World Class

Library Journal

Kanter (Men & Women of the Corporation, Basic Bks., 1993) is a prolific writer in the areas of organization, change, and work and family. Expanding her view to encompass the globalization not only of business but of our daily lives, she strives to convey the importance of realizing the worldwide impact of our decisions as individuals, corporations, and communities. Kanter discusses the fundamental and far-reaching elements of change in the workplace: outsourcing, temporary workers, and job loss. In the chapter "Making the Global Economy Work Locally," which examines studies of foreign companies operating successfully in Boston, South Carolina, and Miami, she asserts, "The best cities are places where businesses and people learn better and develop faster than they otherwise would, because they are centers of the three C's...concepts, competence, and connections." A solid work; recommended for all business collections.-Lisa K. Miller, Paradise Valley Community Coll. Lib., Phoenix

Barbara Jacobs

Count on many requests for Kanter's latest contribution to the world of business. Based on extensive questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups, her new book examines what factors equate with her definition of the word "cosmopolitan". She heralds five cities, from Boston to Seattle, as urban areas thriving in world markets, yet she scrutinizes each for warts as well as wisdom. Her principles seem sound; for instance, she encourages companies to organize around customers, to collaborate with partners, to set high goals, and to support constant learning. Her depth of research makes it difficult to refute her contention that strong collaborations and strong infrastructures present the new keys to global survival and to success.