Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Beware, this is not a new book, 19 Nov 2007
I am very much looking forward to getting stuck into this book, but I personally feel misled by the publication date showing on Amazon and wanted to bring this to the attention of others.

I purchased this book because I was looking for something 'recent' on the topic of strategy. Whilst 2004 is not that recent, I have great respect for M Porter and so was happy that it was recent enough for my purposes.

Unfortunately, upon opening the book, I find that it is a 1980 book on strategy with a 2004 preface.

The content is still good but it kind of defeats the purpose if you are looking for some modern thoughts on and techniques relating to strategy.

Packed With Knowledge!, 17 Sep 2004
This seminal book is a classic and ought to be read by anyone in business. Michael E. Porter's ideas on competitiveness have lost little relevance despite the fact that he first advanced them in this book in 1980. They have now become so much a part of business practice and business language that one reads the book more with a sense of recognition than a sense of discovery. His prose style is clear and straightforward, albeit somewhat plodding, and the book can tend to repeat itself. However, Porter's clarity is a welcome change from the murk you encounter in many other books on business strategy, and his repetition serves a useful pedagogical purpose. We highly recommend this excellent book. If you're in business, it's relevant.

Figure out why you buy before you buy, 11 Jun 2004
This is emphatically not a work of strategy and and not a book about strategic analysis. I can't see how this would be practical or useful in a real "hands-on" business environment, although i can see how the more shallow CEOs may pick up on its buzzwords. Strictly speaking, this is a work of applied classical economics and as such has rigour and intellectual clarity, though some presuppositions seem a bit dodgy and some of the results aren't extended far enough. Recommended for business studies/MBA students.

How Important Are Competitors in Setting Future Strategy?, 29 May 2004
Anyone would agree that this book is the best overview of competitive strategy analysis ever written. The strength of the book is a solid outline of subjects and questions to improve your thinking, and get to be a step ahead of the competition. In highly-competitive, commodity businesses, that's usually what strategies focus on.

On the other hand, the rapid advances of knowledge and technology mean that the relevant benchmark is perfection, not the competitor, in defining an ideal best practice. In that world, this book has serious limitations, because the competitive dimension is often less important than the customer and user dimension these days.

Any business arena begins, as Peter Drucker so aptly put it, with the task "to create a customer." That reminder is especially relevant today when they are so many new ways to serve a customer's needs that no one has ever considered before. The strategic point of 'Blown to Bits' for example is that almost every business will see its vertical value chain (moving from resources through to the customer) broken apart into tiny segments each served by specialists. If you did not begin with that perspective in analyzing the impact of electronically-based business practices, you could easily focus on the wrong tasks using this book to create an over-broad strategy focus, rather than concentrating on just a few areas.

I suspect that the applications of Moore's Law and Metcalfe's Law need to be explicitly considered as part of the analysis that Professor Porter is recommending.

A more general weakness in this book is that it assumes that future conditions will be stable enough to draw conclusions about which conditions will be favorable, without giving enough guidance on how to deal with the increasing frequencies and degrees of volatility that we see (in areas like financial markets, commodity prices, the weather, changing customer preferences, and so forth).

Although no book that takes such a narrow focus can help but have weaknesses (like having the podiatrist not notice that you have kidney problems), if you want a good start of how to think about competitors, this is the book for you. Just be sure you keep developing yours strategy with additional dimensions after you finish using this analysis.

If you have read none of Professor Porter's works, this is the one book you should read.

Excellent book for your study, 01 Feb 2004
Most people who buy this book will do so for thier study work. I am undertaking an MBA and this has proven invaluable for the dissertation. Its great to get down to the original text and interpret the theories for yourself.
If you were considering buying this book then consider no longer. It will help you get the grades you need.

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Beware, this is not a new book, 19 Nov 2007
I am very much looking forward to getting stuck into this book, but I personally feel misled by the publication date showing on Amazon and wanted to bring this to the attention of others.

I purchased this book because I was looking for something 'recent' on the topic of strategy. Whilst 2004 is not that recent, I have great respect for M Porter and so was happy that it was recent enough for my purposes.

Unfortunately, upon opening the book, I find that it is a 1980 book on strategy with a 2004 preface.

The content is still good but it kind of defeats the purpose if you are looking for some modern thoughts on and techniques relating to strategy.

Packed With Knowledge!, 17 Sep 2004
This seminal book is a classic and ought to be read by anyone in business. Michael E. Porter's ideas on competitiveness have lost little relevance despite the fact that he first advanced them in this book in 1980. They have now become so much a part of business practice and business language that one reads the book more with a sense of recognition than a sense of discovery. His prose style is clear and straightforward, albeit somewhat plodding, and the book can tend to repeat itself. However, Porter's clarity is a welcome change from the murk you encounter in many other books on business strategy, and his repetition serves a useful pedagogical purpose. We highly recommend this excellent book. If you're in business, it's relevant.

Figure out why you buy before you buy, 11 Jun 2004
This is emphatically not a work of strategy and and not a book about strategic analysis. I can't see how this would be practical or useful in a real "hands-on" business environment, although i can see how the more shallow CEOs may pick up on its buzzwords. Strictly speaking, this is a work of applied classical economics and as such has rigour and intellectual clarity, though some presuppositions seem a bit dodgy and some of the results aren't extended far enough. Recommended for business studies/MBA students.

How Important Are Competitors in Setting Future Strategy?, 29 May 2004
Anyone would agree that this book is the best overview of competitive strategy analysis ever written. The strength of the book is a solid outline of subjects and questions to improve your thinking, and get to be a step ahead of the competition. In highly-competitive, commodity businesses, that's usually what strategies focus on.

