Management Innovators: The People and Ideas that Have Shaped Modern Business

Amazon.com

Management Innovators: The People and Ideas That Have Shaped Modern Business is a penetrating history of the field of management as revealed through profiles of some of its most noteworthy inventors, communicators, financiers, motivators, and gurus. Management historians Daniel Wren and the late Ronald Greenwood explore this virtual who's who of business pioneers with an eye toward both their significant innovations and the lasting impact they have had on the corporate world. Among the 31 individuals they examine are Eli Whitney, Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Nicolo Machiavelli, Abraham Maslow, W. Edwards Demming, and Peter F. Drucker. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

Here is a who's who of business, thirty-one profiles of inventors, financiers, organizers, motivators, and gurus--a vivid, informative look at the history of management as seen through the lives of its most influential figures. We meet Eli Whitney, creator of the cotton gin and father of the machine tool industry, who failed to profit from his genius; Thomas Edison, who once vowed he would never invent anything he couldn't sell; and Andrew Carnegie, who applied the railroad management system to the steel industry, with spectacular results. There are profiles of such railroad giants as James J. Hill and Edward H. Harriman, and colorful portraits of Samuel Morse and Graham Bell, the two men who launched the communications industry in the U.S. The great innovators of management and organization are here as well, including the founders of systematic management, Frederick W. Taylor and Frank and Lillian Gilbreth. There's an intriguing side-by-side look at William C. Durant, builder of General Motors, a visionary but a weak manager and organizer, and Alfred P. Sloan, who gave GM the structure it needed, and provided the model for all large, multiproduct firms to come. And there are thought-provoking profiles of motivational experts Elton Mayo and Abraham Maslow; quality advocates W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Moses Juran; Taiichi Ohno, inventor of just-in-time manufacturing; and finally, Peter Drucker, the most influential management thinker of our time. This is the distilled essence of management genius, a stimulating and, at times, inspiring look at the pioneers who shaped how we do business today.

Customer Reviews:

An Exceptional 30.......2002-04-09

Wren and Greenwood have written one of the most informative I have read in recent years. With brevity but precision and insight, they examine 30 people who have indeed "shaped modern business." The excellent material is presented within 12 chapters which range from "Inventors" (Eli Whitney and Thomas Alva Edison) to "Guru" (peter F. Drucker).. Along the way, they discuss a number of especially influential persons about whom many readers probably know little (if anything), such as Alexander T. Stewart, James J. Hill, Ezra Cornell, Lillian and Frank Gilbreth, Chester I. Barnard, and Mary Parker Follett.

All by itself, the Introduction is well worth the cost of the book. Near its conclusion, Wren and Greenwood observe: "Taken as a whole, there is no single theme to this book; rather, it is a narrative with multiple themes as a story of American business enterprise unfolds. Beginning with the selection of inventors, we see how the process of invention and innovation changes the way we live, creates entirely new industries, and must be continuous as the competitive environment changes. Makers [e.g. Henry Ford] are those who who change ideas into markets for the marketplace -- an evolutionary process that accompanies the shift from small-to-large-scale manufacturing and then to the assembly line. Sellers [e.g. Richard W. Sears] take those products to market and allow us to see the sales and distribution innovations that have enabled modern consumers to live better than the monarchs of centuries before. Inventors, makers, and sellers need the movers [e.g. Edward H. Harriman], those who create the time and place utility; and all need the communicators [e.g. Alexander Graham Bell], who connect the parts into a whole."

Because this book was first published in 1998, many readers (I among them) would have expected the inclusion of other "management innovators" such as Donald Dell, Walt Disney, Bill Gates, Sam Walton, and Jack Welch. Perhaps they will be among those discussed in a sequel to this volume. Nonetheless, each of the 30 whom Wren and Greenwood do include is eminently worthy. Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Stuart Crainer's The Management Century, James Tobin's Great Projects: The Epic Story of the Building of America, from the Taming of the Mississippi to the Invention of the Internet, and Andrea Gabor's The Capitalist Philosophers: The Geniuses of Modern Business -- Their Lives, Times, and Ideas.

