Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Industries - General    4. Economic history    5. Industry & Industrial Studies    6. International trade    7. Reference works    8. USA   

Editorial Review

It's become clear by now the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communism in most places around the globe hasn't ushered in an unequivocal flowering of capitalism in the developing and postcommunist world. Western thinkers have blamed this on everything from these countries' lack of sellable assets to their inherently non-entrepreneurial "mindset." In this book, the renowned Peruvian economist and adviser to presidents and prime ministers Hernando de Soto proposes and argues another reason: it's not that poor, postcommunist countries don't have the assets to make capitalism flourish. As de Soto points out by way of example, in Egypt, the wealth the poor have accumulated is worth 55 times as much as the sum of all direct foreign investment ever recorded there, including that spent on building the Suez Canal and the Aswan Dam.Read more

Reviews (124)

a BIG idea for social change
Every now and then, a book comes along that opens our minds to an idea that can change the world, and in so doing changes us and reminds us why we read and search for that next great book with that next big idea.I have a very short list of contemporary books like this, and "Mystery of Capital" is one of them.

A wake-up call for economists
Since the Keynesian revolution the economics profession has been busy writing up mathematical models of incentives that show how IMF and World Bank loans, free trade deals, "fiscal policy" or "game theory" can be used by governments to generate economic growth. Hernando de Soto's Mystery of Capital is a slap in the face for every economist that has ever had a high-paid position in the countless agencies built to promote growth. It turns out that the classical economists (and their Austrian school heirs) have been right all along, that the source of economic growth is individual businessmen. And what can these individuals do when it takes a year of full-time work and years of savings paid out in bribes to get a legitimate business license? Nothing. The only people that can do business in these countries are the already-wealthy and well-connected.
Enhanced real estate markets = prosperity?
I enjoyed this book, particularly the legal history of property rights in the United States.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Economics - General    5. Economics - Theory    6. Free Enterprise    7. International - Economics    8. Economics   

Reviews (7)

Strong Tips Here
Axtell vividly shows how common sense is NOT enough to get you through all social or business situations around the world. Travelers ignore Axtell at their own peril.

Interesting
This book is good to read in general terms as it attempted to explain the gestures from all around the world.Sometimes, it's amusing to read & at times, I would be loss for words as what I thought was the right things to do in certain countries is actually considered as rude or obscene.Perhaps, it's the kind of book that you can read in the plane or just as a matter of interest.The presentation is rather text book-ish with bullet points, occasional pictures to ease readers' boredom, something like a PowerPoint presentation.I guess that denotes the writer's background being a prominent guest speaker.

Useful, interesting and funny
This is a nice book. If you are going to travel abroad or you meet foreign people, you would like to know what these people understand from your body language. Of course, the book also gives you good material for chatting with friends from anywhere (including your own coutry).Read more

Subjects:  1. Body language    2. Business & Economics    3. Business Etiquette    4. Business/Economics    5. Cross-cultural studies    6. Etiquette    7. Gesture    8. Intercultural Communication    9. Nonverbal Communication    10. Reference    11. Business & Economics / Business Etiquette    12. Business communication & presentation    13. Cultural studies    14. Customs    15. International business   

Reviews (5)

Lacks cohesion
This book has cursory overview of everthing and lacks detail. Also, each chapter starts well to get you excited on what you are going to learn and at the end of each chapter, you can't really tell whether it addressed the topics in enough details to give you the necessary understanding.

Good, yet not good enough.
This book gives plenty of background into international finance.Unfortunately, it has some big flaws, in my opinion.First, there are not enough calculation examples.Second, there are too few questions at the end of each chapter.In addition, you must go to the author's website for the solution.Once you get there, you will be surprised to find out that the author has only solved maybe two out of eight problems.That's annoying.I do not recommend this book.Take a class from another professor who uses a different text book.

The International Financial Environment
Discuss the changing world attitude toward multinational corporations and identify the evidence cited which sheds new light on the old attitude that multinational companies crowd-out local firms. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Corporate Finance    5. Finance    6. International - General    7. International Business Administration    8. International Finance    9. International business enterprises    10. Budgeting & financial management    11. Business & Economics / Corporate Finance   

Reviews (2)

Globalization and need to know International Law
This book is essentially important for every business person dealing in international arena and every student seeking careers in multinational businesses. The author covers almost all aspects of governing laws related to international trade. My personal statement would be that this book is not to just read but to use it in everyday's practices as a desk reference.

