This important guide, now fully updated for a second edition and once again endorsed by the Institute of Directors, has been written for high earners and wealthy individuals who are looking to maximise returns on their capital and protect their accumulated wealth. It offers authoritative and jargon-free advice to how to structure personal and business-related finances, as well as providing an accessible overview of current financial products. It includes details on strategies for sound wealth management, as well as offering a full examination of the available securities and financial products, including alternative investments and self-managed investments. It also reviews the more proactive alternatives of starting a business or becoming a business angel.

The last 20 years has seen one management fad after another come and go. At the behest of consultants and gurus, businesses have re-engineered, downsized, learnt excellence, developed competencies and created customer-focused strategies. But to what avail? Despite all these fads and improvements we still find bad management, unhappy customers and companies that are extolled as excellent one day and go bust the next. There is a huge gulf between the excellence industry that is touted by the gurus and the real world of business. “Hard-core Management” aims to bridge that gap. It exposes all the core assumptions made by managers and their gurus by stripping them of their fancy garb and forcing us to confront the stark, warts-and-all reality. More than 100 overdressed assumptions are presented for frank examination such as: we know our customers; we know our competition; we have a strategy; our leader knows the way; we have a vision; we are in control; and we can change.

A good business plan should impress potential financial backers by clarifying aims, providing a blueprint for the future of your company and a benchmark against which to measure growth.

How to Prepare a Business Plan explains the whole process clearly, and includes guidance on: producing cash flow forecasts and sample business plans; expanding a business; planning the borrowing; and monitoring business progress.

The author introduces several small businesses as case studies, analysing their business plans, monitoring their progress and discussing their problems. Whether you are looking to start up or expand, this practical advice will help you to prepare a plan that is tailored to the requirements of your business – one that will get you the financial backing you need.

Properly managed no brand need decay and die – immortality is within the reach of all. If the right decisions, the right resources and the right imagination are brought to bear, brands can renew continuously and outlive their creators.

Brand Immortality is a practical health manual for brands of all types and ages that seek immortality. Drawing on the renowned IPA Effectiveness Awards case histories, and full of examples including Nokia, Sony, Nike, Apple and Virgin, it examines how the nature of brands has changed over time and continues to evolve, and the implications this has for marketing. It identifies the factors that are essential to a brand’s long term survival – especially those which defend and strengthen a brand’s place in the hearts and minds of consumers.

The Definitive Personal Assistant and Secretarial Handbook is the ultimate guide for all management assistants, PAs, secretaries and executive assistants. Written by a former Times Creme PA of the Year, it deals with every aspect of these vital administrative roles and the necessary skills, including: relationship management, communication and confidence, the secrets of body language, listening and questioning skills, coping with pressure and stress, dealing with difficult people, time management and personal organization.

The Definitive Personal Assistant and Secretarial Handbook is set to become a bible for all assistants world wide. Comprehensive and accessible, it will help you to maintain a professional image and achieve resounding success.

To access all additional resources for this book, visit http://www.koganpage.com/resources/pash

This is a practical approach to re-engineering the performance management process in order to ensure effectiveness. It deals with the use of performance management in the US and Europe, defines performance management and assesses how well it is doing. It also considers how organizations are changing and the implications of these changes on traditional approaches to performance management. Hartle goes on to outline the steps to be taken to re-engineer the traditional approach into a more effective performance management process. The book draws from case studies of work with cliets around the world. The author stresses that for performance management to be fully effective it has to be a collaborative exercise between managers and staff.

The third edition of Logistics and Retail Management has been substantially updated to take account of recent developments in retail logistics. Retailers have recognised the need to have more involvement in supply chains and noted that benefits can be achieved in both service levels and cost reduction. Notwithstanding the major strides made, numerous challenges remain, and new issues are constantly emerging. This book brings together well-known academics and practitioners, who share their research, ideas and experience of current thinking on supply chain management in retail.

What is the procedure if an employee calls in sick but is later spotted in the park playing with his children?

Employers may think they have grounds to serve a warning, but would they be within their rights to do so?

Harry Sherrard, a successful employment law solicitor, identified the need for HR professionals and line managers to understand the legal rules and procedures when dealing with workplace disputes and dilemmas. He and his colleagues created training workshops that offered more than the usual dry handling of the subject by encouraging delegates to share their experiences of workplace disputes or ‘headaches’, and participate in lively discussion to generate practical and legal resolutions

The idea of turning your staff into ‘gold’ lies at the heart of all training and development programmes. As this lively and thought-provoking book shows, the best route to organizational success is through developing people to their full potential.

Providing a structured and practical guide to making the most of the human capital in any type of organization (large or small, public or private sector), the book takes a holistic and innovative approach to both staff development and organizational success. With a wide variety of case studies, a toolkit of techniques for assessing and developing the skill base of staff, and advice on developing staff at low cost, Training With the Midas Touch is ideal for these cost-conscious times. While highly practical in both tone and approach, Training With the Midas Touch also provides a sound theoretical framework for staff development and includes a detailed reading list with further recommendations.Training with the Midas Touch : Developing Your Organizations Greatest Asset

Whatever the size or nature of the organization, its directors are constantly faced with a myriad of problems and dilemmas: whether it’s financial failure, fraud, succession issues, directors’ indiscretions, a personality clash, a hostile takeover or low staff morale. This work provides a glimpse behind the boardroom door to witness the wrangles and clashes. There are 40 real-life cases with conclusions for action.

Trivial issues can reach gigantic proportions if they are not handled skilfully. This practical self-study workbook is designed to help managers to develop their skills when faced with difficult problems and complaints from members of staff. Structured to allow managers to gain the confidence they need to face even the most daunting situations, the examples and sample dialogues show managers how to deal with a wide range of scenarios including: concerns about hazards in the workplace; excessive workloads; coping with delays; and retaining staff. There are exercises and examples, cases and sample scenarios.