BOOK INDEX

     

Strategy

An excellent read that challenges managers to think about their own vision of what they and their organisation contribute to society.	The all time classic book on strategy and still a good read 30 years on. Porter has formed the basis of modern strategic thinking for three decades.	Steve Jobs’ favourite book. It shows why companies miss out innovations in markets. Any more questions?

 

One of the best strategy books I have read in a long time.	Classic book that gives the ins and outs of creating new markets.	The authors observe Gates, Grove and Jobs for more than two decades to figuring out five golden management rules

 

Staying Power is a dense and extremely well researched book. It is not for the faint hearted.	Excellent book that should be read by all managers and business students.	Defines what constitutes a luxury product and how companies develop their strategies to profit from this status.

 

Companies need to break the internal barriers that often impede action.	A useful introduction to some of the key questions in strategy.	A collection of the ten most read articles that have been published by HBR on strategy.

 

One of the great man’s last works. Contains the concept of N=1; R=G.	Drawing on 25 years’ experience of teaching senior executives, Hrebiniak underlines the premise that execution is the crucial success factor in strategy.	An excellent outline of some of the fundamental issues in strategic management. The book is short and generally to the point.

 

Discussion on some of the key issues in strategic management. The book requires some background knowledge of the subject.	How leadership can have an impact on strategic execution. Advanced reading. A useful analysis.	In fact, the former CEO of Medtronic argues that the best leaders are those who do not aim to be leaders.

 

This book is an excellent guide to anybody interested in learning how to optimize a company’s offerings to its maximum value in the eyes of the customer consistently.		.

 

 

Finance & Economics

Political and economic strategic analysis of 11 different countries around the world.	The book is a useful guide for senior executives to improve their leadership strategies based on financial valuations or to fine tune their financials.	The book is essentially designed for managers and executives who may not be familiar with the main theories of macroeconomics.

     

Well researched and well argued book, the title will give you a clear indication of where the author stands.	A few weeks ago this book would have been read quickly, given an A+ with a little gold star.	Nobel Prize winner and one of the best sellers this year. A must read for any business student.

An excellent history of finance. Easy to read and lots of interesting examples.	Learn about The IKEA Effect, The Baby Jessica Effect and why large bonuses make CEOS less effective.	A fun book that show why humans don’t always behave in a rational manner.

Wonderful essay that lays.	This is a guide that demonstrate how to apply.	Demos think-tank has produced a fascinating book.

 

There is no doubting that an awful lof of work went into researching and writing this 600 page book which sets out the history of Goldman Sachs. The book is interesting if you are thinking about doing a thesis on the subject.

 

 

Companies & Biographies

The man who “saved” IBM. A great read on leadership and corporate culture.	Well researched and well argued book, the title will give you a clear indication of where the author stands.	Good, objective analysis of the growth and strategy of Amazon.

Reading this won’t get you out of going to class, but there are some good ideas. Fun and easy.	Oh my God ! Possibly the worst biography ever written!	600 pages and excellent from start to finish. Learn about the man and his strategy.

Reading this won’t get you out of going to class, but there are some good ideas. Fun and easy.	This book is fascinating to read on one of the most successful technology companies in the past few decades.	The book is a semi biographical outline of how Gordon Bethune became CEO of the comapny and its operational changes.

A Song in the Night sets out the life story of Mr.Massie. Read this book and if you ever get the chance, find out where Mr.Massie is speaking and go listen to him.

 

 

General Management

This book first outlines the correlation between the success or failure of an organization and how well the smaller units within it, its teams, work in carrying out projects.	Common myths and stories that are so popular that they have become ingrained in our culture, and become retold throughout the world.	A collection of stories and interviews from people who have worked at Procter & Gamble.

 

This book brings in not only the concept of auctioneering (getting several potential buyers to participate at the same time) but also shows how the two are compatible with each other.	Work is one of those things that unite people across borders. Many of the cartoons are easy to identify with whether you are in Stockholm, Shanghai or Santiago de Chile.	“It’s never a good as the first time.” A poor sequel to the excellent Freakonomics.

      

      

Oh dear! Not a good book. Read it, blink and you will have already forgotten the contents.	Excellent advice taken from Lorange’s business and academic career.	If you only ever read one personal development book in your life, read this.

 

Observes key HR questions: Why are some companies having problems keeping good staff? How do you manage to keep them?	Great book. Advocates the creation of learning organization as a way of achieving sustainable competitive advantage within markets	One of the most important business books of the 1990s and has been in the best seller list ever since. Fantastic read for anyone thinking about  their leadership style.

 

Dr. Sheena Iyengar describes why some choices are so difficult take.	Philip Delves Broughton is critical of HBS omitting a sales course in MBA progra

 

 

Higher Education

Tony Wagner’s critique on the US secondary educational system.	The book is an “insider’s account” of why business schools have never gained the respectabilty they have searched for over the past century.	I am very grateful to my good friend Warwick for suggesting this excellent book, which is a fascinating discussion on the purpose and the role of universities.

 

The book provides clear arguments in favour of protecting the current financial models of research universities.	The book is an “insider’s account” of why business schools have never gained the respectabilty they have searched for over the past century.	Learning is fundamentally based on the social context through the process of “legitimate peripheral participation.”

 

Sets out some of the challenges and external pressures on business schools today and the impact that may have for the coming years.	The book sets out some of the major issues and talking points, taking the reader through the history of management eductation to ongoing challenges.