The Harvard Business Essentials series is designed to providecomprehensive advice, personal coaching, background information,and guidance on the most relevant topics in business. Whether youare a new manager seeking to expand your skills or a seasonedprofessional looking to broaden your knowledge base, thesesolution-oriented books put reliable answers at your fingertips.Implementing Strategy Strategic execution drives business success.This book covers strategy from the ground up, explaining whatstrategy is, how to put together a strategic plan, what tools andresources are necessary to execute it, and how to measureresults.

Corporate candy giants Milton Hershey and Forrest Mars builtbusiness empires out of one of the world's most magical,sought-after substances: chocolate. In The Emperors of Chocolate,Jo?l Glenn Brenner--the first person to ever gain access to thehighly secretive companies of Hershey and Mars--spins a uniquestory that takes us inside a world as mysterious as Willy Wonka'sChocolate Factory. Packed with flavorful stories and outrageouscharacters that give the true scoop on this real-life candyland,The Emperors of Chocolate is a delectable read for business buffsand chocoholics alike. Start reading and you'll soon be hungry formore.

For nearly half a century, Peter Drucker inspired and educatedmanagers--and powerfully shaped the nature of business--with hislandmark articles in Harvard Business Review. Here, framed by athoughtful introduction from HBR editor Thomas A. Stewart, is apriceless collection of Drucker's most significant work. Through his unique lens, Drucker traces the evolution of thegreat shifts in organizations and the role of managers in theongoing effort to balance change with continuity. He paints aclear, comprehensive picture of management thinking andpractice--as it was and as it will be. Revealing a celebrated thinker at his best, Classic Druckeroffers a wealth of insights and practical guidelines for managersseeking to address today's thorniest organizational challenges. Forexample, you'll find selections on how to enhance your company'sinnovative prowess, make effective decisions, raise knowledgeworkers' productivity, remain engaged and productive during a longwork life, know when the assumptions o

A withering exposé of the unethical practices that triggeredthe indictment and collapse of the legendary accounting firm. Arthur Andersen's conviction on obstruction of justice chargesrelated to the Enron debacle spelled the abrupt end of the88-year-old accounting firm. Until recently, the venerable firm hadbeen regarded as the accounting profession's conscience. In FinalAccounting, Barbara Ley Toffler, former Andersen partner-in-chargeof Andersen's Ethics Responsible Business Practicesconsulting services, reveals that the symptoms of Andersen's fataldisease were evident long before Enron. Drawing on her expertise asa social scientist and her experience as an Andersen insider,Toffler chronicles how a culture of arrogance and greed infectedher company and led to enormous lapses in judgment among her peers.Final Accounting exposes the slow deterioration of values that lednot only to Enron but also to the earlier financial scandals ofother Andersen clients, including Sunbeam and Waste Management,

Deemed “the dean of leadership gurus” by Forbes magazine, Warren Bennis has for years persuasively argued that leaders are not born—they are made. Delving into the qualities that define leadership, the people who exemplify it, and the strategies that anyone can apply to achieve it, his classic work On Becoming a Leader has served as a source of essential insight for countless readers. In a world increasingly defined by turbulence and uncertainty, the call to leadership is more urgent than ever. Featuring a provocative new introduction, this new edition will inspire a fresh generation of potential leaders to excellence.

One of the most popular and respected style guides ever written,this handbook by a seasoned writer with more than forty years ofexperience offers ten principles and seven axioms that professionalwriters use to express their thoughts clearly and effectively. Thislatest edition is expanded to include an extensive glossary ofAmerican idiomatic expressions, developed to assist users fromother backgrounds and cultures; new chapters with tips onlittle-known facts of usage, such as compound words, hyphenation,numeration, and capitalization; and explanations of technicalproblems encountered in writing and editing with tips and exercisesto help solve them. For anyone faced with the challenges of writtenEnglish, Writing with Precision can help readers write moreclearly, more effectively, and more precisely than they everhave. Previous editions of Writing with Precision have beenselected by the Writer's Digest , McMillan , Fortune , and Reader's Digest book clubs.

