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Fast, Easy and in Cash: Artisan Hardship and Hope in the Global Economy
by Jason Antrosio Rudi Colloredo-Mansfeld"Artisan" has become a buzzword in the developed world, used for items like cheese, wine, and baskets, as corporations succeed at branding their cheap, mass-produced products with the popular appeal of small-batch, handmade goods. The unforgiving realities of the artisan economy, however, never left the global south, and anthropologists have worried over the fate of resilient craftspeople as global capitalism remade their cultural and economic lives. Yet artisans are proving to be surprisingly vital players in contemporary capitalism, as they interlock innovation and tradition to create effective new forms of entrepreneurship. Based on seven years of extensive research in Colombia and Ecuador, veteran ethnographers Jason Antrosio and Rudi Colloredo-Mansfeld's Fast, Easy, and In Cash explores how small-scale production and global capitalism are not directly opposed, but rather are essential partners in economic development. Antrosio and Colloredo-Mansfeld demonstrate how artisan trades evolve in modern Latin American communities. In uncertain economies, small manufacturers have adapted to excel at home-based production, design, technological efficiency, and investments. Vivid case studies illuminate this process: peasant farmers in Túquerres, Otavalo weavers, Tigua painters, and the t-shirt industry of Atuntaqui. Fast, Easy, and In Cash exposes how these ambitious artisans, far from being holdovers from the past, are crucial for capitalist innovation in their communities and provide indispensable lessons in how we should understand and cultivate local economies in this era of globalization.
The Fast Facilitator: 76 Facilitator Activities and Interventions Covering Essential Skills, Group Processes and Creative Techniques
by Anthony Landale Mica DouglasWhen you take on responsibility for other people you need a framework to understand and address how they think, feel and behave. Facilitation provides that framework. It doesn't offer you proscriptive solutions; instead it uses, proven principles and practice to enable you to get the best out of each of the people with whom you are working. As a facilitator, you also need to be able to adapt your style and approach to the situation you are in. This requires good self-awareness and a solid understanding of your role and responsibilities. Once this is in place you can then start to facilitate teams, coach colleagues and train groups effectively. In Anthony Landale and Mica Douglas's The Fast Facilitator, the authors have established a format based around both the core skills that facilitators need to develop as well as the issues they will have to face at work. It is divided into three parts - Essential Facilitation, Groups and Team Facilitation and Creative Facilitation - offering material to suit all facilitators whatever their level of expertise. The manual will help you develop your own understanding of facilitation as well as providing interventions and activities that you can use with others. It includes: ¢ Theoretical insights and models to help you understand the dynamics of people management; ¢ Activities, exercises, games and practice sessions which managers or trainers can use with their groups to build skills around work issues; ¢ Coaching ideas and techniques for managers who may want extra guidance when working one-to-one with team members; and ¢ A wealth of techniques, reading sources, inspirational ideas and practical exercises for the facilitator's own self-development. The Fast Facilitator illustrates the competencies that practising facilitators need to develop and shows just how this distinctive approach can make a real difference to the way people operate and the outcomes that can be achieved in organizations.
Fast Fashion, Fashion Brands and Sustainable Consumption (Textile Science and Clothing Technology)
by Subramanian Senthilkannan MuthuThis book discusses the connection between fast fashion brands and customer-centric sustainability. It highlights what consumers can do with fast fashion and the important aspects that need to be addressed to make fast fashion sustainable. Fast fashion is an inevitable element in today’s fashion business cycle and its adverse impacts on sustainable fashion are a major issue.
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal (Penguin Celebrations Ser.)
by Eric SchlosserNew York Times Bestseller, With a New Afterword"Schlosser has a flair for dazzling scene-setting and an arsenal of startling facts . . . Fast Food Nation points the way but, to resurrect an old fast food slogan, the choice is yours."--Los Angeles TimesIn 2001, Fast Food Nation was published to critical acclaim and became an international bestseller. Eric Schlosser's exposé revealed how the fast food industry has altered the landscape of America, widened the gap between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and transformed food production throughout the world. The book changed the way millions of people think about what they eat and helped to launch today's food movement.In a new afterword for this edition, Schlosser discusses the growing interest in local and organic food, the continued exploitation of poor workers by the food industry, and the need to ensure that every American has access to good, healthy, affordable food. Fast Food Nation is as relevant today as it was a decade ago. The book inspires readers to look beneath the surface of our food system, consider its impact on society and, most of all, think for themselves."As disturbing as it is irresistible . . . Exhaustively researched, frighteningly convincing . . . channeling the spirits of Upton Sinclair and Rachel Carson."--San Francisco Chronicle"Schlosser shows how the fast food industry conquered both appetite and landscape."--The New YorkerEric Schlosser is a contributing editor for the Atlantic and the author of Fast Food Nation, Reefer Madness, and Chew on This (with Charles Wilson).
