It Takes A Prophet To Make A Profit: 15 Trends That Are Reshaping American Business

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"To survive in our highly competitive marketplace, business owners must tune into prevailing trends," write C. Britt Beemer and Robert L. Shook in the introduction to It Takes a Prophet to Make a Profit. Market-research professional Beemer and business writer Shook--who previously collaborated on Predatory Marketing--then lay out 15 significant directional shifts now appearing on the national and global horizon that are "likely to impact your business." Some of these may be more widely recognized than others ("More Americans Are Caring for Their Aging Parents" vs. "Dual-Income Families Are Becoming Single-Income Families," for example), but the key is in how Beemer and Shook dig out the details, making them relevant to today's world of commerce and industry (i.e., precisely how each shift may affect consumer behavior both directly and indirectly, and ways businesses can take this into account). "It doesn't take a prophet to recognize that the ability to spot trends is vital to all managers and entrepreneurs," the authors conclude. "A business thrives by anticipating and then planning what will be, which is why understanding trends is essential." It Takes a Prophet to Make a Profit is an insightful and fast-paced read for managers looking for ideas on how to shape their businesses going forward. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player of all time, once explained the secret of his success: "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been." Anyone in business today needs the same combination of speed, acumen, and agility to succeed in what has become a rapidly shifting and highly competitive marketplace, says C. Britt Beemer, founder of America's Research Group and a leading authority in the field of market research. The businesses that thrive will be the ones that can not only adapt to but also anticipate powerful forces that are reshaping the American marketplace. Whether you're a business owner, an employee, or an investor, It Takes a Prophet to Make a Profit shows you how to gain this competitive edge by capitalizing on fifteen critical trends that are changing the way we do business.

Through a lively combination of anecdotes and examples, It Takes a Prophet to Make a Profit analyzes the seismic shifts that have been happening in the American marketplace, identifying the forces behind these changes and showing how savvy businesses can find creative ways to attract and keep customers. The trends range from changes in our society (Trend #2: The Gap Is Widening Between the Haves and Have-Nots) to changes in our psychology (Trend #6: Consumers Are Reluctant to Pay "Full Retail") and culture (Trend #12: Gaming Casinos and Lotteries Have Joined America's Mainstream).

Beemer and coauthor Robert Shook discuss which trends are likely to have lasting impact and how they relate to each other (for example, Trend #11: Today's Consumer Wants Brand Products is a direct result of Trend #1: Consumers Have Less Discretionary Time), and offer concrete and practical suggestions. For example, to take advantage of Trend #7: More Americans Are Caring for Their Aging Parents, the authors suggest different ways in which businesses can cater to caregivers who are especially pressed for time and money. Stores can benefit, they say, from starting sales in the middle of the week so that time-conscious shoppers can avoid weekend crowds; travel agencies can offer shorter vacation packages, such as spa visits, as "escapes" that are closer to home; and businesses can target the growing presence of senior citizens online, where company Web sites can offer information or services to help build customer loyalty. Taking similar simple but imaginative steps with any of these fifteen trends can put your business ahead of the competition.

C. Britt Beemer's expertise in successful trend forecasting has worked for clients ranging from Warren Buffett's Berkshire-Hathaway companies to General Electric and other major corporations. In It Takes a Prophet to Make a Profit, business owners and employees alike will find an invaluable resource to navigating the marketplace ahead -- and profiting from it.

Customer Reviews:

Good but outdated.......2004-07-16

The authors take 15 current trends and predict that they will be our 15 future trends. Not too earth shattering. But it is helpful to have a full compilation of their predictions. And the book can be read quickly because you only have to scan every other word. However because of its publication date recent major political and economic disturbances such as September 11, Enron, WorldCom, and the stock market melancholy (although with some recent up trending) of the last few years that have dramatically reshaped the world's landscape are missing. Therefore the authors' trends must be re-assessed in the light of these events. For instance, one trend (number 8) refers to the "mushrooming of paper millionaires". Well?

One of the best business books I've ever read.......2001-03-07

I read just about every business book I can get my hands on, and I just finished reading the new Beemer/Shook book. This is one of the best ever. And the best part is that there are literally hundreds of tips that I can apply to my own business.

Beemer and Shook identified 15 business trends that cover everything from investments to frequent buyer programs. In particular, I liked what they write on Trend #11--why Americans are attracted to brand name products today. I also appreciated their comments in Trend #3, about how being a good corporate citizen is not only a good thing to do, but good for business. And Trend #13 on how Americans feel invisible today is a real eye-opener.

I'm a big fan of business author Robert Shook, and Britt Beemer is one of the nation's top marketing researchers. Together they make quite a team. I loved their first collaberation, PREDATORY MARKETING, and this one tops it. I hope they team up again because they're a dynamic duo.

