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The Stakeholder Strategy: Profiting from Collaborative Business Relationships
by Ann SvendsenIn today's highly networked and competitive global economy, mounting social and environmental problems are forcing corporations to focus on more than just their stockholders' interest in meeting bottom line profitability. More and more companies are recognizing the value of identifying and building relationships with all of their organization's stakeholders-employees, customers, suppliers, and even communities. In fact, recent research has shown that companies that treat their employees well, create jobs in the local economy, develop innovative products and services, take care of the environment, and contribute to the community, are often more profitable. In The Stakeholder Strategy, sociologist Ann Svendsen presents an effective and practical step-by-step guide that companies can use to forge a network of powerful and profitable collaborative stakeholder relationships. While some forward-thinking corporations have tried limited collaborative approaches-focusing on one stakeholder group at a time-few have taken a comprehensive and strategic approach to building relationships with all of their stakeholders, notes Svendsen. And, while considerable commitment to the idea of stakeholder collaboration exists, there is a lack of knowledge and understanding about how to develop these relationships. The Stakeholder Strategy is the first book to show business leaders and managers how to establish and maintain positive, mutually beneficial stakeholder relationships. Based on a synthesis of ideas from community relations, corporate philanthropy, stakeholder management, organizational change, sustainability, and the corporate social responsibility literature, it offers an integrated framework, as well as the practical tools for developing new kinds of collaborative relationships. Svendsen uses easy-to-grasp concepts from everyday life, such as the process we go through in finding a mate or developing a long-term friendship, to illustrate these relationship-building strategies. She lays out the steps a company should take to create a collaboration-friendly organization: establishing a social mission, values, and ethical guidelines; assessing corporate readiness for collaboration; and making changes in communication, information and reward systems to support internal and external collaboration. Featuring case study examples from companies in North America and Europe who are working to build collaborative relationships with their stakeholders, The Stakeholder Strategy is the first book to provide a detailed explanation of how to conduct stakeholder audits and social audits so that companines can evaluate their relationship-building success and keep on track.
Intelligent Disobedience: Doing Right When What You're Told to Do Is Wrong
by Ira ChaleffWhen It's Smart to Say NoNearly every week we read about a tragedy or scandal that could have been prevented if individuals had said no to ill-advised or illegitimate orders. In this timely book, Ira Chaleff explores when and how to disobey inappropriate orders, reduce unacceptable risk, and find better ways to achieve legitimate goals.The inspiration for the book, and its title, comes from the concept of intelligent disobedience used in guide dog training. Guide dogs must recognize and resist a command that would put their human and themselves at risk and identify safer options for achieving the goal. This is precisely what Chaleff helps humans do. Using both deeply disturbing and uplifting examples, as well as critical but largely forgotten research, he shows how to create a culture where, rather than "just following orders," people hold themselves accountable to do the right thing, always.
The Introverted Leader, 3rd Edition: Building on Your Quiet Strength
by Jennifer B. KahnweilerThe bestselling guide on empowering introverted leaders to thrive in an extroverted world.Now updated with 20% new content, including strategies for remote and hybrid workplaces.In this expanded third edition of the bestselling The Introverted Leader, Jennifer Kahnweiler equips introverted leaders with essential tools for success in an extrovert-centric business world. With over 120,000 copies sold across multiple languages, this timely update addresses the evolving needs of introverted leaders, including in navigating remote and hybrid work environments such as:• Navigating the challenges of Zoom calls• Getting noticed when working remotely• Applying innovative meeting techniques for engaging introvertsKahnweiler's proven four-step strategy based on lessons from thousands of introverted leaders-Prepare, Presence, Push, and Practice-provides a concrete framework for introverts to leverage their natural strengths and overcome challenges in key areas such as public speaking, project management, and networking. The book includes:• Practical applications of the 4 Ps approach in six crucial workplace scenarios• A new chapter on leading effectively in remote and hybrid spaces• The "Quiet Wrap-Up Journal" An action-oriented study guide for ongoing development• Customized hiring and coaching strategies for introvertsDrawing from extensive research and over 100 interviews, Kahnweiler demonstrates how introversion can be a leadership asset, particularly in listening and written communication. This essential guide empowers introverted leaders to embrace their authentic selves while advancing their careers and making meaningful contributions to their organizations.
