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The Damned of Petersburg: A Novel (The Battle Hymn Cycle #4)
by Ralph PetersNew York Times bestselling author Ralph Peters returns with the fourth installment in his Boyd Award-winning series on the Civil War GLORY TURNED GRIM… …and warfare changed forever. As Grant pinned Lee to Petersburg and Richmond, the Confederacy’s stubborn Army of Northern Virginia struggled against a relentless Union behemoth, with breathtaking valor and sacrifice on both sides. That confrontation in the bloody summer and autumn of 1864 shaped the nation that we know today.From the butchery of The Crater, where stunning success collapsed into a massacre, through near-constant battles fought by heat-stricken soldiers, to the crucial election of 1864, The Damned of Petersburg resurrects our Civil War’s hard reality, as plumes and sabers gave way to miles of trenches.Amid the slaughter of those fateful months, fabled leaders—Grant and Lee, Winfield Scott Hancock and A. P. Hill—turned to rising heroes, Confederates “Little Billy” Mahone and Wade Hampton, last of the cavaliers, or Union warriors such as tragedy-stricken Francis Channing Barlow and the fearless Nelson Miles, a general at twenty-four.Nor does Ralph Peters forget the men in the ranks, the common soldiers who paid the price for the blunders of leaders who’d never know their names. In desperate battles, now forgotten, such as Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern and Reams Station, soldiers on both sides, pushed to the last human limits, fought on as their superiors struggled to master a terrible new age of warfare.The Damned of Petersburg revives heroes aplenty—enriching our knowledge of our most terrible war—but, above all, this novel’s a tribute to the endurance and courage of the American soldier, North or South.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Code White: A Novel
by Scott Britz-CunninghamAli O'Day, a dedicated young neurosurgeon, might have a Nobel Prize in her future—if she can survive the next eleven hours.Under the glare of live television cameras—and with her lover, Dr. Richard Helvelius, and her estranged husband, Kevin, both looking on—Ali is about to implant a revolutionary mini-computer into the brain of a blind boy. If it works, he will see again. But someone wants to stop her triumph. No sooner has she begun to operate than the hospital pagers crackle with the chilling announcement, "CODE WHITE." A bomb has been found in the medical center.But this is no ordinary bomb—and no ordinary bomber. As minutes tick off toward the deadline, Ali suspects that a vast, inhuman intellect lies behind the plot—and that she herself may be the true ransom demand, in Code White by Scott Britz-Cunningham.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Banksy: The Man Behind the Wall
by Will Ellsworth-JonesWhile hiding from the limelight, Banksy has made himself into one of the world's best-known living artists. His pieces have fetched millions of dollars at prestigious auction houses. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his film Exit Through the Gift Shop. Once viewed as vandalism, his work is now venerated; fans have gone so far as to dismantle the walls that he has painted on for collection and sale.But as famous as Banksy is, he is also utterly unknown—he conceals his real name, hides his face, distorts his voice, and reveals his identity to only a select few. Who is this man that has captivated millions? How did a graffiti artist from Bristol, England, find himself at the center of an artistic movement? How has someone who goes to such great lengths to keep himself hidden achieved such great notoriety? And is his anonymity a necessity to continue his vandalism—or a marketing tool to make him ever more famous?Now, in the first ever full-scale investigation of the artist, reporter Will Ellsworth-Jones pieces together the story of Banksy, building up a picture of the man and the world in which he operates. He talks to his friends and enemies, those who knew him in his early, unnoticed days, and those who have watched him try to come to terms with his newfound fame and success. And he explores the contradictions of a champion of renegade art going to greater and greater lengths to control his image and his work.Banksy offers a revealing glimpse at an enigmatic figure and a riveting account of how a self-professed vandal became an international icon—and turned the art world upside down in the process.
