"If you're as interested in Japan as I am, I think you'll find that The Power to Compete is a smart and thought-provoking look at the future of a fascinating country." – Bill Gates, "5 Books to Read This Summer" Father and son – entrepreneur and economist – search for Japan's economic cure The Power to Compete tackles the issues central to the prosperity of Japan – and the world – in search of a cure for the "Japan Disease." As founder and CEO of Rakuten, one of the world's largest Internet companies, author Hiroshi Mikitani brings an entrepreneur's perspective to bear on the country's economic stagnation. Through a freewheeling and candid conversation with his economist father, Ryoichi Mikitani, the two examine the issues facing Japan, and explore possible roadmaps to revitalization. How can Japan overhaul its economy, education system, immigration, public infrastructure, and hold its own with China? Their ideas include applying business techniques like Key Performance Indicators to fix the economy, using information technology to cut government bureaucracy, and increasing the number of foreign firms with a head office in Japan. Readers gain rare insight into Japan's future, from both academic and practical perspectives on the inside. Mikitani argues that Japan's tendency to shun international frameworks and hide from global realities is the root of the problem, while Mikitani Sr.'s background as an international economist puts the issue in perspective for a well-rounded look at today's Japan. Examine the causes of Japan's endless economic stagnation Discover the current efforts underway to enhance Japan's competitiveness Learn how free market "Abenomics" affected Japan's economy long-term See Japan's issues from the perspective of an entrepreneur and an economist Japan's malaise is seated in a number of economic, business, political, and cultural issues, and this book doesn't shy away from hot topics. More than a discussion of economics, this book is a conversation between father and son as they work through opposing perspectives to help their country find The Power to Compete.
"If you're as interested in Japan as I am, I think you'll find that The Power to Compete is a smart and thought-provoking look at the future of a fascinating country." – Bill Gates, "5 Books to Read This Summer" Father and son – entrepreneur and economist – search for Japan's economic cure The Power to Compete tackles the issues central to the prosperity of Japan – and the world – in search of a cure for the "Japan Disease." As founder and CEO of Rakuten, one of the world's largest Internet companies, author Hiroshi Mikitani brings an entrepreneur's perspective to bear on the country's economic stagnation. Through a freewheeling and candid conversation with his economist father, Ryoichi Mikitani, the two examine the issues facing Japan, and explore possible roadmaps to revitalization. How can Japan overhaul its economy, education system, immigration, public infrastructure, and hold its own with China? Their ideas include applying business techniques like Key Performance Indicators to fix the economy, using information technology to cut government bureaucracy, and increasing the number of foreign firms with a head office in Japan. Readers gain rare insight into Japan's future, from both academic and practical perspectives on the inside. Mikitani argues that Japan's tendency to shun international frameworks and hide from global realities is the root of the problem, while Mikitani Sr.'s background as an international economist puts the issue in perspective for a well-rounded look at today's Japan. Examine the causes of Japan's endless economic stagnation Discover the current efforts underway to enhance Japan's competitiveness Learn how free market "Abenomics" affected Japan's economy long-term See Japan's issues from the perspective of an entrepreneur and an economist Japan's malaise is seated in a number of economic, business, political, and cultural issues, and this book doesn't shy away from hot topics. More than a discussion of economics, this book is a conversation between father and son as they work through opposing perspectives to help their country find The Power to Compete.
Make ordinary photos extraordinary with Photoshop Elements 13 Whether you prefer to snap shots on your smartphone or never leave home without your DSLR, chances are you have way more photos than you ever dreamed possible. With the help of Photoshop Elements 13 All-in-One For Dummies, you can edit those photos and turn them into stunning works of art. The book will help you get to know the key features of Photoshop Elements, including examining the Elements workspace; navigating the tools; viewing images on your computer; setting your preferences; and acquiring, saving, and exporting images. You'll then take your skills to next level and become a pro at working with iOS and Android devices, specifying resolution and changing image sizing, choosing color modes and file formats, working with Camera Raw, using and managing color, painting and drawing with Elements, creating layers, and so much more. Plus, you'll discover how to add pizzazz with styles and effects, apply quick image makeovers, correct lighting, color, and clarity, and composite with Photomerge. Photoshop Elements is the #1-selling consumer photo editing software, and Adobe continues to add innovative features that allow digital photography enthusiasts to do it all. Going well beyond the basics of how to use Photoshop Elements—and weighing in at more than 672 pages—Photoshop Elements 13 All-in-One For Dummies is the most comprehensive Elements book on the market. Written by Barbara Obermeier and Ted Padova, veteran authors, long-time instructors, and expert speakers who have spent decades specializing in digital imaging, this hands-on, friendly guide is jam-packed with everything you need to create, edit, fix, share, and organize digital images. Combines nine content-rich books in one value-packed reference Includes updated and revised information to reflect the latest release, Photoshop Elements 13 Richly illustrated in full color and brimming with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions Explains how to enhance your images by adjusting color, brightness, resolution, contrast, and sharpness Whether you're an amateur photographer or new to the digital photo scene and want to perform sophisticated editing techniques with a powerful image-editing software program, Photoshop Elements 13 All-in-One For Dummies has everything you need—and more.
