Capitalism with Derivatives: A Political Economy of Financial Derivatives, Capital and Class

Book Description

What are the links between things as diverse as the prices of pork bellies, interest rates, and corporate stock? They are all being translated into risk and priced through the system of derivative markets. Financial derivatives are now the largest form of financial transaction in the world, and they are transforming in pervasive ways the lived experience of capitalist economies. Financial derivatives are anchoring the global financial system and challenging the conventional understanding of ownership, money and capital. These challenges are examined in this book, providing a significant reinterpretation of contemporary capitalism that will be of interest to both social scientists and conventional finance scholars.

Customer Reviews:

Create It with Rigor and Passion or...........2001-04-14

There are three recent publications with the same title (Creative Destruction) whose authors correlate Joseph Schumpeter's concept of "creative destruction" with the contemporary business world. Foster and Kaplan explain "why companies that are built to last underperform the market -- and how to successfully transform them" whereas in their work, Nolan and Croson offer "a six-stage process for transforming the organization." In the third volume co-edited by McKnight, Vaaler, and Katz, various authors and co-authors of 13 anthologized essays examine various "business survival strategies for the global Internet economy." I highly recommend all three volumes as well as two of Schumpeter's works: Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, and, Essays: On Entrepreneurs, Innovations, Business Cycles, and the Evolution of Capitalism.

As already indicated, Nolan and Croson present and explain a "six-stage process for transforming the organization" at a time when there are extraordinary demands upon today's executives. For example, they must have or quickly gain mastery of new information technologies, new organizational structures, and managing a new dominant sector of employment: professional entrepreneurs. Worse yet, they confront what the authors characterize as "four main sources of inertia": business as usual, IT that locks in "business as usual", not evolving into an IT-enabled organizational structure, and finally, workers who are not going to fire themselves. What to do? In Chapter One, the authors recommend 20 information economy management principles, half of which have been "salvaged" from the industrial economy. (See Exhibit 1-2 on pages 16-17.) Then in Chapter Two, they introduce what they call "The Six Stages of Creative Destruction": Downsize!, Seek Dynamic Balance, Develop a Market-Access Strategy, Become Customer Driven, Develop a Market-Foreclosure Strategy, and finally, Pursue Global Scope. The authors devote a separate chapter to each of these "Stages", explaining with eloquence as well as practicality HOW to complete what is indeed an immensely difficult process.

It is important to keep in mind that Schumpeter was an advocate of "dynamic disequilibrium": entrepreneurship is the rule, NOT the exception. Entrepreneurs (by nature) engage in a process of creative destruction as they challenge what O'Toole characterizes (in Leading Change) as "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." They dismantle the old order of economic activity (technological, organizational, and managerial) and simultaneously invent and build a new one. Nolan and Croson are quite correct when suggesting that "creative destruction" must be driven by an entrepreneurial spirit but also requires leadership and management skills of the very highest order.

In the final chapter, the authors suggest that an organization's starting point when embarking on "The Six Stages of Creative Destruction" determines which of two scenarios to follow: "The first, and easiest, takes an organization from a hierarchy with an established, but still informal, shadow network, to a fully IT-enabled network organization....A second transformation scenario, rather more difficult that the first, takes a traditional functional hierarchy directly to a fully IT-enabled network organization, without passing through the shadow network to rest." ABB, ADP, AT&T, FedEx, GE, General Mills, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, Morgan Stanley, and PepsiCo are among the corporate organizations which have successfully completed "The Six Stages of Creative Destruction", transforming themselves to become viable information economy competitors. They have exhibited extraordinary discipline in the consistency and efficiency while doing so. Although the authors cite major organizations such as these to illustrate key points, my own opinion is that, with appropriate modification, "The Six Stages of Creative Destruction" can also help small-to-midsize organizations to transform themselves as well.

For executives in all manner of organizations, the Appendix ("What Size Is Right? A Theory and Simulation of Firm Design") may be one of the most useful sections in the book. For example, after having observed theoretical organizational behavior under a variety of assumptions over hundreds of situations, Nolan and Croson gained "some interesting insights" into how technology and organization "gradually combine in the downsizing process." They derived these principles which can guide and inform executives: (1) :The lion's share of gains comes from revolution, not evolution (NOTE: Hamel's Leading the Revolution as well as Evans and Wurster's Blown to Bits strongly support this principle.); (2) "Mixed span of control means more revolutions"; and (3) "Random technology means more revolutions." Now more than ever before, incumbent organizations must adopt and then integrate technology ASAP to maintain their competitive advantages. And that adoption must be completed with both rigor and passion as the velocity of creative destruction accelerates globally at a rate Schumpeter could not possibly have envisioned 40-50 years ago.

