Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
Average customer rating:

A very thought-provoking book for people trying to grow their business.

"Good" is not "good enough".

Good To Great

My Business Bible

Still applicable in 2007

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
Jim Collins
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great

Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

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The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded]: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done

ASIN: 0066620996
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Five years ago, Jim Collins asked the question, "Can a good company become a great company and if so, how?" In Good to Great Collins, the author of Built to Last, concludes that it is possible, but finds there are no silver bullets. Collins and his team of researchers began their quest by sorting through a list of 1,435 companies, looking for those that made substantial improvements in their performance over time. They finally settled on 11--including Fannie Mae, Gillette, Walgreens, and Wells Fargo--and discovered common traits that challenged many of the conventional notions of corporate success. Making the transition from good to great doesn't require a high-profile CEO, the latest technology, innovative change management, or even a fine-tuned business strategy. At the heart of those rare and truly great companies was a corporate culture that rigorously found and promoted disciplined people to think and act in a disciplined manner. Peppered with dozens of stories and examples from the great and not so great, the book offers a well-reasoned road map to excellence that any organization would do well to consider. Like Built to Last, Good to Great is one of those books that managers and CEOs will be reading and rereading for years to come. --Harry C. Edwards

Book Description

The Challenge
Built to Last, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the verybeginning.

But what about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness?

The Study
For years, this question preyed on the mind of Jim Collins. Are there companies that defy gravity and convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? And if so, what are the universal distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?

The Standards
Using tough benchmarks, Collins and his research team identified a set of elite companies that made the leap to great results and sustained those results for at least fifteen years. How great? After the leap, the good-to-great companies generated cumulative stock returns that beat the general stock market by an average of seven times in fifteen years, better than twice the results delivered by a composite index of the world's greatest companies, including Coca-Cola, Intel, General Electric, and Merck.

The Comparisons
The research team contrasted the good-to-great companies with a carefully selected set of comparison companies that failed to make the leap from good to great. What was different? Why did one set of companies become truly great performers while the other set remained only good?

Over five years, the team analyzed the histories of all twenty-eight companies in the study. After sifting through mountains of data and thousands of pages of interviews, Collins and his crew discovered the key determinants of greatness -- why some companies make the leap and others don't.

The Findings
The findings of the Good to Great study will surprise many readers and shed light on virtually every area of management strategy and practice. The findings include:

Level 5 Leaders: The research team was shocked to discover the type of leadership required to achieve greatness.
The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within the Three Circles): To go from good to great requires transcending the curse of competence.
A Culture of Discipline: When you combine a culture of discipline with an ethic of entrepreneurship, you get the magical alchemy of great results. Technology Accelerators: Good-to-great companies think differently about the role of technology.
The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Those who launch radical change programs and wrenching restructurings will almost certainly fail to make the leap.

“Some of the key concepts discerned in the study,” comments Jim Collins, "fly in the face of our modern business culture and will, quite frankly, upset some people.”

Perhaps, but who can afford to ignore these findings?

Customer Reviews:

A very thought-provoking book for people trying to grow their business........2007-10-02

This was a very interesting book for me to read. I have to imagine that I am in a pretty narrow target market for this book, though the concepts may be broadly applied. I work for a small business and can see many opportunities to put this book's findings to work.

The book tells the various stories of companies that made a transition from a market participant to market leader and saw sustained success for at least 15 years. The author was able to identify a few common factors between these companies, and he and his research team present them as a model for us to follow.

I had but one small issue, which is probably not information that contributes to the rest of the research. They detail radical decisions made by upper management, sometimes completely changing the face of an established business. I figure there must be a largely disproportionate number of business that fail when they made the same or a similar move. I would have liked to see some detail behind how those successful companies came to make that decision. The decision itself was largely overlooked.

Like many "business" books, I feel that much of what was written here was largely common sense. They weren't necessarily ideas that I have had or would have come up with on my own, but as I read them they seemed mundane in analysis. It made the reading slow going, but there was a silver lining -- for instant gratification, each chapter ends with a few pages of main concepts extracted from the text.

There was some very insightful research in Good to Great. The common elements identified were relevant and practical. It would not be an easy model to follow, but if it were it would defeat its own purpose to isolate those corporate characteristics that set successful companies apart. If you have ever wondered what steps you should follow to take your company from Good to Great, this is a book you should read (even if it is just the chapter summaries).

"Good" is not "good enough"........2007-10-02

"Good" is not "good enough". When organizations and/or individuals settle for "good" as "good enough" they set themselves up to become obsolete. "Good to Great" looks at those organizations that decided never to settle for "good enough" and became "Great". How about you? Are you striving to become great at what you do, or have you settled for being good enough to get by? Does the organization that you work for have a plan to move from good to great? Are you a part of the change that will take your company to the next level or do you believe that your company is "good enough" right where it is?

I believe there is more value to be gained by pushing good organizations to become great than trying to turn mediocre organizations into good ones. The data presented in "Good to Great" shows just how much value can be gained by those willing to make the leap to Great. The book also shows you what principles of business those companies that made the leap had to adopt.

My favorite chapters are chapter two (Level 5 Leadership) and three (First Who...Then What). Level 5 Leadership address the benefits of having personal humility combined with a strong will to build something great. We have to many leaders at the top that have let their egos become more important than the organizations they run. "Good to Great" explains how the leaders of those companies that made the leap avoided the ego trap while having great ambitions for building something exceptional. Everyone who wishes to become a leader that makes a difference should read this chapter.

"First Who...Then What" does a good job of showing how great companies put "talent" at the top of the agenda. Any leader who wants to build a strong organization must put "talent" at the top of their agenda. Jim Collins address two critical issues companies need to address when it comes to recruiting and developing their talent. He shows us why it is important to get the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus. And then goes on to explain how great companies get the people in the right seat. How many people in your organization are in the wrong seat? How many should be taken off the bus entirely? Companies are not good at hiring the right people and then are terrible at assigning them to the right job. This chapter is a must for anyone involved in the hiring of talent.

