Women of Blaxploitation: How the Black Action Film Heroine Changed American Popular Culture
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    Women of Blaxploitation: How the Black Action Film Heroine Changed American Popular Culture
    Yvonne D. Sims
    Manufacturer: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    1. Redefining Black Film Redefining Black Film
    2. Baadasssss Cinema - A Bold Look at 70's Blaxploitation Films Baadasssss Cinema - A Bold Look at 70's Blaxploitation Films
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    4. Framing Blackness: The African American Image in Film (Culture and the Moving Image) Framing Blackness: The African American Image in Film (Culture and the Moving Image)

    ASIN: 0786427442

    Product Description

    With the Civil Rights movement of the sixties fresh in their perspective, movie producers of the early 1970s began to make films aimed toward the underserved African American audience. Over the next five years or so, a number of cheaply made, so-called blaxploitation movies featured African American actresses in roles which broke traditional molds. Typically long on flash and violence but lacking in character depth and development, this genre nonetheless did a great deal toward redefining the perception of African American actresses, breaking traditional African American female stereotypes and laying the groundwork for later feminine action heroines. This critical study examines the ways in which the blaxploitation heroines of the early 1970s reshaped the presentation of African American actresses on screen and, to a certain degree, the perception of African American females in general. It discusses the social, political and cultural context in which blaxploitation films emerged. The work focuses on four African American actresses—Pam Grier, Tamara Dobson, Teresa Graves and Jeanne Belle—providing critical and audience response to their films as well as insight into the perspectives of the actresses themselves. The eventual demise of the blaxploitation genre due to formulaic plots and lack of character development is also discussed. Finally, the work addresses the mainstreaming of the action heroine in general and a recent resurgence of interest in black action movies. Relevant film stills and a selected filmography including cast list and plot synopsis are also included.
    Blaxploitation Cinema (Pocket Essentials)
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • On point
    • Seriously cool introduction
    Blaxploitation Cinema (Pocket Essentials)
    Mikel J. Koren
    Manufacturer: Pocket Essentials
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    1. Framing Blackness: The African American Image in Film (Culture and the Moving Image) Framing Blackness: The African American Image in Film (Culture and the Moving Image)
    2. Black Film As a Signifying Practice: Cinema, Narration and the African American Aesthetic Tradition Black Film As a Signifying Practice: Cinema, Narration and the African American Aesthetic Tradition
    3. Baadasssss Cinema - A Bold Look at 70's Blaxploitation Films Baadasssss Cinema - A Bold Look at 70's Blaxploitation Films
    4. Making Movies Black: The Hollywood Message Movie from World War II to the Civil Rights Era Making Movies Black: The Hollywood Message Movie from World War II to the Civil Rights Era
    5. Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies & Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies & Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films

    ASIN: 1903047587

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars On point.......2004-06-01

    very creative&on point from start to finish.very well re-searched&full of depth.the kind of Book that you wish that if people were doing other Pop culture books on subjects that you wish they would use this book as a Blue-Print for it.Highly enjoyable.

    5 out of 5 stars Seriously cool introduction.......2003-04-22

    I just loved this book! I don't know much about film, but this book didn't insult my intelligence or assume I already knew every Blaxploitation film ever made. It is clearly written, witty, and I gotta say, I agree with all of Koven's reviews! One of the things I particularly liked about this book was no matter how BAD the film was, he tried to find some justification for it - trying to see some good, no matter how gawdawful it was. Not enough movie critics do this. Top notch book - a must read!
    Blaxploitation Cinema: The Essential Reference Guide
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      Blaxploitation Cinema: The Essential Reference Guide
      Josiah Howard
      Manufacturer: FAB Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 1903254442

      Book Description

      Dazzling, highly stylized, excessively violent and brimming with sex, Blaxploitation films enjoyed a brief and memorable moment in motion picture history -- and never before or since - have so many African American performers been featured in starring roles. Twenty-five years after they first thrilled audiences, Blaxploitation films are enjoying a robust renaissance. The genre, with its bevy of colorful, contemporary characters, irresistible soundtracks and catchy titles, has taken its rightful place among the entertainment industry's most enjoyed and influential films. Here's a new and appreciative look back at a distinctly American motion picture phenomenon, the first truly comprehensive examination of the genre, its films, its trends and its far-reaching impact, covering more than 240 Blaxploitation films in detail. This is the primary reference book on the genre, covering not just the films' heyday (1971-1976) but the entire decade (1970-1980). Includes: • film posters and ads
      That's Blaxploitation!: Roots of the Baadasssss 'Tude (Rated X  by an All-Whyte Jury)
      Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
      • This not Blaxploitation!
      • Good book but dont let your mama read it !
      • The movies pale compared to the books
      • i dug it
      • A good start in studying this genre, but needs to go deeper.
      That's Blaxploitation!: Roots of the Baadasssss 'Tude (Rated X by an All-Whyte Jury)
      Darius James
      Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 0312131925

