The Managerial Revolution: What is Happening in the World

Customer Reviews:

The Source of Business Contempt.......2007-08-07

Burnham begins seemingly in a rational, fair, and balanced way. He explores the rise of managers as a group of skilled individuals, meeting the growing need for organization in a complex society as well as in increasingly complex businesses. It seems perfectly appropriate that people specially trained to organize business and government, should have access to information that lets them do the job well, and also should be paid enough to attract additional people to that difficult set of tasks: the tasks of guiding, administering, managing, directing and organizing the processes of production or service delivery.

Soon, however, Burnham's voice becomes more sincere: In the "drive for social dominance, for power and privilege, for the position of ruling class, by the social group or class of the managers.... This drive will be successful ... against the masses, who, obscurely, are a social force tending against oppression and class rule of any kind." [The mechanism is] "propaganda and ideologies, all under a bewildering variety of slogans and ostensible motivations" (Burnham, p. 166, 1941):

"The managers, the ruling class of the new society, will for their own purposes require at least a limited democracy. When the ruling group becomes more and more liable to miscalculate, a certain measure of democracy makes it easier for the ruling class to get more, and more accurate, information. Second, experience shows that a certain measure of democracy is an excellent way to enable opponents and the masses to let off steam without endangering the foundations of the social fabric. Democracy, freedom for public minority political expression within a class society, must be so limited as not to interfere with the basic social relations whereby the ruling class maintains its position of power and privilege.

"When the vote has been extended to wide sections of the population, including a majority that is not members of the ruling class, that problem is more difficult. In spite of the wider democracy, however, control by the ruling class can be assured ... when major social institutions upholding the position of the ruling class are firmly consolidated, when ideologies contributing to the maintenance of these institutions are generally accepted, when the instruments of education and propaganda are primarily available to the ruling class...." (Burnham, p. 168, 1941).

This is an important book to read and share because it reveals, plainly spoken, the contempt business managers have, and are taught to have, for the citizens of our nation and the world, as well as the strategies they use to control our actions and even our thoughts.

Classic.......2002-09-04

Burnham's Managerial Revolution was published in 1940, almost 20 years before J.K. Galbraith's more famous The New Industrial State (1958), but contains most of the important ideas concerning the rise of a managerial class with loyalties more to its own class than to the owners of the enterprise (capital, shareholders), which later made Galbraith famous. Other than the fact that Burnham (once a leftist philosophy professor who broke with the left over Stalin's crimes) was a conservative, there is no rational explanation why this is not the famous book and Galbraith an epigonal footnote. Dated of course, but Burham was insightful and prescient. Especially in view of recent evidence of members of the new managerial class looting their companies despite attempts to align their interests more closely with the owners (stockholders) through stock incentive schemes. Read Burnham!

The Managerial Revolution What Is Happening In The World

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The Managerial Revolution What Is Happening In The World
James Burnham
Manufacturer: John Day Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JS9C8E

The managerial revolution: Or, what is happening in the world now

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The managerial revolution: Or, what is happening in the world now
James Burnham
Manufacturer: Penguin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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The Managerial Revolution What Is Happening In The World
James Burhnam
Manufacturer: John Day
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UQJ0D2

Book Description

Technology is revolutionizing business practice. As a result, tens of thousands of executives are finding their industries on the verge of earthshaking changes. Now, drawing on four decades of consulting with companies struggling to "reinvent" themselves on the brink of cataclysmic restructuring or even extinction, Roy Harmon constructs a compelling three-pronged "reinvention" model (processes, technology, and people) which, when driven by long-term strategic vision, provides a flexible blueprint from which to spearhead ongoing change.

Using detailed examples from Andersen Consulting's worldwide practice, Harmon reinvents business operations in specific fields including retailing, health care, financial services, and even government, and targets other areas relevant to all industries, from computer technology to office organization. He shows how the most important process improvements (such as reorganizing functionally structured operations into "work cells") can eliminate bureaucratic and other inefficiencies, and how the latest technology, when combined with an energized workforce committed to action, can give teeth to the reinvention model.

