The U.S. Technology Skills Gap. What Every Technology Executive Must Know to Save America's Future

How much should top management really care about IT? That’s the question Adam Kolawa bluntly poses in this feisty and compelling book. “The Next Leap in Productivity” goes far beyond traditional business books written for the CIO community. It tackles crucial issues such as productivity, efficiency and quality management. It makes the case for applying the principles of Deming and Juran to software development. Then it takes a “leap,” arguing that huge potential increases in IT productivity can lead to enormous increases in enterprise productivity. In this sense, “The Next Leap in Productivity” is a truly visionary book. Software vendors and CIOs who read this book will discover a software development process that is transparent, practical and efficient. Non-technical C-level executives (CEOs, CFOs, COOs, etc.) will discover a blueprint for improving corporate productivity and dramatically reducing operating costs. For the past decade, CIOs have been urged, coaxed, counseled and exhorted to act more like CEOs, CFOs, COOs and other C-level executives. This book suggests that it’s time for CEOs, CFOs, COOs and other C-level executives to start acting more like CIOs. “The Next Leap in Productivity” will appeal to anyone involved in buying, selling, developing or using IT. Advance Praise for “The Next Leap in Productivity” “Adam’s book is a challenge to all the top managers who’ve stopped caring about IT. His message is simple: If you really care about IT, you find ways to make IT more productive. The improvements you achieve in IT productivity can then be leveraged into huge leaps in productivity at the enterprise level. This book offers a roadmap for translating IT productivity into business profit. Adam’s argument is worth reading and worth considering as you formulate your IT strategies and plan your IT budgets.”–Gary Beach, Publisher Emeritus, CIO magazine “Adam lays the groundwork for a common language that can be used to bridge the chasms between IT and other essential components of the business such as finance, product development, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service. Everyone who reads this book will learn valuable lessons that can be leveraged to improve returns on human capital investments at every level of the organization. Adam’s concepts have the potential to boost levels of confidence and performance throughout the enterprise.”– Michael Minelli, Co-author, Partnering with the CIO “These kinds of productivity principles are not mere theory. When we put these same principles into effect, our productivity went up more than we had thought possible. And our employee morale went up, too. It became easier to write code the right way and harder to make stupid mistakes. This new way of creating software makes it possible for us to concentrate on what we really want to do here at Cisco, which is to improve the Internet for everybody.”– Andy Chessin, Senior Technical Lead, Cisco, Inc.

If you want to engage, motivate, and retain young workers without driving the veteran workers away, Generation Blend can help you. This timely book explores how generational attitudes toward technology affect issues as diverse as recruitment and retention, employee training, management decision-making, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and work/life balance. Looking to solve the puzzle of productivity across the technology age gap? Start with Generation Blend.

A real-world framework for driving capital project success Capital Projects provides an empirically-based framework for capital project strategy and implementation, based on the histories of over 20,000 capital projects ranging from $50,000 to $40 billion. Derived from the detailed, carefully normalized database at preeminent project consultancy IPA, this solid framework is applicable to all types of capital investment projects large and small, in any sector, including technology, life sciences, petroleum, consumer products, and more. Although grounded in empirical research and rigorous data analysis, this book is not an academic discussion or a conceptual dissertation; it's a practical, actionable, on-the-ground guide to making your project succeed. Clear discussion tackles the challenges that cause capital projects to fail or underperform, and lays out exactly what it takes to successfully manage a project using real-world methods that apply at any level. Businesses report that 60 percent of their projects fail to meet all business objectives, and IPA's database shows that projects' final average net present value undershoots initial estimates by 28 percent. This book provides concrete, actionable solutions to help you avoid the pitfalls and lead the way toward a more positive outcome. Avoid the missteps that make capital projects fail Learn the specific practices that drive project success Understand what effective capital project management entails Discover real-world best practices that generate more value from capital When capital projects fail, it is almost always preventable. Inefficiency, underestimated timelines, and unforeseen costs are the primary weights that drag a project down—and they are all avoidable with good management. Capital Projects gives you the insight and practical tools you need to drive a successful project.

