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Enron was a $100-billion-a-year company in October 2001--America's seventh-largest. The Houston-based energy firm enjoyed warm ties with newly installed President George W. Bush. Earnings were up 26 percent from the previous quarter, while Fortune magazine had named Enron the country's most innovative company six years in a row. Less than two months later, Enron filed for bankruptcy in the biggest corporate failure in history. Enron became synonymous with the greed and fraud of the go-go high-tech stock bubble of the late 1990s--the worst of a series of spectacular corporate collapses that also took down WorldCom, Tyco, and Global Crossing.
What went wrong? Veteran New York Times financial journalist Kurt Eichenwald does an epic job of telling Enron's story in his 742-page tome Conspiracy of Fools. Eichenwald, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2000, also authored The Informant, an acclaimed account of a vast international price-fixing scandal at Archer Daniels Midland. Conspiracy of Fools tells the Enron tale with a cinematic narrative style, relying almost exclusively on scene and dialogue to bring his account to vivid life. We see how federal regulators opened the doors for the Enron fraud early on when they let the company loosen up its accounting rules and essentially cook its books. We read how Enron bullied Wall Street firms into issuing favorable reports about its share price by threatening to take away lucrative banking fees. Eichenwald also reveals how Enron manipulated electricity prices during the California energy crisis of 2000. Eichenwald's book is less successful in situating the Enron debacle in its wider context--the cycle of market speculation that reached a historic summit in the dot-com bubble. Was Enron just a cautionary sign of the greed and lack of ethics of a few bad apples, or was it more symptomatic of an entire market system? That may be a debate for another book. --Alex Roslin
Book Description
From an award-winning New York Times reporter comes the full, mind-boggling story of the lies, crimes, and ineptitude behind the spectacular scandal that imperiled a presidency, destroyed a marketplace, and changed Washington and Wall Street forever . . .
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In 2000, when The Informant was published, few would’ve imagined that a story about price fixing at Archer Daniels Midland could be as un–put–downable as the best crime fiction. Yet critics—and consumers—agreed: The New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald had taken the stuff of dry business reporting and turned it into an unparalleled page–turner. With Conspiracy of Fools, Eichenwald has done it again.
Say the name “Enron” and most people believe they’ve heard all about the story that imperiled a presidency, destroyed a marketplace, and changed Washington and Wall Street forever. But in the hands of Kurt Eichenwald, the players we think we know and the business practices we think have been exposed are transformed into entirely new—and entirely gripping—material. The cast includes but is not limited to George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Paul O’Neill, Harvey Pitt, Colin Powell, Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alan Greenspan, Ken Lay, Andy Fastow, Jeff Skilling, Bill Clinton, Rupert Murdoch, and Michael Eisner. Providing a you–are–there glimpse behind closed doors in the executive suites of the Enron Corporation, the Texas governor’s mansion, the Justice Department, and even the Oval Office, Conspiracy of Fools is an all–true financial and political thriller of cinematic proportions.
Customer Reviews:
Tells the Enron story halfway.......2007-10-10
I really enjoyed "Conspiracy of Fools," although it feels as if it only told half of the story about Enron's collapse, ending before the plea deals and convictions of the company's top executives. The book traces the history of the company and its chairman, Ken Lay, describing his early innovations in launching a market for natural gas during a time when the industry was being deregulated. It then describes the rise of company president, Jeff Skilling, a former consultant at McKinsey & Co. and graduate of Harvard Business School, and his role in advancing the career of Andrew Fastow, Enron's CFO. While the book is sympathetic to Lay (portraying him as an unwitting victim of the company's collapse) and less so to Skilling (portraying him as a tortured alcoholic who urged underlyings to cook the company's books to gin up earnings), it portrays Fastow for the crook that he was. Not only was Fastow completely incompetent as a corporate CFO, but he also schemed and schemed and schemed for his personal enrichment, and surrounded his greedy self with other willing participants in his financial machinations (including Michael Kopper and his boyfriend, wife Lea Fastow, treasurer Ben Glisan Jr., chief accounting officer Richard Causey, chief risk officer Richard Buy, executive vice president J. Clifford Baxter, executive Kenneth Rice, and lawyer Kristina Mordaunt). The head of Enron's international group, Rebecca Mark, is portrayed as an incompetent spendthrift. Meanwhile, Arthur Andersen was populated with dunderheads, including David Duncan, who kowtowed to Enron's every wish, and lawyer Nancy Temple, who ordered the mass shredding of Enron-related documents. Merrill Lynch fired its oil analyst, John Olson, because Enron didn't like his stock opinions and wanted Enron's banking business, according to the book. And Enron's law firm of Vinson & Elkins appears particularly incompetent and all too willing to assist Enron in cooking its books. The book climaxes with the bankruptcy filing of Enron, but the criminal trials of key executives had yet to occur (and Lay died of a heart attack in 1996).
Comprehensive Character List and Complex Issues.......2007-08-04
Without going in to great detail about the book - I am sure we all know it dealt with the collapse of one of corporate Americas' big swingers. The book contained quite a deal of information about events from inside Enron. I guess the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because the author had a way of really annoying me by trying to write the book as a novel (in places). I look forward to the movie - hopefully the ending is better for the investors.
How easily the "system" failed........2007-07-28
You will be amazed at how Enron was able to frustrate every check and balance in place in American Finance. The SEC, individual and institutional investors, auditors, lawyers, accountants, rating agencies, banks, creditors, peers, and even insiders were blindsided by a couple of smart but foolhardy executives who were willing to exploit every loophole in the name of manufacturing *profits* (and not products).
All in all a very readable and addictive book.
Couldn't put it down!.......2007-06-24
I do *not* have a high degree of financial acumen, but this book laid out what was really wrong with Enron in a thoroughly engaging manner. I couldn't put it down, and I finally understand the financial reasons for the collapse, not just managerial incompetence...which was EPIC, by the way.
This review is for the audio cds.......2007-06-16
I borrowed these cds from the library because I'm interested in corporate governance and case studies. I'm not an expert on Enron, but this felt like fiction from the first couple of minutes. When the narrator speaks for Ken Lay, he uses a deep, fatherly voice. Andy Fastow's voice is whiny and child-like. Its content is obviously biased and selective. So from a factual standpoint, I'm not learning a heck of a lot.
