Very Short, Fairly Interesting & Cheap Books – serie

An engaging guide through the cacophony of competing perspectives and models of leadership, the new edition includes an expanded discussion of contemporary topics like followership, gender, ethics, authenticity, and leadership and the arts, set against the backdrop of the global financial crisis.

Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way.

Suitable for students of leadership, professionals working in organizations and anyone curious about the workings of leadership.

Written in a lively, conversational style, Knowledge Management looks at the nature of knowledge, including its definition and measurement, before the main concepts and theoretical contributions to knowledge management are reviewed and challenged, providing fresh insights into the central debates. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. Suitable for students of Business and Management courses at Undergraduate and Postgraduate level and anyone interested in the concept of knowledge management.

Studying Marketing is packed full of lively debate and funny anecdotes covering topics marketing students are familiar with, such as key thinkers and concepts, and some they are not. It looks at areas most textbooks ignore, such as the development of marketing as a discipline and as an academic subject, and raises arguments that students haven't heard about in their lectures. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way.

Suitable for Marketing students at Undergraduate and Postgraduate level. Along with professionals involved in marketing and anyone interested in how marketing works. 

Studying Strategy is a welcoming, lively and thought provoking account that helps students get to grips with strategy's key issues and broad debates and introduce them to the latest ideas. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way.

Engaging and entertaining in equal measure, Human Resource Management is a book about work, the people who do it and the way they are managed (and mismanaged). Raising issues that are often neglected in typical HRM texts, such as work intensification and unemployment; it explores the realities of work, workers, and the communities that are affected by HRM policy and practice. Grugulis draws on current research to provide a critical and reflective overview of the key debates in HRM today. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. Suitable for students of HRM, professionals working in organizations and anyone with an interest in the nature of human resources.

In Management Research the authors provide a stimulating and critical overview of the key theoretical debates on research paradigms and methodologies, demystifying the process and providing invaluable insights into the politics and practice of research. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. Suitable for students carrying out Undergraduate and Postgraduate dissertations, MBA projects and PHD theses.

The Second Edition of Qualitative Research provides a refreshing introduction to doing and debating qualitative research. The author uses updated content, ranging from photographs to novels and newspaper stories, to demonstrate how getting to grips with qualitative methods means asking ourselves fundamental questions about how we are influenced by contemporary culture. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way.

Suitable for Undergraduate students who are new to qualitative research and even Postgraduates and Practitioners who want re-assess their current understanding of the field.

The Second Edition of Qualitative Research provides a refreshing introduction to doing and debating qualitative research. The author uses updated content, ranging from photographs to novels and newspaper stories, to demonstrate how getting to grips with qualitative methods means asking ourselves fundamental questions about how we are influenced by contemporary culture. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way.

Suitable for Undergraduate students who are new to qualitative research and even Postgraduates and Practitioners who want re-assess their current understanding of the field.

An engaging guide through the cacophony of competing perspectives and models of leadership, the new edition includes an expanded discussion of contemporary topics like followership, gender, ethics, authenticity, and leadership and the arts, set against the backdrop of the global financial crisis.

Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way.

Suitable for students of leadership, professionals working in organizations and anyone curious about the workings of leadership.

In Employment Relations the authors translate years of experience, with the help of interesting vignettes, real life examples and connections with popular culture, into a critical understanding of the topic that brings the field to life. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. An excellent supplementary text for Employment Relations and HRM students or anyone interested in a short, succinct book on the subject of Employment Relations.

In Employment Relations the authors translate years of experience, with the help of interesting vignettes, real life examples and connections with popular culture, into a critical understanding of the topic that brings the field to life. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. An excellent supplementary text for Employment Relations and HRM students or anyone interested in a short, succinct book on the subject of Employment Relations.

Suitable for students of cross-cultural management, human resource management or workplace diversity and professionals working in organizations and intercultural training.

Suitable for students of cross-cultural management, human resource management or workplace diversity and professionals working in organizations and intercultural training.

The Second Edition of International Business includes recent impacts on international business such as the financial crisis, Brexit and the changing political landscape, Chinese steel prices and the Panama Papers revelations. It includes two new chapters on understanding people and organizations in International Business as well as coverage of recent international reports from Amnesty, Oxfam and the World Bank. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. Suitable for students of International Business, professionals working in global organizations and anyone curious about the workings of the international business world.

The Second Edition of International Business includes recent impacts on international business such as the financial crisis, Brexit and the changing political landscape, Chinese steel prices and the Panama Papers revelations. It includes two new chapters on understanding people and organizations in International Business as well as coverage of recent international reports from Amnesty, Oxfam and the World Bank. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. Suitable for students of International Business, professionals working in global organizations and anyone curious about the workings of the international business world.

Conceived by Chris Grey, the Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap series offers and antidote to conventional textbooks. Each book takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. 

Mike Zundel and Christian G. Johnsen take inspiration from philosophy and art to consider possibilities and effects of entrepreneurship in a changing world. Reflecting on the themes of creativity, destruction, technology and flow, this book offers a theory-driven and critical take on entrepreneurship in an accessible and engaging style, generating new ways of thinking about what entrepreneurship means today and what it could be in the future.

Mike Zundel is a Professor in Organization Studies at the University of Liverpool Management School.

Christian Garmann Johnsen is an Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School.

Conceived by Chris Grey, the Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap series offers and antidote to conventional textbooks. Each book takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. 

Mike Zundel and Christian G. Johnsen take inspiration from philosophy and art to consider possibilities and effects of entrepreneurship in a changing world. Reflecting on the themes of creativity, destruction, technology and flow, this book offers a theory-driven and critical take on entrepreneurship in an accessible and engaging style, generating new ways of thinking about what entrepreneurship means today and what it could be in the future.

Mike Zundel is a Professor in Organization Studies at the University of Liverpool Management School.

Christian Garmann Johnsen is an Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School.

In Studying Criminology, the author explores the interplay between philosophical and criminological theories to provide a stimulating and insightful overview of the subject. It offers students a fresh way of thinking about crime, giving them an opportunity to develop their understanding and to hone their critical skills. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way.

In Coaching and Mentoring, the author inspires and provokes readers by asking questions such as 'Are coaching and mentoring the same?' 'Are we obsessed with skills?' and 'What is performance?' He also delves into contemporary debates such as concerns about standards, competencies and codes of ethics, interspersed with views on power, control and politics. Conceived by Chris Grey as an antidote to conventional textbooks, each book in the ‘Very Short, Fairly Interesting and Reasonably Cheap’ series takes a core area of the curriculum and turns it on its head by providing a critical and sophisticated overview of the key issues and debates in an informal, conversational and often humorous way. An entertaining read for Undergraduate, Postgraduate and MBA students or anyone interested in looking for different ways of thinking about coaching and mentoring.