In Managing the Mobile Workforce by David Clemons and Michael Kroth, mobile workers are defined as those who are not physically located within a centralized building or who move between work locations, and who are able to access company resources through private networks, the Internet, and mobile networks. It is estimated that mobile workers worldwide will surpass one billion by 2011, which comprises 75 percent of the U.S. workforce. These technology-enabled workers will have unlimited global job opportunities and easy access to companies that will value them. Wireless broadband networks, mobile devices, social networking, cloud computing, and a global economy are changing communications and computing. For businesses, this is an opportunity to apply new forms of work and technologies that will lead to competitive advantages in their markets. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Making Telework Work,  The Distance Manager, The 2020 Workplace

Over the past few years, China has transformed itself into a powerful, consumer-oriented culture, and many Western companies have flocked to China to take advantage of this new marketplace. However, entrepreneurs from the United States and Western countries often fail to realize that transacting business in China is a far cry from making deals at home. Ted Plafker, a Beijing correspondent for The Economist, leverages his extensive experience in Chinese culture and entrepreneurship to offer a primer for newcomers who are planning to expand their business into China. According to his book, Doing Business in China, "As many foreign companies have already proven, success in China is possible, but only for those with the patience, persistence, and resources to see it through." For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Coming China Wars, Getting China and India Right, Superfusion

Each day, Google processes some 400 million Internet searches, many of which are launched by people shopping for goods or services. As such, Google can be a tremendous resource for marketing professionals, but many of them do not understand the nuances of how Google performs searches or how the data produced by the searches can be employed to match consumers with products. In Everything I Know about Marketing I Learned from Google, Internet marketing veteran Aaron Goldman helps readers understand how people use Google, the opportunities in which consumers are most susceptible to marketing, and the proper use of keywords and other techniques that can help entrepreneurs use Google to their advantage. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Turn Clicks into Customers, Marketing in the Age of Google, Socialnomics

Although Google’s new social media site Google+ has only been out for a few weeks now, it is reported that over 20 million users have registered on the site already. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ have become the go-to communication tools for keeping in touch with friends and family. They are easy to use, connect users to hundreds of contacts at once, and allow people to share their thoughts and interests with a single click. Lately, many organizations have been trying to capture this same sense of community and sharing  within their own companies as a way of increasing institutional learning. I ran across the below video that explains some ways to make these initiatives more successful: Related book summaries in the BBS library: Social Media at Work, Driving Results through Social Networks, Socialnomics

With Generation Y, or "Millennials," coming into the workforce in greater and greater numbers, many companies are now recognizing that old teaching and learning techniques don’t necessarily work for younger employees. Millennials are much more apt to learn when a company’s learning initiatives take advantage of the technologies they use every day. This technology includes PDAs and other mobile devices, apps, and social networking sites, and younger generations prefer content presented in video or audio format. While most companies have implemented the above technologies into their learning initiatives, one technology that remains on the fringes of learning is video games. This article speaks to the increased interest from e-learning providers in games for use in corporate learning. The aim is to help employees learn in an engaging way. The hope is that games will appeal more to younger workers and help them absorb information better than the typical assigned reading. I think it’s great that companies are starting to experiment with new media to see what it can do to aid their learning initiatives. It’s obvious that as technology advances learning must follow suit, and games seem perfect for presenting learning content in an engaging way. Do you think games have a place in corporate learning strategies?

Three hundred sixty degree feedback helps managers to get a clear picture of how they are perceived by their bosses, direct reports, colleagues, and others. Comprehensive data are collected from those who work for or with the manager, data is compiled and reported to the manager, and a plan is created to use the data for the manager’s professional development. The Art and Science of 360° Feedback details how to manage the process of collecting the feedback, including preparing recipients, selecting raters, administering the collection instrument, analyzing the results, presenting the feedback, and creating the development plan. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Authentic Conversations, Communicating for Managerial Effectiveness, How to Tell Anyone Anything

As competition and economic pressures increase, business leaders are guaranteed to experience higher levels of stress. This can cause even leaders with proven track records to make bad decisions. In The Stress Effect, Henry L. Thompson explores the relationship between stress and decision making. He analyzes how people make decisions under high levels of stress and how leaders can improve their decision-making capabilities in today’s high pressure business environment. The techniques described in The Stress Effect are designed to help leaders improve their cognitive and emotional abilities, resulting in better on-the-job performance, health, and relationships. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Age of Speed, Executive Stamina, Happiness at Work 