Real Leadership: Helping People and Organizations Face Their Toughest Challenges
by Dean WIlliamsToo many organizations today play follow the leader: the commander articulates a "vision" and people uncritically go along with it. But this style of leadership is ultimately ineffective and even dangerous. It hampers people's ability to anticipate and react to changing circumstances. And if the leader's vision is flawed, the entire organization will suffer. In Real Leadership, Dean Williams argues that the true task of the leader is to get people to face the reality of any situation themselves and develop strategies to deal with problems or take advantage of opportunities. Leaders who are responsible with their power and authority don't dictate; they help people determine what shifts in their values, habits, practices and priorities will be needed to accommodate changing conditions and new demands. Williams details how to apply this new approach to six different challenges that every organization faces. Throughout, he uses examples from his own experiences--working with organizations as diverse as the government of Singapore, Aetna Life and Casualty, and the nomadic Penan tribe in Borneo--as well as historical examples and the insights gleaned from his many interviews with presidents, prime ministers, and business leaders to demonstrate the practical application of real leadership in the real world. At a time when so many "visionary" leaders have led their organizations to disaster, Real Leadership offers a needed, proven alternative.
Seeing Red Cars: Driving Yourself, Your Team, and Your Organization to a Positive Future
by Laura GoodrichSurely you’ve experienced something like this: you buy a red car, and suddenly red cars appear everywhere. Why? Because you’re focusing on red cars—and you get more of whatever you focus on. But much of the time, consciously and unconsciously, we dwell on what we don’t want, and that’s what we get. Drawing on the latest scientific research, Laura Goodrich shows you how to stop fixating on negatives and rewire your brain to focus on positive outcomes. Unique and practical exercises—including a free online toolkit—and dozens of enlightening real-life stories help you identify what you truly want so that it drives everything you do. And Goodrich shows how Seeing Red Cars can build organizational cultures in which employees are playing to their passions and strengths, focusing on what they want, and achieving breakthrough results.
A Crowdfunder's Strategy Guide: Build a Better Business by Building Community
by Jamey StegmaierMore Than MoneyJamey Stegmaier knows crowdfunding. He's a veteran of seven successful Kickstarter campaigns (and counting) that have raised over $3.2 million, and he's the proprietor of the widely read Kickstarter Lessons blog. In this book he offers a comprehensive guide to crowdfunding, demonstrating that it can be a powerful way for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses by building community and putting their customers first.This book includes over forty stories of inspiring successes and sobering disasters. Stegmaier uses these examples to demonstrate how to (and how not to) prepare for a campaign, grow a fan base, structure a pitch, find new backers, and execute many other crucially important "nuts and bolts" elements of a successful crowdfunding project.But Stegmaier emphasizes that the benefits of crowdfunding are much more about the "crowd" than the "funding." He shows that if you treat your backers as people, not pocketbooks—communicate regularly and transparently with them, ask their opinions, attend to their needs—they'll become advocates as well as funders, exponentially increasing your project's chances of succeeding.
Key Case Law Rules for Government Contract Formation
by Patrick Butler Lt. ColGo Beyond the FAR!The guidance contained in the almost 2000 pages of the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the various agency supplements are just a part of the resources government acquisition professionals need to do their jobs effectively. Accessing and understanding case law is equally important to a thorough understanding of government contracting. Legal decisions explain the Government Accountability Office's and the courts' views on how procurement statutes and regulations apply in a wide range of situations. Case law also gives potential bid protesters and agencies a way to gauge the likely outcome of a protest.Until now, it has been difficult to find and understand the legal decisions that could be relevant to a particular situation. Key Case Law Rules for Government Contract Formation changes that by organizing and explaining the most important protest grounds in a readily accessible and comprehensible way. With an emphasis on more recent cases, the book is organized around the key protest grounds, such as pricing issues, allegations that the government wrongfully prevented competition, or improper sealed-bidding procedures.Bridging the gap of understanding between the legal and the contracting communities, this book is a much-needed addition to the essential resources for acquisition professionals.
