For businesses large and small, a global marketplace represents a source of great promise—and peril. While trade barriers have come down, and advances in communication and information technology have made new markets accessible as never before, one false move can spell disaster, especially for small and midsize companies. Nevertheless, with a combination of ambitious vision and careful planning, even the smallest businesses can expand far beyond their home country's borders.In Global Jumpstart, Ruth Stanat and Chris West draw on their many years of experience helping companies of all sizes expand into new markets to offer entrepreneurs a complete, step-by-step guide to launching a global strategy that will minimize risk, make the best use of their skills and resources, and capitalize on opportunities.Applying rigorous field-tested research and information-gathering techniques and citing the most current resources, Stanat and West present a comprehensive and immediately practical program for establishing a global mind-set, undertaking market research, building competitive intelligence, assessing customer needs, and evaluating a wide variety of options for expansion—from, exporting to franchising to strategic alliances and joint ventures.The book also features the ”global marketing audit,” a self-assessment tool for determining your company's global readiness along many dimensions, including product mix, human resource capabilities, and sales and distributions infrastructure. All of the principles are illustrated through colorful case examples of companies as diverse as Powell Books of Portland, Oregon; Zion View Ostrich Ranch of St. George, Utah; and Applied Sweepers, Inc., Falkirk, Scotland.In many respects, the question is not whether to go global, but when and how. For small and midsize firms, the process of going global need not be overwhelming, as long as they are armed with commitment and information. Global Jumpstart will be an essential resource for initiating and sustaining that rewarding process.

International business is undergoing continuous transformation as multinational firms and comparative management evolve in the changing global economy. To succeed in this challenging environment, firms need a well-developed capability for sound strategic decisions. This comprehensive work provides an applied and integrated strategic framework for developing capabilities that lead to global success. It is designed to help readers achieve three essential objectives. First, it provides intellectual and practical guidelines for readers to execute goals and strategies that lead to meaningful and productive results. The book is packed with frameworks, cases, anchoring exercises, techniques, and tools to help readers emerge with a completed business plan after the last chapter. Second, it focuses on strategy and how firms build competitive presence and advantages in a global context. A primary learning objective is to enable readers to understand and evaluate the major issues in strategy formulation and implementation in a global context. Third, it provides an accessible framework that will help guide readers in making strategic decisions that are sound and effective. It offers a unifying process that delineates the necessary steps in analyzing the readiness of a firm to do business abroad. In addition to core issues, each chapter presents frameworks, analytical tools, action-oriented items, and a real-world case - all designed to provide insights on the challenges imposed by globalization and technology on managers operating in a global context.

Jumpstart! takes a multipronged approach to heath and wellness that provides impressive results quickly.

Ideal for inspiring marketers, artists, teachers, and anyone who needs fresh ideas for work and home, Jump Start Your Brain helps readers crank up both their cranium and career. Featuring smart and creative methods for providing better leadership, igniting sales and marketing, and realizing dreams with breakthrough innovations, this book teaches time-tested practices that generate creativity and innovation. Relying on the latest research, the author pinpoints which methods and techniques work best in today's high-stress world so readers can get a leg-up on the competition.

In May 2000, the JumpStart Workbook series was launched, combining the power of the bestselling software series for children with Scholastic, the most trusted name in children's publishing. JumpStart workbooks are fun and innovative books that cover age-appropriate, grade-specific skills and activities. They include full-color artwork, three color-coded levels within each book, stickers and certificates of completion to reward a child's progress, and JumpStart Tutors to help with advanced concepts. Each workbook features lively characters from the JumpStart World and incorporates exciting adventure themes to keep kids excited through the journey of learning! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

How do retailers decide which colors and styles are featured in their stores? What factors influence the patterns, textiles and silhouettes designers show in their collections? This text provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the forecasting process, from studying fashion innovation and cultural influences to conducting consumer research, exploring how to identify the who, what, where, when and why driving fashion change in our lives. By combining fashion theory with current practices from industry executives, Brannon and Divita explain how to recognize emerging trends and the 'coolhunters' who anticipate our aesthetic preferences. Ultimately, student will learn how to prepare and present their own fashion forecast. New to this Edition: - New chapter 8 focuses on media and technology including coverage of how mass media, fashion blogs, social medi and forecasting companies such as WGSN and Stylesight effect trends - New case studies and profiles in each chapter feature contemporary bloggers, professionals and companies such as Tavi Gevinson of Style Rookie, Garance Dore, Scott Schuman, Burberry, Rebecca Minkoff, Edelkoort, Perclers and Nelly Rodi -Expanded fashion theories section in chapter 3 explains how trends spread between population segments - Summaries at the end of each chapter recap key concepts

Launch your career in construction management with this one-of-a-kind book The construction management industry is expected to increase employment by 16 percent over the next decade. This second edition of a bestselling introduction to construction management walks you through each stage of the construction management process. Written from the constructor's perspective, this book will familiarize you with all the construction management fundamentals and how Building Information Modeling (BIM) is impacting the construction management profession. Covers interoperability of technology advances in the construction industry Explains how BIM is challenging the traditional approach to project delivery and how this affects the constructor's role Elaborates each stage of the design and construction process and the tasks associated with each of them Shows step-by-step how to estimate project costs, administer contracts, manage job site and construction operations, plan and schedule a project, monitor project performance, manage project quality and safety, and assess project risks Provides review questions at the end of each chapter to help enforce understanding The tried-and-true project management principles presented in this book will help ensure you a successful start to your career.