"The Church After Innovation" (Andrew Root)

TITLE: Church After Innovation: Questioning Our Obsession with Work, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship (Ministry in a Secular Age)
AUTHOR: Andrew Root
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022, (272 pages).
 

Each year, Apple enthusiasts celebrate the latest new iPhone. Software gets upgraded with more features that are better, faster, and more powerful than the previous generation. The old gets replaced by the new. It is a modern phenomenon that many of us are used to. Just like the Olympics where the prize goes to the fastest, tallest, or most able achievements, life, in general, seems to be heading toward the modern belief that the "latest and the greatest" are deemed better than the previous generation. CS Lewis once calls it "Chronological snobbery." In this book, author Andrew Root looks at how such a philosophy has engulfed the Church at large. He probes the nature of innovation and entrepreneurship asking questions about the history, the underlying philosophies, and its influence on the Church. The basic question in this book is: "Is the Church influencing the world more than the world of innovation influencing the Church?" He points to the latter and calls the modern Church having an "ecclesial obsession" with all things innovation. Thus the title of this book looks at what would happen if the church uncritically embraced innovation in all of its ministries. The author engages a host of philosophical thoughts from Meister Eckhart, John Tauler, Theologia Germanica, Michel Foucault, Andreas Reckwitz,  Friedrich Hölderlin, and others. Root raises the question of how similar the Church is with companies like Applebees's where innovation is crucial to survival. While it is one thing to hear from just one Church, it is yet another to notice how pervasive that philosophy is. He notes how one Church tried innovation with great success in the first year only to fizzle out the year after. His key assertion is that the Church should not confuse ministry innovation with her real mission. 

"Tech Titans of China" (Rebecca A. Fannin)

TITLE: Tech Titans of China: How China's Tech Sector is challenging the world by innovating faster, working harder, and going global
AUTHOR: Rebecca A. Fannin
PUBLISHER: Boston, MA: Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2019, (256 pages).

Those of us who live in the West would be familiar with the Tech Titans of America, in particular, the Silicon Valley of California. At the end of the Millenium, there were the AOLs, Blackberrys, IBMs, the HPs, the Ciscos, the Dells, Yahoo, and so on. Today, these companies have been eclipsed by Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, and so on. Like the common saying that the big will eat up the small, the new threat to these Western Tech Titans are coming from East Asia, namely, China. Calling them the BATs of China, these rising tech titans of China (Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent) are challenging the FANGS (Facebook, Amazon/Apple, Netflix, Google) in the search, e-commerce, social networking, and many other technology domains. WeChat's userbase has surpassed WhatsApp. China's Silicon Dragon is China's emerging equivalent of Silicon Valley. In fact, China has grown from copying to innovating. If imitation is the biggest form of flattery, the successes of many Chinese tech firms have been validated with Western firms doing the copying instead. Facebook imitates WeChat's messaging features. Amazon has to play catchup in some areas too. Even the giant Apple are copying some of Xiaomi's business model. It is not just the speed of innovation that is catching up, it is also about the super-quick time that these Chinese corporations need to overtake their Western counterparts. Like the words of Gary Rieschel, "China is going to eat Silicon Valley's lunch." While it is true that some areas of advancement are due to government protectionist measures, a sizable chunk of innovation is due to the relentless entrepreneurial spirit and hardworking culture so synonymous with the Chinese. Not only that, the work rate of the Chinese is unmatched. Working over 12 hours per day, six days a week, and having meetings on weekends. Many of these are all-nighters that reflect a workaholic culture not often seen in America. With an enormous domestic market, a relentless entrepreneurial spirit, a workaholic culture, and a protectionist government, all signs point to inevitable domination within China first, and the world next. 

"Just Capitalism" (Brent Waters)

TITLE: Just Capitalism
AUTHOR: Brent Waters
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2017, (352 pages).

