This book discusses the concepts of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) that are the core of various paradigms used in strategic management to understand competitive advantage as well as flexibility in organizational boundaries. It serves as a valuable reference resource in the area of VUCA markets. An increase in the levels and types of uncertainty has important implications potentially for the durability of a company's advantages, the way firms learn and adapt, approaches for managing innovation and knowledge, and the attractiveness of different strategies and organizational models. In today's world, strategic flexibility in VUCA is essential for business leaders to sustain market advantage and attain a clear vision amid the chaos. Business leaders who stay focused and are aware of external volatility as the prevalent characteristic are successful, while those who are not flexible in this VUCA world and lock themselves into fixed positions lose out. The book includes empirical and conceptual research papers along with case studies and models discussing strategies for emerging markets in volatile and uncertain environments. It also covers a variety of issues, including innovation, people and processes, financial management, and leadership and strategies in VUCA markets. Apart from research fraternity and academia, the contents of the book will be useful for practitioners as well as industry watchers.

Become the best negotiator you can be, one manageable step at a time In the newly updated third edition of The Negotiation Book: Your Definitive Guide to Successful Negotiating, distinguished commercial negotiator Steve Gates delivers a singular and practical guide to the art and science of negotiation. Steve Gates is the founder of the world's leading negotiation consultancy, The Gap Partnership - and the methodology in this book is used by the world's biggest businesses to successfully execute their strategies. The book lays out the behaviours and traits associated with successful negotiation and offers a comprehensive model for how power, process and behaviour can have substantial impacts on your next negotiation. You'll also learn how you can shape these factors to optimise value for yourself, your client or your organisation. The author shows you how to secure more agreements and realise more value with every agreement you conclude. Through simple, realistic and hands-on advice, you'll improve as a negotiator and apply straightforward techniques to the real-world, dynamic environments in which your negotiations take place. You'll also find: Strategies for maintaining a balanced perspective and keeping your ego in check Maintaining a focus on the interests and priorities of the other party/parties Incremental steps for improving your negotiation ability that are easy to apply and retain This third edition brings the book firmly into the zeitgeist as it considers the very modern challenges presented to commercial negotiators as a result of an ever-changing world, in which they must navigate technological advancements, the post-Covid reality of virtual negotiation, and the impact of war, Brexit and other macro-economic and political developments that are having far-reaching impacts to business and beyond. An invaluable roadmap to becoming a Complete Skilled Negotiator, The Negotiation Book is the negotiation playbook that business leaders, lawyers, consultants and other professionals have been waiting for.

"Negotiation is a key part of daily lives, but learning how to negotiate successfully is a valuable skill. The author provides a tool kit for negotiation, demonstrating new methods and giving practical advice"--

This book is intended for human resources management academics, researchers, students, organizational leaders and managers, HR Practitioners, and those responsible for helping support employees in the 21st-century workplace. It offers a path forward to create an environment that will not only build a healthier workplace by providing appropriate and effective well-being interventions but also offers solutions to manage multi-generational and 'holistic' employees within the employment relationship. The book describes the factors that promote healthy and WELL organizations and introduces concepts and strategies to reduce workplace stress and mental health issues and improve workplace well-being toward sustained organizational success. Employers that embrace the corporate responsibility of promoting the health and well-being of multi-generational, holistic employees will reap cost savings, employee engagement, and productivity advantages, as well as a healthier and more productive workforce.

In today's society, environmental concerns are at the forefront of entrepreneurial decision-making and planning. With increased attention on an organization's environmental impact, researchers and business leaders strive to provide the best methodologies and strategies for effective environmental reporting and accountability. Green Accounting Initiatives and Strategies for Sustainable Development presents the latest scholarly research on the economic, social, and environmental objectives essential to the planning and support of future organizations and communities. This publication is an essential reference source for academicians, researchers, advanced level students, and professionals interested in designing business models and financial plans with consideration for environmental and social liabilities. This publication features timely, research based chapters on economic, social, and environmental policies including, but not limited to, green performance measurement, triple bottom line reporting, sustainable societies, environmental protection, and risk and adaptive management.

Do you need to deliver an effective service to challenging and unreasonable internal or external clients? Do you worry that you'll lose business or take a reputational hit if you don't do so well enough? This book introduces a valuable set of tools through which to build, maintain and manage your client-facing relationships.

