Synopses & Reviews
A revelatory exploration of the hottest trend in technology and the dramatic impact it will have on the economy, science, and society at large.
Which paint color is most likely to tell you that a used car is in good shape? How can officials identify the most dangerous New York City manholes before they explode? And how did Google searches predict the spread of the H1N1 flu outbreak?
The key to answering these questions, and many more, is big data. “Big data” refers to our burgeoning ability to crunch vast collections of information, analyze it instantly, and draw sometimes profoundly surprising conclusions from it. This emerging science can translate myriad phenomena—from the price of airline tickets to the text of millions of books—into searchable form, and uses our increasing computing power to unearth epiphanies that we never could have seen before. A revolution on par with the Internet or perhaps even the printing press, big data will change the way we think about business, health, politics, education, and innovation in the years to come. It also poses fresh threats, from the inevitable end of privacy as we know it to the prospect of being penalized for things we havent even done yet, based on big datas ability to predict our future behavior.
In this brilliantly clear, often surprising work, two leading experts explain what big data is, how it will change our lives, and what we can do to protect ourselves from its hazards. Big Data is the first big book about the next big thing.
www.big-data-book.com
Review
"Skim through the first few chapters, where the authors—who nevertheless present some impressive credentials in coaching, psychology, and mediation—prepare readers to apply proven conflict strategies. That part of the book is academic, inadvertently risking losing readers interest in this very important work and life topic. Instead, go directly to chapter four to see an excellent workbook-like guide based on the authors seven strategies (that is, ways to deal with conflict): “pragmatic benevolence,” “cultivated support,” “constructive dominance,” “strategic appeasement,” “selective autonomy,” “effective adaptivity,” and “principled rebellion.” Each strategy features a business case, six reasons to use this particular strategy, 10 explicit tactics that support that strategy, building blocks or competencies youll need, and a skill-development checklist. For example, strategic appeasement is best exemplified by former Chicago Bulls and L.A. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson, who says such things as “Over my lifetime, Ive rarely or never disagreed with a boss” and “Ive always been known as an accommodator where I work.” People will employ the appeasement strategy when theyre getting hazed or are gaming the system; tactics for than range from cozying up to the bully, to “forget” to ask permission, and remembering to apologize. Their concluding remarks underscore the books purpose: 'Know yourself better in conflict.'"--Booklist, STARRED review
Review
andquot;An excellent workbook-like guide.and#39;andquot;
andmdash;Booklist, STARRED review
andquot;A practical guide to redirecting energies from conflict toward the achievement of goals. Grounded in more than 15 years of research, Coleman and Fergusonandrsquo;s findings offer insight into the strategies and skills necessary for managing work disputes and show how to make conflict work for you instead of against you...Full of valuable advice, this book will help readers develop better strategies for workplace disagreements.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weekly
andquot;Coleman and Ferguson have done something remarkable: theyandrsquo;ve written an evidence-based book on the complex topic of conflict and made it easy to read, easy to understand and, best of all, easy to use. A genuine winner.andquot;
andmdash;Robert B. Cialdini, author, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
andquot;Navigating conflict effectively is an essential component of leadership. Making Conflict Work illustrates when to compromise and when to continue driving forward.andquot;
andmdash;Honorable David N. Dinkins, 106th Mayor of the City of New York
andquot;This book is a necessity. As someone who has navigated the traps of power and conflict across the globe, it is refreshing to find a book that calls it what it is, and offers useful advice on turning traps into prospects for change. Read it.andquot;
andmdash;Leymah Gbowee, 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Liberian peace activist
andquot;Making Conflict Work gives us a way to think about how we deal with conflict in hierarchical organizations. Especially helpful are the chapters that link conflict intelligenceandmdash;how we routinely deal with conflictandmdash;to actionable strategies.andquot;
andmdash;Deborah M. Kolb, professor emerita, Simmons College Graduate School of Management
andquot;Through a superb balance of interviews, case studies, and evidence-based insights, the authors provide valuable lessons on how leaders can manage conflict.andquot;
andmdash;Steve Cohen, executive director, The Earth Institute, Columbia University
andquot;An innovative and practical look at how to navigate everyday disagreements to reach your goals, serving up examples of best practice drawn from the authorsandrsquo; decades of experience helping others cope with conflict, power and change.andquot;
andmdash;Larry Susskind, cofounder, Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School
andquot;Managers who try to suppress conflict not only make things worse, but also stifle opportunities for creative problem-solving. Making Conflict Work should be essential reading for all managers.andquot;
andmdash;Michael Wheeler, retired professor, Harvard Business School; author, The Art of Negotiation
andldquo;How to manage conflict when there are differences in power has always been a tricky problem. Coleman and Ferguson bring coherence and highly constructive advice to dealing with these situations.andrdquo;
