Human Side of Organizations, The (9th Edition)

Book Description

"The Human Side of Organizations" delivers complete, up-to-date, practical information on how people behave in organizations presented in a readable, easy to understand form. The vital information can be used to understand managers, peers or workers. If you work, you need this information to thrive and survive. FOCUS BOXES/Reality Checks - Bring the work world as it really is into every chapter./Question of Ethics - Presents ethical questions related to the particular chapters' material./A Global Glance - A look at an international aspect of a chapters' concepts./FYI - A new focus box for the 9e./Presents useful hints readers can apply in their daily lives. Anyone who wishes to better understand managers, peers, or workers can benefit from this book as it covers the vital skills needed to survive and thrive in an organization.

Customer Reviews:

Good Service.......2007-02-24

Received Book in about 2 weeks after purchase. Book was in excellent condition. Good Service.

Exceeded Expectations.......2005-09-30

My textbook came sooner than expected and it was in great condition! The savings were unbelievable and I actually recommended using this seller to everyone in my class.

Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change

Average customer rating:

Excellent book
High rating for a textbook, but it deserves it.
great results from this book
great, short, valuable
Managing Transitions by William Bridges

Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change
William Bridges
Manufacturer: Perseus Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes
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Leading Change
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The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations

ASIN: 0738208248
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Book Description

From the most trusted voice on transition, a revised edition of the classic practical guide to dealing with the human side of organizational change.

The business world is a place of constant change, with stories of corporate mergers, layoffs, bankruptcy, and restructuring hitting the news every day. Yet as veteran consultant William Bridges maintains, the situational changes are not as difficult for companies to make as the psychological transitions. In the best-selling Managing Transitions, Bridges provides a clear understanding of what change does to employees and what employees in transition can do to an organization.

Directed at managers and employees in today's corporations, Bridges shows how to minimize the distress and disruptions caused by change. Managing Transitions addresses the fact that it is people who have to carry out the change. When the book was originally published a decade ago, Bridges was the first to provide any real sense of the emotional impact of change and what can be done to keep it from disrupting the entire organization. With new information and commentary on layoffs, corporate suspicion, and the increasing tumult in the business world, Managing Transitions remains the definitive guide to dealing with change.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2007-10-17

Change and transition are an important issue in our professional lives, going trough the book allowed me to realize the diferent stages and process involved and there for be in a better position the next challenge.

the use of examples en refrences is very well managed, language is easy

High rating for a textbook, but it deserves it........2007-08-11

I have had several textbooks in Management between an Undergraduate, Graduate and Business itself. This was no different in that I expected the same old stuff, but was very pleasantly surprised at the authors candor about our perceptions of business practices. It didn't mince words on several tactics used by management and explained why so much doesn't work. It got my attention and I continued my reading with far more interest. There really isn't anything more complimentary I can say than I intend to sell all other books to new students, excect this one which I will hang on to and reference.

great results from this book.......2007-07-06

This is a wonderful book. If you deal with people who need to change how they do their work you must read this book.

great, short, valuable.......2007-07-04

This is a great book for all people who deal with people that are dealing with change. I have found this book useful when being a change agent for a company, or just for management in my own company. Part of the value of this book is it describes the emotional aspect of change. People are not always (usually) logical. Emotions play a large part. Knowing how to deal with the emotional aspect of change is essential. This book gives you great insights in this area.

Managing Transitions by William Bridges.......2007-05-13

This book is great! I was/am dealing with some pretty significant transitions -- the sudden death of my 21 year-old daughter, and a major division re-org at an S&P 500 company. Several months earlier, my VP had mentioned the book and suggested that all of his direct reports to read it. I did and it really hit home.

The author does an excellent job of describing the emotional and organizational impact of change and the mechanics of the process we use to get through it. We use the same basic process to deal with all change -- personal and professional -- and it has been very helpful to understand how it works. There is also a section in the book about the life cycle of an organization and that was illuminating. The book provided some tools to help me make critical decisions.

I bought six copies of the book and have given them out to friends and co-workers.

The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations

Average customer rating:

Very enjoyable read
Seek not stardom, just starfishdom
Peter NYC
Useful introduction, but there's more ...
Starfish is a mind-game

The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations
Ori Brafman , and Rod Beckstrom
Manufacturer: Portfolio Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
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ASIN: 1591841437

Book Description

Understanding the amazing force that links some of today's most successful companies

If you cut off a spider's leg, it's crippled; if you cut off its head, it dies. But if you cut off a starfish's leg it grows a new one, and the old leg can grow into an entirely new starfish.

What's the hidden power behind the success of Wikipedia, craigslist, and Skype? What do eBay and General Electric have in common with the abolitionist and women's rights movements? What fundamental choice put General Motors and Toyota on vastly different paths? How could winning a Supreme Court case be the biggest mistake MGM could have made?

After five years of ground-breaking research, Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom share some unexpected answers, gripping stories, and a tapestry of unlikely connections. The Starfish and the Spider argues that organizations fall into two categories: traditional “spiders,” which have a rigid hierarchy and top-down leadership, and revolutionary “starfish,” which rely on the power of peer relationships.

The Starfish and the Spider explores what happens when starfish take on spiders (such as the music industry vs. Napster, Kazaa, and the P2P services that followed). It reveals how established companies and institutions, from IBM to Intuit to the US government, are also learning how to incorporate starfish principles to achieve success. The book explores:
* How the Apaches fended off the powerful Spanish army for 200 years
* The power of a simple circle
* The importance of catalysts who have an uncanny ability to bring people together
* How the Internet has become a breeding ground for leaderless organizations
* How Alcoholics Anonymous has reached untold millions with only a shared ideology and without a leader

The Starfish and the Spider is the rare book that will change how you understand the world around you. BACKCOVER: Advance praise for The Starfish and the Spider
“The Starfish and the Spider is a compelling and important book.”
—Pierre Omidyar, CEO, Omidyar Network and Founder and Chairman, eBay Inc.

