Book Description
"Eating the Big Fish is on fire with ideas.
Best in the marketplace." -Steve Hayden, President, Worldwide Brand Services, Ogilvy & Mather
"In 1986, the Levi's® Dockers® brand challenged the biggest fish in the men's apparel sea, Haggar. And we beat the pants off them! In his new book, Adam Morgan adroitly presents many of the same fundamental marketing principles which worked so well for us. A must read for marketing professionals." -Steve Goldstein, V.P. Marketing & Research, Levi's Brand U.S.A.
Years ago, Avis was a little fish in the car rental industry. Fearing the company would be swallowed up if they didn't "try harder," Avis boldly announced its #2 status to the world through advertising-and the rest is history. Why has this approach become a marketing legend? Because there are more people who can relate to being #2, 3, or even 4, than can claim they know what it's like to be the Big Fish.
There are plenty of little fish out there, circling in schools around the brand leaders they so desperately wish to surpass. Squeezed by new competition, a retreating consumer, and aggressive retailing practices, marketers of second- and third-rank brands are struggling to survive in a business environment where they have fewer resources and less control than ever before. But instead of watching-and copying-every move the Big Fish makes, these "Challenger" brands need their own set of marketing rules if they have any hopes of staying afloat and competing effectively against the leader.
Eating the Big Fish is the first book that sets out to define those rules. Adam Morgan offers an innovative mental and strategic framework for those who find themselves in this new, hostile middle ground, looking for aggressive growth against the market leader. Morgan, the Joint European Planning Director of TBWA (the international advertising agency behind the campaigns for such brands as Absolut vodka, Apple computers, and Sony Playstation), has examined in detail forty of the most successful Challenger brands of the last ten years -new or relaunched brands which have achieved rapid growth (and fame) with limited marketing resources. He outlines the reasons why Challengers must think differently in order to survive, offering hands-on advice, plentiful examples, and invaluable information to help a Challenger learn how to swim out of the shadow of the Big Fish.
At the heart of the book are the Eight Credos of Challenger Brands -Morgan's analysis of the common marketing strands that these Challengers seem to share, which range in scope from the need to project who you are and what you believe in (#2, Build a Lighthouse Identity) to insights about the organizational structure and focus in such companies and brands (#8, Become Idea-Centered, Rather Than Consumer-Centered). Morgan fully analyzes each Credo, discussing in detail the marketing strategy and behavior of the specific Challenger brands that have shaped the rules. He provides case studies that include both his agency's clients and other well-known brands, such as Lexus, Oakley, Fox TV, Energizer, Virgin Atlantic, Swatch, Nissan, and more. Morgan then draws the Credos together into a "Challenger Strategic Program" that can be applied to the reader's own market and brand challenge, offering a proposed outline for a two-day Off-Site Program that will attempt to kick-start the Challenger process for a core group within any marketing or management team. In addition, Morgan looks at the great Challengers of the last ten years who have gone on to become brand leaders, and shows how even the rules of brand leadership have changed -why staying #1 now means, in fact, thinking and behaving like a #2.
Anyone can follow a leader. It takes a smart company to go up against the Big Fish, and Morgan's innovative, strategic program will show even the littlest fish how to make a meal out of the competition.
Customer Reviews:
fantastic read.......2006-07-21
This book did great things for my understanding of a challenger brands greatest strengths and strategies. Not to turn this into a forum, I have a few questions though: Does anyone know more about Adam Morgan? Did he work for TBWA? Any other agencies? What was his discipline? Any info would help.
one of the best marketing books available .......2005-08-31
I own (oooooh) probably between 80 and 100 books on marketing, some are obligatory read for my masters in marketing, some are handpicked in stores and on amazon and I stand by the title of my review. What can you take out from this book: YOU CAN compete with big brands, there are attitudes and ways of running your business that can knock down the goliath in your industry, and this book explains how, giving numerous examples from various industries. Only negative, if I can call it that, is author's writing style, which was rather hard for me, but then again, I am croatian, so it could be my english, not mr Morgan's :). A MUST!! have.
Demolish the 3-piece suits that stand in your way.......2005-08-09
I don't know how to explain the insightful ideas I have taken from this book.