Best help for international business lawpractitioners
This is the best book I've ever read about international business law. It is a very good guide to all issues concerning international law since the choice of a applicable law for a contract passing through contract contents, labor and taxes international legislation, ethics and finishing with the very new cyber law. This is a book to be read for specialists in both international law and international business, but also for practitioners of international trade.We have adodpted this book in our course of International Business Law at Universidad del Istmo in Guatemala. The best book I have consulted in the field. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Financial    2. Business Law    3. Commercial law    4. Foreign trade regulation    5. International    6. International - General    7. International Business    8. International business enterpr    9. International business enterprises    10. Law    11. Law and legislation    12. Legal Reference / Law Profession    13. Business & Economics / Business Law    14. International economic & trade law   

Reviews (32)

American Empire
Zbigniew Brzezinski's book "The Grand Chessboard: American primacy and its geostrategic imperative" serves as a blueprint for 21st century U.S. foreign policy. In the book, Brzezinski, a former National Security advisor to President Jimmy Carter, argues that Eurasia is the keystone to America's future as the world's first and (according to Brzezinski) possibly last global superpower. Eurasia is thus the geography-based chessboard upon which the "Grand Game" is to be played and Brzezinski's premise is that the United States and its allies are competing for global hegemony against other coalitions and major powers - principally Russia, China and Japan. Brzezinski states:
A clever and full of hate mind
This is a very interesting book.Brezinsky is a very clever person, everybody knows that is member of several almost secret organizations, but the hate to Russia that he feels like born in Poland is over all the book. It's curious that he fells more hate to Russia that to Germany, that killed very much more polish people that russians. I recomended to read the book of Jean-Francois Steiner , Warsaw 44, and you will see that the guilty of massacre of Warsaw are the nationalists polishs.
I can't wait to finish this
AS usual, Brzezinski is on his favourite horse: preserve imperialism and American capital, divide and conquer. It is good though, as there are at least 19 other nations who've read this book translated, and NOW THEY KNOW that America is after them. Asking about "why they hate us"? This book is IT, it is the answer! Can't wait to finish this spew of hatret.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. International Relations - General    3. Political Science    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Politics/International Relations    6. International economics    7. International relations    8. USA   

Editorial Review

China has the world's most rapidly changing large economy, and according to Ted Fishman, it is forcing the world to change along with it. "No country has ever before made a better run at climbing every step of economic development all at once," he writes, in Read more

Reviews (63)

The revolution will not be televised
On this side of the Pacific, we are seized every 20 years with a sublime terror, as we watch the rise of another monster in the East.In the land of rising suns, tigers and dragons, the Dragon is on the rise and, it seems, will remain so throughout the next century.
Well-written book
For those that are avid readers of journalistic works such as this one, you would absolutely enjoy every moment rummaging through the pages.Statistics are provided but never to the point of being too dry and too boring for the readers to read through.The writer endeavours to shed lights for us ramifications of China and its muscle power.Instead of branding China as a villain, we need to understand that without support from purchasers who are looking for the cheapest bargains, China wouldn't be where it is now.Wal-Mart is covered in detail.The writer gives us a projection that if car manufacturing industry is heading the same direction of products manufacturing, it's only a matter of time before prices for cars would plummet quite considerably in the future when China has perfected its manufacturing bases just as Japan and South Korea had done before it.Then, there's another discussion about the shifting of population from countryside into urban centres where manufacturing bases are located, and how China is able to sustain the supply of cheap labour.China's progress isn't simply detrimental to other countries.On contrary, it benefits them as well.For example, Australia is having a boom right now due to exportation of natural resources to China.With increase of living standard in China, Chinese needs more nutritious food.As China couldn't provide enough, United States particularly the Middle States are enjoying a boom in supplying food to the Middle Kingdom.Then, there are also discussions about other foreign powers keeping United States in check by siding with China, and also the love and hate relationship between USA and China of controlling the currencies so as to keep the interest rates at an attractive rate to facilitate growth in China and so forth.Whilst nobody knows for certain the exact figures of information provided (since China has this tendency to manipulate figures since the beginning of time), suffice to say that the book explains how the mechanism works and allowing us to have an insight of how international trade ticks.Yes, some reviewers are fastidious and highly critical of figures provided by the writer but ultimately, I think they are missing the points.What's crucial from this book is that we need to understand better about China and learning how to work alongside it in order to share the gains it would garner over the years to come.Highly recommended!