andmdash;Roy J Lewicki, Max M. Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University
andldquo;Both intriguing and useful, Making Conflict Work invites readers to move beyond their comfort zones into new territories where personal responsibility makes the difference.andrdquo;
andmdash;Dr. Andrea Bartoli, School of Diplomacy and International Diplomacy, Seton Hall University
andldquo;Conflict is part of our lives and cannot be suppressed. This book provides the tools to manage it.andrdquo;
andmdash;Jean-Marie Guandeacute;henno, former Under-Secretary-General for Peace-Keeping Operations at the United Nations
andldquo;Unless you live in a cave and interact with no one, you need to read this book. Conflict is an inherent part of human society. Making Conflict Work turns it from a problem into an opportunity.andquot;
andmdash;Zainab Salbi, Women for Women International; author, Between Two Worlds
andldquo;Coleman and Ferguson transform the world of conflict management with Making Conflict Work.and#160; By exploring the interaction of power and conflict, they open new insights into the causes and possible resolutions of conflict in organizational settings.and#160; This rich offering provides leaders and practitioners with highly practical tactics and techniques to address the inevitable conflicts they will face.andrdquo;
andmdash;Craig E. Runde, Center for Conflict Dynamics; author, Becoming a Conflict Competent Leader
andldquo;Conflict is unavoidable, but the self-defeating strategies and limiting tactics we often turn to are avoidable. This wonderfully practical guide will expand your mindset and repertoire of skills, enabling you to turn conflict on its head and make it work for youandmdash;instead of against you.andrdquo;
andmdash;Rob Kaiser, author, The Versatile Leader: Make the Most of Your Strengths Without Overdoing It
andldquo;Managing conflict is a critical skill for career progression. For women in leadership, getting it wrong can make them look too weak, or too aggressive. This innovative book adds a new level to the discussion: the role of power.and#160; I specifically like the lists of pragmatic tactics for addressing conflict in a power structure such as between a boss and a subordinate.andrdquo;
andmdash;Wanda T. Wallace , author, Reaching the Top: Five Factors that Affect the Careers and Retention of Senior Women Leaders
andldquo;Leadership puts you in position to make decisions.and#160; Having served in the Navy and the corporate world, I found Making Conflict Work to be the best book Iandrsquo;ve read on navigating conflict up and down the organization, key to making the best decision possible.andrdquo;
andmdash;Captain John E. Cole USN (RET), former chief of staff, Commander Navy Reserve Forces Command
andldquo;In an age when global and geopolitical tensions grab headlines, many of the most complex conflicts still occur in the battle of the boardroom and warfare of the workplace. Making Conflict Work provides critical strategies and tactics to transform even the most besieged organization. From practical self-assessments to cautionary reminders of the consequences of misusing each strategy, Coleman and Ferguson lay out a user-friendly framework to navigate the minefields of corporate politics and power.andrdquo;
andmdash;Johnston S. Barkat, Assistant Secretary-General, Ombudsman and Mediation Services, United Nations
andldquo;Differences of opinion are the root of innovation. Conflict is thus inevitable, and power is necessary andndash;andndash; we need it to reach our goals. Making Conflict Work links these two fundamental dimensions of human interaction, pointing the way toward constructive achievement by individuals and organizations.andrdquo;
andmdash;Pierre Naquet, prandeacute;sident, European Institute for Workplace Dynamics
and#160;
Review
"Every decade, there are a handful of books that change the way you look at everything. This is one of those books. Society has begun to reckon the change that big data will bring. This book is an incredibly important start."—Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor of Law, Harvard Law School, and author of Remix and Free Culture
"This brilliant book cuts through the mystery and the hype surrounding big data.
A must-read for anyone in business, information technology, public policy, intelligence, and medicine. And anyone else who is just plain curious about the future."
—John Seely Brown, former Chief Scientist, Xerox Corp., and head of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center "Big Data breaks new ground in identifying how todays avalanche of information fundamentally shifts our basic understanding of the world. Argued boldly and written beautifully, the book clearly shows how companies can unlock value, how policymakers need to be on guard, and how everyones cognitive models need to change."
—Joi Ito, Director of the MIT Media Lab "Big Data is a must-read for anyone who wants to stay ahead of one of the key trends defining the future of business."
—Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO, salesforce.com "An optimistic and practical look at the Big Data revolution — just the thing to get your head around the big changes already underway and the bigger changes to come."
—Cory Doctorow, boingboing.com "Just as water is wet in a way that individual water molecules arent, big data can reveal information in a way that individual bits of data cant. The authors show us the surprising ways that enormous, complex, and messy collections of data can be used to predict everything from shopping patterns to flu outbreaks."
—Clay Shirky, author of Cognitive Surplus and Here Comes Everybody "The book teems with great insights on the new ways of harnessing information, and offers a convincing vision of the future. It is essential reading for anyone who uses — or is affected by — big data."
—Jeff Jonas, IBM Fellow & Chief Scientist, IBM Entity Analytics “What Im certain about is that Big Data will be the defining text in the discussion for some time to come.”
