Data Analytics and Data-based Decision-making are hot topics now. Big Data has entered the common parlance. Many kinds of data are generated by business, social media, machines, and more. Organizations have a choice: they can be buried under the avalanche of data, or they can do something with it to increase competitive advantage. A new field of Data Science is born, and Data Scientist has been called the sexiest job of the decade. Students across a variety of academic departments, including business, computer science, statistics, and engineering are attracted to the idea of discovering new insights and ideas from data. This is a proposal for a short and lucid book on this whole area. It is designed to provide a student with the intuition behind this evolving area, along with a solid toolset of the major data mining techniques and platforms, all within a single semester- or quarter-long course.
This book will provide a practical overview of how digital content, social media and search engine optimization work together in driving website traffic and sales leads. The goal of the book is to educate readers on the new mindset and social technologies required to drive this traffic in a timely and non-intrusive way. Readers will benefit from a comprehensive but succinct overview of how social networking; search friendly blogging, trustworthy content, contextually targeted online campaigns and mobile marketing techniques are transforming companies that embrace inbound marketing. Targeted for business professionals and students that are saturated with social technology updates, the book offers a more strategic orientation to these subjects as they relate to sales nurturing and thought leadership. And unlike books that cover social media one platform or technology at a time, this book is organized for readers to master elements of strategy in the order of their implementation. In so doing, it will help order the steps of professionals in the midst of launching new digital marketing initiatives as well as students tasked with completing social media marketing plans.
This book is about helping entrepreneurs sift through the ‘noise’ regarding bootstrapping to craft an informed strategy for successfully navigating the beginning period of a firm’s existence. The book is a theory-driven, evidence-based look at bootstrapping, defined as: ‘highly creative ways of acquiring the use of resources without borrowing money or raising equity financing from traditional sources’ (Freear, Sohl, & Wetzel , 1995). In this era of lean startups, effectuation, and bricolage; bootstrapping is oft romanticized, but seldom analyzed. The evidence, while admittedly still in infancy, is compelling: bootstrapping is a non-ideal state.. So, practically speaking, an entrepreneur should avoid bootstrapping; however, realistically, most entrepreneurs will need to engage in some form of bootstrapping. The argument then, importantly, shifts to: how should one bootstrap? This book on ‘strategic bootstrapping’ outlines methods for bootstrapping with the goal of ceasing bootstrapping activities. This includes a highlighting of the useful aspects of bootstrapping, effectuation, and bricolage. It will attempt to provide the cold-hard facts on bootstrapping; it will outline how to minimize time in bootstrapping mode; and it will report–from research–best practices in bootstrapping. Without this more strategic stance on bootstrapping, an entrepreneur will likely never exit this bootstrapped configuration.
This book is for marketers (from newbies to CMO level) who want to learn why and how to use mobile marketing to engage and convert consumers. A Beginner’s Guide to Mobile Marketing will teach you about the exploding opportunities that mobile marketing offers and why it is so important to embrace it in your integrated marketing strategy.
Cell phones are no longer just for calling people. Based on the latest trends in consumer behavior on mobiles, the authors introduce ways that marketers can use smartphone popularity to reach people with tactics like mobile apps, mobile web, social media, mobile advertising and more. Exercises are included to ensure that the reader understands the material as well as how to apply it in the real world.
