Book Reviews Mar - Apr 2009

JAIPURIA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, NOIDA LIBRARY AND RESOURCE CENTRE (LRC) BOOK-REVIEWS (March – April, 2009) S.No.

Book Description Little Green Book of getting your Way / by Jeffrey Gitomer, FT Press, 2007, Pp 220, Price USD19.99/-.

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Jeffrey Gitomer has written numerous “Little” books on sales and motivational techniques, all titled with signature colors. These books provide straightforward encouragement in a jovial tone. Gitomer offers you information and confidence; he’s not so interested in depth. His mission is to teach the uninformed, the unskilled, the shy and the wary how to be persuasive for their own profit. He opens the door into public speaking and presentations, and tries to imbue his readers with self-assurance by being visually jazzy, super accessible and totally elementary to read. His weapons of choice include full-page big-type quotations (often of his own aphorisms), emphatic repetition of basic advice, plenty of capital letters and pages of informative check-off lists.

The Brand Bubble / by John Gerzema and Ed Lebar, Jossey-Bass, 2008, Pp 272, Price USD27.95/-. 2

Big brands are not invincible anymore. Brands that survive, thrive, and flourish need “energy”. This book tells you the meaning and importance of “energy” and how can you foster it.

Consumer Culture and Postmodernism / by Mike Featherstone. 3

Mike Featherstone explores the roots of consumer culture, how it is defined and differentiated and the extent to which it represents the arrival of a `postmodern' world. He examines the theories of consumption and postmodernism among contemporary social theorists.

Transitional Puzzles / by Amlan Datta.

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Transitional Puzzles: Reflections on Social, Economic and Political Issues is a collection of essays on India. Remarkable for its jargon-free clarity, the book is intended for the common man who seeks to understand the India he lives in. The articles offer simple analysis of complex policies, dealing with varied and vast issues such as values in a shifting Indo-Western scenario, education and industry in times of political changes, sustainable growth, Industrialisation and social reconstruction, alternative economic order, higher education in India, Gandhism, human values and Indian democracy.

Improve your Coaching & Training Skills / by Patrick Forsyth, Kogan Page, 2008, Pp 142, Price USD17.95/-.

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Patrick Forsyth teaches you how to train effectively without getting bogged down in theory, big budgets, politics or an endless number of possible approaches. He stresses how important staff development is to your competitive position, and shows you how to carry out on-the-job and formal training. His advice is practical and offers some surprising twists. Forsyth provides bulleted lists, checklists and a sample form or two to help you implement this.

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Book Reviews (March – April, 2009)

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Persuasion IQ / by Kurt Mortensen, AMACOM, 2008, Pp 336, Price USD21.95/-. 6

Kurt Mortensen, through his Persuasion Institute, has sought out and studied the world's top persuaders, and with his specially formulated Persuasion I.Q. assessment- the most comprehensive persuasion resource available today- he lets readers in on the essential habits, traits, and behaviors necessary to cultivate their natural persuasive abilities.

Reward Systems / by Steve Kerr, HBS Publishing, 2008, Pp 125, Price USD18.00/-.

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According to Steve Kerr - who led the legendary leadership development centers Crotonville for General Electric and Pine Street for Goldman Sachs - it's usually about incentive systems gone bad: we reward A when we need B." "After working with countless executives over the years, Kerr has developed a simple but effective threestep process to help you realign your reward system. By following Kerr's advice, you can dramatically improve your organization's performance - without adding headcount, upgrading IT capabilities, hiring consultants, or changing the basic nature of your employees. You'll also create a more motivated workplace.

Leading the Board / by Andrew Kakabadse and Nada Kakabadse, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008, Pp 288, Price USD47.95/-. 8

Leading the Board provides unique and powerful insights into what it takes to succeed as a chairman leading a modern organization. Based on global research, the leading business academics and consultants Andrew and Nada Kakabadse unveil the six disciplines of world class chairmen.

