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The #1 Principle of Sustainable Business Success Is Simpler Than You Think

“Do the Right Thing is about how any company can stay true to its soul. Jim Parker’s deep and abiding belief in the power of people and culture in building a business of lasting worth is evident everywhere; so too is his humility and selflessness as a leader--his stories are not about his own achievements, which are many, but those of the people he led, one of the great success stories of our time.”

--Sean Moriarty, CEO, Ticketmaster

“Do the Right Thing offers insightful views into the culture, leadership, and decisions that build great companies the right way. A must read for my management team. THIS BOOK ROCKS.”

--Kent Taylor, Founder and Chairman, Texas Roadhouse Restaurants

“The book is a fun read filled with memorable stories that get at the heart of what it takes to lead in a way that simultaneously satisfies employees, customers, and shareholders. Jim Parker plays the role of eloquent detective and ferrets out the interweaving parts that distributed leadership, culture, values, and teamwork play as the underlying layers of a company’s success. This is a book about heroes at all levels and the environment needed to create those heroes. A must-read for today’s leaders.”

--Professor Deborah Ancona, Seley Distinguished Professor of Management and Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center,
Sloan School of Management

“You’ll laugh and cry reading Jim’s book, and probably won’t be able to put it down. It will forever change the way you view the employees in your organization.”

--Beverly K. Carmichael, Member, Board of Directors,
Society for Human Resource Management

People matter most.

You know that. But most companies would rather slash costs, cut headcount, replace well-paid employees with lower-paid employees or outsourced workers, and reduce customer service. No wonder so many fail–while others focused on doing the right thing remain profitable and growth oriented for decades. James F. Parker shows why “doing the right thing” isn’t just naïve “feel-goodism:” it’s the most powerful rule for business success. Parker’s stories won’t just convince you: They’ll move you. Naïve? No way. In this book, Southwest Airlines’ former CEO proves why doing what’s right is the #1 rule of business success. James F. Parker tells how after 9/11, Southwest made three pivotal decisions: no layoffs, no pay cuts, and no-hassle refunds for any customer wanting them. The result: Southwest remained profitable and its revenue passenger miles for 4Q01 held steady while the rest of its industry nearly collapsed...and Southwest’s market cap soon exceeded all its major competitors combined. These pivotal decisions grew naturally from Southwest’s culture of mutual respect and trust. Parker offers deeply personal insights into that culture, revealing how those same principles are used by other people and organizations, showing you that it’s really not that hard to Do The Right Thing!

• Why doing what’s right is the surest way to optimize and sustain value
• Putting people first...honestly, for real
• Finding great leaders at every level of the organization
• Hiring for attitude, training for skills
• Achieving unprecedented levels of teamwork (and fun!)

Customer Reviews (3)

Stories from the great Southwest
Making no pretense of writing a 'how-to' framework for leadership, former Southwest Airlines CEO James Parker never-the-less delivers a delightful book of stories that show how authentic leadership connects with employees to deliver value for customers and shareholders alike. The stories are interesting, the style is comfortable, and the book is an easy and enjoyable read that will have you thinking about such things as your most memorable interviews, or those the times you showed your staff how valuable they are to you and your business.

This is the second book written by a former Southwest Airlines leader that I have reviewed - "HR from the Heart" by Libby Sartain is the other, and both attribute a great deal of Southwest Airlines' success to the way the organization connects people with the business by respecting and valuing them and their contribution. Sartain showed how Human Resource management (People department at Southwest) can be used to support the individual's connection with the business; Parker tells stories that show leadership's role in making and maintaining this connection.Parker defines leadership as follows:

"Leadership is defining and communicating the mission; providing guidance as to how it might be accomplished; equipping people with the proper tools (information, training, etc.); motivating and inspiring through selfless dedication and respect for others; providing both positive and negative feedback, including recognition for achievement; and, ultimately, getting out of the way and giving people the ability and authority to accomplish the mission, with the full confidence they will be supported."

Parker's stories all support this definition and his basic principle: When in doubt, just do the right thing. For Parker, and it seems for Southwest Airlines, the right thing is to put the employee first. When that happens, the employees will do the right thing and put customers first. When that happens, customers will do the right thing and put the company's shareholders first by giving the company their continued business.

Parker is clear that putting the employee first must be done within the context of your particular business sector and business model although most of the stories are about the airline industry - Parker's industry for 25 years. Because of his directorship role with Texas Roadhouse, Inc., he uses a few chapters near the end of the book to transfer the concept to the restaurant business, and he sprinkles the reading with a few sports and war stories to make his points. The stories connect and flow, so don't be surprised if you read this one in a single setting.