On the other hand, the rapid advances of knowledge and technology mean that the relevant benchmark is perfection, not the competitor, in defining an ideal best practice. In that world, this book has serious limitations, because the competitive dimension is often less important than the customer and user dimension these days.

Any business arena begins, as Peter Drucker so aptly put it, with the task "to create a customer." That reminder is especially relevant today when they are so many new ways to serve a customer's needs that no one has ever considered before. The strategic point of 'Blown to Bits' for example is that almost every business will see its vertical value chain (moving from resources through to the customer) broken apart into tiny segments each served by specialists. If you did not begin with that perspective in analyzing the impact of electronically-based business practices, you could easily focus on the wrong tasks using this book to create an over-broad strategy focus, rather than concentrating on just a few areas.

I suspect that the applications of Moore's Law and Metcalfe's Law need to be explicitly considered as part of the analysis that Professor Porter is recommending.

A more general weakness in this book is that it assumes that future conditions will be stable enough to draw conclusions about which conditions will be favorable, without giving enough guidance on how to deal with the increasing frequencies and degrees of volatility that we see (in areas like financial markets, commodity prices, the weather, changing customer preferences, and so forth).

Although no book that takes such a narrow focus can help but have weaknesses (like having the podiatrist not notice that you have kidney problems), if you want a good start of how to think about competitors, this is the book for you. Just be sure you keep developing yours strategy with additional dimensions after you finish using this analysis.

If you have read none of Professor Porter's works, this is the one book you should read.

Excellent book for your study, 01 Feb 2004
Most people who buy this book will do so for thier study work. I am undertaking an MBA and this has proven invaluable for the dissertation. Its great to get down to the original text and interpret the theories for yourself.
If you were considering buying this book then consider no longer. It will help you get the grades you need.

Usful, but perhaps there's too much, 12 Aug 2004
I bought this revision guide to help me revise for my Business Studies GCSE with the OCR exam board.

This guide is very usful, it covers everything you'll need to know but my suggestion is that you make sure you know what you need to know about before hand, if you use the guide and try and learn everything it'll be way way too much.

This may have only been OCR, however i doubt that any exam board would try and test you on the whole revision guide, so i suggest you just take what you need from this guide.

My only other gripe is that not everything is explained as well as it could, anyone who struggles with bussiness studies i suggest you don't use this, buyt anyone comfortable with the subject this comes highly recommended.

Good introduction to Business Studies at GCSE, 22 Nov 2001
This book covers the GCSE Business Studies course in a clear, easy-to-use, methodical fashion. I found that it explained all the key technical terms simply and helpfully, and the rest of the time managed to avoid too much jargon. It was also quite entertainingly written - a definite must if you're doing business studies at GCSE, or you're just interested in the subject.

This book tells you everthing about Business Studies!, 08 Mar 2001
I have tried lots of Revision books for lots of different subjects and some have been brilliant and some not so, but this book is the best I have seen and will tell you everything you need to know about Business Studies as it has for me. The layout is brilliant, its straight to the point and the explanations are easy to understand. This book is brilliant and if you're struggling as I was, just buy this book!

a excelant revision guide, 02 Jan 2001
the book gives a quick summary of all the terms used in buisness studies. it is a colour edition so it is easier to understand. i found this revision guide very useful in my studies and i found it to be the best revision guide i use for my studies and i can garuntee that who ever uses this guide will improve there grade.

Following on from their book, The Machine that Changed the World, Womack and Jones have developed their ideas further with Lean Thinking. This book is aimed at any manager interested in sustaining growth within their industry. They define "lean thinking" as the elimination of unnecessary waste in business, and by outlining the principles and applications of this they link their theories to value for the customer.

Womack and Jones demonstrate the effectiveness of their approach through their research in both the U.S. and Europe. Citing examples from both simple and complex manufacturing processes, and from traditional technologies to high-tech companies, they show how their theories have been put into action.

They develop their ideas further by suggesting the application of lean thinking to the whole product cycle, from suppliers to customers. Taking the travel industry as an example, the authors show how their methods could eliminate long queues and waiting times for customers.

Based on the belief that companies should compete against perfection rather than each other, Lean Thinking provides a valuable new insight into methods of production management. And by applying the theories outlined in this book, managers across all sectors of the economy will be able to reduce waste and increase profitability.

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Beware, this is not a new book, 19 Nov 2007
I am very much looking forward to getting stuck into this book, but I personally feel misled by the publication date showing on Amazon and wanted to bring this to the attention of others.

I purchased this book because I was looking for something 'recent' on the topic of strategy. Whilst 2004 is not that recent, I have great respect for M Porter and so was happy that it was recent enough for my purposes.

Unfortunately, upon opening the book, I find that it is a 1980 book on strategy with a 2004 preface.

The content is still good but it kind of defeats the purpose if you are looking for some modern thoughts on and techniques relating to strategy.

Packed With Knowledge!, 17 Sep 2004
This seminal book is a classic and ought to be read by anyone in business. Michael E. Porter's ideas on competitiveness have lost little relevance despite the fact that he first advanced them in this book in 1980. They have now become so much a part of business practice and business language that one reads the book more with a sense of recognition than a sense of discovery. His prose style is clear and straightforward, albeit somewhat plodding, and the book can tend to repeat itself. However, Porter's clarity is a welcome change from the murk you encounter in many other books on business strategy, and his repetition serves a useful pedagogical purpose. We highly recommend this excellent book. If you're in business, it's relevant.