Words like globalization, capitalization, or internationalization have all been demonized in recent years. People point to the increasing rich-poor divide and the unfair distribution of food and power throughout society. Can there really be justice in a capitalist world? As far as author and professor Brent Waters is concerned, capitalization is more needed than before. In fact, he contends that "globalization is the only credible means at present for alleviating poverty on a global scale." Arguing against "naive anticapitalism," he asserts that capitalism has become the unfortunate "bogeyman" for all the problems in the world economy. Whether it is poverty or unemployment, income equality or environmental concerns, people are quick to point a finger at greedy executives, big-box companies, and the money politics that have corrupted many corners of the world. Thus, Waters tries to distance himself from such presumptions, choosing instead to see the solutions capitalism can offer, and to look at how it can create wealth for all. This is a bold move that would ruffle many conventional feathers. Fully aware of this, the author lists three levees to stem the likely tsunami of protests.

1. Complexity Problem: Capitalism is not the main culprit for world poverty nor greed. Instead, it is a complex set of factors that are preventing individuals from productive contribution and equitable distribution of resources.
2. Contextualization Problem: It is too simplistic to blame the problem in the rich-poor divide. Instead, there is insufficient contextualization and understanding of the circumstances surrounding the challenges in each region's market situation. 
3. Ideological Problem: Where conventional thinking often puts blame on globalization and capitalization as the bogeymen for economic problems of the world.

"Liturgy of the Ordinary" (Tish Harrison Warren)

TITLE: Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life
AUTHOR: Tish Harrison Warren
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2016, (192 pages).

Spirituality is not just something for the clergy or the spiritualists. Neither is it reserved only for the retreat centers and extraordinary circumstances. It is in fact very practical and can be implemented in ordinary spheres of life. It does not have to be difficult in terms of complicated rituals or requiring great theological training. Covering a 24 hour cycle, author Tish Harrison Warren shows us the way to instilling spiritual sensitivity through our daily activities. She helps us turn work into opportunities for worship. In doing so, she helps us avoid dichotomizing the sacred from the secular. She gives us eleven ordinary activities that we do going through the 24-hour clock framework. We begin with waking up in the morning after a night's sleep. She compares this with the act of baptism, how we are birthed from old to new. Each morning begins with dew of freshness. We see the world from this perspective and to realize that God is constantly forming us as new people each day to see fresh perspectives amid the routine and mundane. We avoid the tendency to cut out life and focus only on the exciting and sensational. Warren is convinced that theology practiced in the ordinary is essentially what the Christian life is about. Our ritual of making the bed reminds us that the things we do so regularly are habit forming. Just like many people whose lives have been changed by technology. They wake up and the first thing they check is their social media updates; their emails; or their messages from various apps. While convenient and fast, such digital devices have subversively lowered our tolerance for boredom. Just today, I read about the talk of a new law in France that gives workers the right not to connect or be contacted by their bosses during their break time. I think there is increasingly a need for some of us who tend to hog the digital waves. In brushing teeth, we learn about maintaining cleanliness and the way Christianity teaches the importance of caring for our physical selves. As we prepare to leave our houses, many of us drive. In our rush, there is always a chance of losing something such as our keys. We retrace our steps. We blame our carelessness. We get frustrated when the search is prolonged. Then and only then do we embark on prayer. It is a powerful reminder of how we take God for granted, leaving God out until we most desperately needed Him. We have such a patient and magnanimous God!

"Create vs Copy" (Ken Wytsma)

TITLE: Create vs. Copy: Embrace Change. Ignite Creativity. Break Through with Imagination.
AUTHOR: Ken Wytsma
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2016, (192 pages).

Be willing to change. Be excited about creativity. Exercise our imaginations. Let innovation and passion for new ideas lead the way. Leadership is essentially learning to lead in creative ways. This is the key message in this book, that to create is far better than to copy. Moreover, a creative new idea excites while an imitation tends to bore. Wytsma is not just passionate about intentional creativity, he longs to share this with many and this book is one way he is doing just that. He helps us go back to the basics.