I also recommend spending some time at jimcollins.com. I have visited and revisited this site to get more information on the concepts presented in "Good to Great". Buy the book, then go to the website and start your own journey from good to great.

Larry Kevin Adams
theactionator.com

Good To Great.......2007-09-28

Our company is taking the advice of the book to heart. We have formed our "hedgehog" group and all are excited. We want to work in an environment of greatness. The book shows us the way. We have 7 of our employees who have agreed to "donate their time" at lunch several times a month to help us identify our circles. I would recommend this book to any company or organization that truly wants to have their maximum impact in the arena in which they operate!

My Business Bible.......2007-09-24

If I have a bible for business, this is it. First who then what is the only way to go!

Still applicable in 2007.......2007-09-19

I enjoyed the thought provoking aspect of this book. The different levels of leadership, the hedgehog concept are the two takeaways from this book.

How many of us fall into the trap of being everything to everyone? Most I suspect from the findings presented in the book.

Read this book to find out how you can strive to be a Level 5 leader. I found the book very insightful. Jim Collins and his team hit a homerun!

The Six Sigma Way: How GE, Motorola, and Other Top Companies are Honing Their Performance

Average customer rating:

Horridly boring.
Excellent Book
A Six Sigma Primer
Six Sigma Overview - Full of Excellent Case Studies
Good overview but little substance

The Six Sigma Way: How GE, Motorola, and Other Top Companies are Honing Their Performance
Peter S. Pande et al , Robert P. Neuman , and Roland R. Cavanagh
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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What Is Six Sigma?
The Six Sigma Way Team Fieldbook: An Implementation Guide for Process Improvement Teams
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ASIN: 0071358064

Amazon.com

Six Sigma is a data-driven management system with near-perfect-performance objectives that has been employed to acclaim at leading corporations like General Electric. Its name is derived from the eye-catching statistical target of operating with no more than 3.4 defects per one million chances, but Peter Pande, Robert Neuman, and Roland Cavanagh--associates in a firm providing Six Sigma implementation, training, and management services--contend its principles can be applied in businesses of all types to routinely reduce costs, improve productivity, increase market share, and achieve other positive results. The Six Sigma Way is their comprehensive self-help guide to adapting and using the system under various conditions. Its first two parts cover fundamentals and provide specific suggestions for aligning the process with individual needs and goals. (These include sections on balancing potential costs and benefits, clarifying objectives, and defining time frames.) The final part, which accounts for more than half the book, focuses on implementation through a detailed yet flexible five-step "road map" tied to a company's core processes, key customers, current performance, "high-potential improvement opportunities," and future practices. While the procedure is quite complex, diligent managers should be able to bring at least basic components to their organization with the tools and techniques provided. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

Six Sigma is a system for improving the quality of organizational processes. It was originally developed at Motorola in the 1980's and has become one of the most widely discussed and reported trends in business over the past two years, thanks largely to the phenomenal successes of the Six Sigma program at one of the world's most successful companies, GE. GE CEO Jack Welch, has been preaching about and implementing the Six Sigma philosophy throughout GE, and credits the program with millions of dollars in annual cost savings and product quality improvements.

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Six Sigma -- the organizational quality system made famous by GE's legendary Jack Welch -- has set new standards for process improvement. The Six Sigma Way is the first book to provide basic, non-technical information on understanding and implementing Six Sigma. Eye-opening success stories show how companies including GE, Motorola, Allied Signal, and others have used Six Sigma to produce millions in cost-savings and quality improvements. Written to give managers a basic overview of what Six Sigma is and how to implement it, The Six Sigma Way covers the application of Six Sigma across all industries.

Customer Reviews:

Horridly boring........2007-09-13

More power to you if you can get something worthwile from this book. I bought the book on CD, and it was easily the most forgettable experience I've had in a while. The information is presented from a 30,000 mile view. So "big picture" oriented that it's useless to try and consider the action behind the concepts presented.

If you're looking for a way to appear to have read something complicated and high level about Six Sigma. you found your source. If you want real, usable information, look elsewhere.

Excellent Book.......2007-09-07

No Joke. A serious six-sigma book written in most elegant form. I like the part where the Authors provide insights into "Sir Pork" - a really good way to put serious stuffs into readable form. Ignore the stars. It could have been 6 :).

A Six Sigma Primer.......2007-02-25

If you're looking to learn about Six Sigma, this is the book to start with. It provides a good overview and quickly dispels the common myths (e.g. Six sigma is for manufacturing companies alone). It helps the reader to determine if Six Sigma is right for his/her organization, and provides clear steps demonstrating how to implement the six sigma roadmaps. It doesn't get too heavy into the advanced statistics, although there is a chapter that explains some of the tools and how they are used. Bottom line: While the reader may still need some assistance (from a trained Black Belt), this book provides the tools necessary to complete a six sigma project. I've read a few books on the topic and this was the most comprehensive - the best of the lot.

Six Sigma Overview - Full of Excellent Case Studies.......2006-11-22

While studying to become a Black Belt in Six Sigma, I found this book to be the most excellent overview of the history and benefits of Six Sigma. I did extensive research into useful books - and found this one to be the most effective.

Many other Six Sigma books try too hard to teach the material - and this book presents the basics, with strong business case studies of success.

If you are involved in the study or use of Six Sigma - I believe this is an essential book in your library.

Good overview but little substance.......2006-11-04

This audio book was more of a cheerleader for six sigma than a book to gain knowledge. It would be a good source of information if you have never heard of six sigma, but otherwise it is not very useful. The reader also has an annoying voice.

