Mergers and Efficiency: Changes Across Time (The Milken Institute Series on Financial Innovation and Economic Growth)

Book Description

Mergers And Efficiency: Changes Across Time focuses on one aspect of the corporate finance revolution that restructured Corporate America and led to the longest expansion in U.S. history - changes in rates of merger efficiency. Demystifying this most controversial and dynamic period of U.S. economic history is key to understanding the business, financial and economic innovations that defined the last two decades of the 20th century. In addition, it is important to create a careful empirical understanding of the conditions under which merger activity increased or decreased firm efficiency, industrial productivity, and overall improvements in aggregate output and economic performance.

The first chapter examines the aggregate data set by modeling the determinants of the risk of takeover. Next, the author takes a closer look at possible heterogeneity among targets in takeovers. The second chapter analyzes the categories previously discussed in the literature, such as target resistance and management dismissals. Finally, the author examines what, if any, efficiency improvements were realized after the takeover. The third and final chapter examines the ex post performance of combined firms using fixed effects panel data models. These models have the advantage over the univariate methodologies or regressions used in earlier studies of being able to control for the prior performance of the firm.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Information.......2004-10-06

This book attracted a lot of attention from the Federal Trade
Commission, who regulates mergers in the U.S. In fact, they organized a Research Roundtable around the book in December 2002 (see http://www.ftc.gov/be/rt/mergerroundtable.htm for the transcripts). Although the math is strenuous, there is plenty of explanatory material here to make this interesting to students and practitioners of mergers.

Book Description

Any company is only as good as the people they hire.

Customer Reviews:

People Matter and Don B knows it!.......2002-01-13

Don B has been there! After facing serious corporate downsizing and budget constraints he lead his team to outpace, outperform and outproduce teams twice his size. Why? He recognized the value of people. In this book, Don teaches you his secrets for getting the right people, through the right process and putting them in the right places. As he says, "Don't hire a cat to heard your cattle." -- Nelson Searcy, Chief Innovation Officer, SmartLeadership (www.smartleadership.com)

Customer Reviews:

Ridiculously Profound.......2000-01-20

Paul Shepard is the kind of author that should be read over and over again. Each time through, you will pick up more, and slowly your view of the world will change. In this book, Shepard weaves together anthropology, psychology, social criticism, and prehistory to paint a picture of what we used to be, what we are now, and what we can be in the future. More specifically, Shepard urges us to recapture the form of hunter-gathering. This is not to say that we can turn back the clock of history and go back to the caves. Rather, he is espousing a closer contact with the natural world, which is the only thing that can trigger the crucial psychological transitions that make up our lifecycle. Without this kind of exposure to the Otherness of the real world, we remain locked in adolescence and even pre-adolescence, unable to maturely experience the people and places around us. Read this book, then read "Nature and Madness", then read his other books --- then REREAD them, over and over. His stuff is that good.

Imaging Saturn. The Voyager Flights to Saturn.
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Imaging Saturn. The Voyager Flights to Saturn.
Jr., Henry S. F. COOPER
Manufacturer: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M4JHQC

Imaging Saturn: The Voyager Flights to Saturn
Average customer rating:
Imaging Saturn: The Voyager Flights to Saturn
Henry S. F. Cooper Jr.
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0030056144

Average customer rating:
Imaging Saturn: The Voyager Flights to Saturn
Henry S. F., Jr. Cooper
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEBRYU

Book Description

Thomas Truxtun was one of the first six captains President Washington appointed to the United States Navy in 1794. Although Truxtun therefore ranks with men like John Paul Jones in the development of the navy, this biography by Eugene Ferguson supplies the only full account of his eventful life and career.

In Truxtun of the Constellation, Ferguson tells the exciting story of a patriot who started as a teenaged merchant seaman, won command of his own ship, and became a privateer in the Revolutionary War. After the Revolution, he made four voyages to the Far East in the burgeoning China trade. He commanded the ship that brought Benjamin Franklin home to America from his ambassadorship to France. The greatest period of Truxton's career--and the source of his importance as a historical figure--came when he served as captain of the original Constellation, whose construction he oversaw in Baltimore. He commanded this historic frigate from the time she was launched in 1797 until her return from the undeclared naval war with France and the defeat of the heavier-armed La Vengeance in 1800.

First published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 1956, Ferguson's lively account describes the early problems and triumphs in the fledgling navy, the battle glories, and the professional and personal squabbles that helped to explain Truxtun's resignation in 1802.

Customer Reviews:

A read as fast as the ship itself.......2005-04-06

During the beginning stages of research for a novel I'm writing related to the War of 1812, I searched for and bought this book to get a look into Commodore Thomas Truxtun as one of the forefathers of the U.S. Navy and one of the principal architects of its tradition. I figured the book would give me a good insight into Truxtun as naval commander and man, and I largely got exactly what I was expecting.

