An eye-popping, unauthorized expos? of the House of Barbie From Boise to Beijing, Mattel's toys dominate the universe. Its no-fun-and-games marketing muscle reaches some 140 countries, and its iconic products have been a part of our culture for generations. Now, in this intriguing and entertaining expos?, New York Times bestselling author Jerry Oppenheimer places the world's largest toy company under a journalistic microscope, uncovering the dark side of toy land, and exploring Mattel's oddball corporate culture and eccentric, often bizarre, cast of characters. Based on exclusive interviews and an exhaustive review of public and private records, Toy Monster exposes Mattel's take-no-prisoners, shark-infested corporate style. Throughout this scrupulously reported, unauthorized portrait, you'll discover how dangerous toys are actually nothing new to Mattel, and why its fearsomely litigious approach within the brutal toy business has helped their products dominate potential rivals such as Bratz. Introduces you to the larger-than-life personalities that have shaped Mattel's eccentric world Offers an inside look- from an experienced author-at the scandals that have been a part of this iconic company Jerry Oppenheimer is also the author of Madoff with the Money, an in-depth look at Bernie Madoff the man and his billion dollar scam Engaging and accessible, Toy Monster shows you why today's toy business isn't always fun and games.
In Courage, Gus Lee captures the essential component of leadership in measurable behaviors. Using actual stories from Whirlpool, Kaiser Permanente, IntegWare, WorldCom and other organizations, Lee shows how highly successful executives face and overcome their fears to develop moral intelligence. These real-world examples offer practical lessons for rooting out unethical practices and behaviors by Assessing them for rightness and integrity Addressing moral failures Following through with dialogue and direct action
A bear market may last for a week, a month or even a few years, but it can take only a day, an hour or even a few minutes for the value of an investment portfolio to be slashed to half of its former value. Some bear markets start with a bang, like the crash of ?7, others creep up slowly so that investors do not realise they are in a bear market and carry on as if nothing has happened. Of course, not even the experts can accurately forecast what the market will do. However, there are signs that can indicate a bear market is approaching and, if recognised, give prudent investors time to take steps to safeguard their portfolios. The first part of this book describes how to recognise the signals that might precede a bear market, and how to watch the various indices for sell signals. The second part deals with methods to help both investors and traders to survive by understanding what changes in volume represent, when to use a moving average and how to stay ahead of the pack. Chris Tate guides the reader step-by-step through his methods, as well as using examples from his own extensive trading experience. He uses charts to explain what to look for in the market and what action to take. This is written in his usual easy-to-understand style.
Praise for MAVERICK REAL ESTATE FINANCING «Once you start reading, you won't be able to put the book down. You will feel you are part of the deals that industry leaders have put together. This is a real book about real people and how they address risk and reward.» –Bruce S. Schonbraun, Managing Partner The Schonbraun McCann Group LLP «Bergsman applies a journalist's logic to the complex world of commercial real estate, making it easier for outsiders to understand. He writes with the authority of a true insider.» –Brannon Boswell, Managing Editor Shopping Centers Today «Congratulations. Finally, someone has written a book that reflects real estate finance in the twenty-first century. With the growing proliferation of real estate education in university business schools today, this book should be required reading!» –James D. Kuhn, President Newmark Knight Frank In Maverick Real Estate Financing, Steve Bergsman–author of the widely acclaimed Maverick Real Estate Investing–describes the various financing methods you can use to achieve real estate investment success. Maverick Real Estate Financing also introduces you to an innovative group of real estate professionals who have used these methods to build substantial fortunes. By listening to some of the world's most successful real estate Mavericks–includingWilliam Sanders, W. P. Carey, and Stephen Ross–you'll discover what sets them apart from the rest of the pack and learn how to apply their proven principles to your own real estate deals. Each chapter examines a different real estate financing technique and the Maverick who best exemplifies it. Some of the strategies and products discussed include: * Equity financing * Public and private REITs * Agency loans * UPREITs * Commingled capital * Retail site arbitrage * Conduit loans * Sale-leasebacks * Distressed mortgages * Low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs)