Average customer rating:

Tells the Enron story halfway
Comprehensive Character List and Complex Issues
How easily the "system" failed.
Couldn't put it down!
This review is for the audio cds

Conspiracy of Fools: A True Story
Kurt Eichenwald
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron
The Informant: A True Story
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ASIN: 0767911792
Release Date: 2005-12-27

Amazon.com

Enron was a $100-billion-a-year company in October 2001--America's seventh-largest. The Houston-based energy firm enjoyed warm ties with newly installed President George W. Bush. Earnings were up 26 percent from the previous quarter, while Fortune magazine had named Enron the country's most innovative company six years in a row. Less than two months later, Enron filed for bankruptcy in the biggest corporate failure in history. Enron became synonymous with the greed and fraud of the go-go high-tech stock bubble of the late 1990s--the worst of a series of spectacular corporate collapses that also took down WorldCom, Tyco, and Global Crossing.

What went wrong? Veteran New York Times financial journalist Kurt Eichenwald does an epic job of telling Enron's story in his 742-page tome Conspiracy of Fools. Eichenwald, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2000, also authored The Informant, an acclaimed account of a vast international price-fixing scandal at Archer Daniels Midland. Conspiracy of Fools tells the Enron tale with a cinematic narrative style, relying almost exclusively on scene and dialogue to bring his account to vivid life. We see how federal regulators opened the doors for the Enron fraud early on when they let the company loosen up its accounting rules and essentially cook its books. We read how Enron bullied Wall Street firms into issuing favorable reports about its share price by threatening to take away lucrative banking fees. Eichenwald also reveals how Enron manipulated electricity prices during the California energy crisis of 2000. Eichenwald's book is less successful in situating the Enron debacle in its wider context--the cycle of market speculation that reached a historic summit in the dot-com bubble. Was Enron just a cautionary sign of the greed and lack of ethics of a few bad apples, or was it more symptomatic of an entire market system? That may be a debate for another book. --Alex Roslin

Book Description

From an award-winning New York Times reporter comes the full, mind-boggling story of the lies, crimes, and ineptitude behind the spectacular scandal that imperiled a presidency, destroyed a marketplace, and changed Washington and Wall Street forever . . .

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In 2000, when The Informant was published, few would’ve imagined that a story about price fixing at Archer Daniels Midland could be as un–put–downable as the best crime fiction. Yet critics—and consumers—agreed: The New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald had taken the stuff of dry business reporting and turned it into an unparalleled page–turner. With Conspiracy of Fools, Eichenwald has done it again.

Say the name “Enron” and most people believe they’ve heard all about the story that imperiled a presidency, destroyed a marketplace, and changed Washington and Wall Street forever. But in the hands of Kurt Eichenwald, the players we think we know and the business practices we think have been exposed are transformed into entirely new—and entirely gripping—material. The cast includes but is not limited to George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Paul O’Neill, Harvey Pitt, Colin Powell, Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alan Greenspan, Ken Lay, Andy Fastow, Jeff Skilling, Bill Clinton, Rupert Murdoch, and Michael Eisner. Providing a you–are–there glimpse behind closed doors in the executive suites of the Enron Corporation, the Texas governor’s mansion, the Justice Department, and even the Oval Office, Conspiracy of Fools is an all–true financial and political thriller of cinematic proportions.

Customer Reviews:

Tells the Enron story halfway.......2007-10-10

I really enjoyed "Conspiracy of Fools," although it feels as if it only told half of the story about Enron's collapse, ending before the plea deals and convictions of the company's top executives. The book traces the history of the company and its chairman, Ken Lay, describing his early innovations in launching a market for natural gas during a time when the industry was being deregulated. It then describes the rise of company president, Jeff Skilling, a former consultant at McKinsey & Co. and graduate of Harvard Business School, and his role in advancing the career of Andrew Fastow, Enron's CFO. While the book is sympathetic to Lay (portraying him as an unwitting victim of the company's collapse) and less so to Skilling (portraying him as a tortured alcoholic who urged underlyings to cook the company's books to gin up earnings), it portrays Fastow for the crook that he was. Not only was Fastow completely incompetent as a corporate CFO, but he also schemed and schemed and schemed for his personal enrichment, and surrounded his greedy self with other willing participants in his financial machinations (including Michael Kopper and his boyfriend, wife Lea Fastow, treasurer Ben Glisan Jr., chief accounting officer Richard Causey, chief risk officer Richard Buy, executive vice president J. Clifford Baxter, executive Kenneth Rice, and lawyer Kristina Mordaunt). The head of Enron's international group, Rebecca Mark, is portrayed as an incompetent spendthrift. Meanwhile, Arthur Andersen was populated with dunderheads, including David Duncan, who kowtowed to Enron's every wish, and lawyer Nancy Temple, who ordered the mass shredding of Enron-related documents. Merrill Lynch fired its oil analyst, John Olson, because Enron didn't like his stock opinions and wanted Enron's banking business, according to the book. And Enron's law firm of Vinson & Elkins appears particularly incompetent and all too willing to assist Enron in cooking its books. The book climaxes with the bankruptcy filing of Enron, but the criminal trials of key executives had yet to occur (and Lay died of a heart attack in 1996).

Comprehensive Character List and Complex Issues.......2007-08-04

Without going in to great detail about the book - I am sure we all know it dealt with the collapse of one of corporate Americas' big swingers. The book contained quite a deal of information about events from inside Enron. I guess the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because the author had a way of really annoying me by trying to write the book as a novel (in places). I look forward to the movie - hopefully the ending is better for the investors.

How easily the "system" failed........2007-07-28

You will be amazed at how Enron was able to frustrate every check and balance in place in American Finance. The SEC, individual and institutional investors, auditors, lawyers, accountants, rating agencies, banks, creditors, peers, and even insiders were blindsided by a couple of smart but foolhardy executives who were willing to exploit every loophole in the name of manufacturing *profits* (and not products).

