The Myth of the Global Corporation

Book Description

Critics and defenders of multinational corporations often agree on at least one thing: that the activities of multinationals are creating an overwhelmingly powerful global market that is quickly rendering national borders obsolete. The authors of this book, however, argue that such expectations commonly rest on a myth. They examine key activities of multinational corporations in the United States, Japan, and Europe and explore the relationship between corporate behavior and national institutions and cultures. They demonstrate that the world's leading multinationals continue to be shaped decisively by the policies and values of their home countries and that their core operations are not converging to create a seamless global market.

With a wealth of fresh evidence, the authors show that Japanese and German multinationals, in particular, remain only weakly committed to laissez-faire policy orientations and continue to exhibit strong allegiance to national goals in such areas as investment and employment. They also bring to light the consequences of enduring differences in government policies on, for example, industrial cartels, capital markets, and research and development.

The authors agree that the world economy is becoming more complex and integrated as overt barriers to trade and investment fall away. But they conclude that the extent of this integration is decisively limited by structural divergence at the level of the firm. The book will be essential reading for those seeking to understand the growing interdependence of still-distinctive industrial societies and the wellsprings of the true global economy.

Customer Reviews:

useful antidote to globalization hype.......2001-02-01

In an era where one book after the other seems to extoll the story of the globalisation Juggernaut, the reader can all too easily get the impression that all in the economy is now globalizing. Do not borders cease to exist for one enterprise and sector after the other? Although you can argue this is true to some extent for a number of sectors and production processes, at the same time it is not quite the whole story and creates a false or misleading image. The authors argue that enterprises are not only economic but als political actors, and for me as an economist this was an interesting point.

This book then provides a sober antidote to this misperception of transnational corporations as truly borderless production systems that only seek the most efficient way to produce and where nationality does not matter. It provides a convincing overview of how even the largest 'transnational' corporations remain to a large extent 'national', if not in their economics then in their politics. With thorough empirical work it is shown that globalizing activities of transnational enterprises in OECD countries mostly still have a home bias along a number of dimensions. I confess that this was also for me (economist dealing with glabalization) a good sobering read that helped me to keep a perspective and offered a number of novel ideas. Recommended.

Average customer rating:

Still applicable almost a decade later

Purpose-Driven Organization: Unleashing the Power of Direction and Commitment (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)
Perry Pascarella , and Mark A. Frohman
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Organizational Change | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1555421768

Customer Reviews:

Still applicable almost a decade later.......1998-09-05

This book is excellent material for all levels of managers. It provides valuable lessons for inspiring and motivating your employees toward a common goal.

Book Description

Postharvest treatments are required to disinfest fruits, vegetables, nuts, flowers and ornamental plants of quarantined insects prior to export. These insect pests, such as various tephritid fruit flies, are of quarantine importance because either they are absent from the importing country or that country has a zero tolerance for all live insects. This book considers the various treatment technologies and strategies and the effect that these have on the insects and the produce. Treatments include the promotion of pest-free zones and natural resistance, and the use of fumigation, irradiation, insecticides, extremes of temperature, controlled or modified atmospheres, and combinations of these. Current research, directed at prolonging postharvest life of the commodity and maintaining its quality, is thoroughly assessed through detailed reviews of the literature. The book is a comprehensive work directed at academics and research workers in entomology and horticulture, as well as quarantine officers.

Book Description

A great deal of interest and excitement surround the interface between the philosophy of biology and the philosophy of psychology, yet the area is neither well defined nor well represented in mainstream philosophical publications. This book is perhaps the first to open a dialogue between the two disciplines. Its aim is to broaden the traditional subject matter of the philosophy of biology while informing the philosophy of psychology of relevant biological constraints and insights.

The book is organized around six themes: functions and teleology, evolutionary psychology, innateness, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and parallels between philosophy of biology and philosophy of mind. Throughout, one finds overlapping areas of study, larger philosophical implications, and even larger conceptual ties. Woven through these connections are shared concerns about the status of semantics, scientific law, evolution and adaptation, and cognition in general.

Contributors: André Ariew, Mark A. Bedau, David J. Buller, Paul Sheldon Davies, Stephen M. Downes, Charbel Niño El-Hani, Owen Flanagan, Peter Godfrey-Smith, Todd Grantham, Valerie Gray Hardcastle, Gary Hatfield, Daniel W. McShea, Karen Neander, Shaun Nichols, Antonio Marcos Pereira, Tom Polger, Lawrence A. Shapiro, Kim Sterelny, Robert A. Wilson, William C. Wimsatt.