In thinking about creativity, we are reminded that creating is very much a part of our relationship with creation. It is also a direct result of our relationship with God our creator. We learn more about God through our acts of creativity. This includes simple ideas in the head, various products on the shelves, memories of the past, recipes in the kitchen, sculptures in the art studio, sports and strategies, prayer meetings, campaigning, and many more. As long as we are kept creative, there is always something new to begin with. That is why as far as creativity is concerned, there is no end point. For God is constantly creating. It is also redemptive in the sense that creativity expands horizons and presents opportunities for growth. Moreover, the world we live in are constantly changing. If we fail to adapt and to change, we would be left behind. Wystma shares a powerful story of what it means to reach out to poorer countries like Africa. Some African countries have leapfrogged the communications technology moving directly from no-communications to wireless communications. Unlike many places in the US that are still dependent on fixed line infrastructures, such wireless advancements have accelerated the pace of progress in these African countries. No longer is it about white people sending white resources to Africa. Instead, it is about empowering African communities with new infrastructure that excites and motivates them to help themselves! Looking back to the culture state-side, Wytsma notes how modern sustained stress can negatively impact creativity. He then supplies four ways in which we can practice and facilitate creativity.

"Living Forward" (Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy)

TITLE: Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want
AUTHOR: Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2016, (208 pages).

The 19th Century Danish philosopher once said: "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." This book is about life planning which is essentially about the why and how of living forward. Written by two experienced lifers who had gone through what it means to work like a dog, to drift along in the busyness of life, and to realize the greater importance of re-aligning oneself according to the compass of life, this book summarizes for us a ten-step process to live a meaningful and intentional life. After several pages of endorsements by many industrial leaders and top professionals, the authors begin the book with J.P. Morgan's wise quip: "The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you're not going to stay where you are." Wise words indeed. This book follows through by moving forward to develop an actual plan for ourselves. Michael Hyatt is former chairman and CEO of Thomas-Nelson publishers. A well-established blogger with a popular website, Hyatt is passionate about personal development, leadership, productivity, platform, and all things publishing. He is also author of Platform and Get Published. His friend Daniel Harkavy is a personal coaching professional who founded Building Champions, where is is CEO and executive coach.

"Social Purpose Enterprises" (Jack Quarter, Sherida Ryan, and Andrea Chan)

TITLE: Social Purpose Enterprises: Case Studies for Social Change
AUTHOR: Jack Quarter, Sherida Ryan, and Andrea Chan
PUBLISHER: Toronto, ON: University of Toronto, 2014, (336 pages)

Is money the sole purpose for businesses? What about organizations that not only make money but serves a social purpose? Noticing that the latter are becoming more prominent in society, three Canadian researchers from the University of Toronto seek to find out more about them through three fundamental questions.

1. How these businesses impact their employees to independent serve society? 
2. How the businesses impact shareholders?
3. What are the challenges these businesses have?

Together with many other contributors, the authors ponder many things. How to measure impact? Is efficiency the best criterion? What about effectiveness? Looking at their own research as well as other works from around the world, the authors are quite thorough in their probe. They look at many angles and contexts surrounding social enterprises.

• Businesses that engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) [examples: Ben & Jerry's and Body Shop]
• social businesses [example: Grameen Bank founded by Muhammad Yunus]
• Social businesses earning income for a non-profit [examples: Habitat for Humanity; Salvation Army; University of Toronto Press]
• Social business receiving support from non-profit [examples: United Way; Raging Spoon; Abel Enterprises; Crazy Cooks]

"The Social Executive" (Dionne Kasian-Lew)

TITLE: The Social Executive: Winning In The Multi-Trillion Social Economy
AUTHOR: Dionne Kasian-Lew
PUBLISHER: Dugdale-Woolf Publishing, 2014, (92 pages)

This small book champions the use of social media for business in this fast-paced social media world. Offered primary as an ebook format, it is brief and to the point about the many business advantages of using social media. It is a brief primer on social media culled from her bigger work of the same name. The three main concerns Kasian-Lew are highlighted as:

1) Most executives know the potential and impact of social media
2) They also know they needed to do something with it
3) They needed to know how to go about doing it.

