Plant and Murrell, both at the University of Miami, have more than twenty years of experience teaching at the executive level. With research interests in the role of information systems in strategic management and programming languages, respectively, they are well qualified to write in the IT field. They have demystified the subject of IT by presenting key concepts in a clear and concise format for the nontechnical executive and student.
A topical list of entries, organized by the foundation concepts (database, software, security, etc.), would be a welcomed addition. More diagrams and illustrations could clarify complex terms. With the discipline rapidly evolving, the publisher should consider adding a website with updates.
Consider An Executive’s Guide to Information Technology as a core IT reference title for business collections in academic and public libraries.—Lee Pasackow, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
First Research. Raleigh, N.C.: First Research, Inc. www.firstresearch.com (accessed July 21, 2008). Pricing available upon request.
First Research is the ideal source to answer a number of industry requests. For example: A student asks for a brief and simple overview of the spa industry for a marketing plan, or a commercial real estate agent needs to know about the banking industry before his sales pitch to a bank’s VP.
Purchased by Dun and Bradstreet in 2007 to enhance Hoover’s platform, First Research offers students and professionals overviews of over two hundred industries. Each industry profile includes a brief overview, a look at the competitive landscape, regional and international issues, recent developments, business challenges, trends and opportunities, and more. The interface is easily navigated and users can simply select industry profiles from a list. However, users can also search by SIC code, NAICS code, or keyword.
First Research is a valuable tool because it includes a broad range of industries not covered in resources such as Standard and Poor’s Industry Surveys. Each industry profile provides timely information and is updated on a quarterly basis.
Also unique to First Research are call prep sheets. These one-page briefings prepare business professionals for appointments with information ranging from key business challenges to key business opportunities to executive talking points. A sidebar of fast facts gives a quick overview of the industry.
First Research is an impressive and affordable database that belongs in every public and academic library with a business collection.—Elizabeth Malafi, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, New York
The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. 2nd ed. Ed. by Steven N. Durlauf and Lawrence E. Blume. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. 8 vols. $2,500.00 (ISBN: 978-0333786765). Pricing for electronic version available upon request.
Alfred Marshall, the great English economist whose brightest student was John Maynard Keynes, famously said, “Economics is the study of mankind in the ordinary business of life.” While that may still be true (adding women as well), the second edition of the New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics eloquently proves that modern economics is a highly complex field of study that requires years of study to thoroughly understand.
The latest edition of this landmark work fills eight print volumes; it has more than 1,750 articles, 1,500 distinguished contributors, and almost 6 million words. The subscription-based online edition incorporates quarterly additions, corrections, and updates. The list of contributors includes a “Who’s Who in Economics,” featuring Nobel Prize winners and leading authorities in their fields.
The articles cover every facet of economics from early philosophers such as Aristotle to classical thinkers like Adam Smith and Karl Marx to the modern masters of Keynes and Milton Friedman. Virtually every one of the many subfields of economics is fully treated, including experimental and behavioral economics, game theory, international economics, and financial economics. The specialized methodologies used by economists such as econometrics, linear programming, and Monte Carlo methods are also explored. Significant historical economic events are extensively covered in lengthy essays on the Price Revolution, the South Sea Bubble, the Great Depression, and others.
The dictionaryfeatures many fine tools that facilitate the exploration of any topic: references to the most important scholarly literature, lists of related articles in the dictionary, an abstract with keywords at the head of each article, a table of contents outlining extended articles, and Journal of Economic Literature Classification Codes.
For the serious study of economics, the New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics is without peer. Although its primary target audience is economists and advanced economic students, many of the articles are clearly written at a level that will inform the general reader and serious student. The pricing model of the online edition requires substantial yearly payments, making it unaffordable for most libraries.—Peter McKay, University of Florida, Gainesville
The Sage Handbook of Advertising. Ed. by Gerard. J. Tellis and Tim Ambler. London: Sage, 2007. 491p. $130 (ISBN 978-1412918862).
In the Sage Handbook of Advertising, editors Tellis and Ambler have provided an engaging summary of the field of advertising that is useful for both academics and practitioners. They have compiled a work that starts with the theoretical foundation of advertising, moves to practical applications of advertising, and then concludes with an attempt to place advertising within a societal context. The international roster of contributors consists primarily of well-qualified academics but also includes some current practitioners as well.
The more theory-focused chapters cover diverse topics from the history of advertising to brand equity. Those are followed by several chapters addressing how advertising works from a variety of psychological perspectives. Then, the practice-oriented part of the book addresses topics such as client-agency relationships, techniques for developing campaigns, testing ideas, planning, budgeting, and assessing effectiveness. Concluding chapters address ethics, regulation, advertising across cultures, and the place of advertising in society.
The work is notable for its comprehensive overview of advertising concepts and functions—it would be useful in a reference setting for giving users a concise background on individual advertising concepts. Those wanting more in-depth information are provided with extensive references for further reading. Liberal use of subheadings makes the book easy to browse for relevant information. Tables, diagrams, and other illustrations are included where appropriate.
The handbook is especially useful for students and faculty, whether they are looking for concise treatments of advertising concepts and practices or they are searching for research topics and sources. While practical topics are covered, the articles are academic in nature and will be most useful in that setting. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries.—John P. Heintz, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota
BRASS Business Reference Sources Committee contributing members are Anne Bradley (Selections Editor), Ann Fiegen (Nominations Coordinator), Lee Pasackow (Chair), Leticia Camacho, Diane Campbell, Karen Chapman, Caroline Geck, John Heintz, Patricia Kenly, Baseema Krkoska, Elizabeth Malafi, Peter McKay, Monica Singh, and Terry Zarsky. For more information contact Anne Bradley, Business Librarian, California State University, Sacramento, 95819-6039; (916) 278-4350; e-mail: bradleya@csus.edu.