Where Biology Meets Psychology: Philosophical Essays

Average customer rating:

Where Biology Meets Psychology: Philosophical Essays
Valerie Gray (EDT) Hardcastle
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OR1YFY

Book Description

90 line drawings 6 x 9 In Wildlife of Pennsylvania, Chuck Fergus has managed an impressive feat-to deftly mix solid, scientific information on the Northeast's diverse animal life, from bears to bullfrogs, with his own observations and anecdotes to create that rarest of works, a reference book that is a delight to read." -Scott Weidensaul author of Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds Natural history narratives for more than 300 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians found in Pennsylvania and throughout the northeastern United States-written in an engaging, straightforward style. An invaluable addition to any nature-lover's library. Each narrative offers a species description as well as up-to-date information on habitat, breeding behavior, feeding habits, biology, migration, and current population status, as well as the author's personal observations of the animal's life in the wild. Includes game and nongame mammals, birds of prey, songbirds, waterfowl, snakes, turtles, frogs, toads, and more. Charles Fergus is a former columnist for Pennsylvania Game News and author of the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Wildlife Notes. His books include A Rough-Shooting Dog, The Wingless Crow, Swamp Screamer, and Summer at Little Lava, named by Library Journal one of the Best Sci-Tech Books of 1998. He lives in central Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews:

Great information, but . . . .......2005-02-02

The information on animal habitat, food sources, and behavior is fascinating and unforgettable. Charles Fergus has forgotten more about area animal life than most people will ever know. This is one book that never leaves my nightstand, as it is organized well and is my "go-to book" for esoteric questions about mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in Pennsylvania.

However, it is not a field guide. The black and white illustrations are a disappointment; very crudely drawn, and not every species has an illustration. Thus, it is difficult to compare closely-related species. For instance, Mr. Fergus describes 13 varieties of hawks, eagles, falcons,kestrels and merlins, yet there are only a meager 6 illustrations for the section. Perhaps in the next edition, Mr. Fergus will collaborate with a better illustrator and will include more, realistic, and (GASP) COLOR drawings or photos of these animals for his readers.

Despite the lack of illustrations, this book is a great reference material. Use it in conjunction with other field guides and you won't be disappointed in its scope.

A good reference for naturalists.......2002-07-06

I wish a book like this had been available when I was growing up in Pennsylvania, when I was a Girl Scout and camp counselor, and when I started volunteering at nature centers. This supplement to traditional field guides is divided into sections by animal type (mammals, birds, etc.) and provides such details as eating habits, favored habitats, longevity, home regions, and population distribution. Fergus assembles factual information into a leisurely readable format and adds his own observations from time to time. Here you'll find out why that dead shrew is lying on the trail in front of you, or how much food a red-tail hawk eats in a day. Amelia Hansen's exquisite drawings depict many of the animals listed and are accurate enough and beautiful enough to be framed and hung on a wall. The only omission is a visual sample of each animal's tracks, but other books can help you in that area. I can't wait for the companion book on *trees* to be issued!

The Best Book on the Topic . . ........2000-10-24

Fergus has done a remarkable job of nature writing--the prose is crisp and clear, and always informative. The book can be used as either a guide or just a good read; Fergus tells us how to see things we've never seen, and shows us how to look at what we already know with new eyes. Buy the book, you won't be disappointed. Bravo!

Birder's Guide to Pennsylvania (Birders Guide)

Average customer rating:

Birder's Guide to Pennsylvania (Birders Guide)
Paula Ford
Manufacturer: Gulf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0884150739

Book Description

This book takes the reader to almost 200 parks, refuges, and hot spots for migratory and resident birds throughout Pennsylvania. Details on 7 geographical regions include 34 maps make this the most comprehensive statewide guide available to Pennsylvania birding sites.

Future Passages, Central Pennsylvania Icons Your Children May Never Know

Average customer rating:

Summer in Clearfield
Full of wonderful memories
Thank you
A superb history of Central PA
Painstaking, prfessional and powerful.

Future Passages, Central Pennsylvania Icons Your Children May Never Know

Manufacturer: Murphy Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Invites you on a journey of discovery, through the disappearing landscape of history in Central Pennsylvania. Architecture and artifacts that generations have taken for granted as part of their everyday world are captured in this beautiful collection of photographs, some only a short time before they have disappeared from the scene forever. For the long-time resident, this book holds memories. For the young, and those unfamiliar with the area, this book provides a record of the rich historical and aesthetic assets of the region. Robert Kurtz has preserved a vision of the Pennsylvania that our children may know only through story and legend.

Customer Reviews:

Summer in Clearfield.......2003-07-05

Warm feelings of visitng my greatgrandmother on hot summer days in Curwensville and Clearfield. The outhouses, the barns, the bear in the big city, brought back those memories of unearned family affection and the mountain views. A joyful book for families in Pennsylvanial, Nevada or any where else in the world.

Full of wonderful memories.......1999-06-15

A fascinating book of photographs of Central Pennsylvania. It brough back many memories of another, gentler time. It also reminded me of just how beautiful my home state is.