      Customer Reviews:

      1 out of 5 stars This not Blaxploitation!.......2004-01-28

      This book is not an exhaustive study or look into the films of the Blaxploitation genre of the late 60's and early 70's. Instead this book seems to be nothing more than the author stroking his own ego. As a fan of Blaxploitation cinema I picked up this tome hoping to find some reviews and information about the films and people behind them. Most of the reviews, if you could call them that, are less than a paragraph. Many of them are single lines such as this review for "Let's do it again": 'Please let's not.' While these quips can be amusing they certainly do nothing to provide any real information about the productions. Instill other reviews, the author admits to never having actually seen the film, instead reprinting smaller reviews from other sources.

      Furthermore the 'interviews' with Pam Grier, Antonio Fargas, and the like are less than illuminating. For the most part the author seems to hold his subject in contempt or talk in a way to one-up them. It's as if Mr James (the author) would like, with this book, to insert himself into the mythology of Blaxploitation cinema. The interviews do nothing to broaden the understanding of their subjects and are ultimately worthless.

      Also contained in the book are little diatribes and essays written by the author under the psuedonym Dr. Snakeskin. One such trivial account is titled: "How Noxious negroes can wet the cracks of those young white p******." Once again, perhaps amusing but ultimately needless personal diatribes.

      It appears that what Darius James may have been attempting was a book version of the Blaxploitation genre. He failed miserably. This thing is a irritating read that does nothing more than allow the author to expound his opinions which are neither intelligent, well thought out, or convincing.

      I give this book one star if only for the list of films of the genre. If you are looking for an insightful book about the actors, directors, and films of the genre look elsewhere.

      4 out of 5 stars Good book but dont let your mama read it !.......2002-03-15

      I'm into the whole 70's thing so I get this book thinking it would be good to check out those old movies my friends and I grew up on. So anyway , we're all sitting around reading and looking at the cool pictures when we get to the chapter containing the graphic details of a girl who has sex with a dog and gets the crap beat out of her! Eventough it was obvious the story was fiction ,it was so nasty I thought for a minute I brought a porn magazine! I almost let my mom(a saint) read it before me, I'm so glad I did'nt! It's a good book, just remember to keep it at the bottom of your underwear and sock drawer where the kids won't find it!

      2 out of 5 stars The movies pale compared to the books.......2001-05-12

      I have long been a fan of the literary movement commonly referred to as "Blaxploitation", having found a copy of the classic DEATH OF A BLUE-EYED SOUL BROTHER on a trip to Indonesia some years ago and developed a taste for this particular literary style since. It wasn't too long after my return that I found a copy of the novel COFFY, and have since accumulated quite a library. As such I was excited to see this book advertised.

      Imagine my shock when I discovered that this book was about cinematic recreations of these classic tales! And worse, ALMOST NO MENTION IS MADE OF THE LITERARY WORKS UPON WHICH THESE MOVIES ARE BASED! This is absolutely criminal! I very nearly sent the book back right away, but I'm a lazy man, and never quite got around to it. I am, you see, unemployed, and suffer from the usual lethargy that comes with this state. I don't know why it is, but when you don't have a job to go to it gets harder and harder to get up off the couch. So I missed the chance to send the book back, and now I'm stuck with it.

      I have since seen a few of these motion pictures, and am less than impressed. I've tried very hard to give them a fair shake: to wit, some of the visualizing of these great stories is worthwhile, the contrasting class levels of society are well portrayed visually, and some of the adapted dialog works better with actors. But I have to wonder about the goal of recreating a great work of fiction as a movie. These cinematic versions lack the depth of the original literary works and are ultimately reduced to funny clothes and chase scenes. These movies don't contain one iota of character development that the books do. They lack the plot nuances that brought this literary movement to the forefront initially.

      I cannot recommend the cinematic versions of these novels, and as such I can't recommend any book that glorifies them. If only I could return this book.

      5 out of 5 stars i dug it.......2000-02-04

      the book was funky&frank.straight to the chase.i really enjoyed the style of writting.the book held my complete attention and i hope there is a part two.

