3 comments about Global Business Etiquette: A Guide to International Communication and Customs.

1. The book is full of tips for international travelers, whether they are business people, vacationers, students, or military/government workers. There are so many ways to convey right or wrong messages to people in other countries, and this book covers the most important ones. It helps the traveler avoid socially embarrassing mistakes while being an easy read. For international travelers, this book is a must read.



2. If you're involved in international business, you already know etiquette varies from country to country: the speed of expanding international sales is requiring a new type of executive and manager be able to understand cross-cultural communication to avoid misunderstandings. GLOBAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE: A GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOMS is the place to start. It uses years of research and training in the field to cover both verbal and nonverbal gestures, dress, customs and more, adding examples and tips in their guide to interpreting around the world From dress to conversational customs, GLOBAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE covers all the common pitfalls and customs.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



3. I don't like the way this book is structured--with sections discussing cultural differences (duh, we all know that) and then with only small paragraphs actually noting what is different from the USA in Germany, England, etc. I was looking for something far more in depth in order to use it for employees' educations on the cultural differences. It's okay as a supplement, but sure not a definitive source.

1 comments about Money Meltdown.

1. First, the only reason I did not give this 5 stars is because I think the book could have been more concise. I don't fault Ms Shelton for this as much as I do her editor.
   
   That said, her points are well made. She starts off with the "Legacy of Bretton Woods". Then discusses (at length) both what conditions were like in many of the countries at the time as well as what went wrong and why Nixon finally removed this country from the modified gold standard of Bretton Woods (by the way, Paul Volker was heavily involved with this decision according to Shelton.) I for one appreciated the well documented, scholarly history lesson.
   
   The 4th chapter titled "Theory vs Reality" discusses 4 currency theories: dirty float, pegged rates, hard currency and private currency. She discusses strengths and weaknesses of all the systems.
   
   The book concludes with recommendations. She covers both what she thinks is the best monetary system and how to implement it. I won't tell you what she suggests. But I'll say this - the book was last updated in 1998, and given what has happened (I'm writing this in Nov. 2008) since that time, it's too bad the powers that be, didn't listen to this lady.

5 comments about Universities in the Marketplace: The Commercialization of Higher Education.

1. Derek Bok, a professor and formerly president of Harvard, writes about the pressures for commercialization that institutions of higher education face and are likely to face in the future. (Commercialization is defined as "efforts within the university to make profit from teaching, research and other campus activities.") In particular, Professor Bok has taken on three major themes: commercialization of athletics, research and education (online teaching, extension programs, etc.)

   For one, this book is a useful reality check. Through scores of studies, Professor Bok dispels the myth that these three activities are profitable. Save few exceptions, these endeavors prove financially disastrous. More than that, there are the hidden dangers of compromising a university's academic standards and standing in the community. The call for a candid evaluation of the costs of commercialization is half of the book's theme.

   The other half outlines prescriptions and guidelines for university presidents about how to handle these increased pressures. Professor Bok suggests revision to NCAA rules, and university oversight and care to limit the influence of corporate sponsors over research or the curriculum taught in schools.

   In the end, "Universities in the Marketplace" is a reminder that universities are built around values: "the larger message of a liberal arts education [is] that there is more to life than making money." These values and the collaborative spirit, on which universities thrive, are threatened by the mistaken perception that there is money to be made by exploiting a school's name. The adherence to high standards is an old prescription for new pressures, and the one that Professor Bok suggests as the ultimate guideline for dealing with the threats of the future.




2. Anyone who has been associated with higher education in this country in the last fifty years is aware of the massive changes that have been sweeping over private colleges and state university systems in the last twenty to thirty years, changes ranging from the unfortunate consequences of political correctness to those associated with a relaxation of more rigorous academic standards to make such education "more accessible" to the population at large to other changes associated with the increasing concentration on more practical "vocational" educational skills to the proliferation of shop-as-you-go graduate educational programs, diploma mills designed to deliver to consumers a plethora of MBA and other business-oriented degrees in service to their career progression. Those of us professionally associated with higher education have often bemoaned the sad changes visiting themselves upon what was once a proud institution, the marvel of the western world in terms of its level of rigor, accessibility, and relative merit in terms of educational product.

   In this recent tome by former Harvard University president Derek Bok, yet another form of change and devolution of all the academy once stood for is discussed with both intelligence and wit; the commercialization of institutions of higher education and the associated seduction and corruption of faculty, administrators and the university system itself. Bok takes a probing look at the many ways in which financial enticements have entered the ivory towers, and how such temptations are profoundly altering the business of the university system itself, often warping both the mission of the institution as well as the intellectual products flowing from the academic marketplace. Beginning with the advent of financial gain associated with college sport programs, the author wonders out loud at what point the transformation of what was once an ancillary concern for additional source of academic funding became a much more purposeful source of university profit, resulting in much more deliberate efforts on the university's part to use sport for financial gain.

   He similarly muses over the fashion in which independent medical research efforts within university setting have become captive to the driving force of pharmaceutical and other medical enterprises, such that the focus and progress of medical research becomes much more focused on particular kinds of patent-driven and/or profit-oriented enterprises, efforts that if successful can turn humble medical researchers into instant millionaire tycoons. Similarly, universities now find themselves competing over intellectual hot properties like cybernetic wiz-kids, with places like Harvard offering fringe benefits like free homes in Concord or Lexington MA in order to lure promising young computer superstars capable of drawing a lot of grant money and/or corporate sponsorship to the institution. Finally, he debates as to what the practice of beginning such internet-based distance learning programs will have on both the quality and nature of higher education in the future, since it could well have significant consequences for those wishing to actually do their study on-campus.

