In Essential Advantage, Booz & Company's Cesare Mainardi and Paul Leinwand maintain that success in any market accrues to firms with coherence: a tight match between their strategic direction and the capabilities that make them unique.Achieving this clarity takes a sharpness of focus that only exceptional companies have mastered. This book helps you identify your firm's blend of strategic direction and distinctive capabilities that give it the "right to win" in its chosen markets. Based on extensive research and filled with company examples—including Amazon.com, Johnson & Johnson, Tata Sons, and Procter & Gamble—Essential Advantage helps you construct a coherent company in which the pieces reinforce each other instead of working at cross-purposes.The authors reveal:· Why you should focus on a system of a few aligned capabilities· How to identify the "way to play" in your market· How to design a strategy for well-modulated growth· How to align a portfolio of businesses behind your capability system· How your strategy clarifies growth, costs, and people decisionsFew companies achieve a capability-driven "right to win" in their market. This book helps you position your firm to be among them.

    Managers have more direct reports than before the recession, Millennials will soon out number all other generations at work, businesses have the new technology and tools to boost performance, cut costs, and give employees more freedom over their own projects, and of course, our ability to work from anyplace, at any time. In order for businesses to succeed in this new environment, employees, managers, and organizations as a whole need to redefine what it means to work. "The Future of Work" explores the new behaviors, new technologies, and the new people entering the workforce, focusing on: How the traditional command and control leadership model is deadWorking with and for Millennials, who expect to be doing meaningful work, share their voice, and want rapid feedbackHow to adapt to the mobile workerHow to succeed when the corporate ladder is replaced by employees creating their own wayWhy the future of work is about sharing information and not hoarding itHow new technologies are reshaping the way we communicate by forcing an open environment of collaboration among all levels"The Future of Work "is about what we can do to reach our bottom line while empowering our employees across the board, creating not only profitable businesses and meaningful work, but an environment to attract and keep the best talent.

    A brand must be elastic enough to allow for reasonable category and product-line extensions, flexible enough to change with dynamic market conditions, consistent enough so that consumers who travel physically or virtually won’t be confused, and focused enough to provide clear differentiation from the competition. Strong brands are more than globally recognizable; they are critical assets that can make a significant contribution to your company’s bottom line.In Global Brand Power, Kahn brings brand management into the 21st century, addressing how branding contributes to the purchase process and how to position a strong global brand, from identifying the appropriate competitive set, offering a sustainable differential advantage, and targeting the right strategic segment. This essential guide also covers how customer ownership of your brand affects marketing strategy, methods for assessing brand value, how to manage a brand for long-term profitability, effective brand communications and repositioning strategies, and how to manage a brand in a world of total transparency—where one slip-up can go around the world via social media instantaneously.Filled with stories about how Coca-Cola, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Marriott, Apple, Starbucks, Campbell Soup Company, Southwest Airlines, and celebrities like Lady Gaga are leveraging their brands, Global Brand Power is the only book you will need to implement an effective brand strategy for your firm.

    Based on SAP ERP 6.0, this new edition of the best-selling book is a comprehensive reference to the ins and outs of Materials Management in SAP, with new real-world, practical examples to help you grasp the information quickly and efficiently. You’ll learn everything you need to know, from goods receipt and invoice verification to balance sheet valuation and the material ledger. Materials Management Processes and Concepts Discover the various concepts of materials management and how they can be used to help your business run smoothly. Materials Management Configuration Learn specific configuration details to help you optimize your MM implementation. Comprehensive Coverage of Key Concepts Master the various elements of SAP ERP, including material master data, vendor master data, purchase requisitions, request for quotations, inventory management, and much more. Real-World Scenarios and Examples Use the expert advice and examples throughout to help you with your own MM processes. Third Edition, Updated and Expanded This book is updated to include new content on the release strategy for purchasing, special procurement keys, split valuation, pricing conditions in purchasing, taxes in MM, as well as screenshots for the latest GUI and new appendices.Highlights• Material Master Data • Vendor Master Data • Purchasing Information Data • Release Strategy for Purchasing • Split Valuation • Material Master Records • Purchase Requisitions • Requests for Quotations • External Services Management • Inventory Management • Goods Issue • Taxes in MM