Figure out why you buy before you buy, 11 Jun 2004
This is emphatically not a work of strategy and and not a book about strategic analysis. I can't see how this would be practical or useful in a real "hands-on" business environment, although i can see how the more shallow CEOs may pick up on its buzzwords. Strictly speaking, this is a work of applied classical economics and as such has rigour and intellectual clarity, though some presuppositions seem a bit dodgy and some of the results aren't extended far enough. Recommended for business studies/MBA students.

How Important Are Competitors in Setting Future Strategy?, 29 May 2004
Anyone would agree that this book is the best overview of competitive strategy analysis ever written. The strength of the book is a solid outline of subjects and questions to improve your thinking, and get to be a step ahead of the competition. In highly-competitive, commodity businesses, that's usually what strategies focus on.

On the other hand, the rapid advances of knowledge and technology mean that the relevant benchmark is perfection, not the competitor, in defining an ideal best practice. In that world, this book has serious limitations, because the competitive dimension is often less important than the customer and user dimension these days.

Any business arena begins, as Peter Drucker so aptly put it, with the task "to create a customer." That reminder is especially relevant today when they are so many new ways to serve a customer's needs that no one has ever considered before. The strategic point of 'Blown to Bits' for example is that almost every business will see its vertical value chain (moving from resources through to the customer) broken apart into tiny segments each served by specialists. If you did not begin with that perspective in analyzing the impact of electronically-based business practices, you could easily focus on the wrong tasks using this book to create an over-broad strategy focus, rather than concentrating on just a few areas.

I suspect that the applications of Moore's Law and Metcalfe's Law need to be explicitly considered as part of the analysis that Professor Porter is recommending.

A more general weakness in this book is that it assumes that future conditions will be stable enough to draw conclusions about which conditions will be favorable, without giving enough guidance on how to deal with the increasing frequencies and degrees of volatility that we see (in areas like financial markets, commodity prices, the weather, changing customer preferences, and so forth).

Although no book that takes such a narrow focus can help but have weaknesses (like having the podiatrist not notice that you have kidney problems), if you want a good start of how to think about competitors, this is the book for you. Just be sure you keep developing yours strategy with additional dimensions after you finish using this analysis.

If you have read none of Professor Porter's works, this is the one book you should read.

Excellent book for your study, 01 Feb 2004
Most people who buy this book will do so for thier study work. I am undertaking an MBA and this has proven invaluable for the dissertation. Its great to get down to the original text and interpret the theories for yourself.
If you were considering buying this book then consider no longer. It will help you get the grades you need.

Usful, but perhaps there's too much, 12 Aug 2004
I bought this revision guide to help me revise for my Business Studies GCSE with the OCR exam board.

This guide is very usful, it covers everything you'll need to know but my suggestion is that you make sure you know what you need to know about before hand, if you use the guide and try and learn everything it'll be way way too much.

This may have only been OCR, however i doubt that any exam board would try and test you on the whole revision guide, so i suggest you just take what you need from this guide.

My only other gripe is that not everything is explained as well as it could, anyone who struggles with bussiness studies i suggest you don't use this, buyt anyone comfortable with the subject this comes highly recommended.

Good introduction to Business Studies at GCSE, 22 Nov 2001
This book covers the GCSE Business Studies course in a clear, easy-to-use, methodical fashion. I found that it explained all the key technical terms simply and helpfully, and the rest of the time managed to avoid too much jargon. It was also quite entertainingly written - a definite must if you're doing business studies at GCSE, or you're just interested in the subject.

This book tells you everthing about Business Studies!, 08 Mar 2001
I have tried lots of Revision books for lots of different subjects and some have been brilliant and some not so, but this book is the best I have seen and will tell you everything you need to know about Business Studies as it has for me. The layout is brilliant, its straight to the point and the explanations are easy to understand. This book is brilliant and if you're struggling as I was, just buy this book!

a excelant revision guide, 02 Jan 2001
the book gives a quick summary of all the terms used in buisness studies. it is a colour edition so it is easier to understand. i found this revision guide very useful in my studies and i found it to be the best revision guide i use for my studies and i can garuntee that who ever uses this guide will improve there grade.

Becoming Lean and Mean!, 27 Aug 2008
The only way to be competitive in the world marketplace is to be much more efficient. In other words "lean and mean." Efficient at engineering, efficient at manufacturing and efficient at meeting/exceeding customer expectations are all keys to becoming more competitive.

This book and their Machine that Changed the World are good resources for manufacturing facilities more lean. And...lean thinking leads to more lean thinking.

Using the Toyota system as a guide, Womack and Jones address how companies can eliminate waste and increase profits. They write:

"Our earnest advice to lean firms today is simple: To hell with your competitors; compete against perfection by identifying all activities that are muda and eliminating them. This is absolute rather than a relative standard which can provide the essential North Star for any organization."
Well written with many telling examples. Recommended!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Lean as a philosophy., 26 May 2008
I have bought half a dozen `Lean' books from Amazon in addition to several from other book shops, and this book stands head and shoulders above the rest. The difference is this book provides the `Why' behind Lean with the primary five steps (define value, map value, create flow, create pull, strive for perfection) and solid examples from internationally recognised companies. You get the feel for the `philosophy' and key principles which allow you to see the bigger picture. You will need other books to give you the tools that you require and there are several excellent ones available. The best analogy I can give is that if Lean was cooking, the `Lean Thinking' teaches you to cook, most of the rest are a series of superb recipes. And if you can learn to cook properly, you can try your own recipes.

A Business Paradox: Less Really Can Achieve More, 25 Sep 2005
This is a new and expanded second edition of a book first published in 1996. Of special interest to me was what Womack and Jones had to say in the preface regarding what has since happened to the companies previously discussed. Apparently lean thinking has enabled Toyota, Wiremold, Porsche, Lantech, and Pratt & Whitney to sustain operational excellence and economic prosperity.

