Amazon.com's Best of 2001
In As the Future Catches You, Juan Enriquez of the Harvard Business School attempts to capture the trajectory of technological progress and understand the forces shaping our social and economic futures. Enriquez argues that February 2, 2001--the date that anyone with Internet access could contemplate the entire human genome--is akin to 1492 and Columbus's discovery of America. Instead of a new continent however, Enriquez sees the alphabet of DNA (A, adenine; T, thymine; C, cytosine; and G, guanine) and predicts that it will be the "dominant language and economic driver of this century." While none of the ideas presented here are entirely new, As the Future Catches You stands out because of Enriquez's ability to view and connect trends--genomics in particular--in a way that just about anyone can understand. Eye-popping typography and graphics coupled with a compact and almost poetic writing style make this thought-provoking book one to savor. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards
Book Description
If you think the world has changed dramatically in the last five years, you haven’t seen anything yet.
You will never look at the world in the same way after reading As the Future Catches You. Juan Enriquez puts you face to face with unprecedented political, ethical, economic, and financial issues, dramatically demonstrating the cascading impact of the genetic, digital, and knowledge revolutions on all our lives.
Genetics will be the dominant language of this century. Those who can “speak it” will acquire direct and deliberate control over all forms of life. But most countries and individuals remain illiterate in what is rapidly becoming the greatest single driver of the global economy. The choice is simple: Either learn to surf new and powerful waves of change—or get crushed trying to stop them. The future is catching us all. Let it catch you with your eyes wide open.
Customer Reviews:
Plainly bad..........2007-09-18
I am actually amazed to realize that this book has received so many positive reviews. It is pitiable from start to end. You could perhaps excuse Henriquez' poor writting style if only the content of the book had been something to cheer for. However this is not the case. Unfortunately Henriquez' argument for how genomics will shape the future of all things, is substantiated by oversimplifications and misconceptions generated by an evident lack of scientific knowledge on the author's behalf, or alternatively, a deliberate attempt to impress the unaware reader with overambitious and melodramatic factoids.
... but let us just analyse some of the statements in say, for instance, the
"MOSQUITOES" section, right among the starting pages:
"Mosquitoes
are flying hypodermic needles.
They can infect you with malaria, dengue, and other
awful things" Well... up to here everything is sort of correct - except for the fact that mosquitoes are nothing like hypodermic needles, but that mosquito's feeding apparatus, for instance, is an extremely complicated structure, quite unlike a single syringe, but hey... what do I know? - ... still, let us excuse the imprecision and awful writing style and read a bit more:
"They do so by transferring a little bit of genetic code
through their saliva..." Really? How does that happen then? Because, during the twelve years I have been studying the genetics of tropical diseases, I never heard of a publication where this has been shown... I had the idea that it was the entire microorganism (virus, parasite, bacteria, etc...) that was inoculated and then caused an infection, but apparently it is just a portion of its genetic code... or he is referring to the mosquito's genes? Help me, I'm confused...
"Into your bloodstream..."
"Which then reprograms part of the way your cells operate... "
"By changing your genetic code ever so slightly..." Oooohhhh, I'm scared...
"In ways that can make you very sick." Now, that's what I call an engaging writing style...
Unfortunately, it goes on and on for over two hundred pages...
The Optimistic Jew.......2007-08-31
Ostensibly a pronouncement about the extraordinary impact that genetics is about to make on human civilization I found his comments and supporting data on knowledge societies versus commodity societies most enlightening. You live in a country without natural resources? LUCKY YOU! You have a much better chance to live in a democratic country with constitutional protections of individual rights. Countries devoid of natural wealth must invest in their human capital. In the knowledge economy this is more likely to create wealth. Small countries with few natural resources have the highest per capita median incomes in the world. If you live in a resource rich country you are more likely to be ruled by thugs or clowns who enrich themselves by enabling large companies with know-how and technology to extract the resource. They have no need to invest in their human capital. Poverty is the result. Enriquez marshals impressive data to support this claim. My optimism about the future possibilities of the Jewish people and Israel (in my own book "The Optimistic Jew") stems to great degree from Enriquez's book. His observation that now lone individuals and single zip codes can create greater wealth than entire countries enabled me to envisage Israel becoming the richest country in the world in per capita, median income by 2030.
Extraordinarily provocative!.......2007-03-08
This book will make you think...a "must read" to understand what is going on in our increasingly science-driven world.
Information a bit dated........2007-02-11
The information in this book is a bit dated.