The Audacity of Hope / by Barack Obama, Canongate, Price INR595/-.

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In The Audacity of Hope, President Obama called for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.”

Monetary Policy in a Globalised Economy / by Rakesh Mohan, OUP, Pp 512, Price INR795/-.

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Reforms in India have had a longer trajectory than in many other countries, moving from a controlled and repressed financial sector through the 1970s and 1980s to the overarching economic reforms initiated in December 1991. Over the past decade, interest in the conduct of monetary policy and in the regulation and supervision of the financial sector has attracted global attention. These essays written over the last two decades provide valuable insights into the framing of monetary policy and its evolution in India. They focus on the evolution of banking and finance, the framing of monetary policy, and the role of central banking. Written by a leading macro policy adviser and central banker, this collection is especially relevant in today's environment of financial turbulence in global financial markets.

International Business: Managing Globalization / by John S. Hill. 11

International Business: Managing Globalization explains the whats and whys of global differences as it covers industries, competitors, regions, and markets from the

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perspectives of practicing managers. Author John S. Hill reviews the geographic and historic backgrounds of regions and markets in a way that no other text has done, with special focus on global supply chains, global branding, and world religions as they affect management at the local level.

From Poverty to Power / by Duncan Green. 12

The twenty-first century will be defined by the fight against the scourges of poverty, inequality, and the threat of environmental collapse - as the fight against slavery or for universal suffrage defined earlier eras.

Introduction to Leadership / by Peter G. Northouse. 13

The author provides an outstanding bridge between the research developments and the practical uses for leadership theory. His case study examples are contemporary, intriguing, and enticing to students and teachers who seek enhancement to their study of leadership.

Leadership on the Line / by Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky, Tata McGraw-Hill.

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As the authors acknowledge, many leadership books are "all about inspiration, but downplay the perspiration." This one doesn't. Leadership is always a risky business, but those risks can be understood and reduced. Effective leadership comes from doing more than the technical work of routine management; it involves adaptive work on the part of the leader, and a willingness to confront and disturb people, promote their resourcefulness, and engage their ability to adjust to new realities. But adaptive change always encounters resistance.

The 24-Carrot Manager / by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, Magna Publishing, Pp 105, Price INR175/-. 15

The 24-carrot manager: a remarkable story of how a leader can unleash human potential.

The Ultimate Marketing Plan / by Dan S. Kennedy, Price INR350/-. 16

The Ultimate Marketing Plan will equip readers with the tools they need to find their own "USP" for all their products, services, or businesses and teach them which delivery methods are the best for their situation.

The Long Revolution / by Dinesh C. Sharma, Pp 488, Price INR595/-.

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This book is an attempt to set the record straight. A detailed and meticulously researched account of the computing and information technology industry spanning halfa-century, the book discusses the genesis of computers in India; how the initial IBM monopoly was broken; how the innovative use of communication technologies turned pigmy software of firms into billion dollar companies; the role of liberalisation in the IT revolution; and finally, whether this miracle can be sustained in the future.

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Cold Steel- Lakshmi Mittal / by Tim Bouquet and Byron Ousey, Price INR650/-.

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Cold Steel describes the often brutal and chaotic five-month battle between Mittal and Arcelor. The combatants are described as though starring in a fictional work of industrial espionage.' Bob Jones, Management Today 'A rare, insider's account of lots of people making millions... The book reads like a thriller, with each side trying to rope in other steel companies on both sides of the Atlantic as allies... As this book shows, money and business logic prevailed in the end over politics and protection.

Living Rich by Spending Smart / by Gregory Karp, Financial Times, 2008, Pp 224, Price USD17.99/-.

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This book isn't about depriving yourself. Instead, Gregory Karp shows how to build real, long-lasting wealth by plugging the money leaks you're barely aware of and making sure you spend with a purpose. Karp's surprisingly painless techniques will help you eliminate wasteful spending in every area of your financial life. You'll discover how to focus spending on what you really care about...spend less on gifts without becoming a cheapskate...slash your phone bill...pay less for food and still eat what you want...eliminate spending leaks in insurance, education, even entertainment. From the clothes you wear to the cars you drive, this book will help you build a life that's truly rich because it's truly financially secure.

