Book Recommendations

From Our Partner Sue Squires

Inside Arthur Andersen: Shifting Values, Unexpected Consequences

by Susan Squires, Lorna McDougall, Cynthia Smith, William R. Yeack; Publisher: Financial Times Prentice Hall; June 2003 

The authors of Inside Arthur Andersen: Shifting Values, Unexpected Consequences bring their unique insights to a close-range observation of Andersen's culture that has continued for more than 15 years. They set the stage by reviewing Andersen's unique history and role; its traditionally careful attention to "enculturing" new employees via mentoring, social networking, rewards and punishments; and its social structure characterized by personal, "familial" relationships. Next, they narrate two decades of change at Andersen, showing how the firm's tightly integrated cultural system gradually began to devolve, rapidly coming apart in the wake of the 1990s new economy revolution. The book concludes with an insightful discussion of the systemic cultural and business factors that placed Andersen and many other organizations at risk, along with a realistic assessment of the proposed reforms. Organizational leaders can read this book as a profound cautionary tale; researchers and students of organizational culture can read it as one of the most extraordinary case studies ever presented.

Creating Breakthrough Ideas: The Collaboration of Anthropologists and Designers in the Product Development Industry 

by Susan Squires (Editor), Bryan Byrne (Editor); Publisher: Bergin & Garvey; October 30, 2002

Reveals how research, design, and development firms are actively recruiting social scientists, as ethnographic research becomes more central to the creation of new products and services for US and global markets.

General & Marketing Interest

Jump Start Your Business Brain: Win More, Lose Less, and Make More Money

by Doug Hall, Tom Peters; Publisher: F&W Publications; September 2001

Doug Hall has been called America's #1 New Product Idea Man by Inc. Magazine, A&E Top 10 and CIO Magazine, a title earned due to his outstanding work with such industry leaders as American Express, Ford Motor Company, Disney, Johnson & Johnson, Hewlett-Packard, Tropicana, AT&T and Frito-Lay.

Jump Start Your Business Brain is packed with hard-won insight as to what truly works in the marketplace. To make it accessible to all, Doug transforms this real-life market intelligence into six scientific laws that, when applied with diligence, can make any business overflow with good fortune. 

by Jonathan Price, Lisa Price; Publisher: New Riders Publishing; 1st edition January 11, 2002

A unique book, equally suited for use in the classroom as text, or as a handbook for anyone who communicates with the written word through the web. Jonathan and Lisa Price--who research, teach and practice what they preach--have achieved a prime balance between richly informative, real-world-example-based discussion of clear communication on web sites, and a tone that is the farthest thing from the stereotypical "dry" that comes to mind upon hearing the word "textbook". 

by Daniel Amor; Publisher: Prentice Hall; 2nd edition December 14, 2001

Presents a complete tour of internet business including e-commerce and web marketing, search engines and portals, technology selection and comparison, legal issues, internet security, applications, communications etc. 

by Melinda Nykamp; Publisher: AMACOM; 1st edition February 15, 2001

A step-by-step blueprint for making customer relationship management a core part of any company. Shows how to make customer value a top priority in sales, marketing, service, and communication, how to improve a company's customer IQ by collecting the right personal data, how to optimize interactions at every customer touchpoint, and more.

by Jim Sterne, Anthony Priore, Jerry I. Reitman; Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 1 edition February 22, 2000

To make effective use of e-mail as a marketing tool, you need a strategy rather than a splatter gun, and the book talks you through the process of crafting one. You also need to know how to write a good e-mail, and one of the book's key sections takes you through the do's and don'ts, from the wording of the header to signing off.

by Geoffrey A. Moore, Regis McKenna; Publisher: HarperBusiness; Rev edition August 1999

Author Geoffrey Moore makes the case that high-tech products require marketing strategies that differ from those in other industries. His chasm theory describes how high-tech products initially sell well, mainly to a technically literate customer base, but then hit a lull as marketing professionals try to cross the chasm to mainstream buyers. This pattern, says Moore, is unique to the high-tech industry. Moore suggests remedies for the problem that can help businesses meet their long-term goals. 

by Seth Godin, Don Peppers; Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1 edition May 1, 1999

Godin delves into the strategies of several companies that successfully practice permission marketing, including Amazon.com, American Airlines, Bell Atlantic, and American Express. Permission marketing works best on the Internet, he writes, because the medium eliminates costs such as envelopes, printing, and stamps. Instead of advertising with a plain banner ad on the Internet, you should focus on discovering the customer's problem and getting permission to follow up with e-mail, he writes. Permission Marketing is an important and valuable book for businesses seeking better results from their advertising.

by Leslie De Chernatony, Leslie de Chernatony, Malcolm H. B. McDonald; Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann; 2nd edition September 1998

A comprehensive coverage of brand management that is applications orientated, yet grounded on solid theory. The books provides a framework organizing the principles of brand building. The success of Creating Powerful Brands has led to the preparation of this fully revised and updated second edition which retains all the strengths of the original book enhanced by the latest examples and best practice.

by Alfons Trompenaars, Charles Hampden-Turner, Fons Trompenaars; Publisher: McGraw-Hill Trade; 2nd edition December 1, 1997

As U.S. organizations continue to explore overseas business opportunities, they will be challenged to adapt to the new market's local characteristics, legislation, fiscal regime, sociopolitical environment and cultural system. Riding the Waves of Culture shows international managers how to build the skills, sensitivity, and cultural awareness needed to establish and sustain management effectiveness across cultural borders. This revised edition is updated with new research and statistics.

by Preston G. Smith, Donald G. Reinertsen; Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 2 edition October 10, 1997

The original edition of this book became an instant hit as the leading guide to reducing product development cycle time. The expanded set of tools in this new edition meets the needs of today's more demanding times. Developing Products in Half the Time, provides tools for trading off schedule against other business objectives. It integrates powerful methods to manage risk and use resources effectively with proven techniques to accelerate product development.

by Clayton M. Christensen; Publisher: Harvard Business School Pr; June 1997

What do the Honda Supercub, Intel's 8088 processor, and hydraulic excavators have in common? They are all examples of disruptive technologies that helped to redefine the competitive landscape of their respective markets. These products did not come about as the result of successful companies carrying out sound business practices in established markets. In The Innovator's Dilemma, author Clayton M. Christensen shows how these and other products cut into the low end of the marketplace and eventually evolved to displace high-end competitors and their reigning technologies.