Dennis DeWilde, author of "The Performance Connection"

great service
I ordeed this book for my boss and your prompt, efficient service really made me look good.

A triumph of common sense
Parker's book is a winner. Many short stories, all told with humility and gentle humor lead the reader down the long, fulfilling road of successful relationships. Although a business book, Do The Right Thing carries a powerful message for all interpersonal relationships.

Reading this book is The Right Thing for any leader of a business or of a family. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (11)

Slow shipping!!
I'm not sure if the slow shipping is the sellers fault or not, but I ordered two books on the same day. One from this company and one from another company. They were both shipped via USPS around the same time, this company waited an extra 3 days to get it mailed. I got this book close to three weeks after I got the first one. The book was in great condition.

Great little Investment
This book contains heaps of good information on everything from the history of Aero Engines, deep explanations
on all the components within, noise reduction etc. It also has brilliant and very detailed diagrams.
Be aware however, that this book is intended for people who already have some fundamental
knowledge in the field of physics and basic engineering.

If you are able to comprehend some complex info and want to know how the Jet Engine works, than this book is for you.
The book is a great reference if you are an existing engineer.

Good Basic Textbook

The book provides a great foundation in jet propulsion principles and theory for aeronautical engineers. The book is well organized and well written with clear and easy to follow explanations.

This is a reader-friendly book that most people ranging from pilots to mechanical or aeronautical engineering students who require a down to earth book that teaches the fundamentals of jet engines will find interesting and informative.

Jet Engines: Fundamentals of Theory, Design and Operation
Very good book, everything you need for the begining.

Good but spotty
After reading historical stuff on Whittle, Hooker, Skunk Works, and various other "JET" sources, I was hoping this book would give me lots of good info.

It does - but it doesn't. Spotty information. Sometimes really excellent, other times irritatingly brief and you're turning the page to find... a new topic.

Overall yes, I'd say buy it - but don't expect it to be a "great" read. It really needs some reworking to help it.
... Read more

Product Description
This text on gas turbine technology has been a best-seller since it was first published in 1984. This revised edition now includes a comprehensive set of software programmes that complement the text with problems and design analyses. Software topics included are: atmosphere programmes, quasi-1D flows programmes (ideal constant-area heat interaction, adiabatic constant-area flow with friction, rocket nozzle performance, normal shock waves, oblique shock waves), gas turbine programmes (engine cycle analysis and engine off-design performance), and rocket combustion (tc and pc are given, hc and pc are given, Isentropic expansion). Used as a standard text in more than 50 universities, the book and software continue to fulfil the need for a comprehensive, modern book on the principles of propulsion. System requirements: IBM PC 386/486/586/Pentium or clone; 640 Kb RAM hard disk with 1.0Mb of available disk space; EGA or better video capability. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a practical book aimed at those whose daily task it is to think about and manage or regulate the risks of hazardous technologies. The book is not targeted at any one domain, but attempts to identify general tools and principles that are applicable to all organizations facing dangers of one sort or another. This could include banks and building societies just as much as nuclear power plants, oil exploration and production, chemical process plants, and air, sea and rail transport. The emphasis is placed upon the principles and practicalities of defenses against accidents, and how to meet the challenges and minimize risk. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A classic
A classic elaborated on in the context of quality in health care - an MBA class. Reason's principles can be applied to reduce the errors which contribute considerably to soaring medical costs and sub-par results from our otherwise topnotch medical staff and equipment.

Managing the risks of organisational accidents
the book was in excellent condition and covered my learning requirements in relation to the latest concepts in managing occupational accidents

The safety book that changed the face of safety
It is hard to remember what the safety world was like before this book.Over 10 years on, while Ch 7 has dated, the rest remains essential reading. My personal best 'swiss cheese conference' was one in which 5 presenters referenced Reason's most famous model.

The author had an accident
While this book is thoughtful and well written, it fails to live up to its title: MANAGING the Risks of Organizational Accidents. It talks about accidents (I like failure better), it describes the various ways they occur, and it gives many examples. But nowhere does the author distill his insights and theories into a management strategy for preventing failures and/or managing or containing them once the genie is out of the bottle. I consider that a failure on his part, because he is an indisputable expert in this field of study. So, if you want to know ABOUT organizational failures and breakdowns (as opposed to individual failures), this book is worth reading. If you want to know what the organization's management team should do after knowing ABOUT all the ways their company can fail, don't expect to find it in this book. I read it twice and read some chapters three times. It isn't there.