Eugene Ferguson did an outstanding job with exhaustive research and writing in a fair, objective style that doesn't overly glorify Truxtun's triumphs or gloss over his failings. He did an excellent job of outlining faults that included his impatience during the construction of Constellation and his tendency to be overbearing while helping to oversee the construction of the ship.

One thing that the book could have done a bit more of was to give a better sense of the strategies involved in naval combat along with the tactics of wearing to avoid a broadside. Ferguson gave some good mention of books Truxtun wrote as they related to ship signals and other matters, but could have delved more into the tactical and day-to-day reasons Truxtun was successful in two engagements against French warships.

As important as writing a balanced account of Truxtun, including his business failings and his poor ability to judge character was a writing style that made his 260 page book a comfortable read. His writing is not so technical as to intimidate the land lubber or person with only a passing interest in the history of the period and is well-versed enough in the vernacular of the period as to satisfy those with a much more avid fascination with wooden walls and raking fire.

TRUXTUN OF THE CONSTELLATION, The Life of Commodore Thomas Truxtun, U. S. Navy 1755-1822

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TRUXTUN OF THE CONSTELLATION, The Life of Commodore Thomas Truxtun, U. S. Navy 1755-1822
Eugene S. Ferguson
Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VBDHZ8

Something Will Come Along: Witty Memoirs of a Foreign Service Officer With Nine Children
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Something Will Come Along, December 20, 2003

Something Will Come Along

Something for Fun

Something Will Come Along: Witty Memoirs of a Foreign Service Officer With Nine Children
Malcom Lawrence
Manufacturer: Pentland Press (NC)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 157197377X

Book Description

Malcolm Lawrence's autobiography, "Something Will Come Along: Witty Memoirs of a Foreign Service Officer with Nine Children," is filled with numerous vignettes, revealing Lawrence's dry wit, and the comedic impact that his family has had on his life. This wit is highlighted in his storytelling ability, wonderfully detailing the events of his life and allowing them to come alive on the page. From his tales of early boyhood adolescence to his sojourn in England as a Foreign Service Officer, and ultimately, his stories of rearing nine children throughout his many travels in Europe, his life's tale both entertains and allows readers a chance to relate and relive their own life story.

Customer Reviews:

Something Will Come Along, December 20, 2003.......2003-12-21

Malcolm and Jackie, your card arrived as I was well into Malcolm's book "Something Will Come Along." I loved it and hope it sells well. The logistics of your fequent moves took my breath away. I had always thought of Jackie to be extremely capable, but now! How you kept abreast if clothing styles for the children and yourselves due to changes in climate, cultures and ages is mind-boggling. Then too I found myself far beyond my usual bedtime laughing at Malcolm's humor. Thanks for sharing your unusual experiences and inspiring approach to life. I had come to a plateau in writing my memoirs for family and friends, but Malcolm's book has spurred me to plow on after Christmas. May your book appear under many Christmas trees.

Something Will Come Along.......2003-12-08

Just a short note to let you know how much I enjoyed your book Something Will Come Along. I thought it was most interesting and very well written. This comes from one who has been a writer and editor since he graduated from the University of Maryland in 1951. I have also reviewed books from Brentano's and the Navy Library Service.

I also would like to congratulate you for being such a fine representative of our country for so many years and for being a good father to such a large brood.

I don't know if you remember me or not, but I remember you and your fine drumming.

Something for Fun.......2003-12-08

Something Will Come Along is a wonderful easy read with lots of fun and family adventures from Washington D.C. to England and Switzerland and back again. Malcolm Lawrence's childhood, teen years, marriage and early career in the Washington area are of much historic and human interest to those of us who have spent much of our lives here. The book tells of his experiences as a drummer in Washington during the Big Band era, as a guest with his ever-loyal wife Jacqueline at Buckingham Palace, as the sometimes frantic father of nine children building a school in Switzerland. There is the inside story of his career as a Foreign Service Officer and, on his return home, a brief account of his life as a community activist crusading his way to the White House against illegal drugs and other problems that surfaced in the public schools while he was overseas. It's all done with great humor and a good dose of humility. I loved it.

Spygirl: True Adventures from My Life as a Private Eye
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Quick but Forgettable Read

Fun Read - Title Is Deceptive

Was there a plot? If there was, I missed it...

Spy Girl

Spy Girl

Spygirl: True Adventures from My Life as a Private Eye
Amy Gray
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Mid Atlantic | Regional U.S. | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Law Enforcement | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books
Law Enforcement | Criminal Law | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0812971523
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Book Description

While her friends are making mad cash and getting massages at their dot-com jobs, Amy Gray quits her low-status publishing position to realize her girlhood dream of being a private investigator. Joining a small Manhattan agency, she finds herself plunged into an intriguing world of “con men, lunatics, narcissists, polygamists, sociopaths, felons, petty thieves, and pathological liars”—a description almost as apt for the men in her social life as for her on-the-job subjects. Working with a gang of misfit colleagues (a former zookeeper, a one-time child star, an avant-garde philosopher, and other eccentrics), Amy discovers even more about herself as she detects uncanny parallels between her investigations and her tumultuous love life.