   Of course, commercialization has some positive aspects to it, as with the excellent (and quietly profit-oriented) extension university system associated with Harvard. One can gain access to the same faculty and coursework as is available in the full-time day programs at Harvard in part-time evening programs (both undergraduate as well as graduate) that are relatively inexpensive, have few entrance requirements and all of the advantages of a more rigorous Harvard liberal arts education. While it is likely true that the program exists as a way of Harvard itself cashing in on the cache of its name, it offers a quality educational program and provides a potential excellent product for a discerning consumer. At base, this is an absorbing book, one well worth the time and effort to thread through its 200 some pages in search of some provocative and thoughtful observations of the drawbacks associated with the increasing commercialization of the university marketplace. It is a book I can highly recommend. Enjoy!




3. Derek Bok does a respectful job in describing the issues. The book provides an excellent foundation for the general public to understand the influence of commercialization on higher education. Higher education is big business in the United States. The book's relevance to issues related to intercollegiate athletics, higher education research, online delivery of education and other influences on academics is necessary to understanding the impact of commercialization, both positive and adverse, on higher education today.
   I found the book to be interesting, yet somewhat limited in that often the book was repetitive and the ideas shared were fairly obvious examples and too narrow in scope. When the book was published in 2003, online education far surpassed some of the descriptions provided by the author. To suggest that one online class could cost one million dollars to develop is overstated and many of the examples of the type of pedagogy in online education were naïve and not current. Also, all Division I college athletic programs are not administered as Bok describes. He over generalizes when suggesting that admission standards at universities are lowered to accommodate student athletes. This is not always the case.
   Certainly Derek Bok's credentials speak for themselves, but it appears that in writing this book, additional research and new ideas could have been presented.



4. Former Harvard University President Derek Bok warns that making commercial ventures part of the fabric of U.S. higher education endangers universities' basic values and goals. However, he also gives compelling descriptions of why trustees and administrators are tempted to sign deals with corporations. He is realistic about the slim prospects for keeping such ventures away, especially since some - like sports teams - are already entrenched. Because Bok's analysis is so deeply rooted in his years of experience leading Harvard, his proposed guidelines for how and when to allow big business on campus are particularly helpful. His views are occasionally unwarrantedly sunny, such as when he avers that faculty members rarely guide students into work that promotes the teacher's financial gain. He also asserts that faculty must be wary of collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to get access to facilities and materials, even though funding unfettered research has become increasingly difficult. Furthermore, after asserting that doctors are alert to drug companies' promotions in sponsored continuing education courses, he acknowledges research showing that doctors who attend such courses are more likely to prescribe the companies' drugs. Despite such detours, we find this book extremely valuable for anyone who believes that academic freedom and integrity truly matter. Academic leaders should read Bok's important, thoughtful and useful ideas on ways that colleges can minimize the risks of commercialization.



5. Great book with real life examples about higer education, capitalism, and marketplace. Quick and easy read.

5 comments about Operation China: From Strategy to Execution.

1. 
   What we have here is a rigorous analysis by Jimmy Hexter and Jonathan Woetzel of a transition period during which "China is turning the corner from an emerging market, where local context drives most of the strategic and operating decisions managers make, to a maturing one, where top-quality execution is a cornerstone for success." They wrote this book for C-level executives in multinational companies (MNCs) to share what they have learned while in residence there in recent years. In the Preface, they observe:
   
   "Good execution in China is about adapting - sometimes a little, sometimes a lot - world-class operating standards, management tools, and frameworks to the realities of the Chinese environment. The advantage that MNCs have in China over their domestic Chinese rivals is their knowledge of, and experience with, such operating standards. Indeed, top-performing MCNs are frequently the very definition of world-class execution - [begin italics] outside [end italics] China." To take full advantage of business opportunities whose nature and extent are unprecedented, Hexter and Woetzel suggest that MNCs need to "select the right standards, tools, and frameworks from their global arsenal to put into place in China, adapted in the right way to optimize them for the local context." Meanwhile, Hexter and Woetzel further suggest that executives in China as well as their colleagues and bosses in other countries must "change their managerial focus 180 degrees. They will have put behind them tendencies to view business conditions here [in China] as simply unique, requiring in turn unique operating approaches and performance standards, and instead will have to focus on the familiar, seeing to instill practices and processes that are hallmarks in other competitive markets, turning them locally as needed, and linking them globally at every opportunity."
   
   Please go back and re-read the previous paragraph. The insights within the composite of brief excerpts clearly indicate why I consider this book is "must reading" for C-level executives in all organizations that are directly involved in China or are closely associated with those that are. Hexter and Woetzel share more than 40 years of experience while living and working in China. During that period, more has changed in that vast and complicated country than perhaps in any other. It is of course highly desirable to be able to speak the language but capable and trustworthy translators are readily available. Of much greater importance is understanding cultural values, especially in the business community. How to establish initial contact? How to develop mutually beneficial relationships? What are the most common barriers to effective communication, cooperation, and most important of all, collaboration? How to avoid or overcome those barriers? Which companies have been most successful doing business in China? Why? What lessons can be learned from their success?
   