To stimulate longer-term thinking, Harmon also explores and demystifies futuristic developments as they might affect transportation, power generation, agriculture and community planning, while executive "zinger" checklists near the beginning of each chapter help to pinpoint short to medium-term tactical and strategic plans. Finally, Harmon explains how adopting a pay-as-you-go approach to change, which Demands fast payback for an investment in improvement, is the enabling feature that can ensure continuous progress in the search for ever-better "best practices."

The world of the future holds the promise of incredible health, affluence, education, and quality of life. The movers and shakers in industry (always the driving force behind progress in the past) will be the first to usher in the new world. Now, armed with the practical advice and strategic vision presented by Roy Harmon in this important new work, the future really does lie in our hands.

Book Description

Paperback

Book Description

Natural history has always been the foundation of conservation biology. For centuries, botanists collected specimens in the field to understand plant diversity; now that many habitats are threatened, botanists have turned their focus to conservation, and, increasingly, they look to the collections of museums, herbaria, and botanical gardens for insight on developing informed management programs. Plant Conservation explores the value of these collections in light of contemporary biodiversity studies.

Plant Conservation opens with a broad view of plant biodiversity and then considers evolutionary and taxonomic threats and consequences of habitat alteration; specific threats to plant diversity, such as invasive species and global climate change; consequences of plant population decline at the ecological, evolutionary, and taxonomic levels; and, finally, management strategies that protect plant biodiversity from further decline. With a unique perspective on biodiversity and scientific collections, Plant Conservation ultimately emphasizes the role museums and botanical gardens will play in future conservation.

Plant Conservation: A Natural History Approach [A book review from: Biological Conservation]

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Plant Conservation: A Natural History Approach [A book review from: Biological Conservation]
A. Tye
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000PC6L4C

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Biological Conservation, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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From Sound to Synapse: Physiology of the Mammalian Ear
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From Sound to Synapse: Physiology of the Mammalian Ear
C. Daniel Geisler
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKNBWU

Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate
Average customer rating:

Black Belt material - Certainly not for Idiot's

Good Addition to Your Library

The complete Indiots guide to karate

Better than I expected

A good book for traditional stylists!

Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate
Randall G. Hassell , and Edmond Otis
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0028638328

Download Description

Randall G. Hassell, seventh-degree black belt, is a first-generation American to pioneer Shotokan Karate and Chief Instructor of the American Shotokan Karate Alliance. He has written, edited, or contributed to 28 books on karate and more than 100 magazine articles. Edmond Otis, director of martial arts at Riverside and chairman of the American JKA Karate Association (AJKA), is a sixth-degree black belt and one of the permier American karate instructors of his generation.

Customer Reviews:

Black Belt material - Certainly not for Idiot's.......2007-07-22

In addition to the other review here, this book is much more than what has been described. It would suit any Okinawan/Japanese style of karate not just Shotokan. It's a large book & isn't intended as an introduction (IMHO). Many hundreds of subjects are covered, some as deeply philosophical as Zanshin & Mushin etc. Although these subjects are covered very briefly, they are done so in such a concise way that you get the full meaning.
"An Idiot's Guide" is an unfortunate title as many Brown and Black Belt karate-ka would benefit from its HUGE & varied content.
As with all other "Idiot" series books, it is very well & interestingly laid out with lots of diagrams & photo's too.
Should Karate be introduced into the school curriculum, this ought to be the first reference book teachers should source. The authors are well established & highly respected in this field already.
This book puts many so-called "advanced" titles to shame - if the subjects were covered in any more depth, this book could be three times as thick.

Good Addition to Your Library.......2006-12-07

Many years ago when I first was looking for a style to study I came across this book and enjoyed it immensely. It is well written and informed. Ultimately I ended up choosing a style not listed in this book but the principles it covers on how to choose a style were very helpful. I long since gave my copy away to someone who wanted to study the martial arts and one day when I get a chance to clear out my already crowded library I hope to get a new and hopefully updated copy.