Read this book to see where organizations are headed.......1997-05-08

Anyone with organization experience will appreciate the struggle to adjust to the information economy. The authors call for the creative destruction of the old, to be replaced by a new flexible, agile, IT-enabled network. Networkers will quickly see that the old corporate structure is aiming to change into exactly what network marketers already have. Tomorrow's successful companies will look more like networks of independent entrepreneurs held together by the need to collaborate to succeed. Remuneration will also change to look more like the pay for performance networkers already enjoy. From the networkers point of view it is heartening to see how envious organization workers will soon become of the networker's position. This book gives a six stage process for CEOs to transform their organizations into what networkers already have. - Dick Canfiel

Creative Destruction : A Six-Stage Process for Transforming the Organization

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Creative Destruction : A Six-Stage Process for Transforming the Organization
Richard L.; Croson, David C. Nolan
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLSA7K

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Creative Destruction: A Six-Stage Process for Transforming the Organization
Richard L. Nolan; David C. Croson
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MC0ZLK

Book Description

This outstanding work is the only modern book devoted to the chick embryo and has been an essential resource for geneticists, molecular and developmental biologists, and other life scientists who use the chick embryo as their research model. This new enlarged and updated second edition is published in response to continuing demand. The text provides a detailed description of development, from fertilization to hatching, with emphasis on the earlier stages though also covering individual organ systems in detail. There are reviews of the more recent molecular research and a new section highlighting the important landmarks in the history of chick embryology which have had an impact on our understanding of developmental processes. The book is beautifully illustrated with 74 text-figures and over 500 photographs, including nearly 200 new scanning electron micrographs.

New to This Edition:
* Updated and expanded text to accompany diagrams
* More than 200 new labelled scanning electron micrographs showing individual tissues in great detail
* Reviews of recent molecular research
* Discusses the roles of genes such as Hox genes, BMPs, and sonic hedgehog during early development
* New sections on genetical anomalies, techniques, and the poultry industry

Book Description

Filled with captivating, full-color artwork and photographs, each book in the Animal Watch Series provides an in-depth look at a family of animals. Extensive mapping allows readers to easily locate every habitat in which a particular species can be found.

For ages 10 and up.

Profiles; Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Jaguars, Snow leopards and Clouded Leopards, Cheetahs, Ocelots, Lynx, Caracals, Pumas, and Household Cats.

Customer Reviews:

Visual and Fun.......2001-12-22

I bought this book for a 6th grader who is in love with cats. Before I wraped it I read through it. This book is a wonderful read for all generations. I certainly learned more then I ever knew about cats. The pictures are stunning and Beautiful and sure to keep cat lovers of all kinds entertained. I would recomend this book for anyone 6th grade and older.

A Visual Introduction to Big Cats (Animal Watch)

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A Visual Introduction to Big Cats (Animal Watch)
Bernard Stonehouse
Manufacturer: Cherrytree Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Book Description

(NOTE: Previously titled Exploring the Wild Oregon Coast)

A completely revised and updated guide to all the best trails on the magnificent Oregon coast, including 44 new hikes and featuring natural history sidebars highlighting the various flora and fauna of the 362 miles of coastline.

From Fort Stevens to Brookings, Oregon's coast is lined with primeval forests, undulating sand dunes, secret beaches, and towering headlands. In this completely revised edition, Henderson has greatly increased the coverage of trails, with 44 new hikes, making this the most comprehensive hiking guide to the region.

Thorough descriptions of every trail are supplemented by natural history sidebars featuring plants and animals hikers are likely to encounter. Divided into five distinct sections from north to south, each section also includes information on its portion of the Oregon Coast Trail, which runs from border to border.

Customer Reviews:

Read any good trails lately?.......2001-05-31

Two of my favorite activities, reading good books and hiking good trails, merge in this Oregon Coast hiking guide. Bonnie Henderson was raised in Portland, and lives in Eugene now. Not only does she know these trails, but she is also savvy to all the flora and fauna along the way. Her guide is organized by hikes along Oregon's North Coast, North-Central Coast, Central Coast, South-Central Coast, and South Coast, and also includes interesting information about, among other things, puffins (pp. 40-41), skunk cabbage (p. 51), bald eagles (p. 62), estuaries (p. 73) and silverspot butterflies (pp. 76-77).

I spent a week hiking many of the trails in this guide, including most of Henderson's own recommended favorites (pp. 26, 57, 96): Indian Beach to Ecola Point, Seaside Beach, Crescent Beach, Haystack Rock, Hug Point, and the Yachats 804 Trail. I especially liked the Cape Falcon and Cooks Ridge-Gwynn Creek loop trails. Rocky beaches. Loud waves. Waterfalls. Mossy trees. Old-growth forests. Foggy days. Muddy trails. The Oregon Coast is a hiker's heaven, and Henderson's wise, old trail guide contains some of heaven's best-kept secrets.

G. Merritt

A great real-life hiking guide.......1998-12-22

Bonnie Henderson's hiking books are consistently good. This one highlights some lesser-known hikes along the Oregon Coast. My parents live on the coast, and many of these hikes were pleasant surprises to them. Difficulty is accurately noted. The author, an Oregon resident, really hikes all the trails in her books. This book would be a great gift for anyone living or travelling the Oregon Coast.

