with the theoretical background and takes one through the multiple considerations when executing organizational change. I applaud Dr Burke for revealing the complexity of change and providing insights into the practice of change management.This is a primer for all who are engaged especially in large scale transformational change as it clearly provides one the background to help one educate others on why the change agent does what she does.

Leveraging Communities of Practice for Strategic Advantage

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Excellent practical guidebook
thick clotted prose
Very practical indeed
A useful practical model
The Future is Here!

Leveraging Communities of Practice for Strategic Advantage
Hubert Saint-Onge , and Debra Wallace
Manufacturer: Butterworth-Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 075067458X

Book Description

How can you build a successful community of practice that is integrally linked to your company's strategic vision? Learn from the first-hand experience of Hubert Saint-Onge, recognized by Fortune magazine as a leader in the field of knowledge capital, and co-author Debra Wallace, the people responsible for a recent project to establish a community of practice for independent agents at Clarica Life Insurance Company voted one of the most admired knowledge enterprises in the world by practitioners and researchers.

'Leveraging Communities of Practice for Strategic Advantage' combines theory and practice to outline a model for developing successful communities of practice and proposes a direction for establishing communities of practice as an integral part of the organizational structure. Saint-Onge and Wallace relate what worked, what didn't, and why as they tell the story from inception through implementation to assessment. Whether you're developing communities of practice or want to learn how to leverage existing communities for strategic gain, this book provides you with everything you need to launch successful communities of practice in your organization.

* Hubert Saint-Onge has been recognized by Fortune magazine as a leader in the area of leveraging knowledge capital
* Clarica has been voted one of the most admired knowledge enterprises in the world by practitioners and researchers
* Combines theory and practice to outline a model for developing successful communities of practice

Customer Reviews:

Excellent practical guidebook.......2005-12-31

While there are a number of books with marvellous content about the theory of communities of practice, this is the one that I go back to over and over again for practical, step-by-step guidance.

I have used and recommended this book often. It is the manual I employed when I created my first formal community of practice in early 2004 - and that community is still going strong and growing, even though I am no longer working with that organization!

thick clotted prose.......2005-03-27

This book is comprised of the kind of writing Sockel calls "thick clotted prose". After decades of reading the clear, unadorned, precise and excellent English of The Economist, I have become intolerant of pretentious layered jargon. What, for example, does this sentence say, which could not be said in simple words: "The organization's objectives, responses, and business models should be calibrated on the basis of its capabilities." Perhaps it could have been: "Organizations should do things they are good at." If this thick clotted prose had coagulated into high scholarship, I might have bothered to read on. Alas, that was not the case. The authors write, in a gesture alluding to scholarship: "Evidence shows that customers are demanding clearer information from their solution providers..." What evidence? It was not given, nor references to studies showing it. Read this book to find out how not to write.

Better still, get yourself a good book on this topic. See "Cultivating Communities of Practice" by Wenger at al., from Harvard Business School Press. Here you shall find lucid expression, good English, thorough endnoting and source documentation, and a comprehensive treatement of the topic.

Very practical indeed.......2003-09-26

This book has proved very practical indeed with the developing of CoPs in our environment.

A useful practical model.......2003-02-19

The book describes the introduction of a virtual community of practice, the Agents Network, at Clarica Life Insurance, Canada's first and oldest mutual insurance company. The book offers a practical and detailed example of the establishment, implementation and evaluation of the virtual community, with examples of the tools used by the project team at Clarica.

The authors introduce the notion of communities of practice as a new strategy to leverage knowledge capital to create sustainable competitive advantage. By valuing communities of practice, by recognising the contribution of community members, and giving support for time and commitment) and providing an infrastructure (e.g. giving them a communication platform, active facilitation and information resources), the authors suggest that organizations can increase the speed of innovation and knowledge sharing.

The Community Development Process Model (p.137) provides an excellent 'roadmap' to the approach they undertook that is readily understood. Practical suggestions and tools about evaluating the value of the community are also provided. There is a good combination of theory and practice and, therefore, something for anyone interested in this topic. It has a balance between high-level strategic models, and detailed and practical examples.

The approach taken at Clarica was systematic and project-managed, with the organization playing a very active role in facilitating the conceptualisation, establishment, growth and expansion of the community. The organization obviously provided significant resources to undertake the project. Virtual communities of practice, like the one described in the book, clearly require strong organisational support and resources due to the technological infrastructure they require to be effective.

The authors do not purport to provide a recipe - rather, they tell a story about the introduction of a virtual community of practice in one organization - as such, the book offers an in-depth view of the process. The questions asked at the end of each chapter are intended to challenge readers to assess whether the approach described would work in their own organization.

