The Business Shelf

Next Generation Retail
Deborah Weinswig, author
Renee Hartmann, author
Kogan Page Inc.
8 W 38th Street, Ste 902, New York, NY 10018
www.koganpage.com
9781398609648, $80.99, HC, 240pp

https://www.amazon.com/Next-Generation-Retail-Technology-Innovate/dp/139860= 9641

Synopsis: While change is a constant in retail marketing, flux has accelera= ted in innovation, digital disruption and changing consumer demands and exp= ectations. Written for both digital-first and physical retailers, with the = publication of "Next Generation Retail: How to Use New Technology to Innova=
te for the Future" by co-authors Deborah Weinswig and Renee Hartmann descri= bes how to respond to the needs and expectations of today's consumers and c= onnect with Generations Z and Alpha in an authentic and relevant way. Highl=
y practical in approach, Next Generation Retail" explores the latest opport= unities and pitfalls to avoid for developments including the metaverse, liv= estream shopping, instant commerce, blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFT= s).

"Next Generation Retail" also describes how to create compelling content an=
d retail media to drive commerce and monetize data while maintaining custom=
er trust. Featuring original research and interviews with top industry expe= rts, "Next Generation Retail" contains examples and case studies from a ran=
ge of brands and organizations including Lancome, Burberry, and Walmart.

Critique: An essential resource for retailers of all sizes having to adapt,=
compete and thrive in today's business environment of breakneck change and=
innovation, "Next Generation Retail: How to Use New Technology to Innovate=
for the Future" is exceptionally 'user friendly' in organization and prese= ntation. A complete course of instruction for corporate executives, marketi=
ng directors, advertizing managers, entrepreneurs, MBA students, and non-sp= ecialist general readers with an interest in the subject, "Next Generation = Retail" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, = corporate, and academic library Retail Marketing and Business Management co= llections.. It should be noted that "Next Generation Retail" is also availa= ble in a paperback edition (9781398609631, $27.99) and in a digital book fo= rmat (Kindle, $22.39).

Editorial Note #1: Deborah Weinswig (https://www.deborahweinswig.com) is th=
e founder and CEO of Coresight Research, a firm which helps retail clients = accelerate innovation and growth. Based in New York City, New York, she was=
previously Managing Director and Head of the Global Staples and Consumer D= iscretionary team at Citi Research. A frequent conference keynote speaker, = she sits on the advisory board of the World Retail Congress and has been re= cognized as a Top Retail Influencer of 2022 by RETHINK Retail. She is frequ= ently quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg and = Forbes.

Editorial Note #2: Renee Hartmann (https://renee-hartmann.com) is the Co-Fo= under of CLA, a research and strategy consulting firm that advises consumer=
brands which include Giorgio Armani, Fendi and Yves Saint Laurent on inter= national expansion and strategy. Based near Los Angeles, California, she ha=
s worked as a brand owner, retail operator, consumer researcher and brandin=
g and market entry strategist for the last 25 years.

The Decisive Manager
Barbara Mitchell, author
Cornelia Gamlem, author
Career Press Inc.
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781632652010, $19.95, PB, 224pp

https://www.amazon.com/Decisive-Manager-Results-Morale-Deserve/dp/163265201=
3

Synopsis: With respect to 'people issues' in the workplace, they often seem=
to arise out of nowhere and just don't go away. It's critical that busines=
s managers handle them right.

As a manager, you need to know so many things about managing people, but yo=
u don't even know what to ask! That's where "The Decisive Manager: Get Resu= lts, Build Morale, and Be the Boss Your People Deserve" by co-authors Barba=
ra Mitchell and Cornelia Gamlem can help.

