These are all links to tweets I’ve been reading and thought useful

Delighting the Highly-Social Customer, Part 1 (Brian Solis) 5 Trends that will change CRM & customer relationships (Brian Solis)  Fast Company interview with high tech entrepeneur (NZ Innovation) and How To Keep Your Company’s Data Safe, And Under Control

Good strategy, bad strategy : the difference and why it matters / Richard P. Rumelt.
“Award-winning author and sought-after consultant Rumelt (Harry and Elsa Kunin Chair in Business and Society, UCLA Anderson Sch. of Management) provides keen insights on how to recognize effective approaches to promoting economic performance. Drawing from his rich experience, he offers numerous examples to help business leaders craft effective strategies. The book contains three essential components. First, it covers how to diagnose a challenge and formulate policy and action plans to address it. Then, it shows how good strategies can build upon the strengths, weaknesses, and sources of power unique to an organization. Finally, it shows the importance of business leaders sharpening their sensitivity to the challenges of an organization by viewing them from the customers’ perspective. VERDICT Readers accustomed to managerial terminology should be able to cut through Rumelt’s thin shroud of consultant hype to get to his practical insights. Although his candid comments and colorful examples convey his passion for counseling readers interested in strategy, the effective application of these concepts requires considerable experience and stamina.-Jerry P. Miller. Cambridge, MA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.” (Library Journal)

M-commerce : boost your business with the power of mobile commerce / Paul Skeldon.
(Product description) “Mobile commerce is rapidly changing how businesses interact and sell. This book reveals how to master m-commerce, from global markets and trends to selling and marketing through m-commerce. Plus real life case studies and advice about how to integrate m-commerce into a multichannel business strategy.

•The ONLY book to cover this emerging and rapidly expanding business area
•Written by the leading industry expert in m-commerce
•Practical, jargon-free insight and advice businesses can apply straight away”

Who cares wins : why good business is better business / David Jones. From book back cover “This isn’t a book about social media and the inexorable rise of Facebook and Twitter. There are plenty of those. Nor is it a book about CSR or business doing good. There are plenty of those too. Instead it’s actually the first book that recognises that far from being two separate subjects, they are intrinsically interlinked. And that the most successful leaders and businesses in the future will be those who are the most socially responsible. Social media is forcing businesses, politicians and leaders to be more socially responsible. It will reward those who are. And remove those who aren’t.”
(Amazon)

The drama-free office : a guide to healthy collaboration with your team, coworkers, and boss / Jim Warner and Kaley Klemp.
“In The Drama-Free Office, authors Jim Warner and Kaley Klemp interweave humorous and relatable case studies with the three key skills you’ll need for managing office saboteurs-be they subordinates, coworkers, or the boss. You will see your coworkers (and yourself) in this entertaining and practical blue-print for addressing the dramatic behaviors that cripple so many teams.The authors’ research draws on years of experience working with more than 2,500 CEOS and their executive teams. They define the four major drama roles-the Complainer, the Cynic, the Controller, and the Caretaker-found in most organizations and lay out a detailed road map to help you:Skillfully initiate difficult conversations and defuse dramatic momentsReclaim the time, energy, and resources wasted in drama-riddled meetings and interactionsReduce your own dramatic tendencies and take control of your work lifeCreate and sustain a collaborative, authentic, and fun work environment Book jacket.” (Syndetics summary)

Managing the small firm in New Zealand / edited by Claire Massey.“”Particularly suited for students of entrepreneurship and small business management in universities and polytechnics. It will also be of interest to anyone involved in managing an SME or contemplating embarking on the journey towards business ownership in New Zealand.”–(Back cover.)

