Business Bookshelf
Global reading list from Kenan-Flagler faculty

Global Finance
"The Fisherman and the Rhinoceros: How International Finance Shapes Everyday Life,"
by Eric Briys and Francois De Varenne
Addresses the question of whether modern, international finance is a boon or a burden to the real economy, mixing traditional storytelling techniques with contemporary insights into the financial world.

Supply-Chain Management for Global Operations
"Designing and Managing the Supply Chain: Concepts, Strategies and Cases,"
by David Simchi-Levi, Philip Kaminsky and Edith Simchi-Levi
Provides, with the help of case studies, a comprehensive overview of supply-chain management, from network design and inventory considerations to supply-chain integration and strategic alliances.

Impact of Culture
"Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Business Otsukiai: A Guide to Japanese Business Protocol,"
by James V. Rielly
A useful guide that deals with the practice, not the theory, of doing business Japanese-style. "Otsukiai" refers to the intricate process of building and maintaining the relationships essential for success in business life.

"Jihad vs. McWorld: How Globalism and Tribalism are Reshaping the World,"
by Benjamin R. Barber and Andrea Schulz
Discusses the two great opposing forces at work in the world today, border-crossing capitalism and splintering factionalism, and why they are the two biggest threats to democracy.

"The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization,"
by Thomas L Friedman
The central theme of the book by New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas Friedman is that globalization - represented by the Lexus luxury car - is the central organizing principle of the post-Cold War world, even though many individuals and nations resist by holding onto what has` traditionally mattered to them - represented by the olive tree.

"The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else,"
by Hernando de Soto
Peruvian economist and author de Soto argues that in order for poor, postcommunist countries to make capitalism flourish, they must establish and normalize the invisible network of laws that turns assets from "dead" into "liquid" capital - by guaranteeing property rights, and even more broadly, "the right to property rights."

"The Ugly American,"
by Eugene Burdick and William J. Lederer
The book examines the cultural mistakes many people have made when living and working in a foreign country. A collection of short stories based in Asia after World War II, when communism was gaining momentum in the region. The fictional stories are based on the factual experiences the authors had in Southeast Asia.

"Understanding Global Cultures: Metaphorical Journeys Through 23 Nations,"
by Martin J. Gannon
A book that examines extensively the cultures of 23 different nations by identifying for each country a "cultural metaphor" that becomes the basis for describing and understanding the essential features of its society. Nations covered in this new edition included the Thai Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Poland, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico and Portugal.)

Global Strategy
"Race for the World: Strategies to Build a Great Global Firm,"
by Lowell L. Bryan
Consultants from McKinsey & Co. examine the vast changes in the world's economy that are altering the way almost everyone does business. In addition to using client insights, the consultants conducted a three-year study of 25 companies recognized as global leaders.

"Strategic Supremacy: How Industry Leaders Create Growth, Wealth and Power Through Spheres of Influence,"
by Richard D'Aveni, Robert Gunther and Joni Cole
Draws on world and business history to show that corporations need to spend more time establishing and developing their "sphere of influence," or the core market(s) that they own. The message: Firms will either shape this sphere or be forced to react to competitors who shape it for them.