Many of the technological and managerial challenges of operating in the international environment are being addressed through global IT applications at the functional level of the organization. Global Information Systems and Technology: Focus on the Organization and Its Functional Areas provides a forum for identifying the specific impacts of IT in each of these areas and for understanding how the various challenges and solutions in the functional areas are being integrated via information technology. With a total of 27 chapters, this book examines several functional areas -- marketing, financial services, accounting, manufacturing and logistics, research and development, human resources -- all within the context of today's international business enterprise.

STOP TELLING STORIES. START SELLING THEM!

The world is rightly obsessed with the incredible power of a good story. Unfortunately too many of us take that to mean that it is our own story that’s important. It’s not. The magic happens not when we tell our customers the story of our past, but when we sell them a new story of their future. One in which we play a part.

As a salesperson (and make no mistake, you are a salesperson) you have two jobs. Job No. 2 of the storyseller is to help your clients and customers slay their dragon. Job No. 1 of the storyseller is to help them see their dragon.

You are in the dragon hunting business, but dragon hunting ain’t easy – there’s work to be done. In this short and highly practical book, renowned speaker Richard Mulholland shares with you how to use powerful stories to change minds, drive sales, and solve problems.

Here Be Dragons isn’t just a how-to book, it is far more a why-to, and mostly a what-to-do book.

?A major rewrite of Dettmer's classic Goldratt's Theory of Constraints, this new edition presents a whole new approach to building and applying logic trees. The logical thinking process referred to in the title is nothing less than a broadly applicable, systems-level approach to policy analysis. Dettmer has streamlined the process of constructing the logic trees while simultaneously ensuring that the results are more logically sound and closer representations of reality than ever before. He explains an easier, more logically sound way to integrate Current Reality Trees with Evaporating Clouds. His new version of the thinking process "retires" the Transition Tree in favor of the marriage of a more detailed Prerequisite Tree and critical chain project management. This book contains new examples of logic trees from a variety of real-world applications. Most of the diagrams and illustrations are new and improved. Explanations and procedures for constructing the logic trees are considerably simplified.

One of America’s foremost experts on leadership, Dr. John C. Maxwell believes that people need to master skills in four areas if they want to be successful. In this new edition of The 4 Pillars of Success, these four areas are called the four pillars, because they are key features of attaining success.

The four pillars are:

• Mentoring – help others achieve the next level
• Self-improvement – improve your life, improve yourself
• Success – overcome obstacles that keep you from success
• Teamwork – talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships

To effectuate is to engage in a specific type of entrepreneurial action. It has special importance for situations where the future is truly unknowable or human agency is of primary importance. In this new and updated edition of the bestselling Effectuation, Saras Sarasvathy explores the theory and techniques of non-predictive control for creating new firms, markets and economic opportunities. Using empirical and theoretical work done in collaboration with Nobel Laureate Herbert A. Simon, the author employs methods from cognitive science and behavioral economics to develop the notion of entrepreneurial expertise and effectuation. Supportive empirical evidence is provided by the author's study of 27 entrepreneurs as well as other independent studies. The book then traces the consequences of effectuation for business management, economics and social philosophy. The author finds that effectuators generate constraint-satisfying solutions rather than searching for optimal ones, make rather than find opportunities, and in a deep sense, convert 'as-if' propositions into 'even-if' ones. The way they accomplish this is the central discussion of the book. Students and scholars of entrepreneurship will find this path-breaking research of great value. The book's conclusions will also be of interest to those in the fields of behavioral and evolutionary economics, cognitive science and management. Praise for the first edition: 'The concept of effectuation is as subtle as it is profound. On the one hand, it challenges long held beliefs about the nature of cause and effect in social science. On the other hand, it generates a host of new insights about social phenomena. This concept is particularly well suited to analyzing entrepreneurial behavior - behaviors undertaken in settings where the relationship between cause and effect is understood, at best, very poorly.' - Jay B. Barney, The Ohio State University, US 'Things rarely turn out as we expected or intended. Neither rational choice between well-defined prospects nor commitment to a vision, which can be realised by will power or persuasion, offers a credible representation of much human activity - even the activities of entrepreneurs. But although uncertainty (or unknowledge) is inescapable it may be productively managed. If we understand our present circumstances and some of its possibilities, build constructive relationships with others, and be ready to adjust both our objectives and the means of achieving them in order to take advantage of new contingencies, then we can at least participate in shaping our own future. By taking this perspective Saras Sarasvathy makes entrepreneurship a natural human activity, expressing the limitations and potential of human motivation and human intelligence.' - Brian J. Loasby, University of Stirling, UK 'In Effectuation Saras Sarasvathy presents a carefully researched and reasoned view of entrepreneurial behavior that both challenges and extends prevailing wisdom in the field. There is little doubt that these ideas will serve as an important foundation for anyone desirous of stimulating positive action in the world. With Effectuation we are equipped to provide a generation of students and managers with the methods to make and find opportunities that create value. . . everywhere.' - Leonard A. Schlesinger, President, Babson College, US