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
by Eric SchlosserUsing first-rate reporting, wry wit and careful reasoning, Schlosser shows how fast food has harmed the American culture.
Fast/Forward: Make Your Company Fit for the Future
by Julian Birkinshaw Jonas RidderstråleThe leading companies of the past twenty years have all harnessed the power of information to gain competitive advantage. But as access to big data becomes ubiquitous, it can no longer guarantee a leg up. Fast/Forward makes the case that we are entering a new era in which firms that understand the limits of 1s and 0s will take the lead. Whereas the industrial age saw the rise of bureaucracy, and the information age has been described as a meritocracy, we are witnessing the rise of adhocracy. In uncertain, rapidly-changing times, adhocracic organizations scan the horizon for winning opportunities. Then, instead of questing after more analysis, they respond with agility by making smart, intuitive decisions. Combining decisive action with emotional conviction, future-facing firms seize the day. Fast/Forward paints the big picture of a new approach to strategy and provides the necessary playbook to make your company fit for the future.
Fast Forward: 5 Power Principles to Create the Life You Want in Just One Year
by Wendy Leshgold Lisa McCarthyDiscover how leaders from the world&’s most successful companies are dealing with stress, pressure, and constant change—and still thriving.Backed by psychological research and brain science, Fast Forward&’s 5 Power Principles have helped more than 100,000 professionals achieve extraordinary success and happiness. As they have excelled, so have their businesses and teams.For the first time, authors Wendy Leshgold and Lisa McCarthy share their proven system along with compelling stories from the people who have made their boldest ambitions a reality. Through powerful exercises that generate insights and action, they&’ll help you:Declare a bold vision for your whole life that creates focus and inspires you to play big and move beyond limiting beliefs.Reframe negative stories that hold you back into empowering narratives that propel you forward.Gain control of your time and energy and make steady progress on important goals.Use language of action to produce meaningful results and improve relationships.Become a conscious, curious listener who is free from solving other people&’s problems.Fast Forward will help you and your teams create the life you want this year and every year.
Fast Forward: Latin America on the Edge of the 21st Century
by Scott B. MacDonaldLatin America is developing rapidly. As the authors see the region, a small group of countries has found a fast-forward button. In these countries change is exciting, occurring at such a rapid pace that a major breakthrough hi economic growth appears within grasp. After an almost decade-long period of recession and stagnation, many Latin American economies now have elected governments. With a few exceptions, most have also improved their socioeconomic conditions beyond meeting basic human needs. Yet few North Americans or Europeans are aware of these advances. How does Latin America fit into the changing world in the 1990s, and why should someone living in the United States, Europe, or developed parts of the Pacific Basin care?Fast Forward shows that Latin America's economic renaissance clearly has implications for a post-Cold War world order. Latin America is starting to make important contributions, particularly in the areas of international diplomacy, economics, and culture. Collectively, Latin Americans now demonstrate a coherent collective will about where they wish to take themselves. This does not mean that U.S. influence in the Americas will soon disappear, but that new challenges in the international system will force greater equity in Western Hemisphere relationships.While Latin America in the 1990s offers much to be excited about, the authors caution that there are dangers in being too enthusiastic. The always-present potential for top-down authoritarian approaches must temper enthusiasm about a better Latin American future. Despite this, the authors see a well-defined departure from past economic modes occurring and the potential for a higher level of development for some countries. This book is for economists, sociologists, and political scientists interested in economic and political development, and researchers interested in Latin America in particular.
Fast Forward
by Strobe Talbott William AntholisFast Forward is equal parts science primer, history lesson, policy prescription, and ethical treatise. This pithy and compelling book makes clear what we know and don't know about global warming; why the threat demands prudent and urgent action; why the transition to a low-carbon economy will be the most difficult political and economic transaction in history; and how it requires nothing less than a revolution in our sense of civic responsibility. William Antholis and Strobe Talbott guide the reader through two decades of climate change politics and diplomacy, explaining the national and international factors that have influenced and often impeded domestic climate legislation and global negotiations. Recent United Nations-sponsored summits have demonstrated that the world cannot wait for a binding global treaty. Instead, the authors believe that the "Big Four" of America, the European Union, China, and India must lead the way forward. They recommend a new international mechanism modeled on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade that would monitor national commitments and create incentives for other countries to coordinate their efforts to cut emissions.Antholis and Talbott put their recommendations for legislative and diplomatic action into the larger context of our obligation to future generations, echoing a theme stressed by a diverse coalition of religious leaders calling for ambitious action on climate change. The world we leave to our children and grandchildren is not an abstraction, or even just a legacy; we must think about what kind of world that will be in deciding how we live-and act-today.
