| Losing My Virginity | Richard Branson
Paperback - 592 pages ( 9 March, 2000) Virgin Publishing; ISBN: 0753504561 |
 |
Richard Branson's life is an adventure - from terrifying balloon flights,
record-breaking Atlantic crossings and courtroom battles with British Airways
to the daring Gulf War airlift from Baghdad and the sale of the world-famous
Virgin Records. Filled with anecdotes about rock stars, politicians, friends
and foes, Losing My Virginity offers fascinating insights into the inner
workings of Virgin and the man whose ethos of family, work and living on
the edge has always kept the company in the news. An international No.1
bestseller, Losing My Virginity: The Autobiography is a very personal look
at the world's favourite businessman.
Synopsis An autobiography of entrepreneur, Richard Branson. It discusses Branson's family, friends and philosophy, and covers dramatic events such as his Atlantic crossings, the sale of Virgin Records and the BA dirty tricks affair. There are also insights into the workings of Virgin. From the Inside Flap 'Having come so close to dying over the Atlas Mountains, I thought that I should write this book now, in case my guardian angel ever deserts me. I also realised that my children, Holly and Sam, who are still young, would not really know what I had done and why I had done it. So this autobiography is for Holly and Sam, the best thing I've created in the last eighteen years (though I can't take all the credit). But most especially for their mother, my wife Joan, who's seen me through most of the highs and the lows. I have also written this book to show how we made Virgin what it is today. Rather like our balloon flights, these years have been all about survival. If you read carefully between the lines you will, I hope, understand our vision and where we are going. Some people say that this vision breaks all the rules and is wildly kaleidoscopic; others say that Virgin is set to become one of the leading brand names of the next century; others analyse it and write academic papers on it. As for me and the wonderful team around me, we just pick up the phone and get on with it - and have one hell of an adventure in the process.' Richard Branson |
| Other Books by the author:
Losing My Virginity: the Autobiography |
Hardcover - 488 pages (17 September, 1998) Random House Australia; ISBN: 1852276843 |
| Seven
Habits of Highly
Effective People |
Stephen R. Covey
Paperback - 358 pages (January 1999) Simon & Schuster; ISBN: 0684858398 |
 |
According to Steven R. Covey, to live with security and wisdom, and
to have the power to take advantages of the opportunities that change creates,
we need fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity. Quite a tall order
when you consider that most of us live our lives in a permanent state of
flux, questioning our ideals and values and fighting a daily battle with
the lack of self-confidence that stops us from taking risks of any kind.
But, in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey manages to make
it sound as if changing the way we look at ourselves and the world around
us so that we can become more successful both personally and professionally
an absolute doddle. He defines the "habits" as "the intersection of knowledge,
skill and desire" and states that the "Seven Habits" of the title are not
mutually exclusive, but rather when developed together help to form a well-rounded,
sensitive, confident and effective human being. As with many self-help
books, much of what you read here is based on basic common sense and can
at times be irritatingly obvious. However, what Covey manages to do so
successfully is to break down the barriers which prevent all of us from
taking a long hard look at ourselves, and then gradually introduces new
rules which allow us to move first from dependence to independence and
then towards the ultimate goal of interdependence. But of course, the only
real way to test the value of The Habits--be proactive, begin with the
end in mind, put first things first, think "win/win", seek first to understand
and then to be understood, synergise, sharpen the saw-- is to work on them.
