вторник, 14 июня 2011 г.

Advice on business literature from Helen Edwards

Here comes the latest business literature overview from our Library Project Manager Helen Edwards. We do know which books are worth taking along on your vacation!


1. The social animal: a story of how success happens
David Brooks
Short Books, 2011.
xviii, 424 Pages
ISBN: 9781907595448

How do unconscious abilities lead to success? New York Times columnist David Brooks believes that an overly simplistic view of human nature has led to many policy failures. He looks at scientific research to understand people's real motivations. Written in the form of a novel and introduced by the author as "the happiest story you've ever read", the book follows a couple through their lives to explore key issues in education, business and the wider community. Gaining meaningful work; starting, succeeding and then failing in business; starting over; life in the corporation, in government and as a freelancer are portrayed as personal experiences while simultaneously being underpinned by reference to research studies.


2. 23 things they don't tell you about capitalism
Ha-Joon Chang
Allen Lane, 2010
xviii, 286 pages
ISBN: 9781846143281

This book presents 23 controversial statements and explains why they are true. Thing 4: "The washing machine has changed the world more than the internet has" explains that recent changes tend to be regarded as more revolutionary; discusses the significance of domestic appliances releasing women into the workforce; and looks at the reality of actual productivity gains made by the internet. Thing 12: "Government can pick winners". Many believe that governments pick industries to support for the wrong goals and incentives citing the spectacular failure of the British / French Concorde project. But South Korea has had huge success in revolutionizing industries with state support, as have Taiwan and Singapore; and overall the benefits of the public-private approach should not be ignored by over adherence to free market ideology.


3. Management consultancy
Joe O'Mahoney
Oxford University Press, 2010.
xxiii, 410 pages.
ISBN: 9780199577187

The management consultancy industry has increased by over 10,000 per cent by revenue in less than 30 years. It has also penetrated into new sectors: education, the arts, health and whole economies. This book is divided into four sections, each dealing with a different perspective on the consulting industry: descriptive: practitioner, critical, and career. This last section outlines the consultants life from application, through the career ladder and finally exit. There are also short pieces by leading industry commentators reflecting on their, often contradictory, view of management consultancy.



4. Strategic leadership in the business school: keeping one step ahead
Fernando Fragueiro and Howard Thomas
Cambridge University Press, 2011
xiv 269 pages
ISBN: 9780521116121

The financial crisis of 2009 presented a challenge to business schools. Students needed more insights into the role of business in society, the importance of ethics and the challenges of globalization. This book discusses the development of leading European business schools. Unlike the US schools with their large endowments, established brands and high rankings, European schools are more international, practice-orientated and with a greater reliance on executive education. The book provides detailed case studies of strategy and leadership at INSEAD, IMD and LBS.


5. Global private equity report 2011
Bain and Company
Bain and Company, Inc. May 2011
80 pages

Starting with a review of 2010, this report pronounces on the status of private equity today: cautious optimism amidst a fragile recovery. Bain consultants look into the future to explore the likely hot topics for private equity.

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