JaanaRemes 30 May
How to make a city great? New @McKinsey report draws on city leader experiences around the globe

2013 Social Media Marketing Industry Report

Key facts show Wellington alive & kicking: via StickNZ

Retailers require in-depth insights to effectively manage and forecast future performance via Deloittes

Market your way to growth : 8 ways to win / Philip and Milton Kotler.“This book of only 200 pages is full of wisdom. It is a “RECIPE BOOK” for all managers who are responsible for setting goals and directions for any type of organisation. Philip and Milton Kotler have identified 9 megatrends that are changing the world and prescribe 8 winning strategies to deal with these trends. The examples given from recent history; the Conclusions and the Questions to be answered at the end of each Chapter, add immensely to the value of the book. The Epilogue captures the conflict between austerity and stimulus spending which is at the heart of the great debate on economic recovery solutions. The book is written in simple language, without jargon or complexities” (Amazon reviewer)

The one thing : the surprisingly simple truth behind extraordinary results / Gary Keller with Jay Papasan.
“Part motivational book, part self-help, the latest from Keller (The Millionaire Real Estate Agent), together with Papasan (president of Rellek Publishing), vies to give us a path for achieving extraordinary results. Keller challenges the worthiness of deeply rooted notions-a balanced life, discipline, willpower, multitasking-and presents his insights with a coach’s verve and goal-oriented approach. He begins by examining the attitudes and ideas that derail us. From here he moves on to show us how to become more productive; and this, he claims, relies on focus, which leads him to ask: “What’s the one thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?” While the book does grab you by the collar, many of Keller’s points are more rhetoric than argument. For example, he challenges the philosophical idea of balance and concludes that it does not exist: “[It] is a grand idea, but not a very practical one. Idealistic, but not realistic.” Unfortunately, though, while the actual philosophical idea is about ethics, Keller is referring to work-life balance. Despite the book’s appealing style and energy, more intellectual substance would have helped the overall work. 34 illus. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.” (Publisher Weekly)

Mind the gap : creating your successful business strategy / Susannah Schofield.“An excellent and enjoyable read for a business book. I can highly recommend it for both large and small organisations as I believe all would derive considerable benefit from carrying out the Dice Matrix Model described in the book.” (Amazon reviewer)

Decide : better ways of making better decisions / David Wethey.“If you think you don’t need this book, you are probably just the kind of decision-maker who does. Just decide….If this book doesn’t convince you that you are not quite the decision-making wizard you thought you were, then beware, you might be deluding yourself. The author has not set out to discover a silver bullet, or to create a classroom list of dos and donts that will transform your performance, but to lead the reader into and through the briar bush of decision-making with a virtuoso review of received wisdom and unique anecdotal insight.” (Amazon reviewer)

Pinterest marketing : an hour a day / Jennifer Evans Cario.“Excellent Introduction to the Power of Pinterest…As a marketer these days, it can be challenging to stay on top of all the various mediums available to proliferate marketing content. Pinterest exploded and many businesses and individuals are scrambling to figure out how to take advantage of it. What “Pinterest Marketing: An Hour a Day” does is explain the power of the medium and offer a practical guide to using Pinterest to position your brand’s personality. As a social media veteran, Jennifer does a great job of walking readers through best practices and tips to jump in and start using Pinterest now!” (Amazon reviewer)

Tipping sacred cows : kick the bad work habits that masquerade as virtues / Jake Breeden.
“How to cope with seven potentially lethal business paradoxes that are separate but interdependent
Some of the most valuable material in this book is provided when Breeden rigorously examines seven virtues that often become potentially lethal business paradoxes that are separate but interdependent. They involve, respectively, bland/bold balance, automatic/accountable collaboration, narcissistic/useful creativity, process/outcome excellence, outcome/process fairness, obsessive/harmonious passion, and backstage/onstage preparation. He devotes a separate chapter to each and details are best revealed within the narrative, in context.” Amazon reviewer

Decoded : the science behind why we buy / Phil Barden ; foreword by Rory Sutherland.“Putting Brain and Decision Sciences into Business Action… Decoded is a brilliant book for anyone in business; communication, marketing, sales, research, etc. It is a vivid translation of the latest findings of neuroscience, behavioral economics, cognitive and social psychology, and decision science into marketing. The balance of science, application, and examples, across a wide range of product and service categories, is just right. Decoded helps resolve many of the dilemmas people in business face; reason vs. emotions, product vs. brand, biology (global) vs. culture (local), and more. This book will also give you many tools to use in the future; concepts, mental models, new vocabulary, metaphors, case studies, and references. The variety of examples, pictures, and exercises make it an enjoyable reading. But the book’s main benefit for practitioners is that it is a simple, but not simplistic, clear, and practical guide to action.”Amazon reviewer

