Deadly Art Puzzle: Accounting for Murder

Customer Reviews:

Pretty deadly to read forward.......2007-05-14

The book is pretty informative about accounting, however, I lose my enthusiasm to read forward after the first two charters.

Book Description

Why has Chrysler been twice as profitable as GM and Ford during the 1990s even though it is a much smaller company with plants that are less efficient than Ford's? Why does Toyota continue to have substantial productivity and quality advantages long after knowledge of the Toyota Production System has diffused to competitors? The answer, according to Jeff Dyer, is that Toyota and Chrysler have been the first in their industry to recognize that the fundamental unit of competition has changed--from the individual firm to the extended enterprise. In this book Dyer demonstrates the power of collaborative advantage, arguing that, in the future, competitive advantage will increasingly be created by teams of companies, rather than by the single firm. Managers who do not recognize this development--regardless of their industry--are in danger of adopting the wrong strategies for their firms. Dyer draws on eight years of study of the automotive industry, including a wealth of data from interviews with over 200 executives and surveys of over 500 suppliers, as he offers detailed case studies of Toyota and Chrysler to show managers how to create collaborative advantage with their supplier networks. Dyer demonstrates how to build trust in the extended enterprise, how to exploit and manage knowledge (describing how Toyota manages knowledge across organizational boundaries), and how to create advantages through dedicated asset investments. In turn, these processes generate stunning performance advantages and an identity for the extended enterprise. To be successful in future years, executives will have to convert their corporations into fully integrated, extended enterprises. In Collaborative Advantage, Jeff Dyer shows them how.

Customer Reviews:

Success through suppliers.......2003-01-17

The pursuit of knowledge that gives us an understanding of factors that determine success in the market place has always considered "the firm" as the unit of analysis. This has been the case with microeconomics, game theory, competitive strategy and many such specialized areas of research. Cartels that manipulate supply and prices are perhaps an exception to this rule. If, instead of considering the firm as the unit, we consider a group of firms teaming together to collectively provide value to the customer and succeed as a unique identity as a unit of analysis, the methodology to understand competition would undergo a paradigm shift. This book is precisely about this concept as applicable to the automobile industry.

In the early half of the last century it was possible to go to the countryside for a picnic in a Ford Model T car, disassemble and reassemble it with a simple wrench and drive back home in the evening. Today we need computers to diagnose even a simple problem under the hood of cars tailor made to suit individual needs. Given the increase in complexity, explosion of technology and customer preferences, it is impossible for a single firm to ever think of manufacturing even half the components. (River Rouge will be remembered in history as the most ambitious plan of an automotive giant to make all parts of the automobile - including steel and timber from within the company. At best a fairy tale for kids of the twenty first century!).

This book is the summary of an excellent research study of the automobile industry in the 1990's with focus on Toyota and Chrysler. These companies have significantly different "governance structure" (the proportion of parts made in-house, procured from partner firms, and from arms'-length suppliers) from their competitors- GM and Ford. The firms that have a higher proportion of parts that are bought from partner suppliers have a clear edge over competitors that use arm's-length suppliers for the same parts. Extensive data has been collected, analyzed and tested to substantiate the statements made in the text.

Three characteristics that distinguish between partner suppliers from arm's length suppliers- Dedicated asset investments, Knowledge sharing routines and Inter-firm trust form the virtuous triangle that make these partnerships succeed. The results of such partnerships show clearly in tangible terms - Higher profitability per vehicle, better quality, faster time to market, and more new models for customers; the key parameters that enable Toyota and Chrysler to drive at top speed. "It 's not the big that eat the small but it's the fast that eat the slow".

Taking lessons from Toyota, Chrysler adopts concrete programs to consolidate its suppliers, integrate and partner with them to deliver higher value at lower cost to the customer.

Though this research is restricted to the automobile industry, the fundamental principles of "extended enterprise" can be extended across industries.

Highly recommended for all managers and a must read for those working in procurement processes. Next time your supplier drops in, think of this book and start a new relationship.