As fiction, it's way too long at 25 cds; should be abridged by about 2/3. There's just not that much content, and it's often painful to listen to. If I didn't have a one-hour commute to fill, I'd have given up on it hours ago.
I highly recommend The Smartest Guys in the Room instead.
Product Description
Enterprise Risk Analysis for Property & Casualty Insurance Companies equips you with the latest strategies and practical applications in ERM from leading specialists and practitioners in the field. Key topics covered in the book include: Models and Management Frameworks, Insurance Hazard Risks, Financial Risk Models, Operational Risk and Strategic Risk.
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- Inside story of Rick Hendrick's Bribery Shenanigans
- Maybe Reviewers of this Book Should Tell the Truth
- Great Book!!
- incorrect
- Arrogance and Accords
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Arrogance and Accords: The Inside Story of the Honda Scandal
Steve Lynch
Manufacturer: Pecos Press
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Book Description
Arrogance and Accords: The Inside Story of the Honda Scandal is the tale of the largest commercial corruption case in U.S. history. Between 1994 and 1997, eighteen former executives of American Honda Motor Company, along with four other people, were convicted on federal fraud and racketeering charges. The big secret at Honda was out: Over a 15-year period, the gang of greedy Honda officials had received over $50 million in cash and gifts from automobile dealers eager to obtain additional hot-selling Honda cars and franchises. The ill-gotten booty included briefcases stuffed with up to $750,000 in cash, palatial homes, luxury German automobiles, secret ownerships in dealerships and other businesses, and Hong Kong shopping sprees.
When the automobile market softened in the early 1990s, the high-rolling officials, led by Honda's charismatic national sales manager, switched to embezzling money from the corporation. Honda belatedly fired the executives in 1992 and tried to keep the scandal under wraps - until an ambitious small-town Assistant U. S. Attorney decided to investigate. Eighteen never-before arrested Honda executives were subsequently convicted. Most went to prison.
The final event of the scandal occurred in August 1997 when the nation's largest automobile dealer, Rick Hendrick, pleaded guilty to mail fraud in a federal court in North Carolina.
Arrogance and Accords is both a true-crime story and a look inside one of the world's most respected companies. It details the key characters and their shady deals, along with the internal and FBI investigations, and reveals the corporate culture that allowed the pandemic payola to flourish for so long. The author examines how the corruption adversely affected Honda's sales efforts, from how it marketed automobiles to the establishment of the Acura luxury car division.
The book also provides a compelling look inside the much-maligned American automobile business.
Written by Steve Lynch, a former top Honda marketing executive, Arrogance and Accords is an insightful, often hilarious tale of greed, ignored whistle-blowers, paranoid Japanese managers, and the raucous 1995 federal trial of two of the Honda officials who decided to fight the charges.
Told as only an insider could, Arrogance and Accords is written with authority and style by someone who was in the thick of the action.
Customer Reviews:
Inside story of Rick Hendrick's Bribery Shenanigans.......2005-02-23
This was a terrific review of this book, found online:
BOOK REVIEW: ARROGANCE & ACCORDS - THE INSIDE STORY OF THE HONDA SCANDAL by Steve Lynch
Reviewed By Michael Daly
In June 1999 Pocono Raceway awarded Rick Hendrick its prestigious Bill France Sr. Award of Excellence. Wrote Speedway Scene when the award was announced, "Rick Hendrick exemplifies the drive, dedication, and ideals long associated with Bill France Sr."
The talk about ideals reeks of irony.
Steve Lynch spent thirteen years with the American branch of Honda Motor Company, and he loves Honda automobiles. This passion helps animate and drive his eyewitness account of the long-running bribery scandal that rocked American Honda and involved one of NASCAR's most powerful team owners. The scandal not only involved Rick Hendrick, it swept others in NASCAR racing as well, through no fault of their own.
Lynch's love of Honda shows in his early account of the dismal state of the American automobile scene circa 1981. There is a certain glee with which Lynch contrasts the high quality of Honda's product with the lesser quality of American marques of the time. Such contrasts in quality were vital, for Honda automobles were selling themselves, unsupported by the kind of extensive marketing campaigns common to auto manufacturers.
But as Honda grew more successful, greed and graft within the American division grew bigger and more audacious, as a gang of car cowboys dipped into the till of corruption and made themselves multimillionaires as a result. Lynch notes how Honda's tightwad employment policies contributed to the atmosphere of thievery.
The prince of payola at American Honda was "the blacksheep son of a well-to-do North Carolina family," John W. "Jack" Billmyer. Billmyer first made himself known as corrupt when he first joined Honda in the mid-1970s. He tried to extort from a Honda motorcycle dealer. When the dealer complained to higher-ups, he was ignored - a trait that would permeate American Honda's approach to the scandal for nearly 20 years.
Billmyer "wallowed in the kickbacks of dealers" throughout the country, and following in his footsteps was his successor as chief of national sales, Stanley James "Jim" Cardiges. Cardiges' own lack of moral scruples first displayed itself in very Clinton-esque fashion around 1977; running a dealership with his uncle, Peter Cardiges, Jim hit on - and ultimately stole - Peter's wife, his own aunt-in-law, Effie.
Such men were natural candidates for criminality.
Rick Hendrick was the biggest dealer influence-peddler to play ball with Billmyer and Cardiges. His relationship with Billmyer went back to Rick's youth as a hot rodder. Billmyer helped Hendrick establish himself in the car sales business and was instrumental in getting him a dealership. Lynch shows how Hendrick wielded undue influence with American Honda and was thus able to acquire more car stores than anyone else. "All it took," Lynch writes, "were a few gifts."
Most car companies limit dealers to about six store. Rick Hendrick, though, didn't believe such a rule should apply to him, and in Honda he found a company that officially did not have such a limit. He nonetheless took no chances; Lynch notes that Hendrick store holdings were frequently in the name of others, notably his brother John Hendrick, and less than $1 million of the bribes Rick paid have ever been recovered.
