Ford Library

Brown, Brené. Braving the wilderness : the quest for true belonging and the courage to stand alone. Random House, 2017.

Divisions seem to define the current cultural moment for many of us. Instead of seeing each other’s similarities, we focus on the ways in which we are different. This skewed focus leads to loneliness and a lack of interpersonal connection. People are seeking answers in an effort to heal the pain caused by this unhappiness.

In her new book, Braving the Wilderness, author Brené Brown tackles this tough issue with clear advice and surprising suggestions. In this follow-up to her bestselling Rising Strong and Daring Greatly, Brown points to the idea of true belonging as the solution to creating lasting relationships with others. She defines true belonging as being consistently true to who you are, your values, and your beliefs, even when it is difficult to do so and you find yourself standing alone. She further describes this paradox using the framework of a Maya Angelou quote: “You are only free when you realize you belong no place—you belong every place—no place at all.” Occupying this place of true belonging, in which you are authentic even when it creates discomfort, brings one into what Brown calls “the wilderness”: a place that is unforgiving yet sacred, dangerous yet breathtaking.

With the destination defined, Brown gives the reader the tools to reach the wilderness where true belonging lies through her BRAVING acronym: boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity, non-judgment, and generosity. These seven elements of trust are the keys for a person to find both true belonging with themselves and to foster authentic connection with others that can not only withstand, but dismantle, the barriers that make us feel isolated from one another.

Through clear writing, relatable personal anecdotes, and pertinent research data, Braving the Wilderness guides the reader through difficult terrain with grace. However, it stops short of diving into the underlying causes of our cultural divisions. Readers of Brown’s previous works will also find some data reused in this concise and approachable introduction to authenticity and self-trust in troubled times.

Braving the Wilderness is also available as an eBook on OverDrive, an audiobook on OverDrive, and on Notable Business Books Kindles at the Ford Library.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you. From our hearts to yours, our gift is 10 classic audiobooks that you can download to your own device from OverDrive.

Here is a list of Duke students’ most beloved audiobooks:

The Big Short by Michael Lewis

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

Deep Work by Cal Newport

Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance

Good To Great by Jim Collins

Mindset by Carol Dweck

Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant

The Originals by Adam Grant

Spark Joy by Marie Kondo

Talk Like Ted by Carmine Gallo

© Meg Trauner & Ford Library – Fuqua School of Business.
All rights reserved.

Ariely, Dan, et al. Dollars and sense : how we misthink money and how to spend smarter. HarperCollinsPublishers, 2017.

In Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter, Dan Ariely, bestselling author and James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University, teams up with Jeff Kreisler, attorney, author and comedian, to examine our irrational thinking and behavior with respect to money. While written for a general audience, the book references numerous scholarly studies and provides complete notes to undergird the authors’ observations and analysis. It is divided into three sections: how we define money, how we (mis)-assess value, and how we can think more clearly about money.

Part One lays out some basic characteristics of money and a couple of complicating factors in thinking wisely about it. The authors define money as a common good that is general, divisible, fungible and storable, and they remind their readers of the principles of opportunity costs and relative value. While these characteristics and principles are straightforward, they probably aren’t the first things we think of when we consider our finances.

Part Two is the bulk of the book and here the authors lay out the myriad ways in which human beings think unwisely about money — everything from avoiding the pain of paying, to overvaluing what we already have, to looking only at price to determine value. They also point out how much of our modern financial system has responded by doubling down on our unwise thinking to divide us from our hard-earned money in the easiest and most painless ways. This section is sobering and could be downright depressing, since, by being human, every reader will have fallen into one of more of these unwise thought processes. However, the saving grace of the book here and throughout is its humor, much of it self-deprecating. This humor provides the reader with a sense of common ground and with the comfort that even the experts are not immune from a slick sales pitch.

Part Three explores what we can do to mitigate the effects of our magical thinking about money. While we can never be — nor want to be — completely rational about money, there are things we can do to think more wisely about it. The authors point out what should matter in our decisions — opportunity cost, true benefit, and real pleasure — and what should not — sale prices or ease of payment among others. They provide suggestions for how we as individuals can think correctly and exercise forethought and self-control, and for how we as a society could transform our financial systems and use new technology to help us act more wisely.

