Doing Business in 2004: Understanding Regulation (Doing Business)

Book Description

The development of a vibrant private sector is central to promoting growth and expanding opportunities for poor people. It is well recognized that encouraging firms to invest, improve productivity and create jobs requires the right legal and regulatory environment - including protection of property rights, access to credit, and efficient judicial, taxation and customs systems. But less is known about detailed legal and regulatory reforms and specific institutions needed to create a favorable environment for doing business. Drawing on new applied research and existing expert commentary, as well as lessons from extensive World Bank Group (WBG) work, the Doing Business report will help identify specific regulations that constrain business investment, productivity, and growth. The Report will contribute to broader initiatives to monitor development effectiveness by providing new, quantitative indicators on business regulations and their enforcement, which can be compared across 133 countries and over time. It will also provide a mechanism to integrate the many perspectives on the business climate, from both within and outside of the WBG.

Download Description

An important new annual publication from the World Bank, Doing Business in 2004 provides both qualitative and quantitative information on the business climate in over 130 countries. Doing Business constructs a new set of indicators on the regulatory environment for private sector development and provides a collection of informative case studies of real-life experiences. Doing Business in 2004 covers the fundamental aspects of a business life cycle, from starting a business to bankruptcy. Topics include access to credit, bankruptcy, entry regulations, contract enforcement, and labor regulations. Unique in its approach, Doing Business provides both the accurate data and in-depth analysis necessary to assess the environment for doing business, and offers answers to these critical questions: Which is the most expensive country for starting a new business? Which countries have the most rigid regulations on hiring and firing? Which countries have the most extensive business entry procedures? Why does heavy regulation lead to inefficiency and corruption? What countries are most efficient in the area of contract enforcement? How do clearly-defined property rights enhance prosperity? What are the most successful regulatory models? Why? Over the next two years, Doing Business will address additional topics, indicator sets will be updated and the collection of case-studies added to. Through its ambitious agenda, Doing Business will provide an understanding of business environments throughout the world, the factors that influence them, and how conducive they are to private sector development. Doing Business is a comprehensive resource for investors, economic advisers, business developers and policymakers.

Customer Reviews:

Why are poor countries poor?.......2004-02-15

If you want to know the answer to this question, Doing Business in 2004 is your book.

Various eminent scholars have put forth theories as to why the rich countries get richer and the poor stay poor, including theories about culture, religion, geography, climate, trade openness, political regimes, and even accidents of history. Doing Business puts forth a compelling, and much simpler, story. Poor countries stay poor because their governments intervene excessively in business activity, driving entrepreneurs into informality. Growth is retarded, as is democracy, since many people are left in the fringes of economic and social life.

Lots of statistics on starting a business, hiring and firing workers, getting credit, and the like. Makes you appreciate how easy we have it here!

Book Description

Nigeria has recently come to the attention to global strategic planners. This report puts these executives on the fast track. Ten chapters provide: an overview of how to strategically access this important market, a discussion on economic fundamentals, marketing & distribution options, export and direct investment options, and full risk assessments (political, cultural, legal, human resources). Ample statistical benchmarks and comparative graphs are given.

Book Description

Ilan Stavans's vast and subtle knowledge deftly emerges in this engrossing collection of essays. Fascinated by the idea of Western civilization as a sequence of innumerable misinterpretations and misrepresentations, Stavans covers in these nineteen pieces a broad range of personal and philosophical topics with the unifying theme being the crossroads where politics and the imagination meet. His engaging and provocative topics include the shaping of Latin America's collective identity, Peru's modern history as a bloody battle between Enlightenment and darkness, critiques of Octavio Paz and Gabriel García Márquez, his own fate as a Jew in the Southern Hemisphere, and Columbus's afterlife.

The crossroads where politics and the imagination meet--from the shaping of Latin America's collective identity to Columbus's afterlife.