The only IT guide you need You're busy-very busy. You need reliable, practical answers to your IT questions, and you need them now. The Vest Pocket Guide to Information Technology, Second Edition is a handy pocket problem-solver designed to provide you with the quickest route to a solution. Practical, reader-friendly, and thoroughly illustrated, this updated handbook provides complete guidance for the complex, ever-changing world of IT to help you quickly pinpoint what you need to look for, what to watch out for, what to do, and how to do it. Written by two all-time bestselling accounting and finance authors, Jae Shim and Joel Siegel, this thoroughly updated Second Edition includes tables, forms, checklists, questionnaires, practical tips, and sample reports to help you avoid and resolve any and all IT dilemmas. A must-read for business professionals, financial managers and consultants, production and operation managers, accountants, COOs, CFOs, and CEOs, this handy guide helps you: * Select the best hardware for particular application needsStrategically use IT systems * Use the best software in planning and control * Select Sarbanes-Oxley compliance software * Prevent fraud through computerized security * Effectively apply Management Information Systems (MIS) * Use online databases to make business decisions * Use a decision support system (DSS) and an executive information system (EIS) to improve the quality of analysis, evaluation, and decision making * Understand emerging trends and developments in information technology * Harness marketing information systems to improve sales planning, sales forecasting, market research, and advertising * Evaluate and manage an IT project Your professional success depends on keeping abreast of the latest thinking and applications in information technology. The Vest Pocket Guide to Information Technology, Second Edition gives you all the information you need to make optimum decisions now and plan ahead for later.

What principled business leaders can do to solve America's current financial crisis Broke is a startling wake-up call for America and an honest accounting of what our future holds if we don't take charge and change our country for the better. If the business of America is business, then it's up to our business leaders to solve the mess we're in. Broke offers practical, nonpolitical, and nonpartisan solutions that every business leader can implement today for a better tomorrow. Whether you operate a giant corporation or a local small business, you'll find practical steps to limit future risks, strengthen every business, stabilize the current economy, and help turn the country around. Author John Mumford has spent decades helping business leaders turn around failing companies. Now, he helps them to turn around a failing country. Presents bold initiatives and concrete steps every business leader can use to create a better future-for their businesses and for the country Includes practical, actionable steps for every business leader who wants to build for the future, while preserving the best of his or her existing enterprise. Shows how business leaders can contribute to the solutions for our problems concerning public debt, the environment, and international relations Offers a turnaround plan for the country ideal for use by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, small business organizations, non-profits and others as the centerpiece of a 2010 campaign for America's turnaround Endorsed by current and former CEO's, top business school leaders, former governors and senators, and leading journalists Desperate times call for creative, effective measures, not desperation. If you're a business leader, here's how you can do your part.

Not your average business self-help book, Impact! is a 'total person' development guide that says 'who you are impacts everything you do’. It doesn't focus on what's wrong with you but rather what's right with you so that you can turn your potential into performance. The secret to success and fulfillment-both professionally and personally-is that you should stop trying to 'fit in' and become what others want you to be; that you can become more productive, powerful, and passionate by becoming more of who you were meant to be instead. Why? Because no longer is there any separation between who you are and what you do! With step-by-step strategies and smart insight, you will learn how to have significant positive impact in your life and in your career; you'll learn how to unlock your personal power; live your life with purpose; appreciate your family; identify your greatest gifts and talents; value your failures and learn from them; stand up for yourself; give yourself permission to stand out; and start to ask for what you want. Best of all, you will learn how to be seen, heard and celebrated for being authentic – for being exactly who you are. Serious advice for women who want to live passionate, successful, and happier lives at home and professionally Shows you how to re-engage with yourself, figure out what you want and why you want it, and take charge of your career and life Author Nancy Solomon is an expert in the field of personal development and human potential The key to Impact! lies in knowing yourself intimately, leading your life from the inside out, and using your strengths to become happier and more fulfilled. Impact! shows you who you are, where you're going and how to get there. It also helps you to get out of your own way!