The reinventors : how extraordinary companies pursue radical continuous change / Jason Jennings.
“Change the DNA of your organization for survival and victory…. Jennings makes it crystal clear: the cost of resisting change in a world that demands constant change should fill every businessperson with dread. We’re talking once-thriving commercial downtowns practically abandoned. Busy factories grinding to a halt. It’s why everyone must become a reinventor….
He walks you through the process of learning to transform your organization. And shows how not just to stop at finding a better way to go from A to B, but explains how to become a serial reinventor, with the knowledge and momentum to go beyond, to C, D, and E.” (Amazon reviewer)

Measuring the networked nonprofit : using data to change the world / Beth Kanter and Katie Delahaye Paine ; edited by William Paarlberg.
“The tools nonprofits need to measure the impact of their social media. Having a social media measurement plan and approach can no longer be an after-thought. It is a requirement of success. As nonprofits refine their social media practice, their boards are expecting reports showing results. As funders provide dollars to support programs that include social media, they too want to see results. This book offers the tools and strategies needed for nonprofits that need reliable and measurable data from their social media efforts. Using these tools will not only improve a nonprofit’s decision making process but will produce results-driven metrics for staff and stakeholders. A hands-on resource for nonprofit professionals who must be able to accurately measure the results of their social media ventures. Written by popular nonprofit blogger Beth Kanter and measurement expert Katie Delahaye Paine. Filled with tools, strategies, and illustrative examples that are highly accessible for nonprofit professionals. This important resource will give savvy nonprofit professionals the information needed to produce measurable results for their social media”– Provided by publisher.

On making smart decisions.“This is one in a series of volumes that anthologizes what the editors of the Harvard Business Review consider to be the “must reads” in a given business subject area, in this instance making smart decisions. I have no quarrel with any of their selections, each of which is eminently deserving of inclusion”. (Amazon reviewer)

Creative intelligence : harnessing the power to create, connect, and inspire / Bruce Nussbaum.
“In an unstable job market, many of us struggle to keep our skills current and marketable. To that end, Nussbaum, professor at the Parsons School of Design and a former Businessweek editor, brings us both good and bad news. The bad news is that a survey of 1,500 CEOs revealed that the most valuable management skill was no longer marketing or operations but creativity, a new literacy that employees will need to stay competitive. The good news is that these skills can be learned. Nussbaum dedicates much of the book to five practices that help individuals nurture and develop prized creative skills: knowledge mining, framing, playing, making, and pivoting. Latter sections of the book explore the economic value of creativity. The author shows the faulty thinking behind, and consequences of, the triumph of finance over product creation. More importantly, he offers a viable economic model, which suggests that creativity is a source of economic value, entrepreneurs drive growth, capitalism is a social movement, and social networks are the basic building blocks of the economy. This is a refreshing, informative, and groundbreaking new work that has implications for every level of the business arena. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved” (Publisher Weekly)

Take charge of your talent : three keys to thriving in your career, organization, and life / Don Maruska & Jay Perry.
“Maruska and Perry team up to help readers use their brains and talent at a time when most U.S. workers are simply not engaged. As most human-resources gurus will emphasize, careers are of your own making, which is exactly what the authors intend to teach (and, along the way, sell more than a few of their courses). The process itself is based on a Socratic dialogue, well scripted and framed, covering ephemeral hopes and fears as well as very practical actions. The three steps power up your talent story, accelerate through obstacles, and multiply the payoffs for yourself and others represent a good approach. The real issue will be identifying a talent catalyst who has these characteristics: a willing partner who asks open-ended questions, a generous listener, among others. No stumbling here: scripts and summaries and prescriptive steps are well documented. The narrative is a bit turgid, but that seems suitable for this subject.–Jacobs, Barbara Copyright 2010 BooklistFrom Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.” (Booklist)

Contagious : why things catch on / Jonah Berger.“This is an extremely well written and interesting book that you should read whether for business or out of personal curiosity. How do social trends spread? What makes them spread? Why do some things go viral and others do not? These are the questions this book seeks to answer. The author provides entertaining, interesting or downright scientifically verifiable examples to back his ideas. The author lays out a few comprehensive commonalities that most popular trends have in common and how they can be emulated for success.While experienced marketing practitioners may find the dearth of novel information disappointing, the author nonetheless presents the information in insightful new ways that may challenge preconceived ideas you may have about various topics the book covers. For those less experienced, this is an amazing book that you should read as it has great examples, statistics, sociological and psychological information that can be used for reference later. This is a great book to read simply to reinforce your marketing instincts, whether an experienced or novice.” (Amazon reviewer

