Children of Baby Boomers
Books Worth Reading
December 2009 / January 2010
Volume 7 Number 6
Keeping the Millennials
The baby boomers' children have grown up to be master multitaskers, able to send text messages, download music, watch TV and study at the same time. They're entering the labor pool in droves, and they expect their jobs to be not only stimulating and well-paying but also (if you can imagine it) fun. Who are these extraordinary people with their radical work ethic? They are the "Millennials," the second wave of baby boomer children who are questioning the way their parents do business. Dr. Joanne G. Sujansky and Dr. Jan Ferri-Reed caution managers that they must cater to millennials or risk losing billions in employee turnover and unachieved productivity. The authors explain how the members of this over-nurtured, well-educated, technology-savvy generation differ from their parents and grandparents. They also explain how to make workplaces hip enough to attract and retain this new talent. getAbstract suggests this insightful read to baby boomers who are struggling to manage these bright, energetic, puzzling and sometimes exasperating employees.
Joanne G. Sujansky and Jan Ferri-Reed. Keeping The Millennials: Why Companies Are Losing Billions in Turnover to This Generation—€”and What to Do About It. Wiley, 2009. 256 pages. List Price: $24.95. ISBN-13: 978-0470438510.
Cloud Computing
In the information technology world, the clouds keep rolling in. But this is hardly a cause for concern. These "clouds" are not threatening thunderheads but Web-based applications and services, accessible from any Internet connection. For instance, many businesses today use Salesforce for customer relationship management and many people use Gmail. In either case, users access these applications through a web browser, such as as Internet Explorer or Firefox. However, the users' data (customer names, e-mails and so on) isn't stored on their computers but "in the cloud," the technical term—€”or geek-speak—€”for "somewhere on the Internet." Some applications target the consumer, some target the business user and some target the software developer. Whoever the targeted users are, cloud-based applications and similar technologies are the next big trend in IT and we assure you that Michael Miller's brief, basic and very enthusiastic guide will help you understand them even if you are a novice. Sometimes it's useful to have your head in the clouds.
Michael Miller. Cloud Computing: Web-Based Applications That Change the Way You Work and Collaborate Online. QUE Publishing, 2008. 312 pages. List Price: $24.99. ISBN-13: 978-0789738035.
A Gift to My Children
This short bestseller by Jim Rogers, one of the world's most renowned investors, is in the form of a letter offering personal guidance and investment advice to his two young daughters. Rogers co-founded the Quantum Fund with his partner, George Soros, and established a reputation as an authority on economics, investing and markets. In his 60s, he married for the second time and became a father. In this book —€”written in first person from "your father" with a slight, sweet undertone of talking down to the children's level—€”he tells his daughters many anecdotes about his experiences to illustrate old-fashioned nuggets of fatherly guidance. He recommends saving money, cultivating good habits, working hard, studying and thinking about the future. we suggest this lively book to anyone—€”including those two fortunate little girls—€”who would welcome a few paternal life-lessons, some good inside-business stories and a side dish of investment advice.
Jim Rogers. A Gift to My Children: A Father's Lessons for Life and Investing. Random House, 2009. 112 pages. List Price: $16.00. ISBN-13: 978-1400067541.
Twitter Power
Twitter was launched in October 2006 and already has more than three million users with no end in sight. Its largest user group fits an ideal consumer demographic: professionals from 35 to 44 years old with good salaries. Twitter helps companies build relationships, enhance brands, find resources and attract new Web site visitors. In this hands-on manual, social media expert Joel Comm guides new and intermediate Twitter users through the whole process of using Twitter productively, from creating a profile to building a following to measuring your success. He also explains how to get business results on Twitter and how to measure those results. While Comm covers the basics for beginners, even experienced users will discover tidbits that will improve how they tweet. getAbstract needs more than 140 characters to recommend Comm's book, which gives corporate communicators, brand managers and individuals the information they need to do Twitter right.
Joel Comm. Twitter Power: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time. John Wiley and Sons, 2009. 272 pages. List Price: $24.95. ISBN-13: 978-0470458426
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