All in all a very readable and addictive book.

Couldn't put it down!.......2007-06-24

I do *not* have a high degree of financial acumen, but this book laid out what was really wrong with Enron in a thoroughly engaging manner. I couldn't put it down, and I finally understand the financial reasons for the collapse, not just managerial incompetence...which was EPIC, by the way.

This review is for the audio cds.......2007-06-16

I borrowed these cds from the library because I'm interested in corporate governance and case studies. I'm not an expert on Enron, but this felt like fiction from the first couple of minutes. When the narrator speaks for Ken Lay, he uses a deep, fatherly voice. Andy Fastow's voice is whiny and child-like. Its content is obviously biased and selective. So from a factual standpoint, I'm not learning a heck of a lot.
As fiction, it's way too long at 25 cds; should be abridged by about 2/3. There's just not that much content, and it's often painful to listen to. If I didn't have a one-hour commute to fill, I'd have given up on it hours ago.
I highly recommend The Smartest Guys in the Room instead.

In the Company of Others: An Introduction to Communication, with Free Student CD-ROM and PowerWeb

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In the Company of Others: An Introduction to Communication, with Free Student CD-ROM and PowerWeb
J. Dan Rothwell , and Dan Rothwell
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A survey text designed to provide an overview of the field of human communication, In the Company of Others covers the major communication issues discussed in an introduction to communication course. Cooperation is developed as a recurring theme and strategies are given for working with others in a more effective way, even when dealing with controversy. The communication competence model is discussed and applied throughout the text.

Team Rodent : How Disney Devours the World

Average customer rating:

could have been great . . . but isn't
Upset by Disney urbanizing the State
Not at all what I expected
Just the thing to read while you wait for the parade!
Fundimentally flawed, but a fun think piece.

Team Rodent : How Disney Devours the World
Carl Hiaasen
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
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Naked Came the Manatee
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ASIN: 0345422805
Release Date: 1998-05-05

Amazon.com

Let's get one thing straight: Carl Hiaasen doesn't like the Walt Disney Company. Whenever the giant entertainment conglomerate stumbles, as it did with its proposed Civil War theme park in Virginia, Hiaasen cheers. When a rhinoceros mysteriously dies at Disney's new theme park, Animal Kingdom, Hiaasen secretly hopes for the worst, because, as he writes, "no scandal is so delectable as a Disney scandal."

A native of Florida, author of such thrillers as Lucky You and Strip Tease, and a journalist for the Miami Herald, Hiaasen comes by his dislike for Disney honestly. He has witnessed the relentless success of the Disney machine firsthand with the development of Disney World and other properties around Orlando. In Team Rodent: How Disney Devours the World, Hiaasen paints a witty and sarcastic portrait in this nonfiction account of a company who can control the press, manipulate local governments, and because it's Disney, get away with it. Team Rodent is a quick, entertaining read that even the most loyal Disney shareholder (except maybe Michael Eisner) will find enlightening and amusing. --Harry C. Edwards

Book Description

"Disney is so good at being good that it manifests an evil; so uniformly efficient and courteous, so dependably clean and conscientious, so unfailingly entertaining that it's unreal, and therefore is an agent of pure wickedness. . . . Disney isn't in the business of exploiting Nature so much as striving to improve upon it, constantly fine-tuning God's work."
--from TEAM RODENT

TEAM RODENT
How Disney Devours America

"Revulsion is good. Revulsion is healthy. Each of us has limits, unarticulated boundaries of taste and tolerance, and sometimes we forget where they are. Peep Land is here to remind us; a fixed compass point by which we can govern our private behavior. Because being grossed out is essential to the human experience; without a perceived depravity, we'd have nothing against which to gauge the advance or decline of culture; our art, our music, our cinema, our books. Without sleaze, the yardstick shrinks at both ends. Team Rodent doesn't believe in sleaze, however, nor in old-fashioned revulsion. Square in the middle is where it wants us all to be, dependable consumers with predictable attitudes. The message, never stated but avuncularly implied, is that America's values ought to reflect those of the Walt Disney Company, and not the other way around."

Customer Reviews:

could have been great . . . but isn't.......2007-07-20

I've never read anything else by Carl Hiaasen, but I know that he's a well-regarded novelist, and judging from the quality of (most of) his prose is this extended essay, it's a well-deserved reputation.

However, this book falls way short of the mark if you consider its aim to be exposing the Disney coprporation as a monstrous devourer of world culture. There's nothing fundamentally flawed with Hiaasen's approach -- he just didn't go far enough.

Look, I'm a Disney fan. I've got a Disney DVD collection consisting of nearly 100 titles, a soundtrack CD collection of nearly as many, and I've been to the Florida theme parks nine times. I've also got a decent collection of books about the place, which is what led me to "Team Rodent." So count me firmly in the pro-Disney column. That doesn't mean that I'm going to blindly lash out at anti-Disney material, however, especially if it's well-researched and fair-handed.

I'm not sure that Hiaasen's book is either. He obviously despises Disney and all that they represent, but he can't really seem to come up with a reason -- good, poor, or otherwise -- WHY he hates Disney. He spends the first few pages talking about Disney's store in Times Square and its proximity to smut shops, and praises the smut shops in comparison -- not for their virtues in and of themselves, which he seems to find nonexistent, but for the mere fact that they represent the dark underbelly of life that has no place in Disney's world. Hiaasen's beef seems to lie is his assertion that Disney is attempting to clean up the entire world by virtue of selling its brand of purity across the globe. But why is this a problem? Obviously, that dark underbelly of base human desire and wants -- which probably ARE essential to our very natures in some way -- can never and will never be purged. It's not like Disney is attempting to purge it (except maybe from Times Square, according to the book), so why should people despise Disney for providing a safe haven for people to avoid the seamier side of life? Hiaasen's argument, such as it is, makes little sense.

