The definitive story of Amazon.com, one of the most successful companies in the world, and of its driven, brilliant founder, Jeff Bezos. Amazon.com started off delivering books through the mail. But its visionary founder, Jeff Bezos, wasn't content with being a bookseller. He wanted Amazon to become the everything store, offering limitless selection and seductive convenience at disruptively low prices. To do so, he developed a corporate culture of relentless ambition and secrecy that's never been cracked. Until now. Brad Stone enjoyed unprecedented access to current and former Amazon employees and Bezos family members, giving readers the first in-depth, fly-on-the-wall account of life at Amazon. Compared to tech's other elite innovators--Jobs, Gates, Zuckerberg--Bezos is a private man. But he stands out for his restless pursuit of new markets, leading Amazon into risky new ventures like the Kindle and cloud computing, and transforming retail in the same way Henry Ford revolutionized manufactur

The succession of crises facing the U.S. economy in 2008 and 2009 have thrown a bright spotlight on Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke. Each of his moves to address the disastrous economic conditions are reported and analyzed at length in the press as he works to mitigate the effects of the sub-prime lending debacle and resulting credit crisis. Bernanke is undergoing a stern test as America's central banker — a test created for him, in large part, by his predecessor, Alan Greenspan. This new paperback edition of Bernanke’s Test is completely updated with events through the end of 2009. As such, it's among the most valuable and up-to-the-minute works on Bernanke's career as Fed chair published to date, making it an essential look at the central figure shaping the recovery of the U.S. and world economies.

Zigzag Your Way to Success! Have you ever set your sights onthe top of a mountain and then started your ascent by headingstraight through the trees and up the sheer cliffs? Or driven inyour car to the other side of town--as the crow flies? Of coursenot! Because you instinctively know that, just as a river has towend its way around obstacles, the best route is never actually astraight line! In The Zigzag Principle, Rich Christiansen applies afoundational law of nature to business management,entrepreneurship, goal-setting, and life in general as he exploreswhy zigzagging toward our intended outcomes is more effective thantrying to bulldoze our way through whatever stands between us andour objectives. Christiansen helps you get started, make your wayover the big hill to initial profitability, and minimize risksalong the way. A s the head of well-established corporations and asthe brains behind numerous start-ups, Christiansen has been throughit all, and he's charted all the zigs and zags you'll encounter. InThe

The core of the lean model remains the same in the new edition. All businesses must define the "value" that they produce as the product that best suits customer needs. The leaders must then identify and clarify the "value stream," the nexus of actions to bring the product through problems solving, information management, and physical transformation tasks. Next, "lean enterprise" lines up suppliers with this value stream. "Flow" traces the product across departments. "Pull" then activates the flow as the business re-orients towards the pull of the customer's needs. Finally, with the company reengineered towards its core value in a flow process, the business re-orients towards "perfection," rooting out all the remaining muda (Japanese for "waste") in the system.

Draws on thephilosophies of the "Rich Dad" series about making a successfultransition from employee to company owner, in a guide for aspiringentrepreneurs that shares firsthand accounts of people who achievedsuccess. Reissue. 100,000 first printing.

Most teams underperform. Yours can beat the odds. If you need the best practices and ideas for superior teambuilding--but don't have time to find them--this book is for you.Here are 10 inspiring and useful perspectives, all in oneplace. This collection of HBR articles will help you: - Boost team performance through mutual accountability - Motivate large, diverse groups to tackle complex projects - Increase groups' emotional intelligence - Reverse the fortunes of a struggling team - Prevent decision deadlock - Extract results from a bunch of touchy superstars - Fight constructively with top-management colleagues - Ensure productivity in far-flung teams

Chet Holmes helps his clients blow away both the competitionand their own expectations. And his advice starts with one simpleconcept: focus! Instead of trying to master four thousandstrategies to improve your business, zero in on the few essentialskill areas that make the big difference. The Ultimate Sales Machine shows you how to tune up and soup upvirtually every part of your business by spending just an hour perweek on each impact area you want to improve—sales, marketing,management, and more.