   Hexter and Woetzel respond to these and other questions throughout their narrative that is organized as follows. In Part I, they provide an overview of how the business landscape in China has changed within the last few years, and how it is continuing to evolve. They explain, for example, how and why "the emergence of the global consumer has profound implications for execution, as does the war for talent." Part II begins a series of "deep dives" to look at what top-flight execution means today in the core functions of an MNC's operations in China. For example, Hexter and Woetzel explain how various organizations operating in China "have boosted their performance for each [of several initiatives] by adapting to a Chinese context tools and approaches the organizations successfully use elsewhere in the world - what we call global markets." And then in Part II, they look ahead at how the demands on MNCs' capabilities in China will involve in what they foresee to be "two crucial ways" in the years ahead. They acknowledge that good execution has always determined whether a merger is a success or failure, anywhere in the world and then explain why companies large and small "will need to understand M&A execution in a Chinese context to win at this game."
   
   Here are a few brief excerpts that are representative of the wealth of insights Hexter and Woetzel provide:
   
   "The most successful multinationals in China are successful because they are stellar at execution - specifically by `applying the global standard to China'...[Moreover] it may soon be the case that companies have to win in China to win in the rest of the world. Given the scale of its markets, gaining a preferential share of market in China will deliver a global structural advantage." (Pages 42-43)
   
   "The first step for improving the ability of the company to execute and compete in China is to revisit and potentially reset the management agenda As we hope we've made clear by now, China is turning a corner, from an emerging market in which companies developed bespoke processes and systems to meet unique operating challenges on a daily basis to a mature one in which competition requires companies to adopt proven global standards for management practices."(Pages)
   
   Note: Hexter and Woetzel suggest five additional initiatives to improve execution and discuss all six in Chapter Nine, "Where to Start."
   
   "In the years to come, the phrase `apply the global standard to China' may evolve to `developing the global standard in China.' For many functions, what works well in China will increasingly influence the global standard. Despite the intensity of China's markets, MNCs are investing more and more there. And they are not just placing large, capital-intensive bets. Apart from manufacturing, the investments are in sales, marketing, and product development."(Pages 197-198)
   
   As indicated previously, this book will be of greatest interest and value to C-level executives in multinational companies (MNCs) but I think it will also be of substantial benefit to C-level executives in other companies that are now involved with - or will soon be involved with - the supply chains of MNCs.
   
   Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out John King Fairbank and Merle Goldman's China: A New History (Second Enlarged Edition), Peter J. Williamson's Winning in Asia: Strategies for Competing in the New Millennium, and Global Brain: Your Roadmap for Innovating Faster and Smarter in a Networked World co-authored by Satish Nambisan and Mohanbir Sawhney.



2. This is really the book for serious business people trying to get things done in China - particularly multi-national executives that have entered the market (or that inevitably will).
   
   Amid the sea of China books with either excessive hyperbole or pessimistic doom-and-gloom predictions (especially anything with the phrase "rising dragon" in the title), this is the real thing. Current, factual, bottoms-up analysis that provides an accurate snapshot of a very complicated environment that is rapidly changing. Jonathan and Jimmy are the guys to listen to in China. A great book and a good extension of Capitalist China by J. Woetzel. I keep three China books in my office. This is one of them.



3. "...the twenty-first-century business model for nearly every industry is cooking on the stove in China." That's one of the key insights from Hexter and Woetzel that should make this required reading for every CEO and every business leader around the world. This is a China book with a difference. The authors clearly know what it means to do business in China, and they're able to describe the nitty gritty of operating there and at the same time draw conclusions that should influence the strategies of most western companies.
   
   I've been doing senior level executive search for Spencer Stuart for almost 15 years in China, and what Hexter and Woetzel say rings true. Their descriptions of the manufacturing, sourcing and distribution environments reflect what I've heard from clients and candidates. Why is it so hard for me to find great manufacturing talent in China? Simple, say the authors -- just moving manufacturing to China gave such an advantage that no one had to worry about Lean or Six Sigma or any of the other tools. But watch out, they say, that won't be enough for much longer.
   
   One last comment -- for anyone who thinks that McKinsey consultants can only do strategy, just read this book and you'll see there are at least two consultants there who are as hands on and operational as anyone.



4. Hexter and Woetzel's Operation China is a gem for its forward looking, practical advice for companies operating in China. This book lends C-level executives insight into not only what processes and practices will drive China, but also forces behind global competition in the future. Instead of simply another retrospective on China, or basics of doing business in China; Operation China innovatively stands apart as a practical guide on how a business should approach the unique nuances of China, and how to understand the new competitive forces that are increasingly at work in today's global business environment. As the by-line of the book reflects, it does an admirable job bringing the reader through achieving success for your business all the way from "Strategy to Execution."
   
   Operation China is essential reading not only for successfully operating inside China; but also for how a company's China operations can be used as a tool in order to achieve more success outside of China. It will be a wake up call to those still laboring under the misguided impression of how simply being in China is enough - and the misguided belief that solely importing complete systems developed elsewhere and for different markets is sufficient. Hexter and Woetzel explain not only is world class execution necessary to win in China, but a company must also adopt their systems for China to be truly successful. The combination of adapting outside systems and processes to China, in conjunction with practices and processes that are hallmarks in other competitive markets, will result in innovation in such systems and processes and make them even better for a more competitive advantage. The resulting innovation may in turn be exported back to the global market. In other words, part of a company's competitive strength can indeed come from innovations developed when seeking to achieve world-class execution within China, and then taken to make the company stronger globally outside of China. Such world class execution will be needed in order to succeed in both China and the global market.
   