Briefly, how do Womack and Jones define lean thinking? It is the opposite of muda (a Japanese) word for anything which consumes resources without creating value. In a word, waste. Lean thinking is lean because "it provides a way to do more and more with less and less -- less human effort, less equipment, less time, and less space -- while coming closer and closer to providing customers with exactly what they want." Lean thinking is thus a process of thought, not an expedient response or a stop-gap solution. The challenge, according to Womack and Jones, is to convert muda into real, quantifiable value and the process to achieve that worthy objective requires everyone within an organization (regardless of size or nature) to be actively involved in that process. Once again, in this new edition they address questions such as these:

1. How can certain "simple, actionable principles" enable any business to create lasting value during any business conditions?

2. How can these principles be applied most effectively in real businesses, regardless of size or nature?

3. How can a relentless focus on the value stream for every product create "a true lean enterprise that optimizes the value created for the customer while minimizing time, cost, and errors"?

In Part IV, Womack and Jones update the continuing advance of of lean thinking. They rack the trend in inventory turns and the progress of their profiled companies. Also of special interest to me was the discussion of what Womack and Jones have learned since 1996 which probably explains why they introduce a new range of implementation tools support value stream mapping initiatives and thereby "to raise consciousness about value and its components, leading to action."

Obviously, even if everyone involved within a given organization is committed to lean thinking, to creating value while (and by) eliminating waste, the process requires specific strategies and tactics to succeed. Hence the importance of the last chapter in this book., "Institutionalizing the Revolution." I presume to suggest that the process of lean thinking never ends. Inevitably, success creates abundance; abundance often permits waste. I also presume to suggest that priorities must first be set so that the implementation of lean thinking process does not inadvertently create or neglect waste in areas which influence the creation of value for customers.

Although highly readable, this is not an "easy read" because it requires rigorous thinking about what is most important to a given organization, rigorous thinking about the root causes (rather than the symptoms) of that organization's problems, and rigorous thinking about the most prudent use of resources to eliminate those problems. Because of the importance of the material which Womack and Jones share, I strongly recommend that decision-makers read and then re-read this book before getting together to exchange reactions to it. Out of that discussion, I hope, will come both a collective commitment to lean thinking and the personal determination of each executive to apply what she or he has learned from this book in operational areas where waste has most diminished value.

Good Conceptual Overview of Eliminating Waste in Producing, 28 May 2004
Unlike most cost-reduction books, Lean Thinking has a strong conceptual underpinning for thinking about improving your operations. The authors move beyond the narrowest application of the lean manufacturing model (the original Toyota system) to explore key concepts like value (what do the customers want? as opposed to what do they choose from the limited options we give them?), flow (continuous production is faster and more efficient than batch processing), pull (letting immediate demand determine what is produced rather than sales projections), and perfection (thinking through the ideal way to do things, rather than just improving from where you are today somewhat). Providing this conceptual framework makes it easier to understand the benefits of operating a lean enterprise. People who did not understand the message in Direct from Dell would find Lean Thinking to be a useful framework.

One of the strengths of this book is that it is deliberately full of examples of companies which took traditional methods in existing plants and converted them into lean operations. I know of no other set of case histories half as useful on this subject.

The key limitation of this book is that most people new to lean manufacturing would not be able to implement solely using the book as a guide. The conceptual perspective, while being uniquely valuable, leaves the inexperienced person with few guideposts. Some of the key requirements are simply described as "get the knowledge" and so forth. As a follow-up, I suggest that the authors team with those who have done this work and write a hands-on guide. Much more benefit will follow.

If you are interested in understanding how a new business model of how to provide your products and/or services might work and what the benefits might be, Lean Thinking is a good place to start. Most executives and operations managers have never seriously considered going from batch to cell-based production. This will open your eyes to the potential.

Based on my many years of experience with improving business processes, you will actually need to go visit some of the companies cited to fully understand the issues and what must be done. I know that visits to Pratt & Whitney can be arranged and are very insightful. You might try to start with that one.

One area may turn you off. The cited examples moved forward pretty ruthlessly. That may not be your cup of tea. You may be reminded of some of the early reengineering. My own experience is that such changes can be done in a more positive and constructive way. Stay open to that possibility as you read the cases. They basically all use command and control to create more flexibility. You can also use other methods like those encouraged in The Soul at Work and The Living Company to create these kinds of results. Keep that in mind.

I recommend that everyone who uses batch and sequential operation methods read this book. It will open your eyes to great potential to grow faster and more profitably.

Get the "muda" out of here., 25 Nov 2002
This book is better than "The Machine That changed the World." For that matter this book is more useful than most in the field, and not just for lean thinking. James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones are unique in the approach this book takes in trying to understand the existing industry and realistic ways to implement lean thinking.

The major thing I found that helped me to read this book is that they are writing this book as some god consultant that tells how he single-handedly corrected a company as their all knowing all and seeing consultant. They took several industries and companies that there is no vested interest in and explain with realistic diagrams, how lean thinking differs from most traditional concepts and procedures.

The only thing I found disturbing was how they make the existing systems seem more complex than they are (The creation of soda cans from bauxite to bottler) and simplified the recycling procedure The point they are making is clear, It is just the way they show the examples that are skewed. It is like trying to sell a microwave egg cooker and telling you that this way the bacon grease will not splatter on your naked body. So who cooks eggs naked? And what if you still want bacon?

They describe that lean thinking is not just, an other form of existing systems, as MRP or JIT. I only wish they did not try to use so many Japanese words when the English ones work just fine.

Ignoring my quirks, this book is up to date and maybe ahead of its time. However while we just talk about other systems, we are implementing this one as we speak.