This textbook offers a comprehensive analysis of traditional and newly emerging challenges affecting international logistics management from practical, theoretical and policy perspectives. Principles of International Logistics provides an in-depth exploration of the role of intermodal transportation, and the policy-oriented issues of market liberalization, regulatory policies, quality of institutions and supply chain orientation. Key Features: Detailed discussion of the role of the different modes of transport including air, land and maritime transportation Evaluation of international logistics and its economic significance, giving students a strong understanding of the basic principles of logistics Practically-oriented examples and cases drawn from developed and developing countries in Asia, Europe, South America and Africa to allow students to apply their knowledge in practice Coverage of new and emerging international issues such as new technologies and their application to logistics, placing traditional logistics concepts into modern context Principles of International Logistics will be an essential text for undergraduate students of international logistics, logistics management and global supply chains, and an excellent supplementary text for those studying operations and supply chain management more broadly.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This Advanced Introduction provides a cutting edge review of employee engagement, illustrating the theories and key instruments for research that underpin the field and its antecedents and consequences. It translates the science into practice by offering recommendations on how to build an engaged workforce and how to socialize and engage newcomers. Key features include: A state-of-the-art review of the field, including an overview of potential methodologies for measuring employee engagement Informed and insightful discussions of different engagement targets and referents and strategic employee engagement A keen awareness of international variations in employee engagement. This book offers a critical research agenda for researchers in business and management hoping to develop their research in organizational settings. It will also benefit managers and other practitioners in overcoming common problems and developing an engaged workforce.

The #1 New York Times Bestseller that shows why slowing down is the key to getting ahead 'Choose the focused inner stillness that Ryan champions' - Mark Manson #1 Bestselling author The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck 'Some authors give advice. Ryan Holiday distills wisdom. This book is a must read.' Cal Newport, New York Times bestselling author, Digital Minimalism 'A life-changing idea: that in order to move forward, we must learn to be still.' - Sophia Amoruso, cofounder and CEO, Girlboss Throughout history, there has been one quality that great leaders, makers, artists and fighters have shared. The Zen Buddhists described it as inner peace, the Stoics called it ataraxia and Ryan Holiday calls it stillness: the ability to be steady, focused and calm in a constantly busy world. Drawing on a wide range of history's greatest thinkers, Holiday shows us how crucial stillness is, and how it can be cultivated in our own lives today. Just as Winston Churchill, Oprah Winfrey and baseball player Sadaharu Oh have done, we can all benefit from stillness to feed into our greater ambitions - whether building a business or simply finding happiness, peace and self-direction. Stillness is the key to the self-mastery, discipline and focus necessary to succeed in this competitive, noisy world.

Today it is clear to managers and entrepreneurs that the business environment can change at any given time. Strategic management is an important and ongoing process of formulating and implementing strategies that help an organisation to position itself optimally and so maintain a competitive advantage that results in profit. It creates harmony between any organisation, big or small, and its environment. All stakeholders are affected by strategic decisions. In the South African context, strategic management is crucial for all profit-seeking as well as non-profit-seeking organisations as a result of an ever-changing, turbulent and competitive environment. It is therefore important for students and practitioners of management at every level and in every organisation to understand the vital role of strategic management in the life of an organisation. The strategic management process: a South African perspective is a new South African handbook with a fresh and exciting perspective. Its four parts follow an understandable and practical approach, making use of numerous figures and "strategy in action" cases to support the theory. The strategic management process: a South African perspective should prove invaluable both to students in strategic management and to organisations, from corporate and public companies with management training programmes, to small business ventures that are trying to gain a competitive advantage in a cut-throat environment.

Bonang Mohale is a highly respected South African businessman, who is known as much for his patriotism and his active role in seeking to advance his country’s interests as for the leading role he has played in companies like Otis Elevators, Shell South Africa and South African Airways, among others. Developed over 30 years of business experience, his insights have motivated change in organisations and individuals alike.

As CEO of Business Leadership South Africa, he frequently shares his insights through speeches and articles on the role of business in South Africa and the core tenets of leadership. Lift As You Rise is a compilation of some of his spoken and written words in which Mohale reveals the issues he is passionate about – among them transformation, people development, constructive collaboration and integrity – and how they came to define his career and his life. He looks into the ideas behind his words and offers fresh thoughts on the subjects they cover.

This well-balanced compilation is enhanced by contributions from others he has mentored or met on his journey which underscore who Mohale the man is – a fearless and energetic leader whose compassion, humanity and eternal optimism promote hope and encourage action.

There is value in this book for leaders in all walks of life, but it is Mohale’s hope that young people specifically, those rising through the ranks, will find his insights and experience inspiring – for they are the country’s future leaders.

In this book, Gretchen Oltman and Vicki Bautista walk you through the eight steps necessary to craft a personal leadership philosophy: a reflective explanation of the leadership style, core values, mindset, and real-life experiences that make you the leader you are today.When you can authentically tell your story, your school community will know you, what you value, and why you make decisions the way you do. You will rediscover a sense of purpose, renewal, and inspiration that may have slipped away amid the chaos of life-and you can build a stronger connection with those you lead and work beside. Leading in a school setting does not mean you need to lose your individual identity. You became a school leader by following your own unique path. You possess talents that set you apart from others. By working purposefully to share your personal leadership philosophy, you can create a new expectation of what school leaders should be and counter the unrealistic assumptions that others may hold. You can be more than your title. What's your leadership story?

