In the introduction to his book Dr. Harder has very clearly described its purpose and organization. I only want to add for the English-speaking reader a few words on the place the present text is likely to have in the cur rent literature. At first Dr. Harder's undertaking might come as a surprise. Only a few years ago, Zeisel's Say it with Figures gave the market research practi tioner some ideas of how simple figures and tables could be successfully employed; Langhoff's publication for the American Marketing Associa tion presented some pertinent mathematical models in the most elemen tary form; why should a German author believe he can already introduce us to serious mathematical procedures for use in product management and advertising? After reading the book, incredulity turns into pleasure because of the skill with which the author has pursued his task. As a matter of fact, the book can serve two audiences who at first glance might appear to have quite opposing interests. For the mathematically trained market re searcher, the book has the marked advantage of combining a variety of ap proaches not ordinarily mixed in one volume. If the market researcher be gan as an economist he is already familiar with difference equations and time series analysis; if he moved in from psychology, he is already ac quainted with factor analysis. But as he reads this book, he finds the two worlds well integrated.

Employing a practical, "learn by doing" approach, this first-rate text fosters the development of the skills beyond the pure mathematics needed to set up and manipulate mathematical models. The author draws on a diversity of fields — including science, engineering, and operations research — to provide over 100 reality-based examples. Students learn from the examples by applying mathematical methods to formulate, analyze, and criticize models. Extensive documentation, consisting of over 150 references, supplements the models, encouraging further research on models of particular interest. The lively and accessible text requires only minimal scientific background. Designed for senior college or beginning graduate-level students, it assumes only elementary calculus and basic probability theory for the first part, and ordinary differential equations and continuous probability for the second section. All problems require students to study and create models, encouraging their active participation rather than a mechanical approach. Beyond the classroom, this volume will prove interesting and rewarding to anyone concerned with the development of mathematical models or the application of modeling to problem solving in a wide array of applications.

Contributing Authors Include Robert S. Weinberg, Paul Stillson, E. Leonard Arnoff, And Many Others.