Dealing with Human Error

This is a landmark book by the renowned expert and guru on human error, Professor James Reason. The author methodically, step-by-step, explains how the various defenses erected to prevent accidents can be breached in the highly technologically advanced and hazardous industries. Using the famous "Swiss Cheese" model to illustrate his point, he outlines how latent defects can conspire with active failures to result in accidents. Professor Reason's arguments, proposals and conclusions are persuasive and logical and are presented in an easy to follow and understand format.

According to Reason, error management includes measure to reduce the error susceptibility of particular tasks or task elements; determine, assess and then remove error-producing factors within the workplace; identify organisational issues that generate error-producing factors within the individual, the team, the task or the workplace; improve error detection; increase the error tolerance of the workplace or system; make latent conditions more visible to those who operate and manage the system; improve the organisation's intrinsic resistance to human fallibility.

It is important that organisations balance profit and costs, and try to ensure that the defences which are put in place are the most cost-effective in terms of trapping errors and preventing catastrophic outcomes.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Great book about turbine engines.
If anyone wants to know more about a turbine engines this is a great book. It is not a dull like a textbook but has an interesting narrative with good pictures/diagrams. It breaks down each section of the turbo-prop, turbo-fan, turbo-jet, etc and also provides history as well as what the modern GE stuff looks like. If this type of book not your cup of tea and you need help sleeping, this would put the non-interested person to sleep in about 2 seconds.

An Excellent Read
Another winner from the prolific Bill Gunston. This compact volume is packed with info for the turbine aero engine enthusiast. The black and white production is superb, with excellent pictures and/or diagrams on almost every page. Only wish would be a hardback version!

Great Book
Topically speaking this excellent book is probably closer to a college text than it is an introduction to jet engines, yet the material is put forth in a way which is uniquely entertaining from a historical point of view, without heavy mathematical formulas. For someone who has a substantive head start in understaning how a jet engine works, the technical and historical discussions will blend beautifully and provide a type of perspective that a formal classroom often does not have time for.I also find the illustrations to be quite nice.Overall, a great book for those who already have some technical knowledge of the subject.

A most excellent book!
David Taylor, another reviewer, is way off base. This book is one of the finest books I have read describing the functioning, history and development, as well as current trends of gas turbine and jet technology.The author has obviously been around the business for many years, andexplores areas that some of us in this business consider leading edge.

This book is OK at best.
This book is somewhat well written for a technical book.It is not well written by any other measure.It is hard to follow and sometimes confusing especially if you are trying to learn the basics about turbine engines fromground zero.Almost all of the illustrations are crummy stock materialfrom the engine manufacturers.I learned twice as much from the Pratt andWhitney web site in 1/10 the time. ... Read more

Product Description
Simple text and photographs introduce such conveyances as an airplane, hot air balloon, helicopter, blimp, or space shuttle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great for Beginning Readers and ESOL students!
For true emergent readers in English, I can't recommend a better series. ... Read more

Product Description
The key theme of this book is organizational learning and its consequences for the field of air safety. Air safety rates have been improving for a long time, demonstrating the effects of a good learning model at work. However, the pace of improvement has almost come to a standstill. Improving Air Safety through Organizational Learning explains this situation as being the consequence of a development model supported chiefly by information technology being introduced as an alternative to human operators, and offers a new development model, one that makes strong use of technology but at the same time questions every step and suggests possible ways to recover the lost learning capacity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Some remarks from the author
First of all, this is not properly a review since I am the author of the book. However, by a mistake, it seems that I qualify my own book as "Timely and outspoken" when, actually, that was the first part of the comment by Dekker.

I hope the mistake will be corrected by Amazon.

The most important part: I started to work with air safety while I was working in the knowledge management field. Therefore, that is the point of view to analyze air safety in this book. Air safety specialists could have then a different scope. It is up to them deciding if this approach can add something to their previous one or not.

At the same time, air safety can be an interesting field for knowledge-management practicioners. Air safety has, for obvious reasons, more pressure to improve that regular organizations. If, forgetting some specifics, they can find that some problems appear in the improvement process, they can bet that the same problems will appear in short-to-medium term in their organizations.

Air safety, then, can be used as a kind of compass to know where some problems are going to appear helping to prevent them. ... Read more

Product Description
The papers in this volume summarize key technological advancements that occurred during the ten years from 1984 to 1993 in such areas as heat pipe technology, fuels, space nuclear safety, dynamic power conversion systems, and advanced radiator technologies for spacecraft power systems. In light of new industry initiatives to form a consortia and the possibility of bi-modal space nuclear power and propulsion systems, this informative volume will be an invaluable reference source. ... Read more