   The book is organized in an extraordinarily helpful and practical way. It begins with two chapters on why "Good enough is no longer enough in China", and the changing rules to achieve business success and world-class execution in China. Part two of the book is organized by subject matter, allowing the busy executive to read the most relevant and helpful portions for their business - whether it be marketing, distribution, the war for talent, or a number of other helpful topics. Finally, the book concludes by focusing on the future of business in China, including the predicted significant wave of future merges and acquisitions. I think the title of the last chapter says it all "Win in China - or Lose Everywhere."
   
   The sophisticated and well-written analysis by these two talented long time China consultants provides the necessary overview and advice that will provide any executive a competitive advantage to both win in China and the rest of the world - and indeed, as the book explains, this success between operations in China and globally is now strongly and unavoidably linked. Operation China is leading the way towards the new wave of how doing business in China must be viewed, and is highly recommended reading for executives in China, or for those simply interested in the future of global competition.
   
   Mark R. Williams,
   
   DLA Piper UK LLP - Beijing Managing Partner



5. Wow. If you've ever experienced a McKinsey consulting gig, you'll be well-familiar with this book's contents.
   
   Hint: you remember the UPS Supply Chain commercial in which the 2 consultants gave their advice to the willing and accepting CEO? He says, "ok, do it!" They look uncomfortably at each other, "well, we don't actually DO anything."
   
   This book provides some good insights and background but is very, very high level. Just move to the "How to Get Started" chapter to learn how to think about getting started.
   
   Throughout this book I felt like I was viewing a $200k, 100 page powerpoint presentation. Save your $ if you're serious about actually DOING something in China.

3 comments about Understanding International Art Markets and Management.

1. Iain Robertson et al. is presenting this very sound introduction to the non-expert of the arts international market. It is a collection of articles from different authors; therefore expect a non-linear writing style, which is however easy to understand. It is written from the point of view of the curator, or of someone who stands outside the market as an observer. What one could find as missing, are other perspectives such as the artist themselves. Nevertheless, this book discusses a very wide range of the arts market and even includes chapters such as art crime. The reader can thus easily gain a very good (though theoretical) insight of how the arts market works and of who are the actors in the market.
   
   Five stars are awarded for this book, as I would recommend this book to all those who have an interest in learning how the arts market works and as this book delivers.



2. This book is a gem. Even for the people who don't know much about the art market, it's still a book worthwhile reading. The writing is very polished, yet easy to follow; the information is in depth. There are a lot of books on Art History; but this is the book on Art Market History with the most comprehensive analysis of economic, political and social impacts on art, artists and art market. The humor and sarcasm in the book make the reading fun. If you enjoy philosophy, politics and history or art critics, this is a great book to have.



3. Excellent essays on practical issues -- a fresh, valuable read for museum and top gallery professionals, as well as serious collectors and students.

5 comments about Toward a North American Community: Lessons from the Old World for the New.

1. It may be the biggest story of the 21st century, but few press outlets are telling it. In fact, until very recently, few in the U.S. were aware of the plans and even fewer denouncing what appears to be the implementation of an effort some have characterized as "NAFTA on steroids."
   
   All American people should be very concerned at the prospect of a North American Union - and the end of hope for the free country our Founding Fathers laid before us. We must resist to the bitter end of need be and fight the push bu multinational corporations and elite bankers' push for a new world order combining elements of fascism/corporatism and and end-run around our sovereignty by unsurping the powers of Congress and the American Legal System.
   
   Is President Bush's reluctance to control the border and enforce laws requiring deportation of foreigners who enter the country illegally part of a master plan to all but eliminate borders between the U.S., Canada and Mexico? You bet.
   
   If President Bush's agenda is to establish a new North American union government to supersede the sovereignty of the United States, then the president has an obligation to tell this to the American people directly. The American public has a right to know.
   
   Phyllis Schlafly, the woman best known for nearly single-handedly leading the opposition that killed the Equal Rights Amendment, sees a sinister and sweeping agenda behind the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America.
   
   "Is the real push behind guest-worker proposals the Bush goal to expand NAFTA into the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, which he signed at Waco, Texas, last year and reaffirmed at Cancun, Mexico, this year?" she asks. "Bush is a globalist at heart and wants to carry out his father's oft-repeated ambition of a 'new world order.'"
   
   She accuses the president and others behind the effort of wanting to obliterate U.S. borders in an effort to increase the Mexican population transfer and lower wages for the benefit of U.S. corporate interests.
   
   America: From Freedom To Fascism. (Unless we oppose it by any means necessary).



2. I cannot believe what this guy is proposing!! I am going to pass this around as further ammunition that the federal government is not a government for, of, and by the People. The New American Century has only just begun.
   
   But opposition is mounting. Perhaps the most blistering criticism has come from Lou Dobbs of CNN - a frequent critic of Bush's immigration policies.
   
   "A regional prosperity and security program?" he asked rhetorically in a recent cablecast. "This is absolute ignorance. And the fact that we are -- we reported this, we should point out, when it was signed. But, as we watch this thing progress, these working groups are continuing. They're intensifying. What in the world are these people thinking about? You know, I was asked the other day about whether or not I really thought the American people had the stomach to stand up and stop this nonsense, this direction from a group of elites, an absolute contravention of our law, of our Constitution, every national value. And I hope, I pray that I'm right when I said yes. But this is -- I mean, this is beyond belief."
   
   AMEN.
   
   Recently, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review questioned the unchallenged momentum toward merger.
   
   "Will Americans trade their dead presidents for Ameros?" the newspaper asked in an editorial last month.
   