Lift: The Fundamental State of Leadership
by Robert E. Quinn Ryan W. QuinnNEW EDITION, REVISED AND UPDATEDHarness the Science of Positive InfluenceJust as the Wright Brothers combined science and practice to finally realize the dream of flight, Ryan and Robert Quinn combine research and personal experience to demonstrate how to reach a psychological state that lifts us and those around us to greater heights of achievement, integrity, openness, and empathy. The updated edition of this award-winning book—honored by Utah State University's Huntsman School of Business, Benedictine University, and the LeadershipNow web site --includes two new chapters, one describing a learning process and social media platform the Quinns created to help people experience lift and the other sharing new insights into tapping into human potential.
The Unwritten Rules of Managing Up: Project Management Techniques from the Trenches
by Dana BrownleeWhat do you do when the biggest threat to your project is your boss? It's not that your boss is out to get you. In fact, bosses generally mean well. But clueless leadership from a well-intentioned boss can sometimes cause more damage than a criminal mastermind tying your project to the railroad tracks.The Unwritten Rules of Managing Up provides refreshingly practical and candid insight into the best practices and techniques that project managers have successfully used for decades to manage a wide variety of senior-level stakeholders—ranging from perfectly competent and pleasant to downright dysfunctional and inept. While managing up is an incredibly valuable skill for virtually any type of boss (not just the difficult ones), the book includes recommendations for managing six particularly challenging—and common—types of senior leaders. They are the bombastic Tornado, who takes over meetings without realizing it; the Wishful Thinker, who regularly asks the impossible; the Clueless Chameleon, who can't quite decide what he or she really wants (but still holds you responsible for delivering it); the MIA Boss, who is just not around enough; the Meddlesome Micromanager, who hovers and insists you complete a task his or her way; and the Naked Emperor, who falls in love with his or her own crazy ideas. Brownlee also offers basic techniques to use with any boss, even a great one. This book is not just for professionals seeking to enhance their workplace effectiveness but also for senior leaders interested in addressing their blind spots and coaching others toward a more collaborative, results-focused leadership approach.
Shakti Leadership: Embracing Feminine and Masculine Power in Business
by Raj Sisodia Nilima BhatUnlocking the Source for True LeadershipToo many people, men and women alike, have bought into a notion of leadership that exclusively emphasizes traditionally "masculine" qualities: hierarchical, militaristic, win-at-all-costs. The result has been corruption, environmental degradation, social breakdown, stress, depression, and a host of other serious problems. Nilima Bhat and Raj Sisodia show us a more balanced way, an archetype of leadership that is generative, cooperative, creative, inclusive, and empathetic. While these are traditionally regarded as "feminine" qualities, we all have them. In the Indian yogic tradition they're symbolized by Shakti, the source that powers all life. Through exercises and inspirational examples, Bhat and Sisodia show how to access this infinite energy and lead with your whole self. Male or female, leaders who understand and practice Shakti Leadership act from a consciousness of life-giving caring, creativity, and sustainability to achieve self-mastery internally and be of selfless service to the world.
There's No Such Thing as an IT Project: A Handbook for Intentional Business Change
by Bob Lewis Dave KaiserLearn how to stop pouring vast sums of money into technology projects that don't have a lasting impact by closing the communication gap between IT and leadership.Too many businesses miss opportunity after opportunity to design, plan, and achieve intentional business change. Why? Because they charter projects focused on delivering software products: IT projects. But as this groundbreaking book points out, there's no such thing as an IT project—or at least there shouldn't be. It's always about intentional business change, or what's the point?It's time to stop providing simplistic, one-dimensional, all-you-gotta-do panaceas. When the only constant in business is change, truly useful IT has to help you change instead of build solutions that are obsolete even before they are completed. IT consultant Bob Lewis, author of the bestselling Bare Bones Project Management, has joined forces with seasoned CIO Dave Kaiser to give you the tools you need. It's a multidimensional, relentlessly practical guide. Condensed to handbook length and seasoned with Lewis's trademark sardonic humor, it's an enjoyable and digestible read as well.Lewis and Kaiser take you step by step through the process of building a collaboration between IT and the rest of the business that really works. Insisting on intentional business change takes patience, communication, and courage, but it has a huge payoff. More to the point, insist on anything else and every penny you spend will be a wasted dime and a waste of time.