The chief executive officer (CEO) of a corporation and her executive team are responsible for the management of the business and its continued financial success. This team is almost always highly compensated and the relative total compensation has mushroomed over time. Most of the compensation now is designed to be performance-based; but this structure leads to charges that it provides executives with incentives to manipulate short term corporate earnings and stock prices to serve their own compensation self interests. The book explores this premise and provides guidance into how such determinations are made. Three key points are emphasized in this book. First is the role that accounting and disclosure play in informing the process of determining executive compensation. Second is the recognition that executive compensation can affect corporate behavior in a variety of ways; and finally, there is the acknowledgement that executive compensation cannot be fully understood without one first becoming familiar with economic theory and empirical research related to compensation models. Because the rationale for executive compensation and the way it is viewed has changed over time, this book adopts a historical/chronological perspective. This perspective allows the book to make several observations about the state of executive compensation and how public disclosures about it have been demanded and have increased over time. The business culture and institutional framework for compensation of top executives has changed dramatically since the 1930s, with important ramifications. Types and amounts of executive pay have bounced up and down based on tax laws, regulatory changes and executive self-interest, as executives find new ways to be paid more. Yet research has shown that, despite some notable excesses, overall executive compensation is often more reasonable than recent perceptions would suggest.
The vast array of themes reflects how international business reaches every corner of our world today. This volume makes much of this complexity more accessible by presenting the topics, its analysis and controversies, and possible new directions in a few pages – just enough for bedtime reading. Also, each analysis is accompanied by a cartoon developed by Czinkota and award-winning cartoonist, David Clark.This compilation of articles and editorials by Prof. Czinkota published in news media worldwide contains thoughtful insight into core dimensions of international business and trade. The vast array of themes reflects how international business reaches every corner of our world today. This volume makes much of this complexity more accessible by presenting the topics, its analysis and controversies, and possible new directions in a few pages – just enough for bedtime reading. Also, each analysis is accompanied by a cartoon developed by Czinkota and award-winning cartoonist, David Clark. Through the parsimonious use of the word and the frequent offer of insightful cartoons, we hope to enhance understanding and appreciation of the international trade and investment environment. We live in a global community in many ways, however many sectors need to catch up to these approaches–such as international marketing and trade policies. Additionally, an international market only functions through trust and relationships between merchants and companies. In spite of better communications across great distances, business relationships are still as important as ever, and will not be disappearing anytime soon. Political and international affairs directly impact every form of business. However, readers are bombarded with a colossal volume of reports and articles, which can be overwhelming. Therefore, in spite of progress in transparency, it becomes increasingly burdensome to understand the consequences of a global market. This is why the book offers these short commentaries, editorials, and cartoons to encourage comprehension of and thinking about the most important and relevant topics today. The articles of this book touch on the natural ebb and flow in every economy and how set-backs actually bring about innovation and often inspire new business policies and practices that increase efficiency. Recent recessions do not signal a decline on the world stage, but rather an opportunity to move forward with new determination and pursue different frontiers. At the same time, if we demand that government provides the greatest protection possible, then we have to be willing to give up a certain amount of privacy, as is discussed in the section about economic growth and freedom. This book also outlines some of the far-reaching consequences that wars, international conflict, and overall lack of trust can have on business relationships and therefore trade. From the increasing conflict in the Middle East, to the current situation between Russian and Ukraine, to global terrorism, all of these events cause people to divert investments elsewhere, which can have a large economic and financial impact. In closing, this book outlines important aspects of international business, and often does so with a bit of humor and in an entertaining manner.
This book addresses project management in the context of information systems. It deals with general project management principles, with focus on the special characteristics of information systems. It is based on an earlier text , but shortened to focus on essential project management elements. This chapter has presented various statistics indicating endemic problems in completing information system projects on time, within budget, at designed functionality. While successful completion of an information systems project is a challenge, there are some things that can be done to improve the probability of project success. This book reviews a number of project management tools. These include developing organizational ability to work on projects, discussed in Chapters 2 and 3. Sponsor expectations can be based upon better information if a good job of project selection is conducted, discussed in Chapter 4. Better systems analysis and design (Chapter 5) and project estimation (covered in Chapter 6) can assure that the proper skills are acquired to develop the project. Project management tools (Chapter 7) can assist project managers in coordinating the project effort, as can project management software such as Microsoft Project. Chapter 8 will return to the importance of critical success factors in the context of project implementation. Chapter 9 will discuss project control and termination.