A Masterpiece.......2001-04-07

Having followed Dyer's other research, I think that this is a theoretically elegant piece of work. He builds further on his pieces in SMJ (with Singh from Wharton) and AMR and illustrates the concepts of relationship-based assets in firm networks. The running exemplar has he uses (Toyota) illustrates his theoretical arguments quite elonquently. The book also highlights the limitations of his concept of collaborative advantage, and his closing chapter illustrates how cultural differences (here with Benz) can keep this strategy from becoming reality. This book is not for folks looking for cut-out recipies. This book is a MUST for researchers and managers who like to think instead of searching for cookbooks! The concluding chapter is a gem because it highlights our gaps in knowledge. This is an excellent book, and having read Dyer's other works, it's high quality comes as very little surprise. Buy, own, read, reread, and profusely highlight your own copy! VERY highly recommended.

Highly Recomended!.......2001-03-23

Jeffrey Dyer, an accomplished scholar and management teacher, has developed a cogent and sophisticated theory of extended enterprise management based on a wealth of empirical data from the history of Toyota in Japan and from his six-year study of Chrysler Corp. before its merger with Daimler-Benz. Beyond being a detailed and rigorous case study of the automobile manufacturing industry, Dyer's book presents an extremely valuable model for vertical integration. His model can be applied to other complex product industries, though he is honest about the limits of its applicability. This book provides a clear, effective blueprint for achieving value-chain collaboration. We [...] recommend it to consultants, executives in complex product industries and leaders in firms that supply components or materials. If you always suspected you were part of a greater whole, now you can be sure.

New Product Development: Strategies for Supplier Integration

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New Product Development: Strategies for Supplier Integration
Robert B. Handfield , Thomas V. Schannell , Gary L. Ragatz , and David J. Frayer
Manufacturer: Amer Society for Quality
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0873894685

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Reluctant Supplier
Paul Y. Hammond , and David J. Louscher
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

Business Partnering for Continuous Improvement: Forging Enduring Alliances Among Employees, Suppliers and Customers

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Business Partnering for Continuous Improvement: Forging Enduring Alliances Among Employees, Suppliers and Customers
Charles C Poirier , and William F Houser
Manufacturer: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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ASIN: 1881052109

Book Description

If you want to make the drive for quality, productivity, and profit improvement a permanent feature of your organization, the concept of "partnering" - must become an integral part of every activity, write Charles Poirier and William Houser. They give detailed action studies of companies that have made the transition to business partnering and continuous improvement. And they provide the tools you need to make similar changes in your own organization.

Connected Corporation: How Leading Companies Manage Customer-Supplier Alliances

Average customer rating:

Highly Recommended!

Connected Corporation: How Leading Companies Manage Customer-Supplier Alliances
Jordan D. Lewis
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Company Profiles | Biography & History | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 002919055X

Book Description

Until now, the relationship between a company and its customers or suppliers has consisted of arms-length haggling over the price of a part or a service. Today, reveals alliance expert Jordan D. Lewis, customers and suppliers are actually embracing each other—sharing data, design work, and even research and development. The result, Lewis finds, has been a dramatic improvement in each firm's costs, quality, cycle times, and customer satisfaction—without added expense. Building on his groundbreaking work, Partnerships for Profit, Lewis shows managers how to maximize the potential of these new customer-supplier alliances—described by the Wall Street Journal as a "revolution"—by drawing upon his hands-on experience and research with best-practice firms worldwide such as Motorola, Chrysler, and Marks & Spencer.

Although more and more firms now recognize the importance of customer-supplier alliances, few actually know how to make them work. Using interviews with employees ranging from top executives to purchasing and sales people, Lewis takes the reader inside these leading-edge companies and their top suppliers to show precisely how the "connected" corporation can double its competitive resources by forging customer-supplier relationships for greater financial strength, higher market share, more value, and increased operating flexibility.

