Friday, May 17, 2013
Business Techniques In Troubled Times by Thomas H. Gray - Book review
Business Techniques in Troubled Times
A Toolbox for Small Business Success
By: Thomas H. Gray
Published: April 12, 2013
Format: Paperback, 344 pages
ISBN-10: 0988675803
ISBN-13: 978-0988675803
Publisher: Thomas H. Gray Incorporated
"Small business owners are 'doers'. They are pragmatic decision makers who deal with risk and 'figure things out' on their own every day. With the right tools, they will continue to build successful enterprises that make America a better place to live. This book provides some of those tools", writes entrepreneur and management consultant, Thomas H. Gray, in his comprehensive and very hands on book Business Techniques in Troubled Times: A Toolbox for Small Business Success. The author describes the effective and proven tools and techniques for achieving success in every aspect of a business life cycle.
Thomas H. Gray understands that entrepreneurs face challenges to their business at different points and times.As a result, the author provides module based format where the problem being faced by the business person can be solved in a readily applicable manner. The book as presented by the author, is designed to be a toolbox, where the appropriate tools can be selected and put into action to achieve a solution.
For many entrepreneurs, the main hurdle to overcome is to understand that a problem may actually exist, and that there is trustworthy and real world tested advice available. Thomas H. Gray provides the tools for identifying and diagnosing the problem, and offers the suitable solution to resolve it successfully.
Thonas H. Gray (photo left) recognizes that entrepreneurs and other samll business leaders are often short of time to find solutions to critical problems. As a result, the author arranges the book in a clear and concise format, with an emphasis on simple methods that can be implemented with ease to get the desired results.
The author places the various sections of the book in a logical order that follows the natural sequence of events in the establishment and operation of a small business. With this ordered system in place, a small business person can find the answers they seek with a minimum of searching. The book is divided into six overarching sections, each with its own detailed sub-chapters offering more detailed and specialized advice. The six basic parts of the book are as follows:
* Strategy and vision
* Financing your business
* Effective marketing
* Day-to-day management and operations
* Growing and exiting your business
* Distressed businesses
For me, the power of the book is how Thomas H. Gray combines a complete guide to starting, managing, and exiting a business, with practical and specialized advice for each aspect of the business. The material is organized in samll and easily applied pieces to assist in getting to the problem and reaching a solution quickly. As a handy reference book, this is a superb guide to resolving both short and long term obstacles in a minimum amount of time.
The author augments the text with numerous visual aids and charts to assist in understanding the principled shared in each chapter. A unique feature of the book is the inclusion of two tables of contents to help narrow down the issues and provide ease of locating the best resolution to those issues. Thomas H. Gray also provides the expertise of a number of guest authors who present their specialized knowledge in several of the more technical chapters.
I highly recommend the results oriented and indispensable book Business Techniques in Troubled Times: A Toolbox for Small Business Success by Thomas H. Gray to any current or wouldbe entrepreneurs and small business managers who are seeking a clear and concise road map to overcoming the many obstacles and challenges that confront any business. This book is one that anyone will return to again and again for its straight forward and useful advice.
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Thursday, May 16, 2013
Pilgrims' Steps by Robert Hodum - Book review
Pilgrims' Steps
A Search for Spain's Santiago and an Examination of his Way
By: Robert Hodum
Published: September 13, 2012
Format: Paperback, 206 pages
ISBN-10: 1475940122
ISBN-13: 978-1475940121
Publisher: iUniverse
"The search for the mythic and historical Santiago de Compostela requires a sounding of the legendary depths of his ritual pathway that spans dozens of centuries, numerous cultures, and their various faiths. Countless pilgrims have shared the sacred venue and its parallel star field over the course of millennia", writes specialist in Latin American history and Ibero-American culture and civilization, and walker of the St. James’ pilgrimage route in 2007, Robert Hodum in his engaging and deeply personal book Pilgrims' Steps: A Search for Spain's Santiago and an Examination of his Way. The author provides an examination of both the legendary and the historical circumstances of the complex life and times of the saint known as Santiago of Compostela, the biblical St. James the Greater.
Robert Hodum recognizes that the life of St. James is a blend of the historical with the legendary. While the facts of the historical record may not always be readily available, the mythic aspects of his life add depth and a portal to a rich and diverse cultural history. The author combines the known history of Santiago of Compostela with the countless millennia long reverence for the land and sky of the Galician region of northwestern Spain.