Thank you.......1999-06-15

By researching the contents and by presenting them as you have, you have given a real feeling of place and time.

A superb history of Central PA.......1999-06-15

Thank you kindly for the magnificent book of photographs that captures Pennsylvania's landscape. It is a treasure for today's readers. It will be a superb history for those who will read it tomorrow. Beautiful contribution. Professional. Exquisite.

Painstaking, prfessional and powerful........1999-06-15

The book is sensational. It is the sort of thing the Lord would have done if he had money. Joking aside, it is the product of a monumental undertaking. Painstaking, professional, and powerful are words which spring to my lips in describing it.

Average customer rating:

Practical approach, but not for the novice

Falls Short

This is the worst book on the subject of periodization!

Excellent--Teaches you how to create your own Peridization..

Adress

Periodization Breakthrough!: The Ultimate Training System
Steven J. Fleck , and William J. Kraemer
Manufacturer: Advanced Research Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Bodybuilding & Weight Training | Training | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Training | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Periodization: Theory and Methodology of Training

Designing Resistance Training Programs

Serious Strength Training

Periodization Training for Sports

Science and Practice of Strength Training, Second Edition

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 1889462004

Customer Reviews:

Practical approach, but not for the novice.......2007-06-25

This books explains how to build up your own periodized training program.
Its practical approach and the step by step procedure make you understand how to reason when plannin g a periodized routine.
It is necessary, however, to have a clear understanding of the basic concepts of training, since no information is provided in this regard.

Falls Short.......2003-02-23

I was disappointed in this book. It advertises itself as containing "The Ultimate Training System," but does not live up to the title. It has some good material in it, and I appreciated the science-based support of the authors' theories. However, it is extremely light on practical examples. There are far better books out there to help you understand and develop "The Ultimate Training System." One I would recommend is The New Power Program: Protocols for Maximum Strength by Michael, Dr. Colgan.

This is the worst book on the subject of periodization!.......2000-02-03

I thought this book was terribly awful. Its more of a briefreview of periodization, not a book on the theory, and training. Itsalmost like a cheap, and sloppy version of cliff notes on Dr.Bompa's Serious Strength Training. I would not recommend Periodization Breakthrough to anyone. If you want the complete theory, and training methodology of Periodization for bodybuilding/strength training purposes, I very highly recommend Dr. Bompa's Serious Strength Training. It is I beleive the best written book on the topic!

Excellent--Teaches you how to create your own Peridization.........1999-11-19

This was a really detailed book. I have read "Serious Strength Training" by Bompa, however I felt that this book gave me more insight into creating my own custom periodization schedule. Bompa's book had most of it pre-planned. The book had excellent citations for research an gave me all the information I needed in a well laid out format.

Adress.......1999-04-27

I need the adress of Mr. Steven J. Fleck, Ph.D

Book Description

'Risk Assessment for Object Conservation' reflects Dr Jonathan Ashley-Smith's personal interests and views in areas including materials science, the ethics of restoration, the costs of conservation and the philosophy of museums.

This valuable book explains the mechanisms of deterioration of museum artifacts, quantifying the probability that damage will occur and estimating the rate of progress when it does.

The principles outlined and the information provided will form a foundation for cost-benefit analysis of conservation proposals. Dr Ashley-Smith also gives comprehensive explanations of scientific of mathematical material to take into consideration the readers who have no background in these areas, alongside a basic introduction. The structure of the book provides a logical progression through tools, concepts information and examples. This is a must-have purchase for all conservators, curators and administrators of historic artifacts at both student and professional level.

Pioneering book on this subject
Guidance on reduction of risk to exhibits
Author is the Head of Conservation at the Victoria and Albert Museum

Average customer rating:

Not his best work

A Good Read!

In case of stinky service, please break glass.

Why Service Stinks...and Exactly What to Do About It!
T. Scott Gross
Manufacturer: Kaplan Business
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Customer Service | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Positively Outrageous Service: How to Delight and Astound Your Customers and Win Them for Life

When Customers Talk... Turn What They Tell You into Sales

Outrageous!: Unforgettable Service...Guilt-Free Selling

Positively Outrageous Service

Microbranding: Build a Powerful Personal Brand and Beat Your Competition

ASIN: 0793176816
Release Date: 2003-11-01

Book Description

Packed with carefully validated research and engaging examples of best and worst practices, Why Service Stinks is a one-stop customer service guidebook. Managers and service providers will learn how to upgrade their overall service attitude and standard practices.

Author, T. Scott Gross profiles superb server-customer relationships to teach model approaches and shares some unforgettable stories of dreadful service to point out how these situations could have been easily remedied. With wit and authority, Gross shows how managers in any business can improve their customer's experience and encourage repeat business.