I have read tens of books on branding and how to gain a competitive advantage, yet none were as ground breaking as "Eating the Big Fish".
While others will tell you "what" marketing approaches they used...this one explains the "why".
I got my copy almost free using a coupon from UnderTag.com
Insightful!.......2004-06-09
Author Adam Morgan went hunting for the second most successful brands. He sought commonalities among them to develop guidelines for those who are challenging the number one brands in their fields. In other words, if you are coming into the battle in the number two slot, here's your strategy for winning the marketing wars. Morgan is very adept at breaking things down into precise action steps. Witty and engaging, he offers a detailed analysis of the current consumer attitude about brands plus strategies you can use to market your second or third rank brand. We recommend this compilation of competitive ideas to those who want to boost their "Challenger" brands.
Insightful!.......2003-10-15
Author Adam Morgan went hunting for the second most successful brands. He sought commonalities among them to develop guidelines for those who are challenging the number one brands in their fields. In other words, if you are coming into the battle in the number two slot, here's your strategy for winning the marketing wars. Morgan is very adept at breaking things down into precise action steps. Witty and engaging, he offers a detailed analysis of the current consumer attitude about brands plus strategies you can use to market your second or third rank brand. We recommend this compilation of competitive ideas to those who want to boost their "Challenger" brands.
Product Description
All new challenging riddles invite young I Spy fans to go for the gold! Selecting 12 favorite photos from previous books, the I Spy team has created another, more challenging list of great things to find. Between its sparkling golden covers, this new book
Amazon.com
"I spy a heart, a starfish, a frog, / A towel, a trowel, a taxi, a dog; / Seven horses, a barrel, a duck that is teeny, / Two real feathers, and a surfer's bikini." Now, all you have to do is find these objects in Walter Wick's masterful, crystal-clear, boldly colorful photographic landscapes. I Spy Gold Challenger! collects author Jean Marzollo and Wick's 12 favorite photographs from previous I Spy books, and invents a new series of ways to make children scratch their heads. A fantasy castle with a sand dragon and a medieval battle in progress; a complex city intersection made from wooden blocks and assorted toys; an attic stuffed with junk--each page seems more complex than the last. The seeming simplicity of the task at hand, and the surprising difficulty in finding all the items mentioned in the accompanying rhymes, remains a winning combination. (Click to see a sample spread. Text copyright ©1998 by Jean Marzollo. "Patterns and Paints" from I Spy School Days copyright ©1995 by Walter Wick. Permission from Scholastic Inc., Cartwheel Books.) (Ages 3 to 7)
Customer Reviews:
Couldn't put it down.......2007-09-09
I was so involved in this book I neglected my friends and family until I could finish finding EVERY SINGLE THING on the lists! I loved it, and even though it's almost useless to ME now that I've found everything, I'll keep it on the shelf and show/lend it to others who come to visit. Maybe in a few years I can pick it up again and start over; my senior moments are becoming more frequent, and I might just forget where everything was hiding!
I spy .. AWESOME.......2007-03-11
This was another great I spy book. Keeps the kiddies interested.
I loved it too.
Gold Challenge.......2007-03-08
Very difficult book, but one you can't stop playing. Great person that I bought it from.
Excellent seller and product.......2007-02-13
Item as described and received in a timely manner... an excellent buying experience!
Tons of fun.......2006-11-04
My grandson and I spend hours on these I Spy books. What I love is that even if we finish finding everything in the book (which we haven't on this particular book in the I Spy series), a couple months later, we have just as much fun doing it all over again!
Amazon.com
After mastering the many I Spy books and then moving on to conquer the tougher-riddled I Spy Gold Challenger, kids begged Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick for an even greater challenge. Naturally, this creative team rose to the occasion, creating the ultimate: Extreme Challenger! Open to any page and find a mind-boggling array of things: "a lobster, a pig, a guitar, / Two skulls, a button, a spring, a car." Wick's exceptional photographic skill renders every object crystal clear, whether on a blank white background or against a backdrop of dusty old bookshelves with antique toys, keys, clocks, and tools. Marzollo's rhymes are straightforward yet clever, matching "an ace" with "a missing bottle's space," and "puffball shoes" with "sad blue ooze." Children will have so much fun "I spying," they won't even realize they're developing their visual discrimination ability, as well as their reading and vocabulary skills! Extra credit riddles at the end of the big, colorful book provide an additional test of readers' nimbleness, and the authors also encourage children to write their own rhyming picture riddles based on the illustrations in the book. Okay, all you eagle-eyes out there, have at it! (Ages 3 to 8) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
This bestselling book features a collection of favorite I Spy riddles that send readers searching 12 photographs for hidden objects.
