An unparalleled compendium of incisive essays, lively biographies, and authoritative and up-to-date source materials, Business is an operating system for your whole business, and includes:

--Original best-practice essays from over 150 of today's thought leaders

--Profiles of the 100 most influential business pioneers and management thinkers

--Summaries of the 70 most important business books of all time

--Over 300 practical checklists, covering all areas of management and career development

--A first-class world business almanac covering more than 150 countries, all 50 US states, and 24 industries

--A jargon-free dictionary of 6,000 business terms

--An extensive list of 3,000 information sources (books, journals, Web sites and organizations), covering 115 topics

"Could there be a business intelligence -- a set of abilities that dismantle those truly outstanding in the world of commerce? Could business intelligence be the mark of outstanding individual performers, as well as the building block of the best-performing companies?"

--From the Introduction by Daniel Goleman

Business: The Ultimate Resource offers unique access to the expertise and ideas that will drive global commerce and the art of management in the twenty-first century. Unmatched in scope and depth, and guided by a team of eminent advisors and editors, Business will become the "operating system" for any organization or anyone in business -- the infrastructure that drives ideas and action. Business illuminates the state of the art in business thinking and practice today, and will serve as the essential guide for seasoned executives, up-and-coming managers, entrepreneurs, consultants, administrators, educators, and students alike.

Much more than a reference, Business provides fascinating perspectives on the culture of business, which is arguably becoming the most potent force in society around the globe. The centerpiece of Business is a collection of over 150 original essays and thought pieces, commissioned especially for this volume from among the world's most dynamic business authors. From Warren Bennis on the four critical aspects of leadership to Charles Handy on the future of business to Peter Bernstein on the case against the long run, readers will learn what's on the minds of today's thought leaders. Business also includes colorful, and often surprising, biographies of the pioneers who have left their indelible marks on the business landscape: from the larger-than-life "robber barons," such as financier J.P. Morgan and oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, to today's high-tech and media titans, Bill Gates and Martha Stewart; from the groundbreaking research of W. Edwards Deming on quality and Abraham Maslow on psychological needs to today's high-profile strategy gurus, Gary Hamel and Rosabeth Moss Kanter.

Every page of Business is filled with information, inspiration, and application. For example, the management library section illuminates the most influential business books of all time, including Sun Tzu's timeless The Art of War, Alfred P. Sloan's My Years with General Motors, and James Champy and Michael Hammer's controversial bestseller, Reengineering the Corporation. Over 300 checklists, covering every aspect of management, offer a wealth of practical guidance for anyone who works: essential strategies for tackling virtually every challenge, from managing stress on the job to reading a balance sheet to making the most out of performance appraisals. With detailed industry overviews, an extensive dictionary of business terms, and a world-class almanac of facts and figures, Business has something for everyone.

Let the collective wisdom of generations of trailblazers be your guide to achieving business literacy -- a working knowledge of the key thinking, writing, people, and trends that define business today -- and ultimately the business intelligence to thrive in a world of complexity and possibility.