Organisation culture : getting it right / Naomi Stanford.
An organisation’s culture either gives it a competitive advantage or a competitive disadvantage. This title includes a series of exercises that can help managers analyse and make their organisation’s culture a powerful driver of success. “An organisation’s culture either gives it a competitive advantage or a competitive disadvantage. It is a crucial factor in determining how successful a business is and how much people want to work for an organisation. That is why managers are putting more and more emphasis on getting their organisation’s culture right. This book provides a route map for managers who want to •Get a grip on why culture matters and the effect it has on success. •Understand, define and measure their organisation’s culture. •Position their organisation’s culture: aligning it with the business strategy. •Avoid the common mistakes of “culture change” programmes. •Keep their culture dynamic, responsive and resourceful. Full of real life example from companies as diverse as Ikea, GE, Microsoft, Google, eBay, McDonalds, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Wal-Mart and Tesco, the book also includes a series of wide-ranging practical exercises that will help managers analyse and make their organisation’s culture a powerful driver of success”. (Amazon U.K. reviewer)

Packaging the brand : the relationship between packaging design and brand identity / Gavin Ambrose, Paul Harris.
“Packaging the Brand is a detailed discussion of the most overtly commercial area of graphic design. Packaging represents the largest overlap between the disciplines of graphic design and branding. While many other areas of design may be commercial to an extent, the success of a piece of packaging design is inextricably linked with its ability to sell a product. This book discusses the implications of this commercial function for a designer. It explores methods of visually communicating the value of a product to its target audience, and examines the entire lifespan of a piece of packaging: from its manufacture and construction, its display in various retail environments, to its eventual disposal and the associated environmental concerns.” (Syndetics summary)

Sticky marketing : why everything in marketing has changed and what to do about it / Grant Leboff.
“Old ways of marketing, such as direct mail, telephone calls, or even thinking one can appeal to a passive audience on TV, are increasingly becoming irrelevant at best, and irritating at worst. With the growth of the Internet and the rapid spread of mobile devices, customers instead are relying upon engagement on their own terms and with the help of social networks. Even expecting customers to just visit a website is weak, as one needs to draw them in through a presence on iTunes, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Leboff, the founder of Sticky Marketing Club, Ltd., covers new ways of adjusting to and ultimately taking advantage of these trends. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)” (Syndetics summary)

Purple your people / Jane Sunley.“Purple your People is written in a very accessible way, avoiding jargon of any kind or “management speak”, instead it takes the reader (or should I say “learner”) through the various stages of engagement: from advertising a job that attracts the right candidates and represents the organisation’s values, to the selection process, to the first few weeks of employment and the annual performance review, to name just a few examples of the material covered in the book…And the best part is that after each and every chapter Jane writes, under the title: “if you only do three things…”, three easy-to-implement ideas with the potential to change the way you engage your people forever.” (Amazon UK reader)

Great by choice : uncertainty, chaos, and luck : why some thrive despite them all / Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen.
“Current economic events challenge corporations like never before, so why do companies such as Apple and Southwest Airlines thrive during uncertain environmental conditions for decades while competitors do not? This book builds on the material in Collins’ previous books Good to Great (2001) and Built to Last (2002), sharing new concepts learned from his and coauthor Hansen’s nine-year study of companies that outperformed their competition over time by at least 10 times the industry stock index. Collins and Hansen analyze the best companies and their leaders’ actions in extreme environments and demonstrate by example that greatness is determined by the choices made, not luck. They discuss the role of luck in corporate success and show how companies such as Southwest and Biomet use return on luck as a key success factor, capitalizing on good luck and minimizing bad luck, testing ideas by firing bullets, then cannonballs, and using specific, methodical, and consistent operating procedures. Entrepreneurs and business leaders may find the concepts in this book useful for making choices to increase their odds of building a great company.–Kryszak, Cindy Copyright 2010 BooklistFrom Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.” (Booklist)

Start something that matters / Blake Mycoskie.
“Best known as the founder of TOMS Shoes and as a contestant on The Amazing Race, Mycoskie uses his experience with TOMS, as well as interviews with leaders of non-profits and corporations, to convey valuable lessons about entrepreneurship, transparency of leadership, and living by one’s values. The brilliant, simple mission of TOMS (for every pair of shoes purchased, they will give another pair away to children in need around the world) has inadvertently turned its customers into brand ambassadors, making this for-profit company with defined charitable goals wildly successful. Mycoskie deftly balances personal tales about starting a business with generally applicable lessons. While his story sometimes becomes repetitive and he treads familiar ground with start-up tales (motivate your overworked interns by feeding them, never be afraid to get your hands dirty), he offers excellent advice about the importance of honesty and principles in business. This book will appeal to the Millennial generation, who are known for seeking socially relevant jobs, as well as older workers looking to get back in touch with their values. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.” (Publisher Weekly)