The author mostly ignores the stocking market tech-bubble crash, simply referring to it as the "Nasdaq Adjustment". A great deal of companies and employees were "adjusted" out of existance.
Back to the Future.......2006-10-01
This book is a blend of intresting observations and speculation on various hot technologies (gnemoics in particular) and it's likely impact on people and countries. It is an intresting book and can be easily followed by anybody (even without any intrest or knowledge of the subject). The page layout (with large typeface and fonts) may seem condescending to some of the serious readers, but i think it works in this case, since the book isn't verbose and the author packs thought and info in small sentences, which provokes one to pause and reflect. For eg: sample this: "there used to be one way of getting pregnant.. Now there are more than Seventeen" OR " A seed is an instruument designed to execute a genetic program that transforms soil, water and sun into Wood, Flower.. Fruit"
You need not know anything about Gneomics, Computers, Biology sciences or the various other technologies which this books quotes, to enjoy this book. It's pretty sweeping in scope and you need not necessarily agree with all that the author says about his versiion of the future (i did not). But, one can certainly give full marks to the author for making serious sciences entertaining, by sharing his thoughts on how it is/may impacting our lives.
The challenge and pitfalls in speculating about the future is ironically seen here - This book was written in 2001 and as such the author makes a glowing reference to the AOL-Timewarner merger (which later turned out into a disaster!); India and China are lumped as "having few resources, capital and respect for entrepreneurs", whereas the outsourcing boom in the last five years has clearly proved this wrong.
Not everyone will agree with the author's touting of Gene food (btw, this is not a default food in Europe) or the 'small population' advantage. Patents is relatively a western phenomenon, so comparing the number of patents of US to China or India seems out of place. Couple of chapters venture into politics of why many countries broke apart in the last fifty years and the treatment of it may seen one-dimensional. Afterall, the things that defines a nation is something more complex than what the author seems to define.
There is lot of great Links/references in the Appendix of the book for anybody intrested in exploring further on this topics.
Irrespective of what one's throughts are on the opinions and coverage in this book, i think this is a book which gives value for the time and money spend. It is thought provoking.
I would recommend it to all.
Customer Reviews:
The Optimistic Jew.......2007-08-31
This final volume of Toffler's trilogy argues that the control of knowledge has become the principal means to create wealth and power. In a way, the book predicted the productivity explosion of the 90's and the birth of the knowledge economy even before the "invention" of the www. His arguments about the growing conflict between the flexibility required by the knowledge economy and the inherent inflexibility of bureaucratic structures were a natural continuation of his Third Wave vs. Second Wave mentality: "...all bureaucracies discourage out-of-frame thinking and the examination of root premises." This book, along with "The Third Wave", provides useful methodological metaphors for critically analyzing 21st century Jewish life and proposing alternative Jewish futures based on the opportunities of globalization. This is what I tried to do in my book "The Optimistic Jew: a Positive Vision for the Jewish People in the 21st Century".
Fifteen years later A different world. Toffler as the author of 'Future Shock'.......2005-12-07
Toffler is the man who gave the world ' future shock'. He is one of the principal popularizers in helping the broader public understand the social implications of scientific and technological changes. The pace is too fast, taught Toffler, for our bodies and minds to really keep up.
Having shocked the world with 'Future Shock' and tried to revolutionize our thinking with 'The Third Wave' Toffler here again makes an effort at coining an Age-Defining- Concept. However here as with 'The Third Wave' a whole bookful of intelligent insights are not enough to make a concept strike home. For all of us Toffler will be in the years to come , 'Mr. Future- Shock' and nothing else.
As for the Power shifts, I would simply point out Reality usually defies our predictions for it. Toffler's book did not have the 'Internet' it did not have the rise of Radical Fundamelist Islam. It did not have suicide bombers and a huge China and a growing India standing greedily at the Middle East petrol pump.
Even the greatest prophet mises a lot.
Great Book.......2005-04-24
This is a great book though i read it in 2005, 15 years after its publishing!!! A great futuristic reading
As good as it can get.......2004-10-18
Amazing insights .... coupled with relevant interlinking between the socio- eco - political environment ..... makes it an interesting reading. Did someone say its all about paradigm ? Guess YES.
Excellent Book.......2004-06-06
All of Toffler's books are amazing. I can't say enough good things about them. Those who do not like his books are clearly just those types who hate anything that becomes too popular. Someone should explane to them that just because something is well-liked doesn't mean it suddenly lacks value. Toffler has predicted so much that has become true. His great ability to use social science to show us the future is beyond impressive. Future Shock, The Third Wave, and Powershift. Read all three.
