This book is a great overview of the East India Company to those who are looking for a good introduction to the subject. This book isn't aimed at hardcore academics, but more to students and the rest of us who watch the History Channel. Philip Lawson has taken an objective overview of his subject, which is important because it's easy to focus on the larger issue of colonialism.

By reading this mini-epic you will get to trace the history of the company from it's start in the Elizabethan era until it's end in the mid-1800's. The book is packed with a cast of characters ranging from humble bookkeepers to greedy heads of state. There are some nice details about the history of tea and trading (example: I had no idea that it was the English who first put tea and sugar together around the 1680's).

Now you may ask yourself why you should read this if you are an American? Well our own history starts off with the Boston tea party, which was raiding an East India Company ship. More important the books touches on the subject of monopolies, which will be of interest to anyone into modern economics. What's great about this book is that it also serves as a good introduction to other books on the subject, so if you are interested you will know where to start.

Philip Lawson is much missed. He died at age 46 with a promising career ahead and an impressive list of books and articles (most dealing with imperial topics) behind him. He was the most gifted of the younger generation of scholars who write imperial history not from the perspective of the metropole but from the periphery. This survey of the John Company constitutes the best introduction to the subject yet written.

Very good book for those looking for a book that deals with people not just on cyber space. Everybody has to be there own judge but I thought it was well done for my need's. Thank you

Because I help people set up successful businesses using the power of the internet, I found this book to be invaluable. John Fuhrman tells you how to use the educational resources of an organization to ensure your success when you duplicate your efforts as an e-commerce professional.

This book is for you: 1) If you are an independent business person: you need to search for the tools that the book suggests and use them. 2) If you want to become an entreprenuer: you need to search for the organizations and mentors that will help you the way that the book suggests.

This book serves as a good introduction to the work of a leader in the field of economic development. Bauer would definitely be called a right-wing economist by those who need a simple classifier, but he might also be called libertarian or, like Amartya Sen is sometimes called, post-libertarian. As with so may economics books, the material is unbelieveably repetitive, being culled from articles and reworked speeches over about 20 years. The main points deal with the foolishness of foreign aid programs, the workings of collective guilt in promulgating said programs, the disregard and obfuscation of the results of these programs and other economic facts, and basic factors involved in the actual development of less-developed countries. Very good for someone interested in the literature of development, or someone who favors a more laissez-faire approach and has not read anything on development economics, a topic not often addressed in popular economics books.

"From Subsistence to Exchange: and other essays" (FSE), is a wonderfully insightful little book that throws light on the problems of the Third World economies, egalitarianism, the "mathematized" economics profession, and, among other things, offers rigorous arguments against foreign aid and Western guilt (for allegedly causing Third World poverty).

I found this book to be both a great introduction to development economics and Peter Bauer, as well as a handy catalog of refutations of popular economic myths. Additionally, the critical essay on the mathematization of the economics profession is valuable: It helps to buttress Bauer's thesis that economics is not an "ivory tower profession" (my words): It is a social science that must rely heavily on historical investigation and direct observation; it is not, nor can it ever be, like the natural sciences of physics and chemistry. The attempt to make it more "respectable" by hiding simple truths among complex formulae, or worse, by deriving conclusions from mathematical models that do not resemble the real world, has resulted in putting elaborate clothes on a non-existent emperor (Bauer's words). It has also fueled fallacious attacks on the entire field and reduced both public understanding of and respect for economics. Bauer's essay on that topic is a breath of fresh air.

In discussing popular myths, Bauer tackles the "viscous circle of poverty," among numerous others, e.g., that the West is rich because the Third World is poor. Often these myths are based on similar false premises. For example, the refutation of the vicious circle argument also undermines the exploitation one (noted above).

Here's how: If the vicious circle of poverty is correct, then this statement is also: Without outside investment, third world countries cannot break out of the circle of poverty, because they can not save in order to invest in capital, because they live at a subsistence level and (usually) produce only enough to meet short-term needs.

Bauer states it better, but that's a decent summary. Bauer takes this to the limit of its logic: If the above were true, then the human race could never have left the stone age: the world never received capital (or any) investment from outside of itself. The vicious circle argument ignores the factors that Bauer notes are crucial to finding answers to economic problems: namely, "that economic performance depends on personal, cultural, and political factors, on people's aptitudes, attitudes, motivations, and social and political institutions."

That kind of outlook, intuitively valuable, is inimical to modern applied "mathecomics," the practitioners of which typically deride an outlook like Bauer's as mere "empiricism." Indeed, Bauer discusses just such a caricature.

The argument against the circle of poverty implies that there is no fixed amount of income to be distributed. Again, for someone with an eye on economic history, that should be intuitively true. Yet if there is no fixed income, then the people in the West are not necessarily rich only because the Third World is poor. Bauer notes, having extensively studied the Third World countries and its people, that those with the least number of ties to the West are the worst off!

There are so many other insights in this book that to adequately catalog them all would require thousands of words. Yet FSE is short and easy to understand. I read this book alongside Chomsky's "World Orders Old and New" until I realized that Chomsky, when he actually gave an argument, was eviscerated by Bauer's arguments and knowledge. Of course, this represents the merits of Bauer's historical and observational approach to Chomsky's pronouncement from on-high approach. Bauer lives in and describes reality. Chomsky does neither.