“The Starfish and the Spider, like Blink, The Tipping Point, and The Wisdom of Crowds before it, showed me a provocative new way to look at the world and at business. It's also fun to read!”
—Robin Wolaner, founder, Parenting Magazine and author, Naked in the Boardroom

“A fantastic read. Constantly weaving stories and connections. You'll never see the world the same way again.”
—Nicholas J. Nicholas Jr., former Co-CEO, Time Warner

“A must-read. Starfish are changing the face of business and society. This page-turner is provocative and compelling.”

—David Martin, CEO, Young Presidents' Organization
“The Starfish and the Spider provides a powerful prism for understanding the patterns and potential of self-organizing systems.”
—Steve Jurvetson, Partner, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
“The Starfish and the Spider lifts the lid on a massive revolution in the making, a revolution certain to reshape every organization on the planet from bridge clubs to global governments. Brafman and Beckstrom elegantly describe what is afoot and offer a wealth of insights that will be invaluable to anyone starting something new—or rescuing something old—amidst this vast shift.”
—Paul Saffo, Director, Institute for the Future

“The Starfish and the Spider is great reading. [It has] not only stimulated my thinking, but as a result of the reading, I proposed ten action points for my own organization."
—Professor Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum

Customer Reviews:

Very enjoyable read.......2007-10-19

The title of the book comes from the analogous use of the starfish and the spider. A spider has eight legs coming out of a central body. It has a tiny head and eight eyes. If you cut off the spider's head, it dies. It may survive without a leg or two or even stand to lose a couple of eyes, but it certainly can't live without its head.

On the other hand, while a starfish may appear to be similar to the central body and multiple legs of the spider, it is really quite different. The starfish doesn't have a head. Its central body isn't even in charge. In fact, the major organs are replicated throughout each and every arm. If you cut the starfish in half, the animal won't die and pretty soon you'll have two starfish.

The authors provide an entertaining description of the starfish system:

"Starfish have an incredible quality to them: If you cut an arm off, most of these animals grow a new arm. And with some varieties, such as the Linckia, or long-armed starfish, the animal can replicate itself from just a single piece of an arm. You can cut the Linckia into a bunch of pieces, and each one will regenerate into a whole new starfish. They can achieve this magical regeneration because in reality a starfish is a neural network - basically a network of cells. Instead of having a head, like a spider, the starfish functions as a decentralized network. Get this: for the starfish to move, one of the arms must convince the other arms that it's a good idea to do so. The arm starts moving and then - in a process that no one fully understands - the other arms cooperate and move as well. The brain doesn't "yea" or "nay" the decision. In truth, there isn't even a brain to declare a "yea" or "nay." The starfish doesn't have a brain. There is no central command. Biologists are still scratching their heads over how this creature operates."

With the analogy firmly in place the authors precede to illustrate the power of decentralized organizations in today's internet savvy world (using examples as varied as eBay, al Qaeda, eMule, Craigslist, AA, and Wikipedia) with those that are much more centralized. In the midst of this discussion they offer six principles of decentralization:

1. When attacked, a decentralized organization tends to become even more open and decentralized.

2. It's easy to mistake starfish for spiders.

3. An open system doesn't have central intelligence; the intelligence is spread throughout the system.

4. Open systems can easily mutate.

5. The decentralized organization sneaks up on you.

6. As industries become decentralized, overall profits decrease.

But how does one go about identifying a Starfish organization? The answer is found in asking the right questions:

1. Is there a person in charge?

2. Are there headquarters?

3. If you thump it on the head, will it die?

4. Is there a clear division of roles?

5. If you take out a unit, is the organization harmed?

6. Are knowledge & power concentrated or distributed?

7. Is the organization flexible or rigid?

8. Can you count the employees or participants?

9. Are working groupls funded by the organization, or are they self-funding?

10. Do working groups communicate directly or through intermediaries?

The authors contend that a decentralized organization stands on five legs. As with the starfish, it can lose a leg or two and still survive. But when you have all the legs working together, a decentralized organization can really take off. These "legs" include:

Leg 1. Circles. Small, nonhierarchical groups of people with each group maintaining its own particular habits and norms.

Leg 2. The Catalyst. The person who initiates a circle and then fades away into the background.

Leg 3. Ideology. The glue that holds decentralized organizations together.

Leg 4. A Preexisting Network. Infrastructure or preexisting platform to launch from.

Leg 5. A Champion. A relentless promoter of the new idea.

One of the most helpful aspects of this portion of the book comes in a chapter titled "The Hidden Power of the Catalyst." The following chart summarizes the different tools that the CEO and catalysts type of leader draws upon:

CEO vs. Catalyst

The Boss -- A Peer
Command & Control -- Trust
Powerful -- Inspirational
Directive -- Collaborative
In the Spotlight -- Behind the Scenes
Order -- Ambiguity
Organizing -- Connecting

The authors conclude this chapter by stating:

"This type of leadership isn't ideal for all situations. Catalysts are bound to rock the boat. They are much better at being agents of change than guardians of tradition. Catalysts do well in situations that call for radical change and creative thinking. They bring innovation, but they're also likely to create a certain amount of chaos and ambiguity. Put them into a structured environment, and they might suffocate. But let them dream and they'll thrive." (can anyone say "church planter")

In the final chapter the authors offer what they perceive to be the "new rules to the game" in regards to understanding and capitalizing on the power of decentralized organizations:

Rule 1: Dis-economies of Scale

Traditionally, the bigger the company or institution the greater the power. However, as counterintuitive as this sounds, it can be better to be small. . . . We have entered a new world where being small can provide a fundamental economic advantage.

Rule 2: The Network Effect

The network effect is the increase in the overall value of the network with the addition of each new member. "Often without spending a dime, starfish organizations create communities where each new member adds value to the larger network. . . . Companies like eBay have used the network effect not only to survive but to thrive: buyers and sellers have stayed loyal to the site because of the value of network.

Rule 3: The Power of Chaos

Starfish systems are wonderful incubators for creative, destructive, innovative, or crazy ideas. Anything goes. Good ideas will attract more people, and in a circle they'll execute the plan. Institute order and rigid structure, and while you may achieve standardization, you'll also squelch creativity. Where creativity is valuable, learning to accept chaos is a must.

Rule 4: Knowledge at the Edge

In starfish organizations, knowledge is spread throughout the organization. Wikipedia may be the best example of this rule.