Robert Hodum traces the waves of people who traveled to this fascinating place for thousands of years. For the author, the pilgrimage is so much a part of the human journey and experience that it not only includes St. James and his legend, but transcends him as well, to include all of those whose lives were touched and inspired by the Way,
Robert Hodum (photo left) understands that the pilgrimage to Compostela creates a powerful cultural and sacred mosaic that binds the distant past to the present. The towering figure of St. James the Greater offers a unifying force that ties the uncountable steps of pilgrims beyond count, together in a voyage of the soul.
Robert Hodum pieces together the story of St. James and of Compostela itself from historical and legendary accounts. The result is brilliant portrait of the larger than life character, a Way sacred for all of human history, and a part of ourselves that journeys toward the sacred.
Robert Hodum considers the following aspects of the legendary history of St. James, the human significance of Compostele, and the journey of pilgrims across time and space:
* Jacob Bar Zebedee: The Santiago of Spain
* St. James in the written record
* St. James returns to Hispania
* Stars reveal the tomb and pilgrimage begins
* The Ways through the ages
* His challenge to Rome
* Interpretations of the Santiago cult
* Early man and sacred pathways
* Ancient people in the land of Santiago
* The Way in 21st century Spain
For me, the power of the book is how Robert Hodum combines the various threads of legend and recorded history to provide a complete portrait of St. James the Greater. At the same time, the author places the living man and the entombed saint into the context of their times, as well as the pilgrimage to Compestela from its roots in prehistoric times to its importance in our oown time. Robert Hodum expands the legendary history of St. James beyond the man and the myth, and creates an overarching history that encompasses many thousands of years.
The author explores the significance of a sacred place to humanity of all times, and how place and people are both essential elements in a timeless journey to transcend their own humanity. The author accompanies each of his investigations, whether into the historical or legendary, with his personal reflections on the ideas and discoveries he unearths in his research. The result is a book that offers both insights into St. James, but also into the author himself as he completes his own pilgrimage to Compestela, in search of both universal truths and of himself.
I highly recommend the research based and personally accessible book Pilgrims' Steps: A Search for Spain's Santiago and an Examination of his Way by Robert Hodum, to anyone seeking a thoughtful and human spirit affirming book that transforms the story of Santiago of Compostela into a symbol of humanity's relationship between the earth and sky. This book is a testament to the importance of place and spirituality to people of all times and faiths.
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Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Make Room for Her by Rebecca Shambaugh - Book review
Make Room for Her
Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results
By: Rebecca Shambaugh
Published: November 7, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
ISBN-10: 0071797920
ISBN-13: 978-0071797924
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
"Today's marketplace is calling for a new approach to leadership. Integrated Leadership is the key to capturing and maintaining a lasting competitive advantage", writes leadership consultant and President and CEO of SHAMBAUGHm Rebecca Shambaugh, in her empowering and conversation changing book Make Room for Her: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results. The author describes a fresh, inclusive, and participatory approach to leadership in the form of what she calls Integrated Leadership.
Rebecca Shambaugh recognizes the critical importance of adding more women leaders to the top management of major companies. The author presents a powerful case that businesses that fail to elevate women to the highest executive positions are less successful than those who embrace the value of the perspective of female leadership.
The addition of women leaders adds fresh thinking, new ideas, and the benefit of female gender intelligence. Rebecca Shambaugh offers insights into why women have been unable to achieve the critical senior leadership roles, dispels the many myths that have grown up around the issue, and shares ideas for promoting women from the sticky floor to the inner sanctum of the executive suite.
Rebecca Shambaugh (photo left) understands the importance of gender balanced intelligence and leadership in organizations. The author points out the valuable leadership and empowerment skills that women bring to senior executive roles and to the company culture as whole. These effective skills and traits empower both men and women within the organization, and through diversity of abilities and ideas result in stronger business performance.
