Smith School Faculty Reveals This Year’s Top-10 Summer Reading List for Business Leaders
The University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business recently put together a list of faculty-favorite books in the school’s “12th Annual Top-10 Summer Reading List for Business Leaders” for 2015. These reads are perfect for prospective MBA heading off to business school as well as those who are already climbing up the corporate ladder.
Below is a selection from the list. You can check out the full selection here.
Pitch Perfect: How to Say It Right the First Time, Every Time by Bill McGowan with Alisa Bowman, 2014
Kathryn Bartol, professor of management and organization, says, “McGowan is an award-winning news correspondent turned media/communications coach. He offers sound and engaging advice on how to be ‘pitch-perfect’—i.e., more effective at communicating across a variety of common career-related circumstances. Readers will find many helpful hints aligned with his seven principles of persuasion.”
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee, 2011
“The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer is fascinating account of the societal and technical evolution of a cure for cancer,” says Ritu Agarwal, professor and Dean’s Chair of Information Systems. “The book provides a detailed and rich account of the progress of science and the research enterprise – and how social forces, government policy and pure serendipity affect the search for truth.”
Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead by Laszlo Bock, 2015
“Work Rules! by Laszlo Bock, senior vice president of Google’s People Operations, is a must-read business book for any leader who wants to bring out the best in their employees and build successful high performing organization,” says Mark Wellman, clinical professor of management and organization. “It is an evidence-based practical guide for effective approaches to recruiting, motivating, leading, training, assessing and compensating people. The book should be mandatory reading for every student that desires to be a leader or entrepreneur.”
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt, 2013
“It is not often that a book changes one’s mind about how to view right and wrong, and why good people disagree about what is right,” says Brent Goldfarb, associate professor of management and organization. “This book is the first reasonable explanation I have found of why the capitalist/progressive right/left dialogue is so acrimonious. Whether you align left, right or somewhere in between, do not read this book if you wish to remain smug in your own positions.”
Social Physics: How Good Ideas Spread-The Lessons from a New Science by Alex “Sandy” Pentland, 2014
“Sandy Pentland takes a look at the new world of understanding how we can model social behavior and understand social changes through big data,” says Bill Rand, assistant professor of marketing. “It is these tools that will enable a new wave of predictive analytics that will help businesses to better understand changes in their consumer base. Sandy also discusses in detail both the benefits and potential pitfalls of the big data movement, and calls for a ‘New Deal on Data’ that guarantees to consumers that their data will be used responsibly.”
About the Author
Max Pulcini
Max Pulcini is a Philadelphia-based writer and reporter. He has an affinity for Philly sports teams, Super Smash Bros. and cured meats and cheeses. Max has written for Philadelphia-based publications such as Spirit News, Philadelphia City Paper, and Billy Penn, as well as national news outlets like The Daily Beast.