Written for busy executives, Australian trainer, coach, and CEO of "The Social Executive," Kasian-Lew puts her thoughts in point form through 18 short chapters about how executives can use the power of social media to drive their business. She begins with a passionate call for leaders to let the size of the opportunity sink in.

• It's a multi-trillion dollar economy
• It's growing more than 10% every year
• It's too big for executives to ignore
• 
  

"No Greatness Without Goodness" (Randy Lewis)

TITLE: No Greatness without Goodness: How a Father's Love Changed a Company and Sparked a Movement
AUTHOR: Randy Lewis
PUBLISHER: Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2013, (240 pages).

Are the disabled really disabled? Have we given them a fair chance to compete and to work at an equal footing? What if a Fortune 500 company offers them a chance to work like any other ordinary person? This is what Walgreens did. Under the leadership of former Anderson Consultant turned Walgreens employee, Randy Lewis made it a corporate goal to have representation of disabled people from 0% to 10%. Motivated by his love for his autistic son, Austin, spurred by his desire to pave the way for society to accept more people regardless of their abilities or disabilities, Lewis learns to defy all odds to attempt to make a difference in the lives of disabled people by first making a difference in the attitudes and expectations of society, beginning at Walgreens.

The path was definitely not easy. Filled with initial disappointments and despair at the discovery of Austin's condition, there were moments in which the family could have called it quits. Fortunately, Lewis was able to see a glimmer of hope through simple provision of opportunities. The language of business is money. The tool of management is mission. The opportunity to serve provides the meaning.  Lewis weaves all three together to incorporate as much meaning as possible in a world drive by profits and mission statements. Yet, the path to success is not easy. The first attempts were failures as not many shared Lewis's passion, let alone vision. Thankfully, the failures do not dampen his resolve. It strengthens, especially when he witnesses results and the way disabled people like his son becomes more purposeful and respected in earning a living instead of expecting handouts. Step by step, Lewis shares his ups and downs, and how he learns from mistakes, gets encouraged by results, and eventually, moving Walgreens forward as an exemplary leader in the area of hiring disabled people up to a third of the organization. What follows within the book are powerful principles put into action, to usher in humility in businesses and to cultivate a deeper respect for all humanity in society.

"Tiger Woman on Wall Street" (Junheng Li)

TITLE: Tiger Woman on Wall Street: Winning Business Strategies from Shanghai to New York and Back
AUTHOR: Junheng Li
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2013, (256 pages).

This is an amazing biography and personal story of how Junheng Li struggled through the setbacks of China's Cultural Revolution in the 60s, brought up under a strict father, fought through multiple challenges in her growing up years, came to America to study, to work, and subsequently to make a huge impact on the investment industry, especially in the area of providing deeper insights about American strategies and Chinese peculiarities in social, political, economic, and other tangible relationships. Richly personal and highly informative, Li (known in the book as Junh) shares her journey from China to America, and how she gleans the best of Chinese discipline and diliegnet, and the American way of freedom and democracy. Positioning herself as a Wall Street strategist and investment analyst with feet on both Western and Eastern awareness, Li aims to use her own story to help business people (especially from the West) to do business in China.