Today, early-stage investors and entrepreneurs find themselves in a dilemma in which they must choose between profit and impact; between traditional, for-profit-only models on the one hand, and multiple-bottom-line structures with a positive social or environmental impact on the other. At a time in which climate change, exponentially growing technologies, social polarization, and looming pandemics are calling into question humanity's priorities, this Report to the Club of Rome and the World Academy of Art and Science dissolves this dilemma by proposing a new investment paradigm, namely Integral Investing.Integral Investing incorporates and transcends the best practices of both traditional venture capital and impact investing. It provides a seamless integration and shows how technological progress need not be our rival, but can instead be our ally in ensuring the prosperous society we all want. Drawing on her own investments and stellar track record since 1995, the author reveals the mechanism of Integral Investing. At the heart of it is a powerful, 360-degree de-risking tool called the Theta Model, which reveals how to make smart investment decisions based on the comprehensive integration of traditional due-diligence criteria, sustainability metrics, and assessments of the founders' and team culture. But it doesn't stop there. In turn, this handbook demonstrates how to use human-centered AI to scale and digitalize the investment process. The goal here is to accelerate the use of exponential tech, capital, and consciousness leadership to transition to a sustainable global society: a process the author refers to as the Investment Turnaround. The 21 principles of Integral Investing, which she defines using Ken Wilber's Integral Theory, lead to her manifesto on how to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals within Planetary Boundaries by 2050 through early-stage investing and entrepreneurship. Similar to the 15th century, when the Medicis inspired the Renaissance, today humanity is once again at a crucial turning point where pioneering public and private financiers, investors, entrepreneurs, and other committed individuals have the opportunity to leave behind the legacy of a prosperous society. This handbook provides a source of inspiration, and shows how self-actualization, a positive mindset, and a consciousness that is backed by a world-centric desire can become the driving force for solving the global grand challenges.

This textbook systematically addresses why and how Circular Economy should be developed and practiced by employing a Discussion and Research (D&R) teaching method. This method allows us to show the whole process of academic research, from formulating the key questions, to methodology design, and ultimately to conclusions and applications. In addition, the suggested class discussions and group homework provide good opportunities for participant cooperation and exchange. In this textbook, all chapters and sections are intended to answer specific scientific key or sub-key questions, while all chapters are also internally structured logically and systematically, from question to final conclusion. This textbook may help to boost student performance in science and research and was selected for inclusion in the 13th Five-Year planning teaching materials for regular higher education in China.

We negotiate constantly. In work, and in life. As one side gains, the other tends to lose, and it can feel more like a tug of war. Yet a different approach can turn this process into something more collaborative - and the start of a more positive working relationship. In Do Deal, music lawyers Richard Hoare and Andrew Gummer share their innovative approach to negotiation that builds trust and finds hidden value. In the dynamic and constantly evolving music industry, it has led to major record deals and highly successful long-term creative partnerships. Now, they will help you to: - Identify and adapt your natural negotiating style - Recognise key traits in your counterpart - Learn strategies to diffuse tricky situations and handle difficult people - Develop a more collaborative mindset - Think creatively to find hidden value and enrich deal terms. No-one is born a brilliant negotiator, but you can learn strategies and develop your natural style so, regardless of the cards you re holding, you approach the bargaining table with confidence, skill and a few tricks up your sleeve. Deal?

This book presents the latest tools, techniques, and solutions that decision makers use to overcome the challenges faced by their sustainable supply chains. Given the ever increasing significance of socio-economic and environmental factors, the management of sustainable supply chains has become a complex and dynamic task. Multiple and conflicting objectives of stakeholders including suppliers, manufacturers, service providers, and retailers add to the complexity of decisions that modern day managers of supply chains face. With the unprecedented technological developments and innovations at hand, sustainability can be maximized for all the activities of a supply chain including: service concept and product design, material sourcing and procurement, manufacturing processes, delivery of the final product, and end-of-life management of the product. Consequently, the sustainable supply chains' problems require a systematic and integrated approach. Modeling and simulation, in general, as well as system dynamics and agent-based modeling, in particular, have the capabilities to deal with the complexity of sustainable supply chain related problems. This book will appeal to professionals and researchers in the field.