Lynch shows how Hendrick used bribes and influence-peddling to bankrupt rival Honda dealers and poach their stores. William Van Dalsam of Corono, CA, was one. Dick Young of South Carolina was another. These two cases were directly witnessed by Lynch; there were many other such cases not mentioned in the book because they were not directly witnessed by him. According to Rodger Knupp of Asheville, NC, one such involved former NASCAR driver Dick Brooks; after rebuffing a Hendrick offer to buy his stores, he found cars slated for his stores winding up at Hendrick stores.
This tactic of bankrupting rivals also drives Hendrick's racing, as evidenced by the enormous disparity of Hendrick Motorsports' budgets and engineering compared to those of most other teams.
Lynch also reveals how team owner Junie Donlavey and crew chief Doug Richert wound up getting caught up, through no fault of their own, in Billmyer's corruption. Seeing that Donlavey, a Richmond, VA Honda dealer, needed a crew chief for his team for 1987, Billmyer put the squeeze on a dealer from CT, John Orsini, to put Doug Richert on Executive Honda's payroll. This done, Donlavey had his crew chief. But the deal reeked of quid pro quo, and left a paper trail that would help unearth the massive bribery within American Honda.
Lynch carries the story through the trial and conviction of over 22 defendants, including Hendrick. There is a sense of disappointment in Lynch as he notes that, with Hendrick's guilty plea to one count of mail fraud (pertaining to perhaps the biggest individual bribe he paid Cardiges, a bribe that helped Cardiges buy an obscenely expensive California house), the probe of the Honda scandal seemed to close.
Lynch also notes a lesser-reported angle to the story -- how Hendrick reportedly also bribed Lexus. A cynic might thus question Hendrick's relationship with General Motors as well, given Hendrick's Chevrolet dealerships and the near-monopolistic clout and technical assistance GM provides Hendrick's racing empire.
One might also ask, if Hendrick is such a crook, why so many people so love him. Lynch answers that when he notes that, unlike the lesser dealers who bribed Honda, Hendrick was actually a good dealer, and his dealerships reflect him. Lynch notes Hendrick's generosity, his habit of providing whatever his employees need or want - most notably how he paid for operations on employee family members.
"Rick Hendrick has been a driving force in NASCAR Winston Cup racing," Joseph Mattioli of Pocono stated in announcing the France Sr. award, "and has displayed all the attributes that this award stands for."
Steve Lynch shows us just what attributes Rick Hendrick has displayed. NASCAR fans should be required to read this book.
Maybe Reviewers of this Book Should Tell the Truth.......2003-03-08
Michael Daly's review of this book (see below) is driven by his irrational hatred of Jeff Gordon. This book has way more to do with Japanese business methods than Rick Hendrick. Unfortunately, Daly cannot see the forest for the trees. Do yourself a favor. Read the book and not Daly's comments thereto. The former is much more enlightening.
Great Book!!.......2000-10-28
Arrogance and Accords is engaging, well written and at times very funny. The mainstream media missed this compelling corruption tale even though it was the biggest story in the auto industry during the 1990s.
Steve Lynch brings the sordid story to life, using his own experiences along with evidence and depositions provided by the Justice Department. I was on the "fringe" of the scandal and thought I knew the whole story from industry publications but Lynch brings to the table much more information than I ever imagined.
The reason that so much money passed hands is pretty simple - Honda cars were in high demand and dealers greased the palms of American Honda executives to get more vehicles. The real story here is not how it happened but how it all unraveled: a mixture of inept lawyers, an aggressive US Attorney, the often-unheard whistleblowers, and Honda's Japanese managers who did not want to put a stop to the corruption. The second half of the book reads like a true crime novel but it was all true.
Lynch could be a comedy writer. My favorite examples of his humor was his shots at some of the small towns key to the scandal - Conway, Arkansas, Santa Paula, California and Concord, New Hampshire - which were hysterical.
This past year, Honda paid out over $500 million to dealers who sued over the scandal, claiming they were denied vehicles in favor of corrupt dealers. I'm sure we have not heard the end of it....
incorrect.......2000-10-20
Not an accurate account of how this occurred, badly mangled.
Arrogance and Accords.......2000-01-17
As a nascar race fan i really enjoyed this book. It shows how deep corruption is in everyday business and how people like Rick Hendrick can steal and bribe from his own friends and still only get a slap on the wrist.It shows how Nascar stands by Hendrick even though he's a convicted felon.It makes you wonder how many top Nascar people were also involved.Also the influence Rick Hendrick had over GM.I think both Rick Hendrick and Nascar show a lack of respect for fair play in business.You only have to look at Nascar itself and see how they favored Hendricks teams. Did you ever see Jeff Gordan penalized for anything in Nascar.He jumped the restart at Watkins Glen 3 times and never was penalized. Watching Nascar anymore is like watching Wrestling.Nascar is as greedy as Rick Hendrick.
Book Description
She is the last hope of good in the war against the evil sorceress known as the Lady. From a secret base on the Plains of Fear, where even the Lady hesitates to go, the Black Company, once in service to the Lady, now fights to bring victory to the White Rose. But now an even greater evil threatens the world. All the great battles that have gone before will seem a skirmishes when the Dominator rises from the grave.
Customer Reviews:
almost-end of first trilogy aside from the obvious sequel set-up for The Silver Spike.......2007-01-12
this review contains spoilers for this novel, the silver spike, and shadow games.
This is the third Black Company novel, and resolves most of the major conflicts set up in the first and (especially) second novels. The story starts out in three narrative lines, one being the Croaker narrative as the company has fled to the Plain of Fear with Darling, another being the story of the sorceror Bomanz right before he inadvertently freed the Lady and the Taken, and the third being a character we obviously suspect to be Raven in Barrowlands in present-time. The second and third narratives end about halfway through the book and Croaker is the perspective for the rest of the story.
The plains of fear seemed very well done (they were just a footnote in the previous appearance if I recall correctly), with odd creatures and flora described in sufficient detail to make them seen quite alien.
The Bomanz and Raven narratives were supplemental but informative.
The final battle with the dominator had enough surprises to be entertaining, though the obvious setup of leaving Toadkiller Dog free and the Limper's head unfound was clearly with a sequel (the silver spike) in mind.