History of Modern Management.......2001-05-29

Every manager should read this illuminating and extremely important book. Daniel A.Wren and Ronald G.Greenwood give tomorrow's leaders indispensable lessons from 'the people and ideas that have shaped modern business.'

They write that "our goal is to portray a selection of individuals whose ideas have made a difference in the way we teach and practice business management. In selecting these figures, we realize that it would be impossible to chronicle all of their activities; we could have chosen other individuals of equal stature as well. We have kept in mind an audience of contemporary managers, aspiring managers, and students of management who wish to gain a historical perspective on their profession by sketching the people and ideas that contributed to the formation of modern management" (from the Preface).

In this context, Wren and Greenwood divide their book into two parts:

* Part One- In this part, they trace the beginnings of American enterprise in inventing, manufacturing, selling, transportation, communication, and financing. They argue that these fourteen individuals set a pattern for others to follow as U.S. business enterprise grew.

* Part Two- In this part, in order to portray the search for better ways to manage, they present stories of other influential individuals. Here, they argue that these representatives played a pioneering role in shaping modern managerial practices.

Highly recommended.

Deaner - Fifty Years Of University Of Kansas Athletics
Average customer rating:
Deaner - Fifty Years Of University Of Kansas Athletics
Mike Fisher
Manufacturer: Lowell Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VK37ZO

Deaner: Fifty Years of University of Kansas Athletics
Average customer rating:
Deaner: Fifty Years of University of Kansas Athletics
Mike Fisher
Manufacturer: Lowell Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0932845169

Book Description

Dean Nesmith served the University of Kansas for nearly half a century. First as student/athlete and then as trainer/coach, Nesmith dedicated himself to the school and its athletes. In Deaner, Fifty Years of University of Kansas Athletics, author Mike Fisher brings those years into focus. Against the backdrop of the greats, near greats and forgotten athletes, the reader watches Nesmith grow into a beloved, influential figure that proved a constant in an ever-changing Kansas athletic scene.

From Deaner emerges the portrait of a man who grew with the university he loved so deeply. That portrait reveals the spirit and compassion of a man who became a legend of loyalty and dedication to the University of Kansas and to Kansas athletics.

Book Description

Michael York takes you on a thrilling journey to the hidden world of moviemaking, where stars people the scenery and every day is an adventure. Witness the day-to-day drama behind the drama and have access to Hollywood as you've never seen it before.

Through the senses of this acclaimed actor, producer, and author, you'll learn about what it takes to make a movie from start to finish. From the moment the cast meets for the first time to the final day of shooting, you'll be there for the joys, the pains, and everything in between. Join York as he travels from Los Angeles and the California desert to Rome and the Italian countryside, revealing in Dispatches from Armageddon: Making the Movie Megiddo the world of Hollywood you won't see in the movies.

Customer Reviews:

Insightful, Funny and often Profound.......2002-04-19

Dispatches from Armageddon is a wonderfully entertaining and thought-provoking read. Michael York's writing is as engaging as his acting, while he generously shares his trials and triumphs, not only about the day-to-day process of creating a movie, but in the unique and fascinating daily experience of being Michael York. Although a fascinating look into making a film, it is much more than that. For it teems with acting advice, travel adventure, private moments, memorable quotations, humor and humility. And best of all, we are offered not only insight into how an actor works, but, more importantly, how a true gentleman lives. It is sincere and it is human, and each chapter unfolds like letters from a friend. This book is insightful, funny, and often profound.

pleasantly surprised.......2002-03-10

We see from start to finish the makings of a great epic apocalyptic film: the care,the mishaps, details details,redos & outtakes.The pleasant suprising bonus is a look-see into the kinder/gentler private side/life of Michael. I would never fly so much or keep all those engagements. Some doubt remains if cutting down the film time to 90 mins. will come out even &/or do justice to a film of such magnitude. Knowing that Michael was @ the helm with advice and agreement of end results must make it all worthwhile. I must see the film to be certain sure.

