Business Without Boundaries

Clear, proven solutions for virtual project management challenges Projects Without Boundaries offers project managers a clear framework for bringing both project management practices and project team leadership principles to the virtual space. Written by a team of authors with years of experience managing nationally and internationally distributed teams, this book provides a suite of best practices, checklists, and actionable strategies for managing a project and building a high-performing team in a virtual and multicultural environment. Real-world examples illustrate the application of the concepts discussed, and the Virtual Project Readiness Assessment facilitates both team evaluation and transformation planning for virtual project management improvement. Each chapter focuses on the critical challenges encountered while managing virtual projects and details proven solutions that improve a virtual organization, boost project performance, and facilitate positive outcomes. Globalization and technological advances have merged to create dynamic, productive teams that work together from around the globe; this opportunity can bring great difficulty for project managers, who must negotiate hurdles that do not exist on traditional projects. This book provides ready-made solutions specific to distributed and multicultural teams, to help you achieve the full potential of the global talent pool. Overcome common challenges of virtual projects with distributed teams Navigate complex team dynamics to ensure effective collaboration Work seamlessly across borders, time zones, and cultures Determine optimal virtual communication and collaboration tools Apply traditional project management practices in a virtual setting A team fails or thrives on the strength of its management. Fitting the group's needs, expectations, personalities, and skills into a cohesive whole is seldom simple – and distance adds an additional layer of complexity. Projects Without Boundaries provides expert guidance on keeping it together, with proven practices, tools, and virtual team leadership strategies.

Working Across Boundaries is a practical guide for nonprofit and government professionals who want to learn the techniques and strategies of successful collaboration. Written by Russell M. Linden, one of the most widely recognized experts in organizational change, this no nonsense book shows how to make collaboration work in the real world. It offers practitioners a framework for developing collaborative relationships and shows them how to adopt strategies that have proven to be successful with a wide range of organizations. Filled with in-depth case studies—including a particularly challenging case in which police officers and social workers overcome the inherent differences in their cultures to help abused children—the book clearly shows how organizations have dealt with the hard issues of collaboration. Working Across Boundaries includes Information on how to select potential partners Guidelines for determining what kinds of projects lend themselves to collaboration and which do not Suggestions on how to avoid common pitfalls of collaboration Strategies proven to work consistently The phases most collaborative projects go through The nature of collaborative leadership

Live your entrepreneurial dream with no-or little-money down Where there's a will, there's a way. Even if you don't have start-up money in the bank, you can get your new business on its feet with ingenuity and knowledge. Starting on a Shoestring is the key to your success. Now in its Fourth Edition, this perennial bestseller has helped thousands of people live out their dreams; it provides the knowledge and the confidence you need to get your business off the ground and up and running. Authoritative, step-by-step guidance will answer your questions, help you plan your strategy, and get you started. In the new Fourth Edition, an all-new chapter covers everything you need to know about the Internet, from creating an online presence for your business to understanding all the tech jargon. And there's more: * Make sure your business idea is right for you-before you take the risk * Find sources of capital and approach them confidently * Six common myths: avoid the traps and misconceptions of starting up * Should you take on a partner? * Setting up: bargains on equipment, dealing with suppliers, the advantages of leasing, value of consignments * Marketing and advertising on a shoestring: free publicity, word-of-mouth, creating a prestige image cheaply * Examples of businesses like yours that maximized their success on the Internet Now better than ever, Starting on a Shoestring gives you a wealth of vital information you'll find in no other book-it's your first step to entrepreneurial success.

Practical, tested, implementable real-world advice for transforming any business and is written by people that have “been there and done that”. Changing an organization is tough. Transformation is hard work that should not be attempted by the faint of heart or the weak of mind. But transformation is not rocket science either. By taking a realistic, simple and direct view of what is required to transform an enterprise, the authors reduce the noise and nonsense that surrounds much of the discussion of transformation and provide straight forward lessons, examples and thought provoking questions to guide the reader to a more powerful position as an agent of change. Based on the authors' decades of experience dealing with major business transformation, this book provides valuable guidance for any company engaged in large scale change brought on by shifts in the competitive landscape, mergers, acquisitions, or a major restructuring of their business model. Many organizations undergo transformation with lots of enthusiasm, but are frustrated with the results. This book contains a set of lessons gained in the process of working in and with organizations in the process of transformation. The book starts out by framing transformation and explains the overall system the enterprise that is involved in transformation. By doing so, clarity is brought to the question of why change is so difficult and problematic. What you can expect to get by reading this book is: A way of looking at transformation that is comprehensive and yet manageable without all the buzzword bingo terminology 11 critical lessons taken from the author’s broad experience on a broad range of topics that you can leverage in your situation To get some thought provoking insight from 10 key questions for each lesson that you can use to apply the lessons to your organization A comprehensive framework for leading transformation that will challenge your thinking and provide a path forward to taking immediate action With rare insight and candor, the authors provide thoughtful advice backed by examples from their comprehensive experience. If you don’t like transformation, you are going to hate irrelevance. This book is your best bet for getting the insight you need to transform your organization before it becomes irrelevant.