Maximize your chances to get promoted to the executive level As predictable career paths have become extinct in most organizations, managers aspiring to the C-level job are left to their own devices to determine how to advance their careers. Even in companies committed to talent development, guidance to aspiring executives is often vague and contradictory. This happens, executive coach John Beeson argues, because executive promotions are made based on the decision makers' intuitive sense of whether or not a manager can succeed at higher levels within the organization. Beeson decodes these leadership criteria–the unwritten rules–that companies use to make decisions about who gets promoted and who doesn't, and identifies the six core «selection factors» that are imperative for success at the executive level Demonstrating strategic skills Building a strong management team Managing implementation Exhibiting the capacity for innovation and change Working across organizational boundaries Projecting executive presence Filled with stories of managers who successfully climbed up the executive ladder-and some who struggled-The Unwritten Rules is an invaluable resource for aspiring executives.

Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission is a practical resource that will help nonprofit professionals make smart, strategic decisions about technology. The book shows how to effectively manage technology and offers practical advice for decision makers and staff alike who often have little or no experience with technology. With contributions from the top experts in the nonprofit technology field, this must-have guide addresses technology planning and people. It includes the tools you need to get the work done, and the knowledge that will help you communicate better, evaluate technology investments, raise money, and more. Written in nontechnical language the book covers a broad spectrum of topics including: Achieving IT Alignment with Your Mission Steve Heye, YMCA of the USA Managing Technology Change Dahna Goldstein, PhilanTech Measuring the Return on Investment of Technology Beth Kanter, trainer, blogger and consultant IT Planning and Prioritizing Peter Campbell, Earthjustice Finding and Keeping the Right PeopleJames L. Weinberg and Cassie Scarano, Commongood Careers Budgeting For and Funding Technology Scott McCallum and Keith R. Thode, Aidmatrix Foundation Introduction to IT and Systems Kevin Lo and Willow Cook, TechSoup Global Where Are Your Stakeholders, and What Are They Doing Online? Michael Cervino, Beaconfire Consulting Effective Online CommunicationsJohn Kenyon, nonprofit technology strategist Effective Online Fundraising Madeline Stanionis, Watershed The Future if IT in NonprofitsEdward Granger-Happ, Save the Children Praise for Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission «This invaluable guide for nonprofit leaders proves that nonprofit organizations can and should embrace technology, rather than being scared of or intimidated by it!» —Kristie Ferketich, senior strategist, Google Grants, Google Inc. «NTEN's Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission can help leaders craft a technology strategy that makes sense and builds ROI while also providing inspiration for their staff and supporters!» —Jonathon D. Colman, associate director and web evangelista, digital marketing, The Nature Conservancy «This book shows what NTEN does best: Bring together a wide range of voices to provide practical technology strategies and know-how to help nonprofits more efficiently and effectively move their own missions forward.» —Marnie Webb, TechSoup Global

Tired of new software that doesn’t seem to work in the field? Ready to get your teams up to speed and productive with the latest tools?  The Construction Technology Handbook  takes a ground up, no jargon look at technology in the construction industry. From clear, quickly grasped explanations of how popular software actually works to how companies both large and small can efficiently try out and onboard new tools, this book unlocks new ways for construction field teams, firm owners, managers, leaders, and employees to do business.  You’ll learn about:  Simple frameworks for making sense of all the new options cropping up How software and data work and how they work together to make your job easier and safer What artificial intelligence really is and how it can help real companies today Tools that are just over the horizon that will, one day, make your job just a little bit easier New and practical resources to help you incorporate an attitude of innovation and technology adoption into your workplace Perfect for general contractors and subcontractors,  The Construction Technology Handbook  also belongs on the bookshelves of construction technology vendors and construction workers who want to better understand the needs of the construction industry and the inner workings of construction technology, respectively.

What You Need to Know About Leadership Business Needs Leaders. Every day, good and bad leaders make and break organizations. If you want to get anywhere in your career, showing leadership is crucial. So what do you really need to know about leadership? Find out: What it’s all about Why vision matters How you can build a great team Why leaders need to motivate and inspire the people around them How to lead when the going gets tough What You Need to Know about Leadership is the book you need to get to the corner office. Read More in the What You Need to Know Series and Get up to Speed on the Essentials…Fast.