This book addresses resurgence of the American economy, and the firms, regions, and technologies that are driving this growth. Best argues that America has developed a new model of technology management and regional innovation based on the principle of systems integration. This book, which both builds on Best's earlier work and engages with the ideas of Michael Porter, is a rich and important source of ideas.

A groundbreaking study that shows how countries can create innovative, production-based economies for the twenty-first century Achieving economic growth is one of today's key challenges. In this groundbreaking book, Michael Best argues that to understand how successful growth happens we need an economic framework that focuses on production, governance, and skills. This production-centric framework is the culmination of three simultaneous journeys. The first has been Best's visits to hundreds of factories worldwide, starting early as the son of a labor organizer and continuing through his work as an academic and industrial consultant. The second is a survey of two hundred years of economic thought from Babbage to Krugman, with stops along the way for Marx, Marshall, Young, Penrose, Richardson, Schumpeter, Kuznets, Abramovitz, Keynes, and Jacobs. The third is a tour of historical episodes of successful and failed transformations, focusing sharply on three core elements-the production system, business organization, and skill formation-and their interconnections. Best makes the case that government should create the institutional infrastructures needed to support these elements and their interconnections rather than subsidize individual enterprises. The power of Best's alternative framework is illustrated by case studies of transformative experiences previously regarded as economic "miracles": America's World War II industrial buildup, Germany's postwar recovery, Greater Boston's innovation system, Ireland's tech-sector boom, and the rise of the Asian Tigers and China. Accessible and engaging, How Growth Really Happens is required reading for anyone who wants to advance today's crucial debates about industrial policy, climate change, globalization, technological change, and the future of work.

A groundbreaking study that shows how countries can create innovative, production-based economies for the twenty-first century Achieving economic growth is one of today's key challenges. In this groundbreaking book, Michael Best argues that to understand how successful growth happens we need an economic framework that focuses on production, governance, and skills. This production-centric framework is the culmination of three simultaneous journeys. The first has been Best's visits to hundreds of factories worldwide, starting early as the son of a labor organizer and continuing through his work as an academic and industrial consultant. The second is a survey of two hundred years of economic thought from Babbage to Krugman, with stops along the way for Marx, Marshall, Young, Penrose, Richardson, Schumpeter, Kuznets, Abramovitz, Keynes, and Jacobs. The third is a tour of historical episodes of successful and failed transformations, focusing sharply on three core elements-the production system, business organization, and skill formation-and their interconnections. Best makes the case that government should create the institutional infrastructures needed to support these elements and their interconnections rather than subsidize individual enterprises. The power of Best's alternative framework is illustrated by case studies of transformative experiences previously regarded as economic "miracles": America's World War II industrial buildup, Germany's postwar recovery, Greater Boston's innovation system, Ireland's tech-sector boom, and the rise of the Asian Tigers and China. Accessible and engaging, How Growth Really Happens is required reading for anyone who wants to advance today's crucial debates about industrial policy, climate change, globalization, technological change, and the future of work.

This book addresses the resurgence of American industry and the firms, regions, and technologies that are driving this growth. Best argues that America has developed a new model of technology management and regional innovation based on the principle of systems integration. This book, which both builds on Best's earlier work and engages with the ideas of Michael Porter, is a rich and important source of ideas.

B2B buyer behavior has changed - now it's your turn. B2B buyers have changed the way they evaluate and purchase goods and services-yet most B2B suppliers still approach their markets with hyped-up, propaganda-like messages. The challenge now is for such companies to move from spouting propaganda to establishing credibility. From the role of salesperson to that of a customer advocate. And from broadcasting self-recommendations toward a more powerful model where people recommend the company and its products to their peers. The Death of Propaganda presents Three Voices strategy, a step-by-step recipe for meeting this challenge via three distinct modes of stakeholder engagement: Voice of Company; Voice of Industry; and Voice of Customer. All three Voices need to be integrated into top-level business strategy, and incorporated into marketing and communication plans to fully address the needs of the new breed of B2B buyer.

ELVIS: Remembering August 16, 1977 ELVIS IS DEAD!!! The three unspeakable words that his family and friends and, of course, his fans never had expected to hear in their lifetime, but they did on August 16, 1977. The King of Roll-n-Roll is dead. Since then his family and friends have written and spoken about their years with Elvis and the tragic August 1977 days. At the same time his fans had kept silent until NOW ... Why now? They strongly feel it's time to share their precious thoughts and feelings about Elvis and his untimely death with others throughout the world. When reading each of the stories, there is a strong but special love affair between Elvis and his fans which had begun in the 1950s and still into the 21st century. For his fans, the special love Elvis gave will always be there and will never be broken.