Smith School Issues Summer Reading List For 2016

Each year, faculty and administrators from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business puts out a list of their favorite books in the “Top-10 Summer Reading List for Business Leaders” for 2016.

This is the 13th year of reading recommendations from the Smith School, so if you’re heading off to business school as an MBA or you are already climbing up the corporate ladder, these books will keep you up-to-date on current trends. Here are a few of the books that made the list, you can find the full list here.

1. “The Devil’s Financial Dictionary“ by Jason Zweig, 2015: Acording to Barnes and Noble, “The Devil’s Financial Dictionary” is an indispensable survival guide to the hostile wilderness of today’s financial markets, delivers practical insights with a scorpion’s sting. It cuts through the fads and fakery of Wall Street and clears a safe path for investors between euphoria and despair. Susan White, clinical professor of finance, says, “‘ The book is funny, mostly accurate and provides a fun read on financial jargon. He defines ‘day trader’ (idiot); ‘broker’ (someone using guesswork to buy and sell assets) and ‘acquisition’ (when one company pays too much for another). This is a very humorous way to learn about investing and Wall Street jargon!”
2. “The Smartest Places on Earth: Why Rustbelts Are the Emerging Hotspots of Global Innovation“ by Antoine van Agtmael and Fred Bakker, 2016: According to Barnes and Noble, Antoine van Agtmael and Fred Bakker counter recent conventional wisdom that the American and northern European economies have lost their initiative in innovation and their competitive edge by focusing on an unexpected and hopeful trend: the emerging sources of economic strength coming from areas once known as “rust belts” that had been written off as yesterday’s story. Bill Longbrake, executive in residence, says, “Economist and former World Bank official Antoine van Agtmael coined the phrase ‘emerging markets’ 35 years ago, but now says the trend behind that concept is shifting. In ‘The Smartest Places on Earth’ he writes about ‘brain belts’ – U.S. cities reinventing themselves with new technology.”
3. “Elegant Entrepreneur: The Female Founders Guide to Starting & Growing Your First Company“ by Danielle Tate, 2015: According to Barnes and Noble, “Elegant Entrepreneur” is relevant both to women with no business background and to those in the process of developing a business. The book offers key information and concepts from idea to exit. It discusses the early stages of evaluating an idea, understanding market demands, pitching ideas, building a team of partners and employees, launching, fundraising, marketing and growing a company, handling competition, and knowing when to sell. Elana Fine, managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, says that “While written for female founders, this book has valuable tips and insights for any entrepreneur.”

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