   The paper chided efforts at replacing the U.S. and Canadian dollars and Mexican peso with "the amero" - a knockoff of the euro - along with the building of "a looming NAFTA-like superstate." Citing the meeting between the three national leaders at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in March 2005, the editorial warned: "Canadians, Mexicans and Americans who value the sovereignty of their respective countries should be concerned."
   
   The Tribune Review editorial saw synergy between the plans of the national leaders and the ambitious agenda of the Council on Foreign Relations - seen by many as a kind of secretive, shadow government of the elite. The CFR issued a bold report in the spring of 2005, shortly after the joint announcements in Waco by Bush and his counterparts.
   
   "The Council on Foreign Relations published a report in May -- "Building a North American Community" -- calling for, among other things, redefining the borders of the three nations, creating a super-regional governance board and the North American Paramilitary Group to ensure that Congress does not interfere with whatever the trilateral union feels like doing," said the paper. "Must the Bush administration happily sacrifice every shred of American sovereignty for the greater good of the New World Order?"
   
   In fact, the CFR report is a five-year plan for the "establishment by 2010 of a North American economic and security community" with a common "outer security perimeter."
   
   Some see it as the blueprint for merger of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It calls for "a common economic space ... for all people in the region, a space in which trade, capital and people flow freely."
   
   The CFR's strategy calls specifically for "a more open border for the movement of goods and people." It calls for laying "the groundwork for the freer flow of people within North America." It calls for efforts to "harmonize visa and asylum regulations." It calls for efforts to "harmonize entry screening."
   
   In "Building a North American Community," the report states that Bush, Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin "committed their governments" to this goal March 23, 2005, at that meeting in Waco, Texas.
   
   Alan Burkhart, who describes himself as a free-lance political writer, cross-country trucker "and proud citizen of one of the reddest of the Red States - Mississippi," is another critic seething over these plans that seem to have a life of their own - with little or no real public debate.
   
   "As time passes, American corporations will find it unnecessary to move their facilities out of the country," writes Burkhart. "Our already stagnant wages will be just as low as those of Mexico. The cultures of three great nations will be diluted. Our currency will be replaced with the 'Amero.' And, we'll be one giant step closer to the U.N.'s perverse dream of a one-world government."
   
   Pastor also was vice chairman of the May 2005 Council on Foreign Relations task force entitled "Building a North American Community" that presents itself as a blueprint for using bureaucratic action within the executive branches of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada to transform the current trilateral Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America into a North American union regional government.
   
   THATS RIGHT PEOPLE.. THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING THIS AND ISN'T EVEN TELLING US ABOUT IT. APPARENTLY WE ARE NOT WORTH NOTIFYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



3. This man is proposing the end of America and the end of our Constitution...this is NOT a good idea. The bush administration has already stripped the constitution to its bones. WHat we need is the reinstate the constitution NOT abolish it by forming a new North American constitution as is being done in the European Union. VOTE RON PAUL.



4. Most of the comments are coming from people that probably never been out of the US, please go to Europe and you will see whats the European Union, read a little bit about it and you will understand that none of the countries are losing their constitutions or their freedoms. Some of the comment are talking about destroying the US?? thats incredible such an ignorance, American jobs will grow and Mexicans will remain in their country, as already is happening in European Union, a Mexican family not to come to the US needs 300 dollars a month, but they can not even make that, lets develop Mexico and they will not come, they will be richer and they will buy more from US and Canada, guys don't be scare, Loud Dobbs is absolutely wrong and his program just make profits with your fear, wake up people. The North American Union Will make the US leader as stronger and it has never been in its history.
   Canada and the US can transform The whole Americas in 20 years as the European Union is doing it in Southern and Eastern Europe.
   Mexico is in a better shape that Spain, Ireland Greece Poland were when they joined the European Union, and look at now, Ireland has highest standard of living than the US, Spain is a first world country now, and just 1.5 million Polish left Poland since it joined the EU, mean while 0.5 million Mexicans have to cross illegally the border cause the US and Canada have a half as NAFTA, a Free trade that is nothing comparing with the European Union. PLEASE PEOPLE READ ABOUT EUROPEAN UNION [...] , and you will see that the US media is just about fear fear fear, and the worse is that you buy the baby food that they give you.



5. Robert Pastor should be hung for treason. He is determined to undermine the sovereignty of the United States of America. Do not purchase his books.

5 comments about How Walmart Is Destroying America And The World: And What You Can Do About It.

1. This book caught my eye at a rummage sale for twenty-five cents. Many folks on my wife's side of the family are big supporters of Wal-Mart, so naturally when I brought this book home my wife wanted nothing to do with it. I'm indifferent to the large retailer, so I kept an open mind, and decided to read it anyway.
   
   The book's biggest problem is that Quinn spends too much time ranting and raving about how horrible Wal-Mart is. It's like listening to a cantankerous old man who just got fired from his position as a Wal-Mart greeter. Sure, he raises some good points, but Wal-Mart does not need to "Burn in Hell" as it seems he wishes it would.
   
   If the author wants to point out how Wal-Mart is destroying America, he out to provide solutions and alternatives to the problem. So you hate Wal-Mart...okay; we've established that. Now how about telling me some actual good things the retailer is doing? There are very few things in the world that are totally corrupt, and Wal-Mart is not one of them. Wal-Mart has good and bad points, and not pointing out some of it's good points is what makes this book's bias so distasteful.
   
   While the book will give you pause, I doubt this will be a thorn in Wal-Mart's side. The book is just too personal. It reminds me of a child who was picked on by a school bully, and now he is crying to his parents instead of confronting the problem head-on.
   