On page 72 Cook seems to offer the idea that the various taken from the original novel might still be around. This is expounded on later when Darling mentioned that burning the Limper might have worked at the end of Shadows Linger. I think from this time Cook was actively playing with the idea inside the story of un-killing some Taken.
Grave Doings.......2006-06-03
This is the third volume of the first of four segments of the 10 volume story of the Black Company (whew!) Unlike many long series, Glen Cook has the knack of always being just inventive enough to maintain a high level of interest without over-amping on any one volume and then running out of plot at a critical moment. The story opens on the final series of conflicts with The Empire, with The Black Company on the side of the good guys for a chance. Hidden away on The Plain of Fear, the last of The Black Company, and other supporters of Darling, The White Rose, carry out what remains of the rebellion. Life is harsh as harsh can be, and they all know that The Lady and her Taken will soon appear and try to squash them like bugs.
Their only secret advantages are Darling herself, who is a Null - magic doesn't work around her - and the Plain itself a vast desert populated with a host of strange and intelligent life forms. Giant whale like creatures sail the skies, giant talking menhirs wander the dunes, stopping only to mutter "There are strangers on the Plain," and an ancient tree guards an even more ancient evil. Life is not good in the tunnels beneath the sand. And someone, somewhere, keeps sending Croaker pages from Bomanz's Diary - the self same wizard who worked the release of The Lady and The Taken, and who no lies trapped in the Barrow Lands in the tangled net that still guards the Dominator and some of his darker friends.
The story continues to alternate between past and present (a favorite Glen Cook device). Gradually we realize that The Dominator is still working on escape and that something evil has worked its way free as the result of Raven's interference in the guardian spells. This time the risk is even worse than that in Shadows Linger. So dire, in fact that The Lady convinces Croaker to get her acess to The White Rose in order to work out a tactical treaty until the big threat is past. This is a Black Company novel, so if you are intuiting a serious blowout, you're right. Everyone gets into the act - rocks, whales, monsters, you name it.
This is a transition volume, bringing most of the loose ends together as preparation for moving into the next phase of the story - the Black Company's ride back into its own history. Much will change, but it is one of Cook's strengths that he can work changes without breaking the reader's concentration. This is one of the few series where neither the writer nor the reader seem to get overtired.
Glen Cook at his best.......2006-01-14
This is without a doubt Glen Cook at the top of his form. The book is original, unusual, fast-paced, and very enjoyable. The original Black Company trilogy are the best of the nine Black Company novels, and this third book is the best of the trilogy. Read the previous two books first, but definitely get this one too. You might be up all night. The tight prose on display here is easy to follow while still interesting and exciting. It makes for wonderful light reading.
The pinnacle of a masterpiece trilogy..........2003-10-04
I just don't find many books that purely entertain me like this very often. Here again, Cook mixes in several plotlines separated in time all culminating in one of the best "show-downs" I've ever read. I just can't say enough good things about this book. The ending was totally unexpected and Cook drove me insane with curiosity about: the Lady's real name, what Bomans was looking for and what happened, who Corbie was, which Taken were loyal to the Lady, who would ultimately win in the end. One is never quite sure who's playing who until the very end. This is the capstone to one of the best trilogies in any genre.
Final battle in the north.......2003-09-12
The White Rose, the third in Glen Cook's Black Company series, completes this mercenary army's adventures in the north country. It is as different from the first two as they are different from each other. The men grow older, their numbers, dwindle, yet they are feared by their enemies.
All of the threads come together, but not altogether cleanly. The differences between good and evil are not always clear. The beginning of the story is disjointed and not nearly as action-oriented as the first two. No one is what he -- or she -- seems to be. Yet at the end, the story is satisfying enough.
Cook's gritty prose style changes slightly from one book to the next. Characterization is not as strong as in the previous books. Yet there is enough continuity to keep one reading. And he always has a few surprises. This is a good, fast read. Be sure to read the books 1 and 2 first.
Book Description
In large corporations in Japan, much of the clerical work is carried out by young women known as "office ladies" (OLs) or "flowers of the workplace." Largely nameless, OLs serve tea to the men and type and file their reports. They are exempt from the traditional lifetime employment and have few opportunities for promotion. In this engaging ethnography, Yuko Ogasawara exposes the ways that these women resist men's power, and why the men, despite their exclusive command of authority, often subject themselves to the women's control. Ogasawara, a Japanese sociologist trained in the United States, skillfully mines perceptive participant-observation analyses and numerous interviews to outline the tensions and humiliations of OL work. She details the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that OLs who are frustrated by demeaning, dead-end jobs thwart their managers and subvert the power structure to their advantage. Using gossip, outright work refusal, and public gift-giving as manipulative strategies, they can ultimately make or break the careers of the men. This intimate and absorbing analysis illustrates how the relationships between women and work, and women and men, are far more complex than the previous literature has shown.
Customer Reviews:
Subvert the dominant paradigm........2002-09-20
This book (actually a dissertation) describes the power-hierarchy in Japanese companies. Throughout modernity-and into post-modernity- women in the professional Japanese workforce are often given jobs of menial nature. These women, so called "office ladies" or "office flowers", are not given the opportunity for career advancement. Instead they are bounded to their male superiors for whatever clerical jobs these men may desire. Ogasawara, however, posits that "office ladies" actually hold more power than is perceived on the surface. These women, because of their ability to make copies, types documents, and in some cases write detailed reports for the men, are highly valued. These men must, in a sense, "curry favor" with these women in order to: 1) Prove that they will be competent managers in the future and 2) handle all that is required of them from their superiors. (The abundant workload often leaves male employees with little time for making copies, running errands etc.)
The methodology the author uses is participant observation. A great book for anyone interested in Japanese societal structure
Very good study of gender and power in Japanese business.......1999-07-11
The author writes clearly and convincingly about the experience of being an office lady. She explains her entry into the work place, the importance of pecking order among both men and women, and more interestingly, the interaction between men and women in the workplace.
A fascinating study on formal gift giving between men and women, and the opportunities to give strong feedback to workers who have displeased the gift giver is worth the price of the book.