Customer Reviews:
Great books.......2007-01-09
My 11 year old is totally addicted to these. They give him great pleasure. They are a little costly so if you can find them used they are a better deal. Once you figure out and find all the hidden objects the book does not serve much purpose. Overall a good book for 6 to 12 year olds.
I Spy A Winner!.......2006-12-13
The I Spy Extreme Challenger book is one of many 'I Spy' books enjoyed by our family. We have the 'I Spy School Days', 'I Spy Super Challenger', 'I Spy Treasure Hunt' and 'I Spy Christmas' to name just a few of our books. They will entertain no matter what your age. Our children and now our grandchildren have pulled these books out many times. They are like magnets and will draw in whoever is around to your side to help find the hidden I Spy items.
Here's a hint. If, no - when, you have trouble finding any of the objects turn the book upside down and that just might help. ~ The Boss
Loads of fun.......2006-11-04
My grandson and I spend hours on these I Spy books. What I love is that even if we finish finding everything in the book (which we haven't on this particular book in the I Spy series), a couple months later, we has just as much fun doing it all over again!
These are great books.......2006-07-22
The Eye Spy books are great. They have pictures of different objects, for example a store window, and a riddle. You have to find the objects listed in the riddle.
Some of them are difficult and require some creative thinking. For example; it might say a nail and you have to remember there are nails in the wall and nails on a hand. Some you just have to have a good eye for detail. You might have to find three fish and one might be a real fish, one a button fish and one a cloud shaped like a fish.
My son who is seven enjoys these and revels in finding all fo the objects. We like to do it as a family to see if we can find every object under a set time or a race to see who can find all the objects first. Sometimes we make up our own riddles for a page and then try to find the objects.
Enjoy.
Fun For The Whole Family!.......2006-01-16
I have purchased the "I Spy" books for my daughters since they were little girls - one is now in high school and the other one is in college and they still enjoy these books. We like to have races to see who can find all of the objects first! A must have for everyone.
Book Description
This is the complete collection of scientific fiction stories featuring Professor George Challenger. Along with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Professor Challenger stands in the front rank of the immortal characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
These are scientific stories rather than science fiction; the stories are based solidly on scientific facts, not possibilities.
Customer Reviews:
The Lost Opportunity.......2007-07-26
Sir Arthur's most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes, is a character so realistic, so true to life, so three-dimensional that dozens of novels, hundreds of short stories, and thousands of articles have been written and tens of thousands of people have gathered themselves together in fan clubs under the premise that Sherlock Holmes was a real person. If it weren't for Sherlock Holmes, no one would ever have tried to make a similar leap over this two-dimensional piece of pure cardboard, Professor Challenger.
Part of the problem is that Sir Arthur pretty clearly had an agenda in mind, an idea he wanted to push, an argument he wanted to win behind each story. Now that isn't necessarily bad, science fiction has become rather known for a healthy tradition of didactic polemics, but the good ones never forget that the story MUST come first. Too often Sir Arthur forgot that, and it doesn't help that he invariably got the science wrong.
"The Lost World" (1912) is the first and the best, the one I can recommend without hesitation as a fine story, a classic Boy's Own Adventure that introduces the irascible Professor Challenger and his memorable companions: the boyish and naive journalist Ned Malone, the phlegmatic and imperturbable hunter Lord Roxton, and the if anything even more irascible Professor Summerlee who together live the ultimate adventure of finding a lost world, populated with extinct monsters and peoples. The plot is so familiar it barely needs describing: scientist claims to have discovered lost world; scientist leads expedition back to prove he's not lying; expedition finds lost world, is trapped in lost world, survives great dangers in lost world, and escapes from lost world; scientist sics pterodactyl on disbelievers. Sir Arthur's not so hidden agenda? Well, accusations of support for imperialism or racism seem a bit extreme, but he is clearly advocating Evolution here, which is somewhat ironic in light of current evolutionary theory on the extinction of the dinosaurs. Suffice it to say that the discovery of living dinosaurs today would have Creation scientists doing handstands and Evolution scientists racing back to the drawing board.
