The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked- 21st Century Edition

The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked- 21st Century Edition
Average customer rating:

A good book to consult if someone moves your cheese!

A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE

Boomers Must Read!

Not working is not always joyful

Not Practical

The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked- 21st Century Edition
Ernie J. Zelinski
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Labor Policy | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Labor & Industrial Relations | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Unemployment | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Aging | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Happiness | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Gerontology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Retirement Planning | Aging Parents | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor

Real Success Without a Real Job: There Is No Life Like It!

The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life

How to Retire Early and Live Well With Less Than a Million Dollars

101 Secrets for a Great Retirement : Practical, Inspirational, & Fun Ideas for the Best Years of Your Life!

Accessories:

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device

Philips HeartStart Home Defibrillator (AED)

ASIN: 1580085520

Book Description

Ernie Zelinski has taught more than 150,000 people what THE JOY OF NOT WORKING is about: learning to live every part of your life—work and play, employment, and retirement alike—to the fullest. In this completely revised and expanded edition, you'll learn how to create an excellent work/life balance by working less, producing more, and being more leisurely; how to gain the courage to leave a life-draining job; and, if you are recently retired or unemployed, how to bring purpose and community back to your life. Plus, new to this edition are 30 inspiring letters from readers detailing how the book helped them live a more exciting and rewarding life. Illustrated with eye-opening exercises, thought-provoking diagrams, and lively cartoons and quotations, THE JOY OF NOT WORKING will guide you to living a more exciting and rewarding life—at work and at play.

Customer Reviews:

A good book to consult if someone moves your cheese!.......2007-05-16

The book is filled with alot of experience and wisdom to ponder. An excellent read if you are considering a major career change but do not know what you want. The book does not suggest you keep a stiff upper lip and take it, so do not read it if you do not want change. You will not be able to look at work or your life the same way when you have finished.

A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE.......2007-05-16

I read this book as I was prepairing to retire. It suited my purposes just fine but contained solid advise for just about anyone on how to live happily. I ordered six more copies to give to friends!!!
A valuable resource that is fun to read.

Boomers Must Read!.......2007-05-09

Excellent book for those are ready to retire. It affirms many experiences my wife and I are having. Mr. Zelinski's insights will help those who are weary of the rat race. Maybe after you read the book you will give yourself permission to try to enjoy the rest of your life. Downsizing isn't a sin.

Not working is not always joyful.......2007-04-30

Believe it or not, I have the soul of a lazy person. I have enjoyed time off from 6 weeks to a year. I've enjoyed freedom in my work, especially now. So I totally understand the joy of Not Working.

Zelinski's book has many things going for it. For example:

(a) Too many of us are workaholics.
(b) We need structure, purpose and a sense of community, with or without a job.
(c) Work smart, not hard ("peak performance").
(d) The checklist on page 54 can be a wake-up call.
(e) We can gain several hours a week if we give up television.

But as a career consultant I am concerned about the book's core advice. Page 55: "The first day your job does not nourish and enthuse you is the day you should consider leaving. Indeed, I advise you to quit."

Pretty strong stuff! In my experience, few jobs provide daily nourishment and enthusiasm every day or even every week. I would say, "If you've outgrown your job, begin a search for alternatives. Don't do anything until you have a plan."

People do miss their jobs - even jobs they hated. I have never seen statistics, but my experience suggests at least 50% of those who quit without another job regretted the decision. One discussion list posted a note from a 40-something woman who had chosen enjoyable, low-paying jobs in the personal growth field. Now she was ready to move on, with no nest egg to fund a career transition.

Job dissatisfaction actually can be a misleading signal. Many people who seek a career change actually need to relocate geographically or work on relationships.

My biggest criticism of the book is the potentially misleading presentation of information. For example, the author mentions "a research study conducted in 2001 by Florida's Nova Southeastern University" which found that over 38% of stockbrokers making $300,000 - $1,000,000 suffered from "subclinical depression" while 28% reported "clinical depression." (Overlap? Additional? We're not told.)

Most studies are conducted by individual researchers, not universities or even departments. The author does not cite his source or indicate whether this study was actually published in a reputable peer-reviewed journal.

How was this sample of brokers chosen? What methods were used to assess "subclinical depression" or "clinical depression?" Was the depression long-term or situational? Was this study carried out in 2001 before or after 9/11? Where's the cause and effect: does the field attract individuals with a propensity to depression?

Other studies are mentioned but not cited or described in detail. For the Schnore study of retirees, I'd want to know how their satisfaction was reported and tested.

Additionally, throughout the book, Zelinski presents letters from readers. He seems to suggest that, "If these folks can do it, you can too."

But nearly all his examples come from people who took only the very first step: quitting or deciding to retire. On page 96, Zelinski writes, "Perhaps you will [say]...married people can't possibly quit their jobs like Ian did. Then go back to page 57 and read the letter [from a married man with 2 kids who quit his job]...Case closed!"

Unfortunately, the letter on page 57 was written by someone who had just marched in to his boss and quit. We don't know what happened afterward. Case not closed, in my opinion!

We do get a few examples of success: a professional who became a music busker in Toronto, someone who moved into a friend's trailer to live on $6000 a year, someone who travels cheaply, and several people who saved a stash of cash and now live comfortably from investments or a spouse's salary. Many readers (and most of my clients) will not relate to those examples.

We should also realize Zelinski writes from Canada, a country with national health care. It's not perfect, but it does open up career options. Those happily unemployed are subsidized by taxes from those who face a 50% tax bracket at surprisingly low salary levels.

I also believe that not everyone will enjoy a life of hobbies and volunteer work. Working for money gives you an edge, changing your thoughts, habits and conversations. Zelinski himself is neither unemployed nor retired: he is a full-time writer. His four-hour-a-day schedule is actually quite typical of professional authors of books. I once heard best-selling mystery author Jon Kellerman speak about writing 3 pages a day. Zelinski aims for four.

Bottom Line: Joy of Not Working is worth skimming to experience a philosophy that can be adapted to many lives. Unfortunately, the adaptation will be up to you.

Not Practical.......2007-03-22

The suggestions in his book are misleading. Not for the motivated young people who want to make a difference in the world. No one can argue with his conclusions about workaholics. However, no one is going to achieve much success with a goal of living and raising a family on $6000 a year. I read his book in about 3 hours - really a waste of time as far as practical advice is concerned.

Workforce 2020 : Work and Workers in the 21st Century

Average customer rating:

The Future of the Workforce Described for Policy Makers
Work Force 2020

Workforce 2020 : Work and Workers in the 21st Century
Richard W. Judy , Carol D'Amico , and Gary L. Geipel
Manufacturer: Hudson Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Labor Policy | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Workplace | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

International | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Labor & Industrial Relations | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Unemployment | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Labor & Industrial Relations | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Demography | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Organizational Change in the Human Services (SAGE Sourcebooks for the Human Services)
The 21st Century at Work: Forces Shaping the Future Workforce and Workplace in the United States
Strategies of Community Intervention: Macro Practice
Crisp: Excellence in Supervision: Essential Skills for the New Supervisor (Fifty-Minute Series)
Leading Change

ASIN: 1558130616

Book Description

Ten years ago Hudson Institute's landmark study Workforce 2000 set the agenda for a new understanding of workforce issues. Described by the New York Times as "one of the most influential studies ever produced by a think tank," this groundbreaking report set the terms for much of the policy discussion at the government and corporate levels on these issues. It was the first to call attention to the changing demographics of the American workforce and the growing gap between the skills likely to be required for entry-level jobs in the future and those likely to be possessed by new entrants into the labor force.

