Spirituality mixed with marketing? If it reaches many I suppose it's a good thing
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Certain to make you think.
This is a great starter for one to continue on with, with eyes wide open.
I was a tad urked by the marketing sheebang and pointers at the end of each chapter to log on to the marketers website.

But, that aside, the story itself is powerful.
We can question 'who am I and where am I going'
How much, of trivial happenings in life do our minds create into major drama?!
To go thru an ordeal such as the Mumbai terror attack and remain present and calm, no need to become a screaming drama case, but to calmly move through the motions, now that is the power of a mind at peace which can only be obtained through practise of meditation and self knowledge, putting practise into action under the most extreme circumstance!
4111216
It was good - a "how to" on marketing - what a 21st century thinker would conclude from the Malcolm Gladwell's classic work
1490256
This well-known spirituality author is presented in an attractive format that stimulates mind and soul.
2067671
This book is a wellspring of interesting ways of looking at all the issues we find ourselves dealing with in the world of today, and how a more constructive evolution might be possible. Undoubtedly, it could be a help to many to find a new way of looking at things, yet its argument eventually runs afoul of reality by spiritualizing the world, and keeping the focus on making the world better, which is always a temptation but also a decided dead end. Spirituality is about spirit, not about matter, evolution, time, or change. This confusion is common in new age circles, but it must forever fail to achieve what it promises. Having said that, it would stand to reason that if we operate from a spiritual perspective we should be creating more beneficial solutions, but the material outcomes are never the objective in the first place, but simply the inevitable result of operating from a place of peace, not conflict. In and of themselves the outcomes are uninteresting in the larger scheme of things, however.
127646
I enjoyed the multiple ways of expressing deep spiritual ideas. Dennis Maglinte used short stories, poems and axioms to demonstrate working ideas for better living. Sometimes when a book is writen to appeal to a wide variety of religions, the writing is too bland. I found this to be very good and appealing to people of all faiths who just want to live better.
1971991
The authors begin by describing how many Christians view vocational callings, an idea that businessmen are at the bottom of the ladder, and then come teachers and doctors, then pastors, and finally missionaries.  This vocational hierarchy implies that the truly spiritual businessmen should abandon his secular employment and seek to serve God as a missionary or in some other church related role.  The authors then set out to refute this paradigm by showing how God is using people from the business world to fulfill the Great Commission.

The authors define a Great Commission Company (or GCC) as "a socially responsible, income-producing business managed by kingdom professionals and created for the specific purpose glorifying God and promoting the growth and multiplication of local churches in the least-evangelized and least-developed parts of the world."  They then explain how business touches the whole world and often kingdom professionals can work among those who would not respond to a traditional missionary.

They classify GCCs as either facilitative, meaning that their main purpose is to support the ministry of others, and pioneering, being those GCCs involved in direct ministry.  The second part of the book gives in-depth descriptions of five GCCs with the personal testimonies of the entrepreneurs and the challenges of the GCC, both from a business and ministry perspective.

I found this book to be a good introduction into the field commonly called `Business as Mission' or BAM.  The examples cited are a reminder that both business and ministry are difficult work as the ministries described are not stories of success on the scale we might expect.
3271123
hrough this book , Barry has tried to explain some of the commonly felt shopping distresses. While most of them will sound familiar (have myself scratched my head in front of the toothpaste shelf and then picking up one at random, so much for all the millions spent on ads), Barry has brought out a psychological explanations behind the same. So at least i am reassured that I am not the only one facing such turmoil.

In terms of concepts I liked the positive versus negative language "discount on cash" vs "surcharge on credit". There are many occasions when I felt we were making the customer aware and doing a favour, not realising that using such a straight language may just be bad marketing.

The endowment effect is also a good insight for marketeers, bundle more and give an option for customers to remove than do the reverse.