After this rollicking adventure "The Poison Belt" (1913) is quite a disappointment. In a more egregious bit of bad science, Professor Challenger correctly predicts that the Earth has moved into a belt of poisonous "ether", presumably inspired by the equally laughable fears resulting from Earth passing through the tail of Halley's Comet in 1910. Challenger's brilliant solution? He has the old crew bring oxygen tanks and gather at his house along with his wife to watch the world come to an end... and die a few hours after everybody else. Frankly this struck me as something less than a solution. It also results in a very talky, actionless novel as our heroes sit on their rears and discuss the Meaning of Life and Man's Existence, from which I conclude that the author didn't have that firm a grasp on it either. Finally oxygen running out, our heroes face the End like Englishmen should, but the End does not come -- the poison is gone. At this point the novel finally starts to move as our heroes explore and contemplate the dead world. As you might gather from the fact that three more Challenger stories follow, there is a surprise "never mind" ending.
"The Land of Mist" (1926) is the absolute nadir of the series as Sir Arthur conscripts his heroes to flack for the now mostly forgotten cult of Spiritualism. When Professor Challenger, who in this novel for once represents the Scientific Establishment, is finally defeated and becomes a convert, you just want to turn aside in embarrassment. A Challenger daughter Enid (who seems to have come out of nowhere) is introduced as a romantic interest for Malone and utterly wasted in this literary catastrophe. There would be no further Challenger novels.
"The Disintegration Machine" (1927) is the first Challenger short story and something of a departure because the creator of the title invention is not Professor Challenger but rather a truly slimy Latvian Mr. Nemor whose work Professor Challenger has been asked to check. Mr. Nemor has already sold but not yet turned over the secret of his weapon to some unnamed European power other than Britain but consents to demonstrate his device to Professor Challenger anyway. Once convinced that the device works as advertised Professor Challenger deals with it. The scientific error here is less in the obviously so far not yet invented disintegration machine than it is in failing to grasp the significance of what he's conceived here. Star Trek fans will quickly grasp that what Sir Arthur has imagined here is not a weapon but in fact a means of teleportation -- the Transporter.
"When the World Screamed" (1928) is the last and something of a return to form as Professor Challenger espouses yet another cockamamie theory, that the Earth (and for that matter other planets) are actually gigantic living beings, and proceeds to prove it in spectacular fashion. I REALLY shouldn't have to point out the scientific errors in this one, and feminists who make a point of citing this story as some sort of celebration of the "male" attitude towards science, literally raping Mother Earth, need to go lie down on a couch for a few years, and they'll probably feel a lot better. (I know that the rest of us will feel a lot better not having to listen to them in the interim.)
In the end Professor Challenger, that overly broad parody of a scientist, not content like most with humiliating you with his brain but also desiring to humiliate you with his fists, was just too unrealistic to attract much of a fan base then or now, and Sir Arthur's penchant for using him whenever he wanted to win an argument didn't help.
Well written and quite exciting!.......2007-06-25
Professor George Edward Challenger is the lesser known creation of Sherlock Holmes' creator, Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). Unlike the cool and calculating Homes, Challenger is irascible, domineering and extremely outspoken. In short, he is a lot of fun to read. However, unlike Holmes, Professor Challenger never caught on and as such only five Challenger stories were ever written. This book combines all five of the Professor Challenger stories together in one book:
The Lost World - originally published in 1912 - 5 stars - This is the greatest, and the best known of the Professor Challenger stories. Professor Challenger has heard of a plateau in South America where dinosaurs still roam, and he loses no time in setting up an expedition to this strange place. However, when the expedition finds itself marooned on the plateau, the team faces many dangers and adventures.
The Poison Belt - 1913 - 5 stars - Professor Challenger has learned that the Earth is moving towards a poisonous section of space, and has figured out a way that he can save a few members of the human race - the last people left on Earth!