Now Hudson releases its long-awaited follow-up: Workforce 2000 Revisited. Like its predecessor, the new book examines the trends that shape the economy and workforce, and combines them into a unique and fresh body of analysis. The authors set the record straight on the demographic makeup of the workforce in the years 2000 to 2020 and challenge the conventional wisdom on trends affecting American workers and employers. Analyzing important emerging issues, they detail the coming demographic changes in the workforce--and their potentially serious effects on the job market and the economy as a whole.

The book also considers the effects of globalization on U.S. business and the American worker, the impact of rapid technological change, the "skills gap" identified in the earlier report, and the need for a new model of education, training, and employment services to prepare workers for the jobs of the next century.

Workforce 2000 Revisited is an indispensable guide to the next decade of workforce issues.

Customer Reviews:

The Future of the Workforce Described for Policy Makers.......2003-03-25

This book describes the future workforce to policy makers. It gives individuals making career decisions some objective, long-range data about the future. Projections include fastest-growing occupations, ethnic and age mix of the workforce, needs of employers, and income to be expected.

As reviewed in Annotated Bibliography of Learning A Living, A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding A Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Dyslexia by Dale S. Brown

Work Force 2020.......2000-01-28

This book is a masterpiece of research. So much is said very succinctly. It is vast in scope, breath and depth yet very understandable. Everything is supported by research. Numerous charts are extremely well done, informative and simple to understand. If you want to plan your career or help guide someone elses future, you must read this book. It has vital information about job trends, types of jobs, and what they pay. You will not be sorry about reading this book.

Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream

Average customer rating:

Interesting, but has holes
Flawed, But Worthwhile
The book I loved to hate!
As an economics professor
biased, selective, scarstic

Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream
Barbara Ehrenreich
Manufacturer: Owl Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Economic Conditions | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Labor & Industrial Relations | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Unemployment | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Economic Conditions | International | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Labor & Industrial Relations | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Blowout Books | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
The Working Poor: Invisible in America
Class Matters
For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts Advice to Women
Fear of Falling: The Inner Life of the Middle Class

ASIN: 0805081240
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Amazon.com

Questions for Barbara Ehrenreich

Through over three decades of journalism and activism and over a dozen books, Barbara Ehrenreich has been one of the most consistent and imaginative chroniclers of class in America, but it was her bestselling 2001 book, Nickel and Dimed, a undercover expose of the day-to-day struggles of the working poor, that has been the most influential work of her career. Now, with Bait and Switch, she has gone undercover again, this time as a middle-aged professional trying to get a white-collar job in corporate America. We asked her a few questions about what she found:

Amazon.com: Your previous book, Nickel and Dimed, became a blockbuster bestseller with a classic "there but for the grace of God go I" liberal message just when the general political mood of the country seemed to be going in a very different direction. Why do you think it struck such a chord? What sorts of reactions have you gotten to it over the past four years?

Barbara Ehrenreich: A lot of Nickel and Dimed readers are people who regularly inhabit the low-wage work world, and many of them write to tell me that the book affirmed their experience and made them feel less alone and ignored. Other readers though, are affluent people who write to say I opened their eyes to a world they'd been unaware of. For those people, I think one appealing feature of Nickel and Dimed is that it's a personal narrative that gives them a look at lives lived at the margins of their own. The most gratifying response has been from people who tell me the book inspired them to become activists for things like a living wage or affordable housing.

Amazon.com: At what point did you realize that your new book, Bait and Switch, in which you went undercover again, this time to tell a story of working in corporate America, was instead becoming one of not working in corporate America? Is that the story you expected to tell?

Ehrenreich: My initial aim was not "to tell a story of working in corporate America" but to try to understand the human underside of corporate America--the job insecurity, the constant layoffs and downsizings that now occur even in the best of times. I expected to get a job and hence an inside view, but I always knew that that would be very difficult. After about 4-5 months of job searching, I began to get seriously discouraged, but I also came to understand that a fruitless search is in fact a very common experience. After all, today 44 percent of the long-term unemployed are white collar folks--an unusually high percentage. It's their world I entered, and their story that I tell in Bait and Switch.

Amazon.com: For someone with a white-collar career, you didn't have much experience in corporate culture before you attempted to join it for this book. What surprised you the most about what you found?

Ehrenreich: What surprised me most, right from day one of my job search, was the surreal nature of the job searching business. For example, everyone, from corporations to career coaches, relies heavily on "personality tests" which have no scientific credibility or predictive value. One test revealed that I have a melancholy and envious nature and, for some reason, was unsuited to be a writer! And what does "personality" have to do with getting the job done, anyway? There's far less emphasis on skills and experience than on whether you have the prescribed upbeat and likeable persona. I kept wondering: Is this any way to run a business? I was also surprised--and disgusted--by the constant victim-blaming you encounter among coaches, at networking events for the unemployed, and in the business advice books. You're constantly told that whatever happens to you is the result of your attitude or even your "thought forms"--not a word about the corporate policies that lead to so much turmoil and misery.

Amazon.com: You seemed to make much closer ties with your fellow workers in Nickel and Dimed than you did on the white-collar job hunt. What was different this time?

Ehrenreich: You're right--there is a difference. But it's not so much a matter of personalities as it is about two different worlds. There's a lot of camaraderie in the blue-collar world I entered in Nickel and Dimed. People help each other and look out for each other; they laugh together--often at the managers. The white-collar world doesn't encourage camaraderie, far from it. There it's all about competition and fear--of losing one's job, for one thing. Other people are seen as sources of contacts or tips, at best; as competitors or rivals, at worst. And among the unemployed add shame and a sense of personal failure, the constant message that it's all your own fault. All this discourages any solidarity with others or real openness.

Amazon.com: God forbid anyone would come to your book as a guide for finding a white-collar job, but what advice would you give to someone in the shoes you put yourself in: a middle-aged professional woman, in fear of falling irrevocably out of touch with the world of the regularly employed?

Ehrenreich: You don't think I'd make a good career coach? OK, but I have three pieces of advice for the middle-aged, middle-class job seeker anyway:

One, be very careful how you spend your money and time. Since the mid-90s, a whole industry has sprung up to help--or, depending on your point of view, prey upon--white-collar job seekers. The "professionals" in this business are usually entirely unlicensed and unregulated. Also, watch out for events billed as "networking" opportunities that really have another agenda--like recruiting you into expensive coaching or proselytizing you into a particular religion.

Two, don't count on the internet job sites to find you a job or even an interview. On any of these sites, your resume will be competing with hundreds of thousands of others, and most large companies today don't even bother reading online resumes; they have computer programs scan them for keywords (and you won't know what those keywords are.)

