Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World with CD-ROM

Book Description

The leading authority on system dynamics explains this approach to organizational problem solving, emphasizing simulation models to understand issues such as fluctuating sales, market growth and stagnation, the reliability of forecasts and the rationality of business decision-making. The CD includes modeling software from Vensim, ithink, and PowerSim.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best SD books with connection to practical work.......2007-10-06

"Business Dynamics" is a great book leading the newcomer -as myself- into the field of SD and the experienced system dynamicist can use it as a knowledge pool.

Even though the book is rather expensinve -and heavy alike- it covers great wisdom of John Sterman (he is by the way a scholar of the founder of the field, Jay W. Forrester) and is more than worthwhile buying if you are strongly interested in the field.

I was lucky to meet John and Jay this summer during a specific SD workshop at MIT and the yearly System Dynamics Society Conference and could chat with both of them (they are both very practicably using SD with a strong academic background). Learning and getting more experienced in System Dynamics and the use for daily problem solving is a dynamic and evolving process of wisdom with lots of feedback ("Business Dynamics" can help a lot in getting deeper insights.

Best regards

Ralf

Excellent.......2007-08-29

Excellent guide to systems thinking, clear examples, clear thinking and very interesting conclusions reached. highly recommended

buen libro.......2007-02-22

como parte de la materia lo llevo, me salio mas barato que en mexico y me es util para mi carrera

Amazing.......2007-01-12

The definitive book on Business dynamics !
It may look dificult to follow, but it isn`t really easy to read and follow !
The cd brings good examples.

Edward Garrity, Professor of Information Systems.......2007-01-04

Sterman's book is far and away the best and most comprehensive book on system dynamics for business. Although the title is "Business Dynamics" it really is a text on applying system dynamics to both business and larger social issues/systems.

If you are a strong student of business and systems then this is the book for you. It is highly recommended if you are interested in learning the most you possibly can regarding system dynamics and how to model systems. However, if you are searching for an introduction to this area - watch out. The book is actually quite advanced - it is used at MIT and other graduate business programs at top universities.

What is amazing about this book is that it blends absolute precision, correctness and detail with practical modeling advice and insight and it is written in a relaxed style with numerous examples. It is one of the best examples of clear writing about a complex topic. Dr. Sterman's years of system work has allowed him a level of clarity that is unsurpassed in the business and systems area.

As mentioned earlier, the book can be overwhelming and I would recommend a newcomer to this area to pick up several books first, to provide a more gentle introduction. This is not a contradiction of what I wrote earlier, it is simply that the book packs so much information in its pages, and it is still very long.

Highly recommended.

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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Similar Items:

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

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.

Systems Thinking, Systems Practice: Includes a 30-Year Retrospective

Average customer rating:

A classic that is very relevant today
Checkland's masterpiece
Really worthwhile
Where it all began...

Systems Thinking, Systems Practice: Includes a 30-Year Retrospective
Peter Checkland
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471986062

Book Description

Systems Thinking, Systems Practice "Whether by design, accident or merely synchronicity, Checkland appears to have developed a habit of writing seminal publications near the start of each decade which establish the basis and framework for systems methodology research for that decade." Hamish Rennie, Journal of the Operational Research Society, 1992 Thirty years ago Peter Checkland set out to test whether the Systems Engineering (SE) approach, highly successful in technical problems, could be used by managers coping with the unfolding complexities of organizational life. The straightforward transfer of SE to the broader situations of management was not possible, but by insisting on a combination of systems thinking strongly linked to real-world practice Checkland and his collaborators developed an alternative approach - Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) - which enables managers of all kinds and at any level to deal with the subtleties and confusions of the situations they face. This work established the now accepted distinction between 'hard' systems thinking, in which parts of the world are taken to be 'systems' which can be 'engineered', and 'soft' systems thinking in which the focus is on making sure the process of inquiry into real-world complexity is itself a system for learning. Systems Thinking, Systems Practice (1981) and Soft Systems Methodology in Action (1990) together with an earlier paper Towards a Systems-based Methodology for Real-World Problem Solving (1972) have long been recognized as classics in the field. Now Peter Checkland has looked back over the three decades of SSM development, brought the account of it up to date, and reflected on the whole evolutionary process which has produced a mature SSM. SSM: A 30-Year Retrospective, here included with Systems Thinking, Systems Practice closes a chapter on what is undoubtedly the most significant single research programme on the use of systems ideas in problem solving. Now retired from full-time university work, Peter Checkland continues his research as a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellow.