For readers looking for an insight into gender related work issues in Japan, and some wonderful clues about the real balance of power in the office, read on.
Average customer rating:
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The Total Quality Corporation: How 10 Major Companies Turned Quality... to Competitive Advantage in the 19
Francis McInerney , and
Sean White
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0525939288 |
Customer Reviews:
The Green Bug.......2000-04-02
The book consists of 3 main parts. Part 1 shows how 10 growing & successful companies improved their market share and lowered costs by eliminating waste and targetting zero emission. In all cases, these companies went beyond the regulatory requirements. The authors showed the common thread among these companies: clear connection between waste elimination & quality; using waste to quality relationship to drive management decisions; constant waste reduction effort; focus on customer needs as a way to eliminate valueless business processes; using the environment as catalyst to force organizational issues to surface and; using environmental measures to increase shareholder value. CEOs and managers of these companies played key roles in identifying possible savings, putting care in the little details, setting higher and higher standards, empowering employees, eliminating waste at source than recycling later and getting their suppliers to tow the line. Part 2 then illustrates how different countries' action or inaction can encourage or discourage environmental efforts. The book then concludes with Part 3 relating the concern for the environment with the pervasive information technology revolution.
A big portion of the book dwells on how environmental cost reduction efforts reduce business costs and avoid layoffs & restructuring common to many companies nowadays. It shows how operational inefficiencies were eliminated in the effort to target zero waste. In the process, these companies realized what they really do best and what their customers value.
The authors illustrated how some of these companies are riding the green wave. In the car market arena, Nissan showed how eliminating waste led to lasting advantage to reduce costs permanently and concentrate on producing better cars. Initially it was seen as a poor investment but in the end it pays. Nissan designed plastic tanks that can be recycled on site; switch to water-based paints with electrostatic application and through it all empowered its employees. Exxon was used as the model for the oil industry. The drop in oil prices produced a big demand for new investments in environmental controls & programs as way to increase the bottom line. Exxon placed its bet on the sector it has the biggest impact-energy. It showed how to simultaneously cut costs and pollution and how increased revenues can be a result of cutting waste. The authors gave reference to how Exxon handled the Valdez oil spill accident. Praising Exxon for not concentrating on this one accident alone but conducted business-as-usual attitude in its other concerns. Exxon pursued relentlessly how to put more knowledge content and value to its products. Wal-Mart as an example for the retail industry, showed how eliminating what the customers don't value can cut their costs. They recognized the endless truck trips as the major environmental area for improvement. In the process, Wal-Mart revolutionized how goods are delivered to market via smarter management & better IT infrastructure. It pared its costs to the bone, targeting distribution & not the retail stores. In the customer satisfaction area, Luftansa Airlines was the authors' model. Luftansa showed that passenger satisfaction is first and foremost as a result of improving leadership and efficiency while boosting quality & service. It started looking at the waste stream microscopically. Technology was harnessed in various ways: using new aircraft (the youngest in the industry); acquisition of new IT software process and; design of better reservation & flight planning systems. The current environmental laws was seen more as opportunities rather that additional burden. It was clear to Luftansa that to reduce operating costs requires eliminating the waste or activity at the source rather that recycling it later on. Moving on a national & regional perspective, the authors examine how Europe, Japan, Singapore & Hongkong are trying to ride the green wave. Europe is clearly ahead with its tough regulatory measures and high gasoline taxes. Some countries like Denmark and Germany, the authors would call, are the most "environmetally correct" in the world. But for all these successes, they have not improved the competitive performance and efficiency requirement of Europe. Japan's approach is very different. The authors could have not graphically expressed it better--riding the big green tsunami. Environmentalism was a by-product of efficiency. The government pressured the industries to be more efficient and thus reduce energy use during the 2 decades after 1975. Shifting now to the younger countries Singapore & Hong Kong, the authors praised them for their single-minded focus to economic development. Their policy makers recognized that stringent pollution standards attract rather than dissuade foreign investments. They used environmental pressure as catalyst and to use it to maintain economic momentum in the face of competition from other Third World countries.
In the last part of the book, the authors elaborate & analyze how IT will remake the green corporation of the future. More and more, the work of machines and natural resources is being replaced by knowledge. Corporations achieve unheard-of quality and productivity improvements. Production processes are "dematerialized" making them "greener". A clarion call was addressed to the US-- it can no longer rely on its cheap natural resources as its competitive advantage. The competition requires harnessing all the other resources--environmental, financial or human. The effect of information revolution is very similar to the revolution brought about by the railways in the mid-19th century. Then as now, there will be winners & losers.
The book's conclusion is rather simple: zero waste equals zero defects. Pollution is nothing but poor management in action. Green productivity doesn't have to be a herculian or massive operation but in allowing the green bug to bite us in the little details. The opportunities abound in riding the green wave and eliminating waste at the source itself. Environmental pressure has to be turned into our favor helping us lower costs and improve efficiencies.
Customer Reviews:
GOOD VALUE.......2007-03-18
Have given this bible to all my grand children when they make their first Holy Communion. It comes in white leather bound for girls and burgundy leather for boys. Have recommended it to other friends. The price from Amazon is a great value - paid a lot more for others I purchased in stores.
Please read carefully before giving to children.......2006-10-07
Please be very sure to read this book carefully before giving it to children. I have an older version of this book, edited by Sr. Mary Theola, that is wrought with modernist theological commentary.
She doesn't just tell the Bible stories, she tells children what to think about the stories (such as they are just stories and didn't literally happen that way). Here is an example of her writing regarding the creation of Adam and Eve:
"Here again we have the inspired writer telling us an interesting story about our first parents. We must keep in mind that the story is being told for a religious purpose and that it is most important that we understand correctly the truths this Biblical writer wants to teach us. In saying that God formed man from the dust of the earth, he does not mean that God actually molded a man's body out of clay. We can be fairly sure that the writer did not actually believe this. Neither did he believe that woman was really made from man's ribs..."
This commentary is the personal opinion of the auther and is pure conjecture. It is not the official teaching of the Catholic Church. Yet how is a child to know that this is just a theologian's personal opinion vs. the official teaching of the Church? After all, it says "Catholic" on it...