Focus on China
This books offers a comprehensive overview of the China vs. World (Western / industrialized hemisphere) dynamics. Fishman intentionally does not get into the guessing game of Middle East/India factors in the equation but offers global trends that are relevant to everyone who is curious about the business world around them. What does it mean if a small fraction of Chinese can, or are willing, to do X? (Hint: a small fraction of one billion, in absolute terms, is an exceptionally large number of people nonetheless!) How will adding over a billion of people to the commercial world around us affect our lives and our countries? How can established companies make use of this new market?
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. China    4. Competition, International    5. Development - Economic Development    6. Fiction    7. Foreign Investments    8. Globalization    9. Industrial Policy    10. Industrialization    11. Industries - General    12. International - Economics    13. International Relations - General    14. Investments, Foreign    15. Politics / Current Events    16. Business & Economics / Economics / International   

Reviews (71)

Awesome. Learn about the "real" world.
This book explains how the world works, and in some cases how it doesn't work. Tons of topics are covered from free markets to the role of governments to international trade to the price of your health insurance to the stock market to the federal reserve and more.
simple text that everyone can understand
I picked this book out of the bookshelf in a public library, purely by chance, yet got fascinated by it. It explains basic economic idea in the context of public policy making process. I think this is a basic book that everyone should read. Read this this and then discuss whatever politics you want. Public policy fails all the time if it does not comform to the market force.

SImplification at its best...
Insightful and entertaining this book took a very complex set of issues and dilemmas and distilled them to a basic and understandable form. Realistic and meaningful observation and analogies to everyday situations make this a good read for those who want a better understanding of the fundamentals of how our global economy works. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Economics (General)    5. Economics - General    6. Reference - General    7. International economics   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. International - General    5. International Business    6. International business enterpr    7. International business enterprises    8. International trade    9. Management    10. Business & Economics / International   

Reviews (69)

Saudi fields are maturing
This book is very repetitive and too long, but it does contains a lot of useful information about oil fields and the complex business of getting the oil out. From the facts laid out in this book there is little doubt that Saudi oil fields are maturing with years of dependence on massive water injection and in recent years horizontal drilling to maintain high production rates.The production curves included in the book for eight large fields oil fields outside Saudi Arabia, including Prudhoe Bay Alaska, are sobering.Clearly there is some risk that in the not too distant future Saudi oil production will begin to decline.
Good Book, Needs Editing and Polishing
The message in this book is right on--Saudi Arabia is probably not as flush with oil as the world thinks it is.Simmons' thesis is a sound one and he defends it well.
Saudi Oil
A great deal of technical information that was a little overpowering at times. Never the less it makes it's case compellingly and logically. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Economic History    5. Forecasting    6. General    7. Industries - Energy Industries    8. Petroleum industry and trade    9. Petroleum reserves    10. Saudi Arabia    11. Business & Economics / General    12. International economics    13. Management of land & natural resources    14. Petroleum & oil industries   

Reviews (2)

expand your horizon
This book is great for those who are interested in comparative management. I liked it a lot and it was very useful for me because it provides lots of concrete examples of different management styles of various cultures. It made me understand and overcome some of my prejudices regarding different cultures of which I had created a certain image and it made me realize that most of the times what we assume about a different culture is wrong. It was a good read and I will certainly think twice from now on before judging people who think differently than me.