Customer Reviews:

A classic that is very relevant today.......2007-06-13

I originallay read (and wrote a paper about) Checkland's ideas in 1990 whilst I was studying for my MBA. Then his ideas seemed revolutionary, insightful and impractical. Re-visiting his book nearly 20 years on little has changed in my view of its content, but the world has moved on and what seemed impractical now appears possible.

I would urge anyone involved in creating modern systems based on distributed and dynamic principles to study Checkland.

Checkland's masterpiece.......2004-10-23

When I first read this book I thought it to be revolutionary, ahead of it's time (as others have) and insightful. Despite the fact that Checkland has in large moved away from the ideas and the model of this book - to me it represents the original vision of SSM (soft systems methodology) more so than his later books. Checkland presents a history of systems thinking in the book then goes onto to discuss the need for a new approach - that of SSM. With extreme elegance of style Checkland delivers a long and stinging critique to Hard Systems thinking and presents a coherent and thoughtful argument for his own version SSM. Further he creates a platform for real world problem solving that is useful and interesting. A lot of his ideas have appeared in American texts (like the fifth discipline for example) and rarely are they credited or made use of in that regard. This book is a good place to start exploring the real world of problems with but I would highly recommended that before you go to his two other books you start here. This in my opinion has not been bettered in any systems context to date and I am not sure it ever will or could be. Having said that you really do need to read it and find out for yourself. Be warned it's not for those who want to be challenged in their thinking - especially those of you who don't like the qualitative stuff.

Really worthwhile.......2004-07-02

This book is a gem. The basic concepts of systems, hierarchies and emergent properties are developed from the methodologies of physical and social sciences in chapter 3, and makes for fascinating reading. I'm currently writing a master's thesis on it! =)

If you're studying management of information systems or something similar, you are probably sick and tired of overly theoretical approaches to the subject which seem to be just excuses for academics to publish rubbish (eg. structuration, actor network theory, etc). This book may save you from a nervous breakdown.

Where it all began..........2002-07-12

Well, since I've been on a bit of a 'systems' binge lately, I might as well review this old gem...

Checkland's book was the first to introduce the differentiation between 'soft' and 'hard' systems analysis. Soft analysis is much more akin to a general, somewhat philosophical approach to the methodology whereas hard analysis is the development of usable engineering models.

First off, this book is actually two books - the first is a fairly long paper that neatly sums up the systems approach over the 30 years it has been explored. The consensus? Things looked really promising at the beginning but unfortunately the approach simply got hung up on the very thing it was trying to escape: science's current preoccupation with reductionism. That is, the hard systems approach attracted the most attention and it quickly succumbed to the very trap it sought to escape starting with its use of rigidly-defined symbols right up to the detailed diddling with mathematical models that, similar to earlier approaches, did not model reality at all due to assumptions and oversimplification.

Checkland is much more interested in the soft approach and he consistently laments the fact that systems methodology is not being taught even though it holds so much promise to solving many of our pressing problems. The overview presses this point home and should be required reading for anyone in management or engineering.

The second section, the original book with a few revisions, is still very relevant. Checkland's focus, soft systems, never was given a chance given our preoccupation with reductionism. Given the recent failures of reductionism, particularly the genome-mapping fiasco, cast systems theory in new light.

Checkland starts out with an excellent overview of the history of science from a (mostly) philosophical perspective. This very readable overview leads directly into his discussion of the history and early development of systems theory. He then focuses on systems methodology (soft systems theory) with some general applications.

The approach is very readable and should be easily understood by anyone - in fact, Checkland stresses the importance of having a wide base of knowledge to help solve real-world problems and points out that much work has been done by people who 'migrated' from other fields. Smuts, one of the pioneers, was actually a politician and only wrote a systems book after losing an election...

It is unfortunate that there are no references to Robert Rosen here since his work, more of a 'hard' approach to systems theory, fully supports Checkland's ideas. In fact, there is a lot of material that should be included as 'backup' for why the systems approach is important as a new direction away from reductionism. Perlovsky's work in cybernetics, Jopling's recent work on self-knowledge, Prigogine's work in thermodynamics and even Kauffman's attempts in biology now point to hypotheses that are only compatible with a systems methodology.