   If you don't want to shop at Wal-Mart, then don't! There's not one thing you can buy at Wal-Mart that you can't get somewhere else. You don't need a 165 page book to tell you that.



2. This is an activists' handbook for those who want to attack Wal-Mart, which is not only the world's biggest retailer but the world's largest nongovernmental employer. The author sees Wal-Mart as bearing the principal responsibility for an awful lot of terrible things that are happening to small-town America and that are now spilling into the rest of the world as WM invests in stores overseas.
   
   There is no denying that WM is a catalyst for a lot of distrubing trends: the use of scale economies to underbid mom&pop shops in America's rural areas, its transforming impact on communities (heavier traffic, depopulation of traditional downtown areas, etc), its heavy-handed approach to negotiations with sometimes desperate local authorities, and lastly, its use of near-minimum wage labor while crushing labor union activity in its stores.
   
   But as a catalyst, it is much more the instrument of fundamental economic forces - globalisation and also vast integrated operational networks - than the sole or even the governing cause. In my view, that throws the questions into the political arena. Sure, you can attack WM, but what its managers are doing only makes business sense to them: expand shops that are incredibly profitable while selling at far lower prices than traditional outlets could because they lack the scale and organization of WM. That cannot be fought at the moment.
   
   The bottom line then becomes: WM will continue to win unless there is some kind of concerted political action that changes the fundamental economic logic that is operating behind it - and that is way beyond just blocking the change of zoning laws or boycotting the company. I am not arguing that WM's impact is good or inevitable and unstoppable, but that the current economic environment favors it.
   
   As such, I believe this book fails to look at most of the deeper problems. Instead, the reader is served up with a simplistic villain, WM, and urged to protest and buy elsewhere. The assumption is: get rid of WM and we can go a long way back to how things were. Alas, that is a strawman.
   
   What we need to do is change the playing field. And this book will not help much in that. WM and its imitators need to be regulated and channeled into certain areas of competition that are less destructive to traditional communities and their economies, and that is as complicated and difficult to effect as it would sound. Of course, WM must also be forced to provide healthcare, allow unionization, and take the environment into consideration in its decisions.
   
   Nonetheless, from the evidence as it appears to me, WM has not yet become a responsive corporate citizen. THe incredible size and power that it has attained is a relatively recent phenomenon, and there are many managers inside of it who are arguing that it needs to change, including CEO Lee Scott. But it needs to evolve and pay attention to what the outside world thinks of its practices, which leave a lot to be desired to put it mildly. That is where protest comes in and where books like this have a vital part to play. If WM leaders are smart, they will see that it makes business sense for them to listen to consumers and adapt their practices as far as they can while maintaining profitability.
   
   Later, if the company has a culture that is capable of learning, the protests may become a more productive kind of negotiation, as it has with some companies such as adidas or even McDonald's. But to blame everything on just one company is as silly as holding McDonald's alone as responsible for America's obesity epidemic - they play a role to be sure, but are only cogs in a far greater economic and cultural phenomenon.
   
   Recommended as this is a piece of the debate, but it is badly incomplete and simplistic.



3. The author of this book is definitely biased against W-Mart, which is not necessarily a bad thing. As long as the author is open and up front about the bias, the reader can judge the validity of the argument by themselves.
   
   The book is not an in depth look at the worlds largest retailer, but rather a primer on how W-Mart operates, how they treat employees, how they bully their way into communities and the like. If you are looking for a good overview, then this would be a good book.
   
   The book is short, and the writing is fairly simple, making this a quick read. If W-Mart is coming to town, this may be a good book for the citizen groups to read. Just remember that there are much more detailed books on the company available.



4. Everyone who loves their country should read this book. If walmart were wiped off the planet, our country's financial problems would go away overnight.



5. ok here is the deal. i do not like this store but i had to do a report on it and in that respect it was a good source of information for what i was trying to conclude.

5 comments about China: The Balance Sheet: What the World Needs to Know Now About the Emerging Superpower (Institute International Econom).

1. I find this book extremely dull because it is mainly made up of statements. But then I realise that, written by government think tanks, this book is for politicians.
   
   If you are a general reader and want to understand how China is affecting the world, I recommend China Shakes the World or China Inc. And if are interested in the recent history of China (pre-1978), read Wild Swans.
   
   If you are a business person and want to understand how to do business in China, I recommend The China Executive by Dr Wei Wang.



2. I haven't read this book but have read several others by Nick Lardy and studied with him at Yale. I disagee with several reviewers who characterize Nick and his colleagues as ignorant about China and are simply imposing a western view. Nick was studying China and the economy (in Chinese) long before it was a popular subject and is intimately familiar with the country's economy. In a country where data is often obscured by politics, he has done an excellent job of piecing together disparate facts to achieve a coherent whole. He may be skeptical, but he's often correct.



3. Pg. 4: "China's average wage is one-thirtieth of the U.S. and its average productivity level is equally lower (and wages, in any event account for only 20% of the cost of producing textiles and 5% of the cost of producing semiconductors)." If so, manufacturers that offshore in China would be stupid; alternatively, "China: The Balance Sheet" has a serious credibility problem. I go with the latter.
   
   Nonetheless, this is still some value to the book for its statistics. For example, the authors believe China's foreign exchange reserves reached $1 trillion in '06, far more than any other country's, and probably more than enough to make serious improvement in its pollution and poverty problems. By 2050, China's economy is projected to be the world's largest; foreign investment only accounts for 5% of its capital growth - the Chinese savings rate of about 33% is more than enough to handle China's growth with money left over.
   