Rebecca Shambaugh presents a comprehensive road map to advance the careers of women in any company through the Integrated Leadership model. The overarching themes of this groundbreaking and mutually beneficial strategy, for both male and female executive leaders, are as follows:
* Integrated leadership: How men and women can achieve extraordinary results together
* Integrated leadership: Men's role
* Integrated leadership: Women's role
* Integrated leadership: The organization's role
For me, the power of the book is how Rebecca Shambaugh combines a holistic leadership framework that encompasses men, women, and the company as a whole, with the practical steps and practices transform that framework into a complete cultural change. The result is enhanced and gender diverse leadership that boosts the firm's performance and profitability. The author goes beyond many leadership and career books for women, and demonstrates the importance of including men in the Integrated Leadership model. This combination of both male and female skills and talents creates a dynamic synergy that energizes the entire organization.
Rebecca Shambaugh bases her principles of leadership and the importance of a balanced perspective on interviews with over fifty top executives in leading companies. The author adds to those interviews with the inclusion of case studies based on her experiences with hundreds of male and female leaders. The chapters are set out in a logical and action oriented system that establishes a road map to achieving gender diversity in the leadership ranks. Each chapter also includes a handy summary that can be used for referral in the future.
I highly recommend the research based and gender diversity building book
Make Room for Her: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results by Rebecca Shambaugh to any business leaders and executives who are serious about engaging the wealth of talent offered by women, and for integrating the proven value of gender diversity within their top management team. This book will transform any organization through the added abilities, perspectives, and talents offered by women as leaders within the company.
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Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Ten Types of Innovation by Larry Keeley, Ryan Pikkel, Brian Quinn, Helen Walters - Book review
Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs
By: Larry Keeley, Helen Walters, Ryan Pikkel, Brian Quinn
Published: April 15, 2013
Format: Paperback, 276 pages
ISBN-10: 1118504240
ISBN-13: 978-1118504246
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
"We wanted to make a book that would reveal the whole, remarkable, and important emerging discipline of innovation, because so many people now see the urgent need to innovate. They sense that old ideas ad structures must give way. They imagine that newer, better futures are out there, lurking in the loaming, just out of reach", write innovation effectiveness expert co-founder of Doblin, Larry Keeley; design strategist at Doblin, Ryan Pikkel; leader at Doblin, Brian Quinn; and writer and editor at Doblin, Helen Walters, in their groundbreaking and innovative results oriented book Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs . The authors describe a fresh, reliable, and repeatable approach to innovation through thinking differently about how the innovation process really works.
Larry Keeley (photo left), Ryan Pikkel, Brian Quinn, and Helen Walters understand that innovation is critical for companies. The authors point out that firms have no choice but to innovate, and the very survival of the business may depend on it. Despite that importance of innovation to companies, many business leaders and entrepreneurs have no understanding of how the innovation process works in practice.
Even front line innovators themselves are uncertain as to how ideas are generated and transitioned into innovations that solve problems for themselves or their customers. The authors present a systematic approach to innovation, through ten different but related forms of innovative process, that gets results with predictable reliability over and over again.
Ryan Pikkel (photo left), Larry Keeley, Brian Quinn, and Helen Walters recognize that innovation requires a team and a collaborative effort. As a result, the authors present a comprehensive innovative process that can be used again and again, and in many different ways. Not only is innovation a repeatable and predictable system, but the authors share how the ten innovation types can become part of the very fabric of the company culture.
With the ten types integrated completely within the very organization and its thinking, the authors also demonstrate how these concepts can be used in conjunction with one another to provide real breakthrough outcomes.
Brian Quinn (photo left), Helen Walters, Ryan Pikkel, and Larry Keeley share the ten basic types of innovation,and they demonstrate how to incorporate them into the company DNA, as the standard innovative process. The authors cover the following aspects of innovation:
* Innovation: A new discipline leaving the lab
* Ten types of innovation: The building blocks of breakthroughs
* More is mightier: Mix and match innovation types for greater impact
* SPot the shifts: See the conditions that birth breakthroughs
* Leading innovation: use better plans to build breakthroughs
* Fostering innovation: Installing effective innovation inside your organization
* Appendix: Putting these principles into practice
For me, the power of the book is how Helen Walters (photo left), Brian Quinn, Ryan Pikkel, and Larry Keeley combine a complete theoretical framework for innovation, with the practical and hands on techniques for transforming that framework into an effective and repeatable process. The authors share a holistic approach that not only encompasses the types of innovation but also its role within the very heart of the company as well. Instead of the usual expensive research and development strategies, that so often result in expensive failures, this systematic approach offers a more cost effective methodology, that also achieves superior results.