Fast Forward: How Women Can Achieve Power and Purpose
by Melanne Verveer Kim K. AzzarelliThis book, based on interviews with the world&’s most inspiring women, &“shows every woman how she can empower herself and her community&” (Madeleine Albright). Important conversations about leaning in, work/life balance, and empowering females around the world have energized a generation of women. Fast Forward, by two leaders whose experience spans corporate America, public service, and global diplomacy, takes the next step. Through interviews with a network of more than seventy trailblazing women, Fast Forward shows women how to accelerate their growing economic power and combine it with purpose to find both success and meaning in their lives. Companies, countries, and organizations the world over are waking up to today&’s new reality. Women control the lion&’s share of purchasing power and are increasingly essential to competitiveness. The age of women&’s transformative economic influence has finally arrived, and women are using their power for purpose, redefining what power and success mean in the process. Through clear, practical advice and personal stories of women around the world—including Hillary Clinton, Geena Davis, Christine Lagarde, and Diane von Furstenberg—Fast Forward shows every woman how to know her power, find her purpose, and connect with others to achieve her life goals.
The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management
by Eric VerzuhAn updated and revised edition of the bestselling guide to managing projectsFor any professional responsible for coordinating projects among different departments, across executive levels, or with technical complexity, The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management offers comprehensive instruction on how to deliver on time and on budget. Get the step-by-step advice you need to find the right sponsor, clarify objectives, and set realistic schedules and budget projections. This Fourth Edition of the 200,000-copy bestseller now covers critical new topics including: software and IT projects, agile techniques, and project selection.Perfect for beginners or experienced managers needing to bring their systems up to date, The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management allows readers to extract maximum information in minimum time. The most comprehensive introduction to project management, updated to reflect changes in the business environment over the past few yearsFull of downloadable forms and spreadsheets to help you implement the techniques in the bookOffers updated advice on getting the most from Microsoft Project
The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management: The Comprehensive, Easy-to-Read Handbook for Beginners and Pros (Fast Forward MBA Series)
by Eric VerzuhThe all-inclusive guide to exceptional project management that is trusted by hundreds of thousands of readers—now updated and revised The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management: The Comprehensive, Easy to Read Handbook for Beginners and Pros, 6th Edition is a comprehensive guide to real-world project management methods, tools, and techniques. Practical, easy-to-use, and deeply thorough, this book gives you the answers you need now. You'll find cutting-edge ideas and hard-won wisdom of one of the field's leading experts, delivered in short, lively segments that address common management issues. Brief descriptions of important concepts, tips on real-world applications, and compact case studies illustrate the most sought-after skills and pitfalls you should watch out for. This sixth edition now includes: A brand-new chapter on project quality A new chapter on managing media, entertainment, and creative projects A new chapter on the project manager’s #1 priority: leadership A new chapter with the most current practices in Change Management Current PMP certification study tips Readers of The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management also receive access to new video resources available at the author’s website. The book teaches readers how to manage and deliver projects on-time and on-budget by applying the practical strategies and concrete solutions found within. Whether the challenge is finding the right project sponsor, clarifying project objectives, or setting realistic schedules and budget projections, The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management shows you what you need to know, the best way to do it, and what to watch out for along the way.
Fast Future: How the Millennial Generation Is Shaping Our World
by David D. BursteinA millennial examines how his generation is profoundly impacting politics, business, media, and activismThey've been called trophy kids, entitled, narcissistic, the worst employees in history, and even the dumbest generation. But, argues David Burstein, the millennial generation's unique blend of civic idealism and savvy pragmatism will enable us to overcome a deeply divided nation facing economic and environmental calamities.With eighty-million millennials (people who are today eighteen to thirty years old) coming of age and emerging as leaders, this is the largest generation in U.S. history, and, by 2020, its members will represent one out of every three adults. They are more ethnically and racially diverse than their elders and have begun their careers at a time when the recession has set back the job market. Yet they remain optimistic about their future and are deeply connected to one another. Drawing on extensive interviews with his millennial peers and compelling new research, Burstein illustrates how his generation is simultaneously shaping and being shaped by a fast-paced and fast-changing world.Part oral history, part social documentary, Fast Future reveals the impact and story of the millennial generation--in its own words.