The worst section of the book relates the sad tale of a female rhinoceros purchased by Disney for its Animal Kingdom theme park. The rhino died in captivity, and the autopsy revealed that the death was caused by infection resultant from a large piece of wood having been forcibly put into the rhino and left there in a place where no foreign object belonged. It was also proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that this had happened prior to Disney's purchase of the rhino, and that it was IN NO WAY Disney's fault. Hiaasen points all of this out, and yet the tone of his writing makes it very plain that he wants us to associate this tragedy with Disney; he actually wishes that it HAD been Disney's fault. This is the worst kind of muck-raking.

That's not to say that the book is all of that type, however. There are good passages about raunchy lyrics on a Disney-released CD, and a couple of scary parts about Disney security. It's obvious that the Disney company has made some serious mistakes in its history, and all of those stories deserve to be told.

But make no mistake. This book, though entertaining and easy to read, is overpriced, underresearched, and deficient in its reasoning. It is a screed, nothing more. That it is a screed with at least some basis in truth, and one written by an obviously talented writer, makes it of moderate interest . . . but that's ALL it is.

The definitive anti-Disney tome has yet to be written, as far as I know. When it is finally produced, I will welcome it with great interest.

Upset by Disney urbanizing the State.......2007-04-17

A novelist and Florida columnist laments the overwhelming presence of the Walt Disney Company, especially in his state.

Hiaasen blames Disney for the ugly sprawl that is Orlando while pointing out that Disney World itself is not subject to urban planning regulations. On this count he is accurate. When Disney moved in, all land they purchased seemed to be exempt from many regulations. But as much as he laments on the evils of the Mouse, the largest damage is done by all the smaller companies that build up around Disney to take advantage of the millions of tourist flocking to the Magic Kingdom.

But he fails to mentions all the jobs they provide. Though many employees say they do not like their rules and regulations. All successful companies must have them, especially when your business is the entertainment and safety of children. And lets be clear, all children love the Disney experience.

Hiaasen asserts that Disney building their store was the genesis that cleaned up Time Square in New York. While in truth, they only agreed to open their store if Giuliani promised and followed through to clean up that part of town. And the Mayor was able to accomplish the required goals, at least on the surface.

It is worth reading, but it is not up to his normal standards. It would have been better if the author used his investigative skills to gather some facts. This small book it is a very short and easy read. There is strong language.

Not at all what I expected.......2007-03-22

To begin with, it was a lot shorter read than I had hoped. For the price of the book, it seemed more like a phamphlet than a book.

Secondly, it certainly wasn't very Hiaasen-like. As an admirer of his fiction, it seemed that he abandoned his writing style for this book. It appeared to be more of a personal rant than an enlightening look at Team Rodent.

Just the thing to read while you wait for the parade!.......2007-01-11

The basic premise of this little treatise is solid. The Walt Disney Company is too big for its britches, too controlling, to paranoid and just not as good for society as they'd like you to think. Okay, so a few more details to back all of that up would be nice. But too many details would probably make this book far less readable and not nearly as enjoyable.

To be fair, Carl Hiassen lays a lot of the damage wreaked on his beloved state of Florida on the neighbors that Disney attracts. Of course, as Hiassen points out, the mouse guys insulate themselves with a healthy buffer of manicured "wilderness" between them and their lower class hangers-on like the outlet malls, themed dinner theaters and miniature golf courses. But he rightfully takes Team Rodent to task for their anal desire to control the information and image that filters out of their controlled environment in exchange for gazillions of dollars from tourist and entertainment seeker wallets.

Even though this book is almost 9 years old, Hiassen's wit and style make it an enjoyable (albeit a very quick 83 page read). If anything, time has simply validated a lot of the points that he makes. Something tells me that you won't find it at many bookstores in "the World" as they like to call it, so order it before you head to Orlando. And just for fun, make a show of reading it on one of the benches at EPCOT.

Fundimentally flawed, but a fun think piece........2006-07-22

In Team Rodent, Carl Hiaasen delivers an honestly entertaining picture of his own reservations at what he sees as the Disney Corporation's attempts at becoming a culturally omnipotent force. This piece is more of a political pamphlet in format: it's too long to be considered a simple essay, but it's certainly short enough to be read in a single sitting.

As I suggest in the title of my review, Hiaasen's biggest issue with this piece is the fundimental flaws that underlie this work. Hiaasen's thesis isn't really much of a thesis at all: Disney sucks, and they're gradually taking over the world. Whether or not Disney sucks is certainly a matter of taste. The largest part of Disney's product and service line is devoted towards entertainment for children and families, which is naturally not the preferred choice of entertainment for intelligent, literate adults, myself included. No one is obliged to love Mickey Mouse. If a parent who dislikes Mickey finds themselves buying products bearing Mickey and Co., it's certainly regrettable but they're hardly the only parents who have found themselves suckered into supporting obnoxious and bewildering children's entertainment.

Whether Disney is taking over the world is yet again a matter of perspective. Disney certainly acts like the megacorporation that it is, but it's hardly the only megacorporation out there. This doesn't necessarily exempt Disney from well-intentioned criticism, and Hiaasen does present some fairly potent items: Disney's maintenance of an autonomous hegemony over its occupied land in Central Florida, the notorious dictatorial micromanagement of now-former Disney Chairman Michael Eisner, Disney's shoddy business practices and shady legal dealing surrounding its 1980s Country Walk housing development, and Disney's ethically sketchy policies of bribery for positive news coverage, among others.

Yet, some of Hiaasen's criticisms seem misdirected, if not elusive. Hiaasen spends the early part of the book bemoaning the notorious Disneyfication of Times Square, and seems to place the blame squarely on Disney for this. Yet, he ignores the facilitation of the Disney takeover through Rudolph Giuliani's policies, which it could be argued are vastly more malignant than the simple presence of a Disney Store on the Great White Way.

