% Summer Reading 2012 % Michael Stone % August 26, 2012 Back in April, I met some [awesome folks][] at the first [STAMP/STPA Workshop][workshop]. Since then, I've been reading furiously trying to catch up with them! Here are some of my favorites from my summer reading adventures, mostly c/o Lane Desborough's [reading list][], along with short summaries of what I've taken away from them so far and related fun: ## Influence Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Robert-Cialdini/dp/0688128165) Author: Robert Cialdini Summary: Cialdini thinks that most compliance tactics are the application of a six principles of influence, crudely paraphrased as: Mnemonic Principle Description ------ -------------- -------------------------------------------------- **R** reciprocation We experience strong social and internal pressures to reciprocate gift-giving. The gift-giver can often choose the form of reciprocation. **C** commitment & We usually strive to act in ways that are consistency consistent with our own self-image. Even small changes in our self-images resulting from new commitments can produce large and lasting changes in our behavior. **P** social proof When uncertain about how to behave, we tend to mimic *visible* bystanders who resemble us. **L** liking We are more willing to do things for people we like or find attractive. **A** authority We respond to authority, both real and imagined. **S** scarcity We covet scarce goods over abundant ones, especially in competitive situations, and we fear loss more than we enjoy gain. Related fun: * ["Debt: The First 5000 Years"](http://mstone.info/posts/questions-20111118/) * ["DRAFT: Influencing Wikipedia Readers"](http://mstone.info/posts/wikipedia-20120704/). * ["The Power of Habit"](#the-power-of-habit) ## The Power of Habit Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/The-Power-Habit-Business-ebook/dp/B0055PGUYU) Author: Charles Duhigg Summary: Habits can be understood as "cue -> script -> reward" programs. (Think of [chemical abstract machine][cham] programs.) To change habits, it helps to try to preserve the old cues and rewards while swapping in a new script. [cham]: http://www.lix.polytechnique.fr/~fvalenci/papers/cham.pdf Related fun: * ["Human Error"](http://www.amazon.com/Human-Error-James-Reason/dp/0521314194) * ["The Emotion Machine"](http://www.amazon.com/Emotion-Machine-Commonsense-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/0743276647) * ["My Stroke of Insight"](http://www.amazon.com/My-Stroke-Insight-Scientists-Personal/dp/0452295548) ## The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Strategy-Tactics-Pricing-Growing-Profitably/dp/0136106811) Author: Thomas Nagle, John Hogan, and Joseph Zale Summary: * Many organizations develop new products by means of [coordinate ascent](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinate_descent) but more simultaneous/global techniques will probably give better results. * To pick a good price for a product, start with the cost of the best replacement, modify for differential value, and then modify based on ten or so common irrationalities. * The aim is find needs that can be met profitably, not to build market share for its own sake. * Pricing decisions have both short-term and long-term consequences. The long-term consequences often matter more: e.g., the creation of perverse incentives, loss of price integrity, and price wars. Related fun: * ["Inspired"](#inspired) * ["Kotler of Marketing"](#kotler-on-marketing) ## Kotler on Marketing Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Kotler-Marketing-Philip/dp/0684860473) Author: Philip Kotler Summary: * Marketing can be understood as controlling demand. Like pricing, it has strategic, operational, and tactical levels. * Marketing entails lots of work + decisions like creating a value proposition, defining a brand, and choosing a marketing mix: (product, promotion, price, place) * Marketing needs lots of data, information, and knowledge: demographic data, ... * Marketing works in lots of ways: advertising, PR, selling, ... * Useful sales models: AIDA (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action) and SPIN (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff) Related fun: * ["The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing"](#the-strategy-and-tactics-of-pricing) ## The Toyota Way Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Toyota-Way-Management-Principles-Manufacturer/dp/0071392319) Author: Jeffrey Liker Summary: The philosophy underlying the TPS & TDS and the environment that produced them. Various useful tools, like *kaizen*, *jidoka*, *heijunka*, *muri*, *mura*, and *muda*. Related fun: * ["MCDP-1: Warfighting"](#mcdp-1-warfighting) * ["The Art of Systems Architecting"](#the-art-of-systems-architecting) * ["The Science of Success"](#the-science-of-success) ## Reframing Organizations Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Reframing-Organizations-Leadership-JOSSEY-BASS-MANAGEMENT) Author: Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal Summary: Organizations can be viewed from many perspectives; four particularly