Please, before buying this book, contact the publisher and ask whether it contains commentary by Sr. Mary Theola. If you do acquire this book, please be sure to read it before giving it to children. Don't just trust it because it says "Catholic."
If you love truth, don't buy this book for your children........2005-05-13
This book runs contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Not a good book for impressionable young minds. Unless of course you want them to lose their faith?
Catholic Children's Bible.......2001-06-02
This is an excellent book for the young Catholic - an eapecially good choice for a First Communion gift. It is easy to read and the presentation and pictures are beautiful!
Amazon.com
Manichaeans believe that the world is divided between good and evil. Guitar owners believe that it's divided between Gibsons and Fenders. Members of the latter camp will want to own this compilation of behind-the-scenes testimony by Leo Fender's right-hand man. Forrest White joined the Fender Electric Instrument Company in 1954, and helped develop such iconic models as the Telecaster, Stratocaster, and Precision Bass. As a writer, White is strictly a nuts-and-bolts man--his main concern is to set the record straight and debunk what he sees as a plague of "Fender fictions." But there's still considerable amusement to be had, whether he's recounting the epithets applied to the fledgling Telecaster ("canoe paddle" and "toilet seat with strings") or quoting Leo Fender on the factory's pre-OSHA working conditions: "Around 1949, we started to put an acetate finish on the lap model Hawaiian steel guitar bodies; and to keep the acetate warm, we kept it near an open gas flame. I guess if anything ever happened, we would have blown that building over the moon. Actually, it was so bad that when the fire inspector came, he just looked in the door and ran off to call us at the nearest pay phone, he was so scared." Sure, sure, as long as it's got that twang.
Book Description
A behind-the-scenes account of the Fender Electric Instrument Company by its former general manager. White traces the companyÕs entire history, from Leo FenderÕs beginnings as a radio repairman up to the eventual sale of Fender to CBS, and beyond. Includes stories about the development of the Telecaster, Precision Bass, and Stratocaster, as well as insights into Leo FenderÕs unique personality. It is packed with more than 100 historic photos and illustrations, instrument diagrams and specifications, and anecdotes about artists such as Merle Travis, Bob Wills, Speedy West, and Tex Ritter. 7-1/4 inch. x 9-1/4 inch..
Customer Reviews:
Folksy facts .......2006-09-28
Imagine going into a bar and pulling up next to a talkative old fellow who happens to have worked with Leo Fender for many years. With only a couple beers and a little prodding, the guy goes on and on.
He was there, he knows his stuff. Not a polished conversationalist or an ivy league exec. More Studs Turkel than William Buckley.
That's pretty much what it's like reading this book.
As others have pointed out, Mr. White has axes to grind, horns to toot, old wounds that didn't heal and personal favorites. It's part of the package, undisguised.
Think of it as an oral history. Tidbits and facts scattered among the stories you're not likely to get elsewhere. The book is much stronger in the early, glory days of Fender and a bit hurried after that and downright cautious when dealing with the Music Man and G&L phase. Some aggrivating habbits, such as putting some characters down then going on the defensive about it, gets a litte tiring. But overall a reliable recounting of the early days and a good read - or a conversation over a couple beers (PBR, most likely).
The Real Fender Music Story, as it happened.......2006-09-22
I could not put this book down! Maybe it is because I am a Fender guitar and amp player,through and through, in love with the sound since I first heard those big Showman amps tilted back and the twangy Jazzmasters ringing out through a lush tube reberb. Mr. White tells it like it was, with sensitivity and reverence to all involved, especially Leo Fender. Readers can come along on a wondrous journey through Leo's R & D lab and see how each important guitar was created with input from some top studio and performing musicians. And, sadly, readers can learn about the CBS buy out when Leo's health became a concern for him, and why the quality started to wane after 1965. Readers will have to forgive Mr. White's homey writing style, and his best attempts to remember exact conversations. This, I feel, only adds to the honesty of the account. My only disappointment with the book was the absence of details about amplifier development and models. Readers can get a feel for how Leo invented the first tweed amps for the country pros like Merle Travis and the Bob Wills band, but little else is said about development into the black face, then silver face models. Instead of taking off a star, though, I kept a five star rating becuase this is the only book that proves the history of Fender guitars with personal photos taken by Mr. White. I think the reader can come to his/her own conclusions to the perenial question of where the famous Stratocaster headstock came from, and realize that each guitar grew out of feedback from many people--------Leo was the master that put it all together into a functional,durable design. I should know-----I wouldn't trade my '68 Strat for any guitar in the world.
An informative story told from a very personal point of view.......2001-05-21
This book will be an interesting and educational read for anyone who wants to learn more about the life of Leo Fender and his many innovations in the field of electric musical instruments. The author, Forrest White, traces Fender's career from his early years running a radio repair shop, through his initial struggles to launch his guitar and amplifier business, the later years of dramatic growth and success, the CBS takeover, and Leo Fender's subsequent launch of both Music Man and G&L. Leo Fender is revealed as a risktaker, a tireless innovator, and someone whose products were vastly improved by the fact he listened intently to his musician customers for new ideas. White's book is also chocked full of technical details such as the dates when various products were developed and marketed, specifications of various amps and pickups, and so on.
White is in a good position to tell this story because he spent fourteen years as General Manager of the Fender Electrical Instrument Company, and was Leo Fender's associate for many years thereafter. In fact, in many respects, this book is more about White than it is about Fender. White describes, for example, how he used his organizational skills to bring order to the chaos of Fender's early manufacturing operations. After the CBS takeover of Fender, White tells of how he refused to approve the new company's plans to manufacture solid state amplifiers that, in his view, fell far short of quality standards and were not be worthy of the Fender name (he was right).
While White certainly has many impressive accomplishments to his credit but, as he writes this book, he often seems to overreach to repeat numerous compliments that were paid to him during his career, some of which aren't relevant to the Fender story. The book also includes some venomous barbs for industry people who White felt treated him unfairly or whose work he did not respect. At some points in the book, White is painfully petty, such as when he blames Fender's second wife and others for the fact that Fender did not invite to join with George Fullerton in creating the new G&L guitar company. White writes: "Do you suppose it had anything to with Leo's second marriage?.... Was it because of old resentments from the early Fender years, when I was George [Fullerton]'s boss and struggled with him over manufacturing problems?" That kind of stuff detracts from the book.