Hiaasen also points to the example of the Insane Clown Posse's short-lived recording career with a Disney-owned record label. Hiaasen does little here but muddle his point--he certainly dislikes Disney's Bowdlerization of culture for blatant kiddie-centric consumerism, but he sees nothing hypocritical in ridiculing Disney for both releasing and recalling the Insane Clown Posse. Hiaasen neither advances nor supports any clear, cogent points other than his distaste for rap music and his drive to engage in gleeful schadenfreude against Disney whether it's journalistically sensible or not.

In yet another part of the book, Hiaasen criticizes the opening of a Disney cruise line which docks at a private island which had previously been used as a stopover for drug smugglers (which it should be noted, obviously had no connection to Disney's later purchase of the island). Hiaasen criticizes Disney for providing a tourism option so far removed from the actual cultural environment of the Carribean, but it seems unlikely that Disney would be making unrealistic promises of an authentic Carribean cultural experience. Even Jamaica, an island noted for its poverty and unrest, has sanitized resorts just as far from authentic as the Disney experience, operated by companies with no relationship with Disney.

Hiaasen makes it clear that he finds the environment around Disney World to be ugly, describing the tourist-oriented sprawl of central Florida. Yet, just as ugly would be a Florida deprived of the jobs which Disney supports--Sure, Disney is a big, soulless company, but they are a massive force in the Florida economy, likely providing the livelihood for any number of families.

It should be noted that, despite these flaws, the book does not suffer from lack of readability. Hiaasen is engaging with his material, despite the problematic nature of his core ideas. His descriptions of his experiences at a Disney-sponsered press event featuring a journalist who faced KGB detention in the Soviet Union. Hiaasen's work would have made a much better long magazine article than a book, but it's still very enjoyable.

If you're fond of relatively skilled op-ed writing, Hiaasen's work here is certainly worth prerusal. This is not a piece of investigative journalism per-se, and there are many better examples of extensive critical writings on Disney corporate culture. Hiaasen's book is at least worthwhile as a quick and easily digestible version of the arguments.

Conquering Complexity in Your Business: How Wal-Mart, Toyota, and Other Top Companies Are Breaking Through the Ceiling on Profits and Growth

Average customer rating:

It's an interesting approach for identifying opportunities
When Less Is More
Insightful Business Analysis
Compelling Business Case for Conquering Complexity
Practical way to determine complexity

Conquering Complexity in Your Business: How Wal-Mart, Toyota, and Other Top Companies Are Breaking Through the Ceiling on Profits and Growth
Michael L. George , and Stephen A. Wilson
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Fast Innovation: Achieving Superior Differentiation, Speed to Market, and Increased Profitability
Lean Six Sigma for Service : How to Use Lean Speed and Six Sigma Quality to Improve Services and Transactions
The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Toolbook: A Quick Reference Guide to 100 Tools for Improving Quality and Speed
Lean Six Sigma : Combining Six Sigma Quality with Lean Production Speed
What is Lean Six Sigma

ASIN: 0071435085

Book Description

Conquering the complexity in products and services can generate larger contributions to profits and growth than nearly any other business strategy

Conquering Complexity in Your Business shows how to break through the ceiling on profits and growth by implementing the three rules for conquering complexity:

Eliminating complexity that customers will not pay for
Exploiting the complexity that customers will pay for
Minimizing the costs of the complexity you offer

You'll find methods and tools you need to:

Identify the offering and process complexity in your business

Quantify the impact of that complexity

Decide which complexity you want to keep and which to eliminate

Select specific approaches to eliminate different kinds of complexity

This knowledge will significantly improve your ability to grow profit, revenue, and shareholder value.

Download Description

Here's a guarantee: Somewhere in your business, there is too much complexity. You may also be losing out by having too little complexity where it counts - in the products, services and options you offer to customers. Either way, the impact of complexity is enormous in terms of lost profit and missed growth opportunities. Conquering Complexity in Your Business shows how to break through the ceiling on profits and growth by implementing the three rules for conquering complexity: Eliminating complexity that customers will not pay for Exploiting the complexity that customers will pay for Minimizing the costs of the complexity you offer You'll find methods and tools you need to: Identify the offering and process complexity in your business Quantify the impact of that complexity Decide which complexity you want to keep and which to eliminate Select specific approaches to eliminate different kinds of complexity This knowledge will significantly improve your ability to grow profit, revenue, and shareholder value.

Customer Reviews:

It's an interesting approach for identifying opportunities.......2006-12-28

As the Six Sigma and Lean practice areas mature, the challenge is to discover new ways to apply these methods. Michael George proposes that an analysis that looks at complexity of a business is a way to identify areas of opportunity for improvement. The method is based on some patented equations that attempt to put numerical values on a company's complexity. When the complexity is calculated, and is found to be out of balance with the company's strategic direction, then action can be taken using Lean Six Sigma to reduce (or increase) complexity.

This book proposes methods that cross conventional organizational boundaries, so the mission and the methods must be adopted by senior people who can see the benefits of crossing the boundaries. To make a difference managing complexity, these senior people must have the people and power to calculate new business measures and deploy teams that may not align with current organizations and departments.

The method seems sound, although the case studies are few. Anecdotes fill in the gap between idea and practice, and the anecdotes seem forced or coincidental (for example, Wal-Mart and Toyota can be used to justify nearly every business improvement method, even if neither of these companies goes on record as having used the method).

As usual in the improvement business, it's a matter of cost versus benefits. It seems to be a low risk analysis method that can reveal a potentially high risk, but high reward, payback. Since the equations are patented, presumably the only way that one can actually try this method is to contact (and hire?) Mr. George's consulting company.