The Land of Mist - 1926 - 1 star - The worst of the Professor Challenger stories, this one is really just a polemic, written to convince the reader of the wonder (or whatever) of Spiritualism. This story might have been what killed the series.
The Disintegration Machine - 1927 - 5 stars - A Latvian scientist has created a machine that can disintegrate matter, and reintegrate it again...or not. This is something that Professor Challenger must see for himself if he is to fully understand its ramifications.
When The World Screamed - 1928 - 5 stars - Professor Challenger is digging a well or mine of some sort in southern England, but what is he up to? It seems that the eccentric professor has a new theory - that the Earth is really a living creature!
Although more than a little dated, scientifically, I found these stories to be well written and quite exciting. (Well, four of the five that is.) They reflects a world that is now gone, but is quite interesting to read about. If you like adventure stories, then you will like this one. Read this book, and learn about A.C. Doyle's other hero!
Book Description
From the author of the international bestseller Zlata's Diary comes a haunting testament to how war's brutality affects the lives of young people
Zlata Filipovic's diary of her harrowing war experiences in the Balkans, published in 1993, made her a globally recognized spokesperson for children affected by military conflict. In Stolen Voices, she and co-editor Melanie Challenger have gathered fifteen diaries of young people coping with war, from World War I to the struggle in Iraq that continues today. Profoundly affecting testimonies of shattered youth and the gritty particulars of war in the tradition of Anne Frank, this extraordinary collection— the first of its kind—is sure to leave a lasting impression on young and old readers alike.
Customer Reviews:
Precious..and painful.......2007-04-13
This is a compilation of war diaries from young people, about 12-20 years old, in wars from WWI to present conflicts in Israel, Palestine and Iraq. The diarists are amazingly engaging.. One minute they are typical adolescents worrying about school or friendships, and then they are concerned for their lives, those of their families, and needs such as food, basic hygiene and human dignity. And often they are both typical and suffering at the same time, a fascinating interplay.
If you know a young person who has met with serious losses in their life, this may be a difficult, but cathartic book for them to read. In our present time in the US, lives for many of our young people seem very simple and easy. Those who have experienced significant loss feel quite alone, as it seems that their peers have no worries beyond popularity, sports and grades. This book can help with that as they hear the voices of those who also, although very young, are dealing with difficult --- sometimes wayyyyy beyond difficult-- times. We hope and pray that this book help us all remember the horrors, not the glories of war, and renew our personal resolve to do what we can to work for peace and justice.
Read it, and you'll find yourself thoroughly engaged in some other worlds. Yeah, it isn't a light or easy read... but you'll be glad you read it. Precious and painful.
Through the Eyes of the Innocents.......2007-04-13
This collection of war diaries presents conflicts from World War I to Iraq through a lens not usually viewed - the writings of young people who are experiencing them first hand. These intimate writings relate the diarists' fears for themselves and their families and the anguish of losses they suffer. Yet each one also talks about their hopes for the future in a life without war.
The insights into history are also fascinating, as many of the diarists relate the political perspectives of the war they're living through. I find it so interesting to discover what the people in a country were thinking at the time of a war as opposed to what their leaders were saying about it publicly. And I was pleasantly surprised to find each diary very well written and the stories unfolding in a way that kept a narrative story line progressing. This must be the work of editors Zlata Filipovic and Melanie Challenger, who chose which entries of the diaries to include.
I imagine this work was particularly poignant for Filipovic, whose diary of wartime Sarajevo is included. A line from one of her entries sums up the sentiment that was a common thread among many of the diarists, "I simply don't understand it. Of course, I'm 'young' and politics are conducted by 'grown-ups.' But I think we 'young' would do it better. We certainly wouldn't have chosen war...."
Book Description
Businessman Kurokawa challenges the impossible by romancing his heterosexual tenant Tatsumi, a naive but idealistic college freshman whose protective older brother has a vendetta against all gays. Tatsumi's brother can't separate them, but another threat looms which can.
