The Courtyard Practice Set, Narrative

Book Description

Objectives - by the end of this workbook you should be able to:
· Relate the organisation's mission to the allocation of financial resources
· Understand techniques for financial management, including financial statements and external sources of finance and capital
· Analyse financial information and historical data to monitor performance
· Establish and communicate budgets and financial information
· Prepare and evaluate business cases for financial resources
· Ensure that systems, people and resources are in place to meet objectives.

*Communicating organisational and strategic plans
*Understanding ratios for financial management
*Analysing financial data, statements and business plans
*Approaches to improving financial performance

Average customer rating:

A Valuable Tool

Solid Analysis / Easy to understand

The Textbook for Getting into the NBA

If you love stats and basketball...

A Mature Look At Pro Basketball

Basketball on Paper: Rules and Tools for Performance Analysis
Dean Oliver
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Basketball | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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Baseball Between the Numbers

ASIN: 1574886886

Book Description

Journey "inside the numbers" for an exceptional set of statistical tools and rules that can help explain the winning, or losing, ways of a basketball team. Basketball on Paper doesnâ€™t diagram plays or explain how players get in shape, but instead demonstrates how to interpret player and team performance.

Dean Oliver highlights general strategies for teams when theyâ€™re winning or losing and what aspects should be the focus in either situation. He describes and quantifies the jobs of team leaders and role players, then discusses the interactions between players and how to achieve the best fit. Oliver conceptualizes the meaning of teamwork and how to quantify the value of different types of players working together. He examines historically successful NBA teams and identifies what made them so successful: individual talent, a system of putting players together, or good coaching.

Oliver then uses these statistical tools and case studies to evaluate the best players in history, such as Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Charles Barkley and how they contributed to their teamsâ€™ success. He does the same for some of the NBAâ€™s "oddball" players-Manute Bol, Muggsy Bogues, and Dennis Rodman and for the WNBAâ€™s top players.

Basketball on Paper is unique in its incorporation of business and analytical concepts within the context of basketball to measure the value of players in a cooperative setting. Whether youâ€™re looking for strategies or new ideas to throw out while watching the ballgame at a sports bar, Dean Oliverâ€™sBasketball on Paper will give you amazing new insights into teamwork, coaching, and success.

Customer Reviews:

A Valuable Tool.......2007-08-17

I have been using the formulas and ideas presented in Dean Oliver's book for the past three years. I was never a math fan, but my spreadsheets for calculating basketball statistics are the most complicated I have ever created and it was this book that started my obsession. The book inspired me with a fascination over a new way to look at the game and the players that bring it to life. Mr. Oliver's work was just a starting point and over the past few years I have added other formulas and other mathematical approaches to looking at the game, but I would not have gotten anywhere without this book. It is an essential tool in my toolbox for evaluating and enjoying the game of basketball.

Solid Analysis / Easy to understand.......2007-01-10

I thought it was an excellent book. The author was clearly very knowledgeable both as a basketball player and as a quantitative analyst. Probably this dual identity is also what allowed him to communicate the findings so well to non-analysts while preserving enough of the meat of the analysis for pure analysts to see where it would all lead to.

Best book on sports statistics that I've read.

The Textbook for Getting into the NBA.......2005-10-20

First of all, I am the author, so the 5-star rating is admittedly biased, but also honest as I wrote the book under the influence of award-winning books like "Guns, Germs, and Steel," "Good to Great," and "Ender's Game." Now that it's 3 years after Basketball on Paper went to press, a couple years after the description here was written, and a year or more after the book got me a job in the NBA, I wanted to add an updated description.

I wrote the book in the hopes of presenting a scientific _method_ for approaching basketball. By "method", I mean that it doesn't present a magical all-encompassing rating for players, but rather a _structure_ for basketball as genetics provided a structure for understanding life and biology. The possession-based concept introduced early in the book allows you to evaluate strategy, the chemistry of a team, and, yes, who are better players. It doesn't matter whether it's the NBA, WNBA, college, high school, or the international game -- the methods apply and I've applied them. The book focused on the NBA and WNBA because that was where the statistics were most readily available going back more than a year or two. That is changing and I have already seen foreign leagues incorporating my work into their game.

This structure does introduce formulas, nothing more complicated than the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division that I learned through baseball cards when I was 10 years old. For coaches who want to avoid these, I actually recommend reading the last chapter first because it summarizes the conclusions of the previous chapters. For people interested in player evaluation, the book has numerous lists of player stats, how many wins and losses they contributed, and how they did it. This includes players as far back as Bill Russell, but as recent as Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and Allen Iverson.

