Corporate-finance

After scanning several books on the subject, this one looked like the most useful and usable of the batch. The Art of M&A provides solid, detailed and precise information for people in companies making acquisitions. It is a good introduction to the topic and long term resource for specifics.

The very size of this book on such a specialized topic may seem daunting. However, the writing is so lively and the organization by question and answer is so easy to use that you will find this a very useful and comprehensive handbook.

It is NOT a theory laden textbook. Rather, it is a very useful and practical guide to the field and will help the careful reader avoid many pitfalls. There are many ways to make mistakes in buying companies and this book can open your eyes to quite of few of them. In fact, if you are the target of a buyout, this book can be of special importance and interest.

I admit to being fascinated by this topic so take that into consideration when evaluating what I say about this book. But even so, mergers and acquistions are so much in the news (for good and ill) that it can only help to get more background on what is really going on and how these deals are (or at least should be) put together.

The book reads MUCH shorter than its size and is fairly comprehensive on the subject - from the methods in selecting candidates for acquisition to what to do when you are a target of an acquisition to some very specialized topics. It also deals with M&A issues with both public, private, and even family firms.

Honestly, I am surprised at how glad I am that I bought this book. It is terrific.

This is a fantastic reference tome for anyone involved with M&A. As a private equity Associate, I have found this book to be invaluable on multiple levels as both a reference guide for securities law, as well as for procedural issues such as sample formats for term sheets, DD check lists, etc.

Also, while it is a dense read, I think this would be invaluable for people just entering either Investment Banking or Private Equity to read as an introduction to the rules, regulations and procedures surrounding mergers/acquisitions.

The Art of M&A Integration is indeed an Art Book. It might help you in choosing your watercolors, but will not teach you how to paint.

Lajoux continues to give excellent guidance on the art of merger integration. Her summaries, although brief, are easily digestable and understandable, without being superficial. Lajoux relies on experts and solid sources for further guidance, structuring the book in a Socrates "Q&A" format that keeps the reader absorbed and interested. It is evident that Lajoux's aim is to be thorough in scope, yet not overwhelm the reader with voluminous data on any one aspect of postmerger integration. Her concise, albeit compehensive work will be a useful guide for management in my company, which has undergone several acquistions in recent years and anticipates more in the future. Lajoux deserves high marks for her excellent work.

Alexandra Lajoux's new book greatly expands on her considerable earlier commentary on M&A activity, focusing on what happens after the knot is tied and the many loose ends that need tending to: employee communications, financial controls, information technology, management misunderstandings, compensation issues, and cultural clashes, to name but a few. Regardless of the amount of thought and planning that may have shaped the prenuptial agreement, the actual merging, or integration, of two corporate entities inevitably brings surprises. One purpose of this comprehensive book is to help the reader to minimize the impact of unforeseen problems. The book is rich with examples of both historically significant and current mergers, yet because of its question-and-answer format is easily accessible and in fact a good read. Ms. Lajoux, having observed and reported on M&A and corporate governance for over twenty years, knows whereof she writes but nonetheless calls on the knowledge of many others as well. The fifty experts in various facets of M&A who contributed in one way or another to this book are identified for the readers' convenience. One measure of the scope of this book is the fact that its index, in fine print, takes up a good dozen pages. In summary, The Art of M&A Integration: A Guide to Merging Resources, Processes, and Responsibilities, is a thorough guided tour through the field and, not incidentally, a giant check list of potential pitfalls and opportunities along the way.

I've recommended this book to several friends.

When purchasing a company you need to know what to look for and where to look for it and what it is you are looking at when you get the information you asked for.

If you are selling your company you need to know what someone SHOULD be looking for, where they will look for it, and the kinds of conclusions they should be drawing from what they are seeing.

This book is an incredibly valuable resource in this process. It is organized very logically and is a series of questions and answers so you can hop around to the information you need for the moment. However, it is also written in such a lively manner that it is easy to read from beginning to end. I happen to be fascinated by this topic and think this is an incredibly helpful handbook.

I think that the way you conduct due dilligence says a lot about your chances of success with an acquisition. And I also think that if someone is trying to buy you, you can tell a lot about them by what they want to know and the conclusions they draw from what they see. In either case it behooves you to invest time and a couple of books in a book like this. Well, in this book.

I found this book insightful, well organized, and thorough in covering highly complicated subject matter. Of greater importance was the author's ability to minimize discussion of theory and provide an excellent discussion of the practical aspects of doing a deal.

Alexandra Reed LaJoux has done it again. Her most recent book on "The Art of M&A Due Diligence" is a valuable tool for the seasoned practitioner as well as the neophyte. She and her co-author Charles Elson effectively combine the big picture with relevant detail so that the reader has a clear understanding of not only the critical concepts but of the process of "due diligence." I found the chapter dedicated to "transactional due diligence" particularly useful. I would recommend this book to anyone serious about transactional work, either as a lawyer, investment banker, or businessperson.

The Art of Innovation is the story of the famous Palo Alto based design firm, IDEO. The book is easy to read and moves quickly. The author, Tom Kelley, is the brother of founder David Kelley. Tom is the General Manager and is an ex-management consultant. This is important because the book really devolves into a light treatise on business management practices. This makes sense since given Tom Kelley's responsibilities at IDEO and his background. It also explains the Tom Peter's Foreword. If you like Tom Peter's books, you will enjoy this book.