The Ultimate Guide to Buying and Selling Property Like the Experts How do the world's most successful developers–from Donald Trump to Sam Zell–make the most of every real estate transaction? The answers are found throughout Maverick Real Estate Investing. In this one-of-a-kind book, you'll learn the secrets to making a good deal, using other people's money, establishing cash flow targets, finding the best locations, getting top legal and tax counsel, overcoming negative responses, selling at the right time, and much more. It's must reading for every aspiring real estate titan, and will give you the tools necessary to make every deal a profitable one. «Steve Bergsman's profiles of some of the most successful investors of our time give an illustrative and illuminating insight into how the best in the business have consistently managed their risk . . . and raised their returns. If you want to make it in the competitive world of real estate investing, read this book!» –Dale Anne Reiss, Global and Americas Director of Real Estate, Hospitality, and Construction Services, Ernst & Young «For the novice–and even the experienced–investor in real estate, Steve Bergsman's book contains lots of worthwhile ideas. Better still, it clearly explains how to implement them. Easy to read and insightful, it's one of the better how-to investment guides around.» –Richard Rescigno, Managing Editor, Barron's «I have been reading Steve Bergsman's insightful real estate reporting and commentary for over a decade. He is one of the best real estate writers in America, as evidenced by his captivating analysis in Maverick Real Estate Investing, where he melds personalities and investing principles into a very good read.» –Jonathan L. Kempner, President and Chief Executive Officer Mortgage Bankers Association
What Steven J. Stein found out about creating and sustaining great workplaces The proprietary and cutting-edge research carried out by the author led to outcomes that shed new light on management practice and strategy. The 7 Keys presented in this book, when implemented, will produce immediate results and long-term enhanced performance. You will be privy to what the author has learned about the changing workplace and the role leaders play in maximizing their workforce. You can fill an organization with all the intelligent and highly educated people you want, but without the right culture and discipline, your chances of success are in doubt. Use this book to see how your organization measures up to the 7 Keys and implement the necessary changes to make your workplace a happier and more productive one. The 7 keys Hire capable people who love the work they do and show how they contribute to the bigger picture. Compensate people fairly. Don't overwork (or underwork) people. Build strong teams with shared purpose and viable goals. Make sure managers can manage. Treat people with respect and leverage their unique talents. Be proactively responsible by doing the right things to win the hearts and minds of your people.
With big-box stores dominating today’s business landscape, small business owners are facing serious challenges. But there is a way to level the playing field and win—and The Essential Online Solution will show you how. Written by industry experts, this book outlines a five-step formula that will allow you to harness the power of the online world and improve your company’s bottom line.
If any of the following behaviors sound like you or someone you work with, beware! In Why CEOs Fail, David L. Dotlich and Peter C. Cairo describe the most common characteristics of derailed top executives and how you can avoid them: Arrogance—you think that you're right, and everyone else is wrong. Melodrama—you need to be the center of attention. Volatility—you're subject to mood swings. Excessive Caution—you're afraid to make decisions. Habitual Distrust—you focus on the negatives. Aloofness —you're disengaged and disconnected. Mischievousness—you believe that rules are made to be broken. Eccentricity—you try to be different just for the sake of it. Passive Resistance—what you say is not what you really believe. Perfectionism—you get the little things right and the big things wrong. Eagerness to Please—you try to win the popularity contest.
A software testing survival guide for those who work in Internet time With Internet applications spreading like wildfire, the field of software testing is increasingly challenged by the brave new networked world of e-business. This book brings you up to speed on the technologies, testing concepts, and tools you'll need to run e-business applications on the Web. Written by Hung Nguyen, a coauthor of the bestselling software testing book of all time, Testing Computer Software, this new guide takes you to the next level, helping you apply your existing skills to the testing of B2B (Business-to-Business), B2C (Business-to-Consumer), and internal Web-based applications. You'll learn how to test transactions across networks, explore complex systems for errors, and work efficiently with the many components at play–from servers to browsers to protocols. Most importantly, you'll get detailed instructions on how to carry out specific test types along with case studies and error examples for each test. Software testers, test leads and test managers, QA analysts and managers, and IT managers and staff will find this an invaluable resource for their testing projects. With an emphasis on achievable goals and necessary rather than nice-to-have features, Testing Applications on the Web provides: An analysis of the Web-application model and the difference between Web testing and traditional testing A tutorial on the methodology and techniques for networking technologies and component-based testing Strategies for test planning, test case designing, and error analysis on the Web Effective real-world practices for UI (User Interface) tests, security tests, installation tests, load and stress tests, database tests, and more A survey of commercial tools and a sampling of proven test matrices and templates
In The Secret Science of Price and Volume, leading market timer Tim Ord outlines a top-down approach to trading—identifying the trend, picking the strongest sectors, and focusing on the best stocks within those sectors—that will allow you to excel in a variety of markets. With this book as your guide, you’ll quickly become familiar with Ord’s proven method and discover how it can be used to make more profitable trading decisions.