Corporate-finance

This book is an e-commerce primer. Although its material can seem dated (which happens quickly in this environment), the book is valuable for those who want a historical overview of Internet commerce and technology. Yes, e-commerce has changed so much so quickly that any analysis of Peapod, Streamline, and other e-tailers may seem naïve. But Paul May's discussion of the movement from fat to thin client architecture is interesting and relevant. (One only wishes that the WAP discussion went further!) While this book may not be for every executive or change leader, we [...] recommend it to marketing directors as a valuable bridge between business and technology. It also can benefit those who want a strong, but not dauntingly deep, technical overview.

This book is one of a series called Breakthroughs in Application Development. I found the book to be an excellent introduction to the challenges, risks and opportunities that E-commerce brings to business, as well as to our personal lives as consumers. What I particularly liked about this book was that it used both successes and failures as examples to learn from. Also, Paul May does a good job of identifying the real business drivers (not just the buzzwords) which make going "E" so important in the current age. He examines the kind of out of the box/cross-functional thinking that is needed by both business and IT to make a substantial impact on the e-commerce world.

The book also covers the applicable technology at a high level, but not before stressing the importance of a well thought out business plan before diving into incoherent forays on the web. The most startlingly obvious recommendation he made was for companies to encourage and even subsidize their employees experiences on the Internet (a la Ford Motor Company buying PC's for all their employees, allowing access to the internet from work, etc.) since that's the best way to get them e-aware, both as consumers and professionals.

I would definitely recommend this book both for business and technical people. Paul May uses humor and even sarcasm to keep the book light and engaging without skimping on content or credibility.

'The Business of E-Commerce' is a great introductory text for senior (technical and non-technical) management, university students and consultants addressing the history, strategy and business models, specific applications as well as the technology required to quickly understand what e-commerce involves.

The well-structured, lightly illustrated and referenced chapters span:

++ getting there- about virtualization, globalization, and intellectualization aspects of business change, and exploitation through origins, recent history, interactivity, connectivity and continuity.

++ a generic business model for e-commerce- local business drivers (copycat, channel development, cost reduction, and partner inclusion), new maps (physical/informational/B2C, B2B, and cross-pollination), and role types (intermediation, disintermediation, reintermediation, and transformation agents).

++ pathfinder application areas- B2C retail, auctions, and advice; and B2B procurement, inventory exchange, and real-time collaboration.

++ technology landscape- data, dynamic networks, security, payment solutions and e-commerce standards.

++ architectures for electronic commerce- logical, technical, and organizational.

++ open issues- legalities (intellectual property, responsibility and privacy, regulation and taxation), technical issues (platform risk, communication disconnect, skills), and market issues (volatility, locus, and trust).

Strengths include: the well-structured 'mature' text; the useful lengthy glossary of terms; the attractive style with mostly complete and correct content often supported by useful illustrative anecdotes or supporting materials; and the author's obvious comfortability with discussing some technical aspects supporting e-commerce (1960s EDI, Java, XML, Jini etc..). Weaknesses include: gaps relating to organizational (e-business) development lifecycle necessary to leverage the technology and business models; manufacturing examples with errors (not all manufacturing processes just have discrete steps!); real-time confusion (see any control engineering text for precise & correct definitions); gap relating to object-oriented systems/ virtual organization development (briefly mentioned about 100 pages late!); better referencing and supporting material, and need for more sidebars & illustrations, and about 15% reduced text for same content.

This reviewer got the impression that detailed discussions were avoided to minimize the need for frequent updates/ revisions. Yet perhaps such tabulated comparisons of contemporary tools for applications and organizational development, details of various offerings from major consultancies, and discussion of web-enabled ERP, CRM, CRM, BI (and all those other software acronyms) would have added value for the reader to better implement e-commerce solutions.

Some alternative texts include: the weaker inspiring 'Futurize Your Enterprize' by Siegel; the weaker draft 'Exploring E-commerce' by Fellenstein/Wood; and Hoque's 'E-enterprise' which is initially promising but ultimately unsatisfactory (too much repetition, error, and 'jargonism' without support, despite some good charts and structure, to be considered worthwhile).

Overall, a useful and entertaining read- amongst the best books (read by this reviewer) in the last year.

As a financial practictioner,

I have applied many of the concepts from this wonderful work. One of the good things about the book is that it addresses not only the technical aspect of valuing business but also the art form as well. The book has assisted me in valuing companies in several industries and I consider it to be a one of the resources that is a staple of my practice.

Much thanks to the authors

"One of the challenges to providing business valuation services is educating inexperienced staff. Without adequate training, leveraging this profitable and growing service can be a problem. A new book by CPAs Gary Jones and Dirk Van Dyke helps.