If you are looking for real insights into the IDEO design process you will be disappointed. Most of the insights are of a personnel management nature, and even those are at a relatively high level. Mr. Kelley pokes more than a few veiled barbs at the slow industrial giants who simply cannot compete with the brain power and management prowess at IDEO. That may sound sarcastic, but Mr. Kelley's pride in his company often crosses that fine line into arrogance.

There are a few actual projects described to point out how valuable a certain IDEO practice is. There are repeated references to IDEO's contribution to the invention of the Apple mouse and follow-up work on the Microsoft Mouse. Also, a great deal of time is spent talking about the redesign of the common shopping cart that was done in one week for a segment on Nightline. I know that IDEO has had many important clients and recent important projects. Perhaps they can't talk about them because of non-disclosure agreements. There are color pictures of some products at the beginning of each of 15 chapters but often there is no mention of those products in the text. Some black & white photographs of products and the IDEO workspaces also accompany the text. There are no diagrams or illustrations.

A great deal of the book outlines the emphasis that IDEO puts on the treatment of their employees and their penchant for quick and frequent prototyping as a key to success. All projects start by assigning a "hot" team and letting them brainstorm and prototype their way into some great ideas. No details are given on how the teams are formed or managed.

This book is for you if you are looking for a light management practices book and just a little insight into a premier design firm. You will probably be disappointed if you want to find out how products are designed or what specific processes are used to manage the design process. You also will not get a great deal of competitive information about IDEO. The book assumes that you have at least a general idea of what Industrial Design is about.

Tom Kelley admits that workshops about the "IDEO way" have been turned into a profit center. They give seminars on how to organize product development at client companies. I could see IDEO including this book with their seminar, or perhaps they could give it to a prospective client to whet their appetite. It definitely leaves you wanting more information. I am left wondering, "How much is that seminar, and will they let me in?"

This is an entertaining and accessible read. Tom Kelley lets us in on the IDEO philosophy and approach to innovation in product and service design. While there are more appropriate alternatives for studying the mechanics of new product development such as Cooper's "Winning at New Products, Accelerating the Process from Idea to Launch", this book addresses the often-misunderstood need to create a culture of innovation. IDEO has figured out how to accelerate learning during the "fuzzy front end" of new product development. A great book for inspiring anyone involved in the new product development process.

Kelly includes memorable labels such as the seven brainstorming steps,
1.Sharpen the Focus
2.Playful Rules
3.Number Your Ideas
4.Build and Jump
5.The Space Remembers
6.Stretch Your Mental Muscles
7.Get Physical

He also includes wonderful examples and stories. The production quality is what you would expect from a design group-great photos and layout. Even the paper feels good.

This should be the first book you read when you get out of college. Much of what Tom Kelley says would probably make your boss turn away, going against many theorems taught in management classes.

But just maybe he is re-defining the perfect environments for the the ideas that change the way we interface.

The Art of Identity deals with the importance of the corporate identity. Extremely well-written and researched. Rowden's book is sure to lead to powerful discussions on his ideas, especially 'firmwords,' a fascinating concept. Of course, a successful corporate identity is quite relevant nowadays, even critical to an organization's success, both on Main Street and Wall Street. The importance of identity is also emphasized in Guerilla PR: Wired, which relies on an examination of how to create and manage an image using the Internet and other technological methods.

Rowden has produced a major work relating to Corporate Identity; I believe his ideas will prove the foundation for a new direction in the business domain.

His concept of Firmwords will, I am sure, become an established mechanism through which identity can be constructed, remodeled or improved.

This deeply thought provoking book will become a classic for all who enter the business arena not just those involved in the marketing field.

Few books live up to their dust jacket. This one does. The publishers at Gower describe it as "Deeply thought-provoking, offering a profound insight into the creation, management and measurement of identity-and into why the right idnetity can transform your organisation". Though I steal their words this is a fair description.

I especially like the 'firm word' principal, I used this myself to great affect.

The entire book is a set of questions and answers, so while it may be useful for certain specific reference areas, it lacks in executive detail and depth- and is not readable cover to cover. As a third text on the topic, it is useful. Not to be too negative, there is a lot of good information tucked away in here.

Almost a third of companies with sales between $75 and $500 million expect to be involved in a merger or acquisition in the near future. Defaults in the junk-bond market are expected to top 4.5% of outstanding issues in 1999, compared with 3.4% in 1998. Surging defaults in a strong economy point to the need for a comprehensive book on how to use "other people's money," while making something for ourselves in the process.

The Art of M&A Financing and Refinancing uses a reader friendly question and answer format to easily explain lofty global concepts such as currency exchange rates and fluctuations that can affect your M&A financing, as well as the gritty details of how to calculate the cost of your proposed debt. Want to know where to obtain financing online or the tax consequences of postacquisition debt? What are the going percentages on various types of collateral? What covenants do junk bonds normally contain? What are the advantages of a private equity placement? Here you will find the answers from two well known experts in the field. While only half of all corporate mergers live up to their promise, your chances of success will greatly improve by utilizing the information contained in this comprehensive handbook.

Highly recommended by the editor of CorpGov.Net