The authors share their ten types of innovation in a very user friendly, color coded format. With the coding used throughout the book the ten types, that cover configuration, offering, and experience based innovation, any solution can be found in either the category, or by blending two or more principles into a larger whole. The authors also enhance their concepts by sharing case studies of the principles in action in real world settings.
I highly recommend the comprehensive and systems based book Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs by Larry Keeley, Ryan Pikkel, Brian Quinn, and Helen Walters, to any business leaders, executives, entrepreneurs, and innovators who are seeking a clear and concise process for transforming their failed or ineffective innovation techniques into a complete and readily applicable process that achieves real breakthroughs. This book will change the way your entire organization thinks about and approaches innovation forever.
Labels: book reviews
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Monday, May 13, 2013
Paul Gillin: Attack of the Customers - Blog Business Success Radio
Listen to Wayne Hurlbert
Speaker, online marketer, and co-author of the eye opening and practical advice packed book Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim, Paul Gillin, describes how in this social media age, angry customers actively attack companies with their grievances. Paul Gillin provides analysis of who the attackers are, what motivates them to take action, and how and where they deploy their assaults. Paul Gillin also shares ideas for addressing attacks effectively, and even better, how to prevent the attacks from taking place at all. For companies who fail to address the concerns of their customers, who feel simply having a social media presence is good enough, and who think their standard crisis management is good enough, Paul Gillin points out they are in for a rude awakening. Paul offers an alternative of building an attack resistant company that engages and listens to customers, addresses their concerns, and establishes a customer focused organizational culture.
Paul Gillin is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.
The show airs live on Tuesday, May 14, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.
Speaker, online marketer, and co-author of the eye opening and practical advice packed book Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim, Paul Gillin, describes how in this social media age, angry customers actively attack companies with their grievances. You will learn:
* What a customer attack looks like and how it is deployed
* What motivates a customer to take to social media to voice their complaints
* How to address a brand attack from a customer effectivelu
* How to build an attack resistant company based on a customer focused culture
Paul Gillin (photo left) s a writer, speaker and online marketing consultant who specializes in helping businesses use content to reach customers. A popular speaker and writer, he has addressed more than 100 groups and published more than 150 articles since 2008. He is a veteran technology journalist with more than 25 years of editorial experience, including 13 years exclusively online.
His books include The New Influencers, Secrets of Social Media Marketing, The Joy of Geocaching (co-authored with wife Dana) and Social Marketing to the Business Customer (co-authored with Eric Schwartzman).
Paul is a columnist for BtoB magazine and a director of the Society for New Communications Research.
My book review of Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim by Paul Gillin with Greg Gianforte.
Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.
If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.
To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832
Let's talk with speaker, online marketer, and co-author of the eye opening and practical advice packed book Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim, Paul Gillin, as he describes how in this social media age, angry customers actively attack companies with their grievances. Paul Gillin provides analysis of who the attackers are, what motivates them to take action, and how and where they deploy their assaults. Paul Gillin also shares ideas for addressing attacks effectively, and even better, how to prevent the attacks from taking place at all. For companies who fail to address the concerns of their customers, who feel simply having a social media presence is good enough, and who think their standard crisis management is good enough, Paul Gillin points out they are in for a rude awakening. Paul offers an alternative of building an attack resistant company that engages and listens to customers, addresses their concerns, and establishes a customer focused organizational culture on Blog Business Success Radio.
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Speaker, online marketer, and co-author of the eye opening and practical advice packed book Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim, Paul Gillin, describes how in this social media age, angry customers actively attack companies with their grievances. Paul Gillin provides analysis of who the attackers are, what motivates them to take action, and how and where they deploy their assaults. Paul Gillin also shares ideas for addressing attacks effectively, and even better, how to prevent the attacks from taking place at all. For companies who fail to address the concerns of their customers, who feel simply having a social media presence is good enough, and who think their standard crisis management is good enough, Paul Gillin points out they are in for a rude awakening. Paul offers an alternative of building an attack resistant company that engages and listens to customers, addresses their concerns, and establishes a customer focused organizational culture.
Paul Gillin is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.
The show airs live on Tuesday, May 14, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.