Sons of the Oak: (the Runelords, Brotherhood Of The Wolf, Wizardborn, The Lair Of Bones, Sons Of The Oak, Worldbinder, The Wyrmling Horde, Chaosbound) (The Runelords #5)
by David FarlandCertain works of fantasy are immediately recognizable as monuments, towering above the rest of the category. Authors of those works, such as Stephen R. Donaldson, Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind, come immediately to mind. Add to that list David Farland, whose epic fantasy series continues now.The story picks up eight years after the events of Lair of Bones and begins a new chapter in the Runelords saga focusing on Gaborn's son, Fallion. Gaborn, the Earth King, has been traveling far from his home, to strange and unknown places. While beyond the edge of the earth, he finally succumbs to the accelerated aging that comes from all of the endowments he has taken. His death is the signal for a revolution, an attack from the supernatural realms by immensely powerful immortal beings. These forces have discovered that Gaborn's son is the resurrection of an immortal, one whose potential power is so great that he might be able to reorder the entire universe. Fallion's enemies have decided that they must control him, and failing that, destroy him. He is only a child, but he is the heir to Gaborn's kingdom, and so must flee to the ends of the earth to avoid the destruction of all that Gaborn accomplished. One of the mightiest of contemporary fantasy epics continues.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Mother's Milk: Never Mind, Bad News, Some Hope, Mother's Milk, And At Last (The Patrick Melrose Novels #4)
by Edward St. AubynNow a 5-Part Limited Event Series on Showtime, Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Blythe DannerMan Booker–shortlisted Mother's Milk, the fourth installment in Edward St. Aubyn's wonderful, wry, and profound Patrick Melrose Cycle, sees Patrick as a lawyer, married, with a five-year-old child and another on the way. The novel shifts points of view from Patrick—furious over his mother's decision to sell their mansion in the South of France to a ridiculous New Age hippie—to Patrick's wife, overburdened by motherhood, to Patrick's mother, growing senile and despondent, and even to Patrick's young son Robert, who reflects with hilarious and disturbing clarity on the moments of his birth.
The Gift of Fire: Two Short Novels From Crosstown To Oblivion (From Crosstown to Oblivion)
by Walter MosleyIn ancient mythology, the Titan Prometheus was punished by the gods for bringing man the gift of fire—an event that set humankind on its course of knowledge. As punishment for making man as powerful as gods, Prometheus was bound to a rock; every day his immortal body was devoured by a giant eagle. But in Walter Mosley's The Gift of Fire, those chains cease to be, and the great champion of man walks from that immortal prison into present-day South Central Los Angeles.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Intergalactic Medicine Show: An Anthology
by Orson Scott Card Edmund R. SchubertBestselling writer Orson Scott Card founded the online magazine Intergalactic Medicine Show in 2006. It has been a big success, drawing submissions from well-known sf and fantasy writers, as well as fostering some amazing new talents. This collection contains some of the best of those stories from the past year.There is fiction from David Farber, Tim Pratt, and David Lubar among others, also four new Ender's Game universe stories by Card himself. This collection is sure to appeal to Card's fans, and be a great ambassador to them for these other talented writers.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
"Those Damn Horse Soldiers": True Tales of the Civil War Cavalry
by George WalshMany accounts of the Civil War battles, armies, and key figures have been written over the years, but none have looked at the bloodiest war in our nation's history through the eyes of the cavalry. The horse soldiers in the Civil War are often referred to as the last of the cavaliers, men who valued their honor as much as their cause. In this sweeping saga George Walsh brings to life anew the gallant horse soldiers of the North and South, showing in dramatic detail how their raids and expeditions affected the outcome of the war and how their fortunes waxed and waned. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Through Darkest Europe: A Novel