The Rise & Fall of Marks & Spencer. ..and How it Rose Again / by Judi Bevan, Profile Books, 2007, Pp 336, Price USD13.01/-.

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Marks & Spencer is more than a British retailer of smart fashions at good value; it has deep roots in the British psyche. Generations have worked for the company or its suppliers, taking pride in its successes and suffering through its troubles. Judi Bevan captures that story in this lively, compelling history, introducing you to all of its executives and primary players. The store changed over time as the founders and their descendants finally gave way to professional managers who viewed M&S as a vehicle for personal ambition rather than as a family institution. To be fair, the world was changing, but the push for profits at all costs betrayed the company’s principles.

Enough: True Measures of Money, Business and Life / by John C. Bogle, John Wiley & Sons, 2008, Pp 288, Price USD24.95/-. 21

Enough offers his unparalleled insights on money, the values we should emulate in our business and professional callings, and what we should consider as the true treasures in our lives. Inspired in large measure by the hundreds of lectures Bogle has delivered to professional groups and college students in recent years, this book will help you discover what it really means to have "enough" and how close you are to really having it.

The Brand Bubble / by John Gerzema and Ed Lebar, Price USD27.95/-.

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The Brand Bubble reveals how today's successful brands--and tomorrow's--have an insatiable appetite for creativity and change. These brands offer consumers a palpable sense of movement and direction thanks to a powerful "energized differentiation." Gerzema reveals how brands with energized differentiation achieve better financial performance than traditional brands have. Plus, Gerzema helps readers develop energized differentiation in their own brands, creating consumer-centric and sustainable organizations.

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Book Reviews (March – April, 2009)

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It’s Always Too Soon To Quit / by Lewis R. Timberlake, Magna Publishing, Pp 204, Price INR175/-. 23

Lewis Timberlake has discovered the dynamics of prevailing over failure. This book offers six steps to stand on when you are overwhelmed by difficulties and reveals the secrets of conquering defeatist attitudes. Timberlake also shows that people who seem to have all the “breaks” have actually made their own breaks through diligence and patience.

The Choice / by Eliyahu M. Goldratt. 24

The Choice, Goldratt once again presents his thought provoking approach, this time through a conversation with his daughter Efrat, as he explains to her his fundamental system of beliefs.

Surviving a Layoff / by Lita Epstein, Adams Media, 2009, Pp 240, Price USD9.95/-.

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This book is a practical guide to dealing with the tough questions a layoff poses. Using a week-to-week timeline, the book offers advice on such topics as: coping with grief and anger after a downsizing; reorganizing life after a layoff; how to launch a job search; balancing the job search with family and personal time; explaining a layoff to family and friends; and more. This book will show downsized workers how to reorganize schedules, set financial and organizational priorities, and go for their next job with confidence and enthusiasm.

Here Comes Everybody / by Clay Shirky, Penguin Group, 2008, Pp 336, Price USD25.95/-. 26

The book talks about how the tools of the web (and even something as simple as Walkie Talkies) enable people to organize without formality. If that sounds hot to you, don’t listen to me, pick up your own copy of the book. Because that idea, actually, relates to the point. You are empowered. You are enabled. This new web is about giving you the tools, so that you can decide what to do.

Investing in People / by Wayne Cascio and John Boudreau, Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2008, Pp 360, Price USD39.99/-.

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In this book, two world-renowned experts on quantifying the value of HR present a comprehensive framework for doing just that. Wayne F. Cascio and John W. Boudreau provide powerful logic and proven financial techniques for looking inside the HR "black box," implementing human capital metrics that track the effectiveness of talent policies and practices, demonstrating the logical connections to financial and line-of-business, and using HR metrics to drive more effective decision-making.