Book Description

The first edition of Systems Thinking was the first book to develop a working concept of systems theory and to deal operationally with systems methodology. The author has been working for the last 5 years to incorporate parallel development in quantum theory, self-organizing systems and complexity theory, the sum of which is included in this new 2nd edition. He has tested these concepts with 200 executive MBA students, and also with Russell Ackoff, one of the founding fathers of systems thinking. Ackoff reported that it was the most comprehensive systems methodology he has seen.

The 2nd edition features the synthesis of holistic thinking (iteration of structure, function and process), operational thinking (understanding chaos and complexity), sociocultural systems (movement toward a predefined order), and interactive design (redesigning the future and inventing ways to bring it about).

Also added are the operational thinking and self-organizing aspect of sociocultural systems, with updates made to the holistic thinking and interactive design parts to incorporate recent new developments.

* Cutting edge thinking incorporates the interaction of holistic thinking, operational thinking, sociocultural systems, and interactive design to develop an all inclusive systems methodology
* Companion website built solely to accompany and compliment the new edition available at www.interactdesign.com
* Operational thinking and self organizing aspects of sociocultural systems added anew, with the holistic thinking and interactive design parts updated to incorporate new developments

Customer Reviews:

Don't be afraid,.......2007-08-27

This is really aimed at the reader who wishes to work on the transformation of whole organisations. Demonstrating the multi-dimensional relationships between organisational design, performance and behaviour.

This work has had a profound effect on my thinking and development of management ideas. It integrates many concepts into a systemic whole. I have used this book with many management teams in recent years.

If you are venturing into the world of systems thinking then this is probably the most accessible in terms of simplicity and breakthrough applications.

Putting these ideas into practice with your colleagues or management teams might seem a little daunting but it's the only way to learn and master the concepts which will bring deeper insight into organisational change and provide you with better solutions to some of your more persistent management issues. Don't be afraid.

Managing Chaos and Complexity: A Platform for Designing Business Architecture.......2007-02-18

My company recommended that I read this book in advance of training session with the author. I scanned the entire book today. Some useful info.

Multi-point reference, strong in all areas but very broad.......2006-04-14

The concepts of system thinking, enterprise architecture, business architecture are big enough by themselves to be covered in a book. Doing it all within the context of a single book is daunting and a topic that Gharajedaghi partially accomplishes.
I read this book as part of the research I did for my doctoral dissertation, so this review will have a bit of an academic bent.

Gharajedaghi is a strong believer in the Enterprise Architecture models of Zachman and that influence shows in his work. The book has a strong academic flavor in its use of terminology and how it describes systems thinking. Executives and consultants looking to understand these concepts will have to work at it a bit, but the work is worth it.

A strength of this work is the fact that includes actual case studies -- something that few people take the time to do. The five cases cover a variety of industries and situations that make the principles that Gharajedaghi discusses.

Overall, if you are a serious student of systems thinking this book is a good second level reference. Peter Senge's the 5th Discipline is the 'pop' version of systems thinking and Peter Checklund is the intermediate level and somewhat similar to this work.

Successful Integration of Systems Thinking "Camps".......2006-02-12

Gharajedaghi's 2nd edition has accomplished an incredible feat - he has successfully integrated and synthesized the systems dynamics of Forrester with the systems thinking and interactive design of Ackoff. Jamshid connects Holistic thinking, operational thinking, socio-cultural models/conceptions, and interactive design into a complementary whole. Our organization has learned and is using Jamshid's methodology and it is fundamentally changing the way in which we see the world and the organizations that will be able to compete in this new "flat" world.

If you're ready to escape the confines of linear thinking and classical science and management approaches to organizational problems, then this is your book. This book is written conceptually, not linearly, and challenges any reader who is used to over-simplified, mainstream books yet it is not an overly technical read that would be approachable only to high-level engineers and systems scientists. Those not having approached systems thinking before might be better off simultaneously working through Senge's Fifth Discipline and Ackoff's Best as primers. Be prepared to read it slowly and repeatedly - the ideas are profound when considered carefully and openly and might challenge many core assumptions.

Having met Jamshid on several occasions, I have found him to be one of the brighest men to grace our world with a significant contribution to share - he very well may have the current "best" answer to organizational design for our times. To dismiss him as simply an "Ackoff disciple" or another guru trying to sell his services is shortsighted. Linear, prescriptive books become best-sellers that catapult authors into 5-digit fee days - Jamshid's 2nd edition isn't the stuff of best-sellers, but rather for "best-thinkers."