Rule 5: Everyone Wants to Contribute

Not only do people throughout a starfish have knowledge, but they also have a fundamental desire to share and to contribute. Once again is the example of Wikipedia or free book reviews on Amazon.

Rule 6: Beware the Hydra Response

Attack a decentralized organization and you'll soon be reminded of Hydra, the many-headed beast of Greek mythology. If you cut off one head, two more will grow in its place.

Rule 7: Catalysts Rule

Catalysts are crucial to decentralized organizations! But it is not because they are in control but because they inspire people to action.

Rule 8: The Values are the Organization

Idology is the fuel that drives the decentralized organization. Most successful starfish organizations were started with what seemed at the time to be a radical ideology.

Rule 9: Measure, Monitor, and Manage

Just because starfish organizations tend to be ambiguous and chaotic doesn't mean that their results can't be measured. But when measuring a decentralized network, it's better to "be vaguely right than precisely wrong." Even if we could, it wouldn't really matter if we were able to get a precise count of how many members are in a network. What matters more is looking at circles. How active are they? How distributed is the network?

Rule 10: Flatten or Be Flattened

There are ways to fight a decentralized organization. We can change members' ideology or try to centralize the organization. But often the best hope for survival if we can't beat them is to join them.

Seek not stardom, just starfishdom.......2007-09-06

Whether or not you care about leaderless, borderless and/or decentralized organizations, labeled as starfish organizations, they probably affect your life in some way or another whether you have downloaded music or avoided it, dealt with PETA, looked up something in Wikipedia, had actions of al-Qaeda affect your life in some way like stricter restrictions at the airports, etc. In that sense, you might as well get to know something about them to make better use of them or be prepared to deal with them effectively when you have to. If you read this book, you will likely not just want to know or know more about them, but get involved to see what they're all about or get more involved.

Written from both an overview and hands-on approach, this book is not only useful as a reference but also as a manual on the issue. The book identified the qualities of starfish organizations and what makes them effective, how anyone and everyone could start, sustain and/or get involved in these organizations, the types of people key to such organizations and how to combat them if you're on the other side. The book also warns about the constant change involved with maintaining starfish organizations and how to deal with them. Guidelines are offered and useful real life examples illustrate them to bring to life what otherwise be just concepts.

I had two small criticisms about the book, but nothing major enough to deter it from getting the five star rating I felt it deserved. First was that a few more real life examples of starfish organizations and/or their actions could have been chosen to illustrate some of the points made. There were plenty of diverse examples, but so many more abound as I read and thought about traits and qualities of starfish organizations that if mentioned, readers would realize even more influence starfish organizations have had in their lives. Second was that it did not address how government could use this book to decentralize since decentralization could be so powerful but yet government is the epitomy of centralization. I work for government, and felt government badly needed this, but had to think it through myself to come up with uses for attracting colleagues to my Starfish and Spider for Lunch (and Learn) voluntary book review session. When I did, though, not only was I excited at the possibilities, but also at the challenge to try to convince senior management of this, although that will take time. I will contact the authors to address this issue in a follow-up companion, perhaps, as they are the experts on this, but if nothing else, my ability to customize an application to government should tell you something about the book's effectiveness as a manual.

Overall, for the excellent writing style, clarity, impact and general application to the masses, five starfish!

Peter NYC.......2007-09-06

This book is great. A must read for those interested in being flexible and evolving. Has important applications across multiple work environments.

Useful introduction, but there's more ... .......2007-08-29

It took me some time to warm to this book. Nothing much happens in the initial 80 pages. The first chapter develops two fairly tortuous case studies - the vicissitudes of fortune in the recording industry in the last decade and the struggle of the Apaches against the Spanish invaders - to introduce the theme of the book. Then follows a discussion of the morphology of decentralised organisations (in terms of power distribution, funding, etc). Chapter 3 illustrates these formal characteristics with a series of examples, ranging from Skype over Wikipedia to Burning Man. There is honestly not a lot of meat to chew on in these first chapters and some patience is required from the reader.

It becomes more interesting in Chapter 4 where Brafman and Beckstrom discuss operational principles behind decentralised organisations (the need for pre-existing networks as a substrate, the role of catalysts and champions to activate leaderless organisation, "circles" as their chief co-ordination mechanism, and "ideology" as the glue holding everything more or less together). The role of the catalyst as a "servant leader" (term, however, not used by the authors) is further elaborated in the fifth chapter.

In chapter 6, the discussion turns to the question "What do you do, as an incumbent, when you are under fire from a starfish?" It transpires that there is not an awful lot to be done: you can try to morph them into a spider by activating internal cancer cells (greed and competition), you can try to dissolve or change the glue, the ideology that keeps the structure together or you can join them and become decentralised too (then it's starfish against starfish).

Brafman and Beckstrom maintain that it is not always necessary to go all the way and radically decentralise. There is such thing as a "hybrid" organisation (Chapter 7), which mixes principles of centralisation and decentralisation. Here the discussion suddenly gets denser and this is a part of the book that warrants repeated reading. A distinction is made between centralised organisations that give customers a voice (eBay with its peer-to-peer feedback is an example), those that put their customers to work (IBM developing open source applications) and those that decentralise parts of their internal structure. Towards the end of the chapter, however, the discussion peters out. "Appreciative Enquiry" is invoked as an approach to bring a whiff of decentralisation into companies who want to hang on to their centralised bureaucracies. It's a dangerous example that may tempt people into crass opportunism (that is, however, bound to backfire on them).

Finally, the authors hypothesise that in a given ecosystem there is no static equilibrium in terms of right mix of centralised/decentralised characteristics ("right" in terms of securing survival and the ability to extract economic rent). The "sweet spot" changes as a function of time, sometimes dramatically so. The desire for anonymity and the free flow of information are forces that push towards the decentralisation end, whilst the desire for security and accountability pull the system back to a more centralised mode of operation.

The book closes with a short epilogue that lists 10 simple guiding principles to make the most out of decentralised organisations or to defend yourself from their attacks.