When Less Is More.......2006-09-16

This is an amazingly revealing book about the dangers of complexity that is not consciously managed. And just what does managing comlexity entail? I the authors' words, it means

- Eliminating complexity that customers will not pay for
- Exploiting the complexity customers will pay for, and
- Minimizing the cost of the complexity you offer

In part 1 the case is made for conquering complexity in your business' portfolio (number of offerings) and processes (number of ways of doing the same thing). Part 2 develops the conceptual framework for measuring and managing complexity. In part 3, you are shown how to apply these concepts to the elimination, exploitation and reducing the costs of complexity.

Lastly, part 4 shows how to create an organisational culture that supports complexity management, conquer the complexity in your value chain and even apply the principles in mergers and acquisitions.

Insightful Business Analysis.......2006-04-22

This book, like the others in the series by Mike George (Fast Innovation, Lean Six Sigma) is right on target. The examples clearly show how complexity clutters business operations, products and decision making, thus reducing economic performance and shareholder value. The rigor (and mathematics)used to support and analyze the assertions is insightful and reinforces what is intuitively obvious when you understand their thesis. This is an important book for executives that would proabably be much more widely embraced if not for the math involved. Pity, the Japanese and others will pay attention.

Compelling Business Case for Conquering Complexity.......2005-06-25

I found Conquering Complexity provides an excellent framework and lays out a compelling business case for why and how you should focus on complexity.
This is the best guide out there in terms of a comprehensive approach to identify, quantify and attack complexity. The book is a very practical and pragmatic read with a wealth of real world examples and illustrations that reinforce concepts layed out in a logical sequence.
In researching a number of books though there are many that contain bits and pieces of concepts that relate to complexity, I have found that none of them tackle the concept of complexity as a discipline that must be mastered as Conquering Complexity does. I found it to be a refreshing, compelling book that you can follow step by step to create a complexity focus and agenda in your organization. There is tremendous power in purchasing the book for co-workers or Managers to help raise their complexity IQ and see what is possible. I continue to learn from the book as I refer back to it frequently. I would highly recommend it to anyone or any organization that is looking to continuously improve or to create greater value. I really found the sections on Product/Service proliferation to be right on, and a wealth of information. - Rodney

Practical way to determine complexity.......2005-05-03

Businesses talk about reducing complexity but have trouble determining it and simplifying it.

The books provides a roadmap and technique that organizations can use to identify the bad compelxities that customers will not pay for. The book goes further and identifies possible solutions with a plethora of real life examples that make the theory easy to understand and apply

The Law of Corporations and Other Business Organizations (West Legal Studies Series)

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The Law of Corporations and Other Business Organizations (West Legal Studies Series)
Angela Schneeman
Manufacturer: Thomson Delmar Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Practical Real Estate Law

ASIN: 0766831981

Book Description

Law of Corporations and Other Business Organizations, 3rd Edition, is an excellent introductory guide to the law of business for paralegal and legal studies students, practicing paralegals, and anyone with an interest in the paralegal profession.

In the Company of Women: Indirect Aggression Among Women: Why We Hurt Each Other and How to Stop

Average customer rating:

Interesting reading
Wishing everyone (men and women) would read this!
Interesting theories, apply as you will
This Book has Changed my Life.
Women Working Wisely

In the Company of Women: Indirect Aggression Among Women: Why We Hurt Each Other and How to Stop
Pat Heim , Susan Murphy , and Susan K. Golant
Manufacturer: Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Mean Girls Grown Up: Adult Women Who Are Still Queen Bees, Middle Bees, and Afraid-to-Bees
Tripping the Prom Queen: The Truth About Women and Rivalry
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Woman's Inhumanity to Woman

ASIN: 1585422231
Release Date: 2003-05-22

Book Description

Two leading experts on gender issues in the workplace describe how indirect aggression among women undermines their professional and personal success, and explain how to change conflict into cooperation.

Following the success of Queen Bees and Wannabes and Odd Girl Out, about aggression in girls, In the Company of Women explains how indirect, or "relational," aggression can hurt women and hinder them from achieving success and harmony in their adult lives. Gender studies have shown that when a goal is in sight, men generally use direct action to attain it. Women, on the other hand, have been socialized to express aggressive actions through indirect means-using behavior such as shunning, stigmatizing, and gossiping to emotionally cripple those standing in the way of the achievement they seek.

With startling insights into the meaning of our everyday behavior, this book offers straightforward techniques to change conflict among women into cooperation by resolving discords peaceably, building relationships, and making the most of women's unique leadership and communication skills.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting reading.......2007-09-18

This book was pretty good. The first part validated what I pretty much figured out for myself the hard way. At least with the knowledge you get from this book that this type of behavior and attitude is universal among women everywhere and is "normal," you can deal with it more constructively or let it go more easily instead of dwelling on it. I did enjoy reading the first part of the book - probably 3/4 of the book was helpful because it validates what you know or can sense about what is going on around you, and that is empowering and reassuring. The guidance given in this book for dealing with other women is somewhat like remembering difficult algorithms though. And, unless you can convince every other woman you ever deal with to read the book and follow precisely the "rules" you have to follow in order to have perfect harmony among the women in your life, you still have to just use your gut instinct on how to deal with each particular woman or...well, you already know what will happen or you wouldn't be interested in reading this type of book! To be honest, I started reading the last part of the book (which directly relates to being in a supervisory position) and just couldn't read any more.

Wishing everyone (men and women) would read this!.......2007-05-08

I have struggled my entire life in relationships with women. This book opened my eyes.

Interesting theories, apply as you will.......2007-02-04

This is a thought-provoking book, and I recommend it for any woman, whether you work in an office or not. It says much about the conflicts that arise between us, the reasons behind them, and some solutions on how to handle them.

One of my favorite chapters was "Handling Conflicts With Style." I recently covered conflict styles in a college freshman seminar course, and I appreciated how they were expanded in this chapter. There are some interesting paragraphs on ow to handle sabotage and deliberate distractions, two things I have experienced firsthand and was poor at resonding to.