The thank you economy / Gary Vaynerchuk.
“I am the owner of an interactive agency, so I get that social media is a fundamental shift taking place in our society, and I’m really tired of reading about books that try to get other businesses to “get it.” That’s not what Thank You Economy is about. This book is about the underlying change in consumer behavior that makes social media critical for a business, which is people are doing business with companies that they like and love…This book says everything I’ve ever wanted to say to our clients about social media and business. Because it’s more than just Facebook and Twitter – it’s showing the true colors of your business. I especially love the chapter on the common excuses businesses give for not getting into social media”. (Amazon reviewer)

Uncertainty : turning fear and doubt into fuel for brilliance / Jonathan Fields.
“Human beings are temperamentally, viscerally opposed to uncertainty, especially in our careers, but lawyer-turned-entrepreneur Fields works to persuade his readers that uncertainty can be freeing and energizing-and isn’t just for startups-while workers of all levels can transform that space of limbo into a site for thinking creatively. He presents a practical set of tools for overcoming fear of the unknown and rituals that help “reframe uncertainty, risk, and exposure as allies for creating and innovating on a level you never thought possible.” Interestingly, he finds the biggest leaps can be taken most successfully in the company of others, both by joining efforts with a hive of similar-minded people, and by inviting your colleagues and even customers into a process of co-creation. Though uncertainty is difficult, Fields encourages readers, in the words of one devotee, to “jump out of a perfectly good airplane” and take the chance that will lead to greatness. A sympathetic and practical primer on fear management and risk taking. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved” (Publisher Weekly)

1 Predictions for the biggest (social) marketing developments

Part 2 The role of “big data” in (social) marketing

Part 3 Key technology to impact (social) marketing

Part 4 The role of mobile in (social)

Part 5 The top challenges for (social) marketers

Part 6 The top trusted news resources

Read  Brian Solis  of Womma’s analysis as well.   Brian Solis is one of the contributors to the report.

Thanks to WOMMA

Built to sell : creating a business that can thrive without you / John Warrillow.
“Essential reading for small business owners….Navigating small business growth requires a steady hand – it is ever so easy to get distracted and drift off course. John’s book is a highly readable story packed with lessons and strategies that can be implemented immediately. It has provided me a lens through which I now view every decision and opportunity, and thanks to John my business is more focused than ever. I recommend it to every business owner I meet”. (Amazon reviewer)

Business leadership in China : how to blend best Western practice with Chinese wisdom / Frank T. Gallo.
“As a Chinese cross-cultural business consultant and a former general manager of China operations, I have a recommended reading list of dozens of books and other materials. But I can tell you that this is the BEST book I have read on China in a decade. The Chinese have a word “Wu”, which means “insightful to the core” or “soulful deep understanding” of a matter. The author/professor/CEO, Frank Gallo, certainly has the “Wu” of both the Chinese culture in general and the business culture in specific. Any Western business leader in China who wants to succeed and any Chinese business leader who wants to work successfully with Westerners, or anyone who wants to do business with China, will benefit enormously by reading this book!” (Amazon reviewer)

Conversations for change : 12 ways to say it right when it matters most / Shawn Kent Hayashi.
“RICH IN HIGHLY INFORMATIVE CONTENT! ONE OF THE VERY BEST BOOKS ON THIS SUBJECT Awareness, emotional intelligence, motivators (what others want us to talk about) and communication styles (how people approach communication) are the foundations for every conversation. The author identifies how to reach your desired goals/outcomes, advancing your career and gaining strength as a leader through becoming masterful in the 12 most important types of conversations in business and life in general.” (Amazon reviewer)

Creative strategies : idea management for marketing, advertising, media and design / Mario Pricken.
“Key creative strategies behind the world’s greatest campaigns for anyone working in advertising, marketing, design, and communication.” (Syndetics summary)