On the whole, I enjoyed this book. It provides an intelligent and accessible discussion of a complex issue. With respect to the latter, the authors do a laudable job in keeping thing simple, but sometimes it's over the top. Particularly in the first halve of the book, their penchant for telling anecdotes and stories makes them err on the side of the trivial (a discussion on Wikipedia starts with "we all remember doing school reports in the sixth grade. Back then, research meant going to the library and hoping the that the Encyclopaedia Brittanica wasn't checked out ... and so on, and so on.) I was irked more than once by the patronising and befuddling prose of Brafman & Beckstrom. Admittedly, sometimes they hit it right. The title of the book, for example, is a very strong and aptly chosen metaphor for decentralised and centralised organisations, respectively.

Also I believe this book does not exhaust the potential of this fascinating subject matter. I think the discussion would have gained significantly in clarity and power if only a number of well known systems science principles (such as Ashby's Law of Requisity Variety, see Introduction to Cybernetics (University Paperbacks)) had been invoked to give the whole discussion a rock solid footing. I also missed a solid link to the burgeoning literature on the P2P movement. It is clear that the issue of property rights in central in making leaderless organisations work (Brafman discusses this as a way to sabotage starfish only) and people like Lawrence Lessig ("Free Culture: The Nature and Future of Creativity) and Yochai Benkler ("The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom") have a lot to say about these issues.

A small point, but a fairly irritating one, is the use of the word "ideology" in the book. The authors ostensibly use this to refer to any set of beliefs that underpin a decentralised organisation. From my point of view, the word "ideology" refers to a more elaborate and closed system of abstract thought (and as such has a pejorative tinge to it). Many starfish (also amongst those mentioned in the book) thrive on a much more vague and fluid set of beliefs, norms and values. It's worthwhile to be more nuanced about this.

Morally speaking, the book leaves the reader in suspension. From an internal point of view, leaderless organisations are unquestionably superior - morally and aesthetically - to centralised organisations, not only because of their structural simplicity and elegance, but also because they rely so openly on trust (in my opinion THE key word in the book), on the belief that man is fundamentally good and ultimately because they are capable of drawing the best from people and providing them with truthfulness, meaning and purpose in their life. Problem is that not only Alcoholics Anonymous operates as a decentralised organisation, but Al Qaeda does too. So starfish can server all kinds of purposes, some more constructive than others. It all depends which side you're on.

Starfish is a mind-game.......2007-08-07

Have you wondered why decentralized organizations are growing like wildfire? Starfish and Spider will tell you why. I work in a starfish organization and it is not for the faint-hearted or the one focused on structure and procedure.

This book is an excellent story about centralized, decentralized and hybrid organizations. If you want to kill a spider, cut off its head. You cannot cut off the head of a starfish as it does not have one. If cut off the leg of an starfish, it will grow another.......starfish. This shows how decentralized organizations have always been around and take after the way that our brain's function. Once thought to operate in a hierarchy, latest research shows the opposite. Brafman and Beckstrom are great storytellers and weave the Internet with Al Qadea

This book gives examples of the characteristics of decentralized organizations such as flexibility, shared power and ambiguity and how the Internet has spawned a new generation of decentralized organizations. It is a fascinating book.

Some principles of decentralized organizations;
1. when attacked, they become even more open and decentralized.
2. it is easy to mistake starfish for spiders.
3. an open system doesn't have central intelligence, the intelligence is spread throughout the system.
4. open systems can easily mutate.
5. the decentralized organization sneaks up on you.
6. as industries become decentralized, overall profits decrease.

They stand on 5 legs;
1. Circles
2. the Catalyst
3. Ideology
4. the pre-existing network
5. the Champion

If you want to learn more about community, trust and openness in the 21st century, this is a must read. If you are interested in how organizations like Al Qaeda can thrive with many in the world looking for them, read this book.

Lean Thinking : Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation, Revised and Updated

Average customer rating:

Interesting book but very dull.
Womack and Jones, very engaging.
Worth Every Penny
My husband loved it
Excellent Book with Detailed Lean Conversion Techniques

Lean Thinking : Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation, Revised and Updated
James P. Womack , Daniel T. Jones , James Womack , and Daniel Jones
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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The Goal
Learning to See Version 1.3

ASIN: 0743249275

Amazon.com

In the revised and updated edition of Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation, authors James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones provide a thoughtful expansion upon their value-based business system based on the Toyota model. Along the way they update their action plan in light of new research and the increasing globalization of manufacturing, and they revisit some of their key case studies (most of which still derive, however, from the automotive, aerospace, and other manufacturing industries).

The core of the lean model remains the same in the new edition. All businesses must define the "value" that they produce as the product that best suits customer needs. The leaders must then identify and clarify the "value stream," the nexus of actions to bring the product through problems solving, information management, and physical transformation tasks. Next, "lean enterprise" lines up suppliers with this value stream. "Flow" traces the product across departments. "Pull" then activates the flow as the business re-orients towards the pull of the customer's needs. Finally, with the company reengineered towards its core value in a flow process, the business re-orients towards "perfection," rooting out all the remaining muda (Japanese for "waste") in the system.

Despite the authors' claims to "actionable principles for creating lasting value in any business during any business conditions," the lean model is not demonstrated with broad applications in the service or retail industries. But those manager's whose needs resonate with those described in the Lean Thinking case studies will find a host of practical guidelines for streamlining their processes and achieving manufacturing efficiencies. --Patrick O'Kelley

Book Description

Expanded, updated, and more relevant than ever, this bestselling business classic by two internationally renowned management analysts describes a business system for the twenty-first century that supersedes the mass production system of Ford, the financial control system of Sloan, and the strategic system of Welch and GE. It is based on the Toyota (lean) model, which combines operational excellence with value-based strategies to produce steady growth through a wide range of economic conditions.

In contrast with the crash-and-burn performance of companies trumpeted by business gurus in the 1990s, the firms profiled in Lean Thinking -- from tiny Lantech to midsized Wiremold to niche producer Porsche to gigantic Pratt & Whitney -- have kept on keeping on, largely unnoticed, along a steady upward path through the market turbulence and crushed dreams of the early twenty-first century. Meanwhile, the leader in lean thinking -- Toyota -- has set its sights on leadership of the global motor vehicle industry in this decade.

