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Fundamentals of Global Strategy
by Cornelis A. de KluyverThis book looks at the opportunities and risks associated with staking out a global competitive presence and introduces the fundamentals of global strategic thinking. We define crafting a global strategy in terms of change: how a company should change and adapt its core (domestic) business model to achieve a competitive advantage as it expands globally. The conceptual framework behind this definition has three fundamental building blocks: a company's core business model, the various strategic decisions a company needs to make as it globalizes its operations, and a range of globalization strategies for creating a global competitive advantage. A business model is defined in terms of four principal components: (a) market participation--who its customers are, how it reaches them and relates to them; (b) the value proposition--what a company offers its customers; (c) the supply chain infrastructure--with what resources, activities and partners it creates its offerings; and finally, (d) its management model--how it organizes and coordinates its operations. Globalization requires a company to make strategic decisions about each component of the business model. Market participation decisions include choosing which specific markets or segments to serve, domestically or abroad; what methods of distribution to use to reach target customers; and how to promote and advertise the value proposition. Globalization decisions about the value proposition touch the full range of tangible and intangible benefits a company provides to its customers (stakeholders). Decisions about a company's value chain infrastructure deal with such questions as, What key internal resources and capabilities has the company created to support the chosen value proposition and target markets? What partner network has it assembled to support the business model? How are these activities organized into an overall, coherent value creation and delivery model? Finally, strategic decisions about the global management dimension are concerned with a company's choices about a suitable global organizational structure and decision-making process. We use Pankaj Ghemawat's well-known "AAA Triangle" framework to define three generic approaches to global value creation. Adaptation strategies seek to increase revenues and market share by tailoring one or more components of a company's business model to suit local requirements or preferences. Aggregation strategies focus on achieving economies of scale or scope by creating regional or global efficiencies; they typically involve standardizing a significant portion of the value proposition and grouping together development and production processes. Arbitrage is about exploiting economic or other differences between national or regional markets, usually by locating separate parts of the supply chain in different places.
Introductory Statistics
by OpenStaxIntroductory Statistics is intended for the one-semester introduction to statistics course for students who are not mathematics or engineering majors. It focuses on the interpretation of statistical results, especially in real world settings, and assumes that students have an understanding of intermediate algebra. In addition to end of section practice and homework sets, examples of each topic are explained step-by-step throughout the text and followed by a Try It problem that is designed as extra practice for students. This book also includes collaborative exercises and statistics labs designed to give students the opportunity to work together and explore key concepts. To support today's student in understanding technology, this book features TI 83, 83+, 84, or 84+ calculator instructions at strategic points throughout. While the book has been built so that each chapter builds on the previous, it can be rearranged to accommodate any instructor's particular needs.
CK-12 Life Science
by Ck-12 FoundationCK-12 Foundation's Life Science FlexBook Covers the following chapters:Studying Life- Nature of science: scientific method. tools used in science and safety in research. Introduction to Living Organisms- what they are, what they are made of, and classification. Introduces carbs, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Cells and Their Structures- what they are, what they are made of, organelles and eukaryotic vs. prokaryotic. Cell Functions- ctive transport, passive transport, photosynthesis, and cellular respirationCell Division, Reproduction, and DNA- mitosis, meiosis, DNA, RNA, and protein synthesisGenetics- Mendel's peas to gene therapy. Evolution- Darwin's natural selection, history of life and evidence of evolution. Prokaryotes- properties and characteristicsProtists and Fungi- properties, characteristics, reproduction and metabolismPlants- nonvascular & vascular, gymnosperms & amniosperms and hormones/tropismsIntroduction to Invertebrates- sponges, cnidarians, and wormsOther Invertebrates- mollusks, echinoderms, arthropods, and insectsFishes, Amphibians, and Reptiles- fishes, amphibians, and reptilesBirds and Mammals- characteristics, properties, diversity and significanceBehavior of Animals- communication, cooperation, mating and cyclesSkin, Bones, and Muscles- skeletal, muscular and integumentary systemsFood and the Digestive System- nutrition and digestionCardiovascular System- heart, blood, vessels and cardiovascular healthRespiratory and Excratory Systems- breathing and elimination of wasteControlling the Body- Nervous SystemDiseases and the Body's Defenses- Diseases and the immune responseReproductive System and Life Stages- Reproduction, fertilization, development and healthFrom Populations to the Biosphere- Ecology: Communities, ecosystems, biotic vs. abiotic factors, and biomesEcosystem Dynamics- Flow of energy, recyclig of matter, and ecosystem changeEnvironmental Problems- Pollution, renewable vs nonrenewable resources, habitat destruction & extinction, and biodiversity
Project Management from Simple to Complex
by Russell Darnall and John M. PrestonIn a world that is becoming more virtual, more global, and more complex, the project manager's ability to function in this environment becomes critical to the success of the project. Project Management from Simple to Complex explores project management within this complex, virtual, and global environment. This is not a standard textbook that was adapted to the new publishing paradigm but was designed from the beginning to utilize its capabilities. The book is written in collaboration by an expert in Project Management--Russell Darnall--and an expert in writing instructional texts and using technology for communicating online--John Preston--to create a unique learning environment that prepares students to manage projects in a global, multicultural, and online environment.