The complete Indiots guide to karate.......2006-03-20

Whether you are begining Karate, re-entering Karte after a long break or a practicing advanced Karate-ka this books is invaluable. It brings the complicated structure, terminology to an easy understanding level and is unbiased and not self promoting. It really is a great guide.

Better than I expected.......2004-12-01

This book is a holistic (though somewhat Shotokan-centric) basic primer on karate. The authors wax verbose at odd times and prattle off too many bad puns (e.g., "dressed to kill" re: uniforms) yet the information really is pretty good. It covers everything from finding a school to properly wearing the uniform to basic techniques (e.g., stances, punches, kicks). Succinctly covers topics such as ranking, terminology, weapon forms, self-defense, tournaments, and sparring as well. The illustrations are excellent yet the explanations are often too brief for those who would like to understand not only what, buy why. For example, the index on safety tips contains enough gems that it probably have been expanded into a whole chapter. The "Sensei Says" summaries and "Ouch" safety tips are colorful, well done, and facilitate absorption of essential knowledge. Overall I'd recommend this book for beginners and those considering karate training. If you've been doing this for a while it's probably too elementary.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

A good book for traditional stylists!.......2003-12-11

I find this book very well written and a must read for students or parents preparing to enter a strict traditional karate school. This book is informative and educational, but also filled with the wit and humor of the authors to keep much of the reading on the lighter side.
The sidebars "Karate Minutes", "Sense Says" and "Talk the Talk", also "Ouch" push home points and various karate meanings that are important.
The downside of this book relates directly to those masters of non-traditional, or mixed martial arts, is that they are given no credit for advancing the new age styles, techniques and katas. What makes the masters of old more qualified to put together an art form than the more rounded, traveled and educated masters of today?
I really enjoyed reading this book and even though I have been involved in the martial arts since 1967, I still learned a few new things and my memory was jogged on information that I had long forgotten.
I give this book an eight rating on a scale of 1 to 10.
Soke
Professor David L. Grosscup
10th Dan
M.P.K.A.
www.MPKA.net

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Tae Kwon Do (The Complete Idiot's Guide)

Average customer rating:

It is the IDIOT's guide...
guide for Mcdojangs.
For someone who isn't sure whether they want to take TKD
great beginner's guide!
Not very happy

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Tae Kwon Do (The Complete Idiot's Guide)
Karen Eden
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Official Taekwondo Training Manual

ASIN: 0028623894

Book Description

Thirty million people worldwide are performing tae kwon do-the Korean equivalent of karate-and thousands of centers have sprung up in America. Kids, adults, and even seniors are joining in the explosive fun. With easy-to-understand text and 75 clear line drawings and photographs scattered throughout, this layperson's book explains in simple terms the concepts of tae kwon do-how to limber up for practices, how to defend oneself, how to practice on one's own or with a partner, where to find classes, how to rate teachers, and much more.

Customer Reviews:

It is the IDIOT's guide..........2007-02-18

So I would disregard the reviews of the experienced Tae Kwon Do readers, this book is not intended for them. It is for those new to the sport, thus the term IDIOT Guide. It doesn't really mean for dumb people. LOL. So it is for people like me looking to learn more about the sport

guide for Mcdojangs........2006-01-20

This book is helpful for beginners in Tae Kwon Do, It gives you a brief base on Tae Kwon Do in a way. It is not a book I recommend for Advance Tae Kwon Do Practitioners, people who have been doing TKD for a long time will find this book useless, I almost found this book offensive in a way that it portrayed TKD, and the fact that this books seems to base its validity on the accomplishments of Keith Yates who is a "10th Degree" black belt, regardless of the fact that no respectable TKD organization has a higher degree than 9th (and has very few ninth degrees at that). In my Honest opinion its just another person trying to profit off of the American Mcdojang.

