The Business Of Living

On June 23rd, 1950, Pavese, Italy's greatest modern writer received the coveted Strega Award for his novel Among Women Only. On August 26th, in a small hotel in his home town of Turin, he took his own life. Shortly before his death, he methodically destroyed all his private papers. His diary is all that remains and for this the contemporary reader can be grateful. Contemporary speculation attributed this tragedy to either an unhappy love aff air with the American film star Constance Dawling or his growing disillusionment with the Italian Communist Party. His Diaries, however, reveal a man whose art was his only means of repressing the specter of suicide which had haunted him since childhood: an obsession that finally overwhelmed him. As John Taylor notes, he possessed something much more precious than a political theory: a natural sensitivity to the plight and dignity of common people, be they bums, priests, grape-pickers, gas station attendants, office workers, or anonymous girls picked up on the street (though to women, the author could--as he admitted--be as misogynous as he was affectionate). Bitter and incisive, This Business of Living, is both moving and painful to read and stands with James Joyce's Letters and Andre Gide's Journals as one of the great literary testaments of the twentieth century.

THE BUSINESS OF LIVING is a collection of essays on a myriad of topics. They range from social commentary to advisory; global to personal; food, war stories, love stories, time, and weather are proudly present. Read, relate, remember. Agree or not. Re-read. Laugh. Cry. Think. Food, an Art Form; The Purple Menace; Anatomy of Time; Travel Agent; Hands; Double Standard; Life of a Fire; Sex and the Grammar Lesson; Let it Snow; Masks of Ourselves; How Poor is Poor? are several titles of the compelling pieces within. Visit the author at [email protected]

In the modern economic paradigm characterized by a multitude of business management theories aimed at maximizing profits, there is a danger of formalizing management techniques to the extent of dehumanizing individuals or reducing them to humanoids. This book deals with familiar concepts in the management literature, but always in light of the model of the human person. It sheds light on organizing processes in individuals, small groups, and organizations and other large social systems by covering empirical research on three central topics — modes of influence, intrapersonal communication, and change — through which the social context is constantly shifting. Concepts from other fields are also introduced by the author into the field of management, such as philosophy, biology, sociology, semantics, and mythology, to name a few. As a protest against behaviorism, materialism, objectivism, determinism, elitism, and many other “-ism's” that degrade the human person, this book provides food for thought to students of management and organizational behavior, psychologists and sociologists, as well as political scientists and leaders of business and nonbusiness institutions.

The business of biomimicry involves drawing inspiration from living organisms and natural systems to solve human challenges and create sustainable innovations. It is based on the idea that nature has evolved efficient and elegant solutions over millions of years, and by emulating those solutions, we can develop more sustainable and effective products, processes, and systems. Biomimicry offers several benefits in the business world. First, it provides a framework for sustainable innovation. By studying how nature solves problems, businesses can develop products and processes that are more resource-efficient, resilient, and environmentally friendly. This can lead to cost savings, improved performance, and a reduced ecological footprint. Second, biomimicry promotes a shift toward regenerative design. Rather than just minimizing harm to the environment, biomimicry encourages businesses to create positive impacts by emulating nature’s capacity for regeneration and creating systems that support the health and well-being of ecosystems. Third, biomimicry fosters creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration. By looking at nature’s strategies, designers, engineers, and scientists can find novel and unexpected solutions to complex problems. This interdisciplinary approach encourages collaboration across fields and fosters innovation. Overall, the wisdom of living organisms, as observed through biomimicry, provides valuable insights and lessons that can inform business practices. By emulating nature’s solutions, businesses can drive innovation, create sustainable products and processes, and contribute to a more regenerative and resilient economy.

In the modern economic paradigm characterized by a multitude of business management theories aimed at maximizing profits, there is a danger of formalizing management techniques to the extent of dehumanizing individuals or reducing them to humanoids. This book deals with familiar concepts in the management literature, but always in light of the model of the human person. It sheds light on organizing processes in individuals, small groups, and organizations and other large social systems by covering empirical research on three central topics ? modes of influence, intrapersonal communication, and change ? through which the social context is constantly shifting. Concepts from other fields are also introduced by the author into the field of management, such as philosophy, biology, sociology, semantics, and mythology, to name a few. As a protest against behaviorism, materialism, objectivism, determinism, elitism, and many other ?-ism's? that degrade the human person, this book provides food for thought to students of management and organizational behavior, psychologists and sociologists, as well as political scientists and leaders of business and nonbusiness institutions. Contents: "History of Ideas: "You Cannot Not ManageFirst Encounter with ManagersPsychologist in Business School!From Academia to Wall StreetSingapore Adopts the SeminarLearning is a Two-Way Process"The Human Person: "Don't Think, Just Look!Model ParametersSynthesisPractical Implications"Membership and Role Acquisition: "A State of BelongingMembership: A Historical ProcessRole Acquisition"Leading and Managing: "Leader/Manager ControversyReview of Case StudiesLeadership, Fellowship and Follower-ShipCentral Thesis: Mechanisms of InfluenceA Journey with a Donkey"Social Structures: "The Human Person as a UniverseDyadic StructuresTriadic StructuresSmall Groups"Work, Play and Leisure: "Semantic IntroductionWork versus LaborPlayLeisureAristotle's ViewEnergy ManagementFinal Conclusion"Philosophical Foundations in Quotes: "ReferencesAppendixIndex Readership: Managers, psychologists, political scientists, sociologists, graduate students and researchers in social science.