A Prophet Offers Eloquent Advice for Survival.......2001-01-20

C. Britt Beemr has been a guru in the retail sector for many years now, and his new book is full of information about the trends that are changing the retail landscape in America. To follow these trends, the authors contend, is vital to business growth and survival. Calling upon his extensive research background, Beemer names the trends and then provides the necessary steps to take advantage of these changes. Some highlights of the 15 trends include a lack of discretionary time, which means consumers have less time to shop. This lack of time leads to another trend--consumers have placed a premium on brand name products. Dual-income families are becoming single-income families, thus providing opportunities for telecommuting, part-time work, and home-operated businesses. Single-income families, mean another trend--more insistence on discount shopping, and increased demand for home improvement centers such as Home Depot. Another trend--more often these days, Americans are taking on the responsibility for their aging parents. This affects direct sales organizations such as Avon or Amway, who use part-time workers. New homes are featuring "mother-in-law" wings, and companies are providing their employees with health insurance for their parents as well as their children.

I found this book very easy to read. IT TAKES A PROPHET TO MAKE A PROFIT offers important and fascinating information that any company or business should pay attention to in order to anticipate the many changes taking place in the marketplace every day. Failure to understand these trends means more additions to the ever-growing corporate graveyard. Does anybody remember Studebaker, Eastern Airlines, Raiway Express or Gimbels?

Thoughtful Perspectives on the Time Crunch and Trust Gaps.......2000-12-17

This is a most unusual book. It builds on contemporary consumer research to identify some new trends that are less well covered by the broad-scale media and suggest potential ways that businesses can respond. Although its selective focus keeps it from being a primary resource for all of your trend planning, the insights from where the authors look are useful.

I have never seen a book on trends that is quite like this one. It excludes demographic changes (such as the aging population, smaller families, and delayed child bearing) but includes the consequences of those changes (such as more people taking care of elderly parents). Go figure why that distinction makes sense. My guess that this is based on C. Britt Beemer's expertise being in consumer interviewing (to a carpenter, every problem looks like a nail, and s/he hits it with a hammer).

I was also surprised by what the authors considered not well covered by the media. One of the findings is that "The Number of 'Paper Millionaires' Is Mushrooming." I doubt if anyone will find that surprising in light of the rapid growth in the stock market over the last decade and burgeoning home prices. All of those books about millionaires that sell so well also make that point.

Are any of these news to you?

"The Gap Between the Haves and the Have-Nots Is Widening"

"Community Involvement Enhances a Company's Reputation"

"American Companies Cannot Expect Employee Loyalty -- They Must Earn It!"

"Consumers Are Reluctant to Pay Full Retail Price"

"Gaming Casinos and Lotteries Have Joined America's Mainstream"

"Home Offices and Telecommuting Are Redefining America's Workplace"

"There Is a Growing Obsession with the Internet"

The book is valuable, though, in documenting the degree to which people have a time crunch (time for family vacations, exercise, reading, television, and shopping are all down) and are skeptical (they find rudeness wherever they go and are doubtful about the goodwill of those they work for and who serve them).

The book makes a great case for providing brand name goods and services that take less time, are less error-prone, come with good advice and customized attention, and are rapidly available.

Small businesses will get valuable ideas for how to fend off the national chains with better service and differentiated branding. Larger businesses will learn ways to overcome the presumption of being uncaring.

The principle of the book is to be like Wayne Gretzky, the NHL's great scorer. "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been."

In pointing out these general trends, the authors pretty much leave it up to you to find out what you should do to respond. Some help is provided. For example, one finding is that "Today's Marketing Efforts Are Not Keeping Pace with Changing Consumer Demands," and they describe how you can conduct your own focus group with customers once a quarter to test your marketing effectiveness.

Naturally, a limit of this kind of book is that if every business pursues these same trends, then competition just meets at a new place. Greater profitability may not follow (as many dot coms found while pursuing the Internet trend described here) if competition over focuses on the new area. So be sure to develop an improved way to serve customers that others cannot easily duplicate or surpass.

You should probably read this book in conjunction with one about how to manage your business to take advantage of trends to get the most benefit.

Keep looking ahead, but notice where you are and be ready for the unexpected!