The Polyester Prince / by Hamish McDonald, Allen & Unwin, Pp296, Price USD20.00/-.

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A fascinating biography of Indian textile tycoon Dhirubhai Ambani, this book is the story of a rising capitalist group in post-independence India. In the 26 years since its foundation, Ambani's Reliance Group has risen to rival the dominant industrial houses, and by 1995 the group had 1.2 million investors. Along with the dramatic expansion of the Reliance Group have come intricate political connections, corruption charges, and an abundance of booms and crashes for Ambani and his company. The textile giant

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continues to realize his dream to be known as the outsider who took on India's business establishment and won, establishing a world-class company in the process.

The Snowball / by Alice Schroeder, Bantam, Pp 976, Price USD35.00/-. 29

This book tells you why Warren Buffett is the most fascinating American success story of our time.

Managing the professional service firm / by David H Maister, Free Press, 2007. Rs.766/-.

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The author of this book begins his approach to professional service management by looking at areas such as growth and profitability (e.g., there is not necessarily a relationship between growth and profit) and discusses leverage and life cycles. For the reader not used to a prior diet of accounting and strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people, this section may be hard to move through, but it offers a unique and important view of the service world.

Major account sales strategy / by Neil Rackham, McGraw-Hill, Rs.1397/31

Salespeople, marketers, managers--everyone who is involved in selling today-- agrees that major accounts are critical to survival. Major Account Sales Strategy is the first book to offer new, proven-effective strategies for major account sales. An Arsenal of Shrewd Tactics and Winning Strategies to Make You a Major Account Sales Success.

Expert product management toolkit bundle / Brian Lawley, Happy About, Rs.1042/-

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The Expert Product Management Toolkit Bundle teaches powerful and effective ways to ensure you give your products the best possible chance for success. The bundle includes the best-selling book Expert Product Management, four narrated on-demand training presentations, over 130 templates for critical tasks and a variety of samples and examples for you to leverage. With the bundle (book, training & templates) you'll learn four of the most critical elements in ensuring product success, and take away practical strategies, insights, tips and techniques that the author, Brian Lawley has learned from hands-on experience defining, launching and marketing over fifty products during the last twenty years of his career.

The book of leadership and strategy / Thomas Cleary, Random House, Rs.843/-

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The subtle arts of management and leadership have been developed over thousands of years by the Chinese. "The Book of Leadership and Strategy" represents the Taoist culmination of this long tradition and is one of the most prestigious works of ancient Chinese thought. Collected here are insightful teachings on the challenges of leadership on all levels, from organizational management to political statecraft. The translator, Thomas Cleary, has chosen and arranged these teachings to emphasize the most valuable lessons of Taoist wisdom for modern Western readers. Like Cleary's bestselling translation of "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, this work will serve as an enlightening guide for people in business, politics, and government.

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Book Reviews (March – April, 2009)

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Ziglar on selling / Zig Ziglar, Jaico, Rs.250/-

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Ziglar On Selling is brimming with selling fundamentals—taking timeless truths and making them relevant for the new millennium. The techniques and procedures Ziglar presents will not only keep your clients happy and add to your income, but will also add to your intangible income—your quality of life. Zig Ziglar shows you how. Sharing information, direction, inspiration, laughter, and tears from his selling experiences, Ziglar will help you make the necessary choices for a balanced lifepersonal and professional. Wharton on making decisions / Stephen J Hoch and Howard Kunreuther, John Willey, Rs.1657/-

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Perspectives from leaders in decision science at Wharton Organized in part through Wharton's Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, the book assembles leading researchers from Wharton's business faculty who demonstrate how to apply the latest approaches in decision-making from four perspectives: personal, managerial, negotiator, and consumer. Each chapter describes how decisions are actually made, presents the ideal scenario, and then provides practical suggestions for improvement. The subjects range from when consumers will choose variety, integrating intuition into decisions, and applying game theory and strategic decisions, to decision factors in negotiations and how choices are made about insurance and health care. Market opportunity analysis / Robert E Stevens…[et al.], Jaico Publishing House, Rs.425/-