by Harry Turtledove*io9's New Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books You Need to Put On Your Radar This FallFrom the modern master of alternate history and New York Times bestselling author Harry Turtledove, Through Darkest Europe envisions a world dominated by a prosperous and democratic Middle East—and under threat from the world's worst trouble spot.Senior investigator Khalid al-Zarzisi is a modern man, a product of the unsurpassed educational systems of North Africa and the Middle East. Liberal, tolerant, and above all rich, the countries and cultures of North Africa and the Middle East have dominated the globe for centuries, from the Far East to the young nations of the Sunset Lands.But one region has festered for decades: Europe, whose despots and monarchs can barely contain the simmering anger of their people. From Ireland to Scandinavia, Italy to Spain, European fundamentalists have carried out assassinations, hijackings, and bombings on their own soil and elsewhere. Extremist fundamentalist leaders have begun calling for a "crusade", an obscure term from the mists of European history. Now Khalid has been sent to Rome, ground zero of backwater discontent. He and his partner Dawud have been tasked with figuring out how to protect the tinpot Grand Duke, the impoverished Pope, and the overall status quo, before European instability starts overflowing into the First World.Then the bombs start to go off.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Crushed: An Ellie Macintosh Thriller (Detective Ellie MacIntosh #5)
by Kate WattersonCrushed: the next sizzling thriller in Kate Watterson's Ellie MacIntosh series, for fans of Allison Brennan and Sandra BrownWhat do you think?The strange message, inked on a homicide victim, makes Detective Ellie MacIntosh’s blood run cold. What do you think now?Worse, it is soon followed by a message on a second victim in the same location. MacIntosh realizes this is personal—a challenge directed at her and her volatile partner, Jason Santiago. As a cat and mouse game with a conscienceless killer emerges, the detectives start to fear that they have met their match. His deranged obsession is costing lives, and soon he contacts MacIntosh personally to taunt her. Ellie must race against time to try to solve the unsolvable before it is too late.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Soil Science in Italy: 1861 to 2024
by Carmelo Dazzi Anna Benedetti Giuseppe Corti Edoardo A.C. CostantiniHistory is generally defined as “the study of past events, particularly in human affairs” and is mostly understood when presented chronologically. That’s why someone also defined it as the ‘chronological record of the past’. Knowing the past is extremely important for any society and human being. Past gives us insights into our evolving behavior in many matters of life. The book is seen as a unique opportunity to preserve the memory of the Italian history of soil science. It represents a milestone and a cultural heritage. Moreover, the book is a sort of ideal bridge between the pioneers of soil science in Italy and the young generation of researchers, contributing to spreading awareness of the importance of soil as a fundamental resource.
Natural Resources Deterioration in MENA Region: Land Degradation, Soil Erosion, and Desertification (Earth and Environmental Sciences Library)
by Ayad M. Fadhil Al-Quraishi Yaseen T. MustafaLand deterioration, drought, desertification, and water resources shrinkage threaten natural resources, negatively impacting environmental, economic, and political stability. The increasing occurrence of climate change (extremes) impacts land degradation processes, soil erosion by water and wind, and salinization. The researchers have invested several years of scientific research in natural resources deterioration, including soil degradation and erosion, land degradation, desertification, and climate changes, which are interesting enough. However, the link between science and policymaking appears to be less active as serious actions do not take fast. The eighteen chapters of this book focus more on topics related to natural resources deterioration, such as land degradation, desertification, drought, climate change, and analysis of numerous case studies. This book presents experts' overviews, study results, experiences, and knowledge of natural resources deterioration in MENA countries. It attracts researchers, experts, scholars, scientists, academics, students, practitioners, graduates, or anybody interested in land degradation, desertification, climate change, and natural hazards that fall within natural resources deterioration. Therefore, researchers keep continuing to do their investigations and produce results that convince stakeholders and policymaking to act immediately towards protecting natural resources and their sustainability.
Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Production Research – Americas: ICPR Americas 2022
by Fernando Deschamps Edson Pinheiro de Lima Sérgio E. Gouvêa da Costa Marcelo G. TrentinThis book presents the proceedings of the conference and provides valuable insights into the issues facing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), particularly in the areas of sustainable operations and digitalization. It comprises a series of papers presented at the conference, covering topics such as: challenges faced by SMEs in a post-pandemic era; digitalization and its impact on SMEs; sustainable operations in SMEs; international market performance improvement in SMEs; SMEs infrastructure and integration with research, development, and innovation institutions; and SMEs participation in business networks. The papers offer a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing SMEs and provides practical solutions for those looking to help their organizations thrive in a rapidly changing business environment.
Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems: 30th International Conference, TACAS 2024, Held as Part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2024, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, April 6–11, 2024, Proceedings, Part II (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14571)
by Bernd Finkbeiner Laura KovácsThe open access book 3-volume set LNCS 14570-14573 constitutes the proceedings of the 30th International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems, TACAS 2024, which was held as part of the European Joint Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2024, during April 6-11, 2024, in Luxembourg.The 53 full papers and 16 short SVComp contributions included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 159 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows:Part I: STA and SMT solving; synthesis; logic and decidability; program analysis and proofs; proof checking; Part II: Model Checking; automata and learning; software verification; probabilistic systems; simulations; Part III: Neural networks; testing and verification; games; concurrency; SV-Comp 2024.
Virga: Sun Of Suns And Queen Of Candesce (Virga)
by Karl SchroederIt is the distant future. The world known as Virga is a fullerene balloon three thousand kilometers in diameter, filled with air, water, and floating chunks of rock. The humans who live in this vast environment must build their own fusion suns and "towns" —enormous wood and rope wheels that are spun for centripetal gravity.This complex and fascinating world is the setting for the novels of Virga, Karl Schroeder's interstellar far-future space habitat sealed off from contamination by the rest of the inhabited universe. These books have set a high standard for hard SF adventure in the last decade, and now the first two novels, Sun of Suns and Queen of Candesce, are brought out for the first time in one trade paper omnibus.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Reign of the Kingfisher: A Novel
by T. J. Martinson"Hits a grand slam for its intended audience. It might even convince skeptics that superhero stories can make good literature." —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"An extraordinary novel." —Emily St. John Mandel, bestselling author of Station Eleven30 years ago a superhero tried to save Chicago. Now the city is again under siege, in this gritty, suspenseful, and beautifully written novel from award-winning debut author T.J. MartinsonSomewhere in Chicago, a roomful of people have been taken hostage. The hostages will be killed one by one, the masked gunman says on-screen, unless the police will admit that they faked the death of the legendary superhero called the Kingfisher and helped him to give up his defense of the city thirty years ago.Retired reporter Marcus Waters made his name as a journalist covering the enigmatic superhero’s five years of cleaning up Chicago’s streets. Then the Kingfisher died, Chicago resumed its violent turmoil, and Marcus slid back into obscurity. But did the Kingfisher really die? And who would take hostages connected to the Kingfisher's past attempts to clean up the streets? With the help of disgraced police officer Lucinda Tillman and a young hacktivist named Wren, Marcus will explore the city's violence, corruption, and chaos to figure out if the vigilante hero died tragically, or gave up hope and abandoned the city—and for the hostages, the clock is ticking.
Giap: The General Who Defeated America in Vietnam
by James A. WarrenAn in-depth look at the strategy and tactics of the visionary commander who beat the United States in the Vietnam War.General Vo Nguyen Giap was the commander in chief of the communist armed forces during two of his country's most difficult conflicts—the first against Vietnam's colonial masters, the French, and the second against the most powerful nation on earth, the United States. After long and bloody conflicts, he defeated both Western powers and their Vietnamese allies, forever changing modern warfare. In Giap, military historian James A. Warren dives deep into the conflict to bring to life a revolutionary general and reveal the groundbreaking strategies that defeated world powers against incredible odds. Synthesizing ideas and tactics from an extraordinary range of sources, Giap was one of the first to realize that war is more than a series of battles between two armies and that victory can be won through the strength of a society's social fabric. As America's wars in the Middle East rage on, this is an important and timely look at a man who was a master at defeating his enemies even as they thought they were winning.