Go west young man go west!.......2005-11-17

If this book takes you back to the source material, then it will have accomplished its goal. The book itself, lacks the finesse of it's intellectual founders. But by god do we need this book in order to point us back. The last three years have been a result of reading all the source material for the book and for that Jamshid - I thank you.

The best of luck.

Average customer rating:

Trainers: Keep this one handy.
President, Metalens
Great with multi-cultural groups, but more references needed
Great with multi-cultural groups, but more references needed

The Systems Thinking Playbook
Dennis Meadows , and Linda Booth Sweeney
Manufacturer: Inst for Policy & Social Science
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Ring-bound

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Introduction to Systems Thinking

ASIN: 0966612779

Book Description

Three volume set with companion DVD!

Since Volume I of The Systems Thinking Playbook was published in 1995, it has become a favorite of K-12 teachers, university faculty, and corporate consultants. The book provides short gaming exercises that illustrate the subtleties of systems thinking. Volume II appeared in 1996, adding ten new games. Volume III was added with ten entirely new exercises contained in 165 pages, doubling the size of the book! In 2005, the authors added a companion DVD of videos illustrating good practice in introducing and running the 30 games.

The 30 games are classified by these areas of learning - Mental Models, Team Learning, Systems Thinking, Shared Vision and Personal Mastery. Each description clearly explains when, how, and why the game is useful. There are explicit instructions for debriefing each exercise as well as a list of all required materials. A summary matrix has been added at the back for a quick glance at all 30 games. When you are in a hurry to find just the right initiative for some part of your course, the matrix will help you find it.

Linda Booth Sweeney and Dennis Meadows both have many years of experience working with adults. This book reflects their insights. Every game works well and provokes a deep variety of new insights about paradigms, system boundaries, causal loop diagrams, reference modes, and leverage points. Each of the 30 exercises here was tested and refined many times until it became a reliable source of learning. Some of the games are adapted from classics of the outdoor education field. Others are completely new. But all of them complement readings and lectures to help participants understand intuitively the principles of systems thinking.

The book includes many quotations from practitioner, who share their insights about the relevance of specific exercises. There are also citations for related reading

Customer Reviews:

Trainers: Keep this one handy........2003-05-14

As corporate trainers and authors of books for trainers, we keep a lookout for quality and innovation in our field. The Systems Thinking Playbook is a handy three-ring binder filled with interactive lessons that breathe life into systems theory. These clear lesson plans make sometimes intimidating concepts accessible and can inspire course designers to strike off in their own creative directions. If any part of your job includes helping people function in groups or organizations, you should keep The Systems Thinking Playbook within easy reach. - Bill Withers and Keami D. Lewis

President, Metalens.......2000-05-05

The Systems Thinking Playbook is one of the most pragmatic and effective books I have found that actually enables one to take theory into practice and make it fun! Learning is most effective when one embodies concepts and Linda Booth Sweeney and Dennis Meadows have done a wonderful job here. Play with it and learn!

Great with multi-cultural groups, but more references needed.......1999-07-22

Here in South Africa we have no less than 11 official languages! Can you imagine how many mental models are at work in organisations?

As a teacher of Systems Thinking, especially Managerial Cybernetics, I have found the exercises very helpful in grounding the concepts and unlocking the rich variety of perspectives that make up the South African gestalt.

Everytime I facilitate an exercise I learn something new. Makes for a great learning partnership. However, there is a risk that groups have so much fun, they neglect the challenge to get more deeply into 'the thinking within systems thinking' i.e. epistemology and ontology, and may miss opportunities for even deeper awareness and consciousness.

Some more references to other Systems Thinkers and their writings might be useful as follow through and encouragement to embark on deeper learning cycles that lead to more rigourous understanding.

Great with multi-cultural groups, but more references needed.......1999-07-22

Here in South Africa we have no less than 11 official languages! Can you imagine how many mental models are at work in organisations?

Some more references to other Systems Thinkers and their writings might be useful as follow through and encouragement to embark on deeper learning cycles that lead to more rigourous understanding.