The future of computing-the future of business Rapid technological innovation is moving us towards a world of ubiquitous computing-a world in which we are surrounded by smart machines that are always on, always aware, and always monitoring us. These developments will create a world virtually without secrets in which information is widely available and analyzable worldwide. This environment will certainly affect business, government, and the individual alike, dramatically affecting the way organizations and individuals interact. This book explores the implications of the coming world and suggests and explores policy options that can protect individuals and organizations from exploitation and safeguard the implicit contract between employees, businesses, and society itself. World Without Secrets casts an unflinching eye on a future we may not necessarily desire, but will experience.

Whereas previous research concentrated on articulating what global strategies look like in large multinational companies with decades of experience in operations abroad, The Leap to Globalization focuses on how globalizing is realized over time in companies that start from a narrow geographic base. Three characteristics differentiate globalizing as observed in current practice from simple international expansion. First, globalization implies a redefinition of customer value; second, globalizing is an entrepreneurial process that transforms the company; and third, speed plays an essential role in globalization.

International turn-around gurus describe how to rescue a company from the brink of disaster Why, even in the best of economic times, do so many apparently healthy companies fail? The surprising answer offered by the authors of this breakthrough book is «denial,» or more specifically, the inability of top management to acknowledge that they've been backing a losing strategy and to take the necessary, often traumatizing, steps required to set their companies on the right course. Using cogent case studies and lessons learned from working with Fortune 500 executives who have survived tough turnarounds, Pate and Platt vividly describe what happens when good strategies go bad. Drawing upon their experiences at top firms, they develop proven real-world turnaround strategies, tools, and techniques and show readers how to put them to work in their companies.

Praise for the First Edition of Virtual Teams «If you want to see where organizational communications are going in the future, heed what these pioneers have written today.» —Howard Rheingold, author, The Virtual Community, and founder, Electric Mind «Lipnack and Stamps have written an important book for the twenty-first-century corporation.» —Regis McKenna, The McKenna Group, author, Relationship Marketing «This book provides a long overdue perspective on how to apply the discipline of real teams in the fast-moving, increasingly dispersed information age of the future.» —Jon R. Katzenbach, author, The Wisdom of Teams «For those who want to lead the movement, catch up with it, or simply know where it is going, this book is packed with useful information and interesting stories.» —Dee W. Hock, founder and chairman emeritus, VISA «Virtual Teams provides valuable insights into global teamwork and management through network technologies now available to all companies, large or small.» —Jim Lynch, director, corporate quality, Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Get what you need to achieve your objectives and produce results Influence Without Authority is the classic guide to getting what you need from people you don't control. Getting things done requires collaboration, and convincing others to contribute requires political skill; this book introduces the Exchange Model, in which you get what you need by offering something of value in return. The key lies in knowing what the other person values—that's their «currency,» and it's your immediate tool for coaxing their cooperation. This model has been proven over decades, as organizations around the world have turned away from frustration and resignation toward collaboration and results. This book shows you how to implement the Exchange Model at the personal, team, and organizational level to raise the bar for performance and leadership. This new third edition has been updated reflect the changing face of the workplace, and includes new examples and information on geographically dispersed virtual teams. Supplementary materials facilitate classroom and training use with discussions, role-play, videos, and other ancillaries that deepen understanding and promote practical application. Get what you need from the people who have it through mutual exchange Think in terms of interest, and pinpoint the «currencies» other people trade in Apply the Exchange Model across entire organizations to lead major change Learn practical real-world strategies for influencing those you do not control The ability to influence those not under your authority is becoming ever more valuable. Organizations are flattening, and outside contractors are taking on larger roles than ever before—getting results now means lateral cooperation, often across borders, time zones, organizations, and more. Influence Without Authority provides a proven model for success in this new environment, with expert guidance for real-world application.