Three, and most important: stop believing that it's your own fault. That's the first step to recognizing the common problems facing white-collar workers and responding to them. I'd be thrilled if this book, like Nickel and Dimed, also inspires readers to get involved and become active in efforts to make life a little easier for the growing numbers of people who are unemployed, underemployed, or anxiously employed. What could they do? Lobby for universal health insurance that's not tied to a job, for example. Fight for extended unemployment benefits. Raise their voices to complain about corporate tax breaks and subsidies that are justified in terms of "job creation" but often go to companies that are busy laying people off. One major reason job loss is so catastrophic is that we just don't have much of a safety net in this country. That has to change, and who's going to make it change, if not people like those I met in Bait and Switch? I've got a new website, barbaraehrenreich.com, and I'd like to hear from readers--both their stories and their ideas for how to take action.

Classic Ehrenreich

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America

Fear of Falling: The Inner Life of the Middle Class

Blood Rites: Origins and History of the Passions of War

Book Description

The New York Times bestselling investigation into white-collar unemployment from “our premier reporter of the underside of capitalism”—The New York Times Book Review

Americans’ working lives are growing more precarious every day. Corporations slash employees by the thousands, and the benefits and pensions once guaranteed by “middle-class” jobs are a thing of the past.

In Bait and Switch, Barbara Ehrenreich goes back undercover to explore another hidden realm of the economy: the shadowy world of the white-collar unemployed. Armed with the plausible résumé of a professional “in transition,” she attempts to land a “middle-class” job. She submits to career coaching, personality testing, and EST-like boot camps, and attends job fairs, networking events, and evangelical job-search ministries. She is proselytized, scammed, lectured, and—again and again—rejected.

Bait and Switch highlights the people who have done everything right—gotten college degrees, developed marketable skills, and built up impressive résumés—yet have become repeatedly vulnerable to financial disaster. There are few social supports for these newly disposable workers, Ehrenreich discovers, and little security even for those who have jobs. Worst of all, there is no honest reckoning with the inevitable consequences of the harsh new economy; rather, the jobless are persuaded that they have only themselves to blame.

Alternately hilarious and tragic, Bait and Switch, like the classic Nickel and Dimed, is a searing exposé of the cruel new reality in which we all now live.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting, but has holes.......2007-10-17

I read Bait and Switch on a four-hour plane ride. It was entertaining, but I found it a tad intellectually dishonest. While Ehrenreich introduces readers to some colorful characters, she's obviously making points she set out to make. While I share her sympathies entirely, it's tough believing that she could not land a job. The deck was stacked. I would have preferred reading a real profile, not a character created to meet a need.

Flawed, But Worthwhile.......2007-10-14

Ehrenreich is a gifted journalist capable of great empathy with her subjects and blessed with a biting wit. Her description of the status anxiety of the middle class, the pain of unemployment, and the blame-the-victim ethos that so governs the treatment of the unemployed as to be internalized by them, is therefore extremely good.

The problem, however, is that she does not land the job that allows her to write the sequel to "Nickel and Dimed" that she set out to write. She looks for a job, and the story she tells about looking for a job is interesting and worthwhile. But she does not get the job, and her observations about life in the corporate world are simply educated guesses.

One example of this is Ehrenreich's observation at one workshop lunch where she finds the middle class diners to be rude and inconsiderate to the wait-staff. She tries to make the point that this kind of thing is common and even encouraged by the class-based thinking of our society. I have seen some bad behavior, and there certainly is a great lack of empathy revealed in the interaction between business people and those at the lower rungs of social status. But it is not the norm to be rude and inconsiderate. One does not score points at business lunches acting in that fashion. In fact, one of the complexities of our culture is the need to live up to the ideal of treating people from all walks of life fairly. Business people try to conform to this ideal. People generally behave themselves. But the lack of empathy has a way of revealing itself in some interactions. The point Ehrenreich should have made is the ease with which the business diners can ignore wait staff or limit their interactions with them, as opposed to out-and-out rudeness.

Still, I tend to agree with the book's core thesis. There is a certain arbitrariness to the selection of those who fall out of the middle class -- via bad luck, age, and high salary when it comes to downsizing. And there simply are not enough middle class jobs to go around. So people lose their status, and those with jobs are far more anxious about the continuation of their status than was the case 30 years ago.

Unfortunately, Ehrenreich did not get the job that would have given her the opportunity to make some of her insights in a persuasive fashion. Her lack of a job may well demonstrate that the screening system is not entirely arbitrary. Ehrenreich lacks the paper credentials for the public relations job she seeks. And, having not really worked in the corporate sector, does not have the contacts necessary to get the job. Given her lack of real interest in the job or real qualification for it, she really can't draw too many negative inferences from her failure to get a job.

Ehrenreich's descriptions of career coaches and the psycho-babble of business books are right on the mark and are very funny.

This is a good book, but not lacks the first-hand undercover experience that made "Nickel and Dimed" a classic.

The book I loved to hate!.......2007-09-22

This book exposes the real world of a dying, struggling middle class.

If you aren't aware of what can happen to hard-working people with great jobs that they love, and suddenly find themselves downsized into poverty, you are one of the lucky ones.

Yes, there are always jobs for people who really want to work, but if the only jobs you can find, as author illustrates, won't allow you to keep up with the basic expenses of living... Well, quite frankly you are up the creek without a paddle. And because of corporate downsizing and outsourcing of jobs to other countries, that boat is full of of passengers without a paddle.

The problem is that people in this situation THOUGHT that they had a paddle that should have allowed them to sail through this situation: education, experience, good resume, references and a solid work ethic.

Read Bait and Switch and decide for yourself if the middle class is dying in America.

As an economics professor.......2007-09-20

I believe in having students read something besides the textbook. This one while informative, I would have to pass on. If my college students read this, they will despair, leave college and then I would be one of those people in the book.
When are companies going to get that it takes two to tango. Supply AND demand? When we are all living on minimum wage, who is going to buy their stuff? Oh well............try this one

biased, selective, scarstic.......2007-09-14

the focus on few loser in the networking process ignores those who got the job and left networking.

the criticism of the self-help movement is inspiring but plays the victimization game that individual problem is entirely the product of the environment and the fault of somebody else.

too much inappropriate and distracted remarks.

Ultimate Guide to Workers' Compensation Insurance (Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Books)

Average customer rating:

Very well written introduction to Worker's Compensation
Everything you need to know about Work Comp
Best Information
Very good introduction to WC
Nightmares

Ultimate Guide to Workers' Compensation Insurance (Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Books)
Edward J. Priz
Manufacturer: Entrepreneur Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Contracts | Business | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

Strategies in Workers' Compensation
Workers' Compensation 101
Managing Workers' Compensation: A Guide to Injury Reduction and Effective Claim Management (OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH GUIDE SERIES)
Workers Compensation and Employee Protection Laws in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition (Nutshell Series)
Insurance for Dummies

ASIN: 1932531505

Book Description

A strategic guide that arms business owners with ways to escape the growing cost of workers’ compensation insurance

Workers’ compensation insurance adds up to a huge, yet unavoidable, expense for businesses of all sizes. Edward J. Priz has discovered and reclaimed more than $10 million of workers’ compensation overcharges for his clients, and now he offers the same professional advice to his readers. This easy-to-understand guide:

Enables readers to spot mistakes and stand up to insurance companies
Translates complicated technical concepts and industry jargon into simple English
Offers a concise explanation of industry practices that directly affect the costs of insurance, with insight on how to make sure a coverage plan is set up accurately
Provides detailed information about each state’s unique rules and regulations, and explains how coverage plans differ

Ultimate Guide to Workers’ Compensation Insurance provides a behind-the-scenes look at this complicated issue and puts control back into the hands of business owners. Its countless money-saving tactics could save many small businesses from having to shut their doors.