Customer Reviews:

A problematic but interesting collection of essays.......2001-07-21

"Art and Anger: Essays on Politics and the Imagination" is a frequently fascinating, frequently annoying volume of essays by Jewish Mexican writer Ilan Stavans. Stavans, who moved to the United States and writes in English, has a complex perspective which is reflected in this book.

Much of this book deals with Latin American literature. Stavans' essays are informative, and frequently rich in intriguing insights. But I often found his style pompous and arrogant. I particularly disliked his many nasty comments about other Latino/Hispanic writers: he calls Mario Vargas Llosa a "dilettante" (in "Two Peruvians"); he dismisses Cherrie Moraga's work as "highly predictable and often stale" ("Art and Anger"); he refers to the career of Gabriel Garcia Marquez as "curiously disappointing," and says that this author's "Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor" is "forgettable and poorly structured" ("The Master of Aracataca"). Some of his cruelest comments are directed at Octavio Paz, whom he accuses of having a "relentless need to be worshiped and applauded." I have no doubt that many educated readers will disagree with these and other highly subjective statements.

Other essays in the collection are also troublesome. "The Latin Phallus: A Survey" contains interesting comments on such gay Latin American writers as Reinaldo Arenas and Jose Lezama Lima. But the essay as a whole is poorly structured (to steal one of Stavans' phrases) and ultimately unsatisfying.

Still, there are many good points in this collection. I was particularly intrigued by "Tongue Snatcher," about Argentine-born Hector Bianciotti, who writes in his adopted language of French. Overall, I recommend "Art and Anger" to those interested in Latin American studies, but I suggest that it be read with a critical eye.

Unique.......1999-08-25

Stavans is one of the best essayists of our time. His pieces are always stimulating and informative. I would compare him with Lionel Trilling. The essays on translation and poliglotism alone are worth the price.

Art and Anger: Essays on Politics and the Imagination

Average customer rating:

Art and Anger: Essays on Politics and the Imagination
Ilan Stavans
Manufacturer: Univ New Mexico
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GR91UC

Average customer rating:

ART AND ANGER: ESSAYS ON POLITICS AND THE IMAGINATION.
Ilan. Stavans
Manufacturer: Palgrave,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7C9BS

Book Description

This CD set shows you what you need to succeed and how to avoid the pitfalls that can sink a restaurant, deli-sandwich shop, bakery, pizzeria, and catering business.

Customer Reviews:

A good guide book.......2007-03-01

This is a good guide book. Concise, to the point and easy to read.

How to Start a Restaurant and Five Other Food Businesses

Average customer rating:

How to Start a Restaurant and Five Other Food Businesses

Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000KG5T78

Entrepreneur magazine's how to start a restaurant & five other businesses: A step-by-step guide to success (Guide)

Average customer rating:

Entrepreneur magazine's how to start a restaurant & five other businesses: A step-by-step guide to success (Guide)
Jacquelyn Lynn
Manufacturer: Entrepreneur Media Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006RPX8Q

Entrepreneur magazine's how to start a restaurant and five other food businesses: A step-by-step guide to success (Guide)

Average customer rating:

Entrepreneur magazine's how to start a restaurant and five other food businesses: A step-by-step guide to success (Guide)
Jacquelyn Lynn
Manufacturer: Entrepreneur Media Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006S8CE2

How to start a restaurant and five other food businesses: A step-by-step guide to success (Entrepreneur business start-up guide)

Average customer rating:

How to start a restaurant and five other food businesses: A step-by-step guide to success (Entrepreneur business start-up guide)
Jacquelyn Lynn
Manufacturer: Entrepreneur Media Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006RQKU6

Book Description

The field of wireless networks and mobile computing is an area of very active investigation. Though, the majority of the research and development, focuses on devising efficient communication protocols so as to provide a stable communication channel to allow the information flow freely among the mobile clients. Recently, the investigation turned its interest also to the problem of providing advanced data management functionalities to the clients. In order to support data-intensive applications over the wireless medium, several techniques have been proposed addressing issues like security, quality of service, service discovery, data dissemination, location management, location-based and transactional applications. Although much has been written, especially recently, in this rapidly growing field, no other book treats problems in wireless networks from a computer science perspective, although a number of books that follow the engineering approach exist. The "Wireless Information Highways" provides and excellent introduction and balanced coverage of the most important topics related to the methodologies developed to support data management in asymmetric communication environments. This book is based on a number of self-contained chapters and provides an opportunity for practitioners and researchers to explore the connection between various computer science techniques and develop solutions to problems that arise in the rapidly emerging field of wireless networks.