The PowerScore GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible: A Comprehensive System for Attacking the GMAT Critical Reasoning Questions
Average customer rating:

Defenitly Deserves the Title. (Add "And A Quick Reference too!"

useful book

Very similar to LSAT Prep Class Material

Best GMAT book

Good Breakdown of subject material

The PowerScore GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible: A Comprehensive System for Attacking the GMAT Critical Reasoning Questions
David M. Killoran
Manufacturer: Powerscore Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0972129634
Release Date: 2005-08-01

Product Description

The PowerScore GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible will teach you how to break down GMAT argumentation, how to recognize GMAT question types, and how to separate correct answers from incorrect answers. You will improve your accuracy in answering questions and your speed as well. If you are shooting for the highest score possible, the Critical Reasoning Bible will help you maximize your performance. The approaches discussed in the Critical Reasoning Bible are also useful when attacking Reading Comprehension questions. The Critical Reasoning Bible is also supplemented by an exclusive website that provides additional material for the book, including suggested study plans and answers to frequently asked student questions.

Customer Reviews:

Defenitly Deserves the Title. (Add "And A Quick Reference too!".......2007-03-25

Defenitely deserves the title and what'smore, this book can be a very quick reference, making it very practical and helpful.

Don't be afraid to buy a whole book for this question type. All the other books (Princeton, Kaplan, Official Guide, etc...) do not cover this GMAT speciality topic in depth. This book will clear all your doubts about how to solve and how to think about CR questions. It also provides a quick reference. For example, if you think you need to review how to best think about "Weaken" questions, you can very easily in five minutes read the section summary and be confident again. Tomorrow is my exam and in 1/2
an hour I reviewd the whole book!

This book clearly divides the CR question types into ten and not eight like most of the other question types and believe me knowing the question type is a fundamental that you need to master. Even more, it gives you innovative specific techniques for each question type, example, Fact Test, Variance Test, Assumption Negation Techniques. All these techniques are simplifying techniques that allow you to intelligently tackle CR questions.

The book also discusses why its techniques are different from and better than those of other books. Eg: This book unlike Princeton (I am not Against Princeton, in fact I think it is much better that Kaplan) teachs you and convinces you to read the Argument first and then questin.

By exactly knowing what you should do for eah question type you can become an expert in solving CR questions. The thinking process becomes "automatic" one, that is you don't have to think really hard because the strategies that you learned become natural.

I recommend this book to anyone seriously preparing for the GMAT.

useful book.......2007-02-04

I have covered almost all popular books in the market like Official Guide, Kaplan , Barrons ,Princeton ,Kaplan 800 and was looking for more practice questions and decided to buy this book.The questions in the book are really in the tougher category and lots of teasers which u may get wrong unless u r reallyyyy sharp. Explanations are very natural and feels like ur attending a class . looks the author was teaching GMAT prep students since many places he mention that his students got this answer and argued like this etc etc.

I would recommend this book if u have run of popular books and still looking to perfect ur score.

Very similar to LSAT Prep Class Material.......2007-01-09

I took Powerscore's LSAT prep class 2 years ago. If any of you have taken the LSAT before, you'll know that the LSAT critical reasoning questions are slightly more comprehensive than the GMAT questions. Regardless, I thought that Powerscore's LSAT classroom materials were very well organized and had a straight-forward methodology. Imagine my surprise when I opened this book and found the materials to be very similar, if not the same! (I did find several instances in the book where "LSAT" appeared instead of "GMAT")
If you find the Critical Reasoning questions of the GMAT to be challenging, and you actually want to understand the approach to answering these questions, as opposed to memorizing "short cuts", then I would recommend this book to you. If you belong to the other camp, then you might not want to consider it at all.

Best GMAT book.......2006-03-19

To improve your score across the board in the verbal section, you need to first improve your critical reasoning skills. It not improved my critical reasoning section score but also had a direct impact on my comprehensive reading section score. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to improve the verbal score to beyond the 90th percentile.

Good Breakdown of subject material.......2006-03-03

Excellent breakdown on each of the different parts of critical reasoning. Good format and it helped me better understand how to attack each critical reasoning question.

Systems Thinking Basics: From Concepts to Causal Loops

Average customer rating:

Academic Text
Best used as a course book

Systems Thinking Basics: From Concepts to Causal Loops
Virginia Anderson , and Lauren Johnson
Manufacturer: Pegasus Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1883823129
Release Date: 1997-03-01

Customer Reviews:

Academic Text.......2007-06-26

Fairly good text book, while it explained the use and need for CLD's it fails to provide a first reader on how to actually draw the loops! It does not guide or recoomend what software to use in doing the drawing... we are all not technical drawers.....

Best used as a course book.......2002-06-22

At 144 pages this book is a short introductory text and workbook that is designed to introduce systems thinking. It starts by building an awareness of systems thinking as a discipline, and by providing a series of learning activities that lead you through the basics.