—Forbes.com
“The authors make clear that ‘big data is much more than a Silicon Valley buzzword… No other book offers such an accessible and balanced tour of the many benefits and downsides of our continuing infatuation with data.”
—Wall Street Journal
"Plenty of books extol the technical marvels of our information society, but this is an original analysis of the information itself—trillions of searches, calls, clicks, queries and purchases....A fascinating, enthusiastic view of the possibilities of vast computer correlations and the entrepreneurs who are taking advantage of them."
—STARRED Kirkus Reviews
"This book offers important insights and information"
—Booklist
"'big data' [is] one of the buzzwords of corporate executives, tech-savvy politicians, and worried civil libertarians. If you want to know what theyre all talking about, then Big Data is the book for you, a comprehensive and entertaining introduction to a very large topic....Mayer-Schönberger and Cukier offer up some sensible suggestions on how we can have the blessings of big data and our freedoms, too. Just as well; their lively book leaves no doubt that big datas growth spurt is just beginning."
—Boston Globe
Synopsis
A practical guide to navigating workplace conflicts by better understanding the power dynamics at play in every interaction
Synopsis
A practical guide to navigating workplace conflicts by better understanding the power dynamics at play in every interaction Conflicts at work are as inevitable as they are frustrating. In Making Conflict Work, Peter Coleman and Robert Fergusonand#8217;s leading expertsand#160;in the field of conflict resolution address the key role of powerand#160;in workplace tension. Whether youand#8217;re butting heads with your boss or addressing a direct reportand#8217;s complaint, your relative position of power affects how you approach conflict.
Coleman and Ferguson explain how power dynamics function, with step-by-step guidance to determining your standing in a conflict and identifying and applying the strategies that will lead to the best resolution. Drawing on the authorsand#8217; years of research and consulting experience, the book gives readers effective strategies for negotiating disputes at all levels of an organization.
Making Conflict Work includes self-assessment exercises and action plans to guide managers, mediators, consultants, and attorneys through any conflict. This powerful approach can turn workplace tensions into catalysts for creativity, innovation, and meaningful change.
Synopsis
A revelatory exploration of emerging trends in "big data"—our newfound ability to gather and interpret vast amounts of information—and the revolutionary effects these developments are producing in business, science, and society at large.
Synopsis
andldquo;This book is a necessity .and#160;.and#160;. Read it.andrdquo; andmdash;Leymah Gbowee, 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Liberian peace activist and#160;
andldquo;Innovative and practical.andrdquo; andmdash;Lawrence Susskind, cofounder, Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School
and#160;
Every workplace is a minefield of conflict, and all office tension is shaped by power. This book teaches you to identify the nature of a conflict, determine your power position relative to anyone opposing you, and to use the best strategy for achieving your goals. These strategies are equally effective for executives, managers and their direct reports, consultants and attorneysandmdash;anyone who has ever had a disagreement with someone in their organization. Packed with helpful self-assessment exercises and action plans,and#160;Making Conflict Workand#160;gives you the tools you need to achieve greater satisfaction and success.
andldquo;Navigating conflict effectively is an essential component of leadership.and#160;Making Conflict Workand#160;illustrates when to compromise and when to continue driving forward.andrdquo; andmdash;Honorable David N. Dinkins, 106th mayor of the City of New York
and#160;
andldquo;An excellent workbook-like guide.andrdquo; andmdash;Booklist,and#160;starred review
About the Author
VIKTOR MAYER-SCHÖNBERGER is Professor of Internet Governance and Regulation at the Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford University. The co-author of Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We, Live, Work, and Think, he has published over a hundred articles and eight other books, including Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age. He is on the advisory boards of corporations and organizations around the world, including Microsoft and the World Economic Forum. KENNETH CUKIER is the Data Editor of the Economist and co-author of Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work, and Think. His writings on business and economics have appeared in Foreign Affairs, the New York Times, the Financial Times, and elsewhere.
Table of Contents
and#160; Introductionand#160;ix
and#160;1.and#160;The Nature of Power and Conflictand#160;1
and#160;2.and#160;Power-Conflict Trapsand#160;17
and#160;3.and#160;Conflict Intelligenceand#160;37
and#160;4.and#160;Pragmatic Benevolenceand#160;55
and#160;5.and#160;Cultivated Supportand#160;86
and#160;6.and#160;Constructive Dominanceand#160;114
and#160;7.and#160;Strategic Appeasementand#160;141
and#160;8.and#160;Selective Autonomyand#160;167
and#160;9.and#160;Effective Adaptivityand#160;192
and#160;10.and#160;Principled Revolutionand#160;221
and#160;and#160;Conclusionand#160;246
and#160;and#160;Acknowledgmentsand#160;253
and#160;and#160;Appendixand#160;255
and#160;and#160;Notesand#160;261
and#160;and#160;Indexand#160;271