In sum, Ariely and Kreisler present the sober truth about our irrational ways with money in a humorous and engaging book that is thought-provoking and hopefully, behavior-changing.

Dollars and Sense is also available as an audiobook on OverDrive, as an eBook on OverDrive, and on Notable Business Books Kindles at the Ford Library.

Every year, the Wall Street Journal asks writers, academics, business owners, athletes and assorted interesting people for their recommendations for the best books of the year. Here’s what the contributors said for 2017:
 
“It’s been a strong year for books on economics, business and technology, according to Mohamed A. El-Erian, author and chief economic advisor at Allianz. He recommends 7 books from 2017, including: Principles, “Ray Dalio’s illuminating discussions of what has driven his and Bridgewater’s success; Hit Refresh, Satya Nadella’s engaging discussion of both his personal journey and the opportunities facing tech as Microsoft successfully reboots; and The One Device, Brian Merchant’s detailed analysis of what has gone into the creation and proliferation of the iPhone.”
 

Duff McDonald, author of the HBS critique, The Golden Passport. “I generally can’t stand books about management. An exception: Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work. This is a book about life, about finding flow, the state of peak performance that no spreadsheet can model.”

 
Denise Morrison, CEO of the Campbell Soup company recommends two books: Thank You for Being Late and The Fourth Industrial Revolution. “Disruption is the new normal across business, politics and culture … These books explore how the supernova speed of changing technology is outpacing human evolution and our ability to manage through the change.”

 
Co-founder and President of Lyft Inc, John Zimmer reflects that “the happiest moments in life are those when we feel most connected to family, friends and the community around us. Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging does an excellent job highlighting how we need to reclaim our sense of true community.”
 

Of all the books she read in 2017, CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi felt that Radical Technologies stood out. “It describes some of the ways innovation is transforming our daily lives…It’s a fascinating glimpse at what we can achieve when we embrace the changes happening all around us and infuse our lives with the spirit of possibility.”
 
Duke users can read the Wall Street Journal article, “Books of the Year: 12 Months of Reading”, in ABI/Inform Complete. Duke username and password required.

© Meg Trauner & Ford Library – Fuqua School of Business.
All rights reserved.

Here are the newest additions to our DVD collection:

American Made
Detroit
Dunkirk
Battle of the Sexes
Despicable Me 3
Home Again
The King’s Choice
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Mayhem
The Mountain Between Us
Stronger
Victoria & Abdul

You may browse the entire DVD collection via the library catalog.

Ford Library is pleased to announce the availability of five new business and finance research resources from Bureau van Dijk, an information provider with a truly global scope and focus.  These resources offer key business and financial data via standalone web sites (ORBIS and ZEPHYR), and via the Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) data portal.

Each resource is described briefly below with a link for access available to all Duke students, faculty, and staff.

AMADEUS via WRDS
Amadeus contains comprehensive information on around 21 million companies across Europe, with a focus on private companies. Data includes company financials, financial strength indicators, ownership data, detailed corporate structures, and stock prices.

ORBIS Bank Focus via WRDS
Information on public and private banks worldwide. This searchable database includes bank ratings reports, country risk ratings reports, news, and detailed ownership information and bank structures.

OSIRIS via WRDS
A comprehensive database of listed corporates, banks and insurance companies around the world. In addition to the income statement, balance sheet, cash flow and ratios it contains news, ownership, ratings, earnings estimates and stock data. Contains data on approximately 80,000 companies.

ORBIS
ORBIS covers over 200 million companies worldwide, with an emphasis on private company information, integrating information held across BvDEP’s company information product range. ORBIS provides global standard report formats as well as descriptive information and company financials, along with news, market research, ratings and country reports, scanned reports, ownership and M&A data.

Zephyr
Zephyr contains M&A, IPO and venture capital deal data with links to detailed company financial information. It has information on approximately 1.6 million transactions with over 100,000 being added annually.