However, as the book progresses, i felt too many concepts were being brought in, thus making me lose track of the same. And too many studies to support them - get confused too often between the correlation and causuality.  By the last chapter, it almost reads like a gospel or a guide towards nirvana - satisfice more and maximise less. I am not sure that many would agree unless you are already a satisficer.

In summary, the book starts with an interest concept , but gets lost somewhere in between and shifts to a different orbit by the end.
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In Soul Stories, Gary Zukav (author of The Dancing Wu Li Masters and Seat of the Soul) guides the reader on a spiritual journey towards greater openess and a feeling of connection with the world and one another. The stories range from personal experiences to parables. While all of them teach valuable lessons, I was not always comfortable with the way he tells them. As another reviewer pointed out, Zukav often writes as though his audience were young children. It's one thing to put a message simply and concisely, but to put things too simply can seem condescending to the reader. For example, in the section about how "new" men and women differ from "old," he goes on at great length describing how men have traditionally been protectors and providers and women have been concerned with raising children and taking care of the home. I think most people in their teens or older are aware of this and are also aware that these roles have been changing. In one story, there is a confrontation between an "old" style man and a "new" style woman (I put these in quotes partly because I'm skeptical of such neat categories); the woman wants to go back to school and pursue a more independent lifestyle, while her husband cannot understand this. This would have seemed more dramatic thirty or forty years ago than today, though there are people who still adhere to traditional roles. Zukav also describes emotionally charged workshops where people share and explore their various feelings and relationships. His style is very much in the spirit of such human potential workshops where the goal is to evolve or expand. I am somewhat skeptical  of this approach, as it can give people a certain conceit about their spirituality compared to supposedly less evolved people (e.g. the comparison between old and new style men and women). I have been mainly criticizing the book, but I also found enough in it to recommend it to anyone interested in...yes, evolving and expanding their consciousness. For example, I liked a story about a man struggling through a barren desert until he finally finds a lush land with abundant food and water. A simple parable, but effective and well told. Gary Zukav writes with quite a bit of optimism about how quickly people are changing. Looking at the world, it often seems as though we aren't changing quickly enough, but I hope he is right. And following the advice in books such as this can only help.
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Drawing on philosophy, neuroscience, common sense, and his own extensive experience with meditative practice, Harris makes a persuasive case that spirituality need not be restricted to religious practice, but can be a meaningful part of life for people who have a skeptical, scientific, secular outlook.
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The Social Gospel continues to be a positive influence in our lives a hundred years after its heyday, and revived again in a fuller incarnation or a richer manifestation it may play a part in expanding our awareness of the importance of the social aspects in our humanity.  Done in a more balanced fashion with an improved "anthropology" more in tune with a living spirituality it should have a place in the integration of our lives in the face of the bewildering changes science and technology continues to inundate us with.
1709079
In several ways I think that (we) marketing people and advertising people in particular are conservative people. Or maybe I should say not very open to change, not very open to adjust, not very open to listen. It's more inside-out than outside-in. Therefore I think that "(Re)inventing the brand - the new realities of branding" is a MUST for everybody working in or with the advertising industry. It requires, however, an open mind and willingness to reconsider traditional thinking and practice. The book is like a good novel - hard to put away before the last page. And I think the one chapter "Energize the value chain of your brand" in itself makes the book one I my best investments.
Egil Braathe, MBA
Partner & Advisor; Movement Research & Consulting
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I feel like I gained a lot personally from The Self Awakened. On a larger political and economic level, I think its guidelines fall short of its wonderful spiritual and philosophical message.

Unger's basic spiritual stance is very compelling: that each person (and each society as a whole) can reach out beyond the assumptions and limits within which we live. I think this is a valuable impetus for understanding the limits of what we can do while stretching those limits. But it has to be taken on faith; it doesn't follow from his arguments.