From Publishers Weekly Rather than write a book strictly about the rise of Google as abusiness, technology journalist Battelle targets his research onthe concept of Internet search, beginning the book with adiscussion of an abstract idea he terms the "Database ofIntentions," defined as the sum total of all queries that pour intosearch engines daily, revealing the intricacies and idiosyncrasiesof our culture. Though most of the book is devoted to the searchengine giant (which Battelle reports corners 51 percent of thesearch engine market), the author also includes chapters on"Search, Before Google" and the "Who, What, Where, Why, When. AndHow (much)" of search. Battelle is at his best when describing thecreation of Google, especially through the yin-yang personalitiesof its founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and in describing thecompany's culture. Though Battelle's de*ions of Internetsearch technology can get too technical for readers without acomputer science background, the book is a deeply r

Managing Projects Large and Small: The Fundamental Skills forDelivering on Cost and On TimeWhen it comes to project management,success lies in the details. This book walks managers through everystep of project oversight from start to finish. Thanks to thebook's comprehensive information on everything from planning andbudgeting to team building and after-project reviews, managers willmaster the discipline and skills they need to achieve stellarresults without wasting time and money.The Harvard BusinessEssentials series is for managers at all levels but is especiallyrelevant for new managers. It offers on-the-spot guidance,coaching, and tools on the most relevant topics in business. Eachbook includes the critical information that managers need on agiven topic-from budgeting to hiring to communication tostrategy-and offers interactive tools and worksheets that translateadvice into action. Providing ready answers to day-to-day issues,these guides make sound, trusted mentoring advice availablewhenever manag

The book that catches the crest of Web 2.0 and shows how anybusiness can harness its power by increasing whuffie, the store ofsocial capital that is the currency of the digital world. Everyone knows about blogs and social networks such as Facebookand Twitter, and has heard about someone who has used them to growa huge customer base. Everyone wants to be hands-on, grassroots,and interactive, but what does this mean? And more to the point,how do you do it? As one who has actually launched a company using the power ofonline communities, and who now advises large and small companies,Tara Hunt (named by the San Francisco Chronicle, along withluminaries Jimmy Wales and Tim O’Reilly, as a digital Utopian) isthe perfect person to do this book. While The Whuffie Factor will traverse the landscape of Web 2.0and show how to become a player, it is not just another book aboutonline marketing. People see the huge business potential of theonline world and the first impulse is: Let’s throw a bunc

This is the story of two Wall Street Journal beat reporters--one covering the energy industry just after the chaotic California electricity crisis; the other chasing stock swindlers. Together these journalists were ideally placed to uncover one of the great cons of the century. Here is a story about the fall of a great company and the practice of journalism, marked by skill, luck, and determination. 24 Days is the gripping, untold chronicle of the investigative process--often haphazard but imbued with insight and commitment--that broke through Enron's stonewalling and exposed its inner workings, setting in motion a chain of events that shook the public's trust in big business, Wall Street, and the accounting profession. In Agust 2001,jeffrey Skilling unexpectedly resgned from his job ans CEO of Enron after only six months in the top job .While smith-who had been covering the California energy crisis-was away,the wall street Journal Los Angeles bureau chef drafted Emshwiller to interview Skilling.Dur

What’s the secret to becoming a millionaire? For years people have asked David Bach, the national bestsellingauthor of Smart Women Finish Rich, Smart Couples Finish Rich, andThe Finish Rich Workbook, what’s the real secret to getting rich?What’s the one thing I need to do? Now, in The Automatic Millionaire, David Bach is sharing thatsecret. The Automatic Millionaire starts with the powerful story of anaverage American couple--he’s a low-level manager, she’s a beautician--whose jointincome never exceeds $55,000 a year, yet who somehow manage to owntwo homes debt-free, put two kids through college, and retire at 55with more than $1 million in savings. Through their story you’lllearn the surprising fact that you cannot get rich with a budget!You have to have a plan to pay yourself first that is totallyautomatic, a plan that will automatically secure your future andpay for your present. What makes The Automatic Millionaire unique: You don’t need a budget