Instead of constantly reinventing business models, lean thinkers go back to basics by asking what the customer really perceives as value. (It's often not at all what existing organizations and assets would suggest.) The next step is to line up value-creating activities for a specific product along a value stream while eliminating activities (usually the majority) that don't add value. Then the lean thinker creates a flow condition in which the design and the product advance smoothly and rapidly at the pull of the customer (rather than the push of the producer). Finally, as flow and pull are implemented, the lean thinker speeds up the cycle of improvement in pursuit of perfection. The first part of this book describes each of these concepts and makes them come alive with striking examples.

Lean Thinking clearly demonstrates that these simple ideas can breathe new life into any company in any industry in any country. But most managers need guidance on how to make the lean leap in their firm. Part II provides a step-by-step action plan, based on in-depth studies of more than fifty lean companies in a wide range of industries across the world.

Even those readers who believe they have embraced lean thinking will discover in Part III that another dramatic leap is possible by creating an extended lean enterprise for each of their product families that tightly links value-creating activities from raw materials to customer.

In Part IV, an epilogue to the original edition, the story of lean thinking is brought up-to-date with an enhanced action plan based on the experiences of a range of lean firms since the original publication of Lean Thinking.

Lean Thinking does not provide a new management "program" for the one-minute manager. Instead, it offers a new method of thinking, of being, and, above all, of doing for the serious long-term manager -- a method that is changing the world.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting book but very dull........2007-08-27

I found this book to be interesting, but I hard trouble finishing it because the writing was so boring. Despite the dullness the book did get me thinking of product in a different way.

Womack and Jones, very engaging........2007-08-26

Lean Thinking- A very well written account of a long study of the theory of customer driven value thinking. The elimination of waste in accomplishing customer driven trade is the main goal of this theory. The book has been tuned over a series of revisions, so it is well polished. While I am no expert on the topic, I can at least attest to the fact that the volume is well written and referenced. Their views are spread over a period of many years, giving them the benefit of tracking case study performance over the long term. Companies both large and small have been studied and tracked to determine the benefits of these theories.

Worth Every Penny.......2007-07-30

A most readable book on an important subject of productivity. The comment on outsourcing is insightful and the emphasis on human element is so crucial. Productivity is not all about bigger and better machines but about management and employee been willing to take risks to think out of a box. Mr. Womack has made a significant contribution to the on-going dicussion of productivity in a globalized world.

My husband loved it.......2007-04-10

My husband loved this book so much that this was actually purchased as a gift for another man in his office.

Excellent Book with Detailed Lean Conversion Techniques .......2007-02-01

This book provides many case studies of companies outside of the auto industry that converted to lean production. It details the personnel changes they had to make, changes in factory layout, differences in the supply chain and much more. Where "The Machine that Changed the World" was a primer to lean production, "Lean Thinking" is more of a how-to book. Together, they make a great pair and provide a fairly in-depth view of the subject. As in, "The Machine that Changed the World", there is plenty of hard data to back up the claims that these companies improved after switching to lean thinking.

I am a college student majoring in mechanical engineering and read this book and "The Machine that Changed the World" to get a broad understanding of lean production. The two books did just that and even gave me many ideas on how to convert a student organization I am involved with (SAE) to more of a lean organization. As much as possible anyway.

Classroom Management for Middle and High School Teachers (7th Edition)

Average customer rating:

overpriced textbook
Classroom Management for Middle and High School Teachers (7th Edition)
Great
A must read for all entry level teachers
Nice tool for new teachers.

Classroom Management for Middle and High School Teachers (7th Edition)
Edmund T. Emmer , Carolyn M. Evertson , and Murray E. Worsham
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Effective Teaching Methods: Research Based Practice (6th Edition)
Teaching K-12 Schools: A Reflective Action Approach (4th Edition)
Measurement and Assessment in Teaching (9th Edition)
Comprehensive Classroom Management: Creating Communities of Support and Solving Problems (8th Edition)
Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers (7th Edition)

ASIN: 0205455344

Book Description

Provides secondary educators with the information and skills they need to establish management systems in today's richly multicultural classroom, and is based on the authors' 25 years of extensive research conducted in more than 500 classrooms. It addresses the planning decisions teachers must make, including arranging the physical space, establishing rules and procedures, planning and conducting instruction, encouraging appropriate behavior, addressing problem behavior, and using good communication skills with care to the increasingly ethnically diverse classroom profile. All examples, checklists, case studies, and group activities are designed specifically for the secondary level. Promotes effective learning and smoothly-functioning classrooms with practical, step-by-step guidelines that emphasize proactive planning. New case studies in Chapter 10 teach inclusion by expanding on the importance of teaching every student. Encourages educators to rise to the diversity challenge. Completely updated readings with special attention to culturally diverse students and students living in extreme poverty provide readers with important information and actual case studies. This new edition maximizes technology tools in the classroom by introducing technology management. Chapters 1-6 include information on technology safety for students, using technology to manage classrooms, incorporating technology with developing rules and routines, managing special groups, and designing cooperative learning. Secondary Educators.

Customer Reviews:

overpriced textbook.......2007-09-18

The paper of this book is of mediocre quality. I splashed some water on a corner of a page and wiped it immediately; yet the page shriveled and the print faded nearly to illegibility.

The content itself is reasonably organized, but doesn't break any new ground.

Classroom Management for Middle and High School Teachers (7th Edition).......2007-06-11

I found this book to help a lot in preparing a behavior management plan. This was an area I felt school was weak in my studies at Georgia State. State has a great program, but this was an area I needed more help at. This book is filled with great examples of how other teachers have handled problem situations. Was worth the money.

Great.......2007-01-10

This book contains a lot of information that is particularly useful for new teachers. It also provides useful examples of how to best set up and maintain your classroom and students. Great book.

A must read for all entry level teachers.......2007-01-03

This book is written in a common sense manner. The authors take the reader from the planning stage to implementing then they show you how to maintain management in the classroom so that the teacher will have a successful year. The authors also included nice case studies and checklists to better prepare you for the upcoming school year. I definitely recommend this book to all teachers or education majors.

Nice tool for new teachers........2006-03-28

This book is a practical resource for new secondary teachers. The authors discuss classroom set-up, student resources, and behavior problems. There are many ideas ready for application in your own classroom and no boring or unnecessary narratives that most classroom management books have.

Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers (7th Edition)

Average customer rating:

Book purchase
Classroom Management 101
Excellent resource for busy educators
Recommended 100%
Elementary Management for Elementary Teachers

Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers (7th Edition)
Carolyn Evertson , Edmund T. Emmer , and Murray E. Worsham
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Effective Teaching Methods: Research Based Practice (6th Edition)
Comprehensive Classroom Management: Creating Communities of Support and Solving Problems (8th Edition)
The Caring Teacher's Guide to Discipline, Second Edition
Measurement and Assessment in Teaching (9th Edition)
The First Days Of School: How To Be An Effective Teacher

ASIN: 0205455336

Customer Reviews:

Book purchase.......2007-09-28

Smooth and speedy transaction. Updated emails on the tracking of my purchase were much appreciated. Great buy. Recommended.

Classroom Management 101.......2006-11-20

"Classroom Management..." is THE book for those who are looking for the proverbial Teacher's Manual. Apart from covering all the basics in a lot of detail, it offers checklists and (so-called) case studies. The downside of this is that the book starts out a bit dry and too straightforward, with instructions so clear-cut you would think they are for operating some sort of machinery. The "case-studies" are examples rather than studies, so the objection here lies with the misnomer. These are clearly minor drawbacks to a great book that only gets better as you read on. With a fabulous Further Reading section after every chapter, and delectable cartoons sprinkled throughout the book, it is an essential text for every teacher's personal library.

Excellent resource for busy educators.......2006-01-29

Having purchased many types of teaching resources over the last few years, I have finally found one more helpful than all the others combined. Evertson not only outlines the procedures in an easy to read manner, but she also gives excellent examples of her theories in practice. I was expecting a book that strictly dealt with keeping order in the classroom, but what I received was so much more. This book describes ways to teach that will ensure that classrooms run smoothly and more importantly the students learn. I only hope that other new teachers find this text at the beginning of their careers as the advice contained is invaluable. If your budget or time schedule only allows for one book, definitely buy this one!

Recommended 100%.......2003-09-15

Great Book!!!! Shipped quickly!!!!! Would order from again!!!!

Elementary Management for Elementary Teachers.......2000-09-12

Specific suggestions and tips help teachers solve common organization and management problems *Case studies at the elementary level provide teachers with realistic expectations of what they will encounter in the classroom and how to deal with a wide range of different situations. *Case studies give teachers real-world examples on managing cooperative learning, literature-based and whole-language learning, and inclusion classroons. *The authors have increased the coverage of diversity in student populations and have added new suggestions for working with special needs students.

Average customer rating:

Science of positive reinforcement
Clarity, results, contribution
Based on a flawed worldview
Good book but not as good as her other book
Must Have Book for all Managers, Parents & Pet Owners

Bringing Out the Best in People
Aubrey Daniels
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Performance Management: Changing Behavior that Drives Organizational Effectiveness
Measure of a Leader
Other People's Habits: How to Use Positive Reinforcement to Bring Out the Best in People Around You
Bringing Out The Best In People
1001 Ways to Reward Employees

ASIN: 0071351450

Book Description

The classic bestseller on performance management is updated to reflect changes in today's working environment. When an employer needs to know how to gain maximum performance from employees, renowned behavioral psychologist--Aubrey Daniels is the man to consult. What has made Daniels the man with the answers? His ability to apply scientifically based behavioral stimuli to the workplace while making it fun at the same time.

Now Daniels updates his ground-breaking book with the latest and best motivational methods, perfected at such companies as Xerox, 3M, and Kodak. All-new material shows how to: create effective recognition and rewards systems in line with today's employees want; Stimulate innovations and creativity in new and exciting ways; overcome problems associated with poorly educated workers; motivate young employees from the minute they join the workforce.

Download Description

Bringing Out the Best in People, New & Updated Edition, provides the latest and best motivational methods currently in use at such major companies as Xerox, 3M, and Kodak.

Customer Reviews:

Science of positive reinforcement.......2007-08-01

Aubrey Daniels offers an insightful look at the behavioral school of management, and its key tools: positive, and negative reinforcement. The book covers how to link rewards to behaviors you want to reinforce, when to deliver them, and how to design systems to support them. While not without its flaws, the book is well written and offers plenty of practical advice - if you're an aspiring manager, or a seasoned veteran, 'Bringing Out the Best in People' is a solid investment of your time.

Clarity, results, contribution.......2007-07-04

This is an essential text for anyone who manages people. Daniels is clearly 'for' creating a workplace that taps the innate desire to contribute and against one run by fear. I've seen nearly 35 years of organizational life, as employee, manager and consultant. That's a lot of fads, slogans and philosophies. This book is the real deal.

When people are managed using these clear, rigorous, objective principles, stress and interpersonal barriers decrease, work exceeds expectations. I also recommend Dr. Marshall Rosenberg's "Nonviolent Communication".

Based on a flawed worldview.......2007-04-02

I started reading the book as a part of my personal development with the company that I work for. The book is founded in behaviorism, and does not stray from the concepts associated with this worldview. My issue with it is that I believe that people are more than a reaction to the things that happen to us. We have unique personalities, and they consist of more than the conditioning that they are subjected to. This psychology takes away the idea of free-will and choice, and eliminates personal responsibility. When it comes to managing people, I believe that these are important elements to tap into. This behaviorist approach to management may look good on the surface, and make logical sense, but is flawed by its nature, and cannot have any long lasting impact.

Good book but not as good as her other book.......2006-03-02

This book is a fine book if you are looking for the typical book written for lazy minds. The material is good, the presentation is great. However, there is a lack of references and detail that someone really interested in the material will desire. If you like pop-culture books get this one. If you want a terrific book that appeals to your brain then get the authors other book, "Performance Management." It is exceptional.

Must Have Book for all Managers, Parents & Pet Owners.......2006-01-14

I have used Bringing Out the Best in People throughout Latin America and here in the States for several years. When I have control of a client project, this book is required reading. I get groans at first from supervisors and managers, but it is amazing what happens after they read it. They come back and immediately start talking about NICs, PICs, etc. It is fun but keeps me on my toes from that point forward as they watch my every move!

