Browsing through the book it looks very similar to the second edition: [b:Business: The Ultimate Resource|738620|Business The Ultimate Resource|Basic Books|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348822995s/738620.jpg|724794], which I rated 5 stars. The first thing that struck me is that that the font looks anemic. The lines of the characters are very thin. I can't imagine that someone was being cheap with the ink. And why is it 272 pages shorter than the second edition. It doesn't appear to be a smaller font, just a scrawny font. And why do all three editions have a different publisher? But it's the content that matters. Right?

One Favorite Part

Page 472 and 473: "Communicating Assertively in the Workplace" just happened to resonate with me when I read it on 2014.03.14. The web site mentioned is no longer up, and the book mentioned was not at the Flagstaff library.

I never did read all the pages in this book, but when we moved to Salt Lake City I downsized the book, so I'll mark it read. The most annoying part is that the Kindle edition is priced right up there with the hard copy. The Kindle price for this one is $43.69 vs $45.99 for the printed edition. No thanks. ( )

I was impressed enough with the library copy of the first edition that I bought the second edition. Now, a few years later, the third edition is out (by a different publisher), and I have bought it. Why is it that each of the three editions was published by a different publisher. Page numbers below refer to the second edition. Much of the content is similar, however, the third edition has fewer pages. I have not yet identified quite what is different.

Here are a few favorites - I like the book, and it's not reasonable to copy everything I like, so I marked the portions that impressed me to make it easier to go back and review them.

"Trust the process - fun takes root in organizations that are high-trust rather than high-fear. The more trust we show, the more fun there is; the more fun there is, the more trust we show. Fun is an energy force that can't be mandated or controlled by rules. If you trust people with your company's most valuable assets, why not trust them to use their judgment in blending fun with work?" (Page 38) Leslie A Yerkes

"We are speeding up our lives and working harder in a futile attempt to buy the time to slow down and enjoy it. (Page 38) Paul Hawken

"You don't need to interpret tea leaves stuck in a cup to understand that people who work sitting down get paid more than those standing up." Ogden Nash (p. 82 footer)

"Key skills will be the ability to win friends and influence people at a personal level, the ability to structure partnerships, and the ability to negotiate and to find compromises. Business will be much more about finding the right people in the right place and negotiating the right deals." (Page 97 2nd ed, Charles Handy, author of The Elephant and the Flea, and others)

How to Get Lucky by Donald N Skull is quite meaningful (Page 101-103)
"The most successful companies exemplified active waiting ... " He then describes the components of active waiting.

It's time to mark the second edition book as read. Not that I ready every page, but I gave it to my son to take to college since he is going into business. So, I now have the third edition. ( )

This is another book with a big title to live up to and does so stunningly well. Apologies for this review being longer than normal but I wanted to give a feel for this impressive book.

I first came across it whilst browsing in a bookshop in Covent Garden between meetings. My first impressions were good and I would have bought it there and then if I thought I could manage to carry it and my laptop across London to Euston Station!

This is a big book with over 2200 A4 sized pages. Of course size is no measure of quality but hints at just how comprehensive the book is and explains why, unlike the other reviews, I don’t claim to have read every word and can only hope to give you a taster of its value.

The overall structure of the book is divided into 7 sections dealing with Best Practice, Management Checklists & Action Lists, Management Library, Business Thinkers & Management Giants, Business Dictionary, World Business Almanac and Business Information Sources. Each of these sections is literally bulging with information in article form provided by an array of contributors. If I say that the list of best practice contributors, each with a mini biography spans 15 pages with over 170 names including Edward de Bono, Sir John Harvey-Jones and Robert Kaplan you may get some feel for the quality of input.

Section 1 Best Practice features over 160 articles each providing an overview of business issues grouped under 11 headings such as People/Culture, Leadership and Renewal/Growth each aiming to provide background information and practical advice. I like the fact that the articles are written to be read and used, not always the case with management books. For example they all have a common structure with a brief executive summary, relevant mini-cases, making-it-happen tips and links to further resources.

Section 2 features what are called management checklists but are far more comprehensive than the name suggests. Each of the more than 100 checklists provides structured advice for a host of different management situations. These are again grouped under a series of headings, People Management, Personal Effectiveness, Business Planning etc. A common structure provides an overview, defines the approach with advantages/disadvantages, Do’s and Don’ts and sources of further help. I particularly like the ‘Thought Starters’ which serve as a series of prompts to test whether the approach is right for you. Topics covered range from Coaching for Better Performance through to Open Systems Thinking.
In addition over 100 Action Lists provide specific ‘how to’ guidance on issues under headings of e-commerce, Marketing, Personal Development and Accounting and Finance.

Section 3 Management Library provides a one page summary for each of around 70 of the most influential business books. Each review explains why you might want to read the book, the contribution it makes, the context and follow up sources.

Section 4 Business Thinkers and Management Giants. Here are profiles of 100 management writers, experts and practitioners and their ideas and achievements. This is an impressive array of profiles which will provide a good grounding on all the names you’ve heard of and many you have yet to learn of. Again a strength is the common format which provides an outline of the Life and Career, Key Thinking, and a review to place their work in perspective.

Section 5 provides a comprehensive dictionary of business terms, abbreviations, business slang etc.

Section 6 World Business Almanac provides a host of tabulated global economic and social information with some fascinating and diverse data. From population and trade figures to data for example on Patent Applications filed by Residents (Japan 360,338, UK 28,889), Wind Power Capacity, Access to Media, etc. This is complimented with a national profile for each country which provides economic, geographic, political and business information and of course links to books and web based further information.

Even 2200 pages can only provide an overview of the broad range of subjects the book addresses so Section 7 Business Information Sources provides over 200 pages of pointers to further information on every imaginable business topic from Accounting to Working Abroad. Each topic has copious information on Books, Magazines, Internet Links and organisations to contact. It provides a truly staggering range of opportunities to pursue a topic of interest.

In conclusion this is a truly mammoth book which can’t fail to be of value to anyone in business who wishes to advance their understanding and knowledge. Sometimes in putting together an encyclopaedia of this kind editors can feel that their task is completed when the information has been gathered. They leave the reader feeling that the information they need is in here somewhere, but where? In contrast this book has been very carefully assembled to not only contain a wealth of information but much more importantly make it accessible and useable. The book has many examples of this care and attention.

I've tried to give a feel for the impressive list of what the book provides but can’t capture it all. For example in putting this review together I discovered that you can register on-line to receive updates and now have received a host of additional information to supplement the book and receive a monthly Newsletter with additional articles, updates and new web links to keep the information truly topical all included in the price of the book. .

It is a stunningly impressive piece of work which I defy anyone in business not to find an extremely valuable reference and source of information. ideas and inspiration. ( )

Hundreds of small, succinct articles with how-to tips on all aspects of business, including finding a job, managing, marketing, implementing business techniques (such as Six Sigma), customer service, etc. "Cliff Notes" of best-selling books in business. I love this book! NEA