Customer Reviews:

Quick but Forgettable Read.......2007-05-03

I read this at the beach last summer and can barely remember it now, so I guess that's a critique in its own right.

Spygirl is the memoir of Amy Gray, late 90s career girl who stumbles into a job at a Manhattan detective agency. This is soooo much less interesting than it sounds, because Ms. Gray spends most of her time like the protagonists of lots of other gen-x/chick lit type memoirs, fretting about relationships and drinking expensive coffee drinks. I picked this book up hoping to find out what it's *really* like to work in a modern day detective agency, but apparently it's a lot like the work environment of just about any other urban cube farm, and not nearly as interesting as you would think.

I did finish the book despite an overall sense of disappointment but as I said, I can barely remember it now, so there are probably books that are a better option for your 3-4 hours of reading time.

Fun Read - Title Is Deceptive.......2006-09-19

I was in a bit of a funk when I picked up "Spygirl" from my local library. Being a journalist, I like "true accounts" and was pleased to see A. Gray's disclaimer at the front. No James Frey errors here, folks. However, A. Gray (as one of her co-workers calls her) tells you very quickly - and disappointingly -that she signed affadavits and confidentiality agreements her first day as a PI so I knew up front that she wasn't going to tell us much in the way of her actual cases.
The ones she does recount are fairly lame but the wedding scammer was funny. The title and its subtitle are very misleading but I adore A. Gray's writing. I did get bored with her endless trips to the bar with her excrutiating best friend Cass scamming free drinks off men. Ditto her endless episodes in bed with obvious losers. Just as she would start to lose me however, she would write some gorgeous passage - the baby spiders in her house for example. This book would have benefitted from a good editor as opposed to an apparent fan helping her along with it. The chronology was all over the shop and somebody needed to point out that she was nursing a broken heart (her words, not mine) after 10 days with a guy. Each and every time! In spite of this, I enjoyed the manic and tender moments. Loved Moez the driver...It lifted my spirits to see a good young writer out there. Despite its provocative title, this is a really a coming of age story from a deiciously flawed heroine.

Was there a plot? If there was, I missed it..........2006-07-16

This was THE WORST book I've ever read. I literally read the last page while standing over the trash can, letting it fall into the can as I finished. This book was so disjointed... It jumped around from past to present, from boyfriend to boyfriend and back and forth. I was actually annoyed while reading it and can only be grateful that I didn't spend my own money on it! There was no plot, no point and definetely no entertainment to be had in this very boring and very pointless read.

Spy Girl.......2005-10-27

Genre:Non-Fiction
Summary:In this story she seems to have alot to do seeing as how shes a private eye,though in most of the stories in the book arent very private at all.She constantly talks about the men in her life (every week)and the secrets behind the person shes inspecting.other than that the story is great but hey thats just my opinion.
What I liked most about the book:In the book I admired her smarts and ability's to come through with such educated guess's she was very smart and very creative i love books like this and t.v. shows like CSI.
What i didnt like and why:I did not like the fact that she was so open about just doing what she wanted with guys cause im just not into that.
my favorite charecter and why:my favoriite charecter was Amy Gray cause she was smart in the Book.
The scene line or passage that meant the most to me and why?:I didnt really have a favorite or a line that meant the most to me it was all good.
What i would say to someone about this book:I would say that this book is good at first and then it gets better (excluding the every guy a week thing)just read it or your weird.
One question i have after reading this book is: after the story ended what happened to her.
the strongest reason for recomending this book is:its a great book overall.

Spy Girl.......2005-10-27

Spygirl - True Adventures from My Life as a Private Eye

Average customer rating:

Spygirl - True Adventures from My Life as a Private Eye
Amy GRAY
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OPDJOU

Book Description

Small towns are growing in Africa. Located at the interface between the rural and the urban they seem to offer opportunities for households and individuals to combine resources in ways that can keep poor people afloat in the current era of dramatic transformation of their conditions for livelihood. Liberalization and structural adjustment in combination with the disastrous effects of the Aids pandemic have put heavy pressures on the conditions of poorer sections of the population. Major adjustments in livelihood strategies are obviously required. Among these are new patterns of mobility and new provisioning relations which are also bound to lead to changes in the settlement patterns.

This study seeks to establish how the individual migrant uses mobility to negotiate the economic landscape. This involves mobility directed towards small towns to access advantageous provisioning possibilities and also the engagement in a multitude of family linkages from the small town to other places within the settlement system. Substantiated through a case study of Rusape, Zimbabwe, this study suggests that lower living costs, higher food security and a more accessible labor market may be attracting migrants from higher level urban centers. The role of the network of kin relations in mobility is important and migrants' networks over space cover both rural homes and urban areas. The access to networks, however, is being stratified under structural adjustment and the ability to maintain linkages with relatives is declining. This suggests a rising vulnerability connected with inability to leave some places and to enter others.

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