For someone who isn't sure whether they want to take TKD.......2004-02-08

I was a little disappointed in this book. I have been practicing Taekwondo for the past 3 weeks. I was hoping to get some information on forms and some more technical aspects, in order to advance in the class. Instead this book sounded like it was for someone who never took a class before in their life, and was not sure if they wanted to start. Although I am no expert, the book seemed to focus on just explaining how wonderful Taekwondo is, and some other basic information. Also, I found it focused too much on Taekwondo as a sport instead of an artform. As the title suggests, it really did seem a like the perfect guide for an idiot.

great beginner's guide!.......2003-01-02

Keith D. Yates -- 10th degree black belt, an inaugural member of the Texas Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and one of the most respected martial arts leaders in America -- and co-author Eden have written a superb beginner's guide and introduction to Tae Kwon Do. There's a lot of good material in this book, including basics on blocks, hand-techniques, kicks, one-steps, free-sparring, self-defense, and beginning forms for several styles. I highly recommend this book to anyone exploring the martial arts, especially new martial artists, and parents interested in enrolling their kids in martial arts. For an in-depth book on forms (kata), also get Mr. Yates' excellent "The Complete Book of Tae Kwon Do Forms."

Not very happy.......2002-12-06

You will realize why the title of this book is correct if you buy it. There is very very little information in it; just a lot of rambling. I have picked it up at least ten times in hopes of finding some information but I just get the urge to trash it. If you are looking for a book to direct you in any way regarding forms, techniques,or basics; this isn't it.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Martial Arts (The Complete Idiot's Guide)

Average customer rating:

adequate intro
Surprisingly good (though not thorough)
good
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Martial Arts
exactly what you'd expect

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Martial Arts (The Complete Idiot's Guide)
Cezar Borkowski
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Martial Arts for Dummies
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ASIN: 0028629477

Customer Reviews:

adequate intro.......2006-06-29

This book really butchers the history and foreign terms.
However, it does offer a good beginner's guide to choosing a style and finding a school. The 'nitty-gritty' section on that subject has a nice list of factors to consider when making a decision on a style/school. It is a bit dated tho, being written ~1998, and does not list internet resources.

Surprisingly good (though not thorough).......2005-12-09

Given the dorky titles, I keep wanting to discover errors, omissions, or outright failings in the "Idiots" series of martial arts books yet continually find them well-written and very worthwhile once I get around to picking one up. This one is no exception. It is surprisingly well done given the considerable mass of content it tries to cover. It is obviously not real in-depth in any particular area, but it does do a pretty good job covering topics like the benefits of studying martial arts, the history of martial arts/combat sports (e.g., ancient arts of wrestling, boxing, pankration, gladiator training), nutrition, fitness/conditioning, strength training, myths and realities of martial arts, finding the right art to fill your needs, selecting a good school, choosing a good instructor, and what to expect once you begin your training. Arts highlighted in detail include ju jitsu, karate, judo, aikido, kobudo, tai chi chuan, Jeet Kun Do, and more. Notably absent are Filipino arts, iaido, savate, modern boxing, wrestling, and several other common forms. Overall, however, it's a darn good introduction to the subject. It's only an introduction though...

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

good.......2004-12-19

This book is a basic overview of all the main martial arts practiced in North America. The main purpose of the book is to tell people about a certian art so they can choose which one interests them and get in a class for it. Every art has about 10 pages in the book. If you are interested in only one art, don't buy this book.
On the bright side, the information it gives is great. I found out alot about many different arts. it talks about 13 different kinds of martial arts and how to train for them. The book is an entertaining read even if you aren't interested in martial arts. it is a good book.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Martial Arts.......2004-07-28

This is an excellent book and one that has been needed for some time. It is co-written by one of the world's top martial artists who, in addition to an excellent knowledge of shotokan karate, has journeyed across many karate and martial arts styles.