Customer Reviews:

Very well written introduction to Worker's Compensation.......2007-03-08

I was looking for a good introduction to worker's compensation and I'm glad that I settled on this book. It's very well written and organized and I've already recommended it to a few colleagues.

Everything you need to know about Work Comp.......2007-01-12

If you are in business and have any significant worker's compensation premium. You need this book. I wish that I would have read it 10 years ago.

Best Information.......2006-08-12

This book describes in detail information I have never gotten from my insurance agent. It gives you a detailed insight into the world of workers' compensation and has been very useful in helping me to make sure that what we do as a company is under the right classification. It would have been difficult to argue our case without the knowledge I obtained from this book. Worth every penny!

Very good introduction to WC.......2006-03-22

I ordered this book to get an overview of the Workers Compensation Insurance Industry. This book is very good to get a glimpse of the WC Industry and provides the most important data. I recommend this book for everyone who wants to get basic information on the Industry.

Nightmares.......2006-02-26

This book is an excellent review of the current system of workers compensation coverages. It is dead-on accurate in its description of the potholes one can encounter - NCCI ratings, premium audits and others. I thought Mr. Priz was generous in his kindness to auditors and underwriters, who are the source of most of the problems and also the solution to most of the problems.

I am going to buy several copies for my clients.

The Rise and Decline of Nations: Economic Growth, Stagflation, and Social Rigidities

Average customer rating:

Why isn't this book more famous?
Taking "The Logic" Cross-National
On the Virtues of Flexibility
Not totally bad book, but its thesis is somewhat simplistic
Powerful marginal explanation

The Rise and Decline of Nations: Economic Growth, Stagflation, and Social Rigidities
Mancur Olson
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Policy & Current Events | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Development & Growth | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Economic Policy & Development | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Economic History | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Macroeconomics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups, Second printing with new preface and appendix (Harvard Economic Studies)
Structure and Change in Economic History
Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions)
Power and Prosperity: Outgrowing Communist and Capitalist Dictatorships
The Rise of the Western World: A New Economic History

ASIN: 0300030797

Customer Reviews:

Why isn't this book more famous?.......2007-05-18

Olson's book is difficult to classify, since on the one hand, it's not for the general reader, but on the other hand not so forbiddingly dense that it should be classified as scholarly. Lemme put it this way: it's for economically literate people. It makes use of, say, the concepts describing steady-state growth, supply factors, and expeduture-approach identities that one learns about in a college econ class.

If you don't know what I just said, I imagine much of this book will be opaque to you.

But if you can handle such stuff (and don't let me scare you too much: the gist of this book is clear enough even if you can't), man, O man! Olson's thesis is so brilliant it will give you whiplash!

In brief, great empires invariably collapse not because of cultural overstretch, internal discord, or military misfortune, but rather because the very process of building an empire gives rise to myriad vested interests that eventually claw their way so deeply into the neck of the government that they eventually choke it. In other words, empires collapse because they are invariably made sclerotic by special-interest groups.

An idea that is truly, classically brilliant: not obvious, but once developed at length, undeniable and endlessly applicable.

Taking "The Logic" Cross-National.......2007-03-11

Olson seeks to explain why some nations achieve high rates of economic growth while others suffer bouts of stagflation. He contends that the number and strength of "distributional coalitions," coupled with the length of economic and political stability will influence a nation's rate of economic growth. As such, Olson's hypothesis is two fold. First, Olson argues that states with lower levels of "distributional coalitions" often have higher rates of economic growth. Second, states which have experienced prolonged periods of disorder or armed conflict will have lower numbers of interest-group, or collusion organizations.

Olson's explanation builds upon his early work in The Logic of Collective Action, which holds that "...large groups, at least if they are composed of rational individuals, will not act in their group interest" (18). Rather, the rational actor will seek to further his or her self-interest, and will subsequently free-ride when possible. Olson expands the scope of this logic to encompass not only the rationality of the individual, but the rationality of the firm in explaining The Rise and Decline of Nations.

As the power of the firm expands, the firm seeks to maximize its own utility at the expense of a societal common good. In order to simplify a complex argument, we can think of Olson's theory in this way. An organization or firm will not expend its energy to create a benefit to society writ large, as it, and its members, will only receive a fragment of that benefit in relation to the costs incurred. On the other hand, if the same firm seeks to maximize its utility, it will seek to obtain a larger slice of the social "pie." In so doing, it may lower the benefits of society as a whole, but will significantly expand its own gain and that of its members. Meanwhile the firm will only incur a fraction of the costs such action projects on society at large. As such, Olson writes, "The great majority of special-interest organizations redistribute income rather than create it and in the ways that reduce social efficiency and output" (47).

Olson argues that a society with long-term stability - free from war, and economic and political turmoil - tend to accrue more special-interest and collusion groups. This occurs because it takes time and reasonable amount of stability for such interest-groups to organize, solidify, and begin to achieve some collective benefits for their members. Once collective benefits are seen as the result of organization, a host of other interests will begin to coalesce and seek to obtain gains for themselves. What emerges is a highly pluralistic society.

This leads us to the second part of Olson's hypothesis, those nations with high numbers of special-interest or collusion groups have lower levels of economic growth. Olson writes, "Distributional coalitions slow down a society's capacity to adopt new technologies and reallocate resources in response to changing conditions, and they reduce the rate of economic growth" (65). First, distributional coalitions stymie technological adoption when such innovation stands to benefit a rival group. A present day illustration can be found in a labor unions vehement opposition to the implementation of labor saving machinery. Second, distributional coalitions will attempt to block policy initiatives that change the status quo. When policy needs to be developed to increase economic or social advancement, the special-interest groups are likely to feel a certain displacement and will act to prevent such policy. According to Olson, these actions, coupled with others, often lead to policies which promote policies which have the potential to stifle economic growth.

On the Virtues of Flexibility.......2006-12-29

I had always wanted to read this book and am glad that I did !

On the one hand the argument is quite obvious and one is left wondering what is really novel in this work (virtues of competition, market flexibility etc.), but I found the last chapter to be an interesting perspective on the effect of imperfect competition on the impact of changes in nominal demand on employment and inflation.

Olson explains social rigidities ,with all their negative collective effects, as the outcome of rational microeconomic behaviour and integrates these into macroeconomic theory (other mainstream macroeconomic theory attribute price rigidity to error or simply make ad hoc assumptions on wage rigidity).

This is a very valuable and important contribution to macroeconomics and explains why some economies are more resiliant than others. The main message is that governments must either make their economies more flexible or have to rely on macroeconomic conditions not fluctuating too much for acceptable macroeconomic performance.

