Authors: John Moore.
Hardcover, 264 pages
Publisher: Kaplan Business
Publication Date: 2006-09-01


Reviews :

    Without question, Starbucks Coffee is one of the greatest business success stories of the past decade.  Since going public in 1992, it has grown yearly revenues to more than $6.5 billion, achieved a stock price increase of more than 6,500%, and opened over 11,000 locations worldwide. 

 

But for a company that has accomplished so much, outsiders really know very little about the Starbucks secrets to success.  That’s because much of the company’s sage advice and weathered truisms exist solely in the hearts and minds of longtime Starbucks employees.

 

This so-called “tribal knowledge” includes pithy quotes uttered by Starbucks executives, mantras used by Starbucks project groups, learnings from failed pilot programs, and “ah-ha” moments from successful projects.  It’s company stories passed down from one generation of employees to the next.   It’s intense.  It’s poignant.  It’s thought provoking.  It’s actionable.  It’s a language of Starbucks “tribal knowledge” that has never been written – only spoken – and only within the Starbucks tribe.

 

Until now.

 

In Tribal Knowledge: Business Wisdom Brewed from the Grounds of Starbucks Corporate Culture, longtime Starbucks marketer John Moore shares untold, behind-the-scenes stories of the processes, the programs, and the products that have made Starbucks a remarkable business success, including:

 

·        Why Starbucks was purpose driven to make a difference in the world.

·        How Starbucks goes beyond simply having a mission statement to living its mission statement.

·        How the Starbucks principled, innovative, and cause-related approach to marketing built an endearing and enduring brand.

·        Why efforts to extend the Starbucks brand into lifestyle offerings such as a literary magazine and full-service restaurants failed.

·       How the Starbucks approach to employee career growth has created a passionate workforce.

·        How to apply the Starbucks “tribal knowledge” to your business, entrepreneurial venture, or project group.

 

Tribal Knowledge gives you unprecedented access to the many business lessons that helped Starbucks find prosperity by selling a commodity – all from a marketer who lived inside the Starbucks tribe....

Authors: Constance L. Hays.
Paperback, 432 pages
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Publication Date: 2005-04-12


Reviews :

    The Real Thing is a portrait of America’s most famous product and the people who transformed it from mere soft drink to symbol of freedom. With fresh insights and a penetrating eye, New York Times reporter Constance L. Hays examines a century of Coca-Cola history through deft portraits of the charismatic, driven men who used luck, spin, and the open door of enterprise to turn a beverage with no nutritional value into a remedy, a refreshment, and an international object of consumer desire. The rise of Coke is also a catalog of carbonation, soda fountains, dynastic bottling businesses, global expansion, and outsize promotional campaigns, not all of which succeeded. By examining relationships at every level of the company, Hays reveals the psyche of a great American corporation–and also tells a larger story about business and this nation’s culture....

    Coca-Cola has become such a ubiquitous American symbol such that it's often hard to distinguish where mere substance ends (its formula is a secret as closely held as military stealth technology) and its seductively overwhelming marketing begins. But in the 1980s and '90s, Coke's new corporate management evolved it from a reliable, if sometimes stodgy, icon of American industry into one of the hottest stocks in a notoriously overheated bull market. That explosive corporate evolution is the focus of veteran NY Times beverage industry reporter Constance Hays' cautionary business history. Eschewing strict chronology in favor of skillfully weaving in appropriate pieces of the company's complex legacy and unique coporate culture to underscore their impact on the contemporary story at hand, Hays carefully dissects a company billed in boom years as a virtual perpetual profit machine of boundless potential. Coke's growth was largely the product of Roberto Goizueta, the methodical, Cuban-born chemist who'd risen through the company's ranks and outflanked fellow veteran executive/personable "super salesman" Don Keough to become its CEO. Goizueta may have been able to rise above the hubris-fueled "New Coke" reformulation fiasco of the mid-80s, but his penchant for ruthless market expansion, corporate rejiggering and tight control of the company's operating details and financial numbers would also sow the seeds for the inevitable collapse that halved Coke's value. That implosion quickly took down successor CEO Doug Forrester--ironically the original financial architect of much of the company's remarkable boom. While this is largely a business history and not a cultural one, it's filled with a wealth of telling human details: corporate pressures exerted on family-owned Coke bottlers to sell out; an obscure academic/stock analyst whose curiosity helped unravel the company's financial secrets; Machiavellian corporate politics where one era's loser becomes another's cautious victor. --Jerry McCulley...