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Beware, this is not a new book, 19 Nov 2007
I am very much looking forward to getting stuck into this book, but I personally feel misled by the publication date showing on Amazon and wanted to bring this to the attention of others.

I purchased this book because I was looking for something 'recent' on the topic of strategy. Whilst 2004 is not that recent, I have great respect for M Porter and so was happy that it was recent enough for my purposes.

Unfortunately, upon opening the book, I find that it is a 1980 book on strategy with a 2004 preface.

The content is still good but it kind of defeats the purpose if you are looking for some modern thoughts on and techniques relating to strategy.

Packed With Knowledge!, 17 Sep 2004
This seminal book is a classic and ought to be read by anyone in business. Michael E. Porter's ideas on competitiveness have lost little relevance despite the fact that he first advanced them in this book in 1980. They have now become so much a part of business practice and business language that one reads the book more with a sense of recognition than a sense of discovery. His prose style is clear and straightforward, albeit somewhat plodding, and the book can tend to repeat itself. However, Porter's clarity is a welcome change from the murk you encounter in many other books on business strategy, and his repetition serves a useful pedagogical purpose. We highly recommend this excellent book. If you're in business, it's relevant.

Figure out why you buy before you buy, 11 Jun 2004
This is emphatically not a work of strategy and and not a book about strategic analysis. I can't see how this would be practical or useful in a real "hands-on" business environment, although i can see how the more shallow CEOs may pick up on its buzzwords. Strictly speaking, this is a work of applied classical economics and as such has rigour and intellectual clarity, though some presuppositions seem a bit dodgy and some of the results aren't extended far enough. Recommended for business studies/MBA students.

How Important Are Competitors in Setting Future Strategy?, 29 May 2004
Anyone would agree that this book is the best overview of competitive strategy analysis ever written. The strength of the book is a solid outline of subjects and questions to improve your thinking, and get to be a step ahead of the competition. In highly-competitive, commodity businesses, that's usually what strategies focus on.

On the other hand, the rapid advances of knowledge and technology mean that the relevant benchmark is perfection, not the competitor, in defining an ideal best practice. In that world, this book has serious limitations, because the competitive dimension is often less important than the customer and user dimension these days.

Any business arena begins, as Peter Drucker so aptly put it, with the task "to create a customer." That reminder is especially relevant today when they are so many new ways to serve a customer's needs that no one has ever considered before. The strategic point of 'Blown to Bits' for example is that almost every business will see its vertical value chain (moving from resources through to the customer) broken apart into tiny segments each served by specialists. If you did not begin with that perspective in analyzing the impact of electronically-based business practices, you could easily focus on the wrong tasks using this book to create an over-broad strategy focus, rather than concentrating on just a few areas.

I suspect that the applications of Moore's Law and Metcalfe's Law need to be explicitly considered as part of the analysis that Professor Porter is recommending.

A more general weakness in this book is that it assumes that future conditions will be stable enough to draw conclusions about which conditions will be favorable, without giving enough guidance on how to deal with the increasing frequencies and degrees of volatility that we see (in areas like financial markets, commodity prices, the weather, changing customer preferences, and so forth).

Although no book that takes such a narrow focus can help but have weaknesses (like having the podiatrist not notice that you have kidney problems), if you want a good start of how to think about competitors, this is the book for you. Just be sure you keep developing yours strategy with additional dimensions after you finish using this analysis.

If you have read none of Professor Porter's works, this is the one book you should read.

Excellent book for your study, 01 Feb 2004
Most people who buy this book will do so for thier study work. I am undertaking an MBA and this has proven invaluable for the dissertation. Its great to get down to the original text and interpret the theories for yourself.
If you were considering buying this book then consider no longer. It will help you get the grades you need.

Usful, but perhaps there's too much, 12 Aug 2004
I bought this revision guide to help me revise for my Business Studies GCSE with the OCR exam board.

This guide is very usful, it covers everything you'll need to know but my suggestion is that you make sure you know what you need to know about before hand, if you use the guide and try and learn everything it'll be way way too much.

This may have only been OCR, however i doubt that any exam board would try and test you on the whole revision guide, so i suggest you just take what you need from this guide.

My only other gripe is that not everything is explained as well as it could, anyone who struggles with bussiness studies i suggest you don't use this, buyt anyone comfortable with the subject this comes highly recommended.

Good introduction to Business Studies at GCSE, 22 Nov 2001
This book covers the GCSE Business Studies course in a clear, easy-to-use, methodical fashion. I found that it explained all the key technical terms simply and helpfully, and the rest of the time managed to avoid too much jargon. It was also quite entertainingly written - a definite must if you're doing business studies at GCSE, or you're just interested in the subject.

This book tells you everthing about Business Studies!, 08 Mar 2001
I have tried lots of Revision books for lots of different subjects and some have been brilliant and some not so, but this book is the best I have seen and will tell you everything you need to know about Business Studies as it has for me. The layout is brilliant, its straight to the point and the explanations are easy to understand. This book is brilliant and if you're struggling as I was, just buy this book!

a excelant revision guide, 02 Jan 2001
the book gives a quick summary of all the terms used in buisness studies. it is a colour edition so it is easier to understand. i found this revision guide very useful in my studies and i found it to be the best revision guide i use for my studies and i can garuntee that who ever uses this guide will improve there grade.

Becoming Lean and Mean!, 27 Aug 2008
The only way to be competitive in the world marketplace is to be much more efficient. In other words "lean and mean." Efficient at engineering, efficient at manufacturing and efficient at meeting/exceeding customer expectations are all keys to becoming more competitive.