Not totally bad book, but its thesis is somewhat simplistic.......2006-12-27

This one-idea book by late professor Olson tries to explain why some countries did better than others in terms of economic growth after World War II - namely Germany and Japan, in contrast with Britain. His explanation is that World War II weakened many institutions in those two countries that, by trying to retain their usual privileges, were holding back economic progress. The weakening of those institutions, permitted the economic miracle in both Germany and Japan. In contrast, England's institutions were not as weakened, so they continue to slow England's progress. I suppose that there are grains of truth in Olson's explanation - though if it was true, then the required policy recommendation would be that is good to suffer a devastating war every once in a while. I think Olson omits another possible explanation: the fact that Germany and Japan had both a strong industrial base before the war, a base that was not completely destroyed by it. Britain was in the 1940s suffering a slow economic decline in its industrial base - which really come back from the late 19th century, when Germany overcome Britain as Europe's leading industrial and economic power. And how would Olson had explained that after he wrote the book (in 1982), Britain went through a much higher economic growth than Germany and Japan - without the intervention of a war. So, while the book is interesting to read, I think its thesis is way too simplistic.

Powerful marginal explanation.......2006-06-06

Holding productive and destructive efforts constant, small distributional coalitions have the incentives to form political lobbies and influence policies that tend to be protectionist and anti-technology; since the benefits of these policies are selective incentives concentrated amongst the few coalitions members and the costs are diffused throughout the whole population, the "Logic" dictates that there will be little public resistance to them; as time goes on, these distributional coalitions accumulate in greater and greater numbers, the nation burdened by them will fall into economic decline.

However, if we think beyond the "natural" cost-incentive structure of Olson's "collective action logic", there are then four possible directions:
1. intentionality from the knowledge of this logic results in certain institutional design that prevents the nagative effects of the distributional coalitions;
2. the dynamics of distributional coalitions may be changed by political or economic factors, e.g., globalization may affect the formations of the distributional coalitions so that the power of protectionist coalition is now balanced by a coalition of big importers;
3. If a society has positive economic growth while distributional coalitions in fact have negative impact on it, or if a society has negative economic growth while distributional coalitions in fact have positive impact on it, then we should further look at how a society's institutions favor or disfavor its productive and destructive efforts;
4. Distributional coalitions may be formed by the pure "logic", they can also be formed by institutional incentives; they could be "natural" due to the free-riding logic, but they are more likely to be "institutionally-induced".

The explanation power of distributional coalitions comes from the strength of its "internal logic", we could be easily overwhelmed if "external logic" is neglected. Still, Olson's contribution is his offering of a powerful marginal explanation for the academic world.

Losing Your Job-Reclaiming Your Soul : Stories of Resilience, Renewal, and Hope (Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series)

Average customer rating:

A truly Inspirational Book - Read it!
Building Personal Resilience
Outstanding self-help book for career transitions
I liked the REAL LIFE stories in this book !
Timely, positive, and very helpful

Losing Your Job-Reclaiming Your Soul : Stories of Resilience, Renewal, and Hope (Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series)
Mary Lynn Pulley
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Labor Policy | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Guides | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Labor & Industrial Relations | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Unemployment | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Occupational & Organizational | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation

ASIN: 0787909378

Book Description

Even job loss has a silver lining

A truly wonderful book! Through stories, myths and metaphors, Mary Lynn Pulley examines the factors which help people develop more meaning in their work and their lives. This book is not only for those going through career transitions, but for all of us who want to be more resilient in today's work world.
-- Betsy A. Collard, Career Action Center

Right-sizing. Reengineering. Organizational restructuring. No matter the corporate euphemism in which it's couched, the loss of a job remains one of the most devastating events a person can encounter. But some are finding it to be a blessing in disguise. In Losing Your Job, Reclaiming Your Soul, Mary Lynn Pulley presents a positive, practical and empowering new model of career resilience for everyone who has lost, fears losing, or is thinking of leaving his or her job. Here are the results of dozens of interviews with high-performing professionals who bounced back from the trauma of involuntary job loss. Their stories provide powerful, real-world lessons in flexibility, determination and fulfillment. It 's a book that puts the prospect of job loss in meaningful perspective, and gives us insight into how to turn one of life's most catastrophic experiences into a wellspring of personal and professional reawakening.

Customer Reviews:

A truly Inspirational Book - Read it!.......2003-01-07

If you have lost your job involuntarily, think you may be on the bubble or are just questioning your whole approach and understanding of the work-a-day world, you should read this book! I lost my job in August of 2002 after returning from a very successful 3-year assignment in London. I was devastated, how could I be treated this way. I thought if you showed up and did a great job, you were in for life. Boy was I wrong! I came across this book recommended by an author of a paperback called The Lay-Off Survival Guide.

I won't say this book changed my life (I am not sure a book can really do that) but it certainly changed the way I think about work and my own skills - forever! I realized that there are lots of people out there struggling with the same issues and lots of people going through their daily routines and feeling unfulfilled. I also realized that I had the power to change that about my life.

I find Mrs. Pulley's balance of personal interviews and research as well as reference work of other authors, psychologists, and philosophers to lend credibility, believability and inspiration to this book.

When someone asks you, "so, who are you?" and your answer starts with "I'm a manager of... or I work for..." then YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!

I have now left big corporate America and am working in a 3-person start-up software company. I don't think I could ever go back to the other life. Thank you Mary Lynn Pulley for helping me transform!

Building Personal Resilience.......2001-02-26

Ms. Pulley has written a very useful treatise on resilience in the context of the workplace. She very succintly brings out the feelings and emotions that a person who has lost his/her job involuntarily feels and experiences. Her ideas and thoughts based on her interviews with people who have gone through the "trough" would make an invaluable contribution to those who are on their path to recovery and more importantly success on their terms. Though the book is written based on the American experience, I am of the opinion that it is applicable anywhere in the world. For those who live under the threat of likely loss of their job involuntarily, this book would be useful in understanding the feelings that you may be encountering.This book could even be a road-map to move-on and re-define yourself, discover a new dimension of success and of course, get on with re-building and living a more meaningful life in which you will find satisfaction and happiness in.

Outstanding self-help book for career transitions.......1998-11-14

I picked up this book with some skepticism after losing a job, but found that I could not put it down! And after finishing it, I went out and got a temp job in ONE DAY which I still have -- and have been asked to stay on. It is excellent as practical as well as philosophical support for anyone seeking to improve his or her resilience in a crisis. Instead of despair Pulley and Deal offer hope.

I liked the REAL LIFE stories in this book !.......1998-01-28

There are not many books that I stay up until 2:00am reading, but this is one of them. I was laid of, from a merger/aquisition, after working for the "company" for 10 years. I felt betrayed, I had no loyalty, and I was depressed ! Finding my resilance and takeing the "lessons" from each of the chapters got me through a tough time in my life. The bibliography was accurate and easy to follow. I even learned that "Pandora's Box did not release "HOPE"" from all the evils in the in famous Pandoras' box. One last not I also bought audio cassette of Sara Hickman's "Necessary Angels" when I had no income... not a wise decision you might say ?....wrong Ed Mc Mann....This was one of the best purchases I made when I needed a lift in my sprirts....what am I doing today.... I have started a new home based business, from my skills and past experiences. I may go back to "work" if the right "offer" come to me. I have also gotten involved in a small business group at my church....(sprituality).... I would rate this book right up there with WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE for people who have had an "involuntary job loss". I have also read William Bridges books on transitions which is also referenced in this book !