With examples of typical situations that managers encounter and advice on h=
ow to handle them, "The Decisive Manager" is an easy-to-use guide for peopl=
e managers and has information on hiring to firing, and everything in betwe= en. It covers: Finding and Hiring the Best Talent (recruiting, interviewing=
, job posting, job offers, onboarding, and more); Creating a Positive Emplo= yee Experience (employee engagement, retention, and employee motivation); P= aying and Rewarding Employees (compensation transparency, employee wellness=
and mental health, and rewards and recognition); Helping Employees Grow an=
d Develop (creating a learning culture, strategies for doing so, and the ma= nager's role in employee development); Understanding Policies and Practices=
(the role of policies, applying them to specific situations, harassment an=
d office romance); Ensuring Graceful Endings (layoffs, terminations for cau= se, exit interviews and more).

The important issues surrounding remote and hybrid work are also addressed,=
including how to best support your staff, onboarding from afar, and keepin=
g accountability yet flexibility for all.

Concerned about navigating the changing workplace and avoiding legal pitfal= ls? There are questions and essential answers about these issues, too. Mana= ging people correctly is critical to every manager's success. "The Decisive=
Manager" will help with those unexpected challenges that arise too often.

Critique: For both novice and experienced mangers alike, "The Decisive Mana= ger: Get Results, Build Morale, and Be the Boss Your People Deserve" is an = essential and indispensable instructional guide and 'how-to' resource that = will prove to be enduringly valued. While also available for personal readi=
ng lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99). "The Decisive Manager" i=
s especially and unreservedly recommended for professional, community, corp= orate, and academic library Business Management collections and MBA supplem= ental curriculum Human Resources & Personnel Management studies lists.

Editorial Note #1: Barbara Mitchell and Cornelia Gamlem are authors, speake= rs, and consultants. They bring a wealth of business and human resources ex= perience to their writing. Both held positions at major corporations before=
starting their individual consulting practices, where each worked with a v= ariety of organizations. Together, they wrote The Big Book of HR, The Essen= tial Workplace Conflict Handbook, The Conflict Resolution Handbook, the awa= rd-winning Manager's Answer Book, and They Did What? Barbara is also the co= author of The Essential HR Handbook.

Forward: Leading Your Team Through Change
Elizabeth Moran
https://www.elizabethmorantransformation.com
Business Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781782792895, $19.95, PB, 200pp

https://www.amazon.com/Forward-Leading-Your-Through-Change/dp/1782792899

Synopsis: Every week thousands of leaders have to guide their teams through=
a change that they didn't initiate. They do what they can, but too often t= hey feel unprepared and pressed for time. Needing to quickly get the word o= ut, they announce the change through an email and hope for the best. If the= re's resistance, they increase the frequency and pressure in their messages=
.. Not surprisingly, this rarely works.

Dr. Elizabeth Moran is a self-described "change nerd" who guides some of th=
e most successful companies in the world, and with the publication of "Forw= ard: Leading Your Team Through Change" outlines her practical, communicatio= n-based approach, offering proven advice, actions, and tools to help team l= eaders navigate their own transformation challenges.

Grounded in neuroscience and written with humor, "Forward" is the playbook = business leaders need, complete with beginning-to-end action steps, team an=
d individual conversation guides, and a clear approach to measuring success=
.. Of special note are the specific chapters helping readers tackle some of = the toughest and yet most common transformation challenges happening today =
in the business community, like changes that involve job loss, and how to b= uild long-term resilience.

Critique: Timely relevant, informative, thought-provoking, insightful, need= ed, "Forward: Leading Your Team Through Change" should be considered essent= ial reading for anyone tasked with business management responsibilities. Wh= ile unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, corporate, communi= ty, and academic library Business Decision Making and Conflict Resolution/M= ediation collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of = MBA students, academia, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and non-specia= list general readers with an interest in the subject that "Forward: Leading=
Your Team Through Change" is also available in a digital book format (Kind= le, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Elizabeth Moran (https://www.elizabethmorantransformation.c= om) is passionate about helping leaders, teams, and organizations navigate = and evolve through constant change. She is a consultant and executive coach=
, and holds masters and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from the Ca= lifornia Institute of Integral Studies.