Lewis provides the tools managers need to structure and manage effective and successful alliances. He discusses all of the initial questions on how to get started—when to use alliances, how to choose the best partners, and how to set clear objectives targeted on high performance. Specific techniques are presented to foster joint creativity—from building interfirm teams to systems-based thinking—as well as methods for monitoring alliance performance and progress. Lewis also shows ways to develop the foundation of cooperation, negotiation, and trust between partners which is so crucial in achieving optimum competitive advantage.

By capitalizing on the new customer-supplier alliances, any firm can increase its competitiveness regardless of industry, company size, or whether its focus is on goods or services. Lewis provides managers of all types with the framework they need to avoid the pitfalls and enjoy the full benefits of the connected corporation.

Customer Reviews:

Highly Recommended!.......2001-03-07

Author Jordan D. Lewis uses the experiences of four major companies - Motorola, Philips Consumer Electronics Company, Marks & Spencer and Chrysler - to show the benefits of creating an alliance with your suppliers. The book, which is thorough and complete, if a bit long-winded, explains the benefits of such customer-supplier alliances, shows how to get started if you want to form a partnership and spells out how to maintain the relationship. The obligatory tables and figures are conveniently listed right after the table of contents. If you are in a huge rush, you can skip the book and just read the tables, because you will probably get a condensed version of the same information. But we at getAbstract think you'll enjoy reading how these four companies fumbled through the awkward initial stages of customer-supplier alliances and then emerged into trend-setting, money-making success.

Supplier Certification: A Continuous Improvement Strategy

Average customer rating:

Supplier Certification: A Continuous Improvement Strategy
Richard A. Maass , John O. Brown , and James L. Bossert
Manufacturer: Customer Supplier Technical Commi Uality Cont
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Purchasing & Buying | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0873890833

Business Relationships for Competitive Advantage: Managing Alignment and Misalignment in Buyer and Supplier Transactions

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Business Relationships for Competitive Advantage: Managing Alignment and Misalignment in Buyer and Supplier Transactions
Andrew Cox , Chris Lonsdale , Joe Sanderson , and Glyn Watson
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1403919046

Book Description

This book provides the first summary and critical appraisal of the thinking that currently informs the management of business relationships, from the perspectives of both the buyer and supplier. The authors argue that these approaches are one-dimensional and instead recommend a more holistic approach based on power, interaction and portfolio perspectives. The book provides evidence of how relationships can be aligned and misaligned in practice, using eighteen examples drawn from a variety of business cases and circumstances.

An Analysis of the Military Family Housing Construction Contractor Supplier Base at MCB Camp Pendleton and a Report on How an Understanding of These Trends May Improve the Acquisition Strategy for the Department of Defense

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An Analysis of the Military Family Housing Construction Contractor Supplier Base at MCB Camp Pendleton and a Report on How an Understanding of These Trends May Improve the Acquisition Strategy for the Department of Defense

Manufacturer: Storming Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: 1423524403

Product Description

This is a NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA report procured by the Pentagon and made available for public release. It has been reproduced in the best form available to the Pentagon. It is not spiral-bound, but rather assembled with Velobinding in a soft, white linen cover. The Storming Media report number is A442104. The abstract provided by the Pentagon follows: The study investigates Public Private Ventures (PPV) as a new, evolving approach to the Marine Corps' housing needs at Marine Corps Pass (MCP) Camp Pendleton. The study examined the emerging transformation of housing construction and property management responsibilities and risks from the Government to the private sector developer: (1) Specifically, the study sought to answer two primary research questions: (2) Now can the Navy improve construction management? (3) What are the differences between Military Construction (MILCON) and Public Private Venture (PPV) business agreements for construction management? The study surveyed potential Public Private Venture (PPV) developers and current housing construction contractors' attitudes towards the Navy's recent trend in the design, construction, and maintenance of Marine Corps military family housing. The researcher's major conclusion concerns the uniqueness of Public Private Venture (PPV) and Military Construction (MILCON) contract management. Each approach requires different skills, operates at different speeds, and requires separate functional teams. Successful contractors form Limited Liability Corporations (LLC) and adopt strategies consistent with that conclusion. The study's major recommendation favors Government maintenance of central housing operations with both Navy and Marine Corps assets organized at the headquarters of the Southwest Division. This would provide the expertise to work on real-time housing issues.