Although Daniels talks of motivating and brining out top performance from individuals within organizations, the concepts definitely applies and should be used in personal/family relationships as well. The concepts even hold true as I train my dog and two macaws as uncertain/certain, future consequences do not work for them! The beauty is that this book makes you stop and think.

Topgrading: How Leading Companies Win by Hiring, Coaching, and Keeping the Best People, Revised and Updated Edition

Average customer rating:

disappointed
Stop looking for magic bullets
Be objective with your experiences
Read This Book Today
It really works!!!

Topgrading: How Leading Companies Win by Hiring, Coaching, and Keeping the Best People, Revised and Updated Edition
Bradford Smart
Manufacturer: Portfolio Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

The Smart Interviewer
Mastering the Rockefeller Habits: What You Must Do to Increase the Value of Your Growing Firm
96 Great Interview Questions To Ask Before You Hire
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't

ASIN: 1591840813

Amazon.com

The key to building a superior company, an increasing number of observers now agree, is the ongoing ability to recruit and retain superior personnel. In Topgrading, industrial psychologist and global consultant Bradford Smart expands upon this idea by examining in great detail exactly how today's premier organizations have assembled such top-level employees, and then showing precisely how others can do it, too. "Simply put, topgrading is the practice of packing the team with A players and clearing out the C players," Smart writes. "'A players' is defined as the top 10 percent of talent available at all salary levels--best of class. With this radical definition, you are not a topgrader until your team consists of all A players. Period." Essentially a best-practices manual for developing this outstanding personnel pool, the book is based on more than 4,000 interviews and case studies conducted by Smart at major corporations like General Electric as well as fast-growing high-tech companies and small family-owned firms. He further bolsters its effectiveness by including his extensive "Chronological In-Depth Structured Interview Guide," along with other assessment tools and hands-on strategies for assembling an ideal work team. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

Great companies don't just depend on strategies—they depend on people. The more great people on your team, the more successful your organization will be. But that's easier said than done. Statistically, half of all employment decisions result in a mishire: The wrong person winds up in the wrong job. But companies that have followed Bradford Smart's advice in Topgrading have boosted their successful hiring rate to 90 percent or better, giving them an unbeatable competitive advantage.

Now Smart has fully revised his 1999 management classic to reintroduce the topgrading concept, which works for companies large and small in any industry. The author spells out his practical approach to finding and managing A-level talent—as well as coaching B players to turn them into A players. He provides intriguing case studies drawn from more than four thousand in-depth interviews.

As Smart writes in his introduction, “All organizations, all businesses live or die mostly on their talent, and any manager who fails to topgrade is nuts, or a C player. . . . Those who, way deep down, would sooner see an organization die than nudge an incompetent person out of a job should not read this book... Topgrading is for A players and all those aspiring to be A players.”

Customer Reviews:

disappointed.......2007-10-17

I was under the impression that this was a paperback version of the book but instead it was a summary of the book. It gave a lot of generalities but was not specific at all. If you are looking for a "Cliff's Notes" version then this book will probably serve the purpose. If you want specifics, then you need to buy the hard cover book.

Stop looking for magic bullets.......2007-06-08

While Brad Smart offers some good advice for the hiring manager, we must keep in mind that the purpose of TogGrading is to make money for, uh, Brad Smart. It is every hiring manager's responsibility to select the best candidate for a position. Some instinctively do a good job at this, while others are simply clueless. Dr. Smart presents his methodology with a zen-like religious furvor. He insists that if everyone in the organization adopts his methodology and becomes a zealot, the organization will become wildly successful. Isn't pretty to think so. My company jumped on the TogGrading bandwagon three years ago, because we had high turnover in a two departments. Now our hiring process is adruous, time-consuming and expensive. The results? Those managers who had low turnover rates still have low turnover rates. Those who had high turnover rates still have high turnover rates. The bottom line: TopGrading doesn't work any better than any other of the various magic bullet methods hawked to managers over the years. There is no one-size-fits-all methodology for selecting top performers. If your company is failing at attracting and retaining "A players" you'd do better to carefully examine your corporate culture than to jump on the latest fad method. If one manager excels at hiring and retaining good employees, allow him to mentor the managers who don't. This is cheaper and far more effective than turning your HR process upside down and hoping for a miracle cure.

Be objective with your experiences.......2007-03-15

I have been through interview processes with multi-billion dollar firms that were surprisingly casual and not as "hard-hitting" as I would expect. From observing others and recognizing my own experiences and shortcomings, you can tell who are "C" and "A" players. This does not make the "C" player a bad person. Michael Jordan was a "C" in minor league baseball.

Just because someone is a CEO of a Fortune 500 company does not make that same person infalliable. Sometimes CEOs do things that make us scratch our heads, and subsequent events prove us right. (William McCormack at CMS Energy being one.)

Other CEOs bring great growth and enhanced shareholder value. They are worth the big bucks. How much would you pay to someone who increased your company's value by $1 billion?

I was so impressed with this book that I have begun to implement these principles into my suppliers for our company's procurement chain. I'm constructing my own "CIDS" interview, and will seek to have "A" suppliers, removing the "C"s.

The anecdote in the book says it best. A firm will invest a lot of time, effort and energy in buying a $500,000 piece of equipment. But hiring an employee whose impact on the firm can be millions of dollars? "Ah, he interviewed well, so we'll hire him."

Kick the tires during the interview phase. Talk to others for "scuttlebutt". Invest the time up front for big pay-offs later.

Read This Book Today.......2007-03-15

There are many books on the market focused on interviewing techniques and talent selection. Topgrading is the best in this category and I have read many of them. The reason why it is the best is that it takes the reader past "what to do" and teaches them "how to do it". If you are someone like me, looking for a way to hire and coach A players right now, this is the book for you.

It really works!!!.......2007-03-06

Not only have I read both releases of this book, but my colleagues and I have been practicing Topgrading at my company for some time now. By using Dr. Smart's process, we have had significant success in hiring A players and have reaped the rewards of having these high powered recruits on our staff. This is a "must read" for those leaders that want to significantly improve the quality of their workforce.