The Scandalous Flirt (Cinderella Sisterhood Series #6)
by Olivia DrakeScandal begins with just one kiss...Aurora Paxton was once the belle of the ball, the most sought-after debutante of the season—until a scandalous mistake ruined her. Shunned by her family, Rory was banished to the country to live in disgrace. Now she’s been summoned back to London by her stepmother, who is being blackmailed by the least likely person Rory can imagine: Lucas Vale, Marquess of Dashell. Lucas is someone Rory’s known for years—a man as devastatingly handsome as he is coldly disapproving of her. What in the world could he want from her or her family? Rory intends to find out as soon as she comes face to face with her old foe. What she never expects, however, is that the icy aristocrat has a soft spot for her—and a secret plan to redeem her status. Could it be that Lucas has been in love with Rory all along. . .and has finally found a way to win her heart?The Scandalous Flirt by Olivia Drake is a sweeping Regency romance you won't be able to put down! The Cinderella Sisterhood series is:"Beautiful." - RT Book Reviews"Breathtaking." - Night Owl Reviews"Magical." - Once Upon a Romance
Song of Ireland
by Juilene Osborne-McKnightThe Sons of Mil long held the dream of the Island of Destiny close to their hearts. A dream perhaps, but to these restless, adventuring people it was a shining emerald prize to be won by those who were brave or foolhardy enough to sail to the very ends of the known world. For the Bard Amergin and his people that dream comes true. When they land safely on the shores of this enchanted isle, they know that they have won the favor of their gods. In joy, they begin to build their settlement. Soon it is clear that they are not alone in this green and pleasant land; their fellow inhabitants are the secretive Danu, a people who resonate power and mystery in abundance. As Amergin negotiates with the Danu so that both peoples may peacefully share the island's wealth, he sees their beauty, their wisdom, and their love for the land. And one more thing. Amergin's second sight shows him that the Danu are not human.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Fire Dance: The Harp and Ring Sequence #2 (The\harp And Ring Sequence Ser. #2)
by Ilana C. MyerPalace intrigue, dark magic, and terrifying secrets drive the beautifully written standalone novel Fire Dance, set in the world of Last Song Before Night.Espionage, diplomacy, conspiracy, passion, and power are the sensuously choreographed steps of the soaring new high fantasy novel by Ilana C. Myer, one woman's epic mission to stop a magical conflagration.Lin, newly initiated in the art of otherwordly enchantments, is sent to aid her homeland's allies against savage attacks from the Fire Dancers: mysterious practitioners of strange and deadly magic. Forced to step into a dangerous waltz of tradition, treachery, and palace secrets, Lin must also race the ticking clock of her own rapidly dwindling life to learn the truth of the Fire Dancers' war, and how she might prevent death on a scale too terrifying to contemplate.Myer's novel is a symphony of secret towers, desert winds, burning sands, blood and dust. Her prose soars, and fluid movements of the politically charged plot carry the reader toward a shocking crescendo.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Going to Hell in a Hen Basket: An Illustrated Dictionary of Modern Malapropisms
by Robert Alden RubinMalapropism - A word or phrase that has been mistaken for another, usually because of its sound rather than its meaning.Everyone has made the mistake of using a word or phrase that they think sounds correct, but in fact is not. Malapropisms make some sense. They have a semantic logic to them, even if that logic makes perfect nonsense. In Going to Hell in a Hen Basket, author Robert Alden Rubin delights in the creative misuse of words and celebrates the verbal and textual flubs that ignore the conventions of proper English.Culled from blogs, the deepest corners of the internet, as well as some of the most esteemed publications, here is a collection of classic malapropisms paired with hilarious illustrations. Some examples include:· adieu, without further - Conflation of bidding adieu (saying goodbye) with ado (complicated doings, ceremony) to mean "without saying anything more."· feeble position - An unborn child in a fetal position seems weak and helpless, which explains the confusion here. The two words also share some sexist cultural and literary associations. Feeble (weak) originates from a Latin word for something to be wept over; fetal (relating to a fetus) originates from the same preliterate Indo-European word that gives us female. · hone in on - Confuses expressions such as finely honed with home in on or zero in on (focus on, locate) and sometimes with horn in on (intrude upon). Homing, as pigeons perform it, often involves flying in narrowing circles until the target is reached. Hone means to sharpen; the malapropism conveys the sense of a carefully sharpened instrument and sometimes cutting in. Perfect for bookworms and wordsmiths, the point here isn't to shame the malapropagandists, but to delight in the twists and turns writers put our language through and to amuse and inform those of us who care about words.
Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks
by Annie SpenceA librarian's laugh-out-loud funny, deeply moving collection of love letters and breakup notes to the books in her life.If you love to read, and presumably you do since you’ve picked up this book (!), you know that some books affect you so profoundly they forever change the way you think about the world. Some books, on the other hand, disappoint you so much you want to throw them against the wall. Either way, it’s clear that a book can be your new soul mate or the bad relationship you need to end. In Dear Fahrenheit 451, librarian Annie Spence has crafted love letters and breakup notes to the iconic and eclectic books she has encountered over the years. From breaking up with The Giving Tree (a dysfunctional relationship book if ever there was one), to her love letter to The Time Traveler’s Wife (a novel less about time travel and more about the life of a marriage, with all of its ups and downs), Spence will make you think of old favorites in a new way. Filled with suggested reading lists, Spence’s take on classic and contemporary books is very much like the best of literature—sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes surprisingly poignant, and filled with universal truths. A celebration of reading, Dear Fahrenheit 451 is for anyone who loves nothing more than curling up with a good book…and another, and another, and another!
Spider from Mars: My Life with Bowie
by Woody WoodmanseyIn January 2016, the unexpected death of David Bowie rocked the globe. For millions of people, he was an icon celebrated for his music, his film and theatrical roles, and his trendsetting influence on fashion and gender norms. But no one from her inner circle has told the story of how David Jones—a young folksinger, dancer, and aspiring mime—became one of the most influential artists of our time.Drummer Woody Woodmansey is the last surviving member of Bowie’s band The Spiders from Mars which helped launch his Ziggy Stardust persona and made David Bowie a sensation.In this first memoir to follow Bowie’s passing, Spider from Mars reveals what it was like to be at the white-hot center of a star’s self-creation. With never-before-told stories and never-before-seen photographs, Woodmansey offers details of the album sessions for The Man Who Sold the World, Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and Aladdin Sane: the four albums that made Bowie a cult figure. And, as fame beckoned by eventually consumed Bowie, Woodmansey recalls the wild tours, eccentric characters, and rock ‘n’ roll excess that eventually drove the band apart.A vivid and unique evocation of a transformative musical era and the enigmatic, visionary musician at the center of it, with a foreword by legendary music producer Tony Visconti and an afterword from Def Leppard's Joe Elliot, Spider from Mars is for everyone who values David Bowie, by one of the people who knew him best." … those interested in rock history won’t want to miss this slice of music history." - Publishers Weekly
The Search for Maggie Ward: A Novel
by Andrew GreeleyThe Search for Maggie Ward is a poignant tale of love, loss, and faith set in the aftermath of World War I, from acclaimed New York Times bestsellling author and theologian Andrew M. Greeley.Young Navy flier Jerry Keenan is supposed to be on his way home to Chicago, law school, and a postwar life that is socially acceptable to a well-off Irish Catholic family. Instead he is in Arizona delaying that homecoming while he wrestles with his memories of combat and the men he saw die.That may be one reason an encounter with a girl at a Tucson lunch counter seems so appealing. Another reason is that she is mysterious, hauntingly beautiful, and very sexy—the perfect antidote for a troubled heart.But just when Jerry realizes how much he needs Maggie Ward, she dramatically vanishes, or is taken, from him. And Jerry Keenan, in search of his destiny and his soul, must be willing to move heaven and earth to find the woman he loves.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Koordination des Produktionsanlaufs in globalen Produktionsnetzwerken: Kontextfaktoren, Probleme und Instrumente (mir-Edition)