Book Description
Wealth Protection M.D. is a collaborative financial planning guide written solely for physicians, and focuses on doctor's growing concerns within the fields of asset protection, medical malpractice, estate planning, and tax planning. David Mandell JD, MBA and Chris Jarvis MBA are two well-known authors/speakers in the medical community, and have teamed up with some of the top tax attorneys and financial planners to offer physicians a comprehensive guide to secure and conservative financial well-being.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Summary.......2007-06-27
I am an estate and asset protection attorney generally very skeptical of any book on a subject as diverse as this one. Yet I contacted and personally met with the authors after reading their book. I now routinely give a copy to qualified prospective clients in order to empower them to ask better questions and to participate more fully in plan design and implementation. I believe that it to be one of a select few and valuable resources for self-education on a little-understood area of planning. It is a fairly easy, fairly quick read. More detail in some areas would be welcome. But Wealth Protection, M.D. addresses a highly complex area of planning covering legal, financial, tax and insurance subjects. So on balance I think that the authors did a splendid job of introducing these subjects and how they relate to one another. They tackled the thorny issue of finding someone who can actually advise about these subjects in an interdisciplinary fashion. And, yes, they alluded to a group of professionals that share a common desire to work to provide this kind of professional team. In the final analysis, I think they did a very credible job of providing information and insight that would enable any client to have a far more meaningful dialogue with his or her planning team given that this is a heavily fact and circumstances-based planning arena. Few professionals think that integrated asset protection planning is an area where a client could get optimal results with a "DIY" approach yet many try. My experience is that in this area, DIY approaches result in horrendous costs downstream. There are too many moving parts operating over too long a time horizon to go it alone, so that is the main idea behind the promotion of working with professionals to create a workable plan.
Well Worth the Price.......2007-06-25
As someone who has read a number of personal finance and asset protection books, this one stands out. The reason I liked this one the best is that is the initial questionnaire. By taking this questionnaire, I was directed to the chapters that applied to my situation. This made the book for me interactive, relevant and well-worth the price. Also, the fact that book offered attorneys and other advisors around the country that could actually help me with these areas did not seem like a sales pitch (as another reviewer mentioned) but the logical next step for me in my planning.
A Must Read for All Physicians Concerned About Asset Growth & Protection.......2007-06-15
This book provides an excellent overview of the challenges faced by physicians today. It offers an extensive review of the techniques available to assist physicians in the tax-efficient accumulation, growth, protection and preservation of their hard-earned assets. A number of topics are discussed that may be unfamiliar to, or overlooked by, many planners and advisors. To take full advantage of the potential offered by the contents of the book, a physician will need an advisory team experienced in the design and implementation of these planning techniques. Given the potential benefits available, this book should should be routinely read and studied by all physicians.
Recommend this book.......2007-06-15
I read extensively about these matters and found this book quite inclusive and easy to read. In fact, I have hired the authors to set-up the proper modalities for my family's asset protection.
Excellent...Highly recommended for all physicians........2007-06-14
I was reccommended to purchase this book by one of the senior partners of my group who recently attended one of the author's seminars.
After reading it in its entirety I walked away feeling enlightened and much more organized as it relates to my finances....I now have a Plan.
I found that they really did a good job in simplifying ,what was to me, seemingly complex and confusing. They raise excellent points that pertain exclusively to me as a physician. I feel that I am now ready for a more sophisticated approach to managing and maximizing my wealth/assets..and feel comfortable about the future.
I highly recommend it.
Average customer rating:
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Work, Consumption and Culture: Affluence and Social Change in the Twenty-first Century
Paul Ransome
Manufacturer: Sage Publications Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Consumer Behavior
| Marketing & Sales
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Consumer Guides
| Reference
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Look Inside Reference Books
| Trip
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All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0761959858 |
Book Description
The central question in
Work, Consumption and Culture is whether consumption has now displaced production as the defining factor in the lives of those in the industrialized West. This book offers a comprehensive review of the key issues in the production/consumption debate, and where it might lead in the future.
Key to Paul Ransome’s argument is the hypothesis that affluence is the crucial factor in the shift away from work and towards consumption. Uniquely emphasizing the links between work, consumption and culture, rather than keeping each element separate, the author looks at:
- the changing significance of work in society
- the meaning, growth and significance of affluence
- the growing importance of consumption as a source of identity and its implications
the impact of the shift to consumption on work/life balance
Work, Consumption and Culture engages the reader with its lively debating style. It is an essential introduction for sociology and cultural studies students on courses relating to consumption and the role of work in contemporary society.