Timely, positive, and very helpful.......1998-01-24

In the past few years I've had a series of what I considered negative career experiences. I started out many years ago to be a teacher, but (due to an impossible job market) made a lateral move into a business career in which I'm using the same skills. But I kept on teaching part-time because I felt that was what I "should" be doing. Then I had a series of Classes From Hell that left me psychologically bruised and burned out, and finally, feeling utterly defeated, I quit teaching. A short time later, after years of working as an independent contractor, I took a "permanent" job that turned out to be a serious mistake: it was demanding but narrow in scope, so I was exhausted and bored at the same time; I did a mediocre job and eventually was laid off. I picked up Pulley's book just when I was in my worst "I'm a failure at everything" depressed state. It helped me realize that, on some level, I knew better all along: I went into teaching because of family expectations, and although I'm moderately good at it I was always uncomfortable as a teacher. Likewise, I felt I shouldn't turn down a permanent job because it was "secure" (the Depression-era mentality of my parents!), and, although it was patently wrong for me, I was afraid to quit for the same reason. The collapse of both jobs caused me to question all these assumptions. And Pulley's book helped me to realize that this FREED me to consider what I really wanted to do and what was most important to me in life. A very helpful book for anyone who has been laid off, or who feels he/she might be.

Exporting America: Why Corporate Greed Is Shipping American Jobs Overseas

Average customer rating:

Dont waste your money
3 stars for getting the topic out in front of people, -2 stars for not getting it right.
LOU DOBBS IS IGNORANT AND INCOMPETENT NEO-POPULIST
Predicitions that have come true
Honest Polemic

Exporting America: Why Corporate Greed Is Shipping American Jobs Overseas
Lou Dobbs
Manufacturer: Business Plus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Labor Policy | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Labor & Industrial Relations | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Unemployment | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Labor & Industrial Relations | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Globalization | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

War on the Middle Class: How the Government, Big Business, and Special Interest Groups Are Waging War on the American Dream and How to Fight Back
Take This Job and Ship It: How Corporate Greed and Brain-Dead Politics Are Selling Out America
Outsourcing America: What's Behind Our National Crisis And How We Can Reclaim American Jobs
Running on Empty: How the Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It
State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America

ASIN: 0446577448

Customer Reviews:

Dont waste your money.......2007-05-17

How come I don't see anyone without a job? Dont waste your money buying this useless book. Watch a movie in the theaters instead.

3 stars for getting the topic out in front of people, -2 stars for not getting it right........2007-04-29

This subject is getting a lot of ranting from people on the outskirts who know squat. Manufacturing is one thing, but IT is where the real action is. I work in IT outsourcing and I have seen both sides, while so many are talking from 3rd hand knowledge. Number 1 issue is that these imported visa techies are more sinned against then sinning. The imported worker isn't fully paid, gets only a paltry salary, the winner in the game, the true elite, are mddlemen ....It's all the vendor/employers who make the money, and sometimes there are so many layers of them, they don't even make much; and, they are rarely US corporate..... Oddly enough, most of them are immigrants themselves. Some immigrant guy gets a stable of visa guys with desireable skills (e.g., SAP) and vends them to other vendors, perhaps more than to actual US companies (you have to be a "preferred vendor" to get in on the action with the largest US Companies). Who knows what the poor visa guy actually gets, while the large US companies who seek to buy this contingent H1 visa labor don't get much of a bargin either. Yeah, they try to get competition for the sake of lower rates, but they also TRY to squeeze from the top and demand the TOP Tier "preferred" vendors send them with visa techies with such and such skills for a ceiling of $X; however, there are STILL market forces, and these middle level vendor/employers know the rates and sometimes the preferred vedor above them cannot not find or provide someone when any of the layers cannot make at least a minimal amount on the rate. Consequently, the rates creep up, and end up not that far behind the going rate. I have seen some Corporations/Companies have to re-process their original req with higher salaries cause they need someone badly, and eventully they go to the 2nd tier vendors. Ultimately while they may pay slightly less on the contract than for a full time guy, and slightly less than a US guy, it's not that much less, only a little, while the vendor middle-men gets his bucks (and more and more of them pop up every day). These vendor/employers make their bucks either on specific skills (lake SAP, .NET) or on volume, like parasites. Meanwhile US Companies cannot be bothered with hiring entry level. They need someone to "hit the ground running." The imported guys are just beyond entry level, having already got that back home from the same US companies overseas OR from other foreign companies or domestic companies over there. So, yeah, they are up and running faster than an entry level guy. The real tragedy is that our US IT grads have so few entry level jobs available. And the big bonanza, right now (jobs paying over $100k) is in managerial IT. The ones who have a leg up on those are the visa guys who tough it out and survive to get that magic Green Card. Having survived all the levels, they are often the best candidates for these well paid positions, and compete with native born US citizens who survived the tech bust. However, understandably, these GC guys want a competitive salary with their American counterparts. When the best candidates for these jobs are Green Cards, the US grads who never got the entry level job originally, lose out once again. Meanwhile, in places like India, IT is booming, and they badly need midlevel managers, so who will go? How many Americans are ready to uproot and learn Hindi? There is an r2i movement (r2i==return to India).... Probably all those Green Card guys who earned their stripes here, will go back, and again the US IT departments will have to go to another 3rd world country, and start the whole mess all over. Meanwhile, the rest of us low paid flunkies are barely making ends meet, work long hours, and get NO health benefits.

LOU DOBBS IS IGNORANT AND INCOMPETENT NEO-POPULIST.......2007-03-14

Shame on Lou Dobbs and his ignorant and arrogant rethoric.

Predicitions that have come true.......2007-03-11

Lou Dobbs writes a book on outsourcing and corporate greed. The wonder of this book was that it was written in 2004, in the early stages of the outsourcing pandemic in this county. Most of his charges have come 100% true in current day. This book is a simple read - I finished it in about 4 hours and is easily read.

He curtails so called free trade agreements such as NAFTA, CAFTA and FTAA and organization such as the WTO and gives many examples of how these free trade agreements are completely unbalanced and unfair to the US worker and economy. US workers have been forced to compete (and history has now show)and loose to third world labor in China and Mexico. He was accused of being a "protectionist" when the reality is most people do not call for no trade with other countries. They call for fair and balanced trade. He explains how countries have set high tariffs and quotas on US imports but the US maintains little to no quotas and tariffs - and these are countries we are in trade agreements with. US businesses relocate our jobs and manufacturing base to cheap labor and unregulated markets in developing nations to only re import their good to the US. We are being exploited at the expense of corporate greed which does not have this nation's interests in sight. I am very unhappy with the fact that amongst his laundry list of present day status quo of terribly chartered agreements by our current administrations (Bush and Clinton), he does not really charge our nation's citizens with their insatiable appetite for consumption of flat screen TV's and just about any other exorbitant commodity we purchase. This has been a major factor on why these agreements stay in effect - our out of control consumer consumption has become culture at which it becomes very hard to change. But then again, most Americans really do not have a tiny grasp on the big picture because they are ignorant of it. They simply get annoyed when they call their bank customer service and wind up speaking to a representative in India of which they can't understand. Mr.s Dobbs goes into detail on how US companies have used the tax systems to their advantage and wind up paying no tax which leaves the middle class to pick up the burden. He gives a very good account of local and state government exporting their work to foreign countries! One of the most important discussions in the book is where early proponent of "free trade" would say that as our manufacturing base (about 3 million jobs) leaves the country, we will replace these jobs with higher level professional and services jobs (IT, lawyers, accountants). He details how we have now begun exporting these "replacement" jobs to our trading partners. What's left next to go? Since we have become now dependent on imports for our basic needs and have financed both consumer and economic debt and deficit with foreign funds - we have become very dependent and vulnerable as the worlds sole superpower.