This book and their Machine that Changed the World are good resources for manufacturing facilities more lean. And...lean thinking leads to more lean thinking.

Using the Toyota system as a guide, Womack and Jones address how companies can eliminate waste and increase profits. They write:

"Our earnest advice to lean firms today is simple: To hell with your competitors; compete against perfection by identifying all activities that are muda and eliminating them. This is absolute rather than a relative standard which can provide the essential North Star for any organization."
Well written with many telling examples. Recommended!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Lean as a philosophy., 26 May 2008
I have bought half a dozen `Lean' books from Amazon in addition to several from other book shops, and this book stands head and shoulders above the rest. The difference is this book provides the `Why' behind Lean with the primary five steps (define value, map value, create flow, create pull, strive for perfection) and solid examples from internationally recognised companies. You get the feel for the `philosophy' and key principles which allow you to see the bigger picture. You will need other books to give you the tools that you require and there are several excellent ones available. The best analogy I can give is that if Lean was cooking, the `Lean Thinking' teaches you to cook, most of the rest are a series of superb recipes. And if you can learn to cook properly, you can try your own recipes.

A Business Paradox: Less Really Can Achieve More, 25 Sep 2005
This is a new and expanded second edition of a book first published in 1996. Of special interest to me was what Womack and Jones had to say in the preface regarding what has since happened to the companies previously discussed. Apparently lean thinking has enabled Toyota, Wiremold, Porsche, Lantech, and Pratt & Whitney to sustain operational excellence and economic prosperity.

Briefly, how do Womack and Jones define lean thinking? It is the opposite of muda (a Japanese) word for anything which consumes resources without creating value. In a word, waste. Lean thinking is lean because "it provides a way to do more and more with less and less -- less human effort, less equipment, less time, and less space -- while coming closer and closer to providing customers with exactly what they want." Lean thinking is thus a process of thought, not an expedient response or a stop-gap solution. The challenge, according to Womack and Jones, is to convert muda into real, quantifiable value and the process to achieve that worthy objective requires everyone within an organization (regardless of size or nature) to be actively involved in that process. Once again, in this new edition they address questions such as these:

1. How can certain "simple, actionable principles" enable any business to create lasting value during any business conditions?

2. How can these principles be applied most effectively in real businesses, regardless of size or nature?

3. How can a relentless focus on the value stream for every product create "a true lean enterprise that optimizes the value created for the customer while minimizing time, cost, and errors"?

In Part IV, Womack and Jones update the continuing advance of of lean thinking. They rack the trend in inventory turns and the progress of their profiled companies. Also of special interest to me was the discussion of what Womack and Jones have learned since 1996 which probably explains why they introduce a new range of implementation tools support value stream mapping initiatives and thereby "to raise consciousness about value and its components, leading to action."

Obviously, even if everyone involved within a given organization is committed to lean thinking, to creating value while (and by) eliminating waste, the process requires specific strategies and tactics to succeed. Hence the importance of the last chapter in this book., "Institutionalizing the Revolution." I presume to suggest that the process of lean thinking never ends. Inevitably, success creates abundance; abundance often permits waste. I also presume to suggest that priorities must first be set so that the implementation of lean thinking process does not inadvertently create or neglect waste in areas which influence the creation of value for customers.

Although highly readable, this is not an "easy read" because it requires rigorous thinking about what is most important to a given organization, rigorous thinking about the root causes (rather than the symptoms) of that organization's problems, and rigorous thinking about the most prudent use of resources to eliminate those problems. Because of the importance of the material which Womack and Jones share, I strongly recommend that decision-makers read and then re-read this book before getting together to exchange reactions to it. Out of that discussion, I hope, will come both a collective commitment to lean thinking and the personal determination of each executive to apply what she or he has learned from this book in operational areas where waste has most diminished value.

Good Conceptual Overview of Eliminating Waste in Producing, 28 May 2004
Unlike most cost-reduction books, Lean Thinking has a strong conceptual underpinning for thinking about improving your operations. The authors move beyond the narrowest application of the lean manufacturing model (the original Toyota system) to explore key concepts like value (what do the customers want? as opposed to what do they choose from the limited options we give them?), flow (continuous production is faster and more efficient than batch processing), pull (letting immediate demand determine what is produced rather than sales projections), and perfection (thinking through the ideal way to do things, rather than just improving from where you are today somewhat). Providing this conceptual framework makes it easier to understand the benefits of operating a lean enterprise. People who did not understand the message in Direct from Dell would find Lean Thinking to be a useful framework.

One of the strengths of this book is that it is deliberately full of examples of companies which took traditional methods in existing plants and converted them into lean operations. I know of no other set of case histories half as useful on this subject.

The key limitation of this book is that most people new to lean manufacturing would not be able to implement solely using the book as a guide. The conceptual perspective, while being uniquely valuable, leaves the inexperienced person with few guideposts. Some of the key requirements are simply described as "get the knowledge" and so forth. As a follow-up, I suggest that the authors team with those who have done this work and write a hands-on guide. Much more benefit will follow.

If you are interested in understanding how a new business model of how to provide your products and/or services might work and what the benefits might be, Lean Thinking is a good place to start. Most executives and operations managers have never seriously considered going from batch to cell-based production. This will open your eyes to the potential.

Based on my many years of experience with improving business processes, you will actually need to go visit some of the companies cited to fully understand the issues and what must be done. I know that visits to Pratt & Whitney can be arranged and are very insightful. You might try to start with that one.

One area may turn you off. The cited examples moved forward pretty ruthlessly. That may not be your cup of tea. You may be reminded of some of the early reengineering. My own experience is that such changes can be done in a more positive and constructive way. Stay open to that possibility as you read the cases. They basically all use command and control to create more flexibility. You can also use other methods like those encouraged in The Soul at Work and The Living Company to create these kinds of results. Keep that in mind.