The Fast Future Blur: Discover Transformative Interconnections Shaping the Future
by The Fast Future ExecutiveThe future blurs strategy, business models, technology, work, and leadership — are you ready? Fast Future Blur provides invaluable insights and strategic frameworks to navigate the complexity of our current period of rapid and radical transformation (‘Fast Future’ phase). Focused on the interconnected nature of the evolution underway, the book serves as an eye-opener for business leaders, providing guidance in understanding this dynamic and complex landscape. Fast Future Blur delves into 12 key areas of change, including platform businesses, regenerative innovation, artificial intelligence, the future of healthcare, the future of work, the future of mobility, blockchain, metaverse, virtual & augmented reality, leadership, agility, fintech, and the impact from 6 inter-connections. With compelling, powerful, and timely insights from the Fast Future Executive faculty — a global consortium of experts and industry leaders, many of whom are associated with the World Economic Forum, top business and technology schools and leading global companies — Fast Future Blur is an essential resource to prepare for the complexities of the future.
Fast, Global, and Entrepreneurial: An Interview with Victor Fung
by Joan Magretta Victor FungIn this interview, Li & Fung Chairman Victor Fung explains both the philosophy behind supply-chain management and the specific practices that Li & Fung has developed to reduce costs and lead times, allowing its customers to buy "closer to the market." Li & Fung, Hong Kong's largest export trading company, has been an innovator in supply-chain management--a topic of increasing importance to many senior executives. Li & Fung has also been a pioneer in "dispersed manufacturing." It performs the higher-value-added tasks such as design and quality control in Hong Kong, and outsources the lower-value-added tasks to the best possible locations around the world. The result is something new: a truly global product. To produce a garment, for example, the company might purchase yarn from Korea that will be woven and dyed in Taiwan, then shipped to Thailand for final assembly, where it will be matched with zippers from a Japanese company. For every order, the goal is to customize the value chain to meet the customer's specific needs. To be run effectively, Victor Fung maintains, trading companies have to be small and entrepreneurial. He describes the organizational approaches that keep the company that way despite its growing size and geographic scope: its organization around small, customer-focused units; its incentives and compensation structure; and its use of venture capital as a vehicle for business development. As Asia's economic crisis continues, chairman Fung sees a new model of companies emerging--companies that are, like Li & Fung, narrowly focused and professionally managed.
Fast Ion Battery
by Robert White Stephanie Puzio Ramana NandaJohn Davidson, a partner at Ware Street Capital (WSC) and a board member at Fast Ion Battery, had just received a phone call from Don Lerner at Bluelock Ventures telling him that Bluelock would not participate in the $ 5 bridge financing for Fast Ion Battery. Lerner's call could not have come at a worse time. Fast Ion was running out of cash and needed another round of financing urgently to continue developing its revolutionary battery. Davidson faced a real dilemma. On the one hand, the company was finally gaining traction with developing its technology and the search to replace the current CEO had yielded two prospective candidates who were extremely well-suited to drive the company forward with a more capital efficient business model. On the other hand, Ware Street Capital and the two other investors had already invested $10 million into a company that had not performed up to investors' expectations. Would they be throwing more good money after bad by providing the bridge financing? Moreover, would other, later stage, investors be willing to provide the significant amounts of capital required to get the company to an exit event given the changing climate for clean tech investments? These questions became more pressing following Lerner's call that Bluelock had chosen not to continue backing Fast Ion. Was Fast Ion Battery worth saving?
Fast Money Schemes: Hope and Deception in Papua New Guinea (Framing the Global)
by John CoxA history and anthropological analysis of one of Papua New Guinea’s worst Ponzi schemes in the late 1990s.In the late 1990s and early 2000s a wave of Ponzi schemes swept through Papua New Guinea, Australia, and the Solomon Islands. The most notorious scheme, U-Vistract, attracted many thousands of investors, enticing them with promises of one percent interest to be paid monthly. Its founder, Noah Musingku, was a charismatic leader who promoted the scheme as a form of Christian mission and as the basis for establishing an independent kingdom.Fast Money Schemes uses in-depth interviews with investors, newspaper accounts, and participant observation to understand the scheme’s appeal from the point of view of those who invested and lost, showing that organizers and investors alike understood the scheme as a way of accessing and participating in a global economy. John Cox delivers a “post-village” ethnography that gives insight into the lives of urban, middle-class Papua New Guineans, a group that is not familiar to US readers and that has seldom been a focus of anthropological interest. The book’s concern with understanding the interweaving of morality, finance, and aspirations shared by a global cosmopolitan middle class has wide resonance beyond studies of Papua New Guinea and anthropology.
