encyclopedias

"Business: The Ultimate Resource" takes the reader through a very thorough exposition of business in all of its forms. Although it is a huge book with a table of contents larger than many business book indexes, it is well organized and easy to use. The primary divisions of the book include sections on Best Practice (various essays from business leaders), Management and Action Checklists (detailed lists of each step to implement or calculate various items), Management Library (summaries of the most influential business books), Business Thinkers and Management Giants (profiles of business leaders), Business Dictionary, World Business Almanac, and Business Information Sources (including addresses, phone numbers, web sites, etc. for additional help and/or information).

Some of the articles that are on the cutting edge of current business thought include Managing 21st Century Financials, Integrating Real and Virtual Strategies, Making B2B Your New Operational Standard, Emotional Intelligence and Leadership, and Managing Dynamic Change.

Checklists include lists in various categories including People Management, Personal Effectiveness (including excellent checklists on effective communication), HR/Training, Marketing, Operations, Small Business, Business Planning, E-Commerce, Personal Development, Accounting and Finance (includes how to calculate just about any accounting ratio or value that you would need).

The Management Library book summaries are well done in a format that gives the background on the book along with the key points made in the book. It includes such business classics as Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" and Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" to more current thought such as "Blur" by Stan Davis and Christopher Meyer. Although this is a book published in 2002, the most recent summary is on a book published in 1998. So it does not contain summaries of the more recent books, but the summaries of books prior to 1999 are excellent.

In short, instead of providing information on a limited aspect of business (such as management or accounting or personnel) it provides a comprehensive understanding of business as a whole. An excellent reference for any business professional, the price makes it a steal and a recommended buy.

Quite an impressive collection of reference material in one book. Very well organized. It is basically a whole library in one. The only downside is it's size. The book weighs something like 10 lbs, not something you can take to the coffee shop for a read. I didnt find the checklist section very useful. It contains many scenarios that will not come up in the normal course of business. This book is better suited for libraries and academic institution use. Perhaps if they broke this book down into several volumes it would be more useful. Having said all of this, the book does appear to be very well written and researched. For all of the information that it contains, it is a real bargain.

This book contains a "World Business Almanac" with significant information on all countries of the world - all countries, that is, except Madagascar! Imagine my surprise having bought this book as a general resource and being able to find out economic and other information on all countries, including North Korea and Cuba, but to find Madagascar missing!