Customer Reviews:
Challengers v4.......2007-07-04
Tatsumi got an invitation to study abroad in America by his professor and be really happy with it. That make Kurokawa really so confused about how should their relationship continue without Tatsumi give up his dream. During that time, a female colleague of Kurokawa persistent follows him with intention of "rehabilitate" Kurokawa from the gay path. What will Kurokawa do to protect their love?
Book Description
Love at last! Having accepted each other's feelings, Tomoe and Kurokawa are getting ready for the next step…. But! Tomoe is having seconds thoughts as the next step involves more than kissing!
Customer Reviews:
Birthday party!.......2007-07-30
This is a really hilarious one! Love therapy! XD ... and Angel-kun's love confession!!!! this is a great story that becomes better and better while it goes on!!!
Challengers v01.......2007-05-23
This was an enjoyable manga! The art is clean and crisp, and the characters are hilarious. Tomoe is completely clueless, much to a point where it was getting annoying; his older brother is an overprotective man who is just as naive, but the truly awesome character of all was Isogai... I wish he had a series of his own. For anyone into humor and a bit of romance, this is a recommended read.
Hilarity in Yaoi.......2007-05-21
You'll laugh out loud as you read this love story between an office worker and a college student majoring in robotics.
F'ing YAY!.......2007-04-11
Sorry, I'm a fan, but I kept this volume by my side for three whole days after finally getting it. It's rather a downer for Kurokawa/Tomoe fans, as not much action or development happens bewteen, but those looking forward to Tyrant Who Fell in Love it's a MUST HAVE, of course. We get to figure out what happened that mysterious "year ago". It was totally better than what I expected! So, yeah, I liked it for the better last half. So I give it 5 stars.
Hirarious!!! I Raughed a Rot!.......2007-01-29
CHALLENGERS is a funny and fast paced comedy about a young office worker named Kurokawa who helps out Tatsumi, a college freshman who is a genius with robotics, but otherwise very clueless and naive. Kurokawa falls for him like a rock, and when Tatsumi needs a place to stay, Kurokawa offers to share his apartment. This brings him under the scrutiny of Tatsumi's fiercely protective brother, who hates all homos, and is certain that Kurokawa is having nefarious thoughts. Kurokawa hopes to hide his passion long enough to allow Tatsumi to fall in love with him. But he must contend with his best friend Isogai, who enjoys seeing Kurokawa unhappy in love for a change, and mocks him mercilessly. Then there is Tatsumi's openly gay American classmate, who speaks in tortured Japanese and believes in "free rove".
One thing I don't like in the BoysLove genre is when one partner is treated like a cute little wide-eyed pet. But Tatsumi, clueless or not, has self-respect and is assertive of his own rights and needs. He gets into knock-down, drag-out fights with his brother, pursues his own goals, and sets effective boundaries with those in romantic pursuit, even when he doesn't even know they are pursuing him. Kurokawa, likewise, isn't an aggressive jerk, but is trying to keep a lid on his feelings in the hope that Tatsumi will eventually return them. There is more character development than you find in a lot of shonen-ai, even though the focus is on fast-paced farce. The art is like the characters, lively and full of personality.
The overall impression is of a bunch of people that you want to spend more time with, and an author one would like to see more of. And if you need to laugh till you gasp for air, this will do it.
There is one problem; the preview for the art in Book 4 shows Tatsumi looking like a wide-eyed little kid. The author confesses that she forgot he was in college. That doesn't bode well for the development of the character or (since there's already a bit of an age gap) for the relationship. So that is a bit disappointing, but I will check out the sequels anyway and hope I'm wrong.
It is my first DramaQueen manga, and they do a beautiful production job. They are normal sized manga, slightly thinner than normal, with dust covers and lovely paper quality. Unlike with some publishers, the attention to the actual product within is just as impressive, with proper attention to spelling and translation, and actually getting the characters' names right.
Book Description
When the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on January 28, 1986, millions of Americans became bound together in a single, historic moment. Many still vividly remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the tragedy. In The Challenger Launch Decision, Diane Vaughan recreates the steps leading up to that fateful decision, contradicting conventional interpretations to prove that what occurred at NASA was not skulduggery or misconduct but a disastrous mistake.