Managing Across Cultures
Susan C. Schneider and Jean-Louis Barsoux do an outstanding job of covering a very complex subject.Their extremely comprehensive chapters will please the researcher and manager alike.They are well written,avoiding academic jargon, while at the same time providing all thereferences a reader wanting more information on any topic may need.Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Human Resources & Personnel Management    6. Intercultural communication    7. International - General    8. International business enterpr    9. International business enterprises    10. Management    11. Management Science    12. Social aspects    13. Business & Economics / International    14. Management & management techniques   

Reviews (5)

Indispensable information on China's growth and impact
This book is indispensable for anyone seeking solid information about China. No country has inspired more commentary, conflict and controversy, or given rise to more disparate and confusing predictions, projections and polemics. The authors - C. Fred Bergsten, Bates Gill, Nicholas R. Lardy and Derek Mitchell - focus on economic, political and security issues, carefully assessing the range of noteworthy opinions on each issue, and offering readers the data necessary to evaluate them. The authors do not attempt to make a case one way or the other. They provide an excellent, concise survey of contemporary thinking about China, with ample evidence for and against each viewpoint. We think that if you are only going to read one book on China, this should be it. If you are going to read several, start here.

First rate think tanks, second rate authors, third rate book
This book is a major disappointment. With all the heat from two think tanks and the authors, it offers no light except something as dry and plain as chewing wax, and certainly could be written by any local journalists.
A biased description of China Development
I believe that this books does not make a sound appreciation of the interesting development china has followed since the period of Den Xiaoping which ended in a new economic and political plan after 1978. If the plan has succeded, is a consequence of the opening of china to a new form of capitalism.The authors of the book seem to be making a biased judgement based upon facts that can also be applied to the U.S government in its intervention all around the third world. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1976-    2. 2000-    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. China    5. Economic Conditions    6. Economic policy    7. Economics - Comparative    8. National security    9. Political Science    10. Politics and government    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Public Policy - Economic Policy    13. International economics    14. International relations   

Reviews (29)

Compelling case made for return to 1970s
Turk and Rubino make a very convincing case for a repeat of the 1970s bull market in gold and silver based on the debasement of the US dollar - in what is becoming a mad sprint to win the competitive devaluation war. The deflationary effects of cheap manufactured goods from Asia over the last decade or so, especially China, have lulled people into a false sense of security - but that may well be about to change. China is proving now to be a double edged sword as it's energy demands now start to change dramatically. The revaluation of the Chinese Yuan - under pressure from the US - may also start to create increasingly inflationary pressures.
Good Background Information if New to the Subject
Mr. Turk & Mr. Rubino do an excellent job of introducing the uninitiated to the ills of the present financial system that pervades our world, in particular as it relates to paper("fiat") money, monetary inflationism(ie expanding the money supply!) and expressly the US Dollar.
Dire, direct warnings about the dollar
This frightening book offers an interesting set of strategies to profit from what the authors see as the imminent collapse of the American currency (and, presumably, economy). It must be said that authors James Turk and John Rubino do not quite succeed in making the case that the economic catastrophe they foresee will happen. For example, they indicate that the value of the U.S. dollar will collapse against other currencies, but then they indicate that these other major currencies will also collapse, leading one to wonder what is collapsing with respect to what. Essentially, they seem to be predicting global hyperinflation, with price levels rising in every country. This scary prospect seems to demand somewhat stronger evidence than provided. However, we regard the authors' arguments as well worth reading, if only because hyperinflation has occurred in the past and so it is prudent to consider the possibility that it may happen in the future. The authors do a reasonably good job of explaining the various ways an investor might hedge against a dollar collapse by owning gold, precious metals and gold stocks. Turk, who has a Web site that works with a digital gold payment system, is straightforward about having a potential conflict of interest. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Dollar, American    4. Gold    5. International - General    6. International finance    7. Investment Analysis    8. Investments    9. Investments & Securities - General    10. Money    11. Personal Finance    12. Personal Finance - Investing    13. Precious Metals    14. Business & Economics / Investments & Securities   

Reviews (11)

Very good book
Excellent book. Well organized, and well written. Lots of pointers to other resources as well. Some web links are broken.

A good book to understand what everybody else is doing
Well, where do I start?This book is useful to understand what every small time operator is doing in this business. You don't want to follow the crowd so I suggest you purchase this book and John Weiley Spiers Book "How Small Business Trades Worldwide".If you follow the techniques outlined by Weiss you're wasting your time, taking on too much risk, and making very little profits.I'm not saying you can't do it, for example, using trade bulletins to find buyers but so is everybody else!This is not an easy business if you do it this way.No real mention of the internet is made to make it useful nor does he focus too much on the marketing aspects which is the most important.Again, there are ways, and very few of them, to make some big profits.In a strange way, I am recommending this book so you understand what everybody else is doing to get into this business, and hopefully you don't follow. If someone is starting off in their own business, I highly recommend you start out as a Manufacturers representative and branch out as an importer/exporter as part of the overall business.[...]