As a final note, although this book is repetitive as the reviewer below me noted, Bauer's points need to be drilled into people's minds. Repetition of key points and arguments helps to cement them in one's memory; Bauer's excellent and fascinating writing does not get the justice it deserves from this review, and it is not something that, once read, you will want to forget.

El Señor Benesko tiene una gran vision y experiencia en el desarrollo Proyectos intercorporativos y en su libro nos da una vision amplia de los diferentes elemetos que se pueden tomar encuuenta al desarrollar un proyecto de este tipo. Espero que edite un nuevo libro en que profundice màs sobre cada uno de los criterios que esgrime en el libro y nos ilustr màs con si gran expericia en el medio .. Buen Libro

What can we say... once in a blue moon, there is a star writer and Gary fit this profile perfectly. We compare this book as fascinating as a good sexy novel that keep you coming back all the time. " XPC The bottom liners"

I believe this book should be bought by all expert and beginner investors. It teaches you the basics of investing to let you go on the road of the stock market.

Concise information on a complex and fast-changing subject. The author is committed to helping investors do their own research and make their own decisions. This is a book for people who want to learn about stocks, mutual funds and other investments using the Web; it's not a manual for day-trading or other Web-based short-term strategies.

As a Biztalk developer, this book helps me get through my project successfully. In-depth and packed with information. Tables are great for quick reference. It is an EXCELLENT REFERENCE for an experienced developer.... [For a beginner, 1500 pages might make you feel overwhelming. 'MCSE Training Kit: Microsoft® BizTalk™ Server 2000' is a better alternative. It is more precised and get you an overall concept faster.]

The book is something I haven't expected. Comparing to "XML and SOAP Programming for BizTalk Servers" by Brian E. Travis this book covers almost every aspect of BizTalk develpoment, deployment and administration that the guys in Micsosoft has thougth of so far. It is mostly the printed version of the help, but changed and extended. You will find all the whitepapers in here also. Not very much of examples and step-by-step coverage, but... fair well written book, I'd say. The only thing I don't like is the size and weight of the book... should be in volumes.

Escribo para quienes deseen adquirir este libro y son de Latinoamérica, el libro viene con un CD para realizar un laboratorio (el cual se debe realizar para cada uno de sus capitulos). EL LIBRO ES REALMENTE UTIL PARA DESARROLLAR UN SITIO B2B CON HERRAMIENTAS MICROSOFT. Los laboratorios se pueden desarrollar normalmente teniendo: Microsoft Site Server Commerce edition 3.0, Visual Basic, Microsoft SQL y windows NT 4.0. Eso sólo lo supe cuando tuve el texto en mis manos...

Since the inception of the internet there has been no way to measure the impact on the global business community. Business after business has popped up all over the world and now you have the opportunity to shop online and conduct business without ever leaving you house.

Capturing this idea and making it work for you and your business is what Microsoft Press has done with this book, part of the Microsoft Mastering series. In just under 450 pages you'll find information on how to configure Site Server 3.0 and use technologies like ASP, XML and COM+.

The book is more than the typical information center, it also includes exercises and review questions that will help you understand the concepts as well as train you in the areas of e-commerce and e-business. You'll find that after reading this book you are more than ready to start the business you've always dreamed of.

Included with the book is an extremely helpful cd-rom, which included Internet Explorer 5 in case you don't have a browser. Along with that are course lab files, web site connections, lab overviews and breakdowns as well as the labs themselves. For under $50.00 Microsoft is making the transition in the new millennium a whole lot easier.

The author does an excellent job of explaining the ways in which the Internet can be used to improve any function of a business, to include HR, Logistics Mgmt, and Sales. Though it doesn't delve too deeply into any single area, for the corporate manager it is an excellent introductory read.

The Internet has gained immense popularity as a marketing tool and a number of companies both large and small have shifted their marketing strategies to this broadcast medium. Every day businesses are taken online. Netrepreneur written by Joseph Lowery offers a tremendous wealth of knowledge about how companies can successfully adapt themselves to this powerful and exciting marketing tool.

Businesses large and small will benefit from the contents of this book. Actual case studies of many well-known companies offer rich key insight into how they have set up shop on the Internet and how they have managed themselves. Increased sales revenue, shifts in marketing strategies, Website design options, and use of technology and business applications are among the many cutting-edge considerations discussed at length by the author that will contribute to very successful business operations.

With the use of this book any company will achieve favorable and easily measureable results. Web business models are discussed, readers will receive online business marketing instruction, they will learn some basic international business concepts to successfully broaden the scope of their marketing efforts, and they can make use of an excellent listing of business Websites that offers additional business information.

Although this book was not intended for use by novice entrepreneurs, I found it easy to read and understand. Just about anyone can pick it up and glean valuable business ideas from its pages regardless of their level of experience in the business world. This book would make a valuable guide for business consultants seeking to make a living by helping other companies along. This is a great book to have on hand and put to use at a moments' notice!

My copy of the previous edition of this book is dog-eared and worn because I use it so much as a guide, reference and and entertainment. Levine knows New York, food, and people. He knows his stuff but he's not snooty about it. He's as much at home writing about Gray's Papaya hot dogs as he is about the finest wines

Ed Levine is the host of a funny and very informative local New York restaurant and food review show called "New York Eats". I have repeatly sent in emails hoping to get a free copy of his book but to no avail. Alas I recently bought this book and it has helped me on many occasions. From finding the best pizza in NYC to the best take out fois gras. A indispensable gift for someone living in New York City and surrounding areas and even better for someone about to visit and they want to know where to get the best food in the best city on earth.