Shares insights on the basics of creating a film.......2002-02-04

Michael York's Dispatches From Armageddon shares insights on the basics of creating a film. The first person diary entries share moment-by-moment experiences in the making of the movie Megiddo: aspiring actors will relish the insights into how a movie is produced.

Book Description

A comprehensive look at this classic work of popular fiction and its hold on the American imagination.

Book Description

Build your own radio receivers and tune in to broadcasts from near and far. Radio Receiver Projects You Can Build This project-packed book is geared for students, hobbyists, or engineers who enjoy unwinding close to home. Hands-on guidance and more than 200 circuit diagrams and photographs show you how to build all types of useful, inexpensive radio receivers from scratch. Included among the projectsl simple crystal radio; Antique tube regenerative radio; IC speaker radio; Toroidal coil shortwave radio; Two-tube regenerative battery radio; Integrated AM radio; Integrated tube radio; Solar-powered radio. One of the best-known technical authors working today, Homer L. Davidson also covers OC board, chassis, and cabinet construction; Sources for parts and components, and a challenging TDA7000 IC chip project for building a direct-conversion shortwave receiver.

Customer Reviews:

misses several marks........2005-08-05

I picked this up from the remainder bin and am glad I did not pay much for it.
The author wastes too much space on bits and pieces of cutting up scrap wood and such for mounting parts than on bulding the part of the radio that actually does something. What use is precise bending of scrap metal to form clips to hold wire? Most of these are are not the type of radio you would show off after building.
His coil winding instructions are annoyingly repetitive. (How many times does he need to tell the reader to hold the wire with tape or something while the coil dope/nail polish sets?) His instructions for the actual winding are poor - at one point (p.74)he instructs you to leave 4" of a 4 to 5 inch ferrite rod bare, bare of what? wire or tape? It is unclear. Winding diagrams show windings side by side, the text has the second winding being wound over the first.
There are poenty of pictures but most are simply to fill space, they do nothing to aid construction. (I do like the photos that show that he gets his mismatched brands bateries from the same junk box as his parts!)
It would have been nice if the author had used succesive projects, as they grew in complexity, to teach theory.
I'm not sure who this book was meant to appeal to. Those interested in learning some electronics/radio/RF theory or fundamentals will be dissapointed. Those interested in early (homebrew) radio and how radios have changed over time get nothing. Neither is there an attempt to give the experimenter building blocks to take further. There is no large final project to build for those with a real budding interest in what goes on inside a commercial radio. Based on the repetition it seems this is not intended to be a book that one works their way through, but rather a book that one picks up and starts anywhere.

Excellent, imaginative, fun, and useful.......2004-04-23

This book has a lot of fun radio designs. It doesn't teach radio principles. I think it's for builders who want to fool around with some differrent ideas. I liked the tube regenerative radios. He mostly used 1S4 and 3S4 tubes which are inexpensive and their filaments can be run on a C-cell or two. For B+ he puts 2 or 3 or more cheap 9V batteries in series. He winds coils on plastic film canisters and uses easy-to-find components ... EXCEPT for the ZN414Z and the ZN416E. Fortunately the MK484 appears to be a replacement for the ZN414Z. So every design in the book is still doable. Neat ideas! AA1WW

Non-theory oriented projects.......1997-08-12

The book contains many projects but doesn't go into great detail on how they work, or why the circuits were designed the way they were. Suitable for anyone wanting to build a radio. Not aimed at designers, however. Covers crystal, direct conversion, superhet, and solar radios. Some with integrated circuits, some with vacuum tubes. Very little theory, just a simple hands-on construction guide.