Practitioners may be tempted to read more widely to find alternative approaches to developing communities of practice, and to select 'the best of the best'. The Clarica approach is only one way, but it does provide sound conceptual models that set the strategic context, as well as diving directly into the detail. There is a useful associated website.

The Future is Here!.......2003-01-25

Hubert and Debra, thanks, you two have written a monumental work, but in such a humble and mater-of-fact manner. The more I read, the more I became frustrated with the title, because although the book is about the strategic nature of "Communities of Practice," it offers so much more. For the last thirty years, people have been trumpeting the `end of the hierarchy,' but without anything to put in its place. Know we know the future, and it is here!

In Nonaka and Takeuchi's "The Knowledge Creating Company," there was the suggestive diagram of the "hypertext organization." It showed three layers, the hierarchy, the project team community and a third space, the knowledge community. A few years later Nonaka understood that this third space was what the Japanese call "Ba," a shared mental space. Is this not what you two are talking about in your "Reflective and Strategic - Communities of Practice?"

Book Description

Applied Organizational Communication provides a thorough analysis of the forces and influences in organizational communication. This text:
*explains the impact of critical environmental influences on all levels;
*provides extensive discussion of teams, leadership, technology, listening, and interpersonal communication;
*offers current analysis, utilizing a broad base of information and research; and
*Establishes links between organizational communication and perceptions, theory, networks, and symbolic behavior.

Building on the successful foundation of the first volume, this second edition has been thoroughly revised, reflecting the current state of organizational communication theory and research. Highlights of this edition include:
*extensive topical coverage;
*integrated discussion of change, diversity, and digital age issues in all chapters;
*updated analysis of major issues and influences in organizational communication; and
*real-world examples.

As an accessible and practical examination of organizational communication, this textbook is an excellent course text and serves as a valuable resource. It is intended for use in organizational communication, leadership, organizational development, and organizational intervention courses at the advanced undergraduate and graduate levels.

Dynamics Of Leadership In Public Service: Theory And Practice

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Dynamics Of Leadership In Public Service: Theory And Practice
Montgomery Van Wart
Manufacturer: M.E. Sharpe
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: 0765609010

Advancing Women in Business--The Catalyst Guide: Best Practices from the Corporate Leaders (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)

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Invaluable Benchmarks
Invaluable Benchmarks
INTERESTING TOUR DE FORCE OF BEST PRACTICES.

Advancing Women in Business--The Catalyst Guide: Best Practices from the Corporate Leaders (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)
Catalyst
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0787939668

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Advancing Women in Business--The Catalyst Guide: Best Practices from the Corporate Leaders is literally a self-help manual for anyone interested in expanding management opportunities for women while simultaneously advancing larger business objectives. Produced by the nonprofit Catalyst organization and opening with a foreword by its president Sheila Wellington, the book presents an array of practical suggestions for developing programs that ultimately benefit all employees and positively impact the bottom line. A variety of helpful resources are identified, and laudable programs at companies such as Eastman Kodak, Sara Lee, and Motorola are described. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

Optimize Your Company's Leadership Potential

Develop a more diverse, creative, and resourceful pool of leadership talent for your company. Reinforced by the cutting-edge research and consulting expertise of Catalyst, America's premier nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of women in business, this guide details the best practices of corporations noted for their ability to cultivate and leverage the abilities of their female employees. Stories of initiatives undertaken at Hewlett-Packard, JC Penney, and DuPont, among other companies--coupled with practical, hands-on advice--illustrate a compelling framework organizations can follow to more fully develop their own human capital at a time when no company can ignore a single source of competitive advantage.

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Invaluable Benchmarks.......2000-03-14

For those organizations which seek to establish and then sustain programs which optimize the talents of the women whom they employ, this is an immensely informative book. Of even greater value than the information provided are the specific suggestions it offers based on three decades of research on all manner of companies. Catalyst is a non-profit organization which "partners with U.S. corporations and professional firms that understand the critical power of women at work, that know that women's advancement is not a feel-good or even a do-good issue but a bottom-line practicality."

The Catalyst Award is given to those corporations which have achieved lasting, measurable results in this area. The book examines many of these corporations. For example: IBM, Avon Products, E.I. du Pont de Nemours, Eastman Kodak, Arthur Andersen, Motorola, American Airlines, Morrison & Foerster, McDonald's, J.C. Penney, Dow Chemical, Knight-Ridder, Texas Instruments, and Allstate. I hasten to point out that most (if not all) of the information and suggestions provided by the book are also relevant to small-to-midsize organizations and may indeed be of even greater value to them than to (let's say) "Fortune 100" companies.