Outsmart Waste: The Modern Idea of Garbage and How to Think Our Way Out of It
by Tom SzakyEver-expanding landfills, ocean gyres filled with floating plastic mush, endangered wildlife. Our garbage has become a massive and exponentially growing problem in modern society. Eco-entrepreneur Tom Szaky explores why this crisis exists and explains how can we solve it by eliminating the very idea of garbage. To outsmart waste, he says, we first have to understand it, then change how we create it, and finally rethink what we do with it. By mimicking nature and focusing on the value inherent in our by-products, we can transform the waste we can’t avoid creating from useless trash to a useful resource. Szaky demonstrates that there is value in every kind of garbage, from used chewing gum to juice pouches to cigarette butts. After reading this mind-expanding book, you will never think about garbage the same way again.
Flight Plan: The Real Secret of Success
by Brian TracyThe bestselling book by Rhonda Byrne, The Secret, talks about the powerful effects of visualizing success and activating the Law of Attraction. But many people are finding out that just thinking about what they want, while it’s a good start, isn’t enough. In Flight Plan, Brian Tracy reveals the real keys to accomplishing any long-term, meaningful success. Using the metaphor of an airplane trip, Flight Plan helps you chart a course to greater achievement, happiness, and personal fulfillment. Brian has personally gone from rags to riches using these principles. He has taught them to 4 million people in 46 countries and become one of the top success teachers and gurus on personal performance in the world. People who learn and apply the formula in Flight Plan experience immediate changes and long-lasting improvements in every area of life. The best news is that success is not a matter of luck, chance or mysterious forces, any more than an airline flight is. A favorable tailwind will make for a faster flight, a strong headwind will mean delays, but a pilot reaches his or her destination by skillfully maneuvering the plane in accordance with the physical laws that govern flight. Success is no different. By learning to skillfully apply the laws and principles outlined in Flight Plan, you will be able to fulfill your complete potential and become everything you are capable of becoming.
Winning with Past Performance: Strategies for Industry and Government
by Jim Hiles W. Earl WellsUse past performance to win contracts and deliver results at the lowest risk and cost!The federal government has focused on past performance to rank bidders for almost two decades, yet both the collection and use of past performance information remain disjointed, siloed, and not fully understood in government or industry. Nonetheless, contractors' livelihoods depend on how the government collects and uses their past performance information.Winning with Past Performance: Strategies for Industry and Government aims to enhance awareness and understanding of past performance processes as well as to promote smart business practices on both the buyer and seller sides of the equation. The authors examine all aspects of past performance, including using feedback to improve performance, the government's evolving use of past performance, and the future of past performance as an evaluation tool.Winning with Past Performance brings it all together on the subject of past performance and is a ready reference for buyers, sellers, policymakers, contracting professionals, and service providers.