      4 out of 5 stars A good start in studying this genre, but needs to go deeper........1998-08-27

      Darius James' "That's Blaxploitation!" gives a decent account of the genre of American film that dominated the Black Box-Office in the 1970's; however, it doesn't reach the depths of what caused the rise of such films. It's humor is raw and raucus, but his obvious personal biases get in the way.
      Blaxploitation Films of the 1970's: Blackness and Genre (Studies in African American History and Culture)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Blaxploitation Films of the 1970's: Blackness and Genre (Studies in African American History and Culture)
        Willi Lawrence
        Manufacturer: Routledge
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

        African AmericanAfrican American | Regional | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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        ASIN: 0415960975

        Book Description

        During the early years of the motion picture industry, black performers were often depicted as shuckin' and jivin' caricatures. Specifically, black males were portrayed as toms, coons and bucks, while the mammy and tragic mulatto archetypes circumscribed black femininity. This misrepresentation began to change in the 1950s and 1960s when performers such as Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Poitier were cast in more positive roles. These performers paved the way for the black exploitation or blaxploitation movement, which began in 1970 and flourished until 1975. The movement is characterized by films that feature a black hero or heroine, black supporting characters, a predominately black urban setting, a display of black sexuality, excessive violence, and a contemporary rhythm and blues soundtrack. Blaxploitation films were made across varying genres, but the questionable elements of some of the pictures caused them to be referred to as blaxploitation films with little or no regard given to their generic categorization.

        Who dat man? Shaft and the blaxploitation genre.: An article from: Cineaste
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Who dat man? Shaft and the blaxploitation genre.: An article from: Cineaste
          John Bloom
          Manufacturer: Cineaste Publishers, Inc.
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Digital

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          ASIN: B0009FZ56A
          Release Date: 2006-07-14

          Book Description

          This digital document is an article from Cineaste, published by Cineaste Publishers, Inc. on March 22, 2003. The length of the article is 6229 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

          Citation Details
          Title: Who dat man? Shaft and the blaxploitation genre.
          Author: John Bloom
          Publication: Cineaste (Magazine/Journal)
          Date: March 22, 2003
          Publisher: Cineaste Publishers, Inc.
          Volume: 28 Issue: 2 Page: 24(6)

          Distributed by Thomson Gale

          The Complete String Guide: Standards, Programs, Purchase and Maintenance (Custeriana Monograph Series)
          Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
          • Useful guidelines for anyone buying a first violin
          The Complete String Guide: Standards, Programs, Purchase and Maintenance (Custeriana Monograph Series)
          MENC: The National Association for Music Education
          Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Education
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

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          ASIN: 0940796384

          Book Description

          Comprehensive information on beginning, building, and sustaining a high-quality string program. Appropriate for the upper elementary through high school levels. A joint publication of the American String Teachers Association with National School Orchestra Association and MENC.

          Customer Reviews:

          4 out of 5 stars Useful guidelines for anyone buying a first violin.......2005-04-29

          The Complete String Guide is specifically directed toward teachers of violin-family instruments, but is quite useful to anyone wanting to buy an instrument and who may not have a backgound for intelligently evaluating a purchase. It is originally published by MENC: the National Association for Music Education (formerly the Music Educators' National Conference), the professional association for music teachers. You will often see student violins advertised as conforming to MENC standards. This book is what they're talking about.

          In addition to basic information about building a string program, perhaps the most useful information are the instrument standards. These go into specific details recommending everything from string guages to bridge curvatures to string spacings and details of every single part of the violin, bow and case (though oddly lacking details about rosin). There is a handy chart of instrument sizes (do you know the difference between a 3/4 and 4/4 size violin?). There are guidelines and checklists for evaluating an instrument to be purchased. This concise little book provides a fine grounding with objective criteria for anyone wanting to purchase a violin/viola/cello/bass with one caveat: just because an instrument conforms in every way to these standards, it does not automatically mean it's a good instrument or worth a given price. This is all just a starting foundation for an intelligent search. Highly recommended.

          Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil Official Strategy Guide
          Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
          • Hi! My name is Sakura Kinomoto! And i love this guide book!
          • a review from a young teen.... is that lawful?
          Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil Official Strategy Guide
          BradyGames , and Tim Bogenn
          Manufacturer: BRADY GAMES
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

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          ASIN: 0744000750

          Book Description

          BradyGames Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil Official Strategy Guide provides a complete walkthrough of all 24 captivating stages. Expert boss strategy will help gamers defeat every foe in the enchanted world of Lunatea. Tips on finding all star pieces in every stage plus strategy on how to access every hidden stage! Solutions to puzzles are revealed!