Advancing Women in Business is divided as follows:

Part I. Changing the System

Part II. Best Practices

Part III. Resources: The Catalyst Award

"The Catalyst Approach" can maximize the value of a workforce by "capitalizing on the talents of women" only if all efforts are made within an "inclusive, problem-solving, comprehensive program." Specifically, first establish a strong foundation by connecting each initiative explicitly to a business rationale; next, build a fact base by gathering information that will create the baselines for evaluating each initiative's progress; finally, develop, pilot, and implement action plans whose initiatives achieve practical solutions tailored to the organization's environment. How? Several dozen corporations are examined which illustrate what the "Catalyst Approach" requires of those involved in its implementation. Specific strategies and tactics are discussed. Results are measured and evaluated. I rate this book so highly because I think it is very well written, because it provides a wealth of important information about "best practices from the corporate leaders", and because it includes a number of practical suggestions as to HOW to derive greatest benefit from that information. By now, frankly, I had hoped that a gender-specific book such as this would be unnecessary in the year 2000. Well, unfortunately, it is. I now hope that enough people buy it and enough organizations are guided by it so that one day very soon, my granddaughters read it and then ask me "What's this all about? Was it really like that? That's ridiculous!" Yes it is.

Invaluable Benchmarks.......2000-03-06

Advancing Women in Business is divided as follows:

Part I. Changing the System

Part II. Best Practices

Part III. Resources: The Catalyst Award

Frankly, I had hoped that a gender-specific book such as this would not be relevant in the year 2000. Well, unfortunately, it is. I now hope that enough people buy it and enough organizations are guided by it so that one day very soon, my granddaughters will read it and then ask me "What's this all about? Was it really like that? That's ridiculous!" Yes it is.

INTERESTING TOUR DE FORCE OF BEST PRACTICES........1999-04-23

The book begins with a three phase approach for advancing women that is basic to all successful initiatives. It explores some of the best practices of corporations to provide advice on women's advancement issues. It also briefly highlights the programs of numerous Catalyst award winners. The book is based on Catalyst's research reports, case histories, and best practices. This is an interesting tour de force of best practices. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates, author of Stern's SourceFinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and Stern's Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

Moral Leadership: The Theory and Practice of Power, Judgment and Policy (J-B Warren Bennis Series)

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Moral Leadership: The Theory and Practice of Power, Judgment and Policy (J-B Warren Bennis Series)

Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0787982822

Book Description

Moral Leadership brings together in one comprehensive volume essays from leading scholars in law, leadership, psychology, political science, and ethics to provide practical, theoretical policy guidance. The authors explore key questions about moral leadership such as:

How do leaders form, sustain, and transmit moral commitments?
Under what conditions are those processes most effective?
What is the impact of ethics officers, codes, training programs, and similar initiatives?
How do standards and practices vary across context and culture?
What can we do at the individual, organizational, and societal level to foster moral leadership?

Throughout the book, the contributors identify what people know, and only think they know, about the role of ethics in key decision-making positions. The essays focus on issues such as the definition and importance of moral leadership and the factors that influence its exercise, along with practical strategies for promoting ethical behavior. Moral Leadership addresses the dynamics of moral leadership, with particular emphasis on major obstacles that stand in its way: impaired judgment, self-interest, and power. Finally, the book explores moral leadership in a variety of contextsbusiness and the professions, nonprofit organizations, and the international arena.

Introduction to Nursing Informatics (Health Informatics)

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Introduction to Nursing Informatics (Health Informatics)
Kathryn J. Hannah , Marion J. Ball , and Margaret J.A. Edwards
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0387984518

Book Description

Like its predecessor, this book is a primer for those new to nursing informatics. It provides a thorough introduction to basic terms and concepts, as well as an in-depth exploration of the most prevalent applications in nursing practice, education, administration, and research. Expanded and updated to reflect the remarkable technical advances achieved in health care in recent years, this new edition includes new chapters on clinical information systems and Internet usage, and offers the reader illustrative examples and valuable information resources. Topics include: ¿ Telecommunications and Informatics ¿ Nursing Aspects of Health Information Systems ¿ Clinical Practice Applications of Nursing Informatics ¿ Infrastructure Elements of the Health Informatics Environment ¿ Future Opportunities for Nurses in Health Informatics This primer guides reader who want basic information on how to select and use information systems and information management in all aspects of nursing practice, education, management, and research.

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