useful perspectives (frames, projections) include the "structural", "human resources", "political", and "symbolic" frames. Related fun: * [User:Mstone/Commentaries/Releases 3](http://wiki.laptop.org/go/User:Mstone/Commentaries/Releases_3) ## The Science of Success Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Science-Success-Market-Based-Management-Largest/dp/0470139889) Author: Charles G. Koch Summary: Koch attributes some of his success in growing Koch Industries, Inc. to his reuse of several societal determinants of prosperity: * markets; prices as signals of value * property ownership; ownership of gains and losses, decision rights, contracts * trade; comparative advantage both in operating the business and in selecting business partners. Related fun: ## The Art of Systems Architecting Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Art-Systems-Architecting-Third-Engineering/dp/1420079131) Author: Mark W. Maier, Eberhardt Rechtin Summary: A book on inventing systems. * Systems architecture is a real field. * Architecture != Engineering. Both use art, science, and technology but in different proportions. * Architects vary both the problem and the solution in search of matches. * Architects have to integrate multiple life-cycles: e.g., a product waterfall, a manufacturing waterfall, *and* a software spiral. * Architects collect and apply heuristics. Related fun: ## Certain to Win Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Certain-Win-Strategy-Applied-Business/dp/1413453767) Author: Chet Richards Summary: A capsule summary of Boyd's philosophy of OODA loops as applied to maneuver conflict in the business world. A nice overview of *Schwerpunkt*, *Einheit*, *Fingerspitzengefühl*, and *Auftragstaktik*. Claims that the TPS is the second known instance of a maneuver conflict system. Referred me to MCDP-1, which is awesome. Related fun: * ["Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War"](http://www.amazon.com/Boyd-The-Fighter-Pilot-Changed/dp/0316881465), by Robert Coram * ["The Toyota Way"](#the-toyota-way) * ["MCDP-1: Warfighting"](#mcdp-1-warfighting) ## The Art of War Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Of-War-ebook/dp/B001T0HGG6) Author: Sun Tzu, B. H. Liddell Hart, Samuel B. Griffith Summary: tbd. Related fun: * ["Strategy"](http://www.amazon.com/Strategy-Meridian-B-Liddell-Hart/dp/0452010713) ## MCDP 1: Warfighting Link: [clausewitz.com](www.clausewitz.com/readings/mcdp1.pdf) Author: ? Summary: The USMC's conception and theory of warfare, the mental and spiritual qualities and tradeoffs required to succeed despite the danger and uncertainty of war, the relation of strategy, operations, and tactics, attrition and maneuver warfare. Related fun: * ["The Art of Design"](#the-art-of-design) ## The Art of Design Link: [SAMS](http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/CGSC/events/sams/ArtofDesign_v2.pdf) Author: SAMS Student Text Design Team Summary: tbd. Related fun: ## Inspired Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Inspired-Create-Products-Customers-Love/dp/0981690408) Author: Marty Cagan Summary: Closed-loop control will get you better products than open-loop control. Related fun: * ["The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing"](#the-strategy-and-tactics-of-pricing) ## Rules for Revolutionaries Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Revolutionaries-Capitalist-Manifesto-Marketing/dp/088730995X/) Author: Guy Kawasaki and Michele Moreno Summary: tbd. ## Change the Way You Lead Change Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Change-Way-You-Lead-Leadership/dp/0804771790) Author: David Herold and Donald Fedor Summary: * Q: Why do most (80%?) of corporate change initiatives fail? * Q: What variables predict success? * A: Reservoirs-of-influence theory... Related fun: ## Now, Discover Your Strengths! Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Discover-Your-Strengths-Marcus-Buckingham/dp/0743201140) Author: Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton Summary: We have better language for discussing weaknesses than strengths, yet our strengths (and not our weaknesses) enable us succeed. Strengths are defined as tasks that we can perform consistently near-perfectly. Clustering two-millionish survey answers resulted in 34 "themes" of strength. Strengths (or skills that can be developed into strengths) can be identified by the ring of satisfaction that exercising them produces. Related fun: * ["Drive"](#drive) ## Drive Link: [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Surprising-Truth-About-Motivates/dp/1594488843) Author: Daniel H. Pink Summary: A reasonable basis for motivating employees is > {mastery, autonomy, purpose} Related fun: * ["The Essential Drucker"](http://www.amazon.com/The-Essential-Drucker-Druckers-Management/dp/0066210879) * ["Now, Discover Your Strengths!"](#now-discover-your-strengths) [awesome folks]: http://mstone.info/posts/stamp-2012-wrapup/ [workshop]: http://csrl.scripts.mit.edu/home/stampstpa-workshop [reading list]: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1114014-lane-desborough?sort=rating