Li brings to us an up-front-and-personal view of Wall Street and its day to day dealings, as well as an insightful and shrewd take on Shanghai and the culture in China. She highlights her early years of how her family survived China's modern but cruel "Cultural Revolution." She shares the roots of her tenacity that was developed since young, like having to up her TOEFL scores from 480 to 600 in three months. She reveals how her questioning of the norm sharpens her acumen for short-selling opportunities. At the same time, she candidly writes about her setbacks such as her dozing off when an important client was speaking as well as her failed marriage. Even her company, Aurarian, a small investment firm had to call it quits at the height of the 2009 financial crisis. Most fascinating of it all was her ability to understand the American mentality and ethical upbringing from a mainline Chinese point of view. She knows that there are many who are eager to invest in China. Yet, many of these investors are unable to understand the complexity of the Chinese markets. According to Li, the American model is one that assumes the market is "efficient" and many have unwittingly assumed that the Chinese market is similar. Li seeks to debunk this mistaken belief, arguing that when investing in China, it is critical for investors to know who and what they are investing in. By setting up her own firm (JL Warren), she has positioned herself as the expert in Sino-US investment analyses. 

So What?

Reading through the various investment snippets gives me an opportunity to refresh my own knowledge about investment, like short selling and long positions; hedge funds and IPOs; company management and stock health; and others. Li writes in such a compelling and honest manner that readers can feel as if they are there with Li. The captivating stories make for a very educational as well as entertaining read. That said, I do have some reservations about some of the conclusions Li had made. First, I think Li may have tried to make things far too black and white, like claiming the Chinese's upbringing is more "shame-based" while the Western model is more "guilt-based"; or Chinese system as "knowledge based" compared to the American system of "idea based." My question is "To what extent is this true? What about those who grow up with mixed parenting?"

Perhaps, as a mainline Chinese working and living the American Dream, Li has that uncanny ability to discern the differences much more than others. However, with rising immigration and globalization, plus inter-marriages and the the merging of cultures, the investment climate is getting more grey and complex. Second, this book is Li's personal story about her journey in the investment angle. Readers need to be careful not to extrapolate too much into the other parts of society, such as politics, social norms, or other cultural idiosyncrasies. There are a lot of things that readers can adopt in terms of questioning the herd mentality and the lack of discernment when investing in an unknown firm. At the same time, it is good to remember that it is just one view. It is not the only view. In a complex environment, there is no one-size-fits-all methodology. Third, the success of any venture is not solely an individual matter. We need communities of discernment. Even Li herself admits seeking out advice from older and more experienced individuals such as her previous mentor, Jason, and business friends like Peter Winn. In a hard-hitting world of business amid a very unforgiving Wall Street attitude toward losses, we all need friends and to learn to see life not just from a money or profits point of view. Seeing that Li's reputation as a "Tiger Woman on Wall Street" has also come at a steep personal price, it is a reminder for me that life is not just about making money or breeding successful endeavours one after another. There will come a time in which the more important things in life will become more significant.

Toward the end of the book, Li becomes more reconciliatry in her outlook of both the American and the Chinese cultures. The "discipline and perseverance" she learned from her Chinese parents and the "integrity and curiosity" she adopted from her American way of life has made her more equipped to deal with both. Keen readers will realize that Li is advocating for change for both sides, for diligence from all, to work together and to flourish together.

I warmly recommend this book for anyone interested in investment, especially those keen to learn and understand more about investing in companies with a Chinese background. Great read!

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of McGraw-Hill Professional and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Christians in an Age of Wealth" (Craig L. Blomberg)

TITLE: Christians in an Age of Wealth: A Biblical Theology of Stewardship (Biblical Theology for Life)
AUTHOR: Craig L. Blomberg
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013, (272 pages).

[Zondervan Special $3.99 ebook download here. Offer ends Dec 8th, 2013.]

It was 4% in the 1920s. Now, it hovers around 2%. In general, giving has gone down substantially over the years. At the same time, American spending patterns have risen astronomically with huge discretionary income allocated for "non-essential stuff" such as "pleasure boats, jewelry, booze, gambling, and candy." Craig Blomberg then takes aim at the rich Christians sector, especially those who had invested "state of the art facilities and technology" to sustain their church ministries. That is not all. The criticisms roll on:

• How is it justifiable for rich Christians to channel funds to already wealthy establishments, and not worry about the those living way below the poverty line?
• Is the Church guilty of "passing the buck" where a need is someone else's problem?
• For those who gave to the poor, how much of those giving have actually done more harm than good?
• Why must Western missionaries be paid "Western salaries" in the country they serve in?
• Why are there so many initiatives, charity, mission work, and other ministry causes duplicating one another's efforts, without even trying to coordinate their efforts? 