After hiking the price of their joint DVD mailing and instant streaming service without any knowledge from their customers, Netflix recently announced that it will be splitting into two separate companies. It will continue to offer its internet streaming service under its original name and logo. As of last week, it has decided to offer its original service, DVDs through the mail, under a new name and company, "Qwikster." I recently received the following stock e-mail from Netflix co-founder and CEO, Reed Hastings: "It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology. Let me explain what we are doing. It’s hard to write this after over 10 years of mailing DVDs with pride, but we think it is necessary: In a few weeks, we will rename our DVD by mail service to "Qwikster". We chose the name Qwikster because it refers to quick delivery. We will keep the name "Netflix" for streaming." I myself have been a devoted Netflix member for over 4 years. I was thoroughly excited at the prospect of their instant streaming service, and their ability to continue their great customer relations and low prices. Unfortunately, I do feel that the recent chain of events and consistent lack of dialogue with their customers has shown little respect for the immense member base that has led to their tremendous success. I only learned of their sudden price increase due to my credit card bill showing that my Netflix charge had almost doubled. Moreover, there was no response to this price increase for almost an entire month. The mass generated e-mail is a gesture in the right direction, I suppose. Netflix’s actions have gone against even the most basic rule of customer relations: the customer comes first. I wonder now how important customers truly are to the company’s overall vision, and how many the past few months of conduct will cost them. What do you think about Netflix’s recent split?

Many people experience anxiety on the job. This problem affects employees at every level of organizations, from entry-level workers to senior executives. Although workplace anxiety can be debilitating, it does not have to be. In Work Makes Me Nervous, Jonathan Berent and Amy Lemley describe a personal coaching system that conquers this problem. Berent developed the program based on his work with thousands of people. This process is designed to help readers diagnose their symptoms, build a map for change, and create a High Performance Mind. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Stress Effect, The Three Signs of a Miserable Job, Speak with Power and Confidence

Few concepts in the United States are as deeply rooted as the American Dream. Hard work, determination, a willingness to take risks - these are the qualities needed to succeed, at least in the common narrative. According to author Chris Rabb, however, the reality is not so positive. Only a small fraction of businesses succeed past their first few years, and even fewer hire employees. In Invisible Capital, Rabb discusses the myths, realities, and opportunities behind entrepreneurship, explaining where the misconceptions come from and how damaging they can be for would-be business owners. According to Rabb, invisible capital is "the collection of largely intangible assets that improve the probability that a venture will grow and thrive." Invisible Capital reviews how invisible capital can be identified, leveraged, and shared in order to level the playing field for entrepreneurs. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Capitalism 4.0, Animal Spirits, Upstarts!

In How to Smell a Rat, Ken Fisher explores how most investment scams can be easily detected and avoided. With his 37 years managing money for individuals and institutions, 25 years writing for the "Portfolio Strategy" column in Forbes, and lifetime of studying markets, Fisher has witnessed countless money managers—both good and bad. He illustrates and examines the five most common signs of financial fraud in detail. Ultimately, readers will learn how to use the five signs as a checklist to identify and avoid con artists, or "rats." How to Smell a Rat is a critical resource for any investor to spot a potential financial disaster before it is too late. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Devil’s Casino, Fundamentals of Enterprise Risk Management, And Then the Roof Caved In

Exclusive Offer From Business Book Summaries: At Business Book Summaries, we believe people become better professionals through learning and that business books contain some of the best and most current business insight. We provide comprehensive, concise summaries of the best business books available. With more than 260 summaries produced each year, the BBS library includes more than 1,450 summaries of the top business books. This Thanksgiving week, subscribe from November 21st through the 27th using the below discount code to receive 30% off a one-year subscription (regularly $225). To learn more about our site and summaries, please visit www.bizsum.com. Discount code: BizThanksgiving2011 Have a happy holiday! The BBS Team

Since my last post about Netflix’s split into two separate companies, they have called off their plans, and will remain the same company providing the same original service: "What we misjudged was how quickly to move there. We compounded the problem with our lack of explanation about the rising cost of the expansion of streaming content and steady DVD costs, so that…many perceived us as greedy. Finally, we announced and then retracted a separate brand for DVD…This branding incident further dented our reputation, and caused a temporary cancellation surge." They have claimed that this decision was based on the overwhelming customer reaction to their plans. Interestingly enough, this sort of behavior is constant throughout businesses inAmericaas of late. Similar to Netflix, Bank of America announced that they had decided to increase their fee for customers using their debit cards. This, like Netflix’s price increase, was not well received from their customers. The amount of customer backlash was enough to make Bank of America turn on its heels and retract their plans to increase their fees. I suppose what seems most intriguing in these common situations is that companies do not take their customers into their decision-making processes, until their customer base completely turns against them. Do companies think that customer loyalty is not an important factor anymore? What will it take for companies to actually consult their customers before they make price increases or significant changes in service—an obvious backlash, or a considerable loss of customers?