T. Scott Gross is known as one of the giants in customer service. He is a tireless and celebrated speaker on the topic, with a client roster studded with the biggest businesses in the country. His inside knowledge of these companies, access to top service leaders, and commonsense approach will hit the mark with readers.

Features of Why Service Stinks include:

• Simon says-What management can do to inspire outstanding service.

• How to hire a fantastic server-Ten street-smart questions to ask when interviewing.

• The influences of consequences-The effects of pay, perks, and benefits on service.

• Lessons from the masters-How Crate & Barrel, Container Store, and other service leaders do what they do so well.

This may be the first research-oriented book on customer service, with complete statistical analysis, but Gross's revered sense of humor comes blazing through the data with anecdotal highlights that put the subject of customer service into perspective.

Customer Reviews:

Not his best work.......2005-08-10

I got the feeling that Mr. Gross wrote this book for the publisher. Don't get me wrong, I love his work. Microbranding is probably the best book on small business branding I've read. Positively Outrageous Service got me to re-think customer service.

However, this book feels as if it was thrown together. It was hard to get motivated or inspired. In fact it took me a couple of months to wade through it.

The title promises "...and exactly what to do about it!" Well, I'm not sure the book delivers on that promise. Sure there are lots of great service suggestions and anecdotes, but exactly what to do about it?

In addition the cover touts "Based on a nationwide survey of service attitudes." Well, this survey is mentioned briefly at the beginning of the book, but I would hardly say the book is based on the survey.

However, Mr. Gross does share lots of useful hints and thought-starters on service. But it is mostly just reminder material. Stuff you say, "oh yeah, that's right" but you may have forgotten.

If you are thinking about reading this book, I would suggest getting Mr. Gross' "Positively Outrageus Service" instead. If you have previously read that book, there is no need to read this one.

A Good Read!.......2004-08-30

Today's economy is service-oriented, so why don't more businesses focus on service? Maybe it's too obvious and beneath the scope of managers who focus on "managing up," but the fact is that bad service translates into bad business. The way your business treats people should be based upon your understanding of how you would like to be treated. Isn't that just common sense (or the Golden Rule)? Maybe. But author T. Scott Gross offers many other pointers to help service-oriented people in all industries, including those who sell complex products and services. The author's advice and appraisals are based on a national survey of the attitudes that servers, managers and customers hold about service. Though slightly disorganized, the book is written in an entertaining, breezy style, (it even includes a recipe for barbecued ribs). Overall, we think the ideas presented here can enliven and re-vitalize any customer-oriented sales operation. Better yet: these suggestions can improve your bottom line.

In case of stinky service, please break glass........2003-11-28

When I first finished reading "Why Service Stinks", I immediatly started re-reading it. The stories are humorous, and insightful. The message is important. This is a perfect companion to "Good to Great". Mr. Gross is full of great ideas from hiring to keeping the best. I also like the idea that it is not just the employee who is responsible for great service.

I enthusiasticly recommend this book to anyone in a business that meets the public.

Book Description

We live in a time of economic virtualism, whereby our lives are made to conform to the virtual reality of economic thought. Globalization, transnational capitalism, structural adjustment programmes and the decay of welfare are all signs of the growing power of economics, one of the most potent forces of recent decades. In the last thirty years, economics has ceased to be just an academic discipline concerned with the study of economy, and has come to be the only legitimate way to think about all aspects of society and how we order our lives. Economic models are no longer measured against the world they seek to describe, but instead the world is measured against them, found wanting and made to conform.

This profound and dangerous change in the power of abstract economics to shape the lives of people in rich and poor countries alike is the subject of this interdisciplinary study. Contributors show how economics has come to portray a virtual reality -- a world that seems real but is merely a reflection of a neo-classical model -- and how governments, the World Bank and the IMF combine to stamp the world with a virtual image that condemns as irrational our local social and cultural arrangements. Further, it is argued that virtualism represents the worrying emergence of new forms of abstraction in the political economy, of which economics is just one example.

Book Description

This book is part of a broad examination of Confucianism and its implications for modernization of the Confucian regions (covering mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, and Singapore). It is mainly concerned with the industrialization and modernization of Taiwan. To help readers understand the process of modernization, the book provides an introduction to the history of Taiwan and to Confucianism and its modern implications. As far as social and economic principles are concerned, Taiwan's modernization is, according to the author, characterized by Americanization and modernizing Confucian manifestations. The book demonstrates that Taiwan has actually provided an important case study not only for the capitalist spirit of overseas Chinese, but also for possible implications of Confucianism for modernization. The unique character of this book is that in explaining Taiwan's modernization, it deals not only with economic and social issues, but also examines the philosophical foundations, an endeavor which no other author has systematically made before.

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