Book Description

Using the concept of public policy as an integrating theme, this classic book explores the social and political environment of business from a managerial focus. It considers specific issues and outlines many management-oriented techniques for dealing with such issues — showing how issues are raised in our society and how business and government interact in the resolution of those issues. Content is organized into five major sections. Part I covers theoretical and conceptual material and expands coverage of the institutional and public policy aspects of government. Part II deals specifically with the public policy process. Part III focuses on specific public policy issues of concern to management. Part IV explores the ethical and international dimensions of public policy. Part V discusses management responses to public policy issues in the context of a strategic management framework. There is a chapter on public issues management that includes discussions about stakeholder management and the legal environment of business and a chapter on corporate political strategies. Each chapter begins with a brief company oriented incident and includes short cases at the end of most chapters. This book will be useful to managers who deal with public policy issues, such as Public Affairs and Public Relations professionals, Directors of Executive Education, Management Training Executives or Public Policy Analysts.

Business Environment and Public Policy: Implications for Management and Strategy

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Business Environment and Public Policy: Implications for Management and Strategy
Rogene A. Buchholz
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Systems & Planning | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Business Environment and Public Policy: Implications for Management and Strategy Formulation

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Business Environment and Public Policy: Implications for Management and Strategy Formulation
Rogene A. Buchholz
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Organizational Change | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 013095571X

Business Environment and Public Policy: Implications for Management

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Business Environment and Public Policy: Implications for Management
Rogene A. Buchholz
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OILG4C

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Business Environment and Public Policy: Implications for Management and Strategy
Rogene A. Buchholz
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIAGRU

Business environment/public policy: Corporate executive viewpoints and educational implications (Center for the Study of American Business ; working paper)

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Business environment/public policy: Corporate executive viewpoints and educational implications (Center for the Study of American Business ; working paper)
Rogene A Buchholz
Manufacturer: Center for the Study of American Business
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Education | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006XJ1Z6

Book Description

James T. Enns leads a lively tour through the most current developments in the field, exploring the human visual experience as it relates to lines, color, and objects, but also to time, space, and imagination. The Thinking Eye, The Seeing Brain challenges readers "to be open to a revolution in your own beliefs about sight and thought." Seeing, we learn, is not something that happens in the eye, but in the brain. This handsome, well-illustrated new book provides the ideal starting point for those who wish to explore the exciting, rapidly evolving discipline of visual cognition.

Book Description

Designed for an introductory, one-semester course, the scope, organization, writing style, depth of presentation, and pedagogical aspects of this text have been tailored to meet the needs of students preparing for a career in allied health. This text does not assume any prior science knowledge on the part of the student and effectively presents students with the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology. It's the only one-semester text available with a built-in workbook.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Review Book for Anatomy!!.......2004-05-09

I am impressed with the brevity and organization of this softcover book. I studied Marieb, and love that book, but this is a great review book for me to retain what I learned in greater detail. The diagrams in this paperback are very helpful. I will use this book to teach my daughter anatomy and physiology. This book is very user-friendly. I took it to the oil change shop and filled in blanks while I waited. The study guide in the back of the paperback is fun, like working a jig-saw puzzle. Enjoy this book, especially after you have studied a more indepth text to retain your knowledge!

Book Description

The updated and expanded second edition of this classic book on the 4-3 defense contains six new chapters by some of America's best coaches, including: Chuck Pagac on the OSU 4-3 secondary coverages, Terry Hoeppner on the outside linebacker in the 4-3 defense, Sunny Lubick on the 4-3 blitz package, and Tommy Tuberville on the Auburn 4-3 Defensive Package. Contains 12 other articles on virtually every other aspect of the 4-3 defense.

Customer Reviews:

Good as Any!!!.......2007-03-16

As a high school football coach. I am given a expense account and am able to purchase a few books every year. I would like to say that this book is as good as any I have read on the subject. The author does an excellent job of explaining the 4-3 position by position. It also show different defensive looks. This is a good book for a peewee or high school coach.

The 4-3 Defense: By the Experts (Coaching By the Experts Series)

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excellent
the 4-3 defense: by the experts

The 4-3 Defense: By the Experts (Coaching By the Experts Series)

Manufacturer: Coaches Choice Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Football (American) | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1585182281

Customer Reviews:

excellent.......2002-08-22

I really like the "Coaching by the Experts" Series and this is my favorite so far. After two years of running an 8 man front, cover 3 defense we switched to the 4-3 because of its simplicity and flexibility. This book details how many different directions your 4-3 can go. From names like Jackie Sherill and George Perles to Dave Wannstedt. Though only one chapter was used to discuss any in-depth coverage philosophies, this is another excellent resource book showing how many different ways the 4-3 can be played.

the 4-3 defense: by the experts.......2000-10-04

this books is very good!!!!!!!!!!!

Customer Reviews:

WONDERFUL READER.......2006-11-23

I used this for years teaching developmental English. The book has fine, concise notes on the modes of writing, and it has CONCISE, one-paragraph examples of each type. Very clear. Gets the teaching right to the point for all concerned. Also the essays are short but punchy, even entertaining. The writers are all first class. For my style, it's a perfect fit.