Ford Library will offer two one-hour training classes on February 7th and February 8th for Fuqua students, faculty, and staff in support of these new resources.  Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for coming details on times and locations for the classes.

COMING SOON: For advanced users interested in directly querying and manipulating data in the statistical analysis software of their choice, or via other programming languages, we will provide access to a collection of ORBIS source data files in SQL and TXT formats. These source data files, “ORBIS Historical”, will focus on financial and historical ownership information from the ORBIS database.

Comedic actor Bob Kulhan, founder and CEO of Business Inprov, explains that if people know anything at all about improv, it is the basic technique – the use of two words: Yes, and… “Yes” shows that an idea has been heard; “and” builds on that idea. Yes, and there are two books about improvisation in business that employ those words: Yes, And by two Second City executives; and the book, Getting to “Yes And” by Kulhan himself.
 
Kulhan, Bob and Chuck Crisafulli. Getting to “Yes And”: The Art of Business Improv. Stanford Business Books, 2017.

Bob Kulhan is the instructor of Fuqua’s week-long MBA Workshop on Managerial Improvisation that begins at Fuqua on Jan. 8. He begins his book Getting to “Yes And” by demonstrating how the art of improvisation is used in business. When faced with rapidly changing circumstances, managers use their knowledge and experience to explore possibilities, synthesize information and create a quick response. While performing in the moment, these managers react rapidly yet deliberately, drawing on intellect, focus and training to make swift decisions about what actions to take.

Most of Kulhan’s book reveals what he teaches in his course, including fundamental communication skills: how to use improv to listen, influence and inspire others; how to develop a personal brand; how to improve business meetings. He also shows how to ramp up physical and mental energy; how to use improv to guide a team; and how to break down silos within a company. Near the end of his book, Kulhan thanks several Fuqua faculty members and congratulates the Fuqua School for being ahead of the curve in using improv for business.

Getting to “Yes And” is also available as an eBook.

Leonard, Kelly and Tom Yorton. Yes, And: How Improvisation Reverses “No, But” Thinking and Improves Creativity and Collaboration… HarperBusiness, 2015.

“Business is one big act of improvisation,” according to two executives of Second City, Kelly Leonard and Tom Yorton. Their book describes how improv training increases innovation, creativity and confidence, while reducing judgment. Yes, And covers some of the same topics as Kulhan’s book, but the many stories from Second City make for lighter fare and more amusing reading. Descriptions of exercises used in improv theater, such as One-Word Story, Follow the Follower and Silent Organization, are included.

Leonard and Yorton admit, “We don’t believe that any one book holds the whole truth, and there are a variety of interesting and worthwhile paths one can take when reaching for goals.” Agreed. These two books are complementary and both are recommended for readers interested in business improv.

Yes, And is also available as an eBook on OverDrive and as an audiobook on OverDrive.

© Meg Trauner & Ford Library – Fuqua School of Business.
All rights reserved.

Here are the December additions to our DVD collection:

Atomic Blonde
Cars 3
The Glass Castle
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
Jungle
Leap!
The Limehouse Golem
Logan Lucky
The Secret Scripture
Unlocked
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
The Villainess
Wind River
Your Name

You may browse the entire DVD collection via the library catalog.

Steinmetz, Greg. The richest man who ever lived : the life and times of Jacob Fugger. Simon & Schuster, 2015.

The November issue of Money magazine features “The 10 Richest People of All Time.” Bill Gates is #9, the only living super-rich person on the list, his net worth totaling $87 billion. Two other Americans are on the list — Andrew Carnegie, #6 with an inflation-adjusted net worth of $404 billion, and John Rockefeller #7 with $385 billion. Several names on the list are unfamiliar, including Money’s #1 richest man of all time, Mansa Musa, the king of Timbuktu, a West African kingdom.