There are many wonderful suggestions in the chapter "How To Be An Effective Female Leader." Several aspects of leadership are discussed, and skills are suggested in detail, to balance the troubles many female leaders experience.

There are some parts of the book, however, that I do no agree with.

Although the Power Dead-Even Rule is absolutely true in every respect, it does little to solve the problem that I have with power-hungry, conrolling women in my work environment. Honestly, why should I care what gets a co-worker to turn against me? Of course, having some knowledge of the root of the problem is extremely beneficial at maintaining some sort of balance. At the end of the day, however, I am able to put my head on the pillow and fall asleep based simply on the advice I received from a dear friend:

It's not my business what other people think of me.

This may sound like foolish advice at first, but you know what? It's TRUE.

And the advice to use gossip as a tool is WAY off the mark. I have been able to maintain my position at my job for many years based on a principle that I believe deeply in - that gossip does NOTHING to improve anyone's character. You want to build trust among your coworkers? Don't gossip!! Find something else in common to discuss.

I'm a little irritated at the excuses given for indirect aggression - you know what? A person's personal issues should be worked out before or after work, there's no excuse for a bitch.

Downplaying your achievements is good to keep in mind. But ultimately, you really should be yourself, not a puppet. My point is, when you apply what you gain from this book, don't forget what you have learned before.

This Book has Changed my Life........2006-05-08

I have to say, I felt pretty disgusted with myself, having to pretend to be insecure and self-depreciating, just to get other women to like me. But by God it works.

I tested the techniques out on my very next female customer. I refused to accept her compliments, kept downplaying myself and my accomplishments, while praising her instead and pointing out all the ways in which I felt she was better.

Result: She LOVED me. We actually linked arms and skipped! No kidding! She convinced her husband to give me $500 on a job that wasn't worth half that much money.

Not only is this book helpful in avoiding petty jealousy, the evil eye, and female sabotage, applied to business situations it can be a real cash cow!!! $$$

Take those psychology books that advise you to "Project Self Confidence!" and "Toot Your Own Horn!" and throw them in the garbage. If you are not a man, that will not work for you.

This one tip alone will save your friendships: Don't you dare ever tell a woman good news. If you have good news tell a man. If you have bad news tell a woman.

If you're just bustin' to tell all the girls how your new boyfriend is rich, famous and hunky, DON'T, unless you a have your own personal security detail and somebody willing to start your car for you.

If they find out anyway, make your good fortune sound negative. Tell them he beats you and he slept with your sister. : P

I can sum the whole book up for you: Women can't stand to see another woman happy, especially if they're not. Better learn how to operate within the "Power Dead Even" Rule.

Women Working Wisely.......2006-02-06

This book has been an invaluable reference and resource for me. Pat Heim's experience in addressing relationally aggressive behaviors between women in the workplace shows through in every page she writes. With "In the Company of Women" she adds one more feather to her impressive cap and advances each reader's understanding of this important issue.

In the Company of Others: An Introduction to Communication (NAI)

Average customer rating:

Can't help but love the diversity...

In the Company of Others: An Introduction to Communication (NAI)
J. Dan Rothwell
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Speech | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Telling Each Other the Truth, repack
Telling Yourself the Truth
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¡Avance! Intermediate Spanish Student Edition

ASIN: 0767430093
Release Date: 2003-08-15

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Can't help but love the diversity..........2004-12-18

I had this book for an Intro to Human Comm class, and I was amazed at the depth and breadth of coverage of the communication styles of diverse groups. The author addresses common concerns with intercultural communication, communication in relationships (including friendships, dating relationships, and GLBT relationships), and how to handle groups whose members have nothing in common except that they're in a group together.

Even if you don't need this book for a class, you might want to check it out just to get some pointers on how to improve your own communication expertise. Most of us have to deal with people at school, work, in our neighborhoods, out and about while shopping, and so on who are completely different than we are--efficiently getting your point across is a lot easier if you have the skills to succeed.

Besides the examples used in the text itself, the included CD-ROM has plenty of quizzes, activities, and videos to help you grasp the concepts in real world settings. If you do take my advice, I hope you enjoy the book!

Marlin Firearms: A History of the Guns and the Company That Made Them

Average customer rating:

Marlin Firearms: A History of the Guns and the Company that Made Them
must have for Marlin buffs
Marlin Model 1893
HAPPY PURCHASER

Marlin Firearms: A History of the Guns and the Company That Made Them
William S. Brophy
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0811708772

Customer Reviews:

Marlin Firearms: A History of the Guns and the Company that Made Them.......2007-09-18

A very comprehensive book for anyone with an interest in firearms. Well-written and illustrated. It contains a great deal of detail for the Marlin user and collector. Since it seems to go in and out of print on a regular basis, anyone interested in the book should get one while it's available. The cost of a used volume seems to increase each time it becomes unavailable. If you like gun books you won't regret buying a copy of this one.

must have for Marlin buffs.......2007-01-12

huge collection of data, photo's and info on Marlin. can't imagine the effort that must have been expended in collecting what is printed in this book. A bargin concidering what is offered between the pages for the reader.

Marlin Model 1893.......2006-08-23

Mr. Brophy did his homework in writing this beautifully bound and informative book, but somehow, probaably due to Marlin Firearms being lax in their record keeping, especially serial numbers and the appropriate dates of manufacture, I was unable to pinpoint the data needed to establish the exact history of this gun. I have been forwarded to another source for possibly gaining a more accurate record of this guns manufacture. A fine book other than this.

HAPPY PURCHASER.......2006-08-12

Good Service, Good Price, Very Good Book. Book is full of very complete detail, illustrations are excellent, chronological approach to subject is appreciated. Very Happy with purchase!

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