An Apple Store customer asks for the latest iPhone in blackbut suddenly changes to white when he sees others choosing it. Acitizen of a former communist country picks~ a drink at random;soda is soda, he says. A young man and woman decide tomarry--knowing that they'll meet for the first time on theirwedding day. In THE ART OF CHOOSING, Columbia University profes- sor SheenaIyengar, a leading expert on choice, asks fascinating questions:Are our choices innate or created by culture? Why do we sometimeschoose against our best interests? How much control do we reallyhave? What's the relationship between choice and freedom? Drawingon her award-winning, discipline: spanning research, thisremarkable book illuminates the joys and challenges ofchoosing--and shows us how we can choose better, one choice at atime.

In today's world, yesterday's methods just don't work. In Getting Things Done , veteran coach and management consultantDavid Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-freeperformance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of peopleacross the country. Allen's premise is simple: our productivity isdirectly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our mindsare clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effectiveproductivity and unleash our creative potential. In GettingThings Done Allen shows how to:

Why do many people and companies crumble in the face ofdifficulty, while others use adversity to bounce back evenstronger? Here from New York Times bestselling author KeithMcFarland is a leadership fable for those wary of fables, a storythat rejects pat, heard-it-before advice and shows–in a startlinglyfresh way–how to use challenges to make both yourself and yourorganization stronger. Mike Maloney, division manager for Boston-area tech firm CRX,returns from a business trip late one night feeling demoralized.His unit is about to lose its biggest customer and its mostvaluable employee. Mike wonders how much longer he and his staffcan keep up their relentless work schedule and meet uppermanagement’s new request for cost cuts. Something has to give.Hoping to blow off steam, he heads to a gym, where he runs intoJoe, a former army Ranger. After listening to Mike vent about the cards he’s been dealt, theex-soldier says, "Sounds like your company is ready to bounce."Mike looks confused, so Joe begins tu

Referring to his first book, It's Not How Good You Are, It'sHow Good You Want to Be, Arden describes himself as "author ofworld's bestselling book," ably demonstrating one nugget of wisdomto be found in his latest: "Great people have great egos; maybethat's what makes them great." Otherwise, the book suggests thatArden is less a great person (or a great author) than a greatformer creative director at advertising powerhouse Saatchi andSaatchi. In the restrictive, often repetitive genre of managementby aphorism, Arden is an original: master of the snappy maxim andeye-catching graphic, Arden advocates unconventional thinking,skipping college, taking risks, being outrageous and failingdramatically. Missing is a page in this book emblazoned "Take myadvice with a grain of salt," or "Triumph for an advertisingcopywriter may be disaster for an accountant." Nevertheless, Mr.Arden's books are a pleasure to peruse. His writing is spare,clever, brisk and pointed. Illustrations are clean and witty. Thinkyou whateve

An innovative business book positioning ethical practice asthe cornerstone of success “Business ethics? Isn’t that an oxymoron?” As a lecturer inethics, communication, and leadership at MIT’s Sloan School ofManagement and a moderator of the Aspen Executive Seminar, LeighHafrey has heard time and again that ethics and business don’t mix.In The Story of Success: Five Steps to Mastering Ethics inBusiness, Hafrey draws on fifteen years of conversations withbusinesspeople at all stages of their careers, from MBA to Chairmanof the Board, to articulate five steps that generate ethicalpractice: 1. Speak Up, Speak Out: define your managerial style 2. See the Big Picture: recognize the forces that affect yourpractice 3. Break the Rules, Make the Rules, Absorb the Costs: drivechange, and know it 4. Tell Good Stories: find stories that bring out the best inyour people and yourself 5. Test for Truth: distinguish fact from fantasy in yourstory-telling Hafrey illust

