Uprising: Will Emerging Markets Shape or Shake the World Economy? by George Magnus£19.99 WILEY
In the introduction to his book, George Magnus paints a stark picture of Western economic decline. "There is a strong conviction that we are all bystanders in an inevitable and world-changing shift in the structure of global power," he writes. "When President Barack Obama visited his opposite number, Hu Jintao, in Beijing in November 2009, many observers were struck by the symbolism of the leader of a battered and highly indebted US going to meet the leader of America's main geopolitical rival, and its most important creditor."
As he points out, developing country exports already amount to around $6,000bn - two fifths of the global total - and the rise of emerging market companies has been meteoric. So has an irreversible shift in the world's economy taken place? Does tomorrow belong to the BRICs?
Magnus argues cogently that the die is far from cast. And, as senior economic adviser to UBS (and a former business:life columnist), he knows what he's talking about. In his opinion, the emerging market countries, most importantly China, have much work to do,
both economically and politically, if they are
to shape the world of the future.
It may be a maverick view, but it's far from an unconsidered one. And for investors rushing to pile in to the new El Dorado, it may give pause for thought.
9/10
What's Wrong With Work?
by Blaire Palmer
£12.99 JOHN WILEY
BBC journalist turned executive coach Blaire Palmer examines why work isn't working and focuses on five key areas: meetings, leadership, vision, silo mentality and general "unfairness". She finds an unlikely hero in the shape of the much-maligned middle manager, who she believes could make a major difference to office life, given the will and the opportunity. The book offers plenty of food for thought and overturns a few key assumptions along the way.
8/10
Where Good Ideas Come From
by Steven Johnson
£17.99 ALLEN LANE
As Steven Johnson puts it in this fascinating book, "A hunch is simply a network of cells firing inside your brain in an organised pattern." What concerns him is how to get that hunch in the first place and then how to make it blossom into a fully formed idea. His quest takes him on a scientific and cultural odyssey, taking in Pliny the Elder, Charles Darwin, Tim Berners-Lee and a host of others. It all adds up to an excellent read and may just prompt a few ideas all on its own.
9/10
How Did I Get Here?
by Tony Hawk
£16.99 JOHN WILEY
Skateboarder Tony Hawk is said to be the world's highest paid action sports athlete. His profits have been driven not just by his extraordinary skill on a board but also by his canny ability to build himself into a global brand. Authenticity has been the key to his success, as he explains in this entertaining review of his entrepreneurial endeavours, whether we're talking best-selling video games or internet start-ups - or indeed his considerable charitable efforts.
8/10
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