In a world that often appears to be spinning out of control, there has possibly never been a time when the need for true leaders has been more urgent than today. Leadership is certainly an enigma. Some believe that a leader is someone who has followers. Does that mean that the person with the most Twitter followers or Facebook fans is a true leader? Hardly. While followers may be part of the equation, leadership cannot be about followers alone; and it can’t be just about winning the popular vote. In fact, some of the greatest leaders in history were the least popular. In The Business of Redemption, James Arthur Ray brings together his nearly 30 years of experience in leadership, entrepreneurship, performance, and business. He tracks his meteoric rises and epic falls, successes and failures, to suggest that leadership is about “paying the price.” Leadership is earned through battles and risk, failures and successes, resilience and grit and resourcefulness; and the courage and commitment to get back up and never give up. True leaders take Absolute Responsibility when things go badly; and they give all the credit and praise when things go famously well. True leaders are fighting for a cause that’s bigger than their own personal creature comforts, moods, and needs and that takes The Business of Redemption.

Advance praise for Me, Inc "Ventrella takes the best practices of Fortune 500 companies and shows how you can apply them to another important venture—you! Your life deserves at least as much attention as your job does, so read this book and turn your time on Earth into a satisfying, meaningful enterprise." —Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager and Leading at a Higher Level "Rarely does a book so authentically capture the essence of what a true personal brand transformation is all about. Me, Inc. provides a unique approach to discovering your personal brand and making it a reality. Through Ventrella's insights and invaluable self-discovery tools, readers quickly learn that when you build your personal brand, you build a brand of value—value that eloquently translates into success throughout every facet of your life." —Laura Tessinari, Senior Partner, Director of Training, Ogilvy & Mather "The Me, Inc. program has guided me on the path to even greater personal and professional achievement and life satisfaction than I ever thought possible." —Jack Hallahan, Vice President, Advertising and Brand Partnerships, MobiTV "In all of the thirteen years since I first heard Ventrella speak on this subject, I have consistently been impressed by the value of his approach and the responses of the hundreds of students who have benefited from his structured program. With the publication of Me, Inc., Ventrella reveals to a much larger audience the way to create successful, happy lives. His students at Fordham and executive coaching clients have been applying it with excellent results for years." —James A. F. Stoner, Professor Fordham University, Graduate School of Business Administration "Me, Inc. provides a clear road map to achieving your goals and finding greater work-life balance. Ventrella's approach offers an interesting and powerful way to assume control; by managing your life's ambitions as seriously as you might a business endeavor, you can clarify your thoughts, set priorities, and turn your dreams into reality. Ventrella is a very effective coach and, like any good boss, he doesn't let you off the hook. You want to change things? Look no further." —Teri Schindler, Media Consultant, Patrick Davis Partners

Shortlisted for the Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Prize 2008 The Snowball is the first and will be the only biography of the world's richest man, Warren Buffett, written with his full cooperation and collaboration. Combining a unique blend of "The Sage of Omaha's" business savvy, life story and philosophy, The Snowball is essential reading for anyone wishing to discover and replicate the secrets of his business and life success. Warren Buffett is arguably the world's greatest investor. Even as a child he was fascinated by the concept of risk and probability, setting up his first business at the age of six. In 1964 he bought struggling Massachusetts textile firm Berkshire Hathaway and grew it to be the 12th largest corporation in the US purely through the exercise of sound investing principles - a feat never equalled in the annals of business. Despite an estimated net worth of around US$62 billion, Buffett leads an intriguingly frugal life taking home a salary of only £50,000 a year. His only indulgence is a private jet, an extravagance he wryly acknowledges by calling it "The Indefensible". In 2006, he made the largest charitable donation on record, with most of it going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Snowball provides a comprehensive, richly detailed insight one of the world's most extraordinary and much loved public figures.