Authors: Gordon R. Sullivan.
Paperback, 320 pages
Publisher: Broadway
Publication Date: 1997-09-02


Reviews :

    Since the end of the Cold War, the United States Army has been reengineered and downsized more thoroughly than any other business. Hope Is Not a Method explains how this process took place and shows how the Army's experiences are extremely relevant to today's businesses....

    In recent years, the U.S. Army has been modified and modernized more extensively than almost any private business. Leading the charge on this front were General Gordon R. Sullivan, chief of staff from 1991-95, and one of his key strategic planners, Colonel Michael V. Harper. In Hope Is Not a Method, these two explain just how an organization with 1.5 million employees and a $63-billion annual budget was successfully reengineered--and how those in the corporate world can learn from the experience....

Authors: John U. Bacon.
Hardcover, 255 pages
Publisher: Wiley
Publication Date: 2004-05-03


Reviews :

    The fascinating story of a company that has been at the forefront of American business for over one hundred years

The story of Walgreens spans over a century of U.S. history. It’s the story of the most successful drugstore chain in the nation, an industry leader from the 1920s right up to the present. Today, the company still surpasses its competition in both size and profitability.

America’s Corner Store details the incredible story of this innovative company, from its inception as a family-run store in 1901 to its transformation as one of the largest food and drug retailers in the world. Readers will learn how superb management, modern merchandising, innovative store design, fair pricing, outstanding customer service, and an exceedingly high-quality pharmacy fueled Walgreens astounding growth and continued success. From their invention of the malted milkshake to their creation of drive-thru pharmacies, Walgreens has set the standard for the industry. Through firsthand accounts of company executives and extensive research, John Bacon has created the most accurate and up-to-date account of this storied franchise.

John U. Bacon (Ann Arbor, MI) has written on a variety of business and feature topics that have appeared in national publications such as the New York Times, Time magazine, and Men’s Journal. He was also the host of his own radio talk show for more than a year. Previously, Bacon was a sports writer for the Detroit News....

Authors: Michael Dell. Catherine Fredman.
Paperback, 272 pages
Publisher: Collins Business
Publication Date: 2006-01-01


Reviews :

   

At nineteen, Michael Dell started his company as a freshman at the University of Texas with $1,000 and has since built an industry powerhouse. As Dell journeys through his childhood adventures, ups and downs, and mistakes made along the way, he reflects on invaluable lessons learned.

Michael Dell's revolutionary insight has allowed him to persevere against all odds, and Direct from Dell contains valuable information for any business leader. His strategies will show you effective ways to grow your business and will help you save time on costly mistakes by following his direct model for success.

...

    The PC business is full of rags-to-riches stories. But perhaps none is as dramatic as the rise of Dell Computer. In Direct from Dell, founder and CEO Michael Dell tells how he started his company from a dorm room at the University of Texas with less than $1,000 and built it into an industry powerhouse with a market capitalization of well over $100 billion. What makes Dell Computer unique is not what it sells, but rather how it sells it. Dell was first in the PC industry to pioneer the direct-selling model, a method that competitors such as Compaq and Apple Computer are only now starting to embrace. By cutting out the intermediary and creating a direct link between manufacturer and customer, Dell was able to provide customers with computers that cost less and that were more apt to meet customer needs.

Direct from Dell is organized into two parts. The first recounts the history and the enormous growth of Dell Computer. The second part focuses on Dell's management approach, from developing customer focus to creating alliances with suppliers. The book manages to avoid most of the promotional and self-congratulatory air that seem to plague so many first-person CEO tomes. Anyone who has followed the PC industry or would like insight into Dell Computer's success should enjoy reading this book. Well written and easy to read. Recommended. --Harry C. Edwards...