   As for social services, "The Balance Sheet" asserts a mid-90's adult literacy rate of about 80% (vs. 50% in India) and graduates 800,000 scientists and engineers/year, while spending only 2.8% of GDP on education. Healthcare accounts for about 6% - far less than the U.S.' 16%.
   
   Only 16% of China's land is arable, and most of its population lives on it. China's leaders are pressured to improve employment to absorb those leaving rural China, as well as those 40% released from state-jobs (including 80% from state-owned manufacturers).
   
   Bergsten et al are most concerned about the possibility of conflict between the U.S. and China re Taiwan, and they point out that China uses its political (U.N. Security Council membership) and economic muscle to "encourage" others to support it re Taiwan.



4. This book is the best primer on the rise of China and the consequences to the United States that I have come across. Most other authors on the subject feel the need to have a strong thesis, either "China: House of Cards" or "China: Unstoppable Juggernaut". The team here presents a balanced and clinical view while venturing to conclusions on reccommended US actions as well. Well worth the quick read to cut through all the China hype/noise out there.



5. This book contains an excellent ,overall assessment of China.It shows both the strengths and weaknesses of China.However,it is not the case that China's growth rate over the last 30 yaers has been 10 %.In late 2007,the World Bank,based on a complete reassessment of its estimates of Chinese price equivalents ,in terms of USA prices,based on standard purchasing power parity calculations,estimated China's Gross Domestic Product(gdp) to be no more than $6 trillion and not the $10-$11 trillion estimated in 2005 and 2006.This corrected statistic can be compared to the current gdp of the United States ,which is around $13 trillion.Similarly,the alleged rising middle class of China turns out to be at most 100 million out of a population of 1.4 billion.These facts mean that China is not the unstoppable powerhouse claimed in numerous other currently available books on China.The China threat,in fact,appears to be very similar ,in many respects, to the old Soviet Union threat based on faulty economic growth statistics that had greatly overestimated the Soviet Union's economic growth rate.

5 comments about Hello Kitty: The Remarkable Story of Sanrio and the Billion Dollar Feline Phenomenon.

1. It?s so easy to trivialize the significance of Hello Kitty?s simple iconic image. But here the authors have skillfully drafted a book that deconstructs the appeal of this cross-cultural phenomenon and the behind-the-scenes machinations of its hugely successful marketing and merchandising.



2. This book was recommended by a friend who has extensive experience in the consumer goods industry. It was an interesting read, as I'm a fan of Hello Kitty as well as a business school graduate. The authors do a good job of explaining a lot of the background regarding how Sanrio got to where it is today.
   
   One of the things I hoped this book would answer is the question of why Sanrio would distribute its products through a mass retailer like Target. It never even came close to this issue; I'm still curious to know Sanrio's strategy with Target.
   
   I agree with Tristan Beaulieu that the later chapters begin to repeat content from earlier chapters. I'm not sure if this is because it was written by two authors and simply wasn't integrated well enough. Also, some of the earlier chapters refer to vignettes coming later in the book, but it turns out to be a letdown when most of the story has already been revealed by its earlier reference.



3. I am a huge fan of the Sanrio company and everything it creates and I received this book for Christmas. The writing style is typical of a high school student's book report. The same facts are repeated over and over, making half the book seem like filler. The same numbers and figures and statements are constantly repeated. In short, the book could have been about 30 pages long without the filler.
   
   It backtracks a lot also. It feels like every chapter is written by a new writer who was told to research Hello Kitty (like I said, it repeats). I wish it would have had a more linear style, from beginning to end.
   
   The facts are very interesting though, and learning about the creator was also a nice treat.



4. I think the authors were writing this to be used as a textbook for a business class. There was no message beyond Hello Kitty is sucessful. Yeah, I figured that out from the title. Additionally, many details were repeated in multiple chapters. Overall there was no unifying thread from the authors. They didn't tell us their interpretation of why Hello Kitty was successful or how it came to be in their opinion. It was interesting but not earth shattering.



5. If you are a Hello Kitty fan you might want to know more about how it all got started. Sometimes repetitious, but still fun to read if you are a Hello Kitty fan, this book provides tons of information about Sanrio and Hello Kitty and her makers. It is an interesting story. Did you know Bill Gates tried to buy the copywrite to Hello Kitty? A fun read. Good for summer relaxing or rainy days in a blanket. It will make you love Kitty White even more (if that is possible!)!

5 comments about The Halliburton Agenda: The Politics of Oil and Money.

1. Did I get the wrong book from Amazon.com? The book is advertised to be a book about Cheney and Halliburton - it is about Halliburton but not Cheney. For example, pictures of Cheney appear on both the front and back covers of the book jacket. But that is very misleading. The book is not about Cheney per se; there are in fact only a dozen or so pages dealing with Cheney near the end of the book and he plays only a minor role; he finally appears on page 191 of the 237 added seemingly as an afterthought. Surprisingly, the dominant politician in the book is the former president and Texas native Lyndon Baines Johnson or LBJ. By my estimate and it is confirmed by looking at the index, LBJ takes up three times as much space in the book as Cheney, and furthermore he plays a much more important role in setting any "agenda" at Brown & Root - a subsidiary of Halliburton. Even though the book even if falsely promoted it is still an interesting read about two old US companies and their eventual merger; but at just 237 pages long in medium font is not a 5 star effort, just 3.5 stars, maybe only 3 stars at best.
   