The site designer's guide to SketchUp's powerful modeling capabilities SketchUp for Site Design is the definitive guide to SketchUp for landscape architects and other site design professionals. Step-by-step tutorials walk you through basic to advanced processes, with expert guidance toward best practices, customization, organization, and presentation. This new second edition has been revised to align with the latest software updates, with detailed instruction on using the newest terrain modeling tools and the newly available extensions and plug-ins. All graphics have been updated to reflect the current SketchUp interface and menus, and the third part of the book includes all-new content featuring the use of new grade and terrain extensions. Developed around the needs of intermediate professional users and their workflows, this book provides practical all-around coaching on using SketchUp specifically for modeling site plans. SketchUp was designed for usability, with the needs of the architect, industrial designer, and engineers at center stage. This book shows you how the software's powerful terrain and grade functions make it an ideal tool for site designers, and how to seamlessly integrate it into your workflow for more efficient design and comprehensive planning. Master the SketchUp basics, navigation, components, and scripts Turn 2D sketches into 3D models with volume, color, and material Create detailed site plans, custom furnishings, gradings, and architecture Learn sandbox tools, organization strategies, and model presentation tips SketchUp has undergone major changes since the publication of this guide's first edition, with its sale to Trimble Navigation bringing about a number of revisions and the availability of more immediately useful features. SketchUp for Site Design shows you how to harness the power of this newly expanded feature set to smooth and optimize the site design workflow.
A deeply human-centered perspective on the origins of America's food Where Am I Eating? bridges the gap between global food producers and the American consumer, providing an insightful look at how our eating habits affect farmers and fishermen around the world. Follow the author on his global quest to meet the workers that nurture, harvest, and hunt our food, as he works alongside them—loading lobster diving boats in Nicaragua, harvesting bananas in Costa Rica, lugging cocoa beans in Ivory Coast with a modern-day slave, picking coffee beans in Colombia and hauling tomatoes in Indiana. This new edition includes a study guide, a deeper explanation of the "glocal" concept, and advice for students looking to become engaged as both local and global citizens. Arguing neither for nor against globalization, this book simply explores the lives of those who feed us. Imports account for eighty-six percent of America's seafood, fifty percent of its fresh fruit, and eighteen percent of its fresh vegetables. Where Am I Eating? examines the effects of this reliance on those who supply the global food economy. Learn more about the global producers that feed our nation, and learn from their worldviews intensely connected to people and planet Discover how food preferences and trends affect the lives of farmers and fishermen Catch a boots-on-the-ground glimpse of the daily lives of food producers on four continents Meet a modern-day slave and explore the blurred line between exploitation and opportunity Observe how the poorest producers fare in the global food economy This book takes a human-centered approach to food, investigating the lives of the people at the other end of the global food economy, observing the hope and opportunity—or lack thereof—that results from our reliance on imports. Where Am I Eating? is a touching, insightful, informative look at the origins of our food.
Investing with the Trend provides an abundance of evidence for adapting a rules-based approach to investing by offering something most avoid, and that is to answer the “why” one would do it this way. It explains the need to try to participate in the good markets and avoid the bad markets, with cash being considered an asset class. The book is in three primary sections and tries to leave no stone unturned in offering almost 40 years of experience in the markets. Part I – The focus is on much of the misinformation in modern finance, the inappropriate use of Gaussian statistics, the faulty assumptions with Modern Portfolio Theory, and a host of other examples. The author attempts to explain each and offer justification for his often strong opinions. Part II – After a lead chapter on the merits of technical analysis, the author offers detailed research into trend analysis, showing how to identify if a market is trending or not and how to measure it. Further research involves the concept of Drawdown, which the author adamantly states is a better measure of investor risk than the oft used and terribly wrong use of volatility as determined by standard deviation. Part III – This is where he puts it all together and shows the reader all of the steps and details on how to create a rules-based trend following investment strategy. A solid disciplined strategy consists of three parts, a measure of what the market is actually doing, a set of rules and guidelines to tell you how to invest based upon that measurement, and the discipline to follow the strategy
Praise for 60-Minute Brand Strategist "A fresh take on the wisdom of putting brand strategy at the heart of corporate strategy. Brilliant insights for a fast-moving world." —Angela Ahrendts, CEO, Burberry "Idris Mootee paints a sharp, comprehensive, and finely articulated analysis of the potential of meaningful brands in the 21st century's cultural scenario and business landscape. The result is a smart manual that reminds you and your company how to build relevant, authentic, sustainable, and successful brands in an evolving society." —Mauro Porcini, Chief Design Officer, PepsiCo Inc. "Idris's book teaches us how to engage today's increasingly cynical consumers on a deeper emotional level to build real equity and leadership. He demonstrates how to break out of the box and connect business strategy to brand strategy, and how the right brand story never really ends!" —Blair Christie, SVP and CMO, Cisco Systems, Inc. "It's rare to find a book that's both inspiring and practical but Idris nailed it! He has crafted the ultimate guide to brand building in the connected world with visual clarity and thought-provoking strategy." —Eric Ryan, cofounder, Method Products, Inc. This book is about one thing only: branding. Period. In this economy ruled by ideas, the only sustainable form of leadership is brand leadership. 60-Minute Brand Strategist offers a fast-paced, field-tested view of how branding decisions happen in the context of business strategy, not just in marketing communications. With a combi-nation of perspectives from business strategy, customer experience, and even anthropology, this new and updated edition outlines the challenges traditional branding faces in a hyper-connected world. This essential handbook of brand marketing offers an encyclopedia of do's and don'ts, including new case studies of how these concepts are being used by the world's most successful and valuable brands. 60-Minute Brand Strategist is your battle plan, filled with powerful branding tools and techniques to win your customers' hearts and defeat the competition.