The long-anticipated revision of this best-selling text offers the most comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to the theory and practice of artificial intelligence. *NEW-Nontechnical learning material-Accompanies each part of the book. *NEW-The Internet as a sample application for intelligent systems-Added in several places including logical agents, planning, and natural language. *NEW-Increased coverage of material - Includes expanded coverage of: default reasoning and truth maintenance systems, including multi-agent/distributed AI and game theory; probabilistic approaches to learning including EM; more detailed descriptions of probabilistic inference algorithms. *NEW-Updated and expanded exercises-75% of the exercises are revised, with 100 new exercises. *NEW-On-line Java software. *Makes it easy for students to do projects on the web using intelligent agents. *A unified, agent-based approach to AI-Organizes the material around the task of building intelligent agents. *Comprehensive, up-to-date coverage-Includes a unified view of the field organized around the rational decision making pa

    For introductory courses in computer concepts or computer literacy often including instruction in Microsoft Office.A Computer Concepts Text Focused on Today’s Student!Technology in Action engages students by combining a unique teaching approach with rich companion media.

    It has sold 30,000 copies in each edition and will continue to reach a huge academic audience.In this renowned book, Everett M. Rogers, professor and chair of the Department of Communication & Journalism at the University of New Mexico, explains how new ideas spread via communication channels over time. Such innovations are initially perceived as uncertain and even risky. To overcome this uncertainty, most people seek out others like themselves who have already adopted the new idea. Thus the diffusion process consists of a few individuals who first adopt an innovation, then spread the word among their circle of acquaintances--a process which typically takes months or years. But there are exceptions: use of the Internet in the 1990s, for example, may have spread more rapidly than any other innovation in the history of humankind. Furthermore, the Internet is changing the very nature of diffusion by decreasing the importance of physical distance between people. The fifth edition addresses the spread of the Internet, and how it has transformed the way human beings communicate and adopt new ideas.

    But no book until this one has managed to penetrate its wall of silence or go beyond the usual polemics to analyze its actual effects on its customers, workers, and suppliers. Drawing on unprecedented interviews with former Wal-Mart executives and a wealth of staggering data (e.g., Americans spend $36 million an hour at Wal-Mart stores, and in 2004 its growth alone was bigger than the total revenue of 469 of the Fortune 500), The Wal-Mart Effect is an intimate look at a business that is dramatically reshaping our lives.

    The new edition, fully updated with the most recent data and research possible, includes new coverage of the Medicare drug benefit, changes in the tax code, Hurricane Katrina, and the ongoing debate over privatization.

    A unique combination of authoritative content and stimulating applications. * Numerous improvements in the text, based on feedback from the many users of the sixth edition (both instructors and students) * Several thousand end-of-chapter problems have been rewritten to streamline both the presentations and answers * 'Chapter Puzzlers' open each chapter with an intriguing application or question that is explained or answered in the chapter * Problem-solving tactics are provided to help beginning Physics students solve problems and avoid common error * The first section in every chapter introduces the subject of the chapter by asking and answering, "What is Physics?" as the question pertains to the chapter * Numerous supplements available to aid teachers and students The extended edition provides coverage of developments in Physics in the last 100 years, including: Einstein and Relativity, Bohr and others and Quantum Theory, and the more recent theoretical developments like String Theory.

    This easy to understand guide takes you through the world of economics from understanding micro- and macroeconomics to demystifying complex topics such as capitalism and recession.This updated edition walks you through the history, principles and theories of economics as well as breaking down all the complicated terminology, leaving you clued up on economics in no time.Getting to grips - explore the science of economics and how people deal with scarcityKeeping an eye on it - learn all about macroeconomics and how economists keep track of everythingWatch patterns emerge - understand why monitoring consumer behaviour is vital and all you need to know about microeconomicsYour recession guide - expert advice on recessions and a detailed look at why they occurOpen the book and find:Why you should care about economics and how it affects youTools to help you understand a recessionA guide to seductive economic fallaciesAll you need to know on monetary and fiscal policiesHow supply and demand can be made easyWhy it's vital to track consumer choicesAn in-depth look at a profit-maximising firm and the core of capitalismGuidance on property rights and wrongsLearn to:Look through economic history and spot the trendsUnderstand micro- and macroeconomicsGet to grips with consumer behaviour and its influence on the economySpot the signs of a recession and see how economic decisions affect you

    Its coverage balances upon three essential pillars: (1) theory and concepts; (2) practices and applications; and (3) effective learning tools. A four-part organization details topics under the headings of: understanding marketing and the marketing management process, assessing opportunities in a dynamic marketing environment, developing marketing strategy and the marketing mix, and extending marketing. For individuals interested in taking an intriguing, discovery-filled journey to the business of marketing--in sales forces, retailing, advertising, research, or any other areas.