El corazón del liderazgo: Cómo ser un líder que la gente quiera seguir
by Mark MillerWhat makes for a truly exceptional leader? Certainly, leaders need people skills, execution skills, a deep knowledge of industry trends, the ability to articulate a vision, and more—they must be competent—but that's just the tip of the iceberg. What's below the waterline? What's deep inside the best leaders that makes them different? Mark Miller contends it is their leadership character. In this enlightening and entertaining business fable, young and ambitious leader Blake Brown goes on a journey to discover the five unique traits exhibited by exceptional leaders and how to cultivate them. This book shows us that leadership needn't be the purview of the few—it is within reach for millions around the world. The Heart of Leadership is a road map for every person who desires to make a difference in the lives of others and become a leader people want to follow. ¿Qué es lo que hace que un líder sea verdaderamente excepcional? Sin duda, los líderes necesitan don de gentes, habilidades de ejecución, un conocimiento profundo de las tendencias de la industria, y la capacidad de articular una visión; y más aún: deben ser competentes. Pero eso es sólo la punta del iceberg. ¿Qué hay debajo de la línea de flotación? ¿Qué se esconde dentro de los mejores líderes, que los hace diferentes? Mark Miller sostiene que es el carácter. En esta fábula empresarial, clarificadora y amena, el joven y ambicioso líder Blake Brown emprende un viaje para descubrir los cinco rasgos únicos que distinguen a los líderes excepcionales, y cómo cultivarlos. Este libro nos muestra que el liderazgo no tiene por qué ser la meta de unos pocos, sino que está al alcance de millones de personas de todo el mundo. El corazón del liderazgo es un mapa para todo aquel que desee marcar una diferencia en la vida de los demás y convertirse en un líder que la gente quiera seguir.
The Six Secrets of Raising Capital: An Insider's Guide for Entrepreneurs
by Bill FisherBased on Bill Fisher’s three-day seminars that regularly sell out all over the world, this book offers the kind of capital-raising street smarts no entrepreneur can do without. As a banker in Silicon Valley in the ‘80s and a businessman who founded a number of successful companies beginning in the ‘90s, Fisher has seen firsthand the kind of rookie mistakes aspiring entrepreneurs make that end up stopping them before they have a chance to get started. Fisher looks at six traditional steps in the capital-raising process and digs beneath the surface to expose subtle but critical aspects of each—knowledge that, until now, could come only with experience. For example, entrepreneurs believe that great business ideas get funded. Not true—just look at the failure rates of venture-backed companies. Great business stories get funded, and all great business stories have a similar construction and shape. And of course the entrepreneur needs an investor, but each investor comes with his or her own personality issues. You need the right match for long-term success, not just whoever is waving the biggest check—a temptation that is easy for cash-strapped entrepreneurs to succumb to. Having this book is like going into your investor meetings with a trusted advisor who knows all the ins and outs of raising capital.
The Government Manager's Guide to Contract Law
by Terrence M. O'Connor LLMThis practical volume offers clear and helpful guidance on the laws governing federal contracts. From information on the types of contracts used in government to ways to interpret those contracts, the book covers the basics that every government manager needs to know. Information on complying with ethics requirements in general, and in the solicitation process and contract administration in particular, is especially pertinent. The author also explains the government manager's liability both to the government and to the public.This book covers all the aspects of contract law that every government manager should know to be both effective and in compliance.
You, Unstuck: You Are the Solution to Your Greatest Problem
by Seth Adam SmithAll of us feel trapped, stuck, or unable to move forward in life at some point. What is it that's holding us back? According to Seth Adam Smith, it's who, not what. Ultimately, the greatest obstacle to achieving your full potential is you. But you are also the solution to your greatest problem.This book combats a destructive mind-set that we all sometimes fall into: I can't change. I am the victim of my circumstances, and I am confined by my personal limitations. This philosophy, though intangible, destroys more dreams and limits more lives than any actual, physical obstacle. To show us how to overcome this philosophy of fear, Smith draws on literature, history, and his personal experiences with chronic depression, as well as on encounters with remarkable "ordinary" people who've embraced a different philosophy: the belief that we possess the power to lift ourselves out of the abyss and into the light.Smith inspires us to see that no matter how dire our circumstances may be, there is always a positive step you can take, however small it might be. He doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties or offer promises of overnight success. But he does promise that if you continue to see yourself as a victim you'll remain frozen and fearful. We may not be able to control what happens to us, but we can always control how we react.