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Hi! My name is Sakura Kinomoto! And i love this guide book!.......2002-05-13

          the best platform game and the best movies! i like the king of sorrow!!!!!(if you play this game, and finshed, you'd konw who i'm talking about.)he looks like klonoa too. any way the guide was very helpful. ah! do you feel a feeling... after lolo cried at the end.. it was very sad...

          4 out of 5 stars a review from a young teen.... is that lawful?.......2001-11-04

          I bought the strategy guide for Kaze no Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil, and forgive me by going by the Japanese name..., and it seems pretty helpful. My friend and I both bought the game yesterday, and the guide seems to give a lot of info on the game. I have yet to lend the book to her....I like the screen shots...^^; that's pretty much all i have to say...i haven't played the actual game yet, considering SHE'S the one with the PS2...well, Saturday might be filled up^^

          Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?: Avoiding the Chain of Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Organization
          Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
          • Should be required reading.
          • Excellent! A real page turner and you will certainly remember its teachings for long
          • Applicable to Businesses and Society
          • Insights into Failure Chains
          • How to Avoid or Break the "Chain of Mistakes"
          Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?: Avoiding the Chain of Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Organization
          Robert Mittelstaedt
          Manufacturer: Wharton School Publishing
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

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          ASIN: 0131913646

          Book Description

          What catastrophes have in common -- and how to keep them from happening to you!

          Introducing M3: the first systematic approach to

          Managing mistakes so they don't lead to disaster
          Building systems that prevent 'failure chains' from spiraling out of control
          Avoiding failures in preparation, strategy, execution, and culture
          Reducing the impact and cost of the mistakes you do make
          Also includes coverage of the unique 'mistake chains' facing entrepreneurs and small businesses.

          Every business disaster has one thing in common: the people in charge never saw it coming. The warnings were there. They didn't have to wreck their companies and their careers. But they let it happen. This book can keep it from happening to you.

          You will make mistakes. If you don't, you're not taking enough risk. But you can make fewer of them. You can catch them early. Keep them cheap. Learn from them. Whether you're in a global enterprise or a garage startup, Robert Mittelstaedt shows how. His techniques apply to everything from culture to strategy, customer safety to market share. They won't just help you avoid catastrophe: they'll help you improve profitability and business value, too.

          Stay on track. Stay off the front page of The Wall Street Journal. Read this book.

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Should be required reading........2006-09-21

          This is the book that I would have liked to write. It gets to the heart of what makes the difference between success and failure. From just my little corner of the world, I have come to believe that the lack of attention and sometimes sense of entitlement or invincibility are what kills or cripples businesses. The author does a wonderful job of exploring this and all the habits, mindsets, assumptions and oversights which were the causes of great failures. He's a wonderful storyteller. And, the power of using examples both in and outside of the business arena drives home the point that these problems are ubiquitous -- they're common to being human (and perhaps uninformed and/or lazy). He summarizes with 38 insights which beautifully stand on the messages of the stories while at the same time providing a framework for actually doing something to exact positive change in your own life and organization. Great work.

          5 out of 5 stars Excellent! A real page turner and you will certainly remember its teachings for long.......2006-09-08

          It may be one of the most overlooked but great business book. A likely explanation is that Wharton School Publishing is far less famous than HBR. Who knows! No matter what, I am obliged to express my heartfelt appreciation to the author for his concise but superb accounts for the tragedies/incidents of/re Titanic, Three Mile Island, Columbia/Challenger/NASA, Enron, Coke, crashes of airliners and nuclear submarines, Tylenol, Ford/Firestone, Xerox, Kodak, IBM, DELL and so on. Forgive me to say that it's easy to write a business book, but not a good one like this which you can remember well its teachings after you close it for a day or two. Despite some typos, it is well written and organised. The 38 key points named as "Insights" distributed in ten chapters are genuinely insightful. Though this book seems to target at CEOs and enterpreneurs, I am sure people from all walks of life can benefit much from it coz you never know which one small mistake will trigger a chain of them (plus the hidden damages made beforehand) and get you killed. In a word, dont miss it!

          p.s. This book reminds me of "Who moved my Cheese?" in that good memorable stories, if used wisely, can help deliver even the most neglected message loud and clear.