Speaker, online marketer, and co-author of the eye opening and practical advice packed book Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim, Paul Gillin, describes how in this social media age, angry customers actively attack companies with their grievances. You will learn:
* What a customer attack looks like and how it is deployed
* What motivates a customer to take to social media to voice their complaints
* How to address a brand attack from a customer effectivelu
* How to build an attack resistant company based on a customer focused culture
Paul Gillin (photo left) s a writer, speaker and online marketing consultant who specializes in helping businesses use content to reach customers. A popular speaker and writer, he has addressed more than 100 groups and published more than 150 articles since 2008. He is a veteran technology journalist with more than 25 years of editorial experience, including 13 years exclusively online.
His books include The New Influencers, Secrets of Social Media Marketing, The Joy of Geocaching (co-authored with wife Dana) and Social Marketing to the Business Customer (co-authored with Eric Schwartzman).
Paul is a columnist for BtoB magazine and a director of the Society for New Communications Research.
My book review of Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim by Paul Gillin with Greg Gianforte.
Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.
If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.
To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832
Let's talk with speaker, online marketer, and co-author of the eye opening and practical advice packed book Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim, Paul Gillin, as he describes how in this social media age, angry customers actively attack companies with their grievances. Paul Gillin provides analysis of who the attackers are, what motivates them to take action, and how and where they deploy their assaults. Paul Gillin also shares ideas for addressing attacks effectively, and even better, how to prevent the attacks from taking place at all. For companies who fail to address the concerns of their customers, who feel simply having a social media presence is good enough, and who think their standard crisis management is good enough, Paul Gillin points out they are in for a rude awakening. Paul offers an alternative of building an attack resistant company that engages and listens to customers, addresses their concerns, and establishes a customer focused organizational culture on Blog Business Success Radio.
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Sunday, May 12, 2013
Attack of the Customers by Paul Gillin with Greg Gianforte - Book review
Attack of the Customers
Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim
By: Paul Gillin, Greg Gianforte
Published: November 30, 2012
Format: Paperback: 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1479244554
ISBN-13: 978-1479244553
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
"Online attacks by customers, shareholders and activist groups are growing in number and in scope, and many businesses now invite attacks without even knowing it", write speakers and online marketer Paul Gillin; and software company entrepreneur Greg Gianforte, in their eye opening and practical advice packed book Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim. The authors describe how customers don't take their complaints quietly any longer, but instead utilize the power and scope of social media to inflict real harm on targeted companies and brands; and they share real world proven ideas to transform those attackers into advocates.
Paul Gillin (photo left) and Greg Gianforte recognize the power of social media to establish positive relationships with customers, who in turn become evangelists for the company and its brands. At the same time, however, those sames social media platforms have a dark side that can be deployed to cause severe damage to companies and brands over real or perceived grievances.
Not only are the attackers causing their havoc on their own social media platforms, but they are also going directly to the target, and complaining loudly on the very Facebook and Twitter pages established by the companies to encourage engagement. The authors provide evidence that the companies are not only blindsided by this new reality, but they also lack the knowledge and strategies to counter the attacks.
Greg Gianforte (photo left) and Paul Gillin understand that companies must be prepared for any possible attacks and discover a new way of engaging their customers. The authors outline what brands have done correctly; and also show where misguided strategies have caused the problem to escalate.
The authors divide the book into two major sections. The first section examines the attacks themselves, including who deploys them and why they are motivated to do so. The second half of the book focuses on the proactive approach of building a company that is resistant to attacks through a commitment to doing what is right for the customer.
The authors share their insights in the following areas, that are encompassed in the two overarching sections of the book:
* When customers attack
* How attacks happen
* Studies in social media crisis
* Why customers attack
* The attackers
* Ordance and tools
* Customer as critic: The power of peer reviews
* Mainstream media: Enabler or enforcer
* An ounce of prevention
* Handling an attack
* The attack resistant organization
For me,the power of the book is how Paul Gillin and Greg Gianforte combine a a no holds barred overview of the reality of online customer attacks, with a realistic approach to building a company that is resistant to those attacks. The authors present a well reasoned and balanced approach to the challenge posed by irate customers. The book contains a complete picture of who the attackers are, what motivates their attacks, and how they carry out their destructive campaigns.
At the same time, the authors also point out that companies often invite attacks themselves through a failure to respond to reasonable customer concerns, by not engaging customers in order to build solid relationships, and through a lack of understanding that the old ways of doing business don't work in a social media dominated world.