Authors: A. E. Hotchner.
Hardcover, 256 pages
Publisher: HarperEntertainment
Publication Date: 2004-03
Edition: 1

Reviews :

   

You know the name -- you've heard of the people -- and now the doors to Elaine's, New York City's famed night spot, are finally open. And no one, not even Elaine herself, is standing guard at the door.

Elaine Kaufman's creation certainly came from humble beginnings. Forty years ago the now legendary restaurant on Eighty-eighth Street and Second Avenue was deemed too far uptown for anyone of importance to frequent. It was there that Elaine served, catered to, and nursed young starving writers and artists of the day.

As these customers grew and matured into Woody Allen and Norman Mailer, Andy Warhol and Jack Nicholson, Elaine's grew with them. By the time these artists were deemed legends, well, Elaine's had already become legendary.

A. E. Hotchner was there at the beginning, is still there today, and has a table reserved for tomorrow. There is no better person than "Hotch" to tell the story of Elaine's. He was there for every bit of it.

They're all inside: Jackie O., Truman Capote, Frank Sinatra, Liz Smith, Joan Rivers, Lauren Bacall, Judy and Liza. The stories are all here. The night Jackie came to dance. The night Sinatra snubbed The Godfather author, Mario Puzo. When Sinatra's ex-wife, Mia Farrow, asked Michael Caine to introduce her to Woody Allen. When George Steinbrenner was turned away at the door the night his Yankees beat the Mets in the Subway Series.

Everyone Comes to Elaine's is more than a story about New York City. It's more than a story of celebrities. This is the story of a "family" with a domineering mother who will stop at nothing to protect those dearest to her. This is an American saga.

Elaine's is a microcosm of the people and events of the last forty years, from the sixties, when Beatles and Stones held forth there, to the start of the twenty-first century, when painful wakes were held for the regulars who perished on September 11. Just as Gertrude Stein presided over her salon in Paris in the twenties, Elaine now presides over hers.

So pull up a seat. You're invited. Everyone comes to Elaine's. Enjoy!

...

Authors: James Hoopes.
Hardcover, 336 pages
Publisher: Basic Books
Publication Date: 2003-04
Edition: 1

Reviews :

    A critical reassessment of the ideas that shaped modern management. According to Jim Hoopes, the fundamental principles on which business is based--authority, power, control--are increasingly at odds with principles of life in a democratic society--freedom, equality, individualism. False Prophets critically examines the pioneering theories of the early management thinkers, such as Taylor, Follett, Mayo, and Deming, which intended to democratize corporate life yet have proved antithetical to the successful practice of business. Hoopes challenges popular management movements that followed in the wake of these thinkers and accuses today's business theorists of perpetuating bad management in the name of democratic values. He urges executives and managers to recognize the realities of corporate life and learn to apply the principles of power. He also unveils a new management agenda that will be of paramount significance to modern organizations.

A rich and lively read, False Prophets provides a refreshingly new and original overview of the history of management in the larger context of the American culture, brilliantly illustrating its evolution--from the ivory tower to the shop floor....

Authors: Cynthia Hetherington.
Paperback, 288 pages
Publisher: Facts on Demand Press
Publication Date: 2007-12-25


Reviews :

    It is easier to paint a pretty picture than to hide a checkered past. In business, a company's future can depend upon what it knows about a competitor, vendor, customer or potential partner. The difference between entering a profitable relationship or costly litigation can hinge on an effective business background investigation. A smart businessperson checks to see if there are hidden past financial problems, principals with criminal records, or a history of lawsuits. Business Background Investigations provides the tools and techniques needed to investigate any business entity and uncover the details essential for success in a highly competitive environment....

Authors: Malcolm S. Salter.
Hardcover, 544 pages
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Publication Date: 2008-06-30


Reviews :

   

Although much has already been written about the rise and fall of Enron, four important questions remain unanswered: What management behavior and practices led Enron down the path from truly innovative to fraudulent management? How could Enron’s board of directors have failed to detect the business, ethical, and legal risks embedded in the company’s aggressive financial strategies and accounting practices? Why did Enron’s external watchdogs—security analysts, credit-rating agencies, and regulatory agencies—fail to bark? What actions can prevent Enron-type breakdowns in the future? Innovation Corrupted addresses each of these questions.