Sustainability, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
by Andrea LarsonThis book is suited for the Entrepreneurship or Innovation course with an emphasis on Sustainability or for a course devoted entirely to Sustainability. The deep roots of sustainability thinking are now evident in widespread and increasingly visible activities worldwide, this text will help you and your students explore that necessity, its implications and its progression.
Macroeconomics
by Russell Cooper and A. Andrew JohnThis book studies the implications of macroeconomic complementarities for aggregate behavior. The presentation is intended to introduce Ph. D. students into this sub-field of macroeconomics and to serve as a reference for more advanced scholars. The initial sections of the book cover the basic framework of complementarities and provide a discussion of the experimental evidence on the outcome of coordination games. The subsequent sections of the book investigate applications of these ideas for macroeconomics. The topics Professor Cooper explores include: economies with production complementarities, search models, imperfectly competitive product markets, models of timing and delay and the role of government in resolving and creating coordination problems.
CK-12 Biology I - Honors
by Ck-12 FoundationCK-12 Foundation's Biology 1- Honors FlexBook Covers the following chapters:
Foundations of Life Science- scientific investigations, methods, observations, & communication.
Chemical Basis of Life- matter, the significance of carbon, lipids, proteins.
Cell Structure and Function- prokaryotic, eukaryotic, plant, & animal cell features; structures / functions of DNA, RNA, protein, cell transport, homeostasis.
Photosynthesis- water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle between abiotic and biotic resources.
Cellular Respiration- relation to glycolysis, Krebs Cycle, electron transport chain.
Cell Division and Reproduction- cell division, reproduction.
Mendelian Genetics- inheritance, sex-linked traits.
Molecular Genetics- DNA, RNA, protein synthesis, mutation, regulating gene expression.
Human Genetics- human genome, diseases, Biotechnology- DNA technology, gene cloning.
History of Life- evolution, macroevolution, extinctions, episodic speciation, response to change.
Evolutionary Theory- Darwin's Theory of Evolution, common ancestry and natural selection.
Evolution in Populations- genetics of populations, genetic diseases, natural selection.
Classification- Taxonomy, scientific classification of organisms.
Principles of Ecology- Ecology's relation with energy; ecosystems, the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles.
Biomes, Ecosystems and Communities- terrestrial/ aquatic biomes, community interactions.
Populations- Analysis of populations and dynamics.
Ecology and Human Actions- Balance between humans and the earth addressing natural resources, ecosystems, & biodiversity.
The Human Body- systems.
Nervous and Endocrine Systems- structures & functions, homeostasis.
Skeletal, Muscular, and Integumentary Systems- structures, functions, & homeostasis.
Circulatory and Respiratory Systems- structures and functions.
Digestive and Excretory Systems- structures/ functions, food pyramid.
Immune System and Disease- Body defenses against pathogens.
Reproductive System and Human Development- human reproductive systems, reproductive lifecycle, STDs.