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The key to success in business is planning. And the key to successful planning is using a proven format to analyze a products marketability. Market Opportunity Analysis: Text and Cases guides you step-by-step through the complicated process of determining the feasibility of marketing a new product or service. Using ten real-life case studies with sample reports of actual analyses, the book examines the factors that influence feasibility analyses, including external considerations (market size, competition, technology, inflation and the economy, government regulations, political conditions, social change), internal factors (purpose, corporate objectives, resources), and financial considerations (revenue estimates, cost estimates, return on investment). The authors of this unique book combine decades of practical experience in market research, strategic management, consumer behavior, and new venture creation to help you develop the analytical skills you need to focus on what needs to be done and how to do it. Madhavrao Scindia: a life / Vir Sanghvi and Namita Bhandare, Penguin, Rs.550/-.

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This is the story of a man who was born a maharaja but chose to live as a democratic citizen of India. Vir Sanghvi and Namita Bhandare bring alive his tale in this riveting biography that is as much a chronicle of modern Indian politics as it is a portrait of a fascinating life. Suave, educated, secular and with a reputation for unwavering honesty, Madhavrao Scindia did not conform to the conventional image of the Indian politician. Despite his liberal outlook and his whole-hearted espousal of democratic values, Madhavrao, son of the last ruling king of Gwalior, did not forget his heritage: he was inextricably linked with the people of Gwalior and Guna, who unfailingly voted for him in all the nine elections he contested. Driving down cost: how to manage and cut cost – intelligently / Andrew Wileman, Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2008. USD ($) 35.00

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This is the first accessible and practical book to address cost management in a general and holistic way for managers at every level and in every function. In this timely book Andrew Wileman gives you the inside scoop on what has worked for him over years of consulting on costs. He looks at the smart ways cost can be created and the even more innovative ways they can be cut - like getting your customers to do your work for you, or turning cost into revenue. Sometimes cost management is in fashion, sometimes it is out

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Book Reviews (March – April, 2009)

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of vogue. As it happens, the US, the UK and other big Western economies are currently appearing shaky. A cost-cutting wave looks imminent and this book's theme seems prescient. But actually, timing does not and should not matter. In three or five years' time growth will be back, but cost will still be critical. Cost management is not just for downturns, but for always.

Ben Bernanke's Fed: The Federal Reserve After Greenspan / by Ethan S Harris, Lehman Brothers, 2008, USD ($) 26.95 39

In this first in-depth look at Ben Bernanke's chairmanship of the Fed, Ethan Harris, Lehman Brothers' Chief U.S. Economist, demystifies the policy choices and pronouncements of the Fed chair - and explains how they influence the global economy. Harris's accessible portrayal also helps you understand and anticipate Bernanke's decisions and communications, putting his actions into clear context. Living rich by spending smart / by Gregory Karp, Financial Times & Prentice Hall, 2008. USD ($) 17.99

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Start using Greg’s advice to plug the leaks of wasteful spending today, and it will seem like you received a significant pay raise — because you DID! You’re saving hundreds upon hundreds of dollars each month! And the best part is you’ll spend smarter without depriving yourself of the things you love. Live your life to the fullest while you redirect hard-earned cash to what you truly care about. In search of the obvious / by Jack Trout, Wiley, 2008. USD ($) 27.95

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In this summary, marketing guru Jack Trout clears up the confusion that surrounds the marketing profession. Instead of focusing on segmentation or customer retention or search engine optimization, marketers should be searching for that simple, obvious differentiating idea.