Book Description

The Laws of Arguing According to Gerry Spence1. Everyone is capable of making the winning argument.2. Winning is getting what we want, which also means helping "others" get what they want.3. Learn that words are a weapon, and can be used hostilely in combat.4. Know that there is always a "biological advantage" of delivering the TRUTH.5. Assault is not argument.6. Use fear as an ally in pubic speaking or in argument. Learn to convert its energy.7. Let emotions show and don't discourage passion.8. Don't be blinded by brilliance.9. Learn to speak with the body. The body sometimes speaks more powerfully than words.10. Know that the enemy is not the person with whom we are engaged in a failing argument, but the vision within ourselves.

Customer Reviews:

Helpful.......2007-07-25

When young I observed Spence on television. Just observing the boldness of his attire alone made me curious about his book. I listened to it in audio version. Want to be a lawyer? His book affirmed that you can remain true and that preparation and sincerity are key. So many things about the book contributed to my thinking in starting out that they remain with me still in practice and in life. Also his uniqueness and strength of conviction are inspirations.

More about Gerry Spence than arguing.......2007-07-19

Another pamphlet book that can be summed up in one sentence--Don't expect to win an argument unless you believe you're right. This in itself is key advice, since many people enter into a debate or confrontation already thinking they'll lose.

However, no actual instructions, just a lot about the author.

Overall a Good Read.......2007-02-07

This book does not teach you how to Win an argument.
However overall a good read.

Great book.......2007-02-06

This is a very informative book, excellent for either corporate america, or legal folks. Book was in great condition.

Some good advice, but not an instruction book........2007-01-21

From the title you might be expecting a book that would teach you how to argue. You won't find it here. You will find some sound advice on how to approach an argument, such as that you will have more success in your argument if you are respectful to the person you are arguing with, and if you try to make the argument from a position where you can find common ground. You will also find some wisdom on arguing in certain situations, for example arguing with at home or with children.

I think the most valuable part of the book is his emphasis of arguing from an emotional perspective. Many people, especially certain groups like men and conservatives, tend to be dismissive of emotional arguments in favor of logical ones. However, Spence shows that emotional arguments are more likely to win than logical ones. The skill of framing a logical argument in an emotional context could be a valuable one.
An important omission in the book is arguing in public. Spence tries to address that, but I have the feeling that Spence has lost the ability to identify with people who have trouble speaking in public and the scanty advice he gives seems ineffective - amounting to "just get over it and do it."

Another drawback of the book is that it contains a fair amount of polemic. So if you're going to find it annoying that Gerry Spence likes to go on tirades about environmentalism and his dislike of bankers you might want to find a different book. I found it distracting from the real purpose of the book.

How To Argue And Win Every Time - At Home, At Work, In Court, Everywhere, Every Day

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How To Argue And Win Every Time - At Home, At Work, In Court, Everywhere, Every Day
Gerry Spence
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Win Your Case: How to Present, Persuade, and Prevail-Every Place, Every Time

ASIN: B000IXWVME

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how to argue and win every time - at home, at work, in court, everywhere, every day
gerry spence
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTJLI4

Book Description

One of the physical costs of our society's breakneck consumption, sprawl, and technological innovation and production is the increasing amount of terrain relegated to accommodating the resulting waste and wasted space. These "marginal landscapes" can be divided into four distinct categories: sinks; ruins or abandoned land; toxic or damaged land; and waste landscapes. Although Professor Engler discusses all four types, she is concerned mostly with waste landscapes - "landfills, recycling and waste transfer centers, and sewage treatment plants," as she addresses two distinct aspects of waste landscapes: 1) the historic and cultural context of waste, and 2) the professional planning practices and aesthetic concerns of those who deal with waste and its landscapes. Ultimately, Professor Engler seeks to change our ideas about waste places through her discussion of how landscape design can function within the scientific and technological parameters of safety and environmental concerns to make waste places more central to our thinking and perception. In so doing, she reviews the physical evolution of waste sites, and scrutinizes perceptions and representations of these landscapes, and grounds her ideas in critiques of what environmental designers and artists have done recently with waste places to change public perceptions. Designing America's Waste Landscapes is a pioneering and original work that will appeal to professional planners and landscape designers, and students and scholars in landscape design and planning, environmental studies, urban studies, cultural geography, and even the history of technology.

Designing America's Waste Landscapes.(Book review): An article from: Journal of the American Planning Association

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Designing America's Waste Landscapes.(Book review): An article from: Journal of the American Planning Association
Joel B. Goldsteen
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of the American Planning Association, published by Thomson Gale on June 22, 2005. The length of the article is 806 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: Designing America's Waste Landscapes.(Book review)
Author: Joel B. Goldsteen
Publication: Journal of the American Planning Association (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 22, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 71 Issue: 3 Page: 337(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Waste away: towns that are scaling a mountain of garbage.(waste management through public involvement ): An article from: E

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Waste away: towns that are scaling a mountain of garbage.(waste management through public involvement ): An article from: E
Judith A. Stock
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000EYK6D8
Release Date: 2006-03-11

Book Description

This digital document is an article from E, published by Thomson Gale on March 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1135 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: Waste away: towns that are scaling a mountain of garbage.(waste management through public involvement )
Author: Judith A. Stock
Publication: E (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Page: 22(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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