The Business of Business Valuation is a primer for those just getting started in valuations. It covers the reasons for doing a valuation, the process and components, the valuation expert's role, as well as marketing and pricing. Even experienced valuators can benefit from the discussion of valuation consulting -- helping a business owner increase value, through smart management and policy, to achieve, overall personal, family and employee goals.

The anatomy of a business valuation is particularly helpful, as are the three sample valuation reports. You'll also find discussions of trends, ethics and coursework for porspective valuators."

This is the single most-important valuation book you will buy. It teaches you how to build a successful business valuation practice.

Gary Jones is a marketing genius, and this book contains far more marketing tips than you will find anywhere else.

I have a bookcase full of books about valuations. I've read this book twice: cover-to-cover. And it's packed so full of practical know-how that I keep discovering new, profitable ideas each time I dip back into it.

You may already know how to do business valuations. But if you want to build a successful practice...buy and read this book.

The Business of Bliss: How To Profit From Doing What You Love by the Editors of Victoria Magazine; Text by Janet Allon. This is a delightful book depicting the ways in which several women decided to start their own business. Its full of pretty pictures and gives you a relaxed feeling while getting a peep into the lives of women who are profiting from doing what they love. Its very inspirational in nature and proves that "little idea" in your head could be a very lucrative and enterprising venture. Take a chance and start your business today and pick up this book while your at it.

The Business of Bliss is a beautifully done book featuring many inspirational chapters of how more than 30 women have turned their passions into successful businesses. Beautiful photographs and a very thorough listing of resources with address information for all the businesses featured. It definitely inspired me to follow my dreams!

I was a very successful corporate business woman who recently retired and turned my passion into my current new business. I tracked down Ret, USAF Caption, Debby DuBay who is featured in The Business of Bliss and I was captivated and motivated by her inspirational true life story! She made me proud to be an American and proud of her accomplishments. In addition, she helped me with invaluable ideas and information that has helped make my business a success. I love Hearst Publications and the women they highlight. Recommend this book if you want to be inspired!

I rank this book as a solid four star book. I didn't rank the book with a five star rating because it didn't cause me to have a "paradigm shift" or see the world from a different perspective. However, those interested in American History or economic history should thoroughly enjoy this book. I loved reading the book because Mr. Gordon's work clearly shows his in-depth knowledge of American history and his excellent storytelling capabilities.

These 47 articles, gathered from Gordon's 10 years as an American Heritage columnist, cover the post-Revolutionary period through the 1950s. Each article is written, as the title portrays, from an American perspective. Mr. Gordon talks, for example, about the railroads and the characters behind them in the American boom but rarely does he specifically address who invented a product / technology, unless an American did. Additionally, I found that little attention was given to air conditioning, as it has impacted migration patterns dramatically in the U.S.

...

Ten years' worth of writing, these forty-seven essays capture illumuniating anecdotes about economic history, captured in the stories of people, ideas and moments in time. Booms and depressions, clever inventions and failed plans, tough competitors and grandoise government schemes all receive their due.

There is the story of King Cotton and how the gin made it profitable. Gordon reports on the California Gold Rush, the first television syndication (that's how Desi Arnaz earns a cover picture on an economic history book), war economies, the decision to build the World Trade towers (an eerie story to read today), steamboat races, railroad competition and more, each in pithy, five-page synopses of major historic studies or records. Brief as they are, there is not always a full story, but the histories leave the read impressed and engaged.

Gordon highlights well-known phrases, e.g., "The business of America is business," "The public be damned!" and explains how they came about (and the myths around same). Before we spoke of people "going postal", Gordon writes about the now-lapsed term, "postalization", another idea entirely.

In "The American Game" he shows how baseball is unique in that it was a business and not just a sport from its early years. A strange business, yes, where today "semiserfdom" of ballplayers has produced average annual salaries of $2.38 million and an industry prone to "work stoppages" and seemingly on the brink of disaster.

The better stories are of the visionaries who made and managed business in America, including the man who spent his personal fortune to make milk safe to drink for millions and the unsung heroes who saved businesses from failure. This is a good education for those who don't understand or who doubt the power of free markets, an idea whose time has come, or simply the American dream as it has been lived.

I so enjoyed this book I didn't want it to end. Please, Mr. Gordon, write another. My normal read is gory mystery thrillers, so this was quite a departure. I saw Mr. Gordon on C-Span and thought "The Business Of America" might be interesting. This book went far beyond interesting; it made the history of dull finance be as exciting as my normal gory thrillers!