Book De*ion Effective communication is a vital skill for everyone inbusiness today. Great communicators have a distinct advantage inbuilding influence and jumpstarting their careers. This practicalguide offers readers a clear and comprehensive overview on how tocommunicate effectively for every business situation, fromsensitive feedback to employees to persuasive communications forcustomers. It offers advice for improving writing skills, oralpresentations, and one-on-one dealings with others. Contentsinclude: * Understanding the optimal "medium" to presentinformation * Learning the best timing to deliver a message * Delivering an effective presentation * Drafting proposals * Writing effective e-mails * Improving self-editing skills Plus, readers can access free interactive tools on the HarvardBusiness Essentials companion web site. Series Adviser: Mary Munter Professor Mary Munter has taught management communication forover twen

The last lecture on leadership by the NFL's greatest coach:Bill Walsh Bill Walsh is a towering figure in the history of the NFL. Hisadvanced leadership transformed the San Francisco 49ers from theworst franchise in sports to a legendary dynasty. In the process,he changed the way football is played. Prior to his death, Walsh granted a series of exclusiveinterviews to bestselling author Steve Jamison. These became hisultimate lecture on leadership. Additional insights and perspective are provided by Hall of Famequarterback Joe Montana and others. Bill Walsh taught that the requirements of successful leadershipare the same whether you run an NFL franchise, a fortune 500company, or a hardware store with 12 employees. These final wordsof 'wisdom by Walsh' will inspire, inform, and enlighten leaders inall professions.

Learning Was Never Like This ! Take control of your life... free your natural genius to performto its true potential. Quantum Learning features a revolutionarynew format that introduces the reader to a world of learning unlikeany other. Never before has a guide been designed to accomodate the uniquelearning style of the individual. Whether you're a professional, astudent, or a person who simply wants to improve his or herlearning capacity, this extraordinary guide will increase yourpersonal power, help you learn more, earn more, and take you whereyou want to go. Inside you will learn: -How to spark your motivation. -How to master high-tech note-taking techniques. -How to discover your own personal learning style and cultivate awinning attitude. - How to work your own memory miracles, how to write withconfidence, and much, much more!

Do you think of your company's talent as an investment to bemanaged like a portfolio? You should, according to authors Becker,Huselid, and Beatty, if you're interested in strategy execution.Many companies fall into the trap of spending too much time andmoney on low performers, while high performers aren't getting thenecessary resources, development opportunities, or rewards. In "TheDifferentiated Workforce", the authors expand on their previousbooks, "The HR Scorecard" and "The Workforce Scorecard", andrecommend that you manage your workforce like a portfolio - withdisproportionate investments in the jobs that create the mostwealth. Based on two decades of academic research and experienceworking with hundreds of executives, "The Differentiated Workforce"gives you the tools to translate your talent into strategicimpact.

THE RIGHT PHRASE FOR EVERY SITUATION . . . EVERY TIME DON'TMISS THESE OTHER BOOKS IN THE PERFECT PHRASES SERIES How do you get face time with someone who doesn't accept salescalls? What is the best way to present the value of your offering?How do you handle price objections? Answer: You need to speak theright language. This fully revised second edition of the popular Perfect Phrasesfor the Sales Call provides an arsenal of persuasive language andword-for-word practice scenarios to help you address any challenge.Learn the most effective language for: Getting past gatekeepers and selling to the decision makers Presenting your product or service in the best light Handling objections, stalling, and other delaying tactics Building trust and cultivating relationships

Based on extensive research and the authors' hands-oncorporate and consulting experience with companies including AvonProducts, Bank of America, and Philips, One Page Talent Managementshows how to: Quickly identify high potential talent without complexassessments Increase the number of "ready now" successors for key roles Generate 360 feedback that accelerates change in the mostcritical behaviors Significantly reduce the time required for managers to implementtalent processes Enforce accountability for growing talent through corporateculture, compensation, etc. A radical new approach to growing talent, One Page TalentManagement trades complexity and bureaucracy for simplicity and arelentless focus on adding value to create the high-quality talentyou need--right now.