This book is as good as any place to start on the road to self-awareness
and self-improvement in the workplace and in the home without becoming
too irritatingly smug and self-satisfied. --Susan Harrison
Synopsis Presents the reader with a holistic, integrated and principle-centred approach for solving personal and professional problems. |
| Dilbert:
Random Acts
of Management |
Scott Adams
Paperback - 128 pages (20 April, 2000) Boxtree; ISBN: 0752271741 |
 |
Synopsis
These office-based cartoons reveal the latest in inept management techniques, moronic mission statements, and the best ways to avoid meetings. Common sense never prevails, and the only reason companies flourish is because there are so many idiots around. |
| Essential
Manager's
Manual |
Robert Heller, Tim Hindle
Hardcover - 864 pages (29 October, 1998) Dorling Kindersley; ISBN: 075130400X |
 |
Managers have a wide range of responsibilities, many of which include
maximising the efficiency of their own time and work processes and ensuring
that the people they manage are equipped with everything they need to function
effectively and be productive and happy at work. This book covers many
of the areas that a manager will need to be proficient in if they are to
be successful at their job. There are chapters on communicating, time management,
decision making, delegation, making presentations, interviewing, managing
change and minimising stress, for example. The emphasis is definitely on
the practical, with real-life results always at the top of the agenda.
To that end the text is punchy and to the point rather than rambling. Each
chapter is clearly presented with plenty of tables, charts, checklists
and self questionnaires to help you get the most from its content. Dotted
around the pages you will find Power Tips--over 1200 of them in all-- designed
to act as quick reference aids. Some managers might only need to look at
one or two of the areas covered in the book, and so Dorling Kindersley
have published all 12 of the book's chapters individually in smaller pocketable
handbooks. --Sandra Vogel
Synopsis In this handbook, clear text, flow charts and questionnaires help identify and review the best management methods for all businesses from large corporations to small firms. Photo sequences and diagrams outline strategies to practice, while simple charts monitor progress. |
| Great
Answers to Tough
Interview Questions |
Martin John Yate
Paperback - 270 pages (30 May, 1998) Kogan Page; ISBN: 074942656X |
 |
Synopsis
Designed with serious job hunters in mind, this handbook tackles the fear of every interviewee - being asked a question he can't find an answer to, such as: what can you do for us that someone else cannot do?; what are the reasons for your success?; and what decisions are most difficult for you? |
| A-level Advanced Business Studies: Trade Edition | A. Gillespie
Paperback - 96 pages (January 1998) Oxford University Press; ISBN: 0198327706 |
| Synopsis
This text is part of the "Oxford Revision Guides" series. These are reissues of the two series "GCSE Revise Through Diagrams" and "Advanced Revision Handbooks", now combined with newly branded covers. The GCSE titles have extra 16-page sections on revision techniques and sample questions for the new GCSE syllabuses, first examined in June 1998. The A-level titles just have new covers, but will be revised in 1999 for the new A-level syllabuses. This book covers the A-level business studies syllabus and uses diagrams and concise notes to help students revise. |
| Wishcraft : How to Get What You Really Want | Barbara Sher, Annie Gottlieb
Paperback (July 1986) Ballantine Books; ISBN: 0345340892 |
| Over the years, I’ve read many a book
on goal-setting and achievement. I started many years ago with the obligatory
‘Think and Grow Rich’, avoided Anthony Robbin’s ‘Unlimited Power’ because
it looked ‘too American’, floundered around some more in the Positive Mental
Attitude books, and came back to Anthony Robbins in desperation. I was
seeking something practical and effective, to help me manage my life, as
I was having problems due to giving up a well-paid job to study full-time.
At that point, I was hooked on NLP. However, if I had read Wishcraft, I
might have bypassed Anthony Robbins altogether, and would not be where
I am today (such at it is :-) ) Why? Because this book provides everything
I was looking for in a book at that time. It is split into two broad sections:
the first helps you to answer the question "What are my goals?"; the second,
"How do I achieve them?". The first section contains a number of fairly
standard exercises to help you brainstorm your goals. If you are new to
the idea of goal-setting, this is a great place to start; however, if you
have done many exercises in goal-setting, then most of these exercises
will be familiar. However, I suspect that most people will find something
of use here, no matter how well- read they are. The second section is where
the book comes into its own. The authors outline a number of tools and
methods to help you be successful once you know what your goals are. Some
of them are to do with planning, some to do with emotions and managing
your state, some are to do with getting the help of others. The planning
model is the best I’ve come across, and I’ve done some formal training
on planning in a corporate environment. It doesn’t cover complex ideas
like GANT charts, critical-path analysis, and so on, but it does provide
a simple, workable, and effective method of setting out what you’ll actually
need to do to reach your goal. And it all boils down to two simple questions
.....
