Business thinking between the covers

Britain for sale

by Alex Brummer

Random House €16.99

The takeover of Britain’s iconic chocolate-maker Cadbury by US firm Kraft provides the opening narrative for Brummer’s analysis of why so many British companies are falling into foreign hands.

Ever since Margaret Thatcher swept away capital control, bastions of British industry have been taken over by outsiders and foreign firms now control vast swathes of the British economy, from ports to bridges, from the national lottery to airlines and from high tech companies to gas and electricity suppliers. Does this matter beyond it being a question of national pride? According to Brummer, the answer is ‘yes’. One of the consequences of foreign takeover is an erosion of the UK’s corporate tax base as they switch to lower rate tax locations.

There is also a concern about the loss of HQ status for UK firms as they are subsumed into conglomerates. When control goes, expertise and research and development follow all too easily, he observes. Brummer, city editor of the Daily Mail, seeks out the views of a variety of experts from bankers and leading industrialists to former chancellors of the exchequer. His conclusion is that the Thatcher-inspired liberal economic agenda has made British industry a plaything for international speculators and that it is time to redress the balance.

Double your business

by Lee Duncan

FT Publishing €19.99

UK-based business coach Lee Duncan suggests it is possible to dramatically increase your turnover and profits even in these difficult times. The book aims to help readers identify what is holding them back and break down the barriers to growth in their businesses.

Aimed at entrepreneurs, the book emphasises the psychology of the business owner. It suggests that many of these have lost their mojo in the recession and they need to address their own personal health, fitness and motivational issues. There are five simple things that can be done to increase productivity, he says. You need an action plan, a proper diary, good filing systems, regular review and ruthless prioritisation and finally distraction elimination.

The author suggests building a support network of associates, linking up with people who will stretch you and play devil's advocate. 'Energy vampires' should be avoided. If contact with them is unavoidable, limit your personal exposure to them. Joining larger networks (chambers of commerce or professional bodies) and going to conferences and exposing yourself to motivational stories in books and the net-based sources, such as TED.com, are suggested too.

Duncan also suggests ways for businesses to sharpen their marketing.

Velocity - the seven new laws for a world gone digital

by Ajaz Ahmed and Stefan Olander

Vermilion €15.99

This is a refreshing and thought-provoking title written by two leading digital innovators. Olander works for Nike and has led many of its cutting-edge innovations while Ahmed is the founder of award-winning agency AKQA, a firm he founded in London at the age of 21 and which now has over 1,000 employees worldwide.

Their idea of Velocity encompasses the notions of speed, direction, acceleration and discipline, as the key ingredients needed to win in today’s fast changing business environment.

The seven laws are summarised at the beginning of the book. These include ‘It’s easier done than said’. The Velocity approach takes courage, focus and determination but gives back efficiency and rewards intuition, iteration and gutsiness, the authors argue. They are also critical of organisations with structures that sand down all rough edges and ‘dessicate anything juicy’. No good joke survives a committee of six, as they put it.

The body of the book is written in the form of a dialogue between the two authors based on real conversations. The explanation for this is that conversation is the truest way to reflect how we work, think and solve problems. It’s an unusual approach but one they manage to pull off well.