The authors enhance their concepts through the inclusion of case studies of attacks and responses in in the real world. These actual events illustrate the seriousness of the attacks, and often weak to counterproductive actions taken by the companies. The authors demonstrate the best short and long term approach is to develop a culture of customer engagement where the brands actually listen to their customers, and act on their concerns to the satisfaction of those consumers.
I highly recommend the insightful and proactive book Attack of the Customers: Why Critics Assault Brands Online and How To Avoid Becoming a Victim by Paul Gillin with Greg Gianforte, to any business leaders who are serious about taking a positive and customer oriented approach to the challenge posed by attacking customers. This book offers an alternative to the failed practices utilied by companies who face the wrath of their dissatisfied customer bases.
Labels: book reviews
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Friday, May 10, 2013
Modern Construction Management, Seventh Edition by Frank Harris & Ronald McCaffer - Book review
Modern Construction Management, Seventh Edition
By: Frank Harris, Ph.D., Ronald MvCaffer, Ph.D
Published: May 6, 2013
Paperback: 572 pages
ISBN-10: 047067217X
ISBN-13: 978-0470672174
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
This book is intended for students and graduates of civil engineering, construction management, building and quantity surveying, and arranged to reflect site, business and corporate responsibilities embraced by the latest national vocational qualifications available for supervisory and management levels of career development", write Emeritus Professor of Construction Science, University of Wolverhampton, Frank Harris, Ph.D.; and Emeritus Professor of Construction Management, Loughborough Univeristy, Ronald McCaffer, Ph.D., in their new edition of their classic and comprehensive textbook Modern Construction Management, Seventh Edition. The authors describe the topics essential for complete understanding of the crucial elements of construction, including the development of the business and technical skills essential to managers.
Frank Harris and Ronald McCaffer understand that a modern construction manager must not only possess strong technical skills, but must demonstrate knowledge in the business processes of the industry. With these added business abilities, the young construction manager will be better equipped for an executive and decision making role. The authors present the latest developments in the construction industry that includes strong consideration of environmental, people oriented, and socially responsible industry practices.
The authors also place emphasis on the management of teams, customer relationships, processes, and quality management. With the increasing complexity of the construction industry, the authors ensure that new construction managers and related professionals are prepared fully understanding and executing the most up t date and modern strategies.
Ronald McCaffer and Frank Harris recognize the transformation that has taken place in the construction industry where value must be considered for customers, employee safety and engagement, the environment, and society as a whole. The authors also present a complete overview of the increasing role of social responsibility and how these changing attitudes hace changed the role of the manager.
The authors divide the book into four overarching sections the include the new and expanded role of responsibilities for the construction manager. Those four major sections are as follows:
* Project production management: Techniques relating to project management including environmental aspects and legislation
* Business management: Business aspects of both project and company management
* Administration and company management: Executive management of overall corporate control
* Self-learning exercises: Selection of problems including complete worked solutions for the classroom, tutorials, and seminars
For me, the power of the book is how Frank Harris and Ronald McCaffer combine a comprehensive overview of both construction project management and business management, with the effective teaching tools to enrich the learning experience of the students. The authors take a holistic approach to the concepts of construction management and go beyond simply discussing the technical aspects of the subject material. Instead, the book contains a strong section on the business and corporate decision making aspects of the job, including the management of people.
This seventh edition goes beyond the business and technical aspects of construction management and moves beyond those principles to add an extra emphasis on the environment, carbon usage, lean construction, sustainability, and other societal issues. With these very salient topics now a critical part of the construction management role, the authors were wise to include them in the book. As a core undergraduate textbook, this book is very modern in its approach to the construction industry. The authors include a complete section of the book that includes management and construction problems including complete worked solutions for the classroom, tutorials, and seminars.
I highly recommend the landmark and very modern best practices oriented textbook Modern Construction Management, Seventh Edition by Frank Harris, Ph.D., and Ronald McCaffer, Ph.D., to any students and graduates in civil engineering, construction management, building and quantity surveying, corporate leaders, and government policy makers seeking a clear and all encompassing guide to the current business, technical, environmental, and societal issues and challenges of modern construction management. This book is a tremendous starting point for students and professionals at any level of construction project management.
Labels: book reviews
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