I found this book a little bit of "preaching to the choir". I would highly recommend this to a person looking to wet their feet in trade issues of present day. Someone who has done much reading on the fleecing of the middle class will have come across much of what Mr.s Dobbs speaks about. Nonetheless, it still has some very good informative material that have been proven to be the reality. My last grievance is that of his 10 chapters of laundry type lists and critiques - 1 is devoted to finding solutions. I find this to be the case with his other book - "war on the Middle class (which I highly recommend). Mr. Dobbs is truly a great popularist of our present day. And if you watch his nightly CNN "Lou Dobbs Tonight' you'll know he committed to leveling the playing field for the middle class.

Honest Polemic.......2006-12-28

A market loving Republican has written a powerful indictment of the outsourcing of jobs that is hurting the middle class. As a business journalist & news anchor he fully understands the machinations of the business world. Ex: Free trade is not always fair trade. Note our trade deficit has been growing for thirty years. Some reforms & tasks can't be left to the market alone. The Federal & state governments have a duty to the citizenry. The latter with the peoples consent can stop corporate greed & corruption by preventing the constant outsourcing of middle class jobs to third world countries. If nothing is done to stop the jobs from leaving. We could become in the not to distant future a two tier society. Pharoahs at the top & a poorly paid majority of drones at the bottom.

The Seed Handbook: The Feminine Way to Create Business

Average customer rating:

Wonderful
Inspirational feminine intuition and intellect
There are better books on the market
There are better books on the market
The Best Book in The World on starting a woman owned Busines

The Seed Handbook: The Feminine Way to Create Business
Lynne Franks
Manufacturer: Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Labor Policy | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Labor & Industrial Relations | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Unemployment | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Grow - The Modern Woman's Handbook - How to Connect with Self, Lovers, and Others
The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women: A Portable Mentor
Building a Business the Buddhist Way: A Practitioner's Guidebook
Living Out Loud
BLOOM Journal: A Woman's Journal for Inspired Living

ASIN: 1585420158
Release Date: 2000-03-20

Book Description

A life-changing program to teach women and men the feminine way to start a business, develop self-confidence, self-love, and gain a new outlook on life.

Lynne Franks is one of the best-known public relations consultants in the world. In the years since she first began working from her own kitchen table, she has advised and guided women entrepreneurs from diverse cultural backgrounds across the globe.

In The SEED Handbook (Sustainable Enterprise and Empowerment Dynamics), Franks pulls together a twelve-stage program that is both an economic and personal growth tool. It contains practical exercises to give readers the confidence to trust their abilities, passions, and values to enable themselves to create something organic that grows naturally from who they are as people. Franks shows how to keep the dream alive with marketing, business planning, marketing launches, and case histories.

The women and men who Franks uses as examples are creating consciously ethical and responsible businesses based on integrity and love. Like them, many of us desire to start a sustainable enterprise but are too fearful. The SEED Handbook helps break the social conditioning and lack of confidence, find support, mentors, and plant the seeds that can create the garden we want to have in our lives.

With Franks's handbook, readers will not only become members of a thriving SEED community, but also happily take responsibility for their lives.

Illustrations by Anne Field

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2007-05-07

This is a great book for anyone starting a business. I have had a consulting business for 2 years and I am using this book now to grow and further my business. It is a wonderful process.

Inspirational feminine intuition and intellect.......2005-03-04

A great inner workbook to get the prosperity consciousness going. Very affirmative in tone and lots of anecdotes. A list of other resources is included to continue learning about blending soul with capitalism. Best to use the Suze Orman books in conjunction with one such as this. Franks offers the inner wealth techniques, Orman outlines actually action strategies to bring money and abundance into physical existence.

There are better books on the market.......2001-03-29

Although I believe Lynne Franks has good insight for people who want to start their own business, I found it annoying the way that she would name drop and take credit for the success of others. If you are looking for an uplifting book that will help you take the next step toward running your own business, I would recommend, "Building a Business the Buddhist Way : A Practitioner's Guidebook" by Geri Larkin. This book provides the inspiration to take the next step and more practical advise on how to write a business plan and get started.

There are better books on the market.......2001-03-29

The Best Book in The World on starting a woman owned Busines.......2000-07-20

The book tells you that it is ok to shoot for the stars when every one else tells you other wise. If you want to start you own business and your a women PLEASE BUY THIS BOOK TODAY!

Average customer rating:

How to Find Work in the 21st Century
Ron McGowan
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Workplace | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Guides | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Unemployment | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Career Wisdom for College Students: Insights You Won't Get in Class, on the Internet, or from Your Parents
Career Opportunities in the Nonprofit Sector (Career Opportunities)
Appreciative Inquiry Handbook: The First in a Series of AI Workbooks for Leaders of Change
Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type
What Color Is Your Parachute? 2007: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (What Color Is Your Parachute)

ASIN: 1552124665
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Book Description

2007 Edition Now Available!

Currently In Use at Over 200 Colleges, Universities and Secondary Schools

The workplace is going through one of the most significant transitions to occur in the past 100 years. This book will raise your awareness of what is going on and where the workplace is headed.

It will help you to define exactly what you have to offer employers and give you some insight into the type of work you should be looking for.

Learn how to find hidden work opportunities and create a 21st Century resume/CV and other marketing tools that will get the attention of employers.

Learn how to successfully sell yourself and how to become an effective networker.

Contains sample marketing tools for professionals as well as college, university graduates and secondary school graduates, plus three all-new quizzes.

Jobshift: How to Prosper in a Workplace Without Jobs

Average customer rating:

Make yourself relevant to the changing economy
A Great Book- With Effective but Challenging Recommendations
Yesterday never really mattered tomorrow never really came
A stimulating glimpse of the future
A management guru's formula for success in the job market.

Jobshift: How to Prosper in a Workplace Without Jobs
William Bridges
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Workplace | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Guides | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Unemployment | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Creating You & Co: Learn to Think Like the Ceo of Your Own Career
Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change
The Way of Transition: Embracing Life's Most Difficult Moments
Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes
We Are All Self-Employed: How to Take Control of Your Career

ASIN: 0201489333

Book Description

The source of Fortune's widely discussed cover story "The End of the Job," JobShift breaks open our traditional work world. For all employees, executives, and entrepreneurs it reveals the new employment realities and uncovers new opportunities. Read JobShift to understand how to generate secure work for yourself next year-and how we'll think about work for the next forty years.