What does China think? / by Mark Leonard, Public Affairs, 2008. USD ($) 27.95

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Stephen Marks argues in this extended review of recent publications about China that there are few other important global players whose affairs are so exclusively analysed on the basis of ignorance and stereotype. There is little understanding outside China about the differences of perspectives of Chinese intellectuals - they are far from being a homogeneous group. China is no longer a topic - it’s a dimension. On every issue, from global warming to the credit crisis, China and its impact can no longer be ignored, not as a subject apart to be left to experts, but as an integral component of the global picture, on which every analyst or commentator has to have an opinion.

The Art of Woo: Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas / by G Richard Shell and Mario Moussa, Portfolio, 2007. USD ($) 24.95

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Shell and Moussa, both on the Wharton School faculty, aim to help readers get attention and sell their ideas through strategic relationship-based persuasion, or "woo"-or "winning others over." The authors consider wooing to be one of the most important skills in a manager's repertoire; while the concept may seem simple, mastering it is an art. The challenge is in striking a balance between what the authors identify as the "self-oriented" perspective-where focus is on the persuader's credibility and point of view-and the "other-oriented" perspective, which focuses on the audience's needs, perceptions and feelings. Drawing on their experience in teaching executives to negotiate, the authors examine the most important moments of influence and provide a four-step process to achieving goals: survey your situation, confront the five barriers, make your pitch and

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Book Reviews (March – April, 2009)

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secure your commitments. They offer a practical guide to improving one's wooing skills, highlighting successes and failures from history and the present day.

The life you can save: acting now to end world poverty / by Peter Singer, Random House, 2009. USD($) 22.00

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For the first time in history, it is now within our reach to eradicate world poverty and the suffering it brings. Yet around the world, a billion people struggle to live each day on less than many of us pay for bottled water. And though the number of deaths attributable to poverty worldwide has fallen dramatically in the past half-century, nearly ten million children still die unnecessarily each year. The people of the developed world face a profound choice: If we are not to turn our backs on a fifth of the world’s population, we must become part of the solution. Singer contends that we need to change our views of what is involved in living an ethical life. To help us play our part in bringing about that change, he offers a seven-point plan that mixes personal philanthropy (figuring how much to give and how best to give it), local activism (spreading the word in your community), and political awareness (contacting your representatives to ensure that your nation’s foreign aid is really directed to the world’s poorest people).

7 deadly scenarios: a military futurist explores war in the 21st century / by Andrew F Krepinevich, Random House, USD($) 27.00 45

As riveting as a thriller, 7 Deadly Scenarios takes you inside the corridors of power, peers into the world of defense planning, and explores U.S. military and political strategy in the past, present, and likely future. The result is a must-read book that will trigger discussion, thought, and—hopefully—action. The Truth About Middle Managers / by Paul Osterman, Professional, 2009. USD($) 35.00

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The Truth About Middle Managers seeks to uncover the truth and show the real picture of today?s workforce. Middle management is thought to be a professional wasteland that few aspire to join. But is this perception or reality? What has really happened to the ranks of middle managers?

The DNA of leadership / by Judith E Glaser, Viva Books. Rs.395/-

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The author of "Creating WE" helps readers to understand how to shape their company's genetic code for success by identifying the seven vital leadership practices to reshape a culture that will enable people to effectively work together during times of organizational change. Just as an individual's DNA can determine their genetic destiny, a company's organizational DNA can determine its success. Learn to positively alternate your company's DNA and accelerate profits. One up on wall street / by Peter Lynch, Simon & Schuster. Rs.448/-

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Peter Lynch is America's number-one money manager. His mantra: Average investors can become experts in their own field and can pick winning stocks as effectively as Wall Street professionals by doing just a little research. Now, in a new introduction written specifically for this edition of "One Up on Wall Street," Lynch gives his take on the incredible rise of Internet stocks, as well as a list of twenty winning companies of hightech '90s. That many of these winners are low-tech supports his thesis that amateur investors can continue to reap exceptional rewards from mundane, easy-to-understand

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companies they encounter in their daily lives.