Can I do this tomorrow? If not, what do I need to do first? Keep going through those two questions, and you’ll end up with a plan consisting of achievable steps that you can do in a day, rather than huge steps which take days or weeks to accomplish. One of the difficulties that many people experience with tasks of this size is due to lack of specificity; breaking the task down into smaller ones helps to make it more ‘real’ and hence easier to get started on and to acccomplish. However, in any planning model, particularly where you are venturing out into uncharted territory, there will be some points in your plan where you simply do not know what steps are required - if you are familiar with the idea of unconscious incompetence, then you’ll know what I mean. (If not, take a quick look at the article below). Again, using one simple idea, the authors can help you to overcome those problems, based on the idea that if you can’t do something, then you know someone who can, or you know someone who knows someone who can, or you know someone who knows someone who... They call the idea ‘barnraising’, from the idea in certain communities where each person helps the others build their barn, and then receive help from each person in building their own barn. They suggestgetting all your friends, family, and colleagues together; tell them EXPLICITLY what you want; and seehow they can help. At the same time, help them with their goals or plans. Whilst not a new idea, the authors go out of their way to tell you that you don’t have to do everything by yourself, and then give you a framework in which to work with others to achieve your mutual goals. Anyone familiar with Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits will immediately recognize the win/win situation. Where this ties in nicely with NLP is the ‘explicit’ part: the meta-model is the ideal tool here for: A) defining what you need B) clarifying exactly what help others can provide C) helping others define what they need. The authors also provide two questions that will help if you encounter a problem in the form of ‘I can’t do/have X until I have/do Y’ The two questions are: How can I get X without having/doing Y? How can I get/do Y? Later, the book covers some basic time management skills, and some general strategies for dealing with fear, including one called ‘Lower Your Standards - at First’. The latter goes against many positive thinking-type books by saying if your goals are too far beyond your current beliefs about what you can do, you will most likely be afraid. The way to reduce your fear is to aim to do things badly, then there is no problem if you do actually do them badly. Then, when you’ve got some experience under your belt, you will be in a position to set realistic, challenging, and achievable goals. The comments I’ve written here sound fairly mundane - I’m not one to rant and rave over a book. One of the biggest complements that I can give a book is to say that I will never throw it away, and I will read it at least once per year without fail. I’ve had this book for about 4 years now, and I’ve read it 5-6 times, and I will never throw it away (at least, I might, but only to replace it with a less dog-eared copy). Its simplicity, elegance, and plain- talking, combined with sold, practical advice, make it one of my favourite books. Andrew |
| The Book of Truly Stupid Business Quotes | Jeff Parietti
Paperback - 224 pages ( 1 December, 1997) HarperCollins; ISBN: 0062735071 |
 |
Synopsis
Jeff Parietti provides hundreds of stupid quotes from the "movers and the shakers" of the business world. |
| The Art of Business Negotiation | Harvard Business Review
Paperback - 100 pages (July 1991) Harvard Business School Press; ISBN: 0875842887 |
| Synopsis
Whether you're dealing with labour unions or venture capitalists, superior negotiating skills are essential for successful managers. This paperback collection of Harvard Business Review articles includes a variety of selections on such topics as staying out of court, negotiating with bankers and unions, and making deals in foreign markets. |