The two main techniques that this book teaches are (1) behavior over time graphs and causal loops, both of which are the main tools employed in systems thinking. These are also the foundation of system dynamics of which systems thinking is a subset (system dynamics uses expanded techniques such as simulation models and analysis of alternatives).

What I like about this book is the clear explanation of the basics and the use of illustrations and learning activities. I also like the summaries of system archetypes and system thinking tools included in the appendices, which provide starting points for further study. It's not the best book for self-study because it is written more as a workbook than an introductory text. As such it is best used in an instructor-led course, or in conjunction with more in-depth books about system thinking (my favorite is Systems Thinking: Managing Chaos and Complexity by Jamshid Gharajedaghi).

Average customer rating:

KM is not for dummies or idiots

A good introductory overview of the subject

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knowledge Management

Excellent grounding in knowledge management theory and practice!

An Excellent and Understandable Reference

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knowledge Management (The Complete Idiot's Guide)
Melissie Clemmons Rumizen
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Knowledge Management

ASIN: 0028641779

Customer Reviews:

KM is not for dummies or idiots.......2007-08-25

I have been reviewing the literature of Knowledge Management (KM) for over a year. I am surprised how much is written about KM, but how little it is employed in the workplace, learning place, and government. The Complete Guide is a fine introduction--even though it is five years old, providing the core concepts and a well-rounded Glossary of KM.

Now, if we could only get the decision-makers to collaborate with us fire-starters and implement KM, we wouldn't be idiots for lack of access to knowledge resources.

A good introductory overview of the subject.......2007-03-09

As the title indicates, this is a basic introduction to the topic of Knowlege Management (KM). For that purpose it does a good job of covering the subject and providing a basic outline for planning your own KM implementation in your organization. It's not "the only book you'll need" to implement KM, nor does it claim to be, although more details on references would be a good addition for those going on to the next level.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Knowledge Management .......2006-11-10

An excellent book for novices and those wanting to start KM activities in a go. Simple and easy to read and very well structured.

Excellent grounding in knowledge management theory and practice!.......2005-12-31

Melissie is a wonderful person, a great writer, and a very knowledgeable knowledge management expert.

Her writing is engaging without being patronizing or overly complex. She provides a wonderful overview of a number of different knowledge management practices. This was one of my most-thumbed-through books when I was first learning about knowledge management (having been asked to lead a brand-new knowledge management department, I had to come up to speed fast!).

I highly recommend this book for anyone who's getting started in the field and wants to learn more, as well as anyone in any field who wants an overview of what knowledge management is all about.

An Excellent and Understandable Reference.......2005-12-02

By far the most useful of all my KM references. An excellent choice if you are trying to initiate a KM effort in your organization and to help people understand what KM is and isn't!

An Introduction to General Systems Thinking (Silver Anniversary Edition)

Average customer rating:

Weinberg's Introduction to Systems Thinking
Outstanding book
not quite an alternative to 'Systems Thinking'
An excellent introduction...
A true classic in how humans set and solve problems

An Introduction to General Systems Thinking (Silver Anniversary Edition)
Gerald M. Weinberg
Manufacturer: Dorset House Publishing Company, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0932633498

Book Description

For more than twenty-five years, An Introduction to General Systems Thinking has been hailed as an innovative introduction to systems theory, with applications in computer science and beyond. Used in university courses and professional seminars all over the world, the text has proven its ability to open minds and sharpen thinking.

Originally published in 1975 and reprinted more than twenty times over a quarter century -- and now available for the first time from Dorset House Publishing -- the text uses clear writing and basic algebraic principles to explore new approaches to projects, products, organizations, and virtually any kind of system.

Scientists, engineers, organization leaders, managers, doctors, students, and thinkers of all disciplines can use this book to dispel the mental fog that clouds problem-solving. As author Gerald M. Weinberg writes in the new preface to the Silver Anniversary Edition, "I haven't changed my conviction that most people don't think nearly as well as they could had they been taught some principles of thinking.”

Now an award-winning author of nearly forty books spanning the entire software development life cycle, Weinberg had already acquired extensive experience as a programmer, manager, university professor, and consultant when this book was originally published.

With helpful illustrations, numerous end-of-chapter exercises, and an appendix on a mathematical notation used in problem-solving, An Introduction to General Systems Thinking may be your most powerful tool in working with problems, systems, and solutions.