    Or it can be a way to lose your shirt. What determines whether you get rich or go broke can often be a tiny detail here, a missed opportunity there. The margin for error is slim. Heck, it’s non-existent. Fortunes are amassed by experienced options traders who know how to use this strategy THE RIGHT WAY. And financial lives are destroyed by those who don’t. This book will catapult you into that first category. Without all the fluff and B.S. that you don’t need. The Bullsh*t Free Guide to Iron Condors is a TRUE no-nonsense guide to the Iron Condor strategy, written by an experienced trader who lives (or dies) by working it every day. It’s designed as a real-life, step-by-step guide for experienced options traders who want to use this strategy the RIGHT WAY -- which means the CONSISTENTLY PROFITABLE way. In the book you’ll discover: * 6 little-known techniques for adjusting trades that go bad (most experienced traders don’t even know these) * How to create a trading journal and trading log, and why it’s CRUCIAL that you do. (Note: the book includes downloadable examples you can use yourself.) * The 3 ways the world’s top Iron Condor traders manage risk, including detailed examples so you can trade “like the big boys.” * How to save yourself thousands of dollars when entering live trades (this information is closely guarded by many trading “gurus”). * Which option broker is the best for trading Iron Condors. (This is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, so choose wisely.) * How to set up a trading plan that actually works. (We include a sample trading plan to get you started.) * Why weekly options are not as amazing as they sound (and are, in fact, often a HUGE mistake). * How to incorporate volatility into your trading. (You will come to LOVE huge volatility moves after reading this!) * How to eliminate the risk of early assignment. * How to avoid being caught with your pants down on settlement day. (Make this mistake and you can kiss your profits goodbye.)

    From his humble beginnings as a son of Korean immigrants living in a shack in southwest Japan, to his aim to become No. 1 in the world as CEO of one of Japan’s largest Internet companies, Inoue richly details Son’s inspiring journey and the challenges he faced along the way. Told from the viewpoint of those who know him best—relatives, friends and business partners from around the world—the story reveals the truth about “rising Son,” the man who made “Information Revolution – Happiness for Everyone” his life’s mission.Son was born in 1957 as a third generation Korean resident in Japan’s Saga Prefecture. He entered one of the Prefecture’s most prestigious high schools, attending for just the first semester before dropping out to venture to the US. He was only 16 years old. In the US, he acquired high school graduate equivalency in just three weeks through accelerated study and then entered the University of California, Berkeley. As a college student, he earned his first million dollars for the invention of an automatic voice translator. Then he came back to Japan to found SoftBank. Continuously realizing his aspirations, he made SoftBank into a multibillion dollar enterprise. He attributes his success to making decisions with extraordinary speed and by leveraging his friendships with innovators, including his close friend Steve Jobs. “I will create a self-sustaining enterprise that lasts over 300 years.” Such bold statements have garnered Son attention from all over the world. But who is the real Masayoshi Son? The author Atsuo Inoue has covered Son’s career closely as a journalist and his insightful observations vividly paints an intimate portrait of the charismatic business revolutionary, who blends cool rational thought with fiery passion and genius. “I’ve never seen such a comprehensive account of my life.”–Masayoshi Son, Chairman & CEO of SoftBank Corp. Atsuo Inoue is a Japanese writer and translator. He established his reputation by depicting figures vividly and in depth through penetrating insight. He is regarded as an expert on works covering America and has authored Political Sex Appeal – U.S. President and Hollywood, published by Shincho Shinsho, 2008 Michelle Obama – An American Story by David Colbert, 2009 (Japanese translation)Making it Happen: the New 30 Year Vision of Masayoshi Son, published by Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, 2010How Wonderful, Frank Capra, published by Shueisha Shinsho, 2011Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters of Marilyn Monroe, published by Seigensha Art Publishing, 2012 (Japanese translation)

    Empowering fathers to be the best leaders, role models, and life coaches: After all, dads do what the best coaches do—they motivate, mentor, discipline, and love. Author and parenting expert Tom Limbert takes wisdom from John Madden, Vince Lombardi, Tommy Lasorda, Phil Jackson, and many more, and applies it to fatherhood.Features many photographs of coaches in actions paired with the brightly colored quotes to help dads keep their head in the game.Includes a foreword written by Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young where he talks about his own family and shares real-life experiences.The compact 6 x 8 inch size is great for keeping on a coffee table or a bedside table for daily reminders.Dad's Playbook is a homerun gift for any new or soon-to-be dad.Tom Limbert earned a master's degree in education with an emphasis in early childhood development from Mills College in Oakland, after which he co-created a children's play space with three San Francisco Bay Area locations. Tom is a Parent Coach and lives in El Cerrito, California, with his wife and son. Steve Young is best known for his time on the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. Young was named the Most Valuable Player of the NFL in 1992 and 1994, the MVP of Super Bowl XXIX, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. He holds the NFL record for highest career passer rating and won six NFL passing titles. He has four children.