The theory and practice of corporate citizenship and CSR have many alternative perspectives to the business-as-usual gaze. The essays in this volume encapsulate the essence of these alternative ideas and embrace the idea that progressive ways and means of this century do not lie in mainstream capitalist thinking. These pieces ask critical questions about the way we see the relationship between capitalism, business models and society - a subject not often discussed in non-academic literature. Globalization and Corporate Citizenship: The Alternative Gaze features contributions and new analysis from Klaus M. Leisinger, Chris Laszlo, David Coopperrider, Simon Zadek, Sandra Waddock and others. This title is one of a two-volume set - a collection of seminal and thought-provoking essays, drawn from the Journal of Corporate Citizenship's archive, accompanied by new analysis and reflection from the original authors. Written by some of the most widely recognized academic and business pioneers and leaders of the corporate responsibility and global sustainability movement, the volumes make essential reference texts for anyone interested in the radically awakening new global political economy.

This book explores the concept of university social responsibility, drawing on a wide range of geographical perspectives, such as China and Germany. It also examines the diverse aspirations of universities, from preserving authenticity and safeguarding Catholic values, to embedding sustainability into the community. It provides a storytelling framework for teaching sustainability in management education as an approach to strengthening the social role of universities and showcases how a service-learning approach could promote the engagement of universities within the community. This book is valuable reading for academics who are researching sustainability management, corporate and organisational social responsibility and other related social sciences. It has interdisciplinary appeal for scholars and serves interesting for practitioners.

This open access book addresses the issue of diffusing sustainable energy access in low- and middle-income contexts. Access to energy is one of the greatest challenges for many people living in low- income and developing contexts, as around 1.4 billion people lack access to electricity. Distributed Renewable Energy systems (DRE) are considered a promising approach to address this challenge and provide energy access to all. However, even if promising, the implementation of DRE systems is not always straightforward. The book analyses, discusses and classifies the promising Sustainable Product-Service System (S.PSS) business models to deliver Distributed Renewable Energy systems in an effective, efficient and sustainable way. Its message is supported with cases studies and examples, discussing the economic, environmental and socioethical benefits as well as its limitations and barriers to its implementation. An innovative design approach is proposed and a set of design tools are supplied, enabling readers to create and develop Sustainable Product-Service System (S.PSS) solutions to deliver Distributed Renewable Energy systems. Practical applications of the book's design approach and tools by companies and practitioners are discussed and the book will be of interest to readers in design, industry, governmental institutions, NGOs as well as researchers.

This book analyzes the relationship between integrated reporting and audit quality within the European context, presenting empirical evidence and drawing on a broad review of the available literature in order to evaluate the ability of integrated reporting to enhance audit risk assessment. Dedicated sections first elucidate the concepts of integrated reporting and audit quality. The main integrated reporting frameworks are compared, the role of integrated reporting within a firm's disclosure is examined, and all aspects of audit risk are discussed. The key question of the impacts of integrated reporting on the components of audit risk is then addressed in detail, with reference to empirical findings, their practical implications, and their limitations. The concluding section explores the future of corporate reporting and the development of the next integrated reporting framework and summarizes the insights that the analysis in the book offers into the relationship between integrated reporting and audit quality in the European setting.

Take your performance to the next level with our tried-and-tested guide on influence. The Influence Workout has been specially developed to be clear, simple, very easy to follow and highly effective. Our unique pre-workout test will help you identify your weak and strong points and the straightforward 10-step improvement plan will show you how you can quickly boost your skills. Test yourself - Start by finding out your current confidence and knowledge of influence Follow the 10 Steps - Learn everything you need to know to become an expert influencer Take action - Experience 10 situations where you can apply your new-found skill in real life Face your fears - Take on 10 common influencing challenges to test your skills and find out how to handle them. This book really works. And just to be sure, it's already been tested on over fifty readers just like you. Start your influence workout today and begin exercising your full potential.

It pays to be persuasive.

From senior managers to new-starters in business; at home, in the office and in the boardroom the ability to confidently motivate, influence and convince others offers a competitive edge that can really set you apart and help you get what you want.

Learn the power of words; how to be an effective listener; how to develop and enhance your memory; how to control the attention of others and how to read body language and other non-verbal signs.

Persuasion will boost your persuasive and intuitive skills to amazing new levels and will help you achieve more in every area of your life.