The authors share their experience of various martial art styles in an excellent summary

exactly what you'd expect.......2003-12-02

This book is exactly what you'd expect it to be. A thorough yet easy to understand introduction to the world of martial arts. I have been studying tae kwon do for almost 2 years and I had a desire to step back and see where I and my school stand in the grand scheme of martial arts in general. This book helped me do that. I would recommend it for anyone wanting to find out more about martial arts before joining a particular school. You'll definetily know what your options are if you read this book.

I give this book 3 stars because I don't believe in giving every book you like the highest score. The "C" grade should indeed be the average.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate
Randall G. Hassell
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O91RI6

Book Description

The long-awaited memoir and meditation on the art of translating by the most acclaimed American translator of Latin American literature.

Gregory Rabassa's influence as a translator is incalculable. His translations of Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude and Julio Cortázar's Hopscotch have helped make these some of the most widely read and respected works in world literature. (García Márquez was known to say that the English translation of One Hundred Years was better than the Spanish original.) In If This Be Treason: Translation and Its Dyscontents Rabassa offers a cool-headed and humorous defense of translation, laying out his views on the art of the craft. Anecdotal, and always illuminating, If This Be Treason traces Rabassa's career, from his boyhood on a New Hampshire farm, his school days "collecting" languages, the two-and-a-half years he spent overseas during WWII, his travels, until one day "I signed a contract to do my first translation of a long work [Cortázar's Hopscotch] for a commercial publisher." Rabassa concludes with his "rap sheet," a consideration of the various authors and the over 40 works he has translated. This long-awaited memoir is a joy to read, an instrumental guide to translating, and a look at the life of one of its great practitioners.

Customer Reviews:

Dyscontents?.......2005-07-18

I bought this book with the hope of obtaining the general insights derived from a long life led as an accomplished educator and translator. In part this was delivered. Mostly, however, "If This Be Treason" is focused on the various texts actually translated. (I have read none of these books.) Those who study or enjoy (or both) Latin American literature would appreciate more this memoir by Gregory Rabassa. I did learn a number of things about the art of translating, such as the often hard problem in getting the title to a book right. (Also, the jacket design includes two slightly different photographs of the same spiral staircase, nicely evoking the changed reality when a book is translated--even by the best.)

Translation is NOT so Simple.......2005-06-01

I had always thought that translating a book would be a relatively simple manner for anyone who spoke two languages. After all, the author had done all the work, the translator merely took the written word and converted it, almost word for word into the new language.

It is only as I have grown older that I realize that the meaning behind the words or between the lines is as important as the words themselves. It is a skill all its own to take the writing of someone else and faithfully produce a new work with a meaning as close as possible to what the original author was trying to say.

This is compounded when the setting of the original work is so different than that of the intended reader. For instance the Spanish heritage in Latin America being translated to the world of the United States. Every aspect from life, from the law, from the history needs to be considered.

Perhaps the untimate compliment comes to the translator when the author says that the translation is better than the original - as Garcia Marquez has said of his book "One Hundred Years" as translated by Gregory Rabassa.

A Witty, Fascinating Memoir By One Of My Literary Heroes........2005-05-19

Many years ago I read Gabriel Garcia Marquez' novel, "One Hundred Years of Solitude" for the first time. I was entranced by the tale of Macondo and its populace, the poetic elegance of the language, and the author's ability to turn the written page into a magic carpet. I was living in Latin America back then and just beginning to speak Spanish, so I read the novel in English. I didn't really credit the translator's work very much, sad to say. I was young. What did I know? However, the narrative was, and is, written in such an exquisite manner that I took note of the translator's name, Gregory Rabassa. A few years later, still living south of the border, my ability to speak the language had improved significantly - for which I am thankful! I reread Marquez' masterpiece, this time in Spanish, and remembering the English version I was struck at the accuracy of Mr. Rabassa's translation. Not only had he interpreted the author's text from Spanish into English with exactitude, (the words, their meaning, correct grammar, syntax, and idioms), he brilliantly communicated the culture of coastal Colombia, the author's writing style, in fact, his very voice. Most extraordinarily, however, he was able to capture the lilt, lyricism, and love of language. This ability to transcend linguistic and cultural borders, proves Gregory Rabassa is a gifted writer and poet in his own right. I'm a big fan!