| Succeeding at Interviews in a Week | Alison Straw, Mo Shapiro
Paperback - 96 pages ( 4 February, 1998) Headway; ISBN: 0340705426 |
 |
Synopsis
This guide considers the traps and pitfalls we often create for ourselves at interviews, and suggests strategies for overcoming them. It covers: gaining confidence and presentation skills; learning how interviews work and how people are selected; preparation; and responding skilfully. |
| The Psychology of Persuasion | Kevin Hogan
Paperback - 287 pages (30 December, 1996) Pelican Publishing Company; ISBN: 1565541464 |
 |
Synopsis
Many people deal with families and colleagues in a destructive way, causing one side to lose. This book shows how to tackle differences by directing others to reach the same opinion. It shows how to build relationships, listen to other people's needs and develop the gentle art of persuasion. It begins a practical study on how to implement persuasion strategies in everyday life and in a career or business. The book shows step-by-step how to understand precisely what others are thinking, and how to ethically direct others to your point of view. |
| The Ultimate Book of Business Quotations | Stuart Crainer
Paperback - 368 pages (31 October, 1997) Capstone Publishing Limited; ISBN: 1900961296 |
 |
Synopsis
This is a collection of wise, inspiring, fatuous, embarrassing and even pointless aphorisms and bon mots from the world's most brilliant, thoughtful, greedy and self-serving business minds. |
| Collaborative Creativity | Ricchiuto
Hardcover ( 1 September, 1996) Oakhill Press; ISBN: 1886939128 |
 |
The author, Jack Ricchiuto
, 7 February, 1998
The power of an idea/ Creativity defined and demystified/ The benefits of innovation/ What makes creative people creative?/ Creativity myths/ Beginner's mind/ The 4 innovation competencies/ The new physics of collaboration/ We are smarter together/ Famous collaborations/ A collaboration to-do list/ 2 tips on teams/ 12 activities to expand your innovation potentials/ Collaboration technology/ 2 tools for consensus building/ The "F" word/ Never say fail/ Fail fast/ 20 ways to make ideas more sellable/ Reinventing organizations to be more innovative/ The power of partnerships/ The role of leader in creative organizations/ Have fun, make money |
| Open Minds | Andy Law
Paperback - 256 pages ( 1 July, 1999) Orion Business; ISBN: 0752813889 |
| The Accidental Theorist | Paul Krugman
Paperback - 208 pages (24 June, 1999) Penguin Books; ISBN: 0140286861 |
 |
Synopsis
Economics, as Keynes wrote, "is dangerous for good or evil". Paul Krugman, one of the world's best economists, has made a second career railing against poor economic reasoning wherever it may arise. In doing so, he has persuaded a large number of readers that the lessons of good economics are not so difficult after all, that the insights can be downright intriguing. This text weaves together articles and addresses into a short narrative on the major economic issues of the latter 1990s: unemployment, globalization, economic growth, financial speculation, and more. All are joined by Krugman's view of the basic economics behind the issues and the wit and energy with which he applies those principles. |
| Stan Weinstein's Secrets for Profiting in Bull and Bear Markets | Stan Weinstein
Paperback (November 1988) Irwin Professional Publishing; ISBN: 1556236832 |
 |
Mr. Weinstein has written a very imformative
book chock full of technical knowledge that he's very ably translated into
layman's terms. Also, unlike some of the big writers in this field, his
advice is totally consistant with no ambiguity and no preening ego. He
tries to make a science of charting, eliminating all emotion in the trading
process. He stresses discipline with trailing stops etc. All of this leads
to a system that still won't let you pick winners more than 50% of the
time but WILL get you out of bad picks quickly and let you safely ride
the winners up. If you use his system with discipline you will never buy
at the very bottom and you'll never sell out at the very top - but you'll
make money and you'll NEVER lose your shirt.