This book introduces the issues and problems that arise when implementing smart energy management for sustainable manufacturing in the automotive manufacturing industry and the analytical tools and applications to deal with them. It uses a number of illustrative examples to explain energy management in automotive manufacturing, which involves most types of manufacturing technology and various levels of energy consumption. It demonstrates how analytical tools can help improve energy management processes, including forecasting, consumption, and performance analysis, emerging new technology identification as well as investment decisions for establishing smart energy consumption practices. It also details practical energy management systems, making it a valuable resource for professionals involved in real energy management processes, and allowing readers to implement the procedures and applications presented.

Socially Responsible Outsourcing is an edited collection that focus on the topic of socially responsible outsourcing (SRO) including research frameworks, rich case studies, and an SRO agenda for the future.

It doesn't matter how many times you've bought a home; it's a purchase that you must research if you want to avoid trouble.

Author James C. Clinkscales, a licensed broker and real estate investing veteran, explains 101 ways to buy a home in this witty and straightforward guidebook. His approach makes learning about options easy and fun for buyers and others involved in the process, such as real estate agents and lawyers.

Discover the positives and negatives associated with different types of mortgages, learn how to avoid mistakes during the buying process, and steer clear of problems that the author encountered earlier in his career. Information on Federal Housing Administration programs and the history of real estate financing makes this guide even more valuable.

It's not necessary to be a mathematician to become an expert on real estate finance. Get the tools you need to own a bigger piece of the American Dream with "101 Ways to Buy a House."

This professional book examines the concept of engaged leadership. Specifically, it focuses on the need for leaders in personal and professional realms, for-profit and non-profit, to understand the importance of engagement in order to achieve enhanced satisfaction and motivation among stakeholders (including employees, shareholders, investors, supporters, customers, suppliers, the community, competitors, family, and partners), and hence, an augmented level of designed thinking, which leads to increased innovation and on-going leadership development. Divided into three sections-engaged leadership development at the personal level, implementation at the organizational level, and manifestation in practice-this book provides professionals, practitioners and policy makers as well as students with the tools and skills to lead actively and conscientiously and help them understand the importance of creativity and compassion for development. Engaged leadership operates on the fundamental principle that leaders have to first and foremost perceive themselves as leaders, and then engage in design thinking, as they will need to develop strategies to reach, encourage, and positively appeal to these stakeholder groups. Leadership is neither limited to those holding formal managerial position, nor to any particular setting. Leaders can be found everywhere, in all layers of society. Leadership is only possible, however, if one dares to perceive and define oneself as a leader. And only when leadership is adopted as a reality within one's personal perception, can engaged leadership be applied. Featuring contributions from academics, scholars, and professionals from around the world, each providing cases, interactive questions and reflective notes, this book will be of interest to professionals, practitioners, policy makers, students and scholars interested in creative leadership, management, organizational behavior, and governance.

The Link between Company Environmental & Financial Performance, first published in 1998, is a detailed investigation into the effects of environmental performance - resource efficiency, regulatory compliance, new product and service opportunities - on corporate financial performance. This report makes essential reading for company management, investors and other stakeholders. It demonstrates the quantitative links between environmental and financial performance for the UK's best and worst environmental performers across a range of business sectors. It shows that there is no financial penalty for being environmentally proactive, and confirms US findings that good environmental performance improves a company's financial performance.

In 2020, the world was rocked by the sudden and indiscriminate spread of COVID-19. But for all the damage caused - lives lost, economies roiled and jobs eradicated - it also created opportunities for individuals and businesses to pause and reflect. Bushido Capitalism explores the ways in which this forced interlude has allowed us to reflect on the effects of a Great Acceleration of the last two decades and to critically evaluate where we should go next. Guided by updated values of Bushido, which have long been enshrined in Japanese culture but are rarely referenced in the West, this book presents ways in which we can use this current inflection point to become more responsible, ethical and sustainably minded citizens and business leaders. It underscores the importance of collaboration, humility and realism, but also of confidence, ambition and creativity. It demonstrates that businesses, particularly in a complex and polarized world, can be a force for the common good of society - if run the right way.

In this handbook social science researchers who focus on sustainability present and discuss their findings, including empirical work, case studies, teaching and learning innovations, and applied projects. As such, the book offers a basis for the dissemination of information, ideas and experiences acquired in the execution of research projects, especially initiatives which have influenced behavior, decision-making, or policy. Furthermore, it introduces methodological approaches and projects which aim to offer a better understanding of sustainability across society and economic sectors. This multidisciplinary overview presents the work of researchers from across the spectrum of the social sciences. It stimulates innovative thinking on how social sciences influence sustainable development and vice-versa.