`This book offers a balanced account of the changing importance of work and consumption in contemporary industrial society. Clearly written, the author identifies the central role that affluence plays in the relationship between work and consumption, and in the development of social life and individual identity' -
Professor Paul Blyton, Cardiff Business School
Book Description
The Richest Man In Babylon For Today brilliantly creates a new classic set of up-to-date stories to guide you in saving money, getting out of debt and having your money work for you by making more money. With steps as easy to understand as 1,2,3 this book shows you how to take control of your life and become financially independent.
Customer Reviews:
Free Enterprise Rules!.......2007-01-04
Great advice on accumulating wealth, delivered in anecdotal form. I loved this book, finding it very encouraging. Bottom line, you must get started right away!
Better than the original.......2006-04-26
I agree with Top 500 Reviewer Roger Herman. This a a great book for anyone who wants to learn basic principles of gathering and managing wealth. It is told in an interesting story (parable) format that is deeply instructive.
I will always love the original, but the "for Today" version includes investment principles and suggestions that were never mentioned in the orginal book i.e. the use of 401k plans, eBay and the like. I gave a copy to all the kids and grandkids!
Just Buy the Original! Great Idea, POOR Execution.......2004-08-28
I am a big fan of "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George Clason, I think it might be the only book you need to have in order to become "REALLY" successful. Based on my experience with "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George Clason, I was excited to read this book because I thought it would be interesting to see if someone could expand or try and bring Clason's ideas more in line with the world today. I was SADLY DISAPPOINTED with "The Richest Man in Babylon for Today" because this book seemed to me more just a rewrite of Clason's ideas lumped together with a bunch of quotes, then new material. I saw few if any expansions off of Clason's ideas. In my opinion this book is just a repackaging of Clason's ideas with a higher price tag. I did not like the author advertising his other books throughout this book.
Every success, money, or personal finance author has just taken George Clason's original ideas in "The Richest Man in Babylon" and repackaged them. Suzie Orman, Rich Dad Poor Dad, "The Richest Man in Babylon for Today " and numerous others are all just talking about George Clason's ideas.
If you are like me and love "The Richest Man in Babylon" and are wondering about this book, look at it in person before you buy it, because you are likely to be SADLY surprised at how little new material is actually here. This book could have been very good but I just can not justify the price considering how little new material is discussed and how many ideas are "lifted" from other authors ideas.
GREAT IDEA, POOR EXECUTION.
Do not miss the original "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George Clason.
Age-Old Wisdom, Easily Digested.......2004-07-05
Untold numbers of books have been written about how to build wealth. They range from the get rich quick schemes to solid advice on investments. Some are so thick or so filled with formulas and charts that it takes an economist to understand them. Some are inspirational volumes that are filled with platitudes and little else.
In this short book, Siegel spins a story that, at times, almost seems like a fable that's come to life. The story centers on two men having difficulty building wealth and a rich man who mentors them to success. In each chapter, the author imparts, through his fictional wealthy character, advice that we all know but fail to follow religiously. His advisees learn from practicing what they are taught and become successful in their own right.
While there are places that the dialog becomes more of a monologue, the rules of wealth accumulation are delivered, illustrated, and repeated for emphasis and easy reference. The teacher-the man behind the curtain of the fictional story-is well-qualified to present this message to his readers. Siegel is a highly successful businessman who functions as an investment advisor and owns two other companies. He knows what he's talking about, and presents the cogent advice in a form that's easy to digest. The story is simple and the presentation is simple.
This book is recommended for anyone who wants to learn the steps to accumulated wealth through savings, building, and investing. It's not a deep volume, just comprehensive enough to stand on its own...and perhaps stimulate some readers to explore Siegel's previous books or other books on investing. The best time to begin this kind of program is twenty years ago, to paraphrase one of the quotations Siegel uses to season the book; the second best time is now. This is a valuable book for parents to give their children, so they can start the process early in life.
Average customer rating:
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The Future of Children: Wealth, Poverty, and Opportunity in America
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Poverty
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
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General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
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Children's Studies
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0195305442 |
Book Description
One of the United States great promises is that all children will be given the opportunity to work to achieve a comfortable standard of living. That promise has faded profoundly for children who grow up in poverty, particularly black and Hispanic children, and many of the deepening fault lines
in the social order are traceable to this disparity. In recent years the promise has also begun to fade for children of the middle class. Education and hard work, once steady paths to economic success, no longer lead as far as they once did. But that doesnt have to be the case, as Duncan Lindsey
shows in this articulate, impassioned volume. We can provide true opportunity to all children, insuring them against a lifetime of inequality, and when we do, the walls dividing the country by race, ethnicity, and wealth will begin to crumble.
