Just when we really need it, a scathingly funny novel that skewers the ego-driven, morally bankrupt world of The Big Deal
Billionaire Robert Maxx is a king in the world of real estate. Prestigious buildings bear his name, the press treats him like royalty, and beautiful women are thrilled to be seen on his arm. Ruthless, bullying, vengeful, and yet, at times, improbably endearing, Maxx both repels and fascinates.
For writer David Collins, things are not so rosy. His novels didn't sell. His marriage fell apart. Scrabbling for a livelihood, he's turned to ghostwriting. When he gets the gig to crank out Maxx's next bestseller, he regards the assignment as nothing more than an easy payday. 
But something happens. The storyteller in Collins takes over, and he realizes that this isn't one more hack job. It may be his last chance to write something of real value, reclaim his battered self-respect, and win back the ex-wife he still loves.
Against the all-too-real background of a cratering economy and the end of easy money, things start to fall apart for Maxx. As it becomes clear that his mighty empire was built on lies, hucksterism, and dubious accounting, the stage is set for deadly conflict between a fallen idol desperate to conceal the truth and a writer obsessed with an inside story that only he can tell.

Maxxed Out

Literature & Fiction

Collins, David

United States

WilliamMr

This book examines the relatively recent and under-explored phenomenon of outward foreign direct investment (FDI) from the large emerging market countries, focusing on the four BRIC states (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) and on the services sector meaning primarily telecommunications, finance, and transport. It considers the international legal framework governing FDI, discussing the nature and extent of the bilateral and regional investment treaty commitments undertaken by each of the BRIC states, including their commitments under the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services, as well as their obligations as members of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Drawing on trends observed in the regulatory approach of these countries to FDI in services, including the observed flow of FDI both to and now from the developing world, the book proposes a multilateral investment treaty aimed at the liberalization and protection of FDI in services. The treaty will capture the emerging equilibrium in global FDI patterns signifying a unified approach to the regulation of foreign investment in the growing services economy by developing and developed economies alike. The treaty will strengthen the legitimacy of investor-state dispute settlement and recognize public interest norms such as environmental protection and human rights as well as allow signatories to retain sovereignty over matters relating to national security and economic stability.

The BRIC States and Outward Foreign Direct Investment (International Economic Law Series)

Foreign & International Law

Oxford University Press

Building upon decades of research, this shortform book distils the rise of management's gurus. The author analyses the economic and political changes which facilitated the rise of this new group and offers reflections on the controversies around the development of 'guru theory' (a reasonably stable and enduring set of assumptions and associated practices).The rise of management gurus is placed in the context of critiques that the field is empty, insubstantial and faddish. With reflections on the contours of 'the guru industry' and insights into the world of "management speak", the text highlights conceptual, methodological and empirical failings and suggests a radical reconceptualisation of the guru-as-performer.This concise book from a global expert on the topic is essential reading for researchers of business and management as well as an insightful addition to the wider social science library.

Management Gurus (State of the Art in Business Research)

Business & Money

Management & Leadership

Routledge

Management Gurus: A Research Overview (State of the Art in Business Research)

Arthur Ashe: Against the Wind

Children's Books

Dillon Press

In recent years, there has been an explosion of books on the nature of organisational change and the management skills needed to effectively carry it out. Many are written by change gurus and management consultants offering quick fixes and metaphor laden business toolkits, however, much of their advice is banal and under-theorized. This book redresses this balance by providing an original analysis of change management in organizations in the light of wider sociological perspectives. It critically examines the, often implicit, theoretical frameworks underpinning many contemporary accounts of organizational change, and covers subjects including: * the importance of explicit analysis of theory and context * a critique of populist management gurus and quick-fix 'how-to' solutions * 'under-socialized' models of change which emphasise structure over human action * trenchant analysis of 'soft' HRM solutions * the management of culture. Radical and innovative, this book, the first to adopt a sociological approach, is a much-needed challenge to the orthodoxies of change management.

Organisational Change: Sociological Perspectives

Organizational Change: Sociological Perspectives

Management Fads and Buzzwords: Critical-Practical Perspectives

Around 5,000 business and management titles are published every year, and increasingly, their preferred mode of presentation is centred on the creation and marketing of buzzwords and fads. This book argues that these management fads and buzzwords deflect critical inquiry and limit useful action because they present a 'ready made' view of the world, which rejects the benefits of theoretical analysis and reflection. Topics covered include:  * the 'guru industry'* 'excellence'* business process re-engineering* empowerment* culture* knowledge work* globalization.  'Unpacking' the 'guru industry' and analyzing the fads and buzzwords, this book provides a 'critical-practical' analysis, designed to allow readers to locate, understand and critique management fashion.

'Unpacking' the 'guru industry' and analyzing management fads and buzzwords, this book provides a 'critical-practical' analysis, designed to allow readers to locate, understand and critique management fashion.

Narrating the Management Guru (Routledge Advances in Management and Business Studies)

David Collins, a well respected scholar of management gurus proves a critical reappraisal of the very influential work of Tom Peters. This volume examines his key works and reviews his detractors, offering an analysis of his contributions to the field of management that goes beyond the simple chronological model that has previously been used.  Collins focuses on the changing narratives of Tom Peters and proposes a four-fold narrative typlogy to explore this guru's evolving account of the business of management. The book argues that Peters' success as a guru derives from his abilities as a storyteller. The author notes a decline in Peters' storytelling and an increasing reliance on certain story types. Furthermore he observes that this guru now tends to place himself at the centre of his narratives of business and change. On the strength of this analysis Collins concludes that Peters has 'lost the plot' and argues that new and more appropriate, narratives must be sought and developed.  Critical and compelling, this excellent book is a must read for all students and instructors working across the management spectrum, especially in the areas of management, organizational behaviour, change management and corporate strategy.

Narrating the Management Guru: In Search of Tom Peters (Routledge Advances in Management and Business Studies)

Biography & History

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Collins, David. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Collins, David

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Collins, David. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Maxxed Out

The BRIC States and Outward Foreign Direct Investment (International Economic Law Series)

Management Gurus (State of the Art in Business Research)

Management Gurus: A Research Overview (State of the Art in Business Research)

Arthur Ashe: Against the Wind

Organisational Change: Sociological Perspectives

Organizational Change: Sociological Perspectives

Management Fads and Buzzwords: Critical-Practical Perspectives

Management Fads and Buzzwords: Critical-Practical Perspectives

Narrating the Management Guru: In Search of Tom Peters (Routledge Advances in Management and Business Studies)