Amazon.com

Applications software may get all the glory, but it's the hardware and operating systems that do the heavy lifting in any computer system. Technicians who have earned CompTIA's A+ certification are recognized as qualified to solve complicated hardware and OS problems and can earn a good living doing so. A+ Complete Study Guide aims to prepare you for the two exams that you have to pass in order to become A+ certified, and it does a good job of communicating facts (like the function of a printer's corona wire and the differences among different Microsoft Windows filesystems) and procedures (such as how to install Microsoft Windows 2000 and how to examine a printer queue in Microsoft Windows XP). Though author David Groth uses the published outline of exam topics as a guide, he shares lots of other wisdom, so readers put this book down ready to work, not just pass the test.

Groth's teaching style combines explanatory text--which he writes clearly--with screen shots and procedures. He also makes use of brief sidebars for factoids, and tables for such data as command-prompt commands. Lots of readers will like his inclusion of sample exam questions at the end of each chapter, which come complete with annotated answers. A companion CD-ROM includes test simulator software, as well as a (searchable) copy of the book in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. --David Wall

Topics covered: Those subjects that CompTIA says you must understand in order to pass the Core Hardware (220-301) and Operating System Technologies (220-302). Essentially, this book is all about Microsoft Windows and the Intel-compatible hardware on which it runs.

Book Description

Here's the book you need to prepare for CompTIA's A+ Exam. The most up-to-date content needed to pass the A+ Core exam and the latest coverage of memory, bus, peripherals, and wireless technologies for the Operating Systems exam. This Study Guide provides:
* Full coverage of every exam objective
* Practical information on network hardware
* Hundreds of challenging practice questions, in the book and on the CD
* Leading-edge exam preparation software, including a testing engine and electronic flashcards
Authoritative coverage of all exam objectives, including:
Core Hardware
* Installation, configuration, and upgrading
* Diagnosing and troubleshooting
* Preventive maintenance
* Motherboards, processors, and memory
* Printers
* Basic networking
Operating System Technologies
* OS fundamentals
* Installation, configuration, and upgrading
* Diagnosing and troubleshooting
* Networks

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive but marred by poor test engine.......2007-01-20

This was a very comprehensive book that covered more than what was actually in the A+ exams. I went through it with a fine-tooth comb in less than three weeks and passed with a 785 in the Essentials exam and an 855 on the the IT Technician exam. I was until last year a Mac user, am just of average intelligence, and this book has been very helpful for me. My only problem with it was with the tests on the CD. There were literally DOZENS of errors on it, and I wondered how it went to press without anyone testing it. Other than that, the book is five stars and the CD is one star.

Like other custmer, my Ebook doesn't wont........2006-12-22

Tried to install on multiple computers so I could study while at work and not have to lug around that heavy book. Disappointed. I'm going to end up having to purchase the updated Myers All-In-One for the new tests anyway.

Good Book.......2006-03-24

I think this book is worth buying. It builds on a foundation of basic computer knowledge and takes you into more advanced topics. It covers all of the objectives for the A+ exam but I would recommend that you use it in conjunction with other exam readiness material. Again, this book is not a waste.

Terrible study material for the exam.......2006-03-18

I can't believe others gave this A+ Complete Study Guide great reviews? This book was horrible. I had to study other textbooks and materials so I can pass the real exam. If I just study this book alone, I would fail the actual exam. The book is so wordy! Blah! Blah! Why do I want to hear long sentences. Just get to the point! And the sentence structure was terrible. I don't understand what was going on most of the time. Just focus on the subject without the jargon. Not enough on Windows XP and networking, but many questions had these on the actual exam.

Not as advertised.......2006-02-11

I am sure that this book will serve the needs of most of the buyers as a competent treatment of the subject area. I am studying for the exam and wanted two things: A large set of practice questions for drill purposes (the cd had 30 questions) and a portable reference copy of the book. The ebook included can only by read from the cd according to the text file that comes with it, but in fact for me the book was totally unreadable from the CD on a PC or a Mac with serveral different versions of the adobe reader that I tried. I am not interested in reading a 900 page book just to pass an exam and found that the dummies book plus the testking questions were enough. This book did not suit my needs at all.

