But which ones matter to startups? Let us show you how to build your brand and sell more products in a non-spammy way with this marketing book for startups.

    When CEOs think about the supply chain, it's usually to cut costs. But the smartest leaders see supply chain and sourcing for what they can be: hidden tools for outperforming the competition. Steve Jobs, upon returning to Apple in 1997, focused on transforming the supply chain. He hired Tim Cook-and the company sped up the development of new products, getting them into consumers' hands faster. The rest is history. Across a range of industries, once-leading companies are in trouble: Walmart, IBM, Pfizer, HP, and The Gap to name a few. But others thrive. While competitors were shutting stores, Zara's highly responsive supply chain made it the most valued company in the retail space and its founder, the richest man in Europe. The success of TJX, Amazon, Starbucks, and Airbus, is fueled by supply chain and sourcing. Showcasing real solutions, The Supply Chain Revolution will: Improve customer satisfaction and increase revenue * Make alliances more successful * Simplify and debottleneck the supply chain * Boost retail success by managing store investment * Drive excellence Technology is disrupting business models. Strategies must change. The Supply Chain Revolution flips conventional thinking and offers a powerful way for companies to compete in challenging times.

    It identifies its author by the names 'Kauṭilya' and 'Vishnugupta', both names that are traditionally identified with Chanakya (c. 350–283 BC), who was a scholar at Takshashila and the teacher and guardian of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Mauryan Empire. The text was influential until the 12th century, when it disappeared. It was rediscovered in 1904 by R. Shamasastry, who published it in 1909. The first English translation was published in 1915.Roger Boesche describes the Arthaśāstra as "a book of political realism, a book analysing how the political world does work and not very often stating how it ought to work, a book that frequently discloses to a king what calculating and sometimes brutal measures he must carry out to preserve the state and the common good."Centrally, Arthaśāstra argues how in an autocracy an efficient and solid economy can be managed. It discusses the ethics of economics and the duties and obligations of a king. The scope of Arthaśāstra is, however, far wider than statecraft, and it offers an outline of the entire legal and bureaucratic framework for administering a kingdom, with a wealth of descriptive cultural detail on topics such as mineralogy, mining and metals, agriculture, animal husbandry, medicine and the use of wildlife. The Arthaśāstra also focuses on issues of welfare (for instance, redistribution of wealth during a famine) and the collective ethics that hold a society together.

    What results is a new and strikingly effective strategy for creating innovative products, building a successful brand, and, in turn, achieving business success.Here, the Rieses explain how changing conditions in the marketplace create endless opportunities to build new brands and accumulate riches. But these opportunities cannot be found where most people and most companies look. That is, in the convergence of existing categories like television and the computer, the cellphone and the Internet.Instead, opportunity lies in the opposite direction—in divergence. By following Darwin's brilliant deduction that new species arise from divergence of an existing species, the Rieses outline an effective strategy for creating and taking to market an effective brand. In The Origin of Brands, you will learn how to:Divide and conquerExploit divergenceUse the theories of survival of the firstest and survival of the secondestHarness the power of pruningUsing insightful studies of failed convergence products and engaging success stories of products that have achieved worldwide success through divergence, the Rieses have written the definitive book on branding. The Origin of Brands will show you in depth how to build a great brand and will lead you to success in the high-stakes world of branding.

    Very little has been written about exits - the emphasis is usually on starting, financing and growing technology companies.Most of the earlier books on exit strategies were written for business owners who wanted to retire. More recently, there have been a number of books written about exit transactions for venture capitalists. This is not surprising considering that most venture capital (VC) agreements give the VCs all of the control in deciding when and how all shareholders benefit from an exit transaction.This book is about the large number of other exits - the ones that are not driven by the VCs. Exit opportunities have changed dramatically in the past few years. Today, it’s more likely that a company will be sold without ever having an investment from a venture capitalist.Exits are also happening much earlier than before. The largest number of exit transactions today are in the under $30-million valuation range. These exits are often completed when companies are only two or three years from startup.The goal of this book is to help entrepreneurs and angel investors have more successful, more frequent and more profitable exits.

    The monograph vociferouslydemanded that socialism be sacrificed for a competitive market economic system, so India cangrow at 10 per cent per year, achieve self-reliance, full employment and produce nuclear weaponry.The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi denounced the plan as dangerous.Fifty years later, Swamy redefines his path-breaking ideas on India-specific economic developmentin his seminal work, Reset. It undertakes a nuanced analysis of the manner in which the highlyprosperous Indian economy witnessed a long, accelerated decline due to persistent British imperialistaggression, and compares the distinctive manner in which Asian giants—India and China—sufferedat the hands of imperialism. He critically analyses the highs and lows of the Nehruvian model ofcentralized economic planning borrowed from the Soviet Union, and the debilitating circumstancesthat impelled him, as Commerce Minister in Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar’s government, todraw up a blueprint for economic reforms.

