A one-stop resource on every dimension of international exporting

"Frank Reynolds gives the reader a tour de force of international trade issues–a treatise presented in a lucid yet highly analytical manner that both the novice and experienced business person will find informative and useful in their daily operations. Mr. Reynolds is more than a highly respected author. He is an international trader with over thirty years of experience and success."
– Michael E. Miller, Director
U.S. Export Assistance Center Network, Cleveland, Ohio
U.S. Department of Commerce

"In typical Frank Reynolds style, this book has practical how-to instructions for anyone involved in international trade. The information is timeless and easy to read and understand."
– Roy Becker
Author, A Banker’s Insights on International Trade

"As a licensed customs broker and an experienced international exporter, Frank Reynolds brings much more to the table than international trade theory. His vast knowledge and understanding of international trade issues make him an invaluable resource. How fortunate for the international trade community that Frank Reynolds has shared his in-depth comprehension of international trade matters!"
– Margaret Gatti, Esq.
Principal, Gatti and Associates

Exporters face a daily agenda of international regulations and cultural differences that hinder the flow of international trade. Managing Exports: Navigating the Complex Rules, Controls, Barriers, and Laws provides export managers with an accessible, authoritative resource for conducting efficient and profitable trading relationships.

Frank Reynolds shows exporters how to expand international sales, automate export operations, reduce costs, streamline operations, and manage an export department. Chapters include:

• Export Marketing
• Documentation
• Terms of Sale
• Workable Sales Contracts
• Insurance
• Keeping Current

By relying upon Managing Exports for a variety of best practices, export managers can not only avoid government fines for violation of regulations, but also reduce risk exposure and ensure their business’s sustained profitability.

Accessible, refreshingly candid, but above all helpful, this pragmatic guide addresses a real need by dealing with the problems that face the new IT manager. By providing a number of practical recommendations and approaches including how to make the transition from technical professional to manager and dealing with people, to giving advice and guidance on organization structure, architecture and planning approaches, this book covers a whole raft of issues essential to managing an IT unit.

If you have chosen to move from the safe haven of technology to the unpredictable world of management, this book could make the difference between success and failure.

"The IT Manager's Survival Guide is well named. Aimed at the techie becoming an IT Manager it covers the many alligators of IT management - from legacy systems to managing vendors - in easy chunks with checklists. It also provides the new manager with help to get ahead of the game by including articles from experts on what is wrong with IT management and a set of short reviews of management theorists from Strassman to Mayo.

I recommend this book for those who would like to buck the trend - the average tenure of an IT Manager is about 900 days - and run an IT outfit appreciated by customers and staff."
Gill Ringland, Fellow of the British Computer Society and Member of the BCS Management Forum. Author of Scenario Planning: Managing for the Future.

The digital traces that people leave behind as they conduct their daily lives provide a powerful resource for businesses to better understand the dynamics of an otherwise chaotic society. Digital technologies have become omnipresent in our lives and we still do not fully know how to make the best use of the data these technologies could harness. Businesses leveraging big data appropriately could definitely gain a sustainable competitive advantage. With a balanced mix of texts and cases, this book discusses a variety of digital technologies and how they transform people and organizations. It offers a debate on the societal consequences of the yet unfolding technological revolution and proposes alternatives for harnessing disruptive technologies for the greater benefit of all. This book will have wide appeal to academics in technology management, strategy, marketing, and human resource management.

This book provides in-depth guidance on how to use multi-criteria decision analysis methods for risk assessment and risk management. The frontiers of engineering operations management methods for identifying the risks, investigating their roles, analyzing the complex cause-effect relationships, and proposing countermeasures for risk mitigation are presented in this book. There is a total of ten chapters, mainly including the indicators and organizational models for risk assessment, the integrated Bayesian Best-Worst method and classifiable TOPSIS model for risk assessment, new risk prioritization model, fuzzy risk assessment under uncertainties, assessment of COVID-19 transmission risk based on fuzzy inference system, risk assessment and mitigation based on simulation output analysis, energy supply risk analysis, risk assessment and management in cash-in-transit vehicle routing problems, and sustainability risks of resource-exhausted cities. The most significant feature of this book is that it provides various systematic multi-criteria decision analysis methods for risk assessment and management, and illustrates the application of these methods in different fields. This book is beneficial to policymakers, decision-makers, experts, researchers and students related to risk assessment and management.