Book Review: "The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace"

TITLE: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People
AUTHOR: Gary D. Chapman and Paul E. White
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2011.

It seems like "The 5 love languages" first made popular by Dr Gary Chapman has moved from relationships in couples, friends, and loved ones, to relationships in the office. In this latest version, Chapman lets his 5 love languages be applied to the research of his co-author, Paul White about the workplace. The key thesis of the book is described by the authors as follows:

"We believe that people in the workplace (whether a paid or volunteer position) need to feel appreciation in order for them to enjoy the job, do their best work, and continue working over the long haul." (27)

Instead of 'love' which brings connotations of office romance, or weirdness to a supposedly businesslike office environment, the terminology has been changed to '5 languages of appreciation.' The key ingredient in the book is 'appreciation.' Briefly, the five languages are:

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Acts of Service
4. Tangible Gifts
5. Physical Touch

The book is structured in four sections. In Section One, the foundations basically consist of an explanation of the 'MBA' (Motivation By Appreciation). It makes a few observations as follows:

• "The number one factor in job satisfaction is not the amount of pay but whether or not the individual feels appreciated and valued for the work they do." (13)
• That every individual has a primary, a secondary, as well as a tertiary language of appreciation
• "Each of us wants to know that what we are doing matters." (22)
• "For recognition and appreciation to be effective, it must be individualized and delivered personally." (23)
• "appreciation needs to be viewed as valuable to the recipient in order to have an impact." (23)
• "Employees are more likely to burn out when they do not feel appreciated or emotionally supported by their supervisors." (23)
• "When leaders actively pursue communicating appreciation to their team members, the whole work culture improves." (25)

Using the Return on Investment (ROI) terminology, it is worthwhile to focus on appreciation as staff turnover can be very costly for an organization as it directly impacts the bottom line. The five greatest challenges for managers are:

1. "Discouragement
2. Burnout
3. Feeling overwhelmed
4. losing the positive corporate culture built over the years
5. how to encourage employees with few financial resources available. " (34)

The key finding in the research is:

"Going to work in an environment where there is a sense of appreciation for what we contribute is more enjoyable than doing the same tasks (for the same money) and not feeling valued by those around us." (42)

The authors then describe in great detail about each of the five MBA languages in Section Two. In 'Words of affirmation,' one demonstrates appreciation through praise for accomplishments, affirmation of character, understanding personality traits, and knowing how and when to affirm. In 'Quality Time,' one demonstrates MBA through precise listening, really value employee comments, or simply spending meaningful time at various activities like an occasional coffee chat, an outing, dinner with the family, and playing hard as well as working hard. In 'Acts of Service,' one builds community through teamwork, volunteering to help others while maintaining one's responsibility well, having a positive attitude, and to provide a positive part in culture building. In 'Tangible Gifts,' one needs to identify what is the right gift, and who the right person is. One needs to know what gifts are valued and that gifts need to be thoughtful. Of course, it is also important to know that certain other gifts may have negative connotations. It can also be in kind like time off, or volunteering. In 'Physical Touch,' it needs to be done in a culturally acceptable and socially appropriate manner, like a handshake, a good pat on the back, or a nice high-five. At all times, be sensitive about sexual harassment matters. If in doubt, always ask.

Section Three describes the inventory list of questions and procedures to discover the MBA languages. Section Four brings everything together by listing some common obstacles to a successful MBA exercise. I like the top 10 easiest ways to do the MBA.