Nowhere on Money’s list is Jacob Fugger who, according to journalist Greg Steinmetz’s calculations, was truly the richest man who ever lived. Fugger lived in the dawning days of international trade, banking and capitalism, of mining and industry. It was the time of Columbus, Isabella and Ferdinand; of Machiavelli, Martin Luther and King Henry VIII. Fugger financed Magellan’s iconic voyage around the globe. He financed the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I and the Habsburgs’ rise to power. As “God’s Banker,” he financed the Vatican. His shady deals provoked Martin Luther to write his 95 Theses, triggering the Protestant Reformation.

Jacob Fugger is the subject of Steinmetz’s book, The Richest Man Who Ever Lived. Fugger started life in 15th century Germany as a commoner and ended up the preeminent financier in Europe. His family lived in Augsburg (now in Austria) and were prosperous textile traders. When he was a teenager, Fugger’s mother arranged an apprenticeship in Venice, at the time the most commercial city in Europe, where banking and accounting were new inventions. He returned to Austria to expand into the profitable new industry of the era – mining – and he developed into an aggressive businessman with a talent for managing customers, a tolerance for risk and a genius for negotiation.

Fugger’s approach to business was modern. He understood monopoly power and tried to corner the market in precious metals. Investing in research and development, he pioneered new technology. He knew the power of market-sensitive information and created a news service, couriers who raced between cities with market tips and political updates. He maintained special relationships with kings and emperors and bought political favors. He surrounded himself with lawyers and accountants. By monitoring his accounts closely, he understood his financial exposure at every moment.

Greg Steinmetz is a gifted storyteller. Characters and events in the book come alive. His Jacob Fugger is a champion of private property and unfettered markets, the first modern businessman to pursue wealth for its own sake. But he also shows Fugger as a ruthless capitalist, who squeezes his workers and bullies his family. Fugger’s life illustrates the founding of today’s world economy.

© Meg Trauner & Ford Library – Fuqua School of Business.
All rights reserved.

If you look for market research via a search engine; you’re going to miss sources already available to you via Ford Library!

Here is a quick list of our databases that provide outstanding market research.

BCC Market Research – BCC’s market research reports explore major economic, scientific, and technological developments in industrial, pharmaceutical, and high technology organizations. Duke currently subscribes to all report categories. Select a topic under the “My Categories” section after connecting to browse reports.

eMarketer Total Access – eMarketer Total Access aggregates and analyzes e-business and high tech market research from over 1600 sources worldwide. Includes charts, tables, statistics & articles for download in PDF, PPT, and Excel format.

Forrester Research – Contains market research reports and data for the online economy with a focus on the impact of IT developments on businesses and consumers.

IBISWorld – Provides an extensive collection of industry market research and industry risk ratings on U.S. industries. Reports focus on industry performance, outlook, products & markets, competitive landscape, major companies, operating conditions, and key statistics. Duke’s subscribed content includes: Core NAICS US Industry Market Research Reports, iExpert Summary Reports, US Specialized Super Niche Industry Reports (Current & Future), and China Industry Reports.

MarketLine Advantage – Contains full text market research reports focusing on companies and broad industry sectors: consumer goods, energy, finance, healthcare, and technology. Market analysis and forecasting looks at major issues and threats for each sector with analytical commentary and data.

MarketResearch.com Academic – Includes full-text market research reports on : Consumer Goods, Heavy Industry, Service Industries, the Public Sector, Life Sciences, Technology & Media, and Demographics. Our subscription includes reports from the following publishers: Packaged Facts, Kalorama Information, Simba, Freedonia, and Mind Commerce.

Mintel Academic – Adds over 600 market research reports into European, UK-specific and US consumer markets every year. more details here

Passport (fka Euromonitor GMID) – A source of demographic, economic, and marketing statistics and research reports for over 200 countries. Provides volume and value market size data for 330 consumer products across 49 countries.

SimplyAnalytics (fka SimplyMap) – a web-based data mapping application that lets users quickly create professional-quality thematic maps and reports using powerful demographic, business, and marketing data.

Statista – Provides access to downloadable statistics and studies gathered by market researchers, trade organizations, scientific publications, and government sources on over 600 industries.

You can also find these resources listed in the Library catalog and on our web site’s A-Z Database List.  And don’t miss our Database Subject Finder, either!