   The first company described is the oil well services company Halliburton started in approximately 1920 by Erle Halliburton in Oklahoma. Erle Halliburton died in 1957 leaving a successful and financially strong and independent business enterprise as his legacy. The second company is Brown & Root (B & R) that developed from being a Texas road construction company that was started around 1917 to become a major defense contractor. The business grew through political connections and after many decades B & R had become the largest engineering and construction company in the USA, boosted by the Vietnam war effort, and fed by a series of domestic and foreign construction and defense contracts stretching around the globe.
   
   The book tells (very briefly) how these companies developed, merged in 1962 with R & B being bought by Halliburton, and how they became a major defense contractor. It also contains many side stories such as the influence of the rising political star LBJ in Texas, dam construction, back room operators such as A.J.Wirtz, political intrigue, the milking of Roosevelt's New Deal money, navy boat building, the fall of Leland Olds who was a bureaucrat blocking their expansion, the Johnson Space Center contract, Vietnam contracts, the LOGCAP contract, the Dresser merger, Henry Waxman's congressional charges against Halliburton and the sole sourcing, etc. Cheney appears near the end of the book and I did learn that Cheney flunked out of Yale and was arrested twice for DWI in his youth. There are a number of insights and comments on the current contracts to Halliburton. But since Halliburton had the LOGCAP contract before Cheney, it seems to me that Cheney played no more a dramatic role - I suspect - than any other good CEO or "rainmaker" might have played at Halliburton to boost its revenues.
   
   As a book I would say it rates just 3 or 4 stars since as the author acknowledges that he uses and number of existing books such as "Erle P. Halliburton: Genius with Cement" and other publications, and most of the book is about the older history - as I said Cheney does not even appear until page 191 out of 237. So even when he appears the information is scant. Having said that it is clear the author has done extensive research, he has a nice reference section for further reading, he brings the story together, but overall it seems like a short collection of historical facts and tidbits. As it stands, it is more of a "gateway" book or introduction and it would have been a 5 star book if it was about 400-500 pages long and was more complete. But some of the references and 40 pages of notes at the back are worth a follow up read.



2. Author Dan Briody has written a book that goes beyond pundit finger-pointing over the controversial "no-bid" contracts relationship between Halliburton and Vice President Dick Cheney. This is a serious examination of the high-octane blend of profit and politics that fuels the Bush administration's agenda. Briody begins with an extensive history of two Texas companies, Halliburton and Brown & Root (now KBR). He deftly portrays how they made their fortunes despite Great Depression hardships, World War II and political intrigues aplenty. Briody pulls no punches while maintaining a reportorial (if not totally objective) tone, although people who hold different political views might argue with his opinions and conclusions. We recommend this saga to anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the ongoing tryst between corporate America and its politicians. While this book is not presented as a smoking gun, it portrays insider politics that smolder like an oil fire you can't quite extinguish, leaving sort of an ugly haze.



3. I actually enjoyed his book about Carlyle and it's the reason I bought this book. But there should have been another 300 pages. It did a pretty good job of describing the origins of Halliburton and Brown and Root and described the relationship both Brown and Root and later the combined company had with Lyndon Johnson. But it's other political relationships of the time were not fleshed out, and only briefly mentioned. Basically anything about the companies histories after the late 1950s was brief and I felt shortchanged once I got to this part of the book. (3/4 of the way into it) The change of name to Kellog, Brown and Root was not mentioned, nor were contracts such as Guantanomo or the base on Diego Garcia which sounds to me like it could have warranted quite some ink. Also Kellog, Brown and Root's bankruptcy was glossed over leaving me wondering what the story is on this. The asbestos issue was only briefly mentioned, and Cheney's attempts to reduce these losses by changing the laws wasn't mentioned at all. Information about the companies contracts in Iraq is almost non-existant and the reputed contracts the Company did with countries in Cheney's era under US sanctions (ie Iran) by diverting the contracts via it's overseas subsidiaries gets not even a fraction of a page.
   
   Basically if you after information on these companies after 1962 you're better off researching it on the internet.



4. It was a good read. Pretty scary stuff. As far as Chaney goes, the only thing that would have been more of a surprise would have been that he was identified as one of the founding members of the Log Cabin Republicans but for someone who spends so much time at undisclosed locations, stranger things could happen.
   
   Bud Brown



5. Actually, there was nothing particularly shocking. The scandal of Halliburton's involvement in Iraq is pretty obvious, and the author adds no information about that. I would guess the more scandalous aspects will come out in the future. When it is clear that we went to war solely so that Halliburton could have the pipeline work, then I'll be mildly perturbed, but not surprised. There must after all have been some real reason.
   
   If one is looking for dirt on Cheney, there really isn't much. He is completely overshadowed in this book by LBJ, Herman Brown, Alvin Wirtz and others, and actually, Robert Caro's books on LBJ are much more enthralling accounts of all that. Still, it's fun to read about these tough Texas mothers with their whiskey and bags full of hundred dollar bills. In fact, now that I think about it I highly recommend all of Caro's books about LBJ.
   
   Coming back to this one, it kind of fizzles out. Halliburton and Brown & Root have interesting histories. People who naively suppose that modern day public officials are honest and that their words are related to their motives in any way may be alarmed, but I would guess that most people reading this book in the first place aren't expecting a tale gleaming with moral gems. And Cheney as a rogue is a humorless dud. The most surprising thing I learned about him was that he had his first heart attack at 37!