Building Strategy and Performance
by Kim WarrenThe fundamental challenge facing business leaders is to drive performance into the future--the dynamics of strategy. To tackle this effectively, they need a clear understanding of what causes performance to improve or deteriorate and what power they have to change this trajectory for the better. Without this understanding, they risk making poor choices about their future--failing to exploit promising opportunities, pursuing unachievable aims, or falling victim to competitive and other threats. Building Strategy and Performance Through Time sets the agenda for building business strategy in powerful, actionable, and accessible terms. It gives executives clear frameworks for answering three fundamental questions: * Why is our business performance following its current path? * Where is it going if we carry on as we are? * How can we design a robust strategy to transform this future? The existing strategy tools most widely used help guide management's choices about where to compete--which customers to serve, with what products and services, and how to deliver those products and services to those customers effectively and profitably. While this choice is important, it is not often changed in any fundamental way; having found a reasonably strong and profitable position on these issues, few firms will, or should, set off in a new direction. But there is still much to be done to deliver that strategy, powerfully and sustainably over time. Many decisions need to be made, continually and holistically, across all functions of the business and adapted as conditions change from month to month and year to year. Pricing, product development, marketing, hiring, service levels, and other decisions cannot be made in isolation but must take into account other choices being made, elsewhere and at different times. Building Strategy and Performance Through Time explains a reliable, practical method, known as strategy dynamics, that creates a living picture of how an enterprise actually works and delivers performance. This picture shows exactly where the levers are that management controls and how to choose what to do, when, and how much, to accomplish your specific goals. It shows, too, how the same approach can be used to defeat competitors, cope with other outside forces, and keep delivering performance.
Business Information Systems
by Raymond D. Frost and Jacqueline C. Pike and Lauren N. Kenyo and Sarah E. PelsStudents in introductory Management Information Systems (MIS) courses often ask what a career in MIS looks like. Lacking a clear vision, they make their own assumptions. Often they assume the career involves programming with little human interaction. That MIS is a technical field could not be further from the truth. MIS job descriptions typically require candidates to be able to collaborate, communicate, analyze needs and gather requirements. They also list the need for excellent written and communication skills. In other words, MIS workers are constantly interacting with other people both inside and outside the organization. They are coming up with creative solutions to business problems. Business Information Systems by Frost, Pike, Kenyo and Pels is designed to help students get a feel for what a career in MIS would be like. The authors' students report that they learn more about information systems from their internships than from their IS courses. Consequently, they designed a book that looks very much like an internship--an introduction to the field followed by a substantial project. The authors begin Unit 1 by introducing the information systems landscape. The unit kicks off with a discussion of all the usual suspects: the information systems triangle, the systems development life cycle, transaction systems (ERP, SCM, CRM), collaboration systems, and business intelligence systems. Other aspects of the landscape such as usability, outsourcing, database concepts and so forth are introduced throughout a chapter in unit 2 where they fit in naturally with the flow of the project. Unit 2 is the substantial project which runs over a number of chapters. Students will plan, build, and develop a proposal for an iPhone application. They will develop a very realistic mockup. They also build a website to help market and support the app. Students are engaged because the project is fun and feels real. However, they are simultaneously learning business concepts and MIS skills. With Designing Information Systems, even as freshmen, you can give your students an experience that emulates MIS in operation. Business Information Systems: Design an App for That by Frost, Pike, Kenyo and Pels is a text that will help students learn Information Systems by doing Management Information Systems. Request a desk copy or examine the book online now to see how this text might work in your course or department.
Principles of Management Version 2.0
by Talya Bauer and Mason Carpenter and Berrin Erdogan and Jeremy ShortPrinciples of Management has been thoroughly updated, and in this edition, you’ll find a new author, a new look and feel, new content, and new as well as updated end-of-the chapter cases. One reviewer of our revision said the following about the addition of our new pages and images: “I will tell you that the addition of pictures in this edition is brilliant! I compared this text to the previous one (page by page)... the pictures truly help bring the "black and white" pages to life!”
Organizational Behavior, V 2.0
by Talya Bauer and Berrin ErdoganIn writing Organizational Behavior, v.2.0, Talya Bauer and Berrin Erdogan, two leading researchers in management, had one simple aim: To bridge the gap between theory and practice of management with a distinct “experiential” approach.
WHAT’S NEW IN 2.0
UPDATED SECTIONS:
Updated to include many new case studies, statistics, data, figures, and graphics. Notably added are sections or new information on stress, communication and women in leadership. Toolboxes and related key terms are also updated in this new version.
Introduction to the Law of Property, Estate Planning, and Insurance
by Jethro K. Lieberman and Don Mayer and Daniel M. Warner and George J. SiedelMayer, Warner, Siedel and Lieberman's Introduction to the Law of Property, Estate Planning and Insurance is an up-to-date textbook that covers legal issues that students must understand relating to real estate (an especially important business asset), as well as estate planning and insurance. The text is organized to permit instructors to tailor the materials to their particular approach. The authors take special care to engage students by relating law to everyday events with their clear, concise and readable style. After introductory chapters covering the legal environment of business, Introduction to the Law of Property, Estate Planning and Insurance provides students with context and essential legal concepts relating to property rights and duties, estate planning, insurance, secured transactions, mortgages, and related topics. The text provides the vocabulary and legal savvy they will need when working with these concepts, which are critical to business planning and success. With Introduction to the Law of Property, Estate Planning and Insurance, the authors have created a text that not only has both case summaries and excerpted cases, but one that you can easily customize by deleting chapters, reordering the content, adding your own material, and even editing at the line level with Flat World's easy-to-use MIYO (Make It Your Own) Platform. The free online version of the text includes embedded links to law-related videos at YouTube and other online sites for easy access by students and instructors.