Journalists and investigators have historically cited production problems and managerial wrong-doing as the reasons behind the disaster. The Presidential Commission uncovered a flawed decision-making process at the space agency as well, citing a well-documented history of problems with the O-ring and a dramatic last-minute protest by engineers over the Solid Rocket Boosters as evidence of managerial neglect.
Why did NASA managers, who not only had all the information prior to the launch but also were warned against it, decide to proceed? In retelling how the decision unfolded through the eyes of the managers and the engineers, Vaughan uncovers an incremental descent into poor judgment, supported by a culture of high-risk technology. She reveals how and why NASA insiders, when repeatedly faced with evidence that something was wrong, normalized the deviance so that it became acceptable to them.
No safety rules were broken. No single individual was at fault. Instead, the cause of the disaster is a story not of evil but of the banality of organizational life. This powerful work explains why the Challenger tragedy must be reexamined and offers an unexpected warning about the hidden hazards of living in this technological age.
Customer Reviews:
The Challenger Launch Decision.......2005-09-16
This is a theoretically profound book and it is highly readable. Wonderful book! I enjoy it very much!
Good information, but too long.......2005-09-03
I found this book very informative on the Challenger accident and the "culture of risk" at NASA. However, I feel the author drags on too long with her NASA-bashing. The book could stand to be about 100-150 pages shorter. I think the phrase "beating a dead horse" is appropriate.
Normalization Of Deviance.......2004-12-24
As a sociological explanation of disastrous decision making in high risk applications, this book is without peer, exceeding even Charles Perrow's work by a fair measure. Vaughan, a sociologist, obviously worked very hard at understanding the field joint technology that caused the "Challenger" accident, and even harder at understanding the extremely complex management and decision making processes at NASA and Morton Thiokol.
The book ultimately discards the "amoral calculation" school of thought (which she was preconditioned to believe at the outset of her research by media coverage of the event) and explains how an ever expanding definition of acceptable performance (despite prior joint issues) led to the "normalization of deviance" which allowed the faulty decision to launch to be made. The sociological and cultural analyses are especially enlightening and far surpass the technical material about the actual physical cause of the accident presented.
This is a masterful book, and is impeccably documented. The reference portion of the book in the back is especially useful, in that she reproduces several key original documents pertinent to the investigation which are difficult to obtain elsewhere. My only objection to the book is the extreme use of repetition, which I think needlessly lengthened the book in several areas, and obfuscating sociological terminology like "paradigm obduracy" which not only fails to illuminate the non-sociologists among us, but makes for somewhat tortured prose.
In praise of the book, however, it is a brilliant analysis of how decisions are made in safety-critical programs in large institutions. Chapter ten, "Lessons Learned," is particularly noteworthy in its analysis and recommendations. It's a shame that managerial turnover has ensured that few of the "Challenger" era managers were still at the agency during the "Columbia" accident era. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.
This book makes for very weighty and difficult reading. Having said that, I highly recommend it to technical professionals, particularly engineers and managers involved with high-risk technologies. Likewise, it is absolutely imperative reading for safety professionals, consultants, and analysts.
Institutions Create and Condone Risk.......2004-06-23
The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on January 28, 1986. To millions of viewers, it is a moment they will never forget.
Official inquiries into the accident placed the blame with a "frozen, brittle O ring." In this book, Diane Vaughan, a Boston College Professor of Sociology, does not stop there. In what I think is a brilliant piece of research, she traces the threads of the disaster's roots to fabric of NASA's institutional life and culture.
NASA saw itself competing for scarce resources. This fostered a culture that accepted risk-taking and corner-cutting as norms that shaped decision-making. Small, seemingly harmless modifications to technical and procedural standards propelled the space agency toward the disaster. No specific rules were broken, yet well-intentioned people produced great harm.
Vaughan often resorts to an academic writing style, yet there is no confusion about its conclusion.
"The explanation of the Challenger launch is a story of how people who worked together developed patterns that blinded them to the consequences of their actions," wrote Dr. Vaughan.
"It is not only about the development of norms but about the incremental expansion of normative boundaries: how small changes--new behaviors that were slight deviations from the normal course of events- gradually became the norm, providing a basis for accepting additional deviance. Nor rules were violated; there was no intent to do harm. Yet harm was done. Astronauts died."