Samuel Claiborne |
| The Cartoon Guide to Statistics | Larry Gonick, Woollcott
Smith
Paperback - 240 pages (August 1993) Harper Perennial; ISBN: 0062731025 |
 |
Synopsis
Written in the same cartoon format as "The Cartoon History of the Universe" and "The Cartoon Guide to the Computer", this book provides a humorous tour through modern statistics as it is practiced in a wide variety of fields - from the humanities to the sciences. The book begins with a brief history of the subject, then proceeds to cover data analysis, probability and all the other topics crucial to the study of statistics. Other books by Larry Gonick include "The Cartoon Guide to Genetics", "The Cartoon Guide to the United States" and "The Cartoon Guide to Physics". |
| Iacocca : An Autobiography | Lee Iacocca
Paperback (July 1986) Bantam Books; ISBN: 0553251473 US edition |
 |
I've read biographies, a number of them, but this is just about the best I have ever read. It reads like a novel, with interesting twists on every page. If you don't like cars or corporate management, drop your predispositions and read this book. Its the best advice I could give. |
| The
Art and Science
of Negotiation |
Howard Raiffa
Paperback - 384 pages (April 1985) Harvard University Press; ISBN: 067404813X |
 |
| Titan | Ron Chernow
Paperback - 816 pages ( 6 May, 1999) Warner; ISBN: 0751526673 |
 |
Synopsis
The son of a flamboyant bigamist and pedlar of patent medicine, Rockefeller was, by the turn of the century, America's richest man, the mastermind and creator of the country's first and most powerful monopoly: the Standard Oil Company. This biography explores his life and career. |
| Growing a Business | Paul Hawken
Paperback (September 1988) Simon & Schuster Books; ISBN: 0671671642 US edition |
 |
This book was refreshing to read in light of many of the other small business books I've read. You can read a myriad of books seemingly written by stingy, greedy, boastful, financially successful persons. Or you can read Hawken's book and gain greater insight into finding personal, organization, associate, as well as financial success. I vote for Hawkens. |
| Aha! : 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas | Jordan E. Ayan
Paperback - 256 pages (January 1997) Crown Publishers Inc; ISBN: 0517884003 US edition |
 |
Roger von Oech, Author
of A Whack on the Side of the Head says: "Jordan Ayan -- the 'Wizard of
Aha's' -- has presented us with a treasure trove of techniques to stimulate
our creative juices. A lot fun!"
Betty Edwards - Author of Drawing on The Right Side of The Brain says that: "...Aha!is an inspiring, yet practical guidebook for freeing the creative spirit." Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - Author of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience comments that Aha! is: "A delightful romp through the rich and complicated field of creativity. Ayan's Aha! is bound to make the reader's thinking more interesting and original." Michael LeBoeuf - Author of How to Win Customers and Keep Them For Life and The Perfect Business said: "Aha! is an extremely well-written, entertaining, action-ready guide for anyone who wants to live a more successful life. All success is rooted in great ideas. Aha! shows you how to create the ideas that will take you from where you are to where you want to be." Mark Victor Hansen - Co-author of Chicken Soup For The Soul says: "...Aha! helps you get inside yourself in a dynamic and insightful way to go make a difference; a life long contribution to yourself, your family, your country and the world. I totally believe Aha! will free your greatness." Daniel Burrus - Author of Technotrends says: "The future belongs to those who create it. Jordan Ayan's exceptional book will show you how to create your;s by providing the keys to unlock your great ideas." Jordan E. Ayan |
| America's
Stupidest
Business Decisions |
Bill Adler, Julie Houghton
Paperback - 208 pages (30 December, 1997) William Morrow Books; ISBN: 0688151523 |
 |
Previous
|
Home
| Register |
Map
| Search |
Shop |
Disclaimer
| Account | Practices
| Businesses | Next
© Copyright
& Disclaimer
For comments
and suggestions concerning the site please contact:
Datacomp
Consultants Limited
4 Houldsworth
Square, Reddish, Stockport, Cheshire SK5 7AF.
Tel: 0161
442 5233 Fax: 0161 442 5909
E-Mail:
webmaster@chartered-accountants.co.uk
This Website
and the material contained therein has been prepared by Datacomp
and the
members listed in the Directory and does not necessarily reflect the views
of:
The
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
The
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.
The
Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
Datacomp
is not associated or connected with any of these three Institutes.