The effects of supplier focus, customer responsiveness and strategy type on growth in a transition economy : An article from: Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice

Average customer rating:

The effects of supplier focus, customer responsiveness and strategy type on growth in a transition economy : An article from: Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice
James H Martin , and Bruno Grbac
Manufacturer: Association of Marketing Theory and Practice
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000BEEPUG
Release Date: 2005-09-13

The Five Stages of Managed Care : Strategies for Providers, Hmos, and Suppliers (Management Series) (Management Series (Ann Arbor, Mich.).)

Average customer rating:

THe FIve Stages of Managed Care

The Five Stages of Managed Care : Strategies for Providers, Hmos, and Suppliers (Management Series) (Management Series (Ann Arbor, Mich.).)
Russell C., Jr. Coile
Manufacturer: Health Administration Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Health Risk Assessment | Administration & Policy | Medicine | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

Noted futurist Russ Coile defines the five stages of managed care and examines strategies providers and payors can use to succeed today and prepare for the healthcare delivery system of tomorrow. Examples of delivery systems throughout the country illustrate which markets are at which stage and highlight successful strategies and potential pitfalls.

You will learn to:

Identify where your organization stands in the transition to managed care Develop successful strategies for managing in a changing environment Prepare your organization for future managed care trends and models

Customer Reviews:

THe FIve Stages of Managed Care.......2000-12-21

Book Review: The Five Stages of Managed Care: Strategies for Providers, HMOs, and Suppliers by Coile

Russell. C. Coile is a futurist who specializes in health care. He has used very current literature and experience to write this cutting edge book. He labels the five stages of managed care as 1. Can't spell HMO, 2. Managed care gets aggressive, 3. Managed care penetration, 4. Managed competition, and 5. Post-reform. He examines strategies that payers and providers have used to succeed and prepare for the future. He uses delivery systems to illustrate the successful strategies and pitfalls of the stages of managed care. This book is useful for graduate students studying health care and for health care administrators.

Book Description

Hans Kelsen is considered to be one of the foremost legal theorists and philosophers of the twentieth century. His writing made an important contribution to many areas, especially those of legal theory and international law. Over a number of decades, he developed an important legal theory which found its first complete exposition in Reine Rechtslehre, or Pure Theory of Law, the first edition of which was published in Vienna in 1934. This is the first English translation of that work. It covers such topics as law and morality, the legal system and its hierarchical structure, the identity of law and state, and international law.

Customer Reviews:

The Best and Briefest Introduction to Kelsen.......2002-05-11

Hans Kelsen in the most important legal theorist of the 20th century. This short book is the best introduction to his third way between empiricist and natural law approaches in the philosophy of law. The density of Kelsen's prose is alleviated in part by Paulson's excellent introduction. An important book.

International Positivism.......2000-04-10

Paulson has carved himself the Kelsen niche in the cathedral of Positivism.

Very similar to the Pure Theory of Law.......1999-10-27

Excellent book, but I think it is the same book as The Pure Theory of Law, or at least very similar.

Average customer rating:

The Book your looking for!

How to Use a Computerized Telescope

Very helpful book

Very useful

What you need to know to use a "Go To" telescope

How to Use a Computerized Telescope: Practical Amateur Astronomy Volume 1 (Practical Amateur Astronomy)
Michael A. Covington
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
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Celestial Objects for Modern Telescopes: Practical Amateur Astronomy Volume 2 (Practical Amateur Astronomy)

Astrophotography for the Amateur

Star Ware: The Amateur Astronomer's Guide to Choosing, Buying, and Using Telescopes and Accessories

The NexStar User's Guide

CCD Astrophotography: High-Quality Imaging from the Suburbs (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)