I recommend that everyone who uses batch and sequential operation methods read this book. It will open your eyes to great potential to grow faster and more profitably.

Get the "muda" out of here., 25 Nov 2002
This book is better than "The Machine That changed the World." For that matter this book is more useful than most in the field, and not just for lean thinking. James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones are unique in the approach this book takes in trying to understand the existing industry and realistic ways to implement lean thinking.

The major thing I found that helped me to read this book is that they are writing this book as some god consultant that tells how he single-handedly corrected a company as their all knowing all and seeing consultant. They took several industries and companies that there is no vested interest in and explain with realistic diagrams, how lean thinking differs from most traditional concepts and procedures.

The only thing I found disturbing was how they make the existing systems seem more complex than they are (The creation of soda cans from bauxite to bottler) and simplified the recycling procedure The point they are making is clear, It is just the way they show the examples that are skewed. It is like trying to sell a microwave egg cooker and telling you that this way the bacon grease will not splatter on your naked body. So who cooks eggs naked? And what if you still want bacon?

They describe that lean thinking is not just, an other form of existing systems, as MRP or JIT. I only wish they did not try to use so many Japanese words when the English ones work just fine.

Ignoring my quirks, this book is up to date and maybe ahead of its time. However while we just talk about other systems, we are implementing this one as we speak.

A Remarkably Effective Novel for Learning Management, 23 Aug 2007
This novel succeeds in being outstanding at so many levels that it could receive a multiple of five stars. It is hard to imagine a management book in novel form ever approaching this one in usefulness. Most people will learn more that they can apply from this book about management than many people learn to apply from an M.B.A.

The basic story is built around the dilemmas facing Alex Rogo, a newly-appointed plant manager. The plant can't seem to ship, it's losing money, and bad things can happen to good people if all this doesn't change soon. Alex is at a loss for what to do until he pulls out a cigar that Jonah, a physicist from Israel, had recently given him. That cigar reminds him to contact Jonah for possible help. From there, the path to recovery begins.

Let me describe some of the many levels on which this novel is valuable.

First, the book explains how to see businesses as systems as well as any other book on this subject. It compares favorably in this area to such important works as The Fifth Discipline and the Fifth Discipline Handbook. The metaphor of how to speed up a slow-moving group of boy scouts will be visceral to anyone who has done any hiking with a group.

Second, the book helps you learn how to improve the performance of a system by providing you with a replicable process that you can apply to analyzing any human or engineering system. The primary metaphor is improving a manufacturing process, but the same principles apply more broadly to other circumstances.

Third, you will experience the power of the Socratic method as a way to stimulate your mind to learn, and to use Socratic questions to stimulate the minds of others to become better thinkers and doers.

Fourth, the authors also use problem simulation as a practical way to help you experience the learning process they are advocating.

Fifth, the book is unusually good in bringing home the consequences of letting your business process run in a vicious cycle: Your family life may also.

The pacing of the book is especially good. You are given time to stew with issues and come up with your own ideas before sample answers are provided by Alex and his staff in the novel.

Unlike many books that take complicated ideas and oversimplify them so the ideas lose their meaning, this book simplifies ideas in ways that enhance their meaning by making the ideas easier to see and employ.

If you do not understand all of the ins and outs of typical factory accounting, you may get a little lost from time to time. But that's not a problem. That accounting just distorts common perceptions of what needs to be done. You can safely skip anything you don't understand if you don't have to deal with such issues.

While I did not observe any overt errors in the book, companies that do not put an asset charge on operational assets could make the mistake from this book of seeking too little profit. You need to earn on-going returns that exceed your cost of capital, too.

You will get the most from this book if you read The Fifth Discipline following it (if you have not read that book already). The discussion of the beer game simulation in The Fifth Discipline will add to your understanding of system dynamics.

Following that book, I suggest that you then read The Balanced Scorecard and The Strategy-Focused Organization for ideas about how to use goals, measurements, and rewards to concentrate attention onto the highest leverage areas for your system.

After you have finished employing what you have learned and helping others around you to learn more also, I suggest that you think about how to optimize the full upside potential more rapidly through the use of irresistible forces and 2,000 percent solutions to speed your progress. That should leave you with even more success and more time to enjoy it.

Unblock the constraints on your progress!


More than meets the eye, 10 Aug 2007
I first read this book 10 years ago & have now re-read it.

The story is pleasant enough but also there is a huge amount of thought that has gone into this book. The pschology of targets is relevant to any business, the team nature of the problem solving & the observations of the impact on the personal lives of senior managers are also usefully explored.

If you like the one minute manager you will like this.

A great easy to understand into to the TOC, 21 Apr 2007
Goldratt uses very simple examples to illustrate the various lessons and thus the knowledge is imparted in an easy, understandable manor. The lesson gained are applicaple to any process based environment and not just manufacturing.
However, at times its not a real page turner and as a "novel" it won't win a Pulitzer.
I'd recommend if you're interested in TOC, but not as a bed-time story for the kids.

A BREAK FROM TRADITIONAL WRITING, 09 Mar 2007
Personally I like his style. Having bought dozens of management books over the years which are very dry and boring, this is a fresh approach to those who do not know his work.
Past students of his must be well sought after people as they must be convinced that the approach to busines probelms has as much to do with business success as anything else. Past autocratic managers succeeded only because their employees were ignorant of better methods. Goldratt approaches with real life stories, which if you are bright enough will ring a bell ('I knew I could do it differently').
It sows a seed of enthusiasm to learn more.