I was also somewhat disgusted by White's gratuitous speculation about Fender's physical condition shortly before his death: "He acted like he was under very heavy sedation -- absolutely lethargic," writes White. "I sure hoped that he was not taking more medication than was necessary, because Leo was a proud man, and it must have been very embarrassing for him when he could not carry on an intelligible conversation with his friends." Is it possible that White, who claims to have been one of Fender's closest friends, did not know the man was suffering from Parkinson's Disease, which has exactly the type of devastating neurological symptoms he described?
All of that said, I'm glad Forrest White wrote this book and that I've had an opportunity to read it. In terms of the factual narrative, the book is a time capsule of sorts, taking us back to the Southern California of the late 1940s and early `50s, when rock 'n' roll was young, and there was lots of open space, clean air, and a radio repairman like Leo Fender (who loved Hawaiian music) could branch out to making Hawaiian guitars on the side and amplifiers. In those days, the phone number for Fender's Radio Repair shop was #6 -- that's all, just 6. White tells us of the colorful group of colleagues, coworkers and musicians that surrounded Fender during those early days, including Doc Kaufman, Freddy Tavares, George Fullerton, Dale Hyatt, and so on. There are lots of poignant and funny anecdotes that any lover of Fender instruments will appreciate. White's description of the changes at Fender after the CBS takeover is both savage and witty.
Leo Fender is now seen by many as the Henry Ford of modern electric stringed instruments. He literally invented the modern, fretted electric bass guitar. His amplifiers were rugged, practical, and dependable and some, like the '59 Bassman, have attained almost mythical status for their tone and quality, and are prized by collectors and players alike. Fender's Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars were major design breakthroughs for their time and are probably some of the most copied guitars of all time. They are as popular today as they were almost half a century ago when they were first designed. As Fender's fame grew, some people were apparently taking liberties with company's history, so White decided to write this book and comply with Leo Fender's request to "tell it just like it happened." If you can put up with White's occasionally self-serving narrative and petty barbs, that's just what you'll find.
Fantastic Book of the Fender Electric Instrument Company.......1998-06-19
Forrest White has written a wonderful account of the relationship he had with Leo Fender, as well as bringing to light, the history as he saw it develop while he was employed with Fender.
This book is a delight to read over and over again. The detail to dates and the explanation of how things happened sets you in each time period as he explains what happened through the years. It also allows you to be in the R&D lab with Leo or in the areas that guitars and amps were being dreamed of to Leo's ingenius research and development to being built into reality. Be there as the Broadcaster changes to the Telecaster and the introduction of the Stratocaster and the Precision Bass.
Enjoyable to read and I couldn't put it down. Thanks Forrest!
Book Description
Afterword by Peter Glassman. Young Alleyne Edricson journeys to France in 1366 to join the White Company, a bold band of archers, and is swept into a series of exciting adventures. Written by the creator of Sherlock Holmes and illustrated by one of America's most distinguished artists, this lavishly illustrated deluxe gift edition is available once again. A Books of Wonder Classic.
Customer Reviews:
Rich descriptions, adventure, humor - can't beat it........2007-06-03
Each poetically descriptive sentence is as a brushstroke that paints a colorful, lively picture of the scenery, landscape, characters, and events. You can picture everything very vividly in your mind. The characaters were each unique and fascinating. The story unfolded quite differently than I would have expected for a book about a war. It was a beautifully constructed story; an education about chivalry and how wars used to be fought. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book, and hope to re-read it in the future.
Of another time.......2007-03-08
An 18th century author writing about the dark ages. It reads more like incidents within a narrative rather than a single story. I found the ending abrupt and not credible. I expected more of the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Great Stuff!.......2006-09-05
I loved this book as a kid, and found new depths to it when I came back to it as an adult. A must-read! The breadth of imagination and the color and vividness of the descriptions are hard to match, and the characters are memorable -- Samkin Aylward the master-archer is my favorite.
Thank you Louis Lamour .......2006-05-23
I discovered the White Company while reading Louis Lamour's "Education of A Wondering Man". It was included in Lamours reading list from the 1930's. On a lark i checked it out.
What a gem this book is! I simply could not put it down. The language, the characters, the history and the humor simply crackle off the pages.
If you have a son, here's your next gift.
Never drags-lots of excitement- great YA or even older book.......2006-04-28
I can't remember how I happened on this book- probably Amazon herded me to it- but I'm quite glad. I'm more of a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories, but I found this as enjoyable as The Black Arrow or Robin Hood or any other medieval book that I've read, and I'd never even heard of it before. The protagonist is a young man raised at the monastery who joins a band of rough but good hearted archers and follows their exploits as they head to war in France and Spain. The old agnostic (Doyle) weaves in more respect for the Catholic church than one usually sees from so-called church leaders today, combined with some common sense insights of true morality. For Doyle chivalry not only is not dead, it'll cut off the head of anyone who says otherwise. In other words, a man's word was worth something, and a man's actions were worth even more. Lots of swordplay, a little (very little) romance, some interesting and well developed characters, and an undercurrent of humor. Not as clever as the Holmes books, but a lot more action, and one learns a little English history at the same time. I'd highly, highly recommend it for kids, or anyone really, and I am amazed that it's fallen through the cracks to this point- at least for me.
Book Description
This collection brings together the early Company stories in one volume for the first time with three previously unpublished works, including "The Queen in Yellow," written exclusively for this compilation. In these tales sci-fi fans follow the secret activities of the Company's field agents—once human, now centuries-old time-traveling immortal cyborgs—as they attempt to retrieve history's lost treasures. Botanist Mendoza's search for the rare hallucinogenic Black Elysium grape in 1844 Spanish-held Santa Barbara, facilitator Joseph's dreamlike solicitation of the ailing Robert Louis Stevenson in 1879, and marine salvage specialist Kalugin's recovering of an invaluable Eugène Delacroix painting from a sunken yacht off the coast of Los Angeles in 1894 are included.