For project and risk managers, this book offers a rare warning of the hazards of working in structured and institutionalized environments.
great analysis-must read for managers in high risk industry.......2004-06-17
This is the most comprehensive, thorough and believable analysis of the Challenger shuttle disaster that is available. Diane Vaughn goes far beyond the newspaper accounts or even the capitol hill hearings and really gets to the root causes of this incident found in the management culture of NASA and contractors. I would definitely recommend this to anyone involved in managing risk whether in the aircraft / aerospace industry or any other fundamentally risky industry (refining, chemical manufacturing, construction, etc...)
Book Description
Now that Tomoe is rooming with Kurokawa, family and friends are pressuring the two young men to "define" their relationship. Can love bloom under such scrutiny?
Customer Reviews:
not really yaoi.......2007-04-11
Cute little story that at most has a kiss----no yaoi, strictly pg13
Average customer rating:
- Great books
- All the pictures are recycled from other books
- Four Button Holes?
- rather difficult
- Fun to turn to again and again.
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I Spy: Year-round Challenger: Year-round Challenger (I Spy)
Jean Marzollo
Manufacturer: CARTWHEEL BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Hidden Picture
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I Spy Extreme Challenger! A Book of Picture Riddles
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I Spy: Gold Challenger: Gold Challenger (I Spy)
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I Spy Fun House: A Book of Picture Riddles
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I Spy: Ultimate Challenger: Ultimate Challenger (I Spy)
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I Spy School Days (I Spy)
ASIN: 0439787262 |
Amazon.com
Eagle-eyed young readers who can't get enough of Walter Wick and Jean Marzollo's always fresh picture-riddle books (I Spy, I Spy Treasure Hunt, I Spy Gold Challenger, etc.) will be tickled pink to see this celebration of the seasons. Featuring Wick's trademark crisply photographed scenes and Marzollo's clever rhyming riddles, this festive volume follows the holidays and months of the year, asking readers to spy beach balls, shovels, and "a surfin' fella" on the sand in June, and exclamation points, a Q, erasers, and a yellow three on a classroom chalkboard in September. From January to December (with some tricky extra credit riddles at the end), "Picture riddles fill this book; / Turn the pages! Take a look! / Use your mind, use your eye; / Read the riddles--play I SPY!" (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter
Book Description
A compilation of twelve amazing search-and-find photographs culled from the eight original I Spy books with "challenging" new riddles. Contents includes "Stegosaurus," "At the Beach," "Nature Close-Up," "House on the Hill," and more!More than 300,000 copies of I Spy Year-Round Challenger have been sold!
Customer Reviews:
Great books.......2007-01-09
My 11 year old is totally addicted to these. They give him great pleasure. They are a little costly so if you can find them used they are a better deal. Once you figure out and find all the hidden objects the book does not serve much purpose. Overall a good book for 6 to 12 year olds.
All the pictures are recycled from other books.......2006-04-05
Even though you are looking for different items. I was disappointed that it wasn't something completely new!
Four Button Holes?.......2006-01-18
I bought this book for my son who is 4 years old... he loves it, but most of the items listed are a little too hard for him to find, so we pick other, more obvious items and ask him to find them and he loves it. We have founf everything except for the four buttonholes on the page with the teddy bears and clowns and dalmations.... its driving us crazy!! Has anyone found them?
rather difficult.......2002-06-20
This says it is for kids from age 4 but I don't think that is quite right. The pictures are blurry and the items are not easy to find. They are quite challenging puzzles and I think the over 9 age group would be more likely to enjoy them.
Fun to turn to again and again........2002-05-11
I SPY YEAR ROUND CHALLENGER is filled with 12 pictures -- one for each month. Every puzzle is very different from the others. These clever photographs have beautiful colors but they're sometimes blurry or dark and hazy, and it's hard to see what's what. I wasn't always sure what I was looking for. I even believe there's a typo, making you look for one thing when it should be something else. In a couple of cases you can see only a tiny part of the thing you're supposed to find. And the extra credit riddles need to be on a foldout page so you can refer to them without flipping back and forth. Still, it's a beautiful, clever book and a lot of fun.
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