Kaplan NYSTCE, Third Edition: Complete Preparation for the LAST & ATS-W (Kaplan Nystce)

Average customer rating:

BAD
Dissapointing. I expected better from Kaplan.
This is EASIER than the real exam

Kaplan NYSTCE, Third Edition: Complete Preparation for the LAST & ATS-W (Kaplan Nystce)
Kaplan
Manufacturer: Kaplan Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Study Skills | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books

Testing | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Test Prep Central | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

How to Prepare for the LAST/ATS-W/NYSTCE (Barron's How to Prepare for the Last/Ats-W)
Nystce (Rea) - New York State Teacher Certification Exams with CDROM (Nystce (New York State Teacher Certification Exams))
NYSTCE Multi-Subject CST (REA) - The Best Test Prep (REA Test Preps)
NYSTCE LAST, AST-W, ATS-P (REA) - The Best Test Prep for the NYSTCE: LAST/ATS W & P (Test Preps)
Prepare for the NYSTCE (New York State Teacher Certification Exam) 2E (Arco New York State Teacher Certification Exams)

ASIN: 0743266560

Customer Reviews:

BAD .......2006-08-21

I purchased this book in August of 06, and most of the website links listed do not work!

Dissapointing. I expected better from Kaplan........2006-01-30

This book is a glorified version of the downloaded preparation guide found on the NYSTCE web site. It is almost literally the same thing. I found that Barron's LAST/ATS-W NYSTCE book (0764123068) is a lot better. The only thing that this book is good for is that it has a practice test. Save your money and buy the Barron's book instead. Two stars is being very generous.

This is EASIER than the real exam.......2005-08-23

I just took the exam. I believe that the sample exams in this book for LAST is actually easier than those questions in the real exam. This is not what I expected, I thought it should be at least the same difficulty level or harder. I was a little disappointed and I think I failed the exam. It was hard and I will go buy some other books to try it again.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning German, Third Edition

Average customer rating:

Not entirely accurate
beware of the fineprint
Great Book -- Still No Pimsleur, Though
If you're a paratrooper flying to Berlin, this is your book.
Decent book for beginners

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning German, Third Edition
Alicia Muller , Stephan Muller , and Lisa Graham
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

German for Dummies
The Everything Learning German Book: Speak, Write and Understand Basic German in No Time (Everything Series)
Essential German Grammar
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning French, 4th Edition (Complete Idiot's Guide to)
German in 10 Minutes a Day® (10 Minutes a Day Series)

ASIN: 1592571867
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Book Description

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

This guide covers the essentials of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation. This new edition has been updated to reflect world events that have occurred over the past few years, from Germany's currency conversion to the Euro to new international travel guidelines. It contains the most accurate, up-to-date information for students and travelers alike, along with a German/ English and English/German dictionary appendix for readers to reference.

€ For both students and travelers
€ Updated to reflect recent world events
€ Includes a dictionary appendix
€ 18-20 million people are learning German as a foreign language today

Customer Reviews:

Not entirely accurate.......2007-05-04

I spent two weeks in Germany on a publicity tour for my 3rd book from Parthas Verlag [...] and liked the section on spelling your name and phone calls. Didn't have enough time to do more prep. from this book, but I have to say that the book is wrong about how people answer phones. Only at businesses do they announce their names when they pick up--everyone else just says "Hallo?" That's based on hearing countless "handy" calls received in restaurants, trains and other public places.

beware of the fineprint.......2006-12-27

This book did help me learn some things and it helped me understand some other things that I didn't get before which is wht this book gets 1 star. However this book is full of mistakes like translations that I know to be wrong because I have studied some German before getting this book. When I find a bunch of mistakes it makes me wonder how many other mistakes are there that I'm not aware of so I lost my trust in this book and found a better one.