For baseball fans, I should say that Bill James' work on Win Shares in baseball paralleled mine in basketball, though we did take slightly different approaches. Bill has even said of the book, "Excellent writing. There are a lot of math guys who just rush from the numbers to the conclusion. . .they'll tell you that Shaq is a real good player but his team would win a couple more games a year if he could hit a free throw. Dean is more than that; he's really struggling to understand the actual problem, rather than the statistical after-image of it. I learn a lot by reading him." I am happy to say that experts in statistical evaluation of baseball (like Bill), football (like Aaron Schatz and Ben Alamar of Pro Football Prospectus), and basketball are all communicating about the common goals we have for doing scientific evaluation of team sports, where analogies to business team environments and global politics abound.

I realized as I wrote the book that there were a million projects that I could do from what is in the book. Those projects have come about and grown even before I joined the Seattle Supersonics in October of 2004. Evaluating strategy has grown so much from the basics in this book. Player evaluation, especially as they move from one league to another, has evolved. And, with the experiment of the 2004-05 season, I got to show how the work significantly helps coaching a team. That season, I joined the Sonics with a fixed roster that was universally picked for last in their division. I worked with the coaches, management, and players to provide a different perspective to their own backgrounds, one that complemented their own expertises. At the end of the season, we won our division, we upset the experts by winning our first round series, and we gave the ultimate NBA champions one of their toughest playoff battles. I felt that we should have won the championship -- perhaps naive, but also a measure of the belief I had in not only the work in Basketball on Paper, but also in the ability of the staff and players I worked with.

Now that I do work in the NBA and apply new tricks of the trade, I can't really write another book sharing my secrets. But Basketball on Paper contains the framework, the basic insights, and a lot of the numbers for understanding a lot more about the beautiful game.

If you love stats and basketball..........2005-08-20

This is a great book for people who are both numbers geeks and basketball geeks. I wish that there was more of a focus on college basketball, but that's just me. The author even replied to a couple of my questions regarding some of the formulas via email. Highly recommended for a basketball fan intrigued by statistics and indexes.

A Mature Look At Pro Basketball.......2003-12-24

Oliver's work shows a maturity that has been lacking from many basketball evaluation books--John Hollinger's "Basketball Prospectus" being another exception. Not only are players evaluated statistically but their roles on their teams are considered in context in relationship to their numbers. If you want to gain an understanding of basketball as perhaps you've never had before, and are willing to accept the ambiguous nature of numbers themselves, this is the book for you!

Average customer rating:

Absolutely Fascinating

Appropriate Title

So You Want To Be A Con-Man

Twice-Told Tales From One Who Knows Better

Snake Oil: a Misdirection

Snake Oil: Life's Calculations, Misdirections, And Manipulations
Jim Rose
Manufacturer: Bartleby Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Circus | Theater | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Magic | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Curiosities & Wonders | Fun Facts | Reference | Subjects | Books
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The Book of Bluffs: How to Bluff and Win at Poker

ASIN: 0910155593

Book Description

The gyp, hoodwink, shuck, sandbag: An artform that has been passed down through generations of hustlers, con men, and freaks. Selling snake oil is the ultimate con, and readers will find within these pages everything from classic deceptions to the most recent of ruses. From fooling your friends to dangerous stage stunts, Jim Rose, snake oil salesman extraordinaire, provides new angles to old tricks. Those who dare to explore these pages will find themselved enticed by this special brand of snake oil. Step right up: it's all here. There's nothing it won't cure!

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Fascinating.......2007-06-27

Jim Rose, a man unique in so many ways, has a riveting book here. I highly recommend it. I still would love to see his show someday.

Appropriate Title.......2006-12-27

I bought this book based on a magazine article I read that made it seem interesting. Boy, was that a mistake! Snake Oil as a title must be Jim Rose's little joke on us, because this book is exactly that, a specious product sold by a charlatan. I now have the book in a box where I keep it while I think of someone I dislike enough to give it to.

So You Want To Be A Con-Man.......2006-07-31

While not as entertaining as his first book, 'Freak Like Me', Jim's second book is far more useful. Armed with the tips and trickery contained within one would never again have to buy a drink.

With the knowledge contained in Snake Oil, a person of questionable character could make a lot of money. After all, a sucker is born every minute.