    When we were foragers, food was scarce. During the agrarian age, it was land. Following the industrial revolution, capital became scarce. With digital technologies scarcity is shifting once more. We need to figure out how to live in a World After Capital in which the only scarcity is our attention.

    This book captures the personalities and approaches of a number of leading VC practitioners and displays the heart and soul of the venture capital process, by offering an exclusive window into the voice of the practitioners." Gus Tai, Trinity Ventures? "Venture Capitalists at Work is a foundational pillar in an entrepreneur's understanding and resources. This is a first in terms of the level of detail, quality of discussion, and value to the entrepreneur." George Zachary, Charles River Ventures and Investor in Twitter Venture Capitalists at Work: How VCs Identify and Build Billion-Dollar Successes offers unparalleled insights into the funding and management of companies like YouTube, Zappos, Twitter, Starent, Facebook, and Groupon. The venture capitalists profiled?among the best in the business?also reveal how they identify promising markets, products, and entrepreneurs. Author Tarang Shah, a venture capital?professional?himself, interviews rising VC stars, Internet and software investment pioneers, and venture investment thought leaders. You?ll learn firsthand what criteria venture capitalists use to make investments, how they structure deals, the many ways they help the companies they fund, avoidable mistakes they see all too often, the role of luck in a success, and why so many startups fail. Venture Capitalists at Work also contains interviews with those on the receiving end of venture money?entrepreneurs in high-profile startups that went on to achieve great success. Whether you?re an entrepreneur, an aspiring VC, an M&A professional, or an ambitious student, the knowledge you will gain from Venture Capitalists at Work could provide a significant shortcut to success. Other books in the Apress At Work Series: Coders at Work, Seibel, 978-1-4302-1948-4 CIOs at Work, Yourdon, 978-1-4302-3554-5 CTOs at Work, Donaldson, Seigel, & Donaldson, 978-1-4302-3593-4 Founders at Work, Livingston, 978-1-4302-1078-8 European Founders at Work, Santos, 978-1-4302-3906-2 Women Leaders at Work, Ghaffari, 978-1-4302-3729-7 Advertisers at Work, Tuten, 978-1-4302-3828-7 Gamers at Work, Ramsay. 978-1-4302-3351-0 What you?ll learn How venture capitalists identify promising markets, entrepreneurs, and companies What venture capitalists?are looking for in entrepreneurs and business plans How to build an ?A? team and a culture of success Successful relationship dynamics between entrepreneur and investors When to slow down, ramp up, and scale companies Knowing when to sell a business, keep growing, or shut it down Why startups fail Common entrepreneurial mistakes you can avoid Who this book is forThis book is a must-read for entrepreneurs and venture capital/private equity investors. It's also for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in emerging markets who want to apply to homegrown ventures the Silicon Valley model of building billion-dollar startups. Corporate executives focused on innovation or mergers and acquisitions will find the book's insights priceless. Finally, business students and aspiring entrepreneurs will find this book a great reference guide and how-to manual for starting companies, building new products and services, and helping move the 21st century economy forward. Table of Contents Chapter 1: Roelof Botha, Sequoia Capital Chapter 2: Mike Maples, FLOODGATE Fund Chapter 3: George Zachary, Charles River Ventures Chapter 4: Sean Dalton, Highland Capital Partners Chapter 5: Alex Mehr, Zoosk Chapter 6: Howard Morgan, First Round Capital and Idealab Chapter 7: Tim Draper, DFJ Chapter 8: Osman Rashid, Chegg Chapter 9: Harry Weller, NEA Chapter 10: David Cowan, Bessemer Venture Partners Chapter 11: Michael Birch, Bebo and Birthday Alarm Chapter 12: Mitchell Kertzman, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners Chapter 13: Scott Sandell, NEA Chapter 14: Gus Tai, Trinity Ventures Chapter 15: Steven Dietz, GRP Partners Chapter 16: Paul Scanlan, MobiTV Chapter 17: Ann Winblad, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners Chapter 18: Jim Goetz, Sequoia Capital Chapter 19: Roger Lee, Battery Ventures Chapter 20: Ken Howery, Founders Fund Chapter 21: Alfred Lin, Sequoia Capital and Zappos Chapter 22: Kevin Hartz, Xoom and Eventbrite Chapter 23: Eric Hippeau, Lerer Ventures and SoftBank Capital Chapter 24: David Lee, SV Angels Chapter 25: Ted Alexander, Mission Ventures Chapter 26: Robert Kibble, Mission Ventures Chapter 27: Rajiv Laroia, Flarion Chapter 28: Jim Boettcher and Kevin McQuillan, Focus Ventures Chapter 29: Mike Hodges, ATA Ventures Chapter 30: Alan Patricof, Greycroft Partners Chapter 31: Ben Elowitz, Blue Nile and Wet Paint Chapter 32: Vish Mishra, Clearstone Venture Partners Chapter 33: Richard Wong, Accel Partners Chapter 34: Randy Komisar, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Chapter 35: Peter Wagner, Accel Partners