Customer Reviews:

very difficult problems.......2005-08-08

The book has papers by various authors that explore the problems in wireless or mobile computing. You might naively think that cellphones work, so doesn't that prove the thesis? Certainly, cellphones are vital to this discussion, in part because the cellphone networks underwrote the research and development that proved that one type of mobile network is practical and easy to use.

But there may well be other types of networks. For remote Internet access, say. And when users move from cell to cell, the problems of updating the user on the network are not simple. The book also goes into how to efficiently send non-trivial amounts of data to a moving user. Caching issues can be very difficult.

The book has many challenges that you might want to research.

Management of traffic information networks

Average customer rating:

Management of traffic information networks
Rolf Hager
Manufacturer: Verlag Mainz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Wireless Networks | Networking | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Traffic & Safety | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

German | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Nonfiction | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Professional & Technical | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 3930085712

Average customer rating:

Vienna University of Technology, Austria
Vice-Chair IEEE Technical Committee on Learning Technologies

Wireless Information Highways

Manufacturer: IRM Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Book Description

Hypermedia systems may be one of the most significant contributions to the Internet in recent years. This powerful new technology has revolutionized the delivery of e-content through the Internet. However, as the needs of users have changed, the hypermedia systems themselves have also changed. In just the past few years, adaptive and adaptable hypermedia systems have emerged. These systems can custom tailor information to individual end-users. The introduction of these systems yields countless benefits for both users and businesses. Adaptable and Adaptive Hypermedia Systems examines both types of new hypermedia systems; discussing the benefits, impacts and implications of both. This book covers the most current issues in the field, while providing insight into analytical and architectural aspects of the topic. Additionally, applications are provided in real world setting to allow for a better and more thorough understanding of hypermedia systems.

Customer Reviews:

Vienna University of Technology, Austria.......2006-02-09

This book stands out due to the diversity of its chapters. All together, they show a great amount of current research work in different research areas as well as different application domains, all dealing with adaptation issues in hypermedia systems. This diversity helps the reader to see new aspects and generate new ideas.

Vice-Chair IEEE Technical Committee on Learning Technologies.......2005-10-30

Everyone interested in Adaptive Hypermedia Systems must read this book. It captures the state-of-the-art in this fascinating field and delivers an one-stop reference volume for researchers, designers and developers of Adaptive Hypermedia Systems

Average customer rating:

How to accelerate a critically important process

Uncover Leaders Who Develop Solutions

Insightful!

Impressing the power of "action learning"

Action Learning for Executive Development

Optimizing the Power of Action Learning: Solving Problems and Building Leaders in Real Time
Michael J. Marquardt
Manufacturer: Davies-Black Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Human Resources & Personnel Management | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Organizational Learning | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Leading with Questions: How Leaders Find the Right Solutions By Knowing What To Ask

Action Learning in Action: Transforming Problems and People for World-Class Organizational Learning

The Action Learning Guidebook: A Real-Time Strategy for Problem Solving Training Design, and Employee Development (Book & Diskette)

Action Learning: How the World's Top Companies are Re-Creating Their Leaders and Themselves (Jossey Bass Business and Management Series)

The Action Learning Handbook: Powerful Techniques for Education, Professional Development and Training

ASIN: 0891061916

Book Description

The author brings together 20 best-practice examples and the fundamentals first introduced in his best seller Action Learning in Action to deliver next generation tools and advanced skill techniques to make action learning successful every time in any organization.