Breakthrough Coaching: Creating Lightbulb Moments in Your Coaching Conversations
by Marcia ReynoldsLight bulb moments in coaching are the creative insights that change minds and lives.A new, highly actionable guide for disrupting the narratives holding clients back from resolving problems and making the changes they want in themselves, Breakthrough Coaching provides methods, resources, and exercises to help you activate immediate and sustainable shifts in perspective and behavior, moving you forward on your path of coaching mastery.Stop being haunted by doubt and discomfort. Discover how to quickly create safety and connection so your clients accept when you challenge their thinking. Then know what to say that evokes the creative flashes of insight that change their minds and lives forever.Read Breakthrough Coaching to unlock access to:5 Modules of learning and discovery19 Resource Tools and 5 Practice ExercisesCoaching case studies and examplesAnd so much moreNo longer will you worry "can I really say that?" or "should I have said more?" Instead, you'll be able to reveal deep desires and dreams, shine a light on blind spots and mental blocks, and open your client's minds to new perspectives that change their stories ripe with new possibilities-in less than an hour of your time together.
Community: The Structure of Belonging
by Peter BlockAs a response to the increasing violence in our culture, the widening ideological divides, and the growing gap in economic well-being, there is greater awareness that a deeper sense of community is desperately needed. But even as we acknowledge the need to build community, the dominant on-the-ground practices about how to engage people, civically and organizationally, remain essentially unchanged. We still believe community is built with better messaging, more persuasion, and social events for people to get to know each other better. All of which is naïve. In this new edition, Block draws on a decade of putting these ideas into practice to emphasize what has worked and extract those thoughts that were nice but had no durability. He explores how technology, instead of bringing us together, has driven us into more isolation. New examples show that community building can be a more powerful way to address social problems than more traditional policies and programs. And encouragingly, Block insists this is really simple, once we decide it is essential. He offers a way of thinking that creates an opening for authentic communities to exist and details what each of us can do to make that happen.
Be the Hero: Three Powerful Ways to Overcome Challenges in Work and Life
by Noah Blumenthal"At times we all feel frustrated, stressed, or out of control. What if you could be at your best when your challenges are on the rise? Well, you can. Be the Hero introduces us to the way of the “Everyday Hero” and shows how to turn self-defeating thoughts and behaviors into heroic actions. All day long, without even realizing it, we tell ourselves dozens of stories—about other people, our situations, and ourselves—stories that shape our emotions and behavior. These stories are so powerful, they make us think and act like either a hero or a victim. Be the Hero shows you how to choose the stories that lead to personal and professional success. In the tradition of the best storytellers, Noah Blumenthal weaves a tale of a young professional’s journey from victim to hero, one that is both captivating and profound. The powerful resources at the end of the book, including a hero tip of the week, smart cards, manager tip sheets, and more, will help you make your hero stories stick "
Changing How the World Does Business: Fedex's Incredible Journey to Success - The Inside Story
by Roger FrockFrom humble beginnings, FedEx has literally revolutionized the way business is conducted. Not too long ago, overnight shipping was barely an option for even the largest companies. Today, thanks to FedEx, it's available to every living room start-up. With annual revenues of $30 billion, more than 250,000 employees, 600 aircraft, and 70,000 surface vehicles, FedEx handles nearly six million shipments a day in two hundred countries. FedEx has become a household name, and has been named one of the top ten of America's Most Admired Companies by Fortune magazine. But it wasn't always easy. From his inside vantage point as the company's first general manager and chief operating officer, Roger Frock reveals the remarkable details of how Fred Smith and his team endured their tumultuous early years--fraught with a seemingly unending series of legal, financial, and operational crises that continually threatened the company's ability to stay in business--and, in the end, created an entirely new industry. Frock chronicles the dramatic last-minute saves and turnarounds the company engineered from its inception to the present. He entertains with stories of the trials and tribulations of the company's early struggles and victories--from Pilots using personal credit cards to fuel planes, to the courier who hocked his watch to put gas in his delivery van, and, one of the most memorable episodes, the time that founder Fred Smith literally gambled the company's last remaining funds to keep the planes flying. Frock's story introduces all the players--FedEx's resourceful and resilient leaders and employees--and shows how these remarkable individuals gave Fred Smith's original concept wings and, through flexibility, creativity, and commitment, made a fledgling startup into one of the great success stories in modern business. Changing How the World Does Business is an inspirational tale for leaders and entrepreneurs everywhere.