In contrast to the time-line narratives of previous books on Enron that offer interesting but largely unsystematic insight into individual actions and organizational processes, Innovation Corrupted pursues a more methodical analysis of the causes and lessons of Enron’s collapse. Based upon newly available sources, Salter identifies the social pathologies and administrative failures that fostered the company’s ethical drift and inhibited the board of directors from exercising effective governance and control. Salter also goes beyond the work of previous books by proposing practical recommendations for preventing future Enron-type disasters. These prescriptions relate to board oversight, financial incentives for executives, and, most importantly, the maintenance of ethical discipline when operating in the murky borderlands of the law. It was in this shadowed space that Enron’s senior executives lost their way.

...

Authors: Arianna Huffington.
Paperback, 288 pages
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Publication Date: 2004-01-27


Reviews :

    Who filled the trough? Who set the table at the banquet of greed? How has it been possible for corporate pigs to gorge themselves on grossly inflated pay packages and heaping helpings of stock options while the average American struggles to make do with their leftovers?

Provocative political commentator Arianna Huffington yanks back the curtain on the unholy alliance of CEOs, politicians, lobbyists, and Wall Street bankers who have shown a brutal disregard for those in the office cubicles and on the factory floors. As she puts it:

“The economic game is not supposed to be rigged like some shady ring toss on a carnival midway.” Yet it has been, allowing corporate crooks to bilk the public out of trillions of dollars, magically making our pensions and 401(k)s disappear and walking away with astronomical payouts and absurdly lavish perks-for-life.

The media have put their fingers on pieces of the sordid puzzle, but Pigs at the Trough presents the whole ugly picture of what’s really going on for the first time—a blistering, wickedly witty portrait of exactly how and why the worst and the greediest are running American business and government into the ground.

Tyco’s Dennis Kozlowski, Adelphia’s John Rigas, and the Three Horsemen of the Enron Apocalypse—Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling, and Andrew Fastow—are not just a few bad apples. They are manifestations of a megatrend in corporate leadership—the rise of a callous and avaricious mind-set that is wildly out of whack with the core values of the average American. WorldCom, Enron, Adelphia, Tyco, AOL, Xerox, Merrill Lynch, and the other scandals are only the tip of the tip of the corruption iceberg.

Making the case that our public watchdogs have become little more than obedient lapdogs, unwilling to bite the corporate hand that feeds them, Arianna Huffington turns the spotlight on the tough reforms we must demand from Washington. We need, she argues, to go way beyond the lame Corporate Responsibility Act if we are to stop the voracious corporate predators from eating away at the very foundations of our democracy.

Devastatingly funny and powerfully indicting, Pigs at the Trough is a rousing call to arms and a must-read for all those who are outraged by the scandalous state of corporate America.


From the Hardcover edition....

    Arianna Huffington, popular pundit, columnist, and author, is not known for her polite criticisms or her carefully worded complaints. In the course of Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption Are Undermining America, the corporate CEOs, accountants, politicians, and lobbyists at who she takes aim receive little relief from their porcine characterization first intimated in the book's title. And while she is full of invective for Enron's Kenneth Lay, Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski, Dick Cheney, and others, she backs up her outrage with dollar figures, dates, names, and specific information. The voluminous research is made more digestible by Huffington's direct and often amusing writing style (she characterizes a CEO's process of getting a loan approved by a corporate board as being akin to Tony Soprano getting a loan from Paulie Walnuts). Interspersed between chapters are entertainingly informative sidebars, including quizzes on executives' avarice and games where you match the CEO to his yacht. Occasionally, Huffington's anger gets mired in name-calling, which deflates her points. And while she spends ample time and space outlining the particulars of a flawed power structure, she dedicates little time to offering practical solutions toward remedying the problems. But Huffington is not trying to write a political science textbook or a party platform. As a highly readable indictment of corporate and governmental excess, Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption Are Undermining America is highly successful. --John Moe...