Through contemporary case studies of strategic management at work in the US and Europe, this collection shows that it can no longer be seen as a discipline for long term decisions but has become a central feature of the public sector. Individual chapters offer insights into strategic management capabilities at the national and sub-national level.

Economic activities are becoming increasingly globalised. One result being that for companies in developed market economies price-based competition is being replaced or supplemented by other forms of competitiveness. This book explores the shift towards design-based competitiveness and the escalation in the design-intensity of goods and services.

Through contemporary case studies of strategic management at work in the US and Europe, this collection shows that it can no longer be seen as a discipline for long term decisions but has become a central feature of the public sector. Individual chapters offer insights into strategic management capabilities at the national and sub-national level.

Action selection is the task of doing the right thing at the right time. It requires the assessment of available alternatives, executing those most appropriate, and resolving conflicts among competing goals and possibilities. Using advanced computational modelling, this book explores cutting-edge research into action selection in nature from a wide range of disciplines, from neuroscience to behavioural ecology, and even political science. It delivers new insights into both detailed and systems-level attributes of natural intelligence and demonstrates advances in methodological practice. Contributions from leading researchers cover issues including whether biological action selection is optimal, neural substrates for action selection in the vertebrate brain, perceptual selection in decision making, and interactions between group and individual action selection. This first integrated review of action selection in nature contains a balance of review and original research material, consolidating current knowledge into a valuable reference for researchers while illustrating potential paths for future studies.

Economic activities are becoming increasingly globalised. One result being that for companies in developed market economies price-based competition is being replaced or supplemented by other forms of competitiveness. This book explores the shift towards design-based competitiveness and the escalation in the design-intensity of goods and services.

Ikushima lives as a drone, slaving away for an advertising company that neither values him nor cares about his existence. He flees the city to become a vagabond, catching local trains to anywhere, eventually finding a miserable job skewering refuse animal organs for a local restaurant in Amagasaki, a town riddled with gangs and miscreants. He settles into a routine in the city, and through his brief and accidental encounters with his deeply troubled neighbors the evil-worshipping tattoo artist, his former-prostitute-cum-Madame employer, an unclaimed child, and the fleetingly striking Ayako he bridges the gaps in his social world and inadvertently begins to live. With this newfound, yet unacknowledged, passion for life, Ikushima embarks on a love affair with Ayako, which leads to dangerous consequences and threatens to tear through the barriers he has partitioned around his existence for so long.At once quietly reflective and bitterly gritty, The Paradise Bird Tattoo (or, Attempted Double-Suicide) explores a new generation of worker bees who possess a candid fear of living with an inexplicable sense that they must go on for the sake of going on. Choukitsu Kurumatani artfully illustrates a world where not even love can provide salvation for those who are weary of life.

"Ministry of Motivation is a powerful, inspirational work of cultural and spiritual elevation. His words are candid; his motive is encouraging, his mission is clear. The fifteen fabulous keys are a must for anyone seeking to enhance their quality of life." Dr. Louis R. Hilton III, Educational Consultant, and Cultural Historian "Allen Bryson is a brilliant motivator and any reader can sense his dedication and passion in every word. His combination of poetry and motivation speaking is truly powerful. Ministry of Motivation truly inspires and lifts us all with the notion of the bright skies of our futures." Christopher Freeburg, Professor of English University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign "Bryson's work should be applauded because it is powerful, insightful, and quite timely. His words are poetic, profound and have quite a memorable impact." Rev. Jessie L Jackson Sr., Operation Push Rainbow Coalition "Are you ready for a breakthrough? Are you ready for a life filled with victory and promise? Are you ready to turn promise into practice? EbonyEnergy Publishing presents the author of Sleeping with My Eyes Open: Deposits Slips of my Soul who delivers even more in his second publication. Motivational speaker, author and spoken word artist Allen J. Bryson offers Ministry of Motivation; a powerful collection inspirational and uplifting motivational speeches juxtaposed with powerful, thought provoking poems." "Bryson promises Ministry of Motivation will be a life changing work. He introduces the Fifteen Fabulous Keys to Success; a mantra of life changing behaviors that will have a substantial impact upon your perception of life and inspire a life lived victoriously. As with his previouspublication, Bryson continues to offer inspirational, reflective, educational, entertaining and encouraging poems that you will thoroughly enjoy. Bryson hopes that the messages within these pages will facilitate your WALK IN VICTORY."