Rising Together
Sally Helgesen
Hachette Go
c/o Hachette Book Group
www.hachettebookgroup.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9780306828300, $30.00, HC, 240pp

https://www.amazon.com/Rising-Together-Divides-Inclusive-Workplace/dp/03068= 28308

Synopsis: Participants at leadership conferences often tell Sally Helgesen,=
"Please don't spend your time telling us why developing and retaining a di= verse workforce is important. We get it. The problem is, we don't know how =
to do it."

With the publication of "Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Cre= ate a More Inclusive Workplace", Sally provides that missing 'how' in full = detail by identifying both what holds us back and specific tactics that can=
help us move forward.

First, Sally identifies the eight common triggers most likely to undermine = our ability to collaborate across divides -- not only of gender, but also o=
f age, ethnicity, race, sexuality, and life experience. These triggers are = widespread, yet rarely acknowledged. They include differences in how people=
from different backgrounds view ambition, competence, perceptions, fairnes=
s, communication, networks, attraction, and humor.

Second, Sally then offers specific practices designed to address these trig= gers: simple behavioral tweaks that we can use on a daily basis; a method f=
or informally enlisting allies to hold us to account; and a means for culti= vating and disseminating the dynamic power of we.

"Rising Together" is relevant for readers at every stage and level in their=
careers who recognize that building a broad range of relationships is esse= ntial to their advancement, now and in the future. It also serves as an ind= ispensable guide for HR, diversity, and leadership professionals tasked wit=
h addressing the misunderstandings, resentments, and derailments caused by = the eight triggers. Sally's focus on behaviors (how we act and how we think=
) promises to redirect the inclusion conversation in a grounded, real-world=
way that brings us together.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Rising Toge= ther: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace" will=
be of particular and practical value to readers with an interest in workpl= ace culture. While unreservedly recommended as a core addition to personal,=
professional, community, corporate, and academic library Business Manageme= nt/Human Resources collections and supplemental MBA curriculum studies list=
s, "Rising Together" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $1= 5.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 978166= 8629888, $45.00, CD) for MBA students, academia, corporate executives, Huma=
n Resource staff members, and non- specialist general readers with an inter= est in the subject.

Editorial Note: Sally Helgesen (https://sallyhelgesen.com) is an internatio= nally acclaimed author, speaker, and leadership development consultant. Her=
latest book, The Female Vision: Women's Real Power at Work, explores the s= trategic dimension of women's leadership. Her other books include The Femal=
e Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership, hailed as "the classic work" on wo= men's leadership style, translated into 12 languages and continually in pri=
nt for twenty years, and The Web of Inclusion: A New Architecture for Build= ing Great Organizations, cited in The Wall Street Journal as one of the bes=
t books on leadership of all time.

Inclusion Uncomplicated
Dr. Nika White
Forbes Books
18 Broad Street, Suite 300, Charleston, SC 29401
https://books.forbes.com
9781955884150, $27.99

https://www.amazon.com/Inclusion-Uncomplicated-Transformative-Guide-Simplif= y/dp/1955884153

At a moment in history when institutions are collapsing, violence and injus= tice are skyrocketing, and the outcomes of systemic oppression go viral on =
a daily basis, Dr. Nika White's, Inclusion Uncomplicated has arrived at the=
perfect time.

This book is the guide you have been waiting for: one that unravels the com= plexity of diversity, equity, and inclusion, teases out root causes of syst= emic oppression, and delivers simple, actionable tools for real change. Rig=
ht now. When it's needed the most. The wisdom contained within these pages = comes from Dr. Nika's twenty-plus years of helping companies across the glo=
be create more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable cultures. Dr. Nika's p= hilosophy is simple - DEI is a responsibility we all share. It's going to t= ake each one of us moving from passivity to impact within our unique sphere=
s of influence.

That's why this book is written in a straight-forward, conversational style=
that speaks to the leader in all of us. From real-life, workplace scenario=
s, to the latest research on what works and what doesn't, to strategies for=
untangling the gnarled threads of bias - readers will find everything they=
need to become DEI allies, changemakers, and inclusive leaders, no matter = where they are on the DEI journey.