1. Give a verbal compliment
2. Write an email to encourage
3. Stop by to see how a colleague is doing
4. Do something WITH your co-worker
5. Do a small task for someone spontaneously
6. Stop by anytime to ask if they need help
7. Buy them coffee or snacks
8. Get a magazine for them to read
9. Give a high-five after every milestone
10. Warmly greet one another.

My Comments

This is overall a very positive book. I am surprised by the simplicity and effectiveness of the concept. I particularly like the way the authors make a distinction between 'recognition' and 'appreciation.'

• Recognition emphasizes on performance; while MBA is on the value of the employee
• Recognition benefits only a few; MBA can reach many
• Recognition is more top-down; MBA can be from any direction
• Recognition can be costly; MBA is affordable

The authors are also very thoughtful to include the non-profit sections of society. This is most important as appreciation in such organizations tend to presume that people CHOOSES to be in the organization in the first place, as they are not usually paid. I will even say that appreciation for the non-profit workplace is even more crucial. The biggest costs to such organizations is again, staff turnover. Better to invest well through appreciation right from the start. I too like the appendices which contains lots of resources and helps.

Perhaps, in closing, the biggest risk of MBA is NOT to do any appreciation exercise. This I believe is the most important idea to take home. Great book.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is supplied to me free, courtesy of Moody Publishers and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. The comments above are freely mine.

Book Review: "Reality is Broken"

TITLE: Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World

AUTHOR: Jane McGonigal
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Penguin Press, 2011.

We have all heard of the common saying that computer games are generally not as good and as beneficial when compared to traditional sports. Parents worry over the countless number of hours their kids spend on the computer playing games. Psychologists warn of addiction. Yet, this book uniquely bucks the trend. According to Jane McGonigal, games are actually good for you. Not only that, it helps fix a world where reality is broken.

The basic premise of the book is that gamers in general find fulfilment in computer games simply because they recognize how broken the real world is. In games, they can achieve their highest potential. They can simulate models to solve the world's most pressing problems. They can collaborate with other gamers and build an online community that is real. Contrary to many accusations that games are escapist mechanisms, the author bravely turns the critiques of games on its head, by advocating that games have positive effect on fighting social problems. She describes her vision as follows:

Book Review: "Doing Virtuous Business"

This review was first published at Yapdates here.


TITLE: Doing Virtuous Business: The Remarkable Success of Spiritual Enterprise

AUTHOR: Theodore Roosevelt Malloch
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2008.

Spiritual capital is not only profitable in the long run, it is vital for the survival of any organization. In this book, the author makes a strong case for a kind of business culture that is more than mere profit-making or stockholder-pleasing. At the core of the book's argument is that the goal of business is to bring about both material prosperity as well as a flourishing of the human quality of life. Strongly in favour of capitalism over socialism, what is needed is not to discard capitalistic ideas too quickly, but to cement it with a strong layer of social and spiritual capital. In fact, spiritual capital or enterprise is the way to bring out the best of capitalism.

About the Book
This book is filled with lots of stories from the business world, coupled with multiple descriptions of virtues, philosophy of life, and the meaning of spiritual capital. Spiritual capital is "the bold idea that the creation of wealth by virtuous means is the most important thing we can do for ourselves and others, for our society, and for the world at large." (5)

Book Review: "The Way We're Working Isn't Working"

TITLE: THE WAY WE'RE WORKING ISN'T WORKING
AUTHOR: Tony Schwartz
PUBLISHER: NY: Free Press, 2010, (335 pages)

In his previous book, the Power of Full Engagement, the author explains that 'energy' is the critical force that determines success. By taking care of one's energy levels, being conscious of one's energy cycles and the need to replenish oneself regularly, the author submits that such will then lead to a 'power of full engagement.'

This follow-up book does not detract a lot from his previous treatise about energy. He attempts to differentiate this book from his famous predecessor by addressing 'four forgotten needs' behind the energy and performance level. Beyond survival, these four needs are essentially similar to Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs with a minor difference. Schwartz flips the triangle with the apex at the bottom but retains the level of needs.