Customer Reviews:

Weinberg's Introduction to Systems Thinking.......2007-01-04

Weinberg's book will not teach you how to be a systems thinker. It will, however, provide a stimulating discussion and thoughtful examination of an alternative approach to problem analysis and solution. The book is not so much about how the systems approach works or how it can be applied to complex problems as it is an invitation to his readers to explore their perceptions of what they think they know versus what they really do know. Throughout the book, Weinberg follows the strategy of leading the reader through a series of logical discussions designed to bring them face to face with their biases and misconceptions about systems vs. reductionist thinking. In doing so, Weinberg exposes the shortcomings of the reductionist approach to problem solving by demonstrating to his readers that the real solutions to some familiar and apparently simple problems are very complex.

Through his examples, Weinberg shows that by viewing a system holistically within its environment, we may be able to discern patterns of behavior/actions and recognize interactions, interrelationships, and interdependencies among the components that will be missed in a reductionist approach. From that view, we can better understand the system and, perhaps, better predict how it will evolve over time. The success of his approach is demonstrated by the fact that people are still reading and quoting his book 25+ years after it was written.

One facet of this book which I found beneficial may be a drawback for some readers. Weinberg wrote from the viewpoint of a computer programmer and a scientist. A person not versed in either field might have difficulty understanding his examples.

Outstanding book.......2006-02-17

This book is excellent. I first read this book in graduate school in 1976, and I continue to find Weinberg's ideas useful. It was outstanding then, and it has held up with time.

not quite an alternative to 'Systems Thinking'.......2005-09-17

I was searching for an alternative to the out-of-print book 'Quality Software Management, vol.1: Systems Thinking', written by the same Author.
Having read few Sofware Management series books from the same Author, which I rate at the very top of my list, I was biased on very high expectations. Surprisingly, I have found it being quite verbose and in the end, I couldn't get too much inspiration out of it.

An excellent introduction..........2002-06-05

Weinberg distills the essence from von Bertalanffy's classic and manages to present it in a very accessible fashion. The book has been out of print for quite a while so it is great to see a new edition. The message and information contained in here, although originally published in 1975, is now more relevant than ever.

Weinberg covers many aspects of systems theory beginning with the main stumbling block with the present scientific paradigm: the idea that the universe is mechanistic. His treatment is much more general than Robert Rosen's in "Life Itself" but still conveys why the mechanistic notion is flawed.

He then outlines the general systems theory approach before leading into the idea that a system is simply a way of looking at the world. He then outlines the principle of indifference. This leads straight into two sections outlining various aspects of making observations. Finally he discusses behaviour and then some general systems questions.

Throughout the book he uses many examples from disparate fields in conjunction with questions for further research. It is great to see someone who doesn't preach systems but actually uses the ideas.

Definitely a must-read as we decided how to solve the myriad of issues before us.

A true classic in how humans set and solve problems.......2001-03-23

In computing, a timeless classic is anything that is worth reading for any reason other than to obtain a historical context after five years. If that still holds true after twenty five years, then it is truly an extraordinary piece of work. That label applies to this book. It is not about computing per se, but about how humans think about things and how "facts" are relative to time, our personal experience and environmental context.
Human thinking is a complex operation and that is the point of this book. The problems and examples presented are not those in computing, but problems in how we think about the world and how that world can be different from person to person. In many ways, Weinberg anticipates the development of the science of chaos, where small changes lead to disproportionate large changes. His example of the "small" change of a single character is a classic. A man was considering the purchase of a piece of real estate, but when told the cost was fourteen million dollars, sent the response by telegram, "No, price too high." However, somehow a character was dropped, so the agent received the message, "No price too high", purchased the property and so a classic error was invented.
Weinberg uses science and mathematics as the genesis point for most of his examples. The laws of thermodynamics, chance and simulations in state spaces are used to demonstrate the points. As someone with a wide background in science, I found his examples of how scientific thought gives us an anchor but yet alters over time excellent learning material. Thought problems are included at the end of each chapter and they cover many different areas. Some involve mathematics, others science and many could be the point of a vigorous philosophical debate. Together they form the best collection of thought experiments and points of contention that I have ever seen gathered together in one location.
This is a book that is a true classic, not in computing but in the broad area of scholarship. It is partly about the philosophy and mechanisms of science; partly about designing things so they work but mostly it is about how humans view the world and create things that match that view. This book will still be worth reading for a long time to come and it is on my list of top ten computing books of the year.

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