In an increasingly competitive and fast-paced economy, communication cannot be a function delegated to the public relations department. It’s every leader’s responsibility to communicate openly, honestly and responsively. Very few people in business have an appreciation for, and understanding of, their essential role in communication, both in terms of employee engagement and meaningful public dialogue. Every leader controls some information, data and feedback. How should they manage that power in this digital age when anything can leak in a heartbeat?In an increasingly competitive and fast-?paced economy, communication cannot be a function delegated to the public relations department. It’s every leader’s responsibility to communicate openly, honestly and responsively. Very few people in business have an appreciation for, and understanding of, their essential role in communication, both in terms of employee engagement and meaningful public dialogue. Every leader controls some information, data and feedback. How should they manage that power in this digital age when anything can leak in a heartbeat? That is the question at the heart of this book. This book will serve executives and emerging business leaders across multiple industries and representing a full spectrum of functional disciplines. It will be a solid resource, as well, for those enrolled in MBA and executive development programs. Upper-?level undergraduate students would also benefit.
Often the complaint from consumers and business people is: ‘some businesses are not sure what to discuss on their social networking pages. They just bombard us with specials and try to sell their products and services. Social media is not about selling, it’s about the link. Building and engaging likeminded people with the brand.’ In response, Social Media Brand provides the thinking, evidence and practice to create a road map for practitioners to develop and implement their brand in online and offline communities. This approach is called 5 Sources (5S). The five fundamental branding principles simply outsource the brand and put the customer back in control. The 5 Sources approach asks the following questions of the brand and its stakeholders:
1. Functional: What is the role of the brand in enabling customer objectives?
2. Emotional: What is the role of the brand in customer acknowledgement?
3. Self: What is the role of the brand in customer acknowledgement and actualization?
4. Personal (Social): What is the role of the brand in the reality of a customer’s social interactions?
5. Relational: What is the role of the brand in defining collective relationships?
In essence it signals the day when the brand is no longer owned by the marketer or company. Rather, it is outsourced to the customer and other stakeholders in the social media community. Secondly, it provides a practical orientation and insight. This is book is research-based. It reflects what the social media community told the authors they wanted, without bias, prejudice or agenda. It is their call for ownership of the brand. A lot of companies are using social media, but many of them fail to build relationships and position their brands as community assets. This book will contribute value to your brand and community relationships both on and offline.
Feasibility Analysis for Sustainable Technologies will lead you into a professional feasibility analysis for a renewable energy or energy efficiency project. The analysis begins with an understanding of the basic engineering description of technology in terms of capacity, efficiency, constraints, and dependability.Sustainability is a hot topic now, attracting students to courses offered across a variety of academic departments, including business, environmental science, engineering, and city planning. A key aspect of implementing sustainability in organizations is the design and financial evaluation of systems for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and waste management. Most sustainability programs at the masters level have some expectation that the graduate will be able to do a feasibility study for such systems. However, no textbook exists to train the student to do a feasibility study–until now.
When my university decided in 2010 to make Sustainable Business the flagship specialization of our MBA program, I realized that we needed to have a course called ‘Sustainable Technologies,’ which would prepare students to conduct feasibility analyses. This course would take an ‘engineering-economic’ approach to the subject, teaching basic engineering concepts as appropriate for business students and using low-intermediate concepts in economics and finance that would still be accessible to students (both undergraduate and graduate) who do not have a background in science or economics. Teaching the course over the past few years, I also saw that this engineering-economic knowledge of sustainable technology also has value for students who want to manage sustainability initiatives or participate informatively in policy discussions on sustainable technology. Thus, the book should be able to sell into any masters-level program that emphasizes sustainability, and it will be a valuable resource for sustainability professionals who need to teach themselves how to do a feasibility study.
There is a Students’ Study Guide containing chapter summaries, homework problems, and cases, and there is a Teacher’s Solution Manual for instructors once this title has been adopted.