This is the first book that deals with technological innovation in Japanese animation industry from a management perspective. In reviewing prior research and explaining the history of the technology, the author raises the difficulty of dealing with new technologies. In particular, the focus is on systems that combine analog technology (drawing by hand) and digital technology (3D computer graphics or 3DCG) to create a product. This combined technology is referred to as "hybrid technology" in this book, and the development and management of "hybrid products" using this technology are studied. The study was conducted in two stages. The first stage was to determine the engineers' (animators') perception of hybrid technology. The results showed that in terms of potential, the hybrid technology of hand-drawn animation combined with 3DCG was rated more highly by engineers than hand-drawn alone. However, in terms of the assessment at that time, hybrid technology was rated higher than 3DCG alone but lower than hand-drawn. Therefore, it was assumed that hybrid technology, while useful, would pose challenges with respect to systematic implementation. The second stage was the development management of hybrid products. The results showed that the "adaptive engineer," who openly accepts other new technologies in the early stages of their emergence contributed to the integration of new and existing technologies.

The Chief Security Officer's Handbook: Leading Your Team into the Future offers practical advice on how to embrace the future, align with your organizations mission, and develop a program that meets the needs of the enterprise. The book discusses real-life examples of what to do to align with other critical departments, how to avoid spending time and resources on unnecessary and outdated methods, and tomorrow's security program. Today's security executives need to help their industry, their organization and the next generation of security leaders to pioneer, optimize and transform every aspect of our programs, technologies and methods. The book is ideal for current chief security officers, aspiring security executives, and those interested in better understanding the critical need to modernize corporate security.

This book provides a theoretical basis for understanding the phenomenon of renegotiations in Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). It analyzes the case of transport projects, and provides empirical evidence from a variety of real-world projects. What drives renegotiations? Why are some projects more likely to be renegotiated than others? What are the outcomes? How can we improve the performance of renegotiation processes? These questions form the core of discussion in this book. PPPs are a procurement model for the delivery of infrastructure and public services that have experienced significant growth over the last three decades, particularly in terms of the development of transportation projects. The empirical evidence suggests that most PPP projects are inevitably renegotiated, i.e., the original contract needs to be adapted to new and unforeseen circumstances. The impacts of these changes on the welfare of the respective stakeholders are frequently asymmetric. Most academic research and professional guidelines are focused on PPP contract design and preparation of the procurement process, and very little has been published on the management and, mainly, the process of renegotiating that will - in all likelihood - occur. This book fills this gap in the academic discussion. Several country-based analyses and case studies from Europe and the Americas provide the reader with practical applications of the theory.

This contributed volume focuses on the management and governance of international business networks (IBN). Specifically, the chapters refer to theoretical, conceptual, empirical, and case study papers from all areas in economics and management of IBN. These include cooperatives, franchising, retail chains, strategic alliances, public-private partnerships and new network forms in the digital economy. This book is ideal for researchers and strategists who are keen to improve their understanding of the latest developments in the field.

This book provides a comprehensive review of both the theoretical development and empirical study of the concept of cultural intelligence. A review of previous work on cross-cultural competence provides an historical backdrop against which the two main theories of cultural intelligence are presented. These two approaches, as well as the assessments derived from them, are compared and evaluated. Issues associated with the measurement of cultural intelligence are examined in detail. An important feature of the review of the empirical work on cultural intelligence is that results are discussed in terms of the relationship of the four sub dimensions of the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) and also that results using the Short Form Cultural Intelligence Scale (SFCQ) and other measures of the concept are included. The review of empirical work includes studies that cast cultural intelligence as an antecedent, as a dependent variable, and as a moderator and a mediator. Cultural intelligence at the group and organizational levels are also discussed. Finally, this review sets the stage for a discussion of appropriate future directions in the study of cultural intelligence. Scholars in organizational psychology interested in the concept of cultural intelligence will find this an essential guide.

This book presents a compilation of over 200 numerical problems and solutions that students can use to learn, practice and master the Inventory Control and Management concepts. Intended as a companion to any of the standard textbooks in Inventory Control and Management and written in simple language, it illustrates very clearly the steps students need to follow in order to solve a given problem. It also explains which solution methodologies can be used under which circumstances. Offering an ideal one-stop resource for mid-level engineering and business students who have taken Inventory Management or a related subject as an elective, this book is the only one students will ever need to prepare and gain confidence for their examinations in this subject.