Introductory Statistics
by Douglas S. Shafer and Zhiyi ZhangIn many introductory level courses today, teachers are challenged with the task of fitting in all of the core concepts of the course in a limited period of time. The Introductory Statistics teacher is no stranger to this challenge. To add to the difficulty, many textbooks contain an overabundance of material, which not only results in the need for further streamlining, but also in intimidated students. Shafer and Zhang wrote Introductory Statistics by using their vast teaching experience to present a complete look at introductory statistics topics while keeping in mind a realistic expectation with respect to course duration and students' maturity level. Over time the core content of this course has developed into a well-defined body of material that is substantial for a one-semester course. Shafer and Zhang believe that the students in this course are best served by a focus on that core material and not by an exposure to a plethora of peripheral topics. Therefore in writing Introduction to Statistics they have sought to present only the core concepts and use a wide-ranging set of exercises for each concept to drive comprehension. As a result Introduction to Statistics is a smaller and less intimidating textbook that trades some extended and unnecessary topics for a better-focused presentation of the central material.
A Primer on Corporate Governance
by Cornelis A. de KluyverThis book is a primer on corporate governance--the system that defines the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the corporation, such as the board, managers, shareholders, and other stakeholders, and spells out the rules and procedures for making decisions on corporate affairs. Corporate governance also deals with how a company's objectives are set and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance. The importance of this subject can hardly be overstated. As recent corporate scandals have shown and the current financial crisis reminds us, the efficacy of corporate decision making and our regulatory systems directly affect our well-being. Sound corporate governance not only pays by producing value for all stakeholders of the firm but also, even more importantly, it is the right thing to do--for investors, other stakeholders, and society at large. In other words, sound corporate governance is also a moral imperative. This book is designed to help you become a more effective participant in the corporate governance system--as an executive dealing with a board, as a director, or as a representative of a company's other numerous stakeholders. The book contains two major parts, an epilogue, and appendices. The first part looks at corporate governance from a macro perspective. It describes the U.S. corporate governance system and its principal actors and briefly surveys the history of U.S. corporate governance, including the wave of governance scandals that occurred around the turn of the century. The second part focuses on the board itself and its principal challenges: CEO selection and succession planning, the board's responsibilities in the areas of oversight, compliance and risk management, the board's role in strategy development, the issue of CEO performance appraisal and executive compensation, a board's challenges in dealing with unexpected events and crises, and finally, a board's most difficult challenge--managing itself. The epilogue briefly looks into the future and deals with subjects that are just beginning to appear on boardroom agendas. It assesses the emerging global convergence of governance systems, requirements, and practices; it looks at the prospects of further U.S. governance reform; and it discusses the changing relationship between business and society and its likely impact in the boardroom.
An Introduction to Politics
by T. M. SellThis textbook introduces students to the field of Political Studies. An Introduction to Politics is a little more brief, concise and in-between than similar textbooks currently on the market. Because this is usually a first-year course, overloading a textbook with too much minutiae of the ins and outs of politics can lead to students giving up on the book. Politics is a great story - the story of human existence. A successful textbook needs to tell that story.
International Finance
by Steve SuranovicInternational Finance Theory and Policy is built on Steve Suranovic's belief that to understand the international economy, students need to learn how economic models are applied to real world problems. It is true what they say, that "economists do it with models." That's because economic models provide insights about the world that are simply not obtainable solely by discussion of the issues. International Finance Theory and Policy develops a unified model of the international macroeconomy. The text provides detailed descriptions of major macroeconomic variables, covers the interest rate parity and purchasing power parity theories of exchange rate determination, takes an exhaustive look at the pros and cons of trade imbalances and presents the well-known AA-DD model to explore the effects of fiscal and monetary policy under both fixed and flexible exchange rates. The models are developed, not by employing advanced mathematics, but rather by walking students through a detailed description of how a model's assumptions influence its conclusions. But more importantly, each model and theory is connected to real world policy issues. The Finance Text has the following unique features: o Begins with an historical overview of the international macroeconomy to provide context for the theory. o Concludes with a detailed discussion of the pros and cons of fixed and floating exchange rate systems. o Provides an extensive look at the issue of trade imbalances. Readers learn techniques to evaluate whether a country's trade deficit (or surplus) is dangerous, beneficial, or benign. o Explains how purchasing power parity is used to make cross country income comparisons. o Offers clear detailed explanations of the AA-DD model. o Applies the AA-DD model to understand the effects of monetary and fiscal policy on GDP, the exchange rate, and the trade balance.