Long a voice for combatting child poverty, Lindsey takes a balanced approach that begins with a history of economic and family policy from the Great Depression and the development of Social Security and moves onward. He details the shocking extent of economic inequality in the U.S., pointing out
that this wealthiest of countries also has the largest proportion of children living in poverty. Calling for reform, Lindsey proposes several viable universal income security policies for vulnerable children and families, strategies that have worked in other advanced democracies and also respect the
importance of the market economy. They aim not just to reduce child poverty, but also to give all children meaningful economic opportunity. Just as Social Security alleviates the sting of poverty in old age, asset-building policies can insulate children from the cumulative effects of disadvantage
and provide them with a strong foundation from which to soar.
Politicians, pundits, and parents always say that children are the future, but as long as so many grow up poor or without opportunity, that slogan will sound hollow. Duncan Lindseys book should be read by anyone who wants to know how we can take real action to brighten the future for children and
for society as a whole.
Product Description
The book presents estimates of total wealth for nearly 120 countries, using economic theory to decompose the wealth of a nation into its component pieces: produced capital, natural resources and human resources. The wealth estimates provide a unique opportunity to look at economic management from a broader and comprehensive perspective. The books basic tenet is that economic development can be conceived as a process of portfolio management, so that sustainability becomes an integral part of economic policy making. The rigorous analysis, presented in accessible format, tackles issues such as growth, development and equity. Where is the Wealth of Nations? is organized in four sections. The first part introduces the wealth estimates and highlights the main facts on the level and composition of wealth across countries. The second part analyzes changes in wealth and how they matter for economic policy. The third part deals with the level of wealth, its composition and links to growth and inequality. The last part reviews existing applications of resource and environmental accounting.
Download Description
"The book presents estimates of total wealth for nearly 120 countries, using economic theory to decompose the wealth of a nation into its component pieces: produced capital, natural resources and human resources. The wealth estimates provide a unique opportunity to look at economic management from a broader and comprehensive perspective. The book's basic tenet is that economic development can be conceived as a process of portfolio management, so that sustainability becomes an integral part of economic policy making. The rigorous analysis, presented in accessible format, tackles issues such as growth, development and equity. Where is the Wealth of Nations? is organized in four sections. The first part introduces the wealth estimates and highlights the main facts on the level and composition of wealth across countries. The second part analyzes changes in wealth and how they matter for economic policy. The third part deals with the level of wealth, its composition and links to growth and inequality. The last part reviews existing applications of resource and environmental accounting."
Book Description
Based on a decade of exclusive research, Lowell Bryan and Claudia Joyce of McKinsey & Company have come up with a simple yet revolutionary conclusion: Your workforce is the key to growth in the 21st century. By tapping into their underutilized talents, knowledge, and skills you can earn tens of thousands of additional dollars per employee, and manage the interdepartmental complexities and barriers that prevent real achievements and profits.
This can only be accomplished through organizational design and redesign. That's the new model for survival in the modern, digital, global economy. With the right design, your organization will have the capabilities to pursue whatever strategy is necessary to compete on any scale, react to any market change, leverage any opportunity, and sail past the competition.
In Mobilizing Minds, the authors distill their research into seven strategic ideas that shatter the complexity frontiers, have the potential to unleash enormous profits, and enable long-term success for every company. Bryan and Joyce outline innovative principles that enable corporations to:
- Manage complexity, bureaucracy, and redundancy
- Use hierarchical authority to strengthen the authority of key managers and drive performance
- Deliver operating earnings while implementing wealth-creation strategies
- Allow formal networks, talent, and knowledge marketplaces to work in a large company
- Motivate and reward wealth-creating behavior
- Pursue organizational design as a corporate strategy
- Increase worker satisfaction
It is imperative for corporations to put the same energy used for new products and processes into organizational design. That's where the money is. That's where the opportunities lie. That's the key to surviving and prospering in the 21st century.
Customer Reviews:
Not grounded but thought provoking, good read.......2007-09-03
I recently became interested in defining my own role and wanted to ground my ideas in what is out there in the corporate world. I was also interested in hearing what a McKinsey person had to say, as our company has hired some former McKinsey consultants.
To me this book had three stages:
- the sales pitch - boring but thankfully brief. I did buy the book already...