          5 out of 5 stars Applicable to Businesses and Society.......2006-03-06

          Another valuable source book for organizational (and personal) success from the Wharton School

          Every disaster is the result of a mistake or a series of mistakes that people in an organization (from the top down) failed to recognize or overlooked. The author introduces the concept of M3-managing multiple mistakes. By using fascinating case studies of companies that either failed or flourished (by doing everything right or successfully recovering from mistakes), he proves that M3 is cost effective. Mr. Mittellstaedt clearly analyzes the failures or successes of companies such as Ford, Firestone, Enron, Dell, Apple, Toyota, and Southwest to name a few. He also includes valuable advice for small enterprises as 90 percent of all U.S. businesses have fewer than 20 employees.

          In each chapter, the author has a section called Insights; they number one through 38 throughout the book. An example, culled from a lifetime of observation, research, and experience as a consultant, is Insight #10: A significant portion of execution-related mistakes occur because criteria for measuring progress and performance have not been identified and/or communicated explicitly.

          In a competitive capitalistic system, never taking a risk is the enemy of success; learning to manage risk to minimize failure is the goal. In Chapter 10, the author gives you a precise and clearly delineated blueprint for success. He closes with an exceedingly useful Summary of Insights from this highly researched and invaluable book.

          I read this just after reading the 9/11 Commission report on the World Trade Center disaster. Just after yet another news story on Hurricane Katrina. Many of the same rules seem to apply. Perhaps Dr. Mittelstaedt could think of his next book in terms of the world outside of business.

          5 out of 5 stars Insights into Failure Chains.......2006-01-10

          Win or lose is a stark concept. At one time, many acted as if there was enough to go around. Yet, in today's worldwide competitive marketplace that is no longer the case. Businesses deliver value or they are ignored. They grow or they die.

          Robert E. Mittelstaedt, Jr., Dean of the Arizona State University School of Business, argues that most failures, blunders and mistakes, be they corporate, physical or political are the result of compounding errors that land the crisis on the world's front pages.

          The difference between organizations that we hear about and those we do not is a process he terms "M3", Managing Multiple Mistakes. He offers 38 insights to help managers and leader to recognize and break the chain.

          Among his insights:

          * Being successful often blinds you to opportunity.

          * Mental preparation is critical.

          * Avoid any ethical lapses.

          * Execution errors are often generated by a lack of resources or knowledge.

          * Establish and enforce standard operating procedures.

          * Make responsibilities clear.

          * Seek advice

          * Understand assumptions.

          * If something does not make sense is confusing. Stop. Figure out and decipher it.

          * People are usually at the root of the problem.

          * Execution-related mistakes occur because progress and performance metrics have not been identified and/or communicated.

          * Failure to analyze data points.

          * Ignoring data is dangerous; ignoring or misinterpreting consumer data may be fatal.

          * Ineffective communications accelerate mistake chains.

          * Building a culture that takes mistakes seriously may have the highest ROI of anything a manager can do.

          * Seek an event to become the rallying cry for change.

          * Your competitors are not who you think they are.

          * Sometimes a mistake is not a mistake.

          * Change happens without your permission.

          * Test and retest assumptions.

          * Believe the data.

          * Train for the "can't happen" scenario.

          * If you do not make mistakes, you probably are not taking enough risk.

          Mittelstaedt has written a valuable book. Reading it may help you keep your organization or project off the front pages of the Wall Street Journal or Financial Times.

          5 out of 5 stars How to Avoid or Break the "Chain of Mistakes".......2006-01-07


          If you think "fatal" is hyperbolic, consider these statistics which Michael Gerber shares in E-Myth Mastery: "Of the 1 million U.S. small businesses started this year [2005], more than 80% of them will be out of business within 5 years and 96% will have closed their doors before their 10th birthday." These are indeed chilling statistics. There are others which indicate that many once large and successful companies have either disappeared or were acquired. Reasons for business failures vary from one company to the next, of course, but in many instances there seems to have been one serious, eventually fatal mistake which set in motion what proved to be a path to failure.

          As Mittelstaedt explains in the Introduction, "This book is about the avoidable traps that we set for ourselves as business people which lead to disasters. It is about what we can learn from the patterns of action or inaction that preceded disasters (sometimes called `accidents') in a variety of business and nonbusiness settings in order to avoid similar traps and patterns of mistakes. This goes beyond kaizen and six sigma on the factory floor to M3 [i.e. managing multiple mistakes] in the executive suite and at all operational levels of companies." Mittelstaedt identifies a very common pattern. First, problem which goes undetected, a subsequent problem then exacerbates it, disbelief or denial as the situation becomes worse, concealing the nature and extent of the situation as it becomes even worse, then shock in response to a situation out-of-control, and finally a significant (avoidable) loss of life, financial resources, or both. Later, of course, accusations, recreations, assignment of blame, punishments, etc. Neglect or denial of "early warning signs" is a common problem in and of itself.

