Every so often a book comes along with a brand new, innovative and startling approach to an everyday subject. On the subject of business communication, that book is The Hidden Profit Center. While most business leaders agree--without much real thought-- that communication is important, author Helen Wilkie contends they have no idea just how important. In fact, when people communicate ineffectively at work, it costs companies money. Real, hard dollars-- and lots of them. Inspired by books like "The One Minute Manager and "Who Moved My Cheese?, Wilkie has written a deceptively simple fable that makes the shocking cost of poor communication unmistakable. Written for busy people, this small but invaluable book can be read in less than two hours--perfect for a business flight.
Successful word-coinages--those that stay in currency for a good long time--tend to conceal their beginnings. We take them at face value and rarely when and where they were first minted. Engaging, illuminating, and authoritative, Ralph Keyes's The Hidden History of Coined Words explores the etymological underworld of terms and expressions and uncovers plenty of hidden gems. He also finds some fascinating patterns, such as that successful neologisms are as likely to be created by chance as by design. A remarkable number of new words were coined whimsically, originally intended to troll or taunt. Knickers, for example, resulted from a hoax; big bang from an insult. Casual wisecracking produced software, crowdsource, and blog. More than a few resulted from happy accidents, such as typos, mistranslations, and mishearing (bigly and buttonhole), or from being taken entirely out of context (robotics). Neologizers (a Thomas Jefferson coinage) include not just scholars and writers but cartoonists, columnists, children's book authors. Wimp originated with a book series, as did goop, and nerd from a book by Dr. Seuss. Coinages are often contested, controversy swirling around such terms as gonzo, mojo, and booty call. Keyes considers all contenders, while also leading us through the fray between new word partisans, and those who resist them strenuously. He concludes with advice about how to make your own successful coinage. The Hidden History of Coined Words will appeal not just to word mavens but history buffs, trivia contesters, and anyone who loves the immersive power of language.
The illustrated guide to profitable, vibrant and sustainable permaculture-based market gardening Permaculture tends to be very much in the domain of home gardeners and property owners. But what if we could take it all a step further, and merge the fields of permaculture and market gardening? In The Permaculture Market Garden , author Zach Loeks brings together his passion for sustainable permaculture food production systems and beautiful, vibrant illustrations to provide a highly visual guide to the smooth integration of permaculture into the market garden, in ways that are scalable to specific situations. Profiling crops and ecosystem-based techniques, Loeks demonstrates a profitable, sustainable and approachable model for the future of market gardening. Along the way, Loeks introduces his own system of PermaBeds, season extension techniques, intensive and rotational interplanting, in-depth discussions on soil health, and more, bringing activities, designs and prospects of farming to life through illustrations, so the reader can be immersed within the world of permaculture farming. Playful, informative and curious, inspiring and beautiful and packed with accessible practical information, The Permaculture Market Garden will inspire both the seasoned market gardener as well as anyone aspiring to start a business. Zach Loeks is a market gardener, farm consultant and educator living in the Ottawa Valley. Winner of two regional awards for sustainability and innovation in agriculture, he shares his expertise in farming, design and business through a successful series of on-farm workshops, conferences and schools, as well as a successful year-round CSA.
Complying with environmental protection laws need not punch a hole in a firm's bottom line. Smith shows that compliance can be profitable. He provides corporate executives with easily accessed data and analyses of the theory of environmental management systems (EMS), and in doing so covers the major environmental concerns worrying corporate America. The result is a practical guide to the tools of environmental management and how they can be used to enhance a corporation's profitability while at the same time reducing its impact on the environment and consequent financial liabilities. Readers will find ways to tailor an appropriate strategy to their specific business needs, justify that strategy financially, and integrate the EMS into an existing business plan. Smith takes the reader through all of the environmental factors that affect profits and productivity. He demonstrates the practicality of not only considering the life cycle of a single product or service, but also the impact of life cycles throughout the entire company. A degree in environmental science is not needed to follow Smith's reasoning and advice, but solid business knowledge ^Iis^R important. Smith provides all of the background needed to start an EMS program, the benefits of which are limited only by management's priorities and the creativity of a company's people.
Wayne reveals how the human body was used as the model for creating the buildings and high-rise structures we live and work in today. Yet, more telling he walks us through scientific evidence that shows how our building’s and structures can communicate with people. He uses a number of analogies and real life experiences to reveal how buildings and facilities operate and communicate. He systematically interconnects your cognitive functions with facilities-related processes. These interrelated functions encompass reasoning, memory, attention, and related facility engineering terms which lead directly to the attainment of information and, in-turn, enhance your understanding as a current and future facilities professional, as well as that of a novice that would just simply like to know of Wayne’s exploits or a basic curiosity of just how buildings work. Daisy Gallagher, a global Who’s Who within the built environment and Washington, DC insider, advances the Foreword of this book to introduce a number of Wayne’s achievements and teachings, that includes Wayne being recognized by the 114th Congress of the United States. She shares how Wayne takes the wrapper off some of America’s most prestigious companies and organizations to share a few of his insights and dealings with some of these recognizable structures, while ultimately convincing you that buildings are people too!
The corporate world is typically structured in silos. Managers urgently need to overcome this "silo" effect by fusing ideas across different functional areas in the firm. In Fusion for Profit, Sharan Jagpal, a well-known and highly respected multidisciplinary researcher and business consultant, explains in simple language using real-world examples how managers can use sophisticated concepts to fuse different functional areas in the firm, especially marketing and finance, to increase the firm's value. The author provides novel solutions to a wide range of complex business problems ranging from choosing pricing and bundling strategies, to positioning and messaging strategies, to measuring brand equity, to measuring advertising productivity in a mixed media plan including Internet advertising, to compensating a multiproduct sales force, to measuring the potential gains and risks from mergers and acquisitions. These concepts are illustrated using case studies from a variety of firms in different industries, including AT&T, Coca-Cola, Continental Airlines, General Electric, Home Depot, Southwest Airlines, and Verizon.
Before you put that FOR RENT sign in the yard, read this Hello there, future landlord. You’ve found what you’re looking for—a complete package of information and resources to teach you what you need to know and make your life (and your tenants’ lives) easier. With Property Management Kit For Dummies, you can learn how to manage single-family homes, large apartment buildings, treehouses, dollhouses... okay, there’s not much info here on managing dollhouses, but everything else is definitely covered. Find good tenants, move them in, and keep them happy and paying rent on time. When it comes time for a change, learn how to move tenants out and turn over the property, easy as pie. This book makes it simple to understand tax and insurance requirements, building maintenance concerns, and financial record keeping. Plus, the updated edition reflects the current rental property boom, new technologies, changes to the law, and the inside scoop on the latest Fair Housing issues to keep you out of court. Emotional support animals? Rent control? Bed bugs? Eviction? It’s all in here. Find out whether property management is right for you, learn what you need to get started, and be successful as your residential rental property portfolio grows Get your ducks in a row—develop solid marketing and advertising strategies and resources, build up-to-date rental contracts, figure out the legal side of things, and minimize your income and property tax bills Make sure you’re renting to responsible people, and deal with the occasional problem tenant without major drama Maximize your cash flow by keeping your rents at market prices, efficiently handling maintenance, and ensuring your property has great curb appeal with the features and benefits sought by today’s tenants Become a top-notch property manager with this one-and-done reference, plus online bonus materials.