Customer Reviews:

How to accelerate a critically important process.......2006-11-23

It is desirable but not imperative to have read Michael Marquardt's earlier work, Action Learning in Action, before reading this one. He defines action learning as "both a process and a powerful program that involves a small group of people solving real problems while at the same time focusing on what they are learning and how their learning can benefit each group member and the organization as a whole." The benefits of action learning include shared learning through all levels and areas of an organization, greater self-awareness and self-confidence for all involved because of their new insights and feedback interaction, improvement of their ability to ask better questions and to be more reflective, and improved communication and collaboration enterprise-wide.

How do task forces and quality circles differ from action learning groups? First, [they] tend to focus on the specific problem of task to be addressed rather than on identifying the organization wide, environmental, systemic elements in which the problem resides, and which also be affected if lasting change is to take place...Second, [task forces and quality circles] generally do not have the power or the expectation of taking action...Third [they] are charged with addressing a problem or improving a product or procedure; any learning that occurs is incidental." Marquardt suggests that action learning programs are built around six interactive components: a problem, the group, the questioning and reflection process, the commitment to taking action, the commitment to learning, and the facilitator. It is important to add, a "commitment to action" includes both identifying a given problem's causes and correcting it, and, then ensuring that the problem does occur again.

In this volume, Marquardt develops in much greater depth many of the core concepts introduced in his earlier book, Action Learning in Action, but focuses much greater attention on how to solve problems and build leaders in real time with next-generation tools and techniques to make action learning successful each and every time, in any organization. Those who have not read his earlier book will appreciate his review of the six critical components: the problem; group diversity (e.g. cross-functional teams); action strategies; individual, team, and organizational learning; the all-important involvement of a well-trained action learning coach; and step-by-step procedures for introducing, implementing, and sustaining action learning. In turn, many of those who have read the earlier book will also appreciate his review of the six critical components, both as a reminder and as a framework within which Marquardt refines his core concepts as well as introducing entirely new material such as the 20 best-practice examples of action learning in action. He also inserts a number of reader-friendly devices such as eight Tables and dozens of checklists which summarize key points in each of the eight chapters. These devices facilitate and accelerate review later, whenever needed to clarify the nature and extent of a reader's own specific problem or opportunity.

Of greatest interest to me is what Marquardt has to say about how to prepare for and then introduce, implement, and then sustain an effective action learning program. He suggests and then carefully explains each of twelve steps (which are listed in Table 7 on page 162) which comprise a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective process which - with appropriate modifications, of course - can guide and inform initiatives undertaken by almost any organization, whatever its size or nature may be. Marquardt's extensive real-world experience with all manner of organizations probably explains why his approach is so pragmatic. He well realizes the barriers to be overcome, hence the importance of the various checklists he provides such as those for top management support, what should be addressed during a preparations assessment workshop, the selection of action learning projects, and measuring the impact of action learning initiatives in the given organization.

Those who share my high regard for this brilliant book are urged to check out Marquardt's subsequent work, Leading with Questions, in which he explains in even greater depth how leaders find the right solutions by knowing which questions to ask. He insists, and I wholly agree, that effective leadership of action learning programs must be provided at all levels and in all areas of operation but that such programs cannot succeed without the full support and sustained commitment of senior-management.

Uncover Leaders Who Develop Solutions.......2004-07-27

Michael J. Marquardt has developed a problem-solving tool. His process, which can be adapted by organizations of any size not only provides solutions but also builds leaders and teams.

Marquardt, a professor of HRD and Program Direction of Overseas Programs at The George Washington University, is an expert in action learning. His process has six components.

1. A problem - It must be significant and urgent.
2. A group - The ideal group has between 4 and 8 diverse members.
3. Questions - Initially, team members are restricted to questions. This reflective inquiry period develops a thorough understanding of the problem.
4. Action - The group is authorized to implement their solution.
5. Learning - A commitment to the process is as important as the solution.
6. A coach - Someone is needed to keep the group focused.