Win the Heart: How to Create a Culture of Full Engagement (The\high Performance Ser. #4)
by Mark MillerEvery great company has an engaged workforce, and nurturing a culture of engagement is at the heart of great leadership—employees who really care about their work, their coworkers, and the organization can supercharge a company's success. But for many years, engagement has been suffering. Gallop reports that 70 percent of employees are not fully engaged on the job. Mark Miller draws on more than forty years of leadership experience to show leaders at all levels how to change the conversation and create real competitive advantage in the process.In the fourth book in Miller's High Performance Series, CEO Blake Brown sets out to discover how to create the kind of workplace where everyone feels excited to come to work, passionate about what he or she brings to the company, and energized at the end of the day. It's a journey that takes him literally all over the world—from Italy to Greece to Green Bay and more. What he discovers from the pages of history is as relevant as the evening news. Engagement unleashes untapped potential buried deep within the hearts of your people. An engaged workforce is more creative, more driven, and more enthusiastic about reaching company goals. If you put the lessons in this book to work, your people will never look at work, or their leaders, the same way again.
Crossing Boundaries: A Traveler’s Guide to World Peace
by Aziz Abu SarahAn essential strategy book for how to have transformative, sustainable, responsible travel experiences—starting at your own front door. Recognized Peacemaker and National Geographic Explorer Aziz Abu Sarah shows how, by crossing boundaries, we can heal our world from stereotypes, prejudice, and ignorance. Whether you're planning future travels or exploring the diverse cultures in your own community, Crossing Boundaries provides strategies for growth and getting out of your comfort zone. Moving between inspirational stories, humorous anecdotes, and helpful conflict resolution tips, Abu Sarah guides you through having personal, meaningful experiences with people from different backgrounds. He sketches a vision of a kind of travel with the power to help heal the divides of a world polarized by seemingly intractable conflicts. Abu Sarah argues that transformative travel can start at home. He knows this firsthand: a former Palestinian radical, he shares his own moving story of creating connections across his divided hometown of Jerusalem, and of co-founding a tour agency with a Jewish American. Today, they direct Dual Narrative Tours, co-led by guides from different communities in countries like Israel and Palestine, Ireland and Northern Ireland, North and South Vietnam, and many others. Drawing on these experiences, Abu Sarah's book offers tips on how to meet people naturally and safely, design an inclusive itinerary, shop to support the local economy, deal with setbacks, and much more. A guide for going beyond museums and monuments, this book is for both the first-timer and seasoned veteran. Abu Sarah shows that if you put down your phone and strike up a conversation, you can break through the walls that separate people. You'll discover shared values, build lasting relationships, and realize that far more unites us than divides us.
The Speculation Economy: How Finance Triumphed Over Industry (Bk. Currents Ser.)
by Lawrence E. MitchellAmerican companies once focused exclusively on providing the best products and services. But today, most corporations are obsessed with maximizing their stock prices, resulting in short-term thinking and the kind of cook-the-books corruption seen in the Enron and WorldCom scandals. How did this happen? In this groundbreaking book, Lawrence E. Mitchell traces the origins of the problem to the first decade of the 20th century, when industrialists and bankers began merging existing companies into huge “combines”—today’s giant corporations—so they could profit by manufacturing and selling stock in these new entities. He describes and analyzes the legal changes that made this possible, the federal regulatory efforts that missed the significance of this transforming development, and the changes in American society and culture that led more and more Americans to enter the market, turning from relatively safe bonds to riskier common stock in the hopes of becoming rich. Financiers and the corporations they controlled encouraged this trend, but as stock ownership expanded and businesses were increasingly forced to cater to stockholders’ “get rich quick” expectations, a subtle but revolutionary shift in the nature of the American economy occurred: finance no longer served industry; instead, industry began to serve finance. The Speculation Economy analyzes the history behind the opening of this economic Pandora’s box, the root cause of so many modern acts of corporate malfeasance.