Why should I do business with you… and not yourcompetitor? Whether you are a retailer,manufacturer, distributor, or service provider – if you cannotanswer this question, you are surely losing customers, clients andmarket share. This eye-opening book reveals how identifying yourcompetitive advantages (and trumpeting them to the marketplace) isthe most surefire way to close deals, retain clients, and staymiles ahead of the competition. The five fatal flaws of most companies: ? They don’t have a competitive advantage but think they do ? They have a competitive advantage but don’t know what it is—sothey lower prices instead ? They know what their competitive advantage is but neglect to tellclients about it ? They mistake “strengths” for competitive advantages ? They don’t concentrate on competitive advantages when makingstrategic and operational decisions The good news is that you can overcome these costly mistakes– by identifying your competitive advantages and creating new ones.Consult

We Have a World-Class Mess . . . Now What? Amid the carnage of bankruptcies, soaring unemployment, andmillions of families losing their homes during the financial crisisof 2007–2009 lay the bloody corpse of a set of ideas that hadunderpinned the economics of the previous thirty years. A systemthat had been delivering unprecedented prosperity on a global scalesuddenly teetered on the verge of collapse. Capitalism wasseemingly exposed as a house of cards. The blame game became a newnational pastime as doomsayers predicted the end of America’sleadership of the world economy. We’re at a crossroads, and decisions about how to reshape adiscredited capitalism will profoundly affect whether the comingyears will be ones of depression, stagnation, or renewedprosperity. Instant analysis since the collapse of the financial system inthe fall of 2008 has produced no end of ideas about what todo—ranging from those of free market ideologues (let the market doits work and damn the consequences

Packed with practical information designed for businessreaders and managers at all levels, this essential volume offersinsights on managing creativity in groups, developing creativeconflict, and using technology to help foster innovation.

From two leaders in executive education at Harvard BusinessSchool, here are the mental habits and proven strategies you needto achieve outstanding results in any negotiation. Whether you’ve “seen it all” or are just starting out,Negotiation Genius will dramatically improve your negotiatingskills and confidence. Drawing on decades of behavioral researchplus the experience of thousands of business clients, the authorstake the mystery out of preparing for and executingnegotiations—whether they involve multimillion-dollar deals orimproving your next salary offer. What sets negotiation geniuses apart? They are the men andwomen who know how to: ?Identify negotiation opportunities where others see noroom for discussion ?Discover the truth even when the other side wants toconceal it ?Negotiate successfully from a position of weakness ?Defuse threats, ultimatums, lies, and other hardballtactics ?Overcome resistance and “sell” proposals using proveninfluence tactics

Think about the most powerful speech you’ve ever heard aleader give. What made that speech–and that speaker–memorable waslikely a mix of authenticity, stage presence, masterful delivery,and–above all–an inspirational message. Nobody ever walked out of a great speech saying, “I loved the wayshe used PowerPoint.” Yet, all too often, speakers rely on toolslike it to carry them through a presentation. Real leaders speak to make a difference, to promote a vision, tochange the way people think and feel and act. Their ability to leadgoes hand in hand with their ability to get their message across,no matter what size audience they’re addressing. Drawing on hisyears of experience in coaching executives, Christopher Witt showsnot just how to make a speech but why and when you should make one.His practical advice on how to take your game to the next levelincludes: ? You are the message. Who you are–your character, experience,values–shapes the message your listeners hear.

In his bestselling first book, Getting Things Done ,veteran coach and management consultant David Allen presented hisbreakthrough methods to increase efficiency. Now "the personalproductivity guru" ( Fast Company ) shows readers how toincrease their ability to work better, not harder—every day. Basedon Allen’s highly popular e-newsletter, Ready for Anything offers readers 52 ways to immediately clear your head forcreativity, focus your attention, create structures that work, andtake action to get things moving. With wit, inspiration, and know-how, Allen shows readers how tomake things happen—with less effort and stress, and lots moreenergy, creativity, and effectiveness. Ready for Anything isthe perfect book for anyone wanting to work and live at his or hervery best.