Twice-Told Tales From One Who Knows Better.......2006-02-23

This book is interesting and informative, but clearly a quick-'n-dirty effort. Rose claims he wants to tell "all he has learned" about con games and sideshow ruses, before he starts to forget any of it. In fact, it's obvious that he merely rattled off whatever happened to come into his head as quickly as he could and slapped it between two covers. In some places, he tells the same stories twice in the space of a few pages - apparently forgetting he had already mentioned them - and in many places he merely retails well-known parlor tricks as "insider secrets".

There is no attempt in the book to be systematic - it is a hodgepodge of magic tricks, rigged carnival games, actual con scams, math tricks, mentalism, bar bets, and just about any other kind of "tricky" move, but only a few of each. Anyone who has read even a little about any of the above subjects will find they already know most of what he has to say - and that a vast range of lore in each category has been left out.

The book would work well if it were billed as an introductory review of different kinds of tricks and scams - maybe for kids who are intrigued by such things but haven't started to read up on them yet. (It also needs some serious editing and better organization.) With that less-ambitious aim in mind, the book can be read for pleasure and information - but as a comprehensive review of every scam ever pulled, from an insider expert, this book itself is its own best scam.

Snake Oil: a Misdirection.......2005-12-31

I was very dissappointed with this book. It is a series of old and fairly useless information. I hope Jim Rose's show is better than the book.

Customer Reviews:

The New Nick Kramer or My Life as a Babysitter.......2003-03-29

The genre of this book is fiction.
I think this book is directed towards 10-12 year olds, because it takes place in an upper school, but it isnýt that hard to read.
James Howe likes to write about many important characters that change the main characterýs life. He also gives a lot of good detail when he describes the characters feelings and settings. He also gives you a clear picture of settings and where the character is in his or her life.
This is the plot: Nick Kramer makes a bet with the grade bully, Mitch Buckley. The first one of them to get asked to the Visa-Versa dance by the most popular girl in school, Jennifer Edwards, wins! The loser? He has to dance in front of the whole school, alone and wearing a tutu!
Nick tries to change himself so Jennifer would notice him, by taking a babysitting class, changing his ýlooký and becoming a ýsensitiveý guy. Will this new act change the way Jennifer looks at Nick? In this book I learned that even if something looks great outside it might not be great inside.

He's No Ordinary Babysitter; He's the new Nick Kramer.......2000-01-08

It's the first day of school, Nick Kramer walked up on the school grounds and sees his worst enemy, Augie. Nick walks up to Augie. They both get ready to give each other a putdown, when someone caught their attention, the new girl, Jennifer. Augie made a bet with Nick that Jennifer would ask him to the vice-versa dance and not Nick. The person, who Jennifer doesn't ask, has to dance around on the basketball court at half time and wear a tutu. Nick finds out Jennifer is in a class called Childcare 101. So Nick signs up for it too. Little did he know he would have to really babysit for the class. I thought this book was good. It kept me reading. I would recommend it to anyone who likes to babysit and do exciting things. Who will Jennifer ask to the vice-versa dance? Check out the exciting book by James Howe called "The New Nick Kramer, or My Life as a Babysitter" to find out.

The New Nick Kramer; or, My Life as a Baby-Sitter

Average customer rating:

The New Nick Kramer; or, My Life as a Baby-Sitter
James Howe
Manufacturer: Hyperion Books c1995
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ONOBT4

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of East Asian Studies, published by Lynne Rienner Publishers on September 1, 2004. The length of the article is 606 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Japan Between Asia and the West: Economic Power and Strategic Balance.(Book Review)
Author: Young Jong Choi
Publication: Journal of East Asian Studies (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2004
Publisher: Lynne Rienner Publishers
Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Page: 519(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Japan Between Asia and the West: Economic Power and Strategic Balance.(Book Review): An article from: Pacific Affairs

Average customer rating:

Japan Between Asia and the West: Economic Power and Strategic Balance.(Book Review): An article from: Pacific Affairs
Michael A. Barnhart
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000CZ0NB4
Release Date: 2005-12-14

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Pacific Affairs, published by Thomson Gale on December 22, 2003. The length of the article is 606 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Japan Between Asia and the West: Economic Power and Strategic Balance.(Book Review)
Author: Michael A. Barnhart
Publication: Pacific Affairs (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2003
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 76 Issue: 4 Page: 654(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

This report contains business intelligence information for succesful export-import, business and investment operations, strategic contacts and more... The report also contains selected information on investment and business opportunities, international economic projects, tenders, government projects, as well as, marketing and export-import opportunities information.

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