I cannot think of another who has had such an impact on Latin American literature. Through him English-speakers, worldwide, have been able to appreciate the works of such notable authors as: Octavio Paz, Miguel Angel Asturias, Julio Cortázar, Mario Vargas Llosa, Jorge Amado, Antönio Lobo Antunes, and, of course, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

When I discovered that Mr. Rabassa had written a memoir, "If This Be Treason: Translation And Its Dyscontents-A Memoir," I couldn't wait to read it. I have done so, and enjoyed every page. Not only does he discuss his own fascinating life, he writes about so many talented authors, whose books I have loved, and his collaboration with them. His writing style is conversational, witty, and provocative in its honesty. One feels as if seated at the table with him, over a good cup of coffee or a bottle of wine, listening to tales of the people, anecdotes and incidents which have been so important in his life.

Also included are essays on the writers he has worked with and the books he has brought into English. These memoirs make for an excellent read - especially for those who have loved the novels Gregory Rabassa has translated. Kudos to the author!!
JANA

If This Be Treason: Translation and Its Dyscontents

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If This Be Treason: Translation and Its Dyscontents
Gregory Rabassa
Manufacturer: New Directions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0811216659

Book Description

A Los Angeles Times Favorite Book of the Year for 2005.

Gregory Rabassa's influence as a translator is tremendous. His translations of Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude and Julio Cortázar's Hopscotch have helped make these some of the the most widely read and respected works in world literature. (García Márquez was known to say that the English translation of One Hundred Years was better than the Spanish original.) In If This Be Treason: Translation and Its Dyscontents, Rabassa offers a cool-headed and humorous defense of translation, laying out his views on the translator's art. Anecdotal and always illuminating, Rabassa traces his career from a boyhood on a New Hampshire farm, his school days "collecting" languages, the two and a half years he spent overseas during WWII, and his South American travels, until one day "I signed a contract to do my first translation of a long work [Cortázar's Hopscotch] for a commercial publisher." Additionally, Rabassa offers us his "rap sheet," a consideration of the various authors and the over 40 works he has translated. This long-awaited memoir is a joy to read, an instrumental guide to translating, and a look at the life of one of its great practitioners.

Book Description

Sengai: Master Zen Painter is the portrait of a Japanese Zen priest of the mid-eighteenth century whose work embodies the essence of humor in the Zen tradition. Sengai was a Zen master with a profound insight into life, but more importantly he was able to express this insight in ink paintings and calligraphy that are replete with wisdom, simplicity, and humor.

Sengai is a revealing look at his entire life-from his childhood when he was placed in a Zen temple because of family financial difficulties to the time of his re-tirement as abbot of the historical Shofukuji temple. The focus is on the humor that characterizes not only his work but Zen itself, the symbolic representation of enlightenment in his work, and the lessons that he has to teach modern man.

This concise, acute narrative of Sengai's life is followed by the book's centerpiece: seventy-four plates showing paintings, calligraphy, and tea utensils. Many of these pieces were impromptu creations, and perhaps for that reason reveal the character of their creator more faithfully than could any carefully planned work of art. Each is a visual representation of Sengai's inner life, and is accompanied by the author's lively commentary which highlights the wit and underlying profundity that is Sengai's real legacy to the world.

Sengai: Master Zen Painter closes with supplementary material supplied by the translator that readers can refer to as the need arises: a list of exhibitions held to date outside Japan; notes and commentary; original Japanese and Chinese versions of poems and calligraphy; a list of figures and plates; a table of Japanese and Chinese pronunciations; and a selected bibliography.

For those interested in Zen, calligraphy, or art, Sengai is the fascinating story of how these disciplines can be fully integrated in the being of one remarkable man.

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