From Marginal to Mainstream
Helen Edwards
Kogan Page Inc.
8 W 38th Street, Ste 902, New York, NY 10018
www.koganpage.com
9781398604339, $84.00, HC, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Marginal-Mainstream-Tomorrows-Growth-Fringes/dp/1398= 60433X

Synopsis: Mainstream brands are besieged when it comes to being innovative,=
developing new products and taking new services or goods to market. Legacy=
brands seek out small and comfortable advantages within their market secto=
rs and while this may produce a small market share uplift, it will never br= ing about sensational brand growth.

With the publication of "From Marginal to Mainstream: Why Tomorrow's Brand = Growth Will Come from the Fringes - and How to Get There First", Helen Edwa= rds shows why businesses, marketers and product development teams need to b= reak through mainstream inhibition and turn their attention to those brands=
that are currently in the margins -- to confront, evaluate and embrace the=
strangeness of brand strategies, behaviours, ideas, marketing and the way =
of life at the fringes.

This may be an unpromising, untested, weird and even sometimes frightening = place, yet studying the behavior of marginal brands (what they get right, h=
ow they engage with customers, how they develop products) can point the way=
to new innovation, new routes to market and exciting new category creation=
..

As Helen Edwards points out -- Today's margins are tomorrow's pot of gold -=
if you know where and how to look!

Critique: Of special value and extraordinary relevance to readers with an i= nterest in the subject of business marketing in today's ever evolving and c= ompetitive market place, "From Marginal to Mainstream: Why Tomorrow's Brand=
Growth Will Come from the Fringes - and How to Get There First" is deftly = organized into three main sections: The Margins and Why They Matter; How to=
Read the Margins; A Strategy for Growth. Informatively enhanced for the re= ader with the inclusion an informative Introduction, twenty-two pages of No= tes, and a five page Index, "From Marginal to Mainstream" is especially app= ropriate and recommended for professional, community, corporate, and academ=
ic library Business Management/Marketing collections. It should be noted fo=
r the personal reading lists of entrepreneurs, corporate executives, brand = development marketers, MBA students, and non-specialists with an interest i=
n the subject that "From Marginal to Mainstream" is also available in a pap= erback edition (9781398604315, $29.99) and in a digital book format (Kindle=
, $22.39).

Editorial Note: Helen Edwards (https://www.marketingweek.com/columnist-hele= n-edwards) is a branding consultant, based in London, UK, and an award-winn= ing columnist at Marketing Week, focusing on brand positioning and brand st= rategy. She is the director of Passionbrand, a Teaching Fellow in Marketing=
at London Business School and is the author of Creating Passion Brands. Sh=
e founded Passionbrand in 2005 - a boutique brand consultancy based in Lond= on, combining strategic and creative skills. Clients include Johnson & John= son, 3M, Avon, Tesco, MetLife, Nationwide, EDF Energy, BBC Worldwide, Smith=
& Nephew, The World Economic Forum.

Breaking Through
Sally Susman
www.sallysusman.com
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
http://hbr.org/books
9781647823955, $30.00, HC, 240pp

https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Through-Communicating-Hearts-Change/dp/1647= 823951

Synopsis: A global pandemic. A roller-coaster economy. Political tensions r= eady to ignite, and common civility at an all-time low. For business and po= litical leaders alike, the pressures and the stakes could not be higher. An=
d in such a stormy, often dangerous world, communications can no longer be = considered a soft skill. The ability to reach people and drive public conve= rsation is a rock-hard competency.

With the publication of "Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Mov=
e Hearts, and Change the World", Sally Susman (the renowned head of corpora=
te affairs at global biopharmaceutical giant Pfizer), tells the fascinating=
story of how the company managed the massive communications challenge that=
came with Covid-19 and the race to produce an effective vaccine.

Just as crucial as creating the vaccine itself was the task of winning peop= le's hearts and minds, and Susman highlights the principles that enabled he=
r to break through, connect, and help move people forward, not only at Pfiz=
er but over a long and stellar career. She shows how clarifying and channel= ing your intention is an essential first step: What are you trying to say?