This book provides state-of-the-art descriptions of smart service innovations in the industry, supported by novel scientific approaches. It gathers findings and insights presented at the fourth Smart Services Summit, held in Zurich, Switzerland, in October 2021, which primarily focused on how smart services have enabled companies to adapt during and to the COVID-19 pandemic. The book includes examples of remote and collaborative working that actively involve customers in service processes, requiring a change in mindset for more traditional firms. Moreover, it explores how services can be delivered faster and more affordable with the aid of new technologies and in collaboration with the customers, leading to new value propositions and business models and thus an evolution of smart services. Given its scope, the book offers an essential guide for practitioners and advanced students alike.

This book explores the relationship between and the compatibility of lean management (LM) and value-based management (VBM) approaches at the systems level. It then develops a model to improve LM and VBM professional practice by fostering a shared understanding of the value creation process within a lean system, and in doing so helps to remove existing barriers. The results promote future fruitful alliances between a company's operational and financial communities, enhancing the benefits to the enterprise and its stakeholders. The book is of primary interest to LM and VBM professionals and researchers.

Exploring the Cloud Computing (CC) commercial landscape as it matures; this book asserts that the key ingredient in sustaining the Software as a Service (SaaS) business model is subscription renewal. Chronicling the evolution and future trajectory of the CC concept, the authors examine the new paradigm it is creating for the distribution of computer software applications among business-to-business (B2B) clients. CC enabled SaaS has been fundamentally changing the revenue expectations and business model for the application software industry, and impacting on how SaaS providers pursue, acquire and retain B2B clients. Securing SaaS subscription renewal is critical to the survival and prosperity of this business as attrition can have a significant impact on the financial viability of SaaS businesses based on this model. Focusing on the B2B client and the SaaS industry dependency on renewal subscriptions delivered through the CC channel, the primary research presented in this book seeks to examine the key drivers behind the B2B SaaS subscription renewal decision and, in doing so, to explore the recurring revenue framework for the Cloud SaaS business.

Plant Factory: An Indoor Vertical Farming System for Efficient Quality Food Production, Second Edition presents a comprehensive look at the implementation of plant factory (PF) practices to yield food crops for both improved food security and environmental sustainability. Edited and authored by leading experts in PF and controlled environment agriculture (CEA), the book is divided into five sections, including an Overview and the Concept of Closed Plant Production Systems (CPPS), the Basics of Physics and Physiology - Environments and Their Effects, System Design, Construction, Cultivation and Management and Plant Factories in Operation. In addition to new coverage on the rapid advancement of LED technology and its application in indoor vertical farming, other revisions to the new edition include updated information on the status of business R&D and selected commercial PFALs (plant factory with artificial lighting). Additional updates include those focused on micro and mini-PFALs for improving the quality of life in urban areas, the physics and physiology of light, the impact of PFAL on the medicinal components of plants, and the system design, construction, cultivation and management issues related to transplant production within closed systems, photoautotrophic micro-propagation and education, training and intensive business forums on PFs.

Managing data continues to grow as a necessity for modern organizations. There are seemingly infinite opportunities for organic growth, reduction of costs, and creation of new products and services. It has become apparent that none of these opportunities can happen smoothly without data governance. The cost of exponential data growth and privacy / security concerns are becoming burdensome. Organizations will encounter unexpected consequences in new sources of risk. The solution to these challenges is also data governance; ensuring balance between risk and opportunity. Data Governance, Second Edition, is for any executive, manager or data professional who needs to understand or implement a data governance program. It is required to ensure consistent, accurate and reliable data across their organization. This book offers an overview of why data governance is needed, how to design, initiate, and execute a program and how to keep the program sustainable. This valuable resource provides comprehensive guidance to beginning professionals, managers or analysts looking to improve their processes, and advanced students in Data Management and related courses. With the provided framework and case studies all professionals in the data governance field will gain key insights into launching successful and money-saving data governance program.