My experience teaching this book for about 5 or 6 years.......2006-04-25

I have taught this book in an introduction to Composition course at a community college where the majority of students are African American or immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin American. I adopted it simply because it was the most inexpensive "reader" in the selection of books we had at the time.

The book tries to cover too many modes of exposition. Only in one semester was I insane enough to try to teach even 1/2 of the essays offered in this text. This book would be a lot more useful if it went slower, and provided more education for the student.

Breaking the essays down into fewer general patterns that are more basic about writing and the writing process would be a big help.

In the first chapter where Aaron presents "The Box Man" by Barbara Ascher, her explanation of the essay is very useful and very illuminating to my students. However, after that, she really says nothing about the essays that are but asks questions. A bit more in the text book is really required to get the students thinking about the different essays and what they mean. She needs to go on like this a bit more.

At the same time, there are not enough notes to explain things that students may not be aware of in the essays that I have worked with in this book. I am always supplementing what Aaron says with my own research. Sometimes, I am correcting her.

I would like this book if it had half as many essay, and much more explanation of the essays that are projected.

The book also has only one "sample student essay." I think such essays are very important for students. I think having several, particularly when essays require completely different structures or approaches. Curiously, her sample student essay is a very good "response essay," but her text book doesn't teach the response essay. While reading the very well written professional essays printed here by experienced writers are great, there is such a large gap between those essays and what even the best student can write, that they do little help.

Having a set of sample student essays, or even one showing the different stages of the writing process for each type of essay might be much more useful for the students. Moreover, I do think the one student essay she has is fairly good for its purpose. Aaron avoids the frequent problem of textbooks that have "sample student essays" that this professor, who has been published for 39 years, would feel proud to have written. Examples need to be closer to what actual students are really writing, what problems they have, and what they can actually achive.

The biggest problem is how to really inject real teaching into a composition course. The problems that I mention, particularly too many modes of exposition taught in this book and the need for more and more realistic student essays are not unique to this book but sypmtomatic of composition books in general.

An additional problem, particularly for an instructor is that this is not a very sturdy book. It usually falls apart on me during each semester and then I have to struggle to get another one from our Bedford support person. That is no big deal for me, in fact, I have the pertinent chapters copied to my computer, but for students who are being extorted beyond belief to buy textbooks, this can be a real tragedy.

The Compact Reader.......2000-06-19

I don't care much for the textbook part of it -- it's wordy and too prescriptive. But it has lots of readable examples of essays from a diverse group including: James Thurber, Ellen Goodman, Bruce Catton, Langston Hughes, Mark Twain, and others. It's hard to find a better bunch of non-fiction writers in one spot. If you ignore much of the intra-essay content, it is a good collection.

The Compact Reader: Short Essays By Method and Theme: Fifth Edition

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The Compact Reader: Short Essays By Method and Theme: Fifth Edition
Jane E. Aaron
Manufacturer: Bedford Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0312132743

The Writer's Reference 5e and Compact Reader 7e: Short Essays by Method and Theme

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The Writer's Reference 5e and Compact Reader 7e: Short Essays by Method and Theme
Jane E. Aaron , and Diana Hacker
Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0312411863

The Compact Reader 7e and Everyday Writer 2e with 2001 APA Update: Short Essays by Method and Theme

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The Compact Reader 7e and Everyday Writer 2e with 2001 APA Update: Short Essays by Method and Theme
Jane E. Aaron
Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0312413629

The Compact Reader: Short Essays by Method and Theme (Resources For Teaching)

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The Compact Reader: Short Essays by Method and Theme (Resources For Teaching)

Manufacturer: Bedfords/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0312196644

Book Description

Using an innovative photographic method of displaying movement on the page that shows whole sequences of movement rather than step-by-step highlights, Calligraphy: Easel-Does-It makes understanding, learning and mastering the skills involved in creating illuminated text easier and more enjoyable than ever.The flip-over, easel style format also means that its 8 projects can easily be mounted for viewing while you practice. The projects are designed to develop a range of styles, including Gothic, Renaissance, Celtic, Romanesque and Modern Revival. Within each project, a technique is introduced and its usage explained; then step-by-step pictures and captions guide the reader through every stroke. All of the materials and equipment needed for each project are listed within the project. A Gallery section provides inspiration for the beginning calligrapher and demonstrates, through examples by professional calligraphers, the range of effects that can be achieved.

Calligraphy: Easel-Does-It (Easel Does It)

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Calligraphy: Easel-Does-It (Easel Does It)
Nancy Ouchida-Howells
Manufacturer: Collins Design
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEXFEA

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