A key step is "action." Learning is meaningful only if some type of action is taken. Action generally involves four steps:

1. Understand and Redefine the Problem. This is often the most important step.
2. Articulate a Goal.
3. Develop and Test Strategies.
4. Take Action and Reflect on the Results.

Marquardt includes a 12 step plan to introduce action learning to your organization. Properly implemented, it will accomplish three goals for your organization:

1. It will provide solutions to problems.
2. Develop leaders.
3. Build a problem-solving culture.

Insightful!.......2004-06-03

People with an intense interest in knowing all the details of action learning will find the answer to their prayers in this book. Author Michael J. Marquardt writes with the zeal of a revival tent preacher, filled with the sincere belief that action learning can help solve any problem, meet any challenge or achieve any aspiration. As he clearly explains, action learning is intended to build both knowledge and leadership. He sets out the steps your organization should pursue to implement action learning, and to use it well. He includes questions, checklists and extensive examples. All he omits are any caveats or cautions about this approach. He's a booster and an expert, just so you know where he's coming from. We recommend his manual to human resource professionals.

Impressing the power of "action learning".......2004-04-14

Optimizing The Power Of Action Learning: Solving Problems And Building Leaders In Real Time by educator and consultant Michael J. Marquardt (Professor of HRD and Program Director of Overseas Programs, The George Washington University), is a "user friendly" guidebook to an effective learning technique for facing increasingly intimidating and complex organizational challenges, especially with regard to global business concerns. Impressing the power of "action learning" to respond to the need to create new products, improve service quality, and transform organizational cultures, Optimizing The Power Of Action Learning is a confidently recommended success guide complete with a well-thought-out process for introducing and sustaining action learning among groups to the reader's particular and maximum advantage.

Action Learning for Executive Development.......2004-03-14

With this book, Marquardt has created the most exciting and practical model for executive development I have ever seen. Warren Bennis recently asked, poignantly, "Is there a future for leadership?" Marquardt is leading all management educators into the future of leadership. As director of an executive Master's program at American University, I am astonished at how powerful Marquardt's model is for developing "leaderly learners," in the magical phrase coined by Peter Vaill. Action learning is perfect for leaders who want to learn and learners who want to lead. Marquardt's chapter on the role of "action learning coach" is, by itself, worth a shelf of books of leadership. My executive participants are raving about how action learning has transformed their individual mindsets, allowing them to surface take-for-granted assumptions, as well as helped them begin to transform the culture or collective mindsets of their organizations.

Book Description

Every day sales professionals are faced with a serious challenge; practicing and retaining solid, field -tested sales techniques. Seminars, books and motivational tapes are wonderful support tools, but they don´t reinforce skills while in the field - "curb side." $ales $ource Coach is designed to fill that void, to travel with you and to keep you at the top pitch of your sales trade. There are many textbook versions of the selling cycle, but the basic fundamentals are always the same. The four (4) basic categories in the sales cycle are Business Development, Personality Perspective, Relationship Building and Negotiation and Gaining the Commitment. $ales $ource Coach presents 52 field- tested sales gemss that reinforce the foundation of these four core skills. Whether you are in the field actually preparing for a call, planning your strategies, or fine-tuning, these proven techniques will give you the edge to outpace the competition. After each sales gem there will be a coaching tip for the sales professional and the sales manager. The sales professional can self - coach and share tangible ideas with peers. The sales manager will have coaching tools to use in the field with their team - perfecting as they work together. And, quite frankly many of the sales gems make excellent coaching tools for a sales meeting and to incorporate in to a sales tip newsletter. Take what you need - the more the sales gems are utilized, the broader the base of success! Practice and the perfection of your sales craft is the key is to consistently playing your hand better than the competition. The professional that practices through every success and defeat to hone his or her skills will realize long-term success. This is the very premise of $ales $ource Coach.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books