Fast Shopper, Slow Store
by Gary SchwartzAs a retailer, how can you leverage mobile technology to increase sales? Fast Shopper, Slow Store will show you how.From Best Buy to Borders, retail stores are closing their doors forever. More and more, consumers are looking to their mobile devices for the best products and the cheapest deals, and they all want to buy it faster--at the touch of a button. The shop has lost it connection to this shopper. Gary Schwartz has been at the frontlines of the mobile industry for over a decade, and this book is about what companies can do to build the mobile tools necessary to reestablish a relationship with their mobile shoppers. Rich with examples--from Amazon to Barnes and Noble to Google--Schwartz gives a step-by-step approach to harnessing and executing the strategies necessary for companies to move into the mobile sphere...and see lasting, lucrative results.
The Fast Times of Albert Champion
by Peter Joffre NyeRACER. INNOVATOR. CELEBRITY. MOGUL. CHAMPION.This is the first biography of the short but exciting life of Albert Champion--record-setting bicyclist and motorcyclist, daredevil racecar driver, early automobile innovator, charismatic ladies' man, and celebrity of the Jazz Age. Though most Americans have heard of the companies Albert Champion founded--ACDelco and Champion Spark Plug--few know much about the charismatic man behind them. Like a Richard Branson of the early 20th century, or an Evel Knievel with a business degree, Champion was a powerhouse whose life was defined by both speed and success. Champion rose from poverty in Paris to great wealth and fame in both his native France and the United States. As a bicycle racer, Champion set more than a hundred world records. When the urban speed limit was 8 mph, he was the first ever to drive a motorcycle a mile under a minute. A car-racing crash snapped a leg bone that kept him in traction for eleven weeks. Undeterred, he hobbled out of the hospital on crutches and recovered to win the French national cycling championship. Champion invested his prize money to become a tycoon in the new and revolutionary American auto industry, working closely with the leading players and amassing thirty US. His contemporaries included Charles Lindbergh, who endorsed Champion's product by saying, "AC Spark Plugs kept my engine running perfectly."; Louis Chevrolet, whom Champion backed financially until it came out that he was trying to seduce Chevrolet's wife, which led to a fight and the end of their friendship; and William Durant, founder of a "new holding company" called General Motors. A notorious ladies' man, Champion's many dalliances were fodder for the papers and finally ended in a love triangle that resulted in his death under mysterious circumstances.From the Hardcover edition.
Fast-Track Innovation and Commercialization: Tools and Techniques
by Biplab Kumar DattaThis book discusses innovation and invention. It introduces innovation, the innovation eco-system needed in company to succeed in innovation, the need for innovation and its timing with respect to the product life cycle. It shows how to develop innovation strategy and get ready for product development, the management of innovation processes from the concept phase to commercialization and supplies practical tools and techniques for achieving success in complex, fast-track technology development projects.In today’s world of fast-paced innovation from all corners of the world, technology is getting obsolete much faster than it was 50 years ago. In order to match the fast-evolving market demand and evolution of technology, one needs to innovate much faster. The whole process of developing technology/product/services from concept phase to prototyping to series production and commercialization has to happen in a very structured way so that the process is not only fast-track and lean but also very efficient. The methodology presented in the book has been applied in many real-life projects. The book will be of interest to professionals in business and technology as well as students.