Modern Industrial Organization (4th Edition) (Addison-Wesley Series in Economics)

Average customer rating:

Great condish but no quick ship
Great book : Easy to follow and practical
Its in my top 2 textbooks for Economics Undergraduate
Modern Industrial Organization
easy book and good guide to understand the industry

Modern Industrial Organization (4th Edition) (Addison-Wesley Series in Economics)
Dennis W. Carlton , and Jeffrey M. Perloff
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

The Theory of Industrial Organization
Economics of Regulation and Antitrust, 4th Edition
Modern Labor Economics: Theory and Public Policy (9th Edition)
Industrial Organization: Contemporary Theory and Practice (with Economic Applications)
Structure of American Industry, The (11th Edition)

ASIN: 0321180232

Customer Reviews:

Great condish but no quick ship.......2005-09-30

See above. Took longer to arrive than I would have liked. Maybe 2 weeks.

Great book : Easy to follow and practical.......2005-01-27

I have the 2000 edition, I like it very much. Practical, easy to follow, great use of Theory of Games exemples.
Douglas Gilson, Management professor.Rio de janeiro, Brasil

Its in my top 2 textbooks for Economics Undergraduate.......2004-12-22

I've only used 9 textbooks in my undergraduate carrer in Economics, however, this book would probably fit either as the best or 2nd best... I can't really determine which deserves the "coveted" "best" slot.

To say firstly, this book passes the "I havn't attended class for the last 4 weeks and only have read the book, but still recieved an A- for the midterm" test. I think I can say in full confidence that IO is pretty much a standard course and this pretty much covers all the standard topics that any IO course would cover in one semester.

I used this book for a more "advanced" IO course (there are 2 in my university) and I used the book almost exclusively in preperation for my exams. I can say that the books appendices are excellent, despite th previous comment. It displays the material very concisely and in a very formal manner. The presentation in the appendices is not laconic and is very understandable.... I would have to say it achieves almost maximum effeciency with relevent material per page.

Actaully, for my case, the appendices were very much more useful then the actaul text itself. The level of mathematics does not exceed a standard non-formal multi-variable calculus level and is thus very accesible. With regards to applicability of the material, I found no problems in figuring out how the forumale applied with respect to the theory for the most part... However, I suspect if it is obtuse (for the level of maturity in the class) then the instructor would augment the text with problem sets and excercises.

The book starts off with a brief recap of the relevnt micro concepts and tools in the first chapter or so, then goes on to cover topics such as monopoly, oligopoly, monopolistic competition, games in oligopolies (Bertrand, Stakelberg Cournout-Nash etc.). Then it goes on to less "theoretical" (at least in my opinion) topics such as advertising and its effects, price discrimination (1st degree, 3rd degree, bundling strategies etc.).

Overall there is a good mix of "real world" applications and core theory. I never read the numerous examples and unless the class specifically tests on these, I would think they are not needed for understanding of the material. The exposition found in the chapters (less the examples) are usually superb, although a bit wordy for my taste.

There are some problems asked after the end of each chapter, although very few of these employ much mathematics and hence, does not, in my opinion, work well as a gauge of understanding. It seems because of the length of the book, it lends itself off to the instructor to decide how to taylor his curriculum, I don't believe that any chapters are redundent, but I believe all chapters are essentially self contained (given that the reader had read or is competent in the material up to the 6th chapter).

All in all, I was happy with this book and believe it to be of superior stock, although this is pure conjecture on my part since I've only used this book and have only taken one IO course. With respect to flexibility the book deserves good marks and this is likewise true with respect to the exposition in the text.

Modern Industrial Organization.......2003-05-01

I was hoping to get a more indept explaination with example problems. Formulas were shown, but the author never really showed how to utilize the formulas. I have had to reference other books to try to understand this book.

easy book and good guide to understand the industry.......2000-08-24

For me this book is a very good guide to the people that like to learn more about the way that the industry and the market works and the link to many things that you can see all the time around you and could explain by the economic theory, things that happend not only in United States also in different countries like Chile. Only bad thing about the book is the colors in the graphs, maybe the next time could include more colors. And if is possible try to translate the book to another language like spanish, because about this topic in spanish is very poor the number of books, and the translation could bring the opportunity to more people to read about this.

Industrial Organization: Contemporary Theory and Practice (with Economic Applications)

Average customer rating:

Not very clear
do not touch
Induvitably excellent book!
Induvitably excellent book!

Industrial Organization: Contemporary Theory and Practice (with Economic Applications)
Lynne Pepall , Daniel J. Richards , and George Norman
Manufacturer: South-Western College Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Structure of American Industry, The (11th Edition)
Modern Industrial Organization (4th Edition) (Addison-Wesley Series in Economics)
Public Finance and Public Policy
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Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy

ASIN: 0324261306

Book Description

This textbook brings modern I/O analysis to the undergraduate level. Consistent with modern analysis, the authors focus explicitly on the nature of strategic interaction and make extensive use of game theoretic tools. At the same time, they never lose sight of the policy motivation behind much IO analysis. Formal analysis is combined with many practical applications, and the presentation does not assume familiarity with calculus, rather it relies on the ability to work through algebraic equations.

Customer Reviews:

Not very clear.......2007-08-10

I had a very hard time following what's going on because the language is not very clear and too verbose. The book focuses on the beauty of language rather than how to express the ideas in a clear and understandable manner. Makes simple stuff a lot harder than it should. Translating equations into words is sometimes confusing, and the concepts are too ideal that they can hardly apply to the real world situations.

do not touch.......2006-12-26

the book is filled with typo. Given that this is third edition, the author doesn't seem to pay much attention to the hw. I was a TA for this class, and it took me some times to figure out what i did wrong because the hw questions are wrong. The theories in this book can only be applied in the context of the book's examples; some of these theories are not general and can't be applied in a broad sense.

Induvitably excellent book!.......2003-11-04

Above all, it enraptured me with its practical orientation,
which really builds the economic sense at the reader. Numerous, straight superior and often also heartbreaking examples make theory well comprehensible. There doesn't lack nor more complex mathematical assecession for more serious study. 1A

Induvitably excellent book!.......2003-11-04

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