          Mittelstaedt wrote this book to help decision-makers understand how and why business is like an engine, requiring energy to get a flywheel rotating at the correct speed and in the proper direction to produce whatever the desirable results may be. His correctly emphasizes the importance of:

          1. Identifying which potential disasters would result in the greatest damage.

          2. Identifying where and when they are most likely to occur.

          3. Identifying what are generally referred to as "early warning signs."

          4. Making certain that everyone involved knows what they are, how to recognize them, and what to do in response to them. It is quite impossible to exaggerate the importance of the word "everyone."

          5. Recognizing and generously rewarding vigilance.

          While examining a number and variety of operational and strategic mistakes in his book, Mittelstaedt focuses on what specifically is involved in managing multiple mistakes. His observations and suggestions are presented within a framework which seems relevant to any organization, regardless of its size or nature. His objective is to help his reader "learn to recognize the patterns of mistakes that precede most business disasters and take actions to eliminate the threat [i.e. preventive maintenance] or to reduce the incident to something that does not require full-scale crisis management." The M3 concept is based on Mittelstaedt's belief that nearly all serious accidents, whether physical or business, are the result of more than one mistake. Hence the importance of "breaking the chain" of mistakes ASAP or the damage that has already been done and its cost will increase -- and probably accelerate -- exponentially.

          Early on in his book, Mittelstaedt cites the "Five Deadly Sins" which Peter Drucker once described in an article published by The Wall Street Journal (October 21, 1993).

          1. "Worship of high profit margins and premium pricing"

          2. "Mispricing a new product by charging what the market will bear"

          3. "Cost-driven pricing"

          4. "Slaughtering tomorrow's opportunity on the alter of yesterday"

          5. "feeding problems and starving opportunities"

          Mittelstaedt views them as examples of longer-term "cultural mistakes" that many companies make with regularity. "Damage does not occur overnight; it occurs slowly and consistently until someone or something breaks the chain and fixes the problem." That "someone" may be the CEO but perhaps Mittelstaedt's more important point is that literally everyone involved in the given enterprise must be well-prepared to recognize seemingly insignificant but potentially quite serious "warning signs" as early in the process as possible, then respond effectively or enlist others to do so. I know from my own experience that a minor cut if untreated immediately can become a major infection. The same is true of organizations.

          Mittelstaedt cites and then discusses a number of "mistake chains" which include the Eastern Airlines flight 401 crash, schoolchildren becoming sick after drinking Coke in western Belgium, the financial losses resulting from American Express' Optima card, the crash of Eastern Airlines 90, the failure of Webvan, Intel's flawed chip, Xerox's failure to commercialize PARC's technologies, and various problems resulting from the confluence of Motorola's strategic and execution mistakes.

          The details of such disasters reveal both a "classic pattern" (page 26) and a series of 38 "Insights" which Mittelstaedt conveniently summarizes in an appendix (pages 289-298). Throughout the book's narrative, each is presented within a real-world context. I especially appreciate the aforementioned Appendix as well as the provision of various quotations, check-lists, caveats, and reiterations of key points within a reader-friendly format. Ultimately, this book must be judged on the quality of thinking and writing, organization and presentation of material, substance of content, and potential value to its readers. As my rating correctly indicates, I think this book makes an outstanding contribution to our understanding of a subject which really has not -- until now -- received the attention it deserves.

          Those who share my high regard for Mittelstaedt's exceptionally informative book are urged to check out Robert Sobel's When Giants Stumble: Classic Business Blunders and How to Avoid Them, Robert F. Hartley's Management Mistakes and Successes, Michael Levine's Broken Windows, Broken Business: How the Smallest Remedies Reap the Biggest Rewards, Sydney Finkelstein's Why Smart Executives Fail: And What You Can Learn from Their Mistakes, Forbes Great Success Stories: Twelve Tales of Victory Wrested from Defeat, and Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time ( Forbes Magazine Staff).
          Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?
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            Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?

            Manufacturer: WHARTON SCHOOL PUBLI
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000GTCJPY
            Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?: Avoiding the Chain of Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Organization
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              Will Your Next Mistake Be Fatal?: Avoiding the Chain of Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Organization
              Robert Mittelstaedt
              Manufacturer: Wharton School Publishing
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback
              ASIN: B000OILG4W

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