CK-12 Probability and Statistics - Basic (A Full Course)
by Ck-12 FoundationAn open source textbook.
Intermediate Algebra
by John ReddenIt is essential to lay a solid foundation in mathematics if a student is to be competitive in today's global market. The importance of algebra, in particular, cannot be overstated, as it is the basis of all mathematical modeling used in applications found in all disciplines. Traditionally, the study of algebra is separated into a two parts, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra. This textbook by John Redden, Intermediate Algebra, is the second part. Written in a clear and concise manner, it carefully builds on the basics learned in Elementary Algebra and introduces the more advanced topics required for further study in applications found in most disciplines. Used as a standalone textbook, Intermediate Algebra offers plenty of review as well as something new to engage the student in each chapter. Written as a blend of the traditional and graphical approaches to the subject, this textbook introduces functions early and stresses the geometry behind the algebra. While CAS independent, a standard scientific calculator will be required and further research using technology is encouraged.
Legal Aspects of Corporate Management and Finance
by Jethro K. Lieberman and Don Mayer and Daniel M. Warner and George J. SiedelMayer, Warner, Siedel and Lieberman's Legal Aspects of Corporate Management and Finance is an up-to-date textbook that covers key legal issues relating to corporate management and finance. The text is organized to permit instructors to tailor the materials to their particular approach. The authors take special care to engage students by relating law to everyday events with their clear, concise and readable style.
Mastering Public Relations
by Shannon A. Bowen and Brad Rawlins and Thomas MartinThis book provides an executive review of the field of public relations with a focus on what managers need to know in order to master the function quickly and effectively. Throughout the text, we integrate the academic with the professional by asking, how can an executive use this knowledge to make the most of the public relations function, department, and initiatives in order to help their whole organization be successful? , , , and of the book provide the busy manager with the taxonomy of the public relations field, provide research on the theory of public relations, and examine the structure of organizations and where public relations fits within that structure. , , , and examine how public relations should be conducted in order to achieve maximum results and provide a comprehensive review of public relations strategy, including how to conduct a public relations campaign. , , , and discuss the organizational settings most common in public relations: corporate, agency, government, or public affairs and nonprofit or advocacy groups and the public relations approaches common in each. We review what research finds regarding the most excellent ways to manage public relations and the best ways to analyze and address the ethical challenges to be faced in public relations. We occasionally use short case examples to illustrate and apply the main points managers will need to know in order to manage public relations effectively. Throughout this book, we focus on the managerial pursuits in public relations, such as strategic relationship maintenance, segmentation of publics, and conducting research. We offer insight into the managerial activities of issues management, lobbying and advocacy, creating stakeholder relationships, reputation management, ethical counsel, and corporate communication. We examine the most current thought in public relations to help the busy manager master the most important concepts in the field quickly, accessibly, and with an eye toward helping an organization or client achieve the most effective results through cutting-edge, modern, research-based strategic public relations management.
Foundations of Business Law and the Legal Environment
by Jethro K. Lieberman and Don Mayer and Daniel M. Warner and George J. SiedelMayer, Warner, Siedel and Lieberman's Foundations of Business Law and the Legal Environment is an up-to-date textbook with comprehensive coverage of legal and regulatory issues for your introductory Legal Environment or Business Law course. The text is organized to permit instructors to tailor the materials to their particular approach. The authors take special care to engage students by relating law to everyday events with which they are already familiar with their clear, concise and readable style. Business Law and the Legal Environment provides students with context and essential concepts across a broad range of legal issues with which managers and business executives must grapple. The text provides the vocabulary and legal savvy necessary for business people to talk in an educated way to their customers, employees, suppliers, government officials -- and to their own lawyers. With Foundations of Business Law and the Legal Environment, the authors have created a text that not only has both case summaries and excerpted cases, but one that you can easily customize by deleting chapters, reordering the content, adding your own material, and even editing at the line level with Flat World's easy-to-use MIYO (Make It Your Own) Platform.