ASIN: 0521007909

Book Description

How to Use a Computerized Telescope describes how to get a computerized telescope up-and-running, and how to embark on a program of observation. Michael Covington explains in detail how the sky moves, how a telescope tracks it, and how to get the most out of any computerized telescope. Packed full of practical advice and tips for troubleshooting, his book gives detailed instructions for three popular telescopes: the Meade® LX200, Celestron^DCC NexStar 5 and 8, and Meade® Autostar^DTM (ETX and LX90). Michael A. Covington is an associate research scientist at the University of Georgia. He is a computational linguist trained in the computer processing of human language and the computer modeling of human logical reasoning, and a widely recognized expert on the Prolog programming language. He is the author of nine books including Dictionary of Computer and Internet Terms, Seventh Edition (Barron's, 2000), Astrophotography for the Amateur (Cambridge, 1999), PROLOG Programming in Depth (Simon & Schuster, 1996), Cambridge Eclipse Photography Guide (1993), and Syntactic Theory in the High Middle Ages (Cambridge, 1985). A senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Covington is a Contributing Editor to, and former "Q&A" columnist of, Poptronics magazine.

Customer Reviews:

The Book your looking for!.......2007-05-17

If your looking for a clearly written, very informative, get you going in the right direction book, this is the one!

How to Use a Computerized Telescope.......2007-01-19

This is a very clearly-written book and excellent for beginners. It breaks down the various topics of using a computerized telescope into manageable chapters.

Very helpful book.......2006-03-07

I recently purchased a Celestron StarSeeker telescope (basically a NexStar80) so wanted to read more about computerized telescopes. Michael Covington's book is very good. He starts by saying "Welcome to amateur astronomy". The first part of the book then goes on to discuss telescopes in general, such as the different types (ie, refractors, reflectors and catadioptric) and much very helpful general information about observational astronomy. Things like celestial coordinates, how a telescope works, etc. Too much to put in this review but I found the information extremely helpful. The second section is about astrophotography including simple ways to do astrophotography without a lot of expensive equipment. This author also has a book on Astrophotography which I haven't read. He refers to it several times in this section of this book. The last section describes in quite a bit of detail the operation of 3 computerized telescopes, the Meade LX200, Celestron NexStar 5 and 8 and two Meade telescopes with Autostar, the ETX 90 and the LX 90. All of these telescopes are now outdated as both Meade and Celestron have newer models. However, what is said in this section would apply to the newer models to a large extent. Overall I enjoyed reading this book and obtained a lot of useful information and recommendations to start my budding career in amateur photography. One further note; there is another book by Michael Swanson that deals with just the Celestron NexStar telescopes. I have this book also but haven't finished reading it. If you are just interested in computerized telescopes in general, I would recommend the one in this review. If you have or are interested in a Celestron, then I would suggest the Michael Swanson book; actually I would recommend both.

Very useful.......2005-08-02

I found this book to be very useful and informative. I am a beginner to astronomy and need something to orient me to what a electronic telescope was all about. A must reqad if you are considering a computerized telescope and are a beginner who has never used one.

What you need to know to use a "Go To" telescope.......2003-01-09

Covington's "Astrophotography for the Amateur" is one of the two must reads for beginning to intermiediate astrophotographers. "How to Use a Computerized Telescope" fits in the same category for beginner and intermediate amatuer astronomers who have or are thinking of aquiring a computerized telescope. The book is divided into two sections. The first covers basic topics on the use, care and feeding of telescopes in general. The second looks at three classic "Go To" telescope families. If you are looking to buy a computerized telescope, or already own one and want to get more out of it, then this is a good place to start.

Chapters:
PART I - Telescopes in general
1. Welcome to amatuer astronomy
2. How the sky moves
3. How telescopes track the stars
4. Using equatorial mounts and wedges
5. Telescope optics
6. Eyepieces and optical accessories
7. Astrophotography
8. Troubleshooting
PART II - Three classic telescopes
9. Three that led the revolution
10. Meade LX200
11. Celestron NexStar 5 and 8
12. Meade Autostar (ETX and LX90)

Though the models described in detail in the book are no longer the latest models, the foundations will allow one to get a better understanding of how computerized telescopes work, and how to get more out of their use.

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