    And yet, billions of dollars are still spent every year on programs that are doomed to fail. These programs, it turns out, don't inspire long-term loyalty. Once a better deal comes along, customers will gladly defect. Can you blame them?Silicon Valley start-up Bunchball, the pioneer and innovator in gamification, is light years ahead when it comes to the concept of loyalty--and using it to drive business profits and growth. Focusing not only on customer loyalty, but also the loyalty of employees and partners, Bunchball combines behavioral economics, big data, social media, and gamification to inspire loyalty that lasts--from everyone involved in the success of a business.Now, in Loyalty 3.0, Bunchball founder Rajat Paharia reveals how you can use these same techniques to seize the competitive edge for your business.Paharia shows you how to create a system powered by human motivation and digital technology that creates ongoing, persistent engagement among customers, employees, and partners. Loyalty 3.0 arms you with everything you need to know in order to build a loyalty and engagement program that drives a sustainable advantage for your business, including:The building blocks of motivation, big data, and gamification necessary for creating a powerful strategy that drives long-term loyaltyCase studies from today's most innovative companies that are already driving customer engagement, learning and skill development, and employee motivation with Loyalty 3.0 methodsStep-by-step guidance on how to plan, design, build, and optimize your programNow is the time to abandon your traditional loyalty programs and start taking all your stakeholders seriously--so they will take your company seriously.Loyalty 3.0 is the game-changing leap you've been waiting for. When you create true loyalty among customers, employees, and business partners, you will generate a sustainable competitive advantage and win in your industry.Praise for Loyalty 3.0"Relationships are the single greatest asset for all organizations. Relationships with customers, relationships with employees, relationships with partners. In Loyalty 3.0, Rajat Paharia reveals the new science of relationship building through big data and gamification." --TIM BROWN, CEO, IDEOLoyalty 3.0 is filled with major insights and does a brilliant job of grounding the reader in fundamental concepts around motivation, big data, and gamification--building on these concepts through real-world case studies that bring the combinations to life. It finishes with actionable ideas and next steps that enable you to test and operationalize these ideas in your own workplace and personal life. -- BRAD SMITH, CEO, IntuitA fascinating insight into how companies are exploiting big data. -- MARK READ, CEO, WPP DigitalRajat pioneered the business use of big data and game mechanics to transform the customer experience. A decade before anyone else, he saw that the same techniques that video game designers had used for years--fast feedback, badges, competition, goals, and leveling up--were also incredibly powerful for motivating behavior outside of games, and an industry was born. This book shares his secrets. -- CLARA SHIH, CEO of Hearsay Social, author of The Facebook Era, and board member at StarbucksRajat Paharia comprehensively explains how to create loyalty in the modern world full of data and connectivity. If you want to learn how to motivate and inspire employees, you must read this book. -- DAVE KERPEN, New York Times bestselling author of Likeable Social Media and Likeable BusinessIn this powerful and groundbreaking book, Rajat Paharia clearly demonstrates how big data, motivation, and gamification can be utilized to create true engagement and loyalty. We believe Loyalty 3.0 will be a game changer for our associates and guests. -- RAY BENNETT, Chief Lodging Services Officer, Marriott International"The journey to Loyalty 3.0 is real. Rajat's vision shows why right time relevancy and context will transform how organizations engage with customers and truly craft relationships."---R. RAY WANG, Principal Analyst and CEO at Constellation Research"Adoption is a critical component when creating an exceptional customer experience or smarter workforce, and gamification has proven to be a powerful driver for success. The insights Rajat shares in Loyalty 3.0 will help guide the next wave of deeper relationships across the enterprise."---SANDY CARTER, IBM Vice President, Social Business Evangelism and Sales

    

    They argue that if managers seriously want to develop effective strategies for competing in the new economy, they must understand the fundamental economics of information technology. Whether information takes the form of software code or recorded music, is published in a book or magazine, or even posted on a website, managers must know how to evaluate the consequences of pricing, protecting, and planning new versions of information products, services, and systems. The first book to distill the economics of information and networks into practical business strategies, Information Rules is a guide to the winning moves that can help business leaders navigate successfully through the tough decisions of the information economy.

    This book leads readers through the radical redesign of a company's processes, organization, and culture to achieve a quantum leap in performance.Michael Hammer and James Champy have updated and revised their milestone work for the New Economy they helped to create—promising to help corporations save hundreds of millions of dollars more, raise their customer satisfaction still higher, and grow ever more nimble in the years to come.