All the teach yourself books have a few mistakes here and there but this one has way too many so I would highly suggest that you find a better book than this one if you're looking to learn German, especialy for a begginer.

Great Book -- Still No Pimsleur, Though.......2006-03-14

I was shopping for German instruction books the other day at the book store and this was the first one I found. I had looked at German for Dummies as well, but wasn't as impressed. All of the other products were on CD, which I didn't bother with (unless it's one of those audio-only listening disks) since I'm more comfortable with books here. So I bought it. So far it's proving to be a great book, for the price. It's the same case with the Idiot's Guide to Spanish I bought a year back, so it looks like these people may have just earned themselves a new customer. And I say "for the price" because I tend to compare these products to Pimsleur's, which are, in my view, the best of the best in DIY language training. However, 690 dollars for their complete two box set (I wish I were kidding) seemed a little steep for me at the time, to say the least.

If you're a paratrooper flying to Berlin, this is your book........2005-08-01

Other reviewers nailed this one- If you need to become fluent in "conversational German" overnight (read: Business trip), this is the perfect book for you. For people who really want to learn the language and/or culture... at least it's cheap.

Yes, the book has errors. Yes, it has some awkward presentation (it has exercises asking you to try to speak phrases before it introduces proper pronunciation!). Yes, it's more about giving you phrases like "Where's the Taxi" and "How's my hair" over anything truly fundamental... but that's not really what this book is about.

Get this book if:
-You're vacationing in Berlin 3 months from now and you want to be able to ask when your train is leaving without looking like a typically clueless tourist.
-A great-aunt you didn't even know you were related to recently passed away and the only stipulation on her inheritance is that you must know enough German to find your way to her estate.
-Your boss just told you that Hans from the Berlin office wants to talk to you- now.

Don't get this book if:
-You just found out your future mother-in-law is a German immigrant and you need to speak picture-perfect German to impress her.
-You plan on moving to or living in Germany for an extended period.
-...or if you have the time to "do things right".

If you need to learn German, and you need to learn it NOW, this is probably the best book I've ever seen for that purpose. If you're looking at a longer time frame or a situation where precision matters more than simply how fast you can assimilate the language, then you should at least pick up some supplements to help weed out where the errors are.

...and hey, it's a reasonably cheap book with a pretty reliable "cheat card" of phrases just behind the front cover. It's hard to argue with that.

Decent book for beginners.......2005-05-01

I bought this book during my second year of studying German, and it was pretty useful as far as beginner's grammar goes, but as far as vocabulary, don't expect much. It is more a book for people who plan to go to Germany than anything else. I'm not sure about the 3rd edition, I have the 2nd edition, but there were often times when I even found mistakes and the pronounciation key, even though I didn't need it, tends to throw you off from the actual pronounciation. Some more helpful guides would be Themen Neu workbooks for English/French/... speakers. I found those while I was an exchange student in Berlin and they helped me a lot to build useful vocabulary and help out with my weak areas.

The English Teacher's Companion, Third Edition: A Complete Guide to Classroom, Curriculum, and the Profession

Average customer rating:

The English Teacher's Companion, Third Edition: A Complete Guide to Classroom, Curriculum, and the Profession
Jim Burke
Manufacturer: Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

Literacy | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reading | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Reading Zone: HOW TO HELP KIDS BECOME SKILLED, PASSIONATE, HABITUAL, CRITICAL READERS
English Teacher's Survival Guide: Ready-to-Use Techniques & Materials for Grades 7-12

ASIN: 0325011397

Making America Complete and Study Guide Volume One and Two with Webcard, Third Edition

Average customer rating:

Making America Complete and Study Guide Volume One and Two with Webcard, Third Edition
Berkin
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0618332022

Western Civilization Complete Brief, Fourth Edition and Study Guide, Third and Fourth Editions and a

Average customer rating:

Western Civilization Complete Brief, Fourth Edition and Study Guide, Third and Fourth Editions and a
Perry
Manufacturer: Not Avail
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0618181202

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books