- brief discussion of existing organization theory. - A little brief for me. I would have liked a little more introduction to conventional corporate structures and thinking. Perhaps I am also not representative here, as this may be old hat to some.
- their ideas for how to build an organization for the 21 st century. This is the bulk of the book and where the meat is. Overall, I found it very interesting and had a hard time putting the book down. I do wish it was a little more grounded in what was in actual practice with more case studies from existing companies that have excelled in certain areas. Instead, they tried to propose a new organization but are very honest in saying no current company implements all there ideas.
My biggest complaint is that they choose to focus on approaches that work for mega corporations and often want to focus on how their ideas scale up rather than scale down. While, the complexities of running mega-corporations may require new approaches to truly scale, it seems like innovative, radical approaches would be first adopted in smaller organizations.
Some of the high-lights for me include:
- Clear separation of the duties and responsibilities of the different layers of management. Empowered Line management responsible for operations and shorter term initiatives. Senior and Top - Level management responsible for shared utilities, strategic planning and putting in place a one-company culture.
- Strong use of hierarchy for clear decision making while at the same time, providing a framework for incorporating Teams at the top. In particular, I liked the idea that teams at the top would extend beyond the C-Level board and reach down lower level people. I agree with the premise that this will not only help train and retain promising talent but will also result in better decision making and planning.
- Top down leadership towards mutual accountability.
- The concept of portfolio of initiatives and the need to fund them out of corporate and top level management to avoid long-term planning and improvements being starved by more immediate line management needs.
- Formal networks and Talent Networks were interesting but some of the concepts shared in knowledge networks were particularly interesting to me. Some of the concepts of Knowledge may be the easiest for smaller organizations to start putting in place.
Thus, for me, this was a very good book and one that has certainly wetted my appetite for further reading. Perhaps, the authors could write another book focusing on grounded, shorter term improvements with an eye to smaller companies....
Book Description
The dawn of the 21st century coincides with the dawn of a new economic era--an industrial revolution breathtaking in its scope, its potential and its promise. Ahead lies a sustained period of economic growth: a boom that could last 30 years or more. The era ahead will demand fundamental rethinking by statesmen and public policy experts, and just as importantly, by people in business. The corporations that recognize this "boom" and build organizations that can take advantage of this huge global market will be well positioned for phenomenal growth and unlimited earning potential. Through, Boom, internationally recognized experts Frank Vogl and James Sinclair show corporations how to best position themselves for this new era. Specific topics include: an overview of the new industrial revolution; redefining the corporation for global business; the new politics and its implications for transnational b usiness; the "new" global state of mind, corporate knowlede and contracts.
Customer Reviews:
EQUALS DRUCKER!!!.......2000-12-08
When it comes to business and management books, there is a typology that categorizes much of the writing in this genre into two: by thinkers who can't do and by doers who can't think! This underlines the fact that academic analysis, by itself and without practical relevance, achieves very little. Similarly, so-called practical recipes for success with a narrow focus and little real understanding of the underlying principles also leave much to be desired.
Therefore, when a book that makes an important contribution to the understanding of an increasingly competitive global economy such as BOOM makes the scene, it is to be welcomed as a breath of fresh air. Written by two authors with strong credentials who are themselves in the midst of building a multinational enterprise, this book speaks with a certain air of authority and credibility. Frank Vogl was born in London and educated at Leeds. A former Reuters reporter and European business correspondent of The Times, he moved to the USA to become US economics correspondent for The Times and then director of information and public affairs at the World Bank. He is now a director of Sutton Resources Ltd of Canada, of which James Sinclair is a fellow director and chairman. Sinclair is an authority on investment and financial markets and was formerly head of a leading Wall Street precious metals trading firm. His previous books include The Strategic Metals War and How to Make Money in Gold Currencies.
In Part One, BOOM and the New Industrial Revolution, authors Vogl and Sinclair forecast dramatic changes in the global economy, with an unprecedented era of growth providing extraordinary opportunities for business: hence the 'boom' scenario. The authors see this new era of economic growth unfolding in most of the countries of the world gathering momentum as we enter the 21st century. As a natural consequence of the new industrial revolution taking place in emerging economies, hundreds of millions of people, if not billions, will benefit and rise from poverty to form the new middle classes of Asia, particularly in China and India, and concurrently in Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe. Supplying the customer demands in this emerging market and building the infrastructure for these economies, say Vogl and Sinclair, represent outstanding business opportunities not to be missed. The boom is stimulated by the steady growth and low-inflation policies now being seen in leading industrialised countries as well as by economic policies in dozens of emerging market economies that encourage investment, savings, and price stability. These economic policies are supported by social policies that are raising educational and health levels in many parts of the developing world. The authors argue that these economic and social policies will be strengthened as markets for all manner of goods and services in developing countries are being linked by technology, telecommunications, and multinational investors. Thus, the 'boom' scenario sets the vision for creating wealth in the 21st century and provides the analytical propositions of the book: Very profitable business opportunities will arise, but managing in this new era will be complicated.