Fast Track Networking: Turning Conversations into Contacts
by Lucy Rosen Claudia Gryvatz CopquinHow to quickly expand your professional contacts—and your opportunities: “[An] easy-to implement plan to step up networking efforts.” —Donna Drake, producer and host, Live It Up!Fast Track Networking gives you the tools you need to make networking simpler, quicker, and much more effective. You’ll be amazed at the opportunities that will unfold once you begin to network right . . . and unconditionally.Through hundreds of valuable tips and dozens of networking success stories, you’ll learn the tricks of the trade from the woman dubbed the “Queen of Networking,” including how to:Grow your inner circle of 10 to an “outside circle” of 20Turn 300 networkers into 3,000 new prospectsMake the all-important first moves that can lead to a lasting business partnershipMeet key decision-makers—and fold them into your trusted inner circle
Fast Track Photographer: Leveraging Your Unique Strengths for a More Successful Photography Business - Revised and Expanded Edition
by Dane SandersBecome the professional photographer you were meant to be. Competition in the photography industry has never been fiercer. But in this empowering guide, acclaimed photographer and speaker Dane Sanders reveals that the key to success is to stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and start focusing on your most powerful resource: you. Discover how to: · Use your unique skills and talents to carve out a niche all your own. · Avoid the mistakes most photographers make.· Choose a business style that fits the way you want to spend your time--and live your life. Fast Track Photographer is not just another how-to book--it's an entirely fresh way of thinking about your business, whether you're just starting out, or an industry veteran wondering why all your hard work isn't working. If you want to build a competition-proof creative business in the twenty-first century, it's time to throw out the old rulebook and get on the fast track! Includes free access to Dane's popular self-assessment test (a $20 value) to jumpstart your journey!"I can't think of a better way for anyone to start their professional photo career than to read Fast Track Photographer."--Scott Bourne, publisher and host of Photofocus.com "As much about finding out who you are as it is about how to become a truly great photographer. Highly recommended!"--Amit Gupta, founder of Photojojo.com"This book is worth its weight in gold."--Gary Fong, photographer, author, and creator of the Lightsphere"The best resource for today's photographer--BAR NONE!"--Scott Sheppard, host of "Inside Digital Photography" From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Fast Track Photographer Business Plan
by Dane SandersNEW RULES FOR A NEW BUSINESS WORLDThinking about starting a photography business? The first thing you need to know is that the rules have changed. Yesterday's business models have collapsed. Creating a successful business in today's "Digi-Flat" era requires a sharp new approach, one that Dane Sanders has practiced successfully and taught at Fast Track workshops and seminars all around the world. Some of the things you'll learn in this book:How to turn the very technologies that are "killing" professional photography--such as the Internet--into your tools of success-How to lead your business, not let your business lead you -How systematizing, scaling, and outsourcing are critical concepts even for a one-person business-How to radically rethink marketing, sales, and customer service for the 21st century-How to hone a creative vision that works--the most powerful step you can take as a businessperson The Fast Track Photographer Business Plan is not about building a "traditional" business plan that looks good on paper and impresses investors. It's about creating a vibrant, living business plan that will help you thrive in today's digital "Wild West," where creative content is freely distributed, where no one plays by the rules anymore, and where customers have unprecedented freedom in choosing what to buy and whom to hire. It's a groundbreaking look at running a creative business. Whether you're an amateur looking to go pro or a professional whose business has stalled, Dane's practical, on-the-ground advice will launch you on the fast track to business success. Includes free access to Dane's online "stress test" to diagnose your business's strengths--as well as where it needs help!
Fast-Track Profit Model: Creating the New Due-Diligence Process for Mergers and Acquisitions
by Robert S. Kaplan Steven R. AndersonIn this chapter, the authors demonstrate how to quickly build a simple Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing model for assessing the attractiveness of a company being considered for acquisition. Using this model during the due-diligence process enables a prospective buyer to identify where profit opportunities exist, how they can be captured, their cost and impact, and whether the organization has the capacity to execute.
The Fast Track to New Skills: Short-Cycle Higher Education Programs in Latin America and the Caribbean
by María Marta Ferreyra Lelys Dinarte Díaz Sergio Urzúa BassiHigher education in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has expanded dramatically in the new millennium, yet enrollment in short-cycle programs (SCPs) is still relatively low. Shorter and more practical than bachelor’s programs, SCPs can form skilled human capital fast. The economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated underlying trends, such as automation, the use of electronic platforms, and the need for lifelong learning. Addressing these demands requires the urgent upskilling and reskilling of the population—a task for which SCPs are uniquely suited. The Fast Track to New Skills: Short-Cycle Higher Education Programs in Latin America and the Caribbean explores the labor market out¬comes and returns of SCPs, examines their providers, and identifies the practices adopted by the best programs. Relying on unique data that includes a novel survey of SCP directors in five LAC countries, it finds that while SCPs generate, on average, good labor market out¬comes, they vary greatly in quality. SCP providers respond quickly and flexibly to local economy needs; and specific practices related to faculty, job search assistance, and interaction with prospective em¬ployers are distinctive of the best programs. Drawing on these findings, The Fast Track to New Skills discusses how to create an environment where good programs are offered and students have the interest and means to attend them. It draws attention to a higher education sector that has been typically overlooked, both in research and policy. The Fast Track to New Skills will be of interest to policy makers, researchers, and the public at large.