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Taking an innovative look at how megaprojects are managed, including the important Why, What, Who and How elements, this insightful Advanced Introduction is enhanced with case studies of megaprojects from across the globe. Throughout, the authors highlight the fundamental issues in an accessible format, such as why megaprojects are undertaken, what their challenges are, how to market projects and who deals with stakeholder engagement. It also investigates key areas such as governance, social value creation, management, contractual and decision-making issues. Key features: Discusses how the creation of narratives can address uncertainty in projects Illustrates the pros and cons of a conventional approach to decision-making versus a naturalistic approach Provides a post-modernist approach to the management of megaprojects based on flexibility, versatility and ambidexterity Highlights the importance of megaproject leadership engaging with stakeholders to align interests and create value effectively This Advanced Introduction will provide essential reading for practitioners, specifically megaproject leaders, as well as academics of megaproject studies and management studies and projects. Students engaging in project and management studies will also find this enlightening and informative.

Team building is a vital tool for any manager. Everyone you work with will get more out of their role, and your projects will be more successful if everyone is pulling in the same direction. This book shows you how to do that. Get the essentials in one quick and comprehensive guide. *Ensuring your team understands its purpose and goals. *Agreeing behavioural rules and setting the right tone. *Playing to different team members' interests and strengths. *Generating confidence and trust within groups.

What is creativity and how can we best nurture creativity in different contexts? Drawing on a wide range of cases from the arts, business, design, media and sports, Creativities encourages readers to discover, mix and adapt their own version of creativity, rather than attempting to imitate or follow 'best practice'. International in scope, examples and cases extend beyond the typical Western 'creative genius' model, illuminating the great extent and diversity of global creativities. The book is designed around five key questions that address the what, how, where, who and why of the creative process, employing frameworks, questions and illustrative 'recipes' designed to inspire out-of-the-box creative thinking. The authors argue that to develop their own creativities, readers should experiment with different ingredients and find their own bisociative balance. With its rich array of cases, frameworks and visual material, Creativities will help educators design and lead classes on creativity, innovation and creative entrepreneurship. Its accessible content will also appeal to and inspire students and practitioners in business leadership, organisational innovation and critical management studies.

As entrepreneurship education grows across disciplines and permeates through various areas of university programs, this timely book offers an interdisciplinary, comparative and global perspective on best practices and new insights for the field. Through the theoretical lens of collaborative partnerships, it examines innovative practices of entrepreneurship education and advances understanding of the discipline. Exploring and showcasing how global collaboration can foster entrepreneurship education, international contributors share their experiences as educators, scholars and thought-leaders involved in the Babson Collaborative. Chapters illustrate the challenges faced by educators and creative methods for tackling them, offering useful insights from a range of disciplinary perspectives. Highlighting the significance of the field to higher education environments, this book encourages active participation in entrepreneurial practice and collaboration between stakeholders and disciplines to ensure high-quality education in a variety of settings. This insightful book is a rousing and inspiring view of entrepreneurship education for scholars and academic entrepreneurs who are working to build robust education ecosystems in the field.

This textbook addresses the most crucial strategic decisions and management challenges facing managers of multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating across different institutional settings and complex cultural contexts. How can managers of MNEs address pressures for local responsiveness and global integration? What are cultural and institutional differences and how do they impact the management of MNEs? How can managers create social capital across the MNE in the face of such differences? How can managers ensure knowledge transfer across the MNE? How can human resources be managed in a world of differing standards? Taking a critical, multi-level approach to international business, this textbook: Explores the strategic choices available to managers of MNEs and their consequences in an interactive way, providing an original, and engaging approach to the subject for students seeking to understand the issues faced by managers of MNEs Gives state-of-the-art theoretical overviews of topics related to global strategy and management, making this textbook a useful reference for academics as well as students Offers thirteen original, rich, case studies to illustrate each chapter's theory, highlighting the key challenges and dilemmas faced by managers of MNEs Provides clear exposition and critique of current literature to provide students with a firm theoretical understanding of the subject. This textbook provides a fresh and important contribution to the management of MNEs and will be invaluable for both students at masters level and their lecturers. It will also appeal to practitioners facing the daily challenges of managing MNEs.

Management Consulting: A Guide for Students bridges the gap between the latest academic research and practical skills to provide a comprehensive new introduction to modern consulting. David Biggs' important new textbook walks students through the key dimensions of management consulting from the contexts, through the processes, and into skills and implementation using a wide range of examples to provide a refreshing and modern guide for students. Every chapter deploys a consistent pedagogical framework including clear learning objectives that correspond with the latest standard course outlines, mini case studies, and industry snapshots. Full-length case studies appear at the end of every chapter, either prepared specifically for the text by international academics and consultants or supplied from premium vendors such as Harvard Business Review. A full set of online supporting resources for students and lectures make this the complete resource for management consulting courses at all levels.