Søgeresultater: 5

Summary: Brilliant and engagingly written, Why Nations Fail answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine? Is it culture, the weather, geography? Perhaps ignorance of what the right policies are? Simply, no. None of these factors is either definitive or destiny. Otherwise, how to explain why Botswana has become one of the fastest growing countries in the world, while other African nations, such as Zimbabwe, the Congo, and Sierra Leone, are mired in poverty and violence? Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson conclusively show that it is man-made political and economic institutions that underlie economic success (or lack of it). Korea, to take just one of their fascinating examples, is a remarkably homogeneous nation, yet the people of North Korea are among the poorest on earth while their brothers and sisters in South Korea are among the richest. The south forged a society that created incentives, rewarded innovation, and allowed everyone to participate in economic opportunities. The economic success thus spurred was sustained because the government became accountable and responsive to citizens and the great mass of people. Sadly, the people of the north have endured decades of famine, political repression, and very different economic institutions—with no end in sight. The differences between the Koreas is due to the politics that created these completely different institutional trajectories. Based on fifteen years of original research Acemoglu and Robinson marshall extraordinary historical evidence from the Roman Empire, the Mayan city-states, medieval Venice, the Soviet Union, Latin America, England, Europe, the United States, and Africa to build a new theory of political economy with great relevance for the big questions of today, including: - China has built an authoritarian growth machine. Will it continue to grow at such high speed and overwhelm the West? - Are America’s best days behind it? Are we moving from a virtuous circle in which efforts by elites to aggrandize power are resisted to a vicious one that enriches and empowers a small minority? - What is the most effective way to help move billions of people from the rut of poverty to prosperity? More philanthropy from the wealthy nations of the West? Or learning the hard-won lessons of Acemoglu and Robinson’s breakthrough ideas on the interplay between inclusive political and economic institutions? Why Nations Fail will change the way you look at—and understand—the world. 

Summary: One world's richest and best-known people in his day, Henry Ford was the founder of Ford Motor Company and a pioneering innovator of mass production. Ford's autobiography, My Life and Work , gives personal insight into the life of this prolific inventor and titan of industry. For the time, Ford awarded high wages to his workers despite his driving commitment towards reducing costs, which he did instead through the channels of business and technological innovation. Ford's vision held consumerism as a cornerstone of global peace and prosperity. In spite of not believing in accountants, Ford amassed an enormous wealth, most of which he left to the Ford Foundation

Summary: 'A fascinating, freewheeling examination of ideas of debt, balance and revenge in history, society and literature - Atwood has again struck upon our most current anxieties' The Times 'A stimulating, learned, and stylish read from an eminent author writing from a heartfelt perspective ... very provocative' Conrad Black In this wide-ranging history of debt Margaret Atwood investigates its many meanings through the ages, from ancient times to the current global financial meltdown. Many of us wonder: how could we have let such a collapse happen? How old or inevitable is this human pattern of debt? From the earliest days of finance in ancient Babylon to the modern machinations of the World Bank, the acclaimed author of The Handmaid's Tale turns her incisive eye onto one of humanity's oldest ideas. Imaginative, topical and insightful, Payback urges us to reconsider our ideas of ownership and debt - before it is too late

Summary: The further silent adventures of the trouserless man, who now extends his half-dressed antics outside the office onto an unsuspecting world... Enter the extraordinarily ordinary world of a half-dressed man. In the world of ROGER, silence speaks volumes, whether in the workplace, at leisure, or on his travels. Following his debut collection of captionless cartoons in 2006, this follow-up book sees ROGER outside the womb-like comfort zone of the office and follows his bemused antics in the domestic environment. While dreams of being half-dressed would terrify most ordinary souls, ROGER goes out-and-about with remarkable calm dreamily abandoning his trousers and causing mayhem as he goes about his mundane life – at home, shopping, travelling and at play. In the office, ROGER seemed content forever to hold his peace – now he is at large, his reputation will continue to precede him...

Summary: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This instant classic explores how we can change our lives by changing our habits. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Wall Street Journal • Financial Times In The Power of Habit, award-winning business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. Distilling vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives that take us from the boardrooms of Procter & Gamble to the sidelines of the NFL to the front lines of the civil rights movement, Duhigg presents a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential. At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive, and achieving success is understanding how habits work. As Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives. With a new Afterword by the author   “Sharp, provocative, and useful.” —Jim Collins   “Few books become essential manuals for business and living. The Power of Habit is an exception. Charles Duhigg not only explains how habits are formed but how to kick bad ones and hang on to the good.” — Financial Times   “A flat-out great read.” —David Allen, bestselling author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity “You’ll never look at yourself, your organization, or your world quite the same way.” —Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind “Entertaining . . . enjoyable . . . fascinating . . . a serious look at the science of habit formation and change.” — The New York Times Book Review