    The book focuses correctly on the strategic management perspective necessary for an understanding of this area. It will be of enormous help to practitioners and academics in their quest to understand what may well be the most important functional area for most corporations in the coming years′ - Paul A Argenti, Professor of Management and Corporate Communication, The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, USA `This is the text that practitioners, academics, and students in corporate communications have been waiting for. The book is accessible, comprehensive and is well balanced in discussing both theoretical and practical perspectives upon corporate communications. It is simply a must-read for those who want to be at the cutting edge of corporate communications′ - Phil Harris, Professor of Marketing, University of Otago and International Director of the European Centre for Public Affairs in Brussels

    Because the job of a manager is to make financial decisions that increase firm value, the authors have embedded real-world mini-cases throughout to apply chapter concepts to the types of situations managers of multinational firms face.

    The physical sciences and engineering claim to be the basis of modern technology and therefore of modern life; the social sciences discuss big issues of governance, for example, democracy and taxation; the humanities claim that they revive your soul after it has been deadened by exposure to the physical and social sciences and to engineering. Where does the subject "games of strategy," often also called game theory, fit into this picture, and why should you study it? Dixit and Skeath's Games of Strategy offers a practical motivation much more individual and closer to your personal concerns than most other subjects. You play games of strategy all the time: with your parents, siblings, friends, enemies, even with your professors. You have probably acquired a lot of instinctive expertise, and we hope you will recognize in what follows some of the lessons you have already learned. This book's authors will build on this experience, systematize it, and develop it to the point where you will be able to improve your strategic skills and use them more methodically. Opportunities for such uses will appear throughout the rest of your life; you will go on playing such games with your employers, employees, spouses, children, and even strangers. Not that the subject lacks wider importance. Similar games are played in business, politics, diplomacy, wars--in fact, whenever people interact to strike mutually agreeable deals or to resolve conflicts. Being able to recognize such games will enrich your understanding of the world around you, and will make you a better participant in all its affairs.

    Its fundamental goals are to provide an integrated view of macroeconomics, and to make close contact with current macroeconomic events.

    With millions of copies sold, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is the style manual of choice for writers, editors, students, educators, and professionals in psychology, sociology, business, economics, nursing, social work, and justice administration, and other disciplines in which effective communication with words and data is fundamental.In addition to providing clear guidance on grammar, the mechanics of writing, and APA style, the Publication Manual offers an authoritative and easy-to-use reference and citation system and comprehensive coverage of the treatment of numbers, metrication, statistical and mathematical data, tables, and figures for use in writing, reports, or presentations. The new edition has been revised and updated to include: The latest guidelines and examples for referencing electronic and online sources New and revised guidelines for submitting papers electronically Improved guidelines for avoiding plagiarism Simplified formatting guidelines for writers using up-to-date word-processing software All new guidelines for presenting case studies Improved guidelines for the construction of tables Updates on copyright and permissions issues for writers New reference examples for audiovisual media and patents An expanded and improved index for quick and easy access Writers, scholars, and professionals will also find: New guidelines on how to choose text, tables, or figures to present data Guidelines for writing cover letters for submitting articles for publication, plus a sample letter Expanded guidelines on the retention of raw data New advice on establishing written agreements for the use of shared data New information on the responsibilities of co-authors New and experienced readers alike will find the 5th Edition a complete resource for writing, presenting, or publishing with clarity and persuasiveness.Approximately 400 pages

    In this revision, the author takes a structured approach to explaining how networks function.

    The book offers the hallmark clarity and engaging writing style that distinguish Paul Krugman's work, from his best-selling international economics text to his New York Times best-sellers.