Interesting Rather Than Educational, 20 Dec 2006
I got this book through a number of recommendations. I was looking to help develop some (more) management skills and I was told this provides such direction but in a less formal way.

As a novel it's an interesting read and I enjoyed it. On reflection though I can't say I've taken much away to apply to my day to day work. I might need to read it another couple of times though to appreciate the underlying principals he's trying to get to.

In its' own right it's worth reading if that subject area interests you. As aid to management theory however, I am yet to be convinced.

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Beware, this is not a new book, 19 Nov 2007
I am very much looking forward to getting stuck into this book, but I personally feel misled by the publication date showing on Amazon and wanted to bring this to the attention of others.

I purchased this book because I was looking for something 'recent' on the topic of strategy. Whilst 2004 is not that recent, I have great respect for M Porter and so was happy that it was recent enough for my purposes.

Unfortunately, upon opening the book, I find that it is a 1980 book on strategy with a 2004 preface.

The content is still good but it kind of defeats the purpose if you are looking for some modern thoughts on and techniques relating to strategy.

Packed With Knowledge!, 17 Sep 2004
This seminal book is a classic and ought to be read by anyone in business. Michael E. Porter's ideas on competitiveness have lost little relevance despite the fact that he first advanced them in this book in 1980. They have now become so much a part of business practice and business language that one reads the book more with a sense of recognition than a sense of discovery. His prose style is clear and straightforward, albeit somewhat plodding, and the book can tend to repeat itself. However, Porter's clarity is a welcome change from the murk you encounter in many other books on business strategy, and his repetition serves a useful pedagogical purpose. We highly recommend this excellent book. If you're in business, it's relevant.

Figure out why you buy before you buy, 11 Jun 2004
This is emphatically not a work of strategy and and not a book about strategic analysis. I can't see how this would be practical or useful in a real "hands-on" business environment, although i can see how the more shallow CEOs may pick up on its buzzwords. Strictly speaking, this is a work of applied classical economics and as such has rigour and intellectual clarity, though some presuppositions seem a bit dodgy and some of the results aren't extended far enough. Recommended for business studies/MBA students.

How Important Are Competitors in Setting Future Strategy?, 29 May 2004
Anyone would agree that this book is the best overview of competitive strategy analysis ever written. The strength of the book is a solid outline of subjects and questions to improve your thinking, and get to be a step ahead of the competition. In highly-competitive, commodity businesses, that's usually what strategies focus on.

On the other hand, the rapid advances of knowledge and technology mean that the relevant benchmark is perfection, not the competitor, in defining an ideal best practice. In that world, this book has serious limitations, because the competitive dimension is often less important than the customer and user dimension these days.

Any business arena begins, as Peter Drucker so aptly put it, with the task "to create a customer." That reminder is especially relevant today when they are so many new ways to serve a customer's needs that no one has ever considered before. The strategic point of 'Blown to Bits' for example is that almost every business will see its vertical value chain (moving from resources through to the customer) broken apart into tiny segments each served by specialists. If you did not begin with that perspective in analyzing the impact of electronically-based business practices, you could easily focus on the wrong tasks using this book to create an over-broad strategy focus, rather than concentrating on just a few areas.

I suspect that the applications of Moore's Law and Metcalfe's Law need to be explicitly considered as part of the analysis that Professor Porter is recommending.

A more general weakness in this book is that it assumes that future conditions will be stable enough to draw conclusions about which conditions will be favorable, without giving enough guidance on how to deal with the increasing frequencies and degrees of volatility that we see (in areas like financial markets, commodity prices, the weather, changing customer preferences, and so forth).

Although no book that takes such a narrow focus can help but have weaknesses (like having the podiatrist not notice that you have kidney problems), if you want a good start of how to think about competitors, this is the book for you. Just be sure you keep developing yours strategy with additional dimensions after you finish using this analysis.

If you have read none of Professor Porter's works, this is the one book you should read.

Excellent book for your study, 01 Feb 2004
Most people who buy this book will do so for thier study work. I am undertaking an MBA and this has proven invaluable for the dissertation. Its great to get down to the original text and interpret the theories for yourself.
If you were considering buying this book then consider no longer. It will help you get the grades you need.

Usful, but perhaps there's too much, 12 Aug 2004
I bought this revision guide to help me revise for my Business Studies GCSE with the OCR exam board.

This guide is very usful, it covers everything you'll need to know but my suggestion is that you make sure you know what you need to know about before hand, if you use the guide and try and learn everything it'll be way way too much.

This may have only been OCR, however i doubt that any exam board would try and test you on the whole revision guide, so i suggest you just take what you need from this guide.

My only other gripe is that not everything is explained as well as it could, anyone who struggles with bussiness studies i suggest you don't use this, buyt anyone comfortable with the subject this comes highly recommended.

Good introduction to Business Studies at GCSE, 22 Nov 2001
This book covers the GCSE Business Studies course in a clear, easy-to-use, methodical fashion. I found that it explained all the key technical terms simply and helpfully, and the rest of the time managed to avoid too much jargon. It was also quite entertainingly written - a definite must if you're doing business studies at GCSE, or you're just interested in the subject.

This book tells you everthing about Business Studies!, 08 Mar 2001
I have tried lots of Revision books for lots of different subjects and some have been brilliant and some not so, but this book is the best I have seen and will tell you everything you need to know about Business Studies as it has for me. The layout is brilliant, its straight to the point and the explanations are easy to understand. This book is brilliant and if you're struggling as I was, just buy this book!

a excelant revision guide, 02 Jan 2001
the book gives a quick summary of all the terms used in buisness studies. it is a colour edition so