In Fierce Leadership, Susan Scott’s goal is to help individuals and organizations abandon those "best" practices that no longer serve a purpose and replace them with superior practices that get the job done. Fierce leadership is a state of mind that allows leaders to ask the questions that no one will ask, say the things that no one will say, abandon paint-by-numbers leadership, touch their own emotions and those of others, and stop trying to keep everything in the discreetly neutral. She details alternative methods to traditional business practices. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library:  The Extraordinary Leader, Now…Build a Great Business!,  From Values to Action

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In today’s complex organizations it is not uncommon to have as many as 50 percent of employees working on virtual teams. Virtual collaboration has already begun to transform many business sectors. The gradual shift of the U.S. economy from manufacturing and production to one of knowledge and information has contributed to a dramatic change in how and where people work. Virtual Team Success leverages the authors’ global research study and hands-on experience to provide a resource for virtual team members and team leaders. The authors suggest that successful virtual teams are characterized by members that effectively interact among themselves, build a solid basis of trust with each other, and have strong team building and interpersonal skills. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Distance Manager, Managing the Mobile Workforce, Creativity in Virtual Teams

Most people today are overwhelmed with work both at work and at home. Working more efficiently is one solution, but few know where to begin. In Get-It-Done Guy’s 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More, Stever Robbins has identified specific techniques for working smarter and getting more done in the same amount of time or less. His methods are the result of working with clients for years and helping them change the way they approach tasks. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Personal Efficiency Program, The Time Trap, Focus Like a Laser Beam

Kurt Mortensen defines charisma as the ability to easily build rapport, effectively influence others, inspire them to achieve more, and in the process make allies for life. It is a vital motivational life skill that can and must be mastered if one is going to succeed in influencing others. Charisma is the ability to empower and persuade others to believe and trust in a leader and want to be influenced by that leader. Charisma permeates every aspect of life; Career, relationships, ability to influence, and income are all related to one’s ability to radiate charisma. In The Laws of Charisma, Mortensen outlines 30 skills, traits, and attributes that generate charisma. These can be learned, developed, and mastered. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Increase Your Influence at Work, Influencer, The 360-Degree Leader

In What Your Body Says (and how to master the message), Sharon Sayler explains how nonverbal signs are a very influential part of communication, sometimes even more so than the verbal part of the message. Nonverbal gestures complement, reinforce, and emphasize the importance of the verbal message for the audience. Those who intentionally use nonverbal gestures to accentuate and control the accompanying verbal message are able to build relationships and large circles of influence simply because they are able to understand and be understood at a deeper level than most. Though learning about and understanding how nonverbal signals work is important, the true value of nonverbal signals comes in implementation. For a free trial of EBSCO Business Book Summaries click here. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Nonverbal Advantage, The Secret Language of Business, The Power of Body Language

Tablet computers, smart phones, and mobile technology in general is permeating our personal and professional lives. These devices have made working professionals more productive on the go, but they also have the side effect of making many of us less focused and less able to sustain prolonged attention to any one task. With this in mind, many learning professionals are beginning to favor shorter learning exercises and courses over the more traditional full-length courses in order to ensure learners are fully engaged for the entirety of the learning exercise. Chief Learning Officer magazine recently released an article relating to this "bite sized" approach to learning. As working professionals become more adept at multitasking, attention spans are likely to continue decreasing, and learning professionals must be ready to adapt their learning programs in order to cope with this new reality. Shortening learning courses and allowing professionals to access learning materials on their schedule are two ways in which learning can continue to offer value to companies and employees alike. Related book summaries in the BBS library: Tailored Learning, Hold On, You Lost Me!, The Mobile Learning Edge

In today’s busy world, the demands on an individual’s time can be overwhelming. In fact, forty-two percent of American workers feel that they are overworked. High speed technology, downsizing, and increased customer demands have created an impatient, time-impoverished society. In Make Every Second Count, author Robert Bly acknowledges that twenty-five hours cannot be jammed into a twenty-four hour day; however, an individual can solve the most critical time-management problems by increasing personal productivity. It is unlikely in today’s work environment that workloads will decrease. However, if employees can learn to be more efficient at work, they can conquer their workload and find more free time for enjoyment. To download three free summaries, please visit our site. Related book summaries in the BBS library: The Time Trap, Successful Time Management for Dummies, The Personal Efficiency Program

In The Blame Game, Ben Dattner examines the detrimental effects of focusing on the assignment of blame and credit. There is general acceptance that people should receive praise for good deeds, and they should not be blamed undeservedly. However, an overemphasis on culpability can create a negative work environment that hinders creativity, honesty, and teamwork. Dattner traces the origins of this obsession, explores the role of personality, and offers suggestions for creating an environment that focuses on future success instead of past mistakes. To download three free summaries, please visit our site. Related book summaries in the BBS library: It’s All Politics, All Rise, Games at Work