general books Business

Bernstein (A.) THE CASE FOR BUSINESS IN DEVELOPING ECONOMIES,
397 pp., hardback, d.w., Johannesburg, 2010. R260
"Both activist NGO leaders who attack business for not contributing enough to society and business leaders who have gotten into the habit of apologizing for not doing enough should get ready to rethink their views when they see Ann Bernstein's penetrating and timely critique. To her discerning ears, the current conversation about 'corporate social responsibility' (CSR) is a captive of the interests and points of view of wealthy people in wealthy countries largely located in the northern part of the globe. This book is a provocative antidote to the feel-good orientation of most CSR efforts. Bernstein deals with the realities and complexities of development and growth in the low income countries where it is most needed - and energes with a clear-eyed, bold, and unsentimental endorsement of the enormous value that businesses can and do contribute in the societies that operate free and competitive markets. Her perspective is fresh and candid and informed - and very much worth reading and reading again." Herman Leonard, George F.Baker Professor of Public Management at the Kennedy School and Eliot I.Snider and Family Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School

"Ann Bernstein has written the definitive answer to Naomi Klein's hugely influential and hugely overrated 'No Logo'. Drawing on her deep knowledge of the relevant literature and her personal experience of South Africa, the author argues that the great contribution business can make to development is to do what modern business alone can do on a sufficiently large scale to make a dent in entrenched poverty: create wealth. It is not by acting in accordance with the muddled agendas of well-intentioned proponents of 'corporate responsibility' that business makes a positive difference. It is by being productive and profitable. This book not only offers a new agenda for the role of business in development, but is also a call to arms. Business leaders should take from it the intellectual confidence they need to defend the irreplaceable role of business, qua business." Martin Wolf, Chief Economics Commentator, Financial Times

Ann Bernstein is the founding director of the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) in Johannesburg.
Boon (M.) THE AFRICAN WAY, the power of interactive leadership
159 pp., paperback, Third Edition, Cape Town, (1996) 2007. R130
Mike Boon "explains the problems that lead to a breakdown in communication between diffrent cultural groups in business and interpersonal relationships, and presents original and practical solutions."

Mike Boon is the CEO of Vulindlela Network, which specialises in organisational transformation and growth.
Buhlungu (S.) et. al. (eds.) STATE OF THE NATION, South Africa 2007
586 pp., paperback, Cape Town, 2007. R190
This is the fourth volume of an annual evaluation of contemporary South Africa.
Contributions include "The State of the African National Congress" by Anthony Butler,
"Taking to the Streets: has developmental local government failed in South Africa?" by Doreen Atkinson,
"Disability and Welfare in South Africa's Era of Unemployment and AIDS" by Nicoli Natrass,
"The ANC, Black Economic Empowerment and State-Owned Enterprises: a recycling of history?" by Roger Southall,
"Old Victories, New Struggles: the state of the National Union of Mineworkers" by Andries Bezuidenhout and Sakhela Buhlungu,
"The Promise and the Practice of Transformation in South Africa's Health System" by Helen Schneider, Peter Barron and Sharon Fonn,
"The State of South Africa's Prisons" by Julia Sloth-Nielsen,
"Violence Against Women in South Africa" by Lisa Vetten,
"Improving Learner Achievement in Schools: applications of national assessments in South Africa" by Anil Kanjee,
"South Africa in Africa: trends and forecasts in a changing African political economy" by John Daniel, Jessica Lutchman and Alex Comninos
and "The Zimbabwean Community in South Africa" by Elinor Sisulu, Bhekinkosi Moyo and Nkosinathi Tshuma.
Cargill (J.) TRICK OR TREAT, rethinking black economic empowerment
258 pp., paperback, Johannesburg, 2010. R190
Drawing on case studies Jenny Cargill reviews the policy of black economic empowerment, its results and the lessons that can be learnt, providing evidence that policy is doing the opposite of what it is designed to achieve.

In 1994 Jenny Cargill founded the think-tank BusinessMap, which monitored the economic transition as South Africa sought to integrate into the global economy and organised dialogues between business and political leaders. Later she became an adviser in the investments designed to increase black ownership in the major corporations. She lives in Johannesburg.
Dolny (H.) ed. TEAM COACHING, artists at work, South African coaches share their theory and practice
277 pp., paperback, Johannesburg, 2009. R220
A group of South African coaches share their knowledge and practice for working with teams in large institutions. The coaches are Helena Dolny, Maryse Barak, Lloyd Chapman, Michael Cooper, Tim Goodenough, Marti Janse Van Rensburg, Khatija Saley and Ray Sher.
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