Customer Reviews:

Make yourself relevant to the changing economy.......2006-01-26

Bridges argues that you must make yourself relevant to the changing economy by managing your career as solo business, finding the unmet needs inside of your company and increasing your contribution to your company.

The traditional workplace, where tasks are broken up into `jobs' with specifically defined duties, is disappearing fast says author William Bridges. Many companies that try to cut costs simply cut jobs. However, more innovative companies are changing the way their employees work altogether. The trend has been to move away from work divided into specific tasks, to work based on teams and project work. People are brought together to work on specific projects and then break up when the project is completed. If this is happening at your company, you can apply for a job someplace else, but the chances are good that you're just exchanging one vulnerable job for another.

The better answer, says the author, is to change your attitude towards work, forget about your job position and start looking for opportunities to fulfill your company's needs. Increasing your contribution to your company will also increase your value to the company.
· Treat everyone around you as a customer, and start looking for unmet needs. Think of your workplace as a market.
· Align your desires, abilities, temperament and assets with those of your company or find companies and projects that are right for you.
· Manage your career as an outside vendor, not as an inside employee. You must find products and services to sell inside your company to ensure your employment. Do market research on your own company.
· Manage your job insecurity by preparing yourself for constant change, and using new interpretations of work that will help you bring order to chaos.

A Great Book- With Effective but Challenging Recommendations.......2003-04-13

The book argues that fewer people have jobs and more people are working in less traditional arrangements such as temporary work, consulting, and micro businesses. The book recommends that you assess your desires, abilities, temperament, and assests, and it suggests managing your self like a company.

This review was written as part of the Annotated Bibliography of Learning A Living; A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding a Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Dyslexia

Yesterday never really mattered tomorrow never really came.......2003-01-19

I first read this book some seven years ago as a text for a class intended to help graduating students prepare themselves for the world of work. Interestingly one of those graduates was intending to work in a start up business with digital cameras which he believed would emerge as the dominant force in the picture business. Probably telling the future is not a good business to be in.

Here in Northern New Jersey everyone knew, and still knows, all about downsizing and organizational flattening and outsourcing. Since the collapse of the tech-bubble, many of those independent contractors are now looking for work and escaping the computer field alltogether in the face of falling wage rates, excess supply and new entrants from college who expect a lot less!

Revisiting this book gives one the opportunity to rexamine it's claims and, not surprisingly, finds them lacking. To be fair, much of what the originator describes has come to pass but not in the way that he suggests.

The main lesson that I come away with from this book is that markets are so powerful that the competitive environment determines the shape of the organization. Obviously, some would say but this is only half of the story. Combine the power of markets which is, after all, only the result of individuals exercising choices, with a proactive government and you get a pretty unstoppable force. If the dollar is high then imports are [inexpensive] as compared to domestic goods which puts intense competitive pressure on companies who then must cut costs. Add to the mix a policy of a free trade area as NAFTA and a competitive labor market and there is even more pressure on costs. Finally have a boyant stock market and increased wealth and you have lots of venture capital looking for profit. The result, falling unemployment with little inflation and downward intense pressure on costs leading to more business. The picture is muddied somewhat by rising benefits costs but they become a force against rising costs too,

What I am describing is the pressure on business to focus on their core activities and float off internal activities which can be done by service companies contracted for the purpose. Wage bill too high - make workers contractors who then have to pay for their own benefits or better still get the states to introduce basic minimum health care schemes.

This nirvana of the dejobbed economy never really existed. Sure there are more small businesses and self-employed, sure there is more flexibility among the workforce but there is also compulsion, workfare, for the unemployed as well as the requirement for many families to work two, three or more jobs to make ends meet.

Hayek the Nobel prizewinner foresaw the person described in this book many years ago as did his mentor Mises. To be successful they argued the individual must market themselves as a self-entrepreneur. Very true.

This book is an excellent description of a possible future in the light of developments in business at the time. The author is to be commended for the clarity of his thought and exposition. However, he ignores the bigger picture and the implications of a global economy and powerful, interventionist governments. Perhaps he would like to write an update to this book in the light of the events of the last seven years.

A stimulating glimpse of the future.......1998-05-07

In the era of downsizing and mergers, one hears far too many people bewailing what we've "lost": job security, well-defined career paths, companies that feel responsible for the people who work for them, employee loyalty. Bridges offers a more positive perspective: "work" as we conceive of it was an artifact of the Industrial Revolution, with its view of workers as cogs in a machine; and, as that rigid structure gradually disappears, so will our present concept of "jobs" and "careers."
This was one of the first ripples in what has become a massive wave of books on the changing business world, including recent examples like "Blur" -- but it's refreshing, easy to read, and can change your whole view of what "work" entails. I think it's especially important for young people still in school to read it: don't waste your efforts preparing for a traditional "career" that may not be there five years after you graduate; focus on developing your talents, your skills, and your entrepreneurial spirit instead, because those are what will be worth the most to you in the future.

A management guru's formula for success in the job market........1996-10-03

I strongly recommend this book for those feeling overwhelmed by the current challenges in the job market. Bridges wrote the best-sellers "Transitions" and "Managing Transitions," and when not authoring has been a management guru for a couple decades. "Job Shift" serves as a primer for managing your own career in what he views as a fundamentally new career marketplace.

The main thesis of his latest book is that our country, and indeed our world, is currently in the midst of the Second Great Job Shift. The first was caused by the Industrial Revolution, when people transitioned from village life to urbania. Along with this shift came a redefinition of the very meaning of the word, "job." In the village, it meant a task or project, generally of finite duration and paid fee-for-service if paid at all. (The etymology of the word "job" apparently goes back to "hauling dung.") In the Industrial Age, a "job" was actually a position in the hierarchy of a company, with a clearly-defined set of responsibilities and paid a salary. As long as one stayed properly within the confines of the job description, one could count on advancement up the organizational ladder.

The current Second Great Job Shift, according to Bridges, is the Death of the Job, at least as it has been defined for the past two hundred years. The Information Age is forcing companies to move and respond more quickly to shifts in markets while at the same time allowing increased automation of information processing. Companies are replacing the traditional corporate structure with project-oriented organization. People are assigned to projects, and performance is evaluated based on the project's outcome, not on how well one fits into some job description.

Bridges has recommendations for individuals, companies, and even governments for addressing and dealing with this Job Shift. While I'm not entirely convinced that I agree with all of Bridges' vision, his argument is extremely powerful and thought-provoking. It is certainly a different approach than I've encountered in other job search books, and has a certain appeal just on that basis. I highly recommend it as a well-written source of ideas for anyone in the job market, even those who are happily employed. Instead of telling you how to write a resume or shine in an interview, Bridges looks at the overall job environment, and offers general advice on the mentality and approach needed to advance yourself. Reading this book in close conjunction with Bolles' classic "What Color is Your Parachute?" is a frightening, exciting, and empowering experience. Whether you end up agreeing and taking Bridges' advice or not, I think it is always helpful to get exposed to another way of viewing a problem.

[Longer versions of this review have been previously submitted by the author to the Young Scientists' Network and Network for Emerging Scientists' online discussion forums.]

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books