Using their vast experience of doing business in both Western and Third World markets, Vogl and Sinclair then tackle in Part Two, Risks, Values and Opportunities, some of the risks associated with the 'boom' scenario by looking at increasing military spending and the populist challenges to fragile democracies in the emerging economies. The road to wealth is not without obstacles and the authors warn that corruption is the single greatest threat to this scenario. Vogl and Sinclair describe this corruption threat in detail and the global actions being taken to curb this disease.
They also argue that the investors and businesses that fare best will be those that make the greatest effort to understand the global, political, and economic trends now emerging and those that strategize accordingly. Smart investors are already positioning themselves to take full advantage of the boom, as are many multinational corporations. They know that the maximization of profit will increasingly depend on going global and they recognize that the fastest rates of economic growth in coming years will not be in the United States, Germany, UK and Japan but in Third World countries.
In Part Three, Doing Business in the 21st Century, Vogl and Sinclair provide their insights into this 'boom' scenario by outlining the strategies and tactics to make full use of it. They describe the critical management considerations for winning in the new era of intensified global business competition where business conditions in almost all markets will be more competitive than ever before. From setting goals, gathering business intelligence, and building contacts to positioning in new markets, BOOM provides corporations with a blueprint for success in this new era. Business leaders should also realise, however, that the political environment of much of the Third World is changing, democracy is spreading and demands for the public accountability of public servants are rising. Thus, multinational corporations will need to change their ways, too, and in this context, partnership is the absolute key. Tomorrow's global corporations must work towards open, honest partnerships with their host country stakeholders: governments, joint venture associates, strategic alliance partners, customers, suppliers and employees. The 'boom' scenario also poses many crucial questions for European and American managers and companies: Will the start of the new century see a fundamental shift in global economic and political power towards Asia? What will be the consequences of this? Can, for example, UK industry compete in the increasingly global market? Is it inevitable that British industry will reduce employment at home as it builds new bases in lower cost, more productive Asian and African locations? Will the boom's creation of a large Third World middle class to mean a vast consumer market also mean a major political challenge to the status quo? Will this emergent Third World middle class provide the impetus for a New World Order? These are the pertinent questions posed by this important new book. Practising what they preach, Vogl and Sinclair bring together the diverse strands of their analysis, highlighting their vision in BOOM by describing the approaches they have taken to build Sutton Resources Ltd, a successful international minerals exploration company listed on NASDAQ. The authors outline their own experiences and demonstrate that they practise what they have described throughout the book. "Sutton does not pay bribes, it earns goodwill, it engages in partnerships and it is winning," they state.
Reviewed by Azlan Adnan. Formerly Business Development Manager with KPMG, Azlan is currently Managing Partner of Azlan & Koh Knowledge and Professional Management, an education and management consulting practice based in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo. He holds a Master's degree in International Business and Management from the Westminster Business School in London. He may be contacted at E-mail: azlan@azlan.org
Way off.......2000-03-01
and dull. And from where comes their expertise? I recall seeing that the authors of this book were summarily tossed from one of their probably innumerable corporate board posts. Boom, indeed.
Equals DRUCKER'S Management Challenges for the 21st Century.......1999-08-06
When it comes to business and management books, there is a typology that categorizes much of the writing in this genre into two: by thinkers who can't do and by doers who can't think! This underlines the fact that academic analysis, by itself and without practical relevance, achieves very little. Similarly, so-called practical recipes for success with a narrow focus and little real understanding of the underlying principles also leave much to be desired.
Therefore, when a book that makes an important contribution to the understanding of an increasingly competitive global economy such as BOOM makes the scene, it is to be welcomed as a breath of fresh air. Written by two authors with strong credentials who are themselves in the midst of building a multinational enterprise, this book speaks with a certain air of authority and credibility. Frank Vogl was born in London and educated at Leeds. A former Reuters reporter and European business correspondent of The Times, he moved to the USA to become US economics correspondent for The Times and then director of information and public affairs at the World Bank. He is now a director of Sutton Resources Ltd of Canada, of which James Sinclair is a fellow director and chairman. Sinclair is an authority on investment and financial markets and was formerly head of a leading Wall Street precious metals trading firm. His previous books include The Strategic Metals War and How to Make Money in Gold Currencies.