    This inspirational autobiography tells the remarkable story behind James Dyson and his most successful invention to date: the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner. With little or no support, Dyson endured years of personal struggle and financial crisis before his unswerving optimism and self-belief won him spectacular success. This is a story of personal and business triumph over the established multinational companies that tried to halt his progress.

    Weiner reveals how foreign countries and private investors are increasingly controlling the global economy and secretly wresting power from the United States in ways that our government cannot reverse and about which the average American knows nothing. The most potent force in global commerce today is not the Federal Reserve, not the international banks, not the governments of the G7 countries, and certainly not the European Union. Rather, it is the multi-trillion-dollar network of super-rich, secretive, and largely unregulated investment vehicles—foreign sovereign wealth funds, government-run corporations, private equity funds, and hedge funds—that are quietly buying up the world, piece by valuable piece. As Weiner’s groundbreaking account shows, the shadow market doesn’t have a physical headquarters such as Wall Street. It doesn’t have a formal leadership or an index to track or a single zone of exchange. Rather, it comprises an invisible and ever-shifting global nexus where money mixes with geopolitical power, often with great speed and secrecy.   Led by cash-flush nations such as China, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and even Norway, the shadow market is hiring the brightest international financial talent money can buy and is now assembling the gigantic investment portfolios that will form the power structure of tomorrow’s economy.   Taking advantage of the Great Recession and subsequent liquidity problems in the United States and Europe, the major players of the shadow market are deploying staggering amounts of cash, controlling the capital markets, and securing not only major stakes in multinational companies but huge tracts of farmland and natural resources across the world. Yet that’s not all; they’re also pursuing political agendas made possible by their massive wealth and are becoming increasingly aggressive with the United States and other governments.   Highly informative and genuinely startling, Eric J. Weiner’s up-to-date account gets out in front of daily events, with proof of his argument destined to appear in the news for years to come. The Shadow Market moves the conversation from “international competition” to “global financial warfare,” and stands as an urgent must-read for anyone interested in the future of the global economy, America’s position in the world, or how and where to invest money today. DID YOU KNOW? ***The Pentagon has run elaborate simulations of global financial war. Result: America lost, and the shadow market won. ***The U.S. dollar is under siege as a global currency; oil-producing nations have already begun secret discussions about replacing it in oil trading. ***While Greece was burning in the spring of 2010, the shadow market nations were spending hundreds of billions of dollars all over the world rather than helping to fix the European crisis. Why? Because it wasn’t their problem. ***With its wealth of natural resources, Brazil may be more powerful than Germany, France, and Great Britain put together, and may soon rival the United States for economic supremacy in the Western Hemisphere. ***In April 2009, China told the International Monetary Fund to sell 3,217 tons of gold. How much did China buy? That’s a secret. What else is China buying? As many of the oil reserves in non–Middle Eastern countries as it can, including in Canada. It has bought so many Australian natural resource companies that Australia is getting nervous. And some would say that China has, in effect, already purchased Taiwan. ***Many of the shadow market countries are racing to improve their food-security risks by buying large swaths of farmland in other countries, potentially at the risk of starving the local citizens. Saudi Arabia has a farm the size of Connecticut in Indonesia, and Korean industrial giant Daewoo controls half the arable land of Madagascar. ***Iran is China’s third largest oil supplier and in return receives significant protection from Chinese diplomats, who are increasingly important players on the geopolitical stage. ***The shadow market countries will soon control nearly $20 trillion in assets, a sum greater than the gross domestic product of the United States.

    The 2007 global financial meltdown reaffirmed the perils of pursuing heady growth through untested strategies, as firms in industries from finance to retailing to automobiles strayed too far from their core businesses and suffered the consequences.In this updated edition of Profit from the Core, authors Chris Zook and James Allen show that a renewed focus on the core is more critical than ever as firms seek to rebuild their competitive advantage coming out of the downturn—and that a strong core will be the foundation for successful expansion as the economy recovers. Based on more than ten years of Bain & Company research and analysis and fresh examples from firms responding to the current downturn, the book outlines what today’s executives and managers need to do now to revitalize their core, identify the next wave of profitable growth, and build on it successfully.Zook and Allen explain how companies can:• Develop a strong, well-defined core and use it to establish a leadership position• Follow the golden rule of strategy: discourage competitors from investing in your core• Assess whether your core is operating at its full potential• Uncover hidden assets in your core that provide the seeds for new growth• Find a repeatable formula to apply core business strengths in adjacent marketsBuilding on powerful and proven ideas to meet today’s formidable business challenges, Profit from the Core is the back-to-basics strategy field guide no manager should be without.