Business: The Ultimate Resource

Rating:
Summary: Thorough reference
Review: "Business: The Ultimate Resource" takes the reader through a very thorough exposition of business in all of its forms. Although it is a huge book with a table of contents larger than many business book indexes, it is well organized and easy to use. The primary divisions of the book include sections on Best Practice (various essays from business leaders), Management and Action Checklists (detailed lists of each step to implement or calculate various items), Management Library (summaries of the most influential business books), Business Thinkers and Management Giants (profiles of business leaders), Business Dictionary, World Business Almanac, and Business Information Sources (including addresses, phone numbers, web sites, etc. for additional help and/or information).

Some of the articles that are on the cutting edge of current business thought include Managing 21st Century Financials, Integrating Real and Virtual Strategies, Making B2B Your New Operational Standard, Emotional Intelligence and Leadership, and Managing Dynamic Change.

Checklists include lists in various categories including People Management, Personal Effectiveness (including excellent checklists on effective communication), HR/Training, Marketing, Operations, Small Business, Business Planning, E-Commerce, Personal Development, Accounting and Finance (includes how to calculate just about any accounting ratio or value that you would need).

The Management Library book summaries are well done in a format that gives the background on the book along with the key points made in the book. It includes such business classics as Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" and Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" to more current thought such as "Blur" by Stan Davis and Christopher Meyer. Although this is a book published in 2002, the most recent summary is on a book published in 1998. So it does not contain summaries of the more recent books, but the summaries of books prior to 1999 are excellent.

In short, instead of providing information on a limited aspect of business (such as management or accounting or personnel) it provides a comprehensive understanding of business as a whole. An excellent reference for any business professional, the price makes it a steal and a recommended buy.

Rating:
Summary: Magnus Opus Worth Its Weight
Review: In today's go-go, "give it to me in two words or less" world, the idea of buying a big, heavy business reference book with more than 2,000 pages in it seems absurd. Ludicrous. Nuts!

But getting this book is actually very smart. Intelligent. Brilliant!

Why? Well it's definitely not plane reading. And it's not likely bed-time reading. But as a useful reference tool and practical guide to just about everything (from calculating net rate of return to "finding your calling and living your passion"), BUSINESS is a superb tool to keep close at hand.

By contrast, I also own the equally hefty "AMA [American Management Association] Management Handbook," which is, in a word, worthless as a practical tool. In the AMA tome, many topics are either missing, written with an academic, "about the subject," treatment, or so light on practical application as to measure zero (or less if you count the time wasted in your search) on the utility scale.

So is "BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource," in fact, the ultimate resource? Well, that's publisher hyperbole. The index is not nearly complete. But it will point you to a few places where your subject is treated, and those articles are often cross-referenced with others...

So if you follow the chain, you'll find a heck of a lot of useful information. And the huge tome comes with some other interesting stuff such as summaries of "the most influential business books of all time," and profiles of "management giants," a business dictionary, and yet more reference material.

But the real draw for me: There's lots of actionable advice about very practical things--from setting organizational strategy to more fully engaging passive, compliant staff members.

Moreover, most articles on any given topic fill only about two pages at a crack. So you can get in, get what you need, and get on with your real work.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, this reviewer wrote a brief Best Practices article on leadership development for the book. It's two-pages among the reference's more than two-thousand. (And candidly, when I first heard about the project, I thought an overwhelming, omnibus treatment of all matters business was flat-out goofy. That was until I actually saw the book. And started reading critically. It proved its usefulness very quickly.)

You'll recognize many prominent experts among the contributors. Even better, you'll find that they've been held to a tight, focused, practical style and format---with no philosophical diatribes and no time-wasting sidetracks.

That editorial discipline won't mean much as the volume rests heavily on your credenza. But it will really serve you when some new, unexpected and unfamiliar responsibility lands in your in-box. When your mind sounds the alarm --- "What the heck am I supposed to do about this?!" --- just take a deep breath, heave open the covers, and dig in!

Having this big black book nearby will be akin to career insurance.

You'd be hard-pressed to find either more ample or more useful advice for so little an investment.

Rating:
Summary: Very thorough
Review: Quite an impressive collection of reference material in one book. Very well organized. It is basically a whole library in one. The only downside is it's size. The book weighs something like 10 lbs, not something you can take to the coffee shop for a read. I didnt find the checklist section very useful. It contains many scenarios that will not come up in the normal course of business. This book is better suited for libraries and academic institution use. Perhaps if they broke this book down into several volumes it would be more useful. Having said all of this, the book does appear to be very well written and researched. For all of the information that it contains, it is a real bargain.

Rating:
Summary: The most complete business reference book
Review: The size of this book is indeed intimidating. Fortunately, the content indeed matches well with its heaviness. This is the most complete business reference book I'd ever seen. The book is well organized. Topics are well arranged. Articles were written by wellknown experts in the world of business. This is a book that will be valuable for any organization. It's a must-have reference for your organization's library.

Rating:
Summary: Incomplete Geography
Review: This book contains a "World Business Almanac" with significant information on all countries of the world - all countries, that is, except Madagascar! Imagine my surprise having bought this book as a general resource and being able to find out economic and other information on all countries, including North Korea and Cuba, but to find Madagascar missing!

Rating:
Summary: Size Does Matter.........
Review: This book is massive and holds a wealth of information unsurpassed by any management/business book I've encountered. The layout is exceptional and is unassuming as it's driven by icons and clearly organized. The book has a top-notch advisory board. The little extras listed under "For More Information" such as websites and books are invaluable. They've done all the legwork for you. Also, each section highlights possible application of the concept discussed in a section called "Making It Happen" and the numerous management checklist make this book very applied. If there is a lacuna in your knowledge base it will surly be filled with Business the Ultimate Resource. Additionally, the bios and details of business gurus are helpful in understanding what it takes to be successful in a global market. Yes, this book does have a global perspective from illustrating the Japanese methodology of Kaizen to business opportunities in Mozambique. So, if you are looking for an exceptional reference book that overshadows Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace by 670 pages this is it!