    Packed with actionable ideas, The 1% Solution shows you how to power up your next 30 days and then keep on going at a permanently higher level. Because it's based not upon opinion, but upon solid research that's backed up with real-life examples, this book is for those who want to be better right now. Connellan notes, for example, that while it's virtually impossible to be 100% better than your competition, it's very possible to be 1% better in hundreds of things. Connellan draws on three sources for the practical solutions he offers: 1. His background as a Research Associate and Program Director at the Michigan Business School where he was responsible for the design and implementation of 72 management development programs a year. 2. His street experience as an entrepreneur who started a company in the health promotion field and built it into a network of 1200 instructors serving 300 hospitals and most of the Fortune 500 companies. More than 1,000,000 people went through its programs and two different Surgeon General reports cited the firms program quality. 3. His current work as a keynote speaker and consultant whose clients include such diverse organizations as FedEx, TD Canada Trust, Marriott, Sobeys, Sony, Acura, BMW, Rogers Communications, Canadian Tire, Neiman Marcus, Home Depot, Target, and the military. As part of his research, he looked at individuals who worked to improve their personal and work lives. While most everyone put in a lot of effort, he found one key difference between those who won that battle and those who lost that battle. The winners had a structure a structure that gave them a disciplined focus and the losers didn't. If you're interested in a proven structure for work and personal success, this book belongs in your library right now because as one reviewer said The 1% Solution really does give you the magic formula for 'How to Make Your Next 30 Days the Best Ever.'

    

    Behind his steely façade is a man who has experienced more losses than one man should. His biological parents are long dead. His adoptive parents have passed. Now, it’s just him and his might alone in the world. A chance encounter with a woman in need of help exposes him to a danger. His heroic efforts reveal a long-held secret about who he is and what he’s destined to become. He’s the child of prophecy. Now he must embrace his new role, grow stronger, and make allies before a Dark God exacts his plans to take over the universe—all while testing his prowess with strong, beautiful women who are eager to see what he’s made of. Warning: Book contains strong sexual themes, a harem of powerful women, brutal battles, evil monsters, and a sadistic Dark God who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Find out what happens in this adrenaline-rushing adult fantasy adventure novel!

    Meanwhile, countless entrepreneurs shot themselves in the foot with basic PR mistakes — spending far too much money hiring the wrong sort of PR people. The goal of this book is simple: to save entrepreneurs from the overpriced and ineffective PR gurus of the world — and to give them the tools they need to take on the media themselves (or at least, to hire someone who doesn't stink).

    Featuring the contributions of leading executives, human resources practitioners, and consultants, this book presents a comprehensive approach to talent management.

    With authors from Marcus Buckingham to Herminia Ibarra and company examples from Google to Deloitte, this volume brings the most current and important management conversations to your fingertips.This book will inspire you to:• Tap into the new technologies that are changing the way businesses compete• Fuel performance by redesigning your organization’s practices around feedback• Learn techniques to move beyond intuition for better decision making• Understand why your strategy execution isn’t working—and how to fix it• Lead with authenticity by moving beyond your comfort zone• Transform your physical office space to promote creativity and productivityThis collection of best-selling articles includes:• “Reinventing Performance Management,” by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall• “The Transparency Trap,” by Ethan Bernstein• “Profits Without Prosperity,” by William Lazonick• “Outsmart Your Own Biases,” by Jack B. Soll, Katherine L. Milkman, and John W. Payne• “The 3-D Printing Revolution,” by Richard D’Aveni• “Why Strategy Execution Unravels—and What to Do About It,” by Donald Sull, Rebecca Homkes, and Charles Sull• “The Authenticity Paradox,” by Herminia Ibarra• “The Discipline of Business Experimentation,” by Stefan Thomke and Jim Manzi• “When Senior Managers Won’t Collaborate,” by Heidi K. Gardner• “Workspaces That Move People,” by Ben Waber, Jennifer Magnolfi, and Greg Lindsay• “Digital Ubiquity: How Connections, Sensors, and Data Are Revolutionizing Business,” by Marco Iansiti and Karim R. Lakhani

    Addressing that gap, actionably and with attention to relevant research, is the focus of this book.In Aligning Strategy and Sales, Harvard Business School professor Frank Cespedes equips you to link your go-to-market initiatives with strategic goals. Cespedes offers a road map to articulate strategy in ways that people in the field can understand and that will fuel the behaviors required for profitable growth. Without that alignment, leaders will press for better execution when they need a better strategy, or change strategic direction with great cost and turmoil when they should focus on the basics of sales execution.With thoughtful, clear, and engaging examples, Aligning Strategy and Sales provides a framework for diagnosing and managing the core levers available for effective selling in any organization. It will give you the know-how and tools to move from ideas to action and build a sales effort linked to your firm’s unique goals, not a generic selling formula.Cespedes shows how sales efforts affect all elements of value creation in a business, whether you’re a start-up seeking to scale or an established firm looking to jump-start new growth. The book provides key insights to optimize your firm’s customer management activities and so improve selling and strategy.

    It breaks down the 5 stages of the service lifecycle into digestible chunks, helping you to ensure that customers receive the best possible IT experience. Whether readers need to identify their customers' needs, design and implement a new IT service, or monitor and improve an existing service, this official guide provides a support framework for IT-related activities and the interactions of IT technical personnel with business customers and users.Understanding how ITIL can help you Getting to grips with ITIL processes and the service lifecycle Implementing ITIL into your day to day work Learn key skills in planning and carrying out design and implementation projects