Kogan Page

101 learning and development tools; essential techniques for creating, delivering, and managing effective training.

This guide will help HR managers, trainers, and professionals in organization development, change management, talent management and personnel development. The 101 training techniques are described in 2-3 page entries overviewing each technique's main ideas and associated costs. Entries also provide cross references to related tools and list print resources. The 101 techniques are grouped in sections on learning needs analysis and on planning, implementing, and evaluating learning. Some entries describe frameworks such as Six Sigma, Kirkpatrick's four levels of evaluation, Gardner's multiple intelligences, Honey and Mumford's learning styles, and Kolb's experiential learning cycle. Others give instructions for tasks such as planning a learning event, procuring learning services, preparing a lesson plan, conducting games and simulations, and keeping learning logs and contracts. Digital tools are described across sections, with entries on social networking and collaborative tools, phases and models of e-learning, and choosing a digital learning platform. Fee is a chartered fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The 30 day MBA, 2d ed.

Written for professionals in large and small organizations in the public and private sectors, this book reviews key concepts of business and offers a wealth of links to free learning resources online. The reader-friendly layout includes numerous organization charts, comparison tables, and decision algorithms. This second edition adds material on break-even analysis. After a brief history of business schools, each chapter covers essentials of one of 12 core disciplines of an MBA program. Early chapters explain basic concepts of accounting, finance, marketing, and organizational behavior. Later chapters cover areas such as business law, entrepreneurship, ethics, and strategy. Chapter links point to online library and information sources, case examples, and podcasts and video lectures from major business schools. The book's companion website offers short tests. In addition to professionals, the book will also be also useful to students considering business school. Barrow is a visiting fellow at Cranfield University. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The 30 day MBA in marketing.

Each chapter of this overview for business professionals focuses on one of the core subject areas of a typical MBA marketing program. Chapter links lead readers to print and non-print resources, including self-assessment tests, case studies, podcasts, and video lectures. Coverage includes buyer behavior, marketing strategy, products and services, and advertising, promotion, and distribution. There is also material on math for marketing, managing the marketing organization, marketing and the law, and planning and budgeting. Within various chapters, e-marketing topics are addressed, such as marketing in the Internet era, tracking website traffic, and intellectual property. A final chapter reviews core concepts of accounting and finance, organizational behavior, and strategy. The book's reader-friendly layout features figures and tables, bullet points, and case study boxes. A companion website offers short tests. Barrow is a visiting fellow at Cranfield University. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The 30 day MBA in business finance.

Covering areas of business finance with which an MBA student gains familiarity, this work for the business professional who doesn't plan to pursue an MBA provides an accessible explanation of the basics. Barrow (Cranfield U.) makes frequent use of case studies, along with occasional figures and tables. References are embedded in the text and most often take the form of websites where potentially useful tools can be downloaded. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Armstrong's handbook of strategic human resource management, 5th ed.

Providing a broad overview of human resource management, each chapter in this undergraduate textbook begins with key terms and learning outcomes and ends with key learning points. The final section contains twenty four useful HR tools. This fifth edition includes new material on international human resource management, along with updates on subjects such as engagement, talent management, and corporate social responsibility. Armstrong is a management consultant and the author of four multi-edition textbooks. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Best practice in performance coaching; a handbook for leaders, coaches, HR professionals and organizations. (reprint, 2007)

In this reprint from 2007, Wilson, who works for a coaching association and designs and delivers coaching programs to commercial organizations internationally, presents a guide to performance coaching for those thinking of becoming or hiring a coach, both private or corporate, as well as experienced coaches. She describes the history and principles of coaching; its difference from mentoring and other helping areas; techniques such as listening, questioning, giving and receiving feedback, clarifying, reflecting, and using intuition; models such as emotional intelligence, GROW, and EXACT; the structure of sessions; training; running a professional practice; creating a coaching culture in organizations; specific tools, from transpersonal coaching to body language; and case histories. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Branded beauty; how marketing changed the way we look.

The global cosmetics and personal care sector is worth $350 billion a year, and the largest percentage of that is in skincare products. What drives consumers to spend so much on their looks? Tungate (Parsons Paris School of Art and Design) reviews the history of the global beauty industry, looking at the roles of researchers, creators, and sellers of beauty products, attitudes towards beauty in different countries, and emerging trends such as cosmetic surgery, organics, tattooing, and products for men. He chronicles the histories and strategies of major companies, drawing on interviews with anonymous insiders within the secretive beauty industry. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The complete guide to mentoring; how to design, implement and evaluate effective mentoring programmes.

Owen, an author, strategist, and leadership specialist who has worked for companies around the world, outlines the steps to implementing a mentoring program at an organization, for those seeking mentors, who want to be one, or who are interested in setting up a program to create increased progress in an organization. She explains its differences from coaching, planning and structure aspects, understanding how adults learn, identifying mentors and mentees, its role in diversity and culture, evaluation, the element of sharing wisdom, and mentoring for small and medium enterprises and for leadership. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Emotional intelligence coaching; improving performance for leaders, coaches and the individual.

UK-based emotional intelligence (EI) trainers and consultants Neale, Spencer-Arnell, and Wilson examine the key roles that emotions and habits play in human performance and how coaching and EI can be combined to develop and improve an individual's performance. Coverage includes overviews EI and coaching; the importance of EI in coaching; the link between EI coaching, performance and the profitability of organizations; developing one's EI; understanding and working with values, beliefs, and attitudes at the individual and organizational levels; how goals flow from values to action; core coaching skills, coaching ethics and best practices. For HR managers and directors, organizational leaders and managers, coaches, trainers, consultants, and others concerned with people development. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The handbook of European brand rights management; how to develop, manage and protect your trademarks, domains, designs and copyrights.