Baby steps
This book is fine for the very early entrepreneur. There is an entire chapter on choosing between forms of organization, buying office supplies and creating a logo. It's a good birds-eye-view of the import/export process, however, if you are a professional seeking insights and business solutions, you will not find many new ideas here. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Export marketing    5. Exports & Imports    6. International trade    7. Trading companies    8. Business & Economics / Exports & Imports    9. Business strategy    10. Entrepreneurship    11. International business   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (66)

Readable, comprehensive and urgent
Let me be as concise as Roberts is comprehensive: this is best book on the looming energy crisis that I have read, and I have read half a dozen.
The U.S. just expanded reserves 50%
The book deserves 2 stars because there are worse books on oil out there. But the author fails to grasp many critical issues in both oil economics and developing technology that the book ultimately serves as a another in a long string of "we are probably doomed books" to come out now faster than ever. Roberts is a good writer who is just too far out of his depth to write on this topic.
Poisonous Misinformation
The most depressing thing about a book like this is not the outrageously inaccurate content, but, based on the high ratings and adulatory comments by other reviewers, that most people actually believe this drivel. How can we possibly form an effective energy policy when the citizenry are not only uninformed but ill-informed? The answer is that we cannot. I will not bother to go through a detailed criticism, not only because it would take an almost book length document to do it, but because, in the highly politicized atmosphere we live in, no one would believe it. Today, the "truth" depends much more on one's political views than on an objective evaluation of the evidence. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Energy Policy (Economic Aspects)    5. Energy policy    6. Government policy    7. Industries - Energy Industries    8. International - General    9. International Relations - Trade & Tariffs    10. Petroleum Industries (Economic Aspects)    11. Petroleum industry and trade    12. Public Policy - Economic Policy    13. Public Policy - General    14. United States    15. Business & Economics / International   

Reviews (23)

A Practical Realistic Guide
I've been doing business with China now for over 8 years but recently I was asked to bring a small group of fellow business associates to China, since I was considered the "Expert". While I know my business well I certainly would not call myself an expert so I went and ask some other friends for a recommendation for a good book that we all could easily understand. A friend that lives and works in China, recommended China Streetsmart and since reading the book I can definitely say its a great guide and has even given me new ideas how to improve my own business with China.
Hands down the Best Resource Guide on the subject
I read John Chan's title after finishing a 9 year expat assignment in China. I was reading numerous publications on the subject to see how other's experiences compared with my own. Other books covered the typical topics with stories to illustrate the points, but I found many of them dated to the China of today, and too generalized.China is on a rapid pace of change and the practices & customs vary significantly by local area."China Streetsmart" was current, accurately portrayed the regional dynamics of the China business environment, and offered widely applicable & fundamental guidelines to be successful. The recounting of real life experiences were so true to my own, it was uncanny.I only wish I had John's book 9 years ago. If your company or yourself are going to China, then make this book a prerequisite.There's not a single book out there that will prepare you for every situation, but if you read just one, I highly recommend "China Streetsmart" by John Chan.Take it from someone who has been there, the better you're prepared, the better your results.
Handy book to watch out for the dangers
Great book, with lots of pictures and colorful illustrations. The only business book I can read on the airplane and not get bored. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Business & Economics / International    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. International - General    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Business    8. Business & Economics    9. Business & Management    10. China    11. Investments, Foreign   

Reviews (8)

An Excellent Book on the Most-Overlooked Facet of Business Today:Cultural Differences
As a cross-cultural consultant and graduate business professor, I highly recommend the sixth edition of the MCD book by Harris, Moran, and Moran.I currently utilize the new edition in both my online and onground MBA courses which deal primarily with international management and leadership issues.
Great Reference book for Cross-cultural Affairs
The book "Managging Cultural Differences" is a very good reference book for cross-cultural affairs. First of all, the book creates awareness about culture and subsequent cultural differences in an increasingly global world. It also offers the reader an introduction to the concepts of culture and beliefs and most importantly gives a guide on how to behave in foreign countries.