Red thread thinking : weaving together connections for brilliant ideas and profitable innovation / Debra Kaye with Karen Kelly.“Big picture thinking with practical application…This book provides an excellent look at the big picture issues that surround idea generation. What’s great is that it also provides ways to apply ‘red thread’ thinking so that you can innovate. Highly recommended!” (Amazon reviewer)

Playing to win : how strategy really works / A.G. Lafley, Roger L. Martin.
“Amid the profusion of strategy books, this new offering by former Procter & Gamble CEO Lafley (coauthor of The Game-Changer) and Martin (dean of the Rotman School of Management and author of Fixing the Game) is a clear standout, sure to take its place on business students’ bookshelves next to Mike Porter’s classic, Competitive Strategy. This engaging look at how strategy really works draws on academic theory, but is deeply grounded in real life corporate lessons (including mistakes) learned at P&G both before and throughout Lafley’s tenure, during which time Martin served as an adviser to the firm. The authors ask basic, practical questions that separate true strategy from mission, vision, or planning, asserting that the essence of strategy is about winning and the tough choices leaders and organizations need to make to achieve that victory. Theoretical concepts about how to win in what space come to life through entertaining and engrossing stories of how P&G developed or positioned well-known brands as Bounty, Swiffer, Force Flex, and Oil of Olay. This collection of insights and captivating examples about strategy is a must-read for leaders at any level in the for-profit or not-for-profit world. Agent: Tina Bennett, Janklow & Nesbit Associates. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved” (Publisher Weekly)

Business behaving well : social responsibility, from learning to doing / edited by Ron Elsdon.“Great resource for 21st century approach to business…Given the economic reports we hear on a daily basis, Business Behaving Well addresses major issues facing each of us today. With words like sustainability and stewardship being introduced into our vocabulary, contributors to this book shed light on ways for For-Profit, Nonprofit, and Government sectors to mutually benefit each other. Anyone affected by these three entities will appreciate the message delivered by Business Behaving Well. I work with an NPO that is using the book as a resource for new ways to collaborate”. (Amazon reviewer)

Crowdstorm : the future of innovation, ideas, and problem solving / Shaun Abrahamson, Peter Ryder, Bastian Unterberg.“An interesting mix of known and original examples, and a lot of insider insights…By writing this book, the authors generously share their knowledge on how to conduct so-called crowdstorm initiatives. “By learning the processes and gathering the right tools, you’ll be able to attract and motivate talent to improve your approaches to complex problem solving,” the back cover explains. And I must admit that it does this very well. Everything is in there, and I think it’s perfectly generalizable to many different crowdsourcing initiatives and platforms.” (Amazon reviewer)

Storytelling in business : the authentic and fluent organization / Janis Forman.“”Many people in business understand that storytelling has the power to shape an organization’s mission, engage employees, motivate customers, and influence public and shareholder perceptions. However, few people have the strategic and creative skills to develop their best stories and use them in the most compelling way. More than just a ‘how to’ book, Storytelling in Business provides a framework for understanding the purposes and elements of organizational storytelling. This book challenges us all to develop fluency in storytelling and guides us through the process of building a storytelling habit of mind.” (Amazon reviewer)

Midnight lunch : the 4 phases of team collaboration success from Thomas Edison’s lab / Sarah Miller Caldicott.
Thomas Edison created multi-billion dollar industries that still exist today. What many people don’t realize is that his innovations were generated through focused approaches to teamwork and collaboration. Authored by the great grandniece of Thomas Edison, “Midnight Lunch” provides an intriguing look at how to use Edison’s collaboration methods to strengthen live and virtual teams today. Edison’s four phases of collaboration success offer a simple yet powerful way to see how different combinations of live and digital resources can multiply results and deliver outstanding ROI now. Shows how to draw together individuals from diverse disciplines, ensuring multiple perspectives and rapid problem-solving. Explains how to mix specialists and generalists on the same team, preventing groupthink and discouraging a culture of “superstars.” Reveals the steps needed to reskill team members for collaboration in the digital era.”

Pinterest for business : how to pin your company to the top of the hottest social media network / Jess Loren, Edward Swiderski.“The key thing, however, in approaching “Pinterest for Business” is that it is “for businesses” … this is not really a guidebook for everybody, but a look at how companies can make use of this social media tool. …The book is structured as a walk-through, from basic explanations of what’s what, and where the various bits are on the site, and how they work, to how Pinterest interfaces with other platforms. It then goes into some “psychology” of image-based messaging ” (Amazon reviewer)