In Part One, BOOM and the New Industrial Revolution, authors Vogl and Sinclair forecast dramatic changes in the global economy, with an unprecedented era of growth providing extraordinary opportunities for business: hence the `boom' scenario. The authors see this new era of economic growth unfolding in most of the countries of the world gathering momentum as we enter the 21st century. As a natural consequence of the new industrial revolution taking place in emerging economies, hundreds of millions of people, if not billions, will benefit and rise from poverty to form the new middle classes of Asia, particularly in China and India, and concurrently in Latin America, Africa and Eastern Europe. Supplying the customer demands in this emerging market and building the infrastructure for these economies, say Vogl and Sinclair, represent outstanding business opportunities not to be missed. The boom is stimulated by the steady growth and low-inflation policies now being seen in leading industrialised countries as well as by economic policies in dozens of emerging market economies that encourage investment, savings, and price stability. These economic policies are supported by social policies that are raising educational and health levels in many parts of the developing world. The authors argue that these economic and social policies will be strengthened as markets for all manner of goods and services in developing countries are being linked by technology, telecommunications, and multinational investors. Thus, the `boom' scenario sets the vision for creating wealth in the 21st century and provides the analytical propositions of the book: Very profitable business opportunities will arise, but managing in this new era will be complicated.
Using their vast experience of doing business in both Western and Third World markets, Vogl and Sinclair then tackle in Part Two, Risks, Values and Opportunities, some of the risks associated with the `boom' scenario by looking at increasing military spending and the populist challenges to fragile democracies in the emerging economies. The road to wealth is not without obstacles and the authors warn that corruption is the single greatest threat to this scenario. Vogl and Sinclair describe this corruption threat in detail and the global actions being taken to curb this disease.
They also argue that the investors and businesses that fare best will be those that make the greatest effort to understand the global, political, and economic trends now emerging and those that strategize accordingly. Smart investors are already positioning themselves to take full advantage of the boom, as are many multinational corporations. They know that the maximization of profit will increasingly depend on going global and they recognize that the fastest rates of economic growth in coming years will not be in the United States, Germany, UK and Japan but in Third World countries.
In Part Three, Doing Business in the 21st Century, Vogl and Sinclair provide their insights into this `boom' scenario by outlining the strategies and tactics to make full use of it. They describe the critical management considerations for winning in the new era of intensified global business competition where business conditions in almost all markets will be more competitive than ever before. From setting goals, gathering business intelligence, and building contacts to positioning in new markets, BOOM provides corporations with a blueprint for success in this new era. Business leaders should also realise, however, that the political environment of much of the Third World is changing, democracy is spreading and demands for the public accountability of public servants are rising. Thus, multinational corporations will need to change their ways, too, and in this context, partnership is the absolute key. Tomorrow's global corporations must work towards open, honest partnerships with their host country stakeholders: governments, joint venture associates, strategic alliance partners, customers, suppliers and employees.
The `boom' scenario also poses many crucial questions for European and American managers and companies: Will the start of the new century see a fundamental shift in global economic and political power towards Asia? What will be the consequences of this? Can, for example, UK industry compete in the increasingly global market? Is it inevitable that British industry will reduce employment at home as it builds new bases in lower cost, more productive Asian and African locations? Will the boom's creation of a large Third World middle class to mean a vast consumer market also mean a major political challenge to the status quo? Will this emergent Third World middle class provide the impetus for a New World Order?
These are the pertinent questions posed by this important new book. Practising what they preach, Vogl and Sinclair bring together the diverse strands of their analysis, highlighting their vision in BOOM by describing the approaches they have taken to build Sutton Resources Ltd, a successful international minerals exploration company listed on NASDAQ. The authors outline their own experiences and demonstrate that they practise what they have described throughout the book. "Sutton does not pay bribes, it earns goodwill, it engages in partnerships and it is winning," they state.
Brilliant.......1997-01-30
Never before has the whole topic of globalization, from its economic ramifications for the next 25 years, to its impact on business and management, to its societal impact (notably the issue of corruption) been captured so well. This is must reading
Book Description
In this book, the information anyone will need to improve his financial situation is handled in an interesting and stimulating Q&A format.
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- Black Power Inc.: The New Voice of Success
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- Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water, Revised Edition
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- Cuba: A Revolution in Motion
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