Jolly, a business writer and editor, presents a handbook consisting of 36 chapters on managing a brand in Europe, for brand managers and consultants, rights holders, and investors. He draws together a group of European industry professionals, brand specialists, and companies to show how trademarks, domains, designs, and copyright can be combined within a wider brand strategy. They discuss brand value, creation, and architecture, including positioning, multi-channel brands, premiums, intellectual property in commercial agreements, and trademark strategy; rights, including designs and online; advertising and marketing campaigns; orientation in a new market; managing a hit; building a European presence; licensing, extensions, and franchising; how to buy and sell brands, brand equity, and offshoring intellectual property; and how to deal with copying, enforcement options, and dispute resolution. Advertisements appear throughout the book. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The handbook of personal wealth management, 7th ed.

In this update of the 2010 edition, Reuvid (an author of business titles with a background as an economist, investment banker, and corporate development consultant) introduces the definitions of, and challenges faced by, high net worth individuals in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008. Financial institution investment and marketing officers, nonprofit organization fund-raisers, auditors, lawyers, business owners, and researchers discuss recent analyses of financial investment alternatives, the need for operational due diligence in hedge fund review, pension and personal taxation issues, and investments in assets other than financial securities (e.g., diamond mining companies, art, racehorses, and philanthropy). The book includes trend data, case studies, contributors' contact information, and a directory of UK investment managers and independent financial managers. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

How to be an even better manager; a complete a-z of proven techniques and essential skills, 8th ed.

An independent management consultant presents a guide to success in managing people, processes, and change. In timely new chapters, the London School of Economics graduate offers advice on topics including benchmarking, improving organizational capability, cost-cutting, and recovering from setbacks. The guide includes case studies, checklists, and performance indicators. Previous editions were published between 1983 and in 2008. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Innovation excellence; creating market success in the energy and natural resources sector.

For executives, industry association leaders, and those who buy and sell from raw materials, energy, chemicals, and utility industries, Scholtissek, a strategist for a global management company, examines innovations as they relate to companies in the energy and natural resources sectors, which are undergoing increased changes. He analyzes the six-stage innovation process, then provides case studies of companies with successful innovations in products, business models, services, marketing, processes, and organizations. The companies include BP, Dow Corning, Evonik Industries, Iberdrola, Marathon Oil, Perrier, Schott, and Siemens. He also identifies eight actions for innovation and promising inventions for future market success, such as smart grids, predictive maintenance, biofuels and geothermal energy, solar shingles, wireless electricity, traveling wave nuclear reactors, and concentrated solar thermal power plants. Distributed in North America by Kogan Page. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Managing coaching at work; developing, evaluating and sustaining coaching in organizations.

Consultants Keddy and Johnson aid managers and other human resources professionals in workplace coaching. They describe the definition of coaching and the role of the coach, why it works, setting an agenda to align coaching expectations with business needs, and choosing between different levels of aspiration in deciding how to focus a coaching project. They discuss implementation and operating an ongoing coaching service, as well as the challenge of sustaining and developing coaching as a management style. They also offer ways to capitalize on what is learned, and discuss the roles of audits and evaluations. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

No fear finance; an introduction to finance and investment for the non-finance professional.

Fraser-Sampson (Cass Business School, London) keeps readers at ease with a conversational tone and references to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in this overview for non-financial professionals, entrepreneurs, undergraduate and graduate students, and anyone who needs to quickly understand company accounts and financial policy. First, he defines what a business is and how it finances itself through the use of both equity and debt. He then covers basic concepts of finance theory, explains financial jargon, and gives step-by-step instructions and examples for financial mathematics. Learning features include chapter summary points, an appendix of key formulae and calculations, and an extensive glossary of financial terms. No prior experience in finance or investments nor is knowledge of advanced arithmetic. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Supply chain risk management; vulnerability and resilience in logistics, 2d ed.

Waters, who specializes in operations and supply chain management and has worked in organizations around the world, examines the impact of risk on supply chains, its management, and mitigation of its effects. He discusses the importance of supply chain risk management, core areas, and principles; trends in logistics affecting the supply chain; approaches to risk management; identifying, analyzing, and responding to risks; issues when a problem in one organization affects the entire supply chain; creating resilient supply chains; and business continuity. Included are case studies of many companies such as Nokia, IBM, and BP, as well as other situations like food scares, oil supplies, and the Y2K bug. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Talk normal; stop the business speak, jargon and waffle.

Phillips, a freelance UK business journalist, has a blog where he posts real-life examples of ridiculously meaningless spoken and written communication. Here, he argues that we need to think clearly to write clearly. The book is divided into sections on jargon, work, the media and marketing, and ideas on change. A list of 10 recommended books includes OBD: Obsessive Branding Disorder, by Lucas Conley, and Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, by Al Franken. Recommended websites include The Onion, Adbusters, Bad Science blog, and Google Books Ngram viewer for word and phrase sleuthing among millions of books. The book's reader-friendly layout offers b&w photos, screenshots, and examples of ads, along with humorous illustrations, excerpts from interviews, and checklists. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Test your emotional intelligence; improve your EQ and learn how to impress potential employers. (reprint, 2009)

This guide helps job seekers prepare for the emotional quotient tests companies use to measure applicants' attitudes, habits, and values. Each of the 22 multiple-choice quizzes poses questions about a different personality trait, such as aggression, confidence, or leadership, followed by scoring and analysis for self-reflection. The book was originally published in 2009 by Kogan Page as Test your EQ. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)