In 2008, HowardSchultz, the president and chairman of Starbucks, made theunprecedented decision to return as the CEO eight years after hestepped down from daily oversight of the company and becamechairman. Concerned that Starbucks had lost its way, Schultz wasdetermined to help it return to its core values and restore notonly its financial health, but also its soul. In Onward, he sharesthe remarkable story of his return and the company's ongoingtransformation under his leadership, revealing how, during one ofthe most tumultuous economic times in history, Starbucks againachieved profitability and sustainability without sacrificinghumanity. Offering readers a snapshot of a moment in history thatleft no company unscathed, the book zooms in to show, in rivetingdetail, how one company struggled and recreated itself in the midstof it all. The fast paced narrative is driven by day-to-day tensionas conflicts arise and lets readers into Schultz's psyche as hecomes to terms with his limitations and evolving l

Meet new people and converse with confidence Be credible and charismatic in every social and businesssituation Make friends and important contacts wherever you go Command the respect of everyone you meet You know who they are. They're the people who, regardless of money,education, looks, or personality, make an impression wherever theygo. They are master communicators, and everyone enjoys talking tothem. How to Develop Great People Skills shows you how to be one ofthose lucky few. Communication guru Leil Lowndes arms you with ninety-six all-new,cutting edge, research-based communications techniques for successin life, love, and business. You will smash the invisible glass ceiling that keeps many peopledown both personally and professionally. Your new weapon is aneurologically and psychologically sound concept called "EmotionalPrediction," or E.P. Leil Lowndes explains the power of EP andshows you how to harness it through deceptively simple methods toreach greater success in all of your relationships.

"Few books really are 'a joy to read.' This one, full of charmand wisdom, truly is." ( New Scientist ) A Nobel Prize-winningphysicist, a loving husband and father, an enthusiastic teacher, asurprisingly accomplished bongo player, and a genius of the highestcaliber---Richard P. Feynman was all these and more. PerfectlyReasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track --collecting overforty years' worth of Feynman's letters--offers an unprecedentedlook at the writer and thinker whose scientific mind and lust forlife made him a legend in his own time. Containing missives to andfrom such scientific luminaries as Victor Weisskopf, StephenWolfram, James Watson, and Edward Teller, as well as a remarkableselection of letters to and from fans, students, family, and peoplefrom around the world eager for Feynman's advice and counsel, Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track notonly illuminates the personal relationships that underwrote the keydevelopments in modern science, but also forms the most intimatelook

Two top public-speaking coaches offer fresh advice on givingeffective speeches and presentations with the immediacy of aconversation. The best speeches don't sound like speeches, and the bestspeakers make listeners feel as though they are being addresseddirectly. The trick is to make every presentation as natural anddirect as a one-on-one conversation. This expert but accessibleguide reveals: - The six truths behind every conversation-and how to use them atthe podium - The three steps to inspiring any audience - The seven secrets for using voice and body language - The seven tools every speaker uses or misuses Whether addressing a few colleagues or a packed auditorium,readers will find practical and simple techniques for inspiringevery listener.

Just as Watergate was the defining political story of its time,so Enron is the biggest business story of our time. And just as All the President’s Men was the one Watergate book that gavereaders the full story, with all the drama and nuance, TheSmartest Guys in the Room is the one book you have to read tounderstand this amazing business saga.

INSIDE APPLE reveals the secret systems, tactics andleadership strategies that allowed Steve Jobs and his company tochurn out hit after hit and inspire a cult-like following for itsproducts. If Apple is Silicon Valley's answer to Willy Wonka's ChocolateFactory, then author Adam Lashinsky provides readers with a goldenticket to step inside. In this primer on leadership and innovation,the author will introduce readers to concepts like the "DRI"(Apple's practice of assigning a Directly Responsible Individual toevery task) and the Top 100 (an annual ritual in which 100up-and-coming executives are tapped a la Skull Bones for asecret retreat with company founder Steve Jobs). Based on numerous interviews, the book offers exclusive newinformation about how Apple innovates, deals with its suppliers andis handling the transition into the Post Jobs Era. Lashinsky, aSenior Editor at Large for Fortune, knows the subject cold: In a2008 cover story for the magazine entitled The Genius Behind Steve:Could