Customer Reviews:
The truth about the angels: post-modern Time Patrol.......2007-01-26
Rich and evocative, funny and moving, these stories are a real gem in modern science-fiction. The characters are original and sympathetic, and I couldn't help compare those stories to the Time Patrol stories of Poul Anderson. "Zeus" seems a rather more sinister employer than Anderson's organization, and certainly it's more like Asimov's "Eternity" in ruthless engineering of human history. I find this book and the "Company" series a very pleasant, intriguing and worthy read. Asimov would have loved the Shakespeare story, I think.
Great writing, shaky science fiction.......2006-03-16
I have very mixed feelings about these stories. I don't know how comprehensible they would be to someone who hasn't had Baker's universe explained to them, but the stories are enthralling, wise and witty. One might want to first read at least the beginning of In the Garden of Iden (The Company) where the premise is explained. I thoroughly enjoyed reading most of them. They just aren't very good science fiction - Baker's universe is losing the integrity that separates science fiction from fiction with fantastic touches.
The Company novels are based on the premise that written history cannot be altered, but unrecorded history can. This is apparently "cannot" in the strict sense of the word, as in not possible, not "cannot" in the sense of forbidden or imprudent. This is a pretty weak premise: how can being recorded fix history, especially given that historical accounts are often contradictory? If the only account is actually inaccurate, does that alter history? What happens when the accepted account is altered by new material or archeological evidence? However, I am generally willing to allow one weak premise to get a good story going.
There is a distinction here: there are anomolies that the characters notice, and which supply part of the plot. I am referring here to oddities that none of them seem to see.
Reading these short stories seriously strains the premise: in one story, an operative saves a doomed infant - are we to understand that this must mean that the infant's society wouldn't have recorded his early death? Or that at no time in his life will his existence be noted, he won't have children? Would the medical procedures would have mysteriously failed if he belonged to a society that kept detailed records, or if his mother kept a diary or if he had descendents who would one day enter the written record?
Much of the activity of the Company agents is recovering and secreting items that were historically lost. Logically, however, the items could not be found before the order went out to rescue them (in the 24th century) or written history would be altered if the rediscovery of the artifact is noted. The recovery is often the focus of the plot in these stories: in one of the short stories, papers are taken out of an Egyptian tomb opened in 1914; at least one of them shows up in the 22d century and thereafter dramatically affects history. The story is gripping and hysterically funny, but this violation of the logic of Baker's universe bothers me.
I found the story "The Hotel at Harlan's Landing" haunting and reminiscent of the Twilight Zone. I was spellbound while reading it, but later I couldn't help wondering why the Courier cyborg in "Facts Relating to the Arrest of Dr. Kulagin" has a locater beacon that goes off when it is damaged and the damaged cyborg in this story doesn't. And why would someone unnecessarily force a physical confrontation when at a numerical disadvantage?
Several of the stories are about Alex, who I suspect is connected with Nicholas and Edward, featured in the novels. I enjoyed the stories as a comment on overly-organized and protective societies, but his sidekick "Captain Henry Morgan" is a bit too twee for me. I have this horrible feeling that Alex will be appearing in a swooning novel in the future.
Readers presumably know their own tastes. The reader that doesn't avoid science fiction, or who isn't bothered by logical inconsistencies will have some wonderful writing to enjoy.
cyborgs and time travel?.......2005-10-29
Obviously running around in time and space would take a lot out on a body so why not use cyborgs? Why not use robots actually? Perhaps cyborgs look and act more human and thus can mingle better. As interesting as Kage Baker's "Company" is I liked the Alex Checkerfield stories the best. The boy who isn't as "made for" his society is a very real character and an interesting commentary on the idea that society must protect people can be taken to the extreme.
Snapshots from the Kage Bakers excellent world of Cyborgs.......2005-07-22
Kage Baker has created a fascinating world where cyborgs, human beings who have been enhanced, augmented and made immortal live through the ages doing the bidding of the Dr Zeus Corporation in the 24th century. They collect artifact, rare plants, and anything else that has monetary value in the dreary world of the future. This collection of short storys, some previously published, shows snippets of the very longs lives of Mendoza, Budu, Lewis and other cyborgs who appear in the novels of the Company.
Alec Checkerfield, also a creation of Dr Zeus but not a cyborg - well, not like the others - is featured in four stories. These are part of the foundation for the novel `The Life on the World To Come', also by Baker.
I love what Baker has created and enjoyed each of the stories. While they stand alone as written, the reader will enjoy them more if the previous novels in this series are read as well. They fill in many of the holes that the stories expose (but cannot fill without turning into a novel). Since the setting of the series is the entire planet and all of recorded history (plus the future up until 2355) there is plenty of room for more stories of this type and I hope to see more soon.
In Good Company.......2004-12-14
Before reading the Company novels, I was introduced to the idea through her short stories in the pages of Asmiov's. I feel that the shorter works are the strength of Baker and are better than the novels.
The idea of immortal cyborgs hiding in the shadows of history to plunder artifacts recorded as lost or destroyed is clever and provides the opportunity to place stories in a myriad of periods and cultures as well as dealing with famous and not so famous historical characters.
We not only get to see the two main characters, Joseph and Mendoza in these stories, but some more amusing operatives such as Kalugin and Lewin, providing more breadth on the operations of the company. In fact we get to see the early cyborgs, pre homo sapiens designed for enforcement rather than preservation or faciliation. A broad history of the company is painted in these short tales.
All the stories are quite good, as enjoyable in this collection as they were on the first read. The one caveat is that all together they are a bit much particularly if read in one sitting. Other than that I think the Company tales are first rate storytelling and Kage Baker a wonderful author.
Books:
- Cultural Amnesia: Necessary Memories from History and the Arts
- Daisy Comes Home
- Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man: A Novel
- Daredevil: Loves Labor Lost TPB
- Drama of the English Renaissance: Volume 1, The Tudor Period
- Eclipse (Twilight, Book 3)
- Four branches of the Mabinogion: In a complete boxed set
- Great American Stories: Ten Unabridged Classics
- Guess How Much I Love You
- Heart of Darkness and the Secret Sharer
Books Index
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