Credibility : how leaders gain and lose it, why people demand it / James M. Kouzes, Barry Z. Posner.
“Authors and great teachers Kouzes and Posner have once again contributed some valuable lessons for aspiring leaders. In this book, they let us know know, with complete certainly, what followers look for in leaders, and what leaders must do to earn and maintain productive and committed followers. This book is research-based and so very practical. Readers will understand why credibility is crucial for leadership, and even more importantly, they will be provided with clear directions about the work a leader must do to achieve lasting credibility. Chock full of rich, relevant examples, Credibility is already one of those timeless resources which every leader will continue to refer to often.” (Amazon reviewer)

Escape velocity : free your company’s future from the pull of the past / Geoffrey A. Moore.
“Escape Velocity by Geoffrey Moore addresses the fundamental issue of driving deep innovation and value realization in your company not by some new silver bullet but by the hard work required to free your company’s future from its past. Moore’s central premise in this well written, actionable and highly recommended book, is that companies have a structural bias for investing in things today that cause it to starve out the new products and services that will generate growth in the next 2 -3 years…Moore is a well-established innovator, thinker and marketing expert in the Silicon Valley. His prior books like Crossing the Chasm, Dealing with Darwin, etc. are foundational in the tech industry. This book leverages these prior works, but it does not require you to have read them”. (Amazon reviewer)

Likeable social media : how to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on facebook (& other social networks) / by Dave Kerpen.
“Like everyone else who’s given this book a 5-star rating right here on Amazon.com, I found this book to be extremely LIKEABLE!… Dave Kerpen, the author, provides an engaging and enlightening read from beginning to end. His anecdotal stories bring his subject to life. His knowledge of Social Marketing makes this breakthrough book stand way above the crowd. Read it, and you’ll soon discover how important and lucrative the insights and ideas in LIKEABLE can be for you and your business.” (Amazon reviewer)

The mindful international manager : how to work effectively across cultures / Jeremy Comfort and Peter Franklin.
“Focusing on intercultural communication in a business setting, this handbook (accessible to nonnative English speakers) includes guidelines for a variety of scenarios such as resolving conflict between people from more individualistic versus collective societies. Questions to consider are included at the end of each chapter with possible answers in the back. Comfort, founder of York Associates, is the creator of a set of training materials called “Developing People Internationally” that are the basis for this book. Franklin teaches at Konstanz U. of Applied Sciences. A glossary, intended for readers for whom English is a second language, is included. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)” (Syndetics summary)

The old rules of marketing are dead : 6 new rules to reinvent your brand & reignite your business / Timothy R. Pearson.“The Six New Rules Tim Pearson discussed here are the points that will guide your company through the new era of social media, and economic turbulence. It is no longer enough to simply advertise, customers today are looking for much more in the brands they invest in. Companies who have more to offer more than just a good price are in high demand. Today’s consumer is looking for a genuine connection and experience when purchasing, as well as transparency, and honesty in those they do business with.” (Amazon reviewer)

Sharing hidden know-how : how managers solve thorny problems with the knowledge jam / Katrina B. Pugh.
“Kate’s voice rings through this book loud and clear – if you haven’t come across her before, this gives you a good sense of her style….The central thesis of the book is that most modes of “knowledge sharing” in organizations are broken and that the Knowledge Jam should be able to remedy the issues that Kate sees. These issues are that there are knowledge blind spots, knowledge mismatches, and knowledge jails. The blind spots are places where one part of the organization has knowledge that could help another, but no one knows that the other exists. Mismatches are places where a successful connection might have been made, but then the conversion into the new context is not made or not made at the appropriate time. And finally, jails are knowledge stores that are created (documents, repositories) but which no one bothers to use or reference because they make no sense out of context…The Knowledge Jam idea addresses these three problems with three specific elements: facilitation, conversation and translation”. (Amazon reviewer)

Sun Tzu for women : the art of war for winning in business / Becky Sheetz-Runkle.
“Through her book, Becky has done a great service by making the wisdom of Sun Tzu’s Art of War more accessible and pertinent to women. Her book conveys these ideas clearly and they are brought to life both through Sun Tzu’s quotations and powerful examples of successful women. Sun Tzu for Women is a valuable and unique addition to study and application of Sun Tzu’s Art of War to today’s business and I highly recommend it!” (Amazon reviewer)