How do we start to make a change that will make us all a bit more free? No one should be surprised by this point of the book (around Chapter 9) that Unger paints in broad strokes. What worries me is that his recommendations are idealistic. They depend on society agreeing to experiments that could overturn some very cushy arrangements that seem comfortable to people with the most control over government policy and business decisions. Historically, these people have proven not only selfish but short-sighted. I think Unger would agree that there's no point to pushing for change that can't be achieved under current social and culture conditions, but I'm afraid that's what he's done.

The writing style is thick and the reader has to be prepared for slow and careful reading (along with some redundant passages), but you're rewarded with some breath-taking moments of inspiration and beautiful prose.
4828023
Anna Courie's inaugural work, Christ Walk, is a thought provoking attempt at encouraging personal spiritual growth by linking personal health and Christian growth. What sets this work apart is its tone and an ability to be comprehensive, without seeming to overwhelm the reader.

She writes from the perspective a US military wife and mother and lay Episcopal leader. Her experiences as an Army wife, dealing with frequent spousal deployments, mothering small children and a meditative, contemplative high church approach to her Christian life is infectious. The tone she sets is like someone coming alongside you in your spiritual journey, in a supportive way. Her writing has flavors of folks like Frederich Buechner, within the context of modern middle class American life.

She uses physical fitness in a holistic way. She has a firm grip on the relation between spirit and body, and does not pretend they are divided at all. The reader should come away with a warm, and encouraging push to greater spiritual growth, entirely within the major paths of historical redemption, while tracking daily goals of physical exercise, that are entirely up to the reader. As a tool for personal devotion, or group study, this could make a fine work.
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For several decades, marketing has become a term that refers more to an expression of image creation and sales support than a way in which organizations respond to the needs and problems of markets and consumers.  Anne Bahr Thompson changes this perception by documenting that greater financial rewards are generated by empathy and good behavior.  Do Good is a watershed book.  It describes where marketing has been, what it is today, and lays out a path that marketers should follow as they move forward in the new world of data, information, and connectivity.  Do Good confirms that while we have always known that the fundamental role of marketing is as a creator of long-term value, the lack of accepted measurements has often prevented the implementation of programs that might deliver that value.  Through the Brand Citizenship model, Thompson utilizes data and insight to create the correlation between market behavior and market response that reflects the creation of consumer satisfaction and financial reward.  Thompson presents evidence of higher customer loyalty, growing brand values, and increased market valuations, and directs us to see the future of marketing as more of a creator of assets and less of as a generator of sales.  Everyone working and teaching in marketing should read Do Good.
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Marketing with Meaning demonstrates a whole new approach to our industry. It's full of applicable case studies that will resonate with brand managers, students, designers, teachers, account executives, etc. Clients are going to expect this type of thinking and it's going to change some of the negative perceptions associated with marketing and advertising...
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The book addresses deep spiritual issues.  Like many, the reader may feel  caught in the fork in the road, facing the dilemma of taking an obligatory  path of earning  one's own Grace, or the other path to accept the free gift of Grace, which can enthusiastically be traveled,  warts and all.
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While most churches in Australia and the US are declining in numbers and flagging in enthusiasm, a small number seem to be filled with life and new growth. In this book Albert Winseman describes the key contributing factors to a lively church, as identified in research conducted by the Gallup Organization, perhaps America's best-known market research company.

According to the author, the best strategies for improving the level of "engagement" in a church are clarifying the expectations of membership, helping members to discover what they do best, and creating small groups. People are more likely to be committed if they understand clearly what is expected of them. They are likely to be more committed if they are given opportunities to do what they do best, rather than being asked to fill roles which they find demotivating. Other important factors are receiving recognition, being cared about as a person, being consulted on important decisions, having close friends in the church, and having opportunities to grow spiritually.

The 12 items defining "engagement" of church members are really just a rehash of the 12 items defining "engagement" of an employee as set out in earlier Gallup publications such as "First, Break All the Rules" by Buckingham and Coffman. Also, the book is made to look longer than it is by using a large type size and a lot of space between lines. Nonetheless, the central messages seem to be sound, and the book is well worth the read for church leaders.