Business managers, management consultants and researchers regularly question whether and how the contribution of IT to business performance can be measured. This book contributes to the art and science of the expost valuation of IT, by posing and answering key management questions, offering insights into the value of IT once it has been developed, implemented and used. Measuring the Value of Information Technology targets business managers, IT managers, business students and researchers and will enable its readers to systematically, effectively and consistently measure the value of Information Technology.

This book is in honor of Yasuhiko Takahara, a first-class researcher who has been active for some 50 years at the global level in systems research. Researchers and practitioners from Japan and other countries who have been influenced by Takahara have come together from far and wide to contribute their major research masterpieces in the field of systems research in the broadest sense. While the roots of Takahara's systems research are in general systems theory and systems control theory, he developed his research and teaching in diverse directions such as management information science, engineering, social simulation, and systems thinking. As a result, many of the researchers and practitioners he supervised or influenced have established their own positions and are now active around the world in a wide range of systems research. Volume II is a collection of their masterpieces or representative works in the fields of systems management theory and practice.

This book analyses mergers and acquisitions within the broader framework of strategic decisions. Existing studies on corporate acquisitions have produced a variegated and inconclusive spectrum of findings on the strategic mechanisms that contribute to value creation. By building on the widespread recognition that firms substantially differ in their ability to carry out successful acquisitions, this book focuses on the diverse effects of experiential learning. A unique systematic literature review is provided, which thematically highlights the connections between various streams of research. The author aims to systematise our knowledge on experience and learning dynamics in corporate acquisitions, providing a detailed analysis of conceptual implications and presenting potential avenues for future exploration.

This book proposes a new way to consider creativity in management education, inviting educators to rediscover themselves in the process. To date, creativity in management is a valuable skill, but one which has been institutionalized and subordinated to metrics such as economic growth, knowledge disciplining and employability. After a critical analysis using Foucault's governmentality to identify how creativity is being organized in management education, this book examines diverse initiatives intended to nurture creativity. Then, and through a systemic recontextualization of governmentality and other notions like play, it provides conceptual and practical guidance derived from the author's own self-narratives (games) as student and educator. The book concludes with important reflections, implications and guidelines for the nurturing in creativity in management education and life in general. This book will be a valuable reading for creativity and innovation scholars, academics working in management education and students in general.

This volume explores the challenge of engaging knowledge management in a sharing economy. In a hyper-competitive business environment, everything tends to be digital, virtual and highly networked, which raises the issue of how knowledge management can support the decision whether or not to share strategic resources or capabilities. The book answers questions such as: to what extent does the sharing economy preserve or compromise the competitive advantage of organizations? And what are the knowledge-management strategies for competitive, yet cautious sharing dynamics?

This book is intended as a guide to and manual on modeling complex problems in Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM). It encourages practitioners to consider the practicalities of real-world scenarios when modeling, while at the same time providing tips and examples of how to incorporate these realities into the initial decision matrix. The goal is to help readers build a decision matrix that replicates reality as closely as possible. Once this matrix has been constructed, the Decision Maker (DM) can select from more than a hundred MCDM methods the one that best fits the requirements and conditions of the matrix. The book features cases taken from real-world scenarios, which deal with various fields, aspects, and characteristics, and are solved using the SIMUS (Sequential Interactive Modeling for Urban Systems) method. This book is a valuable tool for practitioners, researchers and students dealing with MCDM problems.

This book proposes essential methods, models, and case studies for Sustainable Logistics and Production in Industry 4.0. In addition to identifying and discussing various challenges and future prospects, it also features numerous case studies and quantitative research from different sectors. The authors (which include academics and managers) present insightful tips on the technical, organizational and social aspects of implementing Sustainable Logistics and Production in Industry 4.0. In today's world, changes are coming faster and more unpredictably. Production is becoming more automated, computerized and complex. In short, Industry 4.0 is creating many new opportunities, but at the same time several new challenges. This book offers a valuable resource for all academics and practitioners who want to deepen their knowledge of Sustainable Logistics and Production in Industry 4.0.

This book addresses reliability, maintenance, risk, and safety issues of industrial systems with applications of the latest decision-making techniques. Thus, this book presents chapters that apply advanced tools, techniques, and computing models for optimizing the performance of industrial and manufacturing systems, along with other complex engineering equipment. Computing techniques like data analytics, failure mode and effects analysis, fuzzy set theory, petri-net, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM), and soft computing are used for solving problems of reliability, risk, and safety related issues.