Every business is a growth business: how your company can prosper year after year / by Ram Charan and Noel M Tichy, Random House. Rs.545/-

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Every Business Is a Growth Business is your one-stop guide to making profitable growth happen. It's a radical and refreshing source of ideas, inspiration, and common sense, all based on the unparalleled experience and access of Ram Charan and Noel Tichy. Charan and Tichy have worked with some of the world's leading executives--people such as Jack Welch of GE, Eckhard Pfeiffer of Compaq, Larry Bossidy of Allied Signal, John Reed of Citigroup, Dick Brown of Cable & Wireless, Alex Trotman and Jacques Nasser of Ford, and the senior management of Coca-Cola--who have transformed their companies into profitable growth machines. Every Business Is a Growth Business is a distillation of what the authors and these unique leaders have learned about profitable growth.

Corner shop / by Roopa Farooki, St Martin’s Press, USD($) 24.95

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There are only two tragedies in life. One is not getting your heart's desire - and the other? Getting it. Fourteen-year-old Lucky Khalil is passionate about three things: football, Star Wars and Portia, the girl who works in his grandfather's corner shop. In that order. While Lucky pursues his girl and his dreams of one day scoring for England, his mother Delphine, the woman who seems to have everything, fantasizes about rediscovering the freedom of her youth. But rekindling a relationship with her father-inlaw Zaki is only going to end in disaster.

Recess – the Penguin book of schooldays / edited by Palash Krishna Mehrotra, Penguin, Rs.450/-

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Whatever else we forget in our lives, memories of our schooldays stay on forever. We may think of them with longing or wish that we could forget about them, but theres no getting away from them. That crucial winning run scored in an inter-class match will act as a salve for all future failures that prefect-ship denied in high school will fester despite the progress one may have made in life thereafter. Recess: The Penguin Book of Schooldays brings together over fifty moving and human accounts of school, covering a period of around 200 years, as seen through the eyes of some of the finest minds India has produced from Lal Behari Dey and Dayananda Saraswati to Premchand and Harivansh Rai Bachchan. How management teams can have a good fight / by Kathleen M Eisenhardt…[et al.], HBSP, 2009, Pp 55, Rs.460/-

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This article includes a one-page preview that quickly summarizes the key ideas and provides an overview of how the concepts work in practice along with suggestions for further reading. Top level managers know that conflict over issues is natural and even necessary. Management teams that challenge one another's thinking develop a more complete understanding of their choices, create a richer range of options, and make better decisions. But the challenge--familiar to anyone who has ever been part of a management team--is to keep constructive conflict over issues from degenerating into interpersonal conflict. From their research on the interplay of conflict, politics, and speed in the decision-making process of management teams, the authors have distilled a set of tactics characteristic of high-performing teams. These tactics work because they keep conflict focused on issues; foster collaborative, rather than competitive, relations among

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team members; and create a sense of fairness in the decision-making process.

Payment for ecosystem services / by Pushpam Kumar and Roldan Muradian, OUP, 2009, USD($) 24.95

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The management of environmental services is an urgent requirement given the declining natural ecosystems worldwide. Transaction between provider and beneficiaries of ecosystem services known as payment for ecosystem services (PES) has emerged as one of the innovative and cost effective responses to management of ecosystem and ecosystem services. Payments have been successfully designed and executed for carbon, watershed services, genetic material, and various other nutrients. More than 30 leading experts in the field of ecological economics address a large range of issues dealing with the valuation of ecosystem services, as well as the design and performance of compensation schemes as effective tools that may considerably reduce the cost of such management. The contributors also propose PES as a redistributive mechanism between different social groups that is framed in the context of inequality concerns in rural-urban dynamics.

Old China’s new economy: the conquest by a billion papers / by T K Bhaumik, Sage Publications, 2008, Rs.350/-

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This book presents a comprehensive analysis of the rise and growth of the Chinese economy since the beginning of the country's transition to a socialist market economy and captures the growth story in its historical backdrop. It sequentially unveils this story and highlights the critical role of two major change agents--the government and the people. While credit goes to the former for the successful transition to a high growth economy, there is an equally important role played by the Chinese people, displayed by their hard work, tenacity and struggle for a better living standard.