by Simon DreherMit der netzwerkmäßigen Internationalisierung von Produktionsaktivitäten werden zwar Voraussetzungen für eine effektive und effiziente Produktion im globalen Wettbewerb geschaffen. Globale Produktionsnetzwerke erweisen sich allerdings bei kürzer werdenden Produktlebenszyklen und einer damit steigenden Bedeutung des Faktors Zeit als zunächst einmal kritisch hinsichtlich einer schnellen Markteinführung neuer Produkte. Denn gegenüber einer zentral angelegten Produktion sorgen sie je nach Konfiguration für einen gestiegenen und dabei zeitintensiveren Koordinationsbedarf. Das trifft insbesondere auf die Phase des Produktionsanlaufs neuer Produkte zu: In dieser zeitkritischen Phase ist nicht nur die typische Herausforderung einer Abstimmung zwischen dem Entwicklungs- und Produktionsbereich zu bewältigen; vielmehr gilt es eine zeitliche, qualitäts-, quantitäts- sowie kostenbezogene Abstimmung zwischen den international gestreuten und interdependenten Produktionsstandorten im Netzwerk herbeizuführen. Dieser zeitintensive Koordinationsbedarf steht jedoch in starkem Konflikt mit dem zunehmenden Zeitdruck aufgrund verkürzter Produktlebenszyklen. Eine zielgerichtete Koordination der am Anlauf beteiligten Unternehmensstandorte, -funktionen und -mitarbeiter mittels geeigneter Instrumente kann daher als Kernherausforderung des Managements globaler Produktionsnetzwerke bezeichnet werden; wird sie nicht bewältigt, ist nicht nur eine erfolgreiche Produkteinführung, sondern auch die vollständige Realisierung der Produktionsnetzwerken an sich innewohnenden Potenziale gefährdet. Bisherige Untersuchungen fokussieren überwiegend einzelne Koordinationsaspekte, wie technische Änderungen seitens der Entwicklung, oder Probleme der Lieferantenintegration aus interorganisationaler Perspektive. Dabei wird vernachlässigt, dass es sich bei Anläufen heutzutage nicht mehr um rein nationale Projekte handelt, sondern diese sich zu standortübergreifenden, internationalen Prozessen entwickelt haben. Ziel dieser Dissertation ist es daher, spezifisch das Einwirken der „internationalen Dimension“ globaler Produktionsnetzwerke auf die Koordination der Anlaufphase zu untersuchen. Hierzu wurde basierend auf dem Kontingenzansatz, einschlägiger Literatur und einer empirisch-basierten Vorstudie ein konzeptioneller Bezugsrahmen entwickelt, der im Wesentlichen aus drei Elementen besteht: (1) Kontextfaktoren des anlaufbezogenen Koordinationsbedarfs, (2) spezifische Koordinationsprobleme bei globalen Anläufen und (3) unterschiedliche Koordinationsinstrumente, von denen ein Beitrag zur Bewältigung der Probleme zu erwarten ist. Auf dieser Grundlage wurde in einem zweiten Schritt eine empirische Untersuchung durchgeführt. Mittels einer Mehrfachfallstudie konnten detaillierte Einblicke in die Zusammenhänge zwischen den Elementen des Bezugsrahmen gewonnen werden. Genauer wurde den Fragen nachgegangen, inwieweit sich in verschiedenen Netzwerkkonfigurationen Unterschiede in der Bedeutung einzelner Koordinationsprobleme und dem Einsatz von Koordinationsinstrumenten identifizieren lassen. Ausgehend davon wurden praktische Gestaltungsempfehlungen hinsichtlich der instrumentellen Handhabung von Koordinationsproblemen abgeleitet.