She also illustrates how leaders need to muster the courage to be candid in=
order to be effective and how, in order to connect, they must both disarm = with humility and delight with humor. As a gay, married woman, she talks fo= rthrightly about the challenges and opportunities of embracing who you are,=
both at home and in the workplace.

Susman's stories will draw you in with their warmth and humanity, and enlig= hten and motivate you with their insight and passion.

Critique: Essential reading for any business leader, corporate executive, o=
r politician who faces the daunting challenge of communicating in our noisy=
, turbulent world, "Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hea= rts, and Change the World" is exceptionally well written and thoroughly 're= ader friendly' in organization and presentation. While readily available fo=
r personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99), "Breaki=
ng Through" is a critically important, timely, and unreservedly recommended=
addition to personal, professional, community, corporate, and community li= brary Public Relations, Communication Skills, and Leadership/Motivation col= lections and MBA supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Sally Susman (www.sallysusman.com) is Executive Vice Presid= ent and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Pfizer. She is also Vice Chair o=
f the Pfizer Foundation. She leads engagement with all of Pfizer's external=
stakeholders, overseeing communications, corporate responsibility, global = policy, government relations, investor relations, and patient advocacy. Bef= ore joining Pfizer in 2007, she held several senior communications and gove= rnment relations roles at The Estee Lauder Companies and American Express. = Earlier in her career, she spent eight years in government service, focused=
on international trade issues.

Your Company Is Your Castle
Sandeep Chennakeshu
https://sandeepchennakeshu.com
Fedd Books
9781957616049, $24.99, HC, 328pp

https://www.amazon.com/Your-Company-Castle-Building-Resilient/dp/1957616040

Synopsis: Companies emerge from smart people with clever ideas. However, vi= sion alone is not enough when only one out of three companies lasts ten yea= rs. It takes a systematic approach to making a company sustainably successf= ul.

With the publication of Your Company Is Your Castle: Proven Methods for Bui= lding a Resilient Business", Sandeep Chennakeshu, a business transformation=
veteran, compares building a company to that of a medieval castle that has=
withstood the test of time, having weathered nature's elements and hordes =
of invaders. Sandeep ties eight structural elements of such castles to eigh=
t essential elements that make a company thrive.

He also describes how to assess and systematically build a company's busine=
ss model, financial health, strategy, culture, products, sales channels, ex= ecution, and stakeholder confidence to make the company formidable. "Your C= ompany Is Your Castle" will equip you with critical insights and principles=
to build strong businesses and in turn build yourself into a strong leader=
..

Using evocative examples from diverse companies and stories from his thirty= -year career of transforming companies and launching trailblazing products = globally, Sandeep gives entrepreneurs and managers at all levels and all di= sciplines in a company a blueprint and 'how-to' manual needed for not only = building a lasting company, but defending, protecting, and expanding it.

Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Your Compan=
y Is Your Castle: Proven Methods for Building a Resilient Business" is idea=
l and instructive reading for entrepreneurs and small business owners wanti=
ng to not only successfully launch an enterprise, but to have it thriving y= ear after year, decade after decade. While especially and unreservedly reco= mmended for personal, professional, community, and business school Contempo= rary Business & Entrepreneurship Studies collections, it should be noted th=
at "Your Company Is Your Castle: Proven Methods for Building a Resilient Bu= siness" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Sandeep Chennakeshu (https://sandeepchennakeshu.com) earned=
a postgraduate diploma in industrial management from the Indian Institute =
of Science and a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Southern Methodist Univ= ersity. He then entered the electronics industry and led the development an=
d launches of technology that billions use every day via cell phones, elect= ronics, medical equipment, and cars. He is a Fellow of the IEEE and a named=
inventor on 180 patents. After two decades in corporate roles as CTO of Er= icsson Mobile Phones and Sony Ericsson, President of Ericsson Mobile Platfo= rms, SVP at Freescale, President of BlackBerry Technology Solutions, and EV=
P of AMD, Sandeep is currently COO at Uhnder Inc.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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