Dreams & beyond / by Madhu Tandan, Hay House, Rs.395/-

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She elaborates with an example. You see cactus in your sleep. It is growing in the Arctic. You wake up and your first thought, is “How ridiculous can I get.” Not quite end of story if you just probe a wee bit. Isn’t cactus supposed to thrive in the hot desert whereas the North Pole is a cold desert? So, is the desert, the metaphysical message of the dream that points to aloneness, being jilted, isolated or abandoned? Worth thinking over.

A splendid exchange: how trade shaped the world / by William J Bernstein, Atlantic Monthly Press, 2008. USD($) 30.00 56

Bernstein tells the extraordinary story of global commerce, from its prehistoric origins to the myriad controversies surrounding it today. Lively, authoritative, and astonishing in scope, the riveting narrative views trade and globalization as an evolutionary process as old as war and religion.

A accountable leader: developing effective leadership through managerial accountability / Brian Dive, Kogan Page, 2008. 57

Organizational structures are ineffective when they do not delineate and define accountabilities. Brian Dive focuses upon the implications of clear accountability for leadership, with an in-depth analysis of "distributed leadership" - a concept neglected in the leadership literature to date. Dive explores the relationship between leadership,

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accountability and organizational structure. He argues that the majority of leadershiprelated problems arise not from ineffective individuals but from organizational structures that lack accountable jobs. In a Decision Making Accountability Solution Set, he outlines the key principles of accountability. By implementing the principles an organization can improve the performance of its managerial staff at all levels.

Enough: true measures of money, business, and life / by John C Bogle, John Wiley, 2008. USD($) 24.95

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"Enough." is a piece of work that simply has not been seen by the likes of Jack Bogle before. Sure, the world knows of his legendary financial mind. He is the Father of Index Investing. He is the founder of Vanguard. He is St. Jack. And now he wants to share his own journey, filled with famous characters and telling anecdotes, that aims to teach investors the importance of doing the right thing, how to be a strong leader in today's world, and what it means to have "enough.

Little green book of getting your way: how to speak, write, present, persuade, influence, and sell your point of view to others / Jeffrey Gitomer, Prentice Hall, 2007. USD($) 19.99.

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Little Red Book of Sales Answers, Little Black Book of Connections, and The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, Jeffrey Gitomer's The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way digs deep into the 9.5 elements that make persuasion, and getting your way, happen. By breaking down the elements, the reader will begin to understand, take action, become proficient, and then master the ability to persuade. Because persuasion occurs in so many different areas of life and business, Gitomer leads the reader from mental readiness to the principles of getting your way and the power that persuasion offers.

Reward system / by Steve Kerr, HBSP, 2009. USD($) 18.00.

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It's one of the thorniest management problems around: dealing with unmotivated, lowperforming employees. It's easy to point the finger of blame at them. But in most companies, it's the reward system, not the workforce, that's causing poor attitudes and performance: many reward systems actually discourage desired behaviors while rewarding the very actions that drive executives crazy. In Reward Systems: Does Yours Deliver? Steve Kerr describes the steps you must take to create an effective reward system: • Clarify what you mean by "performance" -- in ways that help employees understand how they can support what you're trying to accomplish • Devise an effective performance-measurement system that distinguishes between metrics used for control and those used for employees' development • Design a reward system that motivates people to do what you want them to do while also meeting their needs To get the most from employees, you don't need to add headcount, upgrade your IT capabilities, or hire consultants. You do need to develop the right reward system. This book shows you how. From our new Memo to the CEO series -- solutions-focused advice from today's leading practitioners.

LIBRARY AND RESOURCE CENTRE – JIM, NOIDA

Book Reviews (March – April, 2009)

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