David Collins

Round Top's African American pioneers came into Texas in 1825 when Stephen F. Austin brought in 300 Anglo-Americans, and the people they enslaved, for the purpose of colonizing the area. Soon afterward, more slaves were bought in from other slaveholding states. After the Civil War ended, the descendants of these original Round Top pioneers began building their own community. Many earned money by toiling away in the cotton fields for the very men who had once enslaved them. Others earned money working as cowboys, washerwomen, barbers, or blacksmiths. In 1867, the group founded the Concord Missionary Baptist Church as a communal space for them to come together and pool their resources to buy their own land, build their own homes, and hire teachers, which led to the creation of the Concord Missionary Baptist Church Colored School. For generations, this school successfully educated freedmen, their children, and their descendants before finally closing its doors due to desegregation. Despite many challenges, they overcame obstacles that grew into a prosperous community.

A remarkable investigation into the story of an undetected serial killer operating in the north west of England

This insightful and accessible introduction provides students and practitioners with a comprehensive overview of the increasingly important discipline of international investment law. Focusing primarily on the legal principles contained in the growing body of international investment agreements, this book covers the core concepts of the discipline, with attention given to their relation to each other and to the manner which they have developed through arbitration case law. The context of each legal principle is explored, along with a consideration of some of the major debates and emerging criticisms. Avoiding extensive case extracts, this book adopts an engaging and succinct narrative style which allows readers to advance their understanding of the topic while examining the legal principles with academic rigour and discerning commentary.

This insightful and accessible introduction provides students and practitioners with a comprehensive overview of the increasingly important discipline of international investment law. Focusing primarily on the legal principles contained in the growing body of international investment agreements, this book covers the core concepts of the discipline, with attention given to their relation to each other and to the manner which they have developed through arbitration case law. The context of each legal principle is explored, along with a consideration of some of the major debates and emerging criticisms. Avoiding extensive case extracts, this book adopts an engaging and succinct narrative style which allows readers to advance their understanding of the topic while examining the legal principles with academic rigour and discerning commentary.

What is organizational culture? Why does it matter? This book demonstrates that conventional wisdom on this fundamental business topic has surpassed its usefulness. The author wants neither to praise scholarship on culture nor to bury it – rather he wants to build something fit for purpose by reflecting on the power of stories and storytelling. Rethinking Organizational Culture argues that that the entrenched models of organizational culture wrench thinking, feeling, and action from a context that intuition warns us are complex and problematic. Arguing that novels and novelists offer an opportunity to redeem ‘organizational culture’, the text invites readers to recognise that stories of organization offer connections with organizational profanity, organized polyphony, and the organizationally prosaic. A stimulating and provocative read, this book will be welcomed by students, scholars, and reflective practitioners across the business field.

In Search of Excellence was the book that launched a thousand popular management books. In this concise book, David and Jack Collins demonstrate the emptiness of business excellence and in so doing reveal the flawed foundations of popular management theory. Focusing upon the conduct of those organizations vaunted as ‘exemplars of excellence’ the authors build upon insightful case reports to demonstrate wholesale misconduct at the very heart of the excellence project. Indeed, The Emptiness of Business Excellence demonstrates that the exemplars of excellence indulged bribery, corruption, racism, sexism and anti-Semitism… and more besides! Furthermore, the book demonstrates that, despite their claims to knowledge, Peters and Waterman often knew little about the financial performance of their excellent organizations and were either unaware of or had chosen to overlook reports which highlighted deeply problematic conduct within those formations, which they offered as beacons for change and renewal.This book will be of interest to researchers, scholars and students with an interest in business and management, especially those focusing on the realities of managerial practice.

A remarkable investigation into the story of an undetected serial killer operating in the north west of England

Renowned aviation author Tony Buttler, with co-authors Collins and Derry, presents a detailed and fully illustrated account of the de Havilland Hornet and Sea Hornet in service, from the prototypes to the last surviving fragments. It includes 38 specially commissioned and highly accurate colour illustrations, as well as more than 220 black and white and colour photographs. A listing of airframes is also included.

Tom Peters is the management guru's management guru. His is the story that launched a thousand management stories. This new book offers a critical assessment of Tom Peters' contribution to management thought and practice.The author, a globally recognized expert on management gurus, places Tom Peters at the forefront of the narrative turn in management. Charting and accounting for Tom Peters’ contributions to management, the book analyses the practices that Peters has used to shape our appreciation of the business of excellence and in so doing probes and accounts for the preferences of the excellence project.An accessible and illuminating work, the book will appeal to students and scholars as well as thoughtful managers and leaders.

Tom Peters is the management guru's management guru. His is the story that launched a thousand management stories. This new book offers a critical assessment of Tom Peters' contribution to management thought and practice.The author, a globally recognized expert on management gurus, places Tom Peters at the forefront of the narrative turn in management. Charting and accounting for Tom Peters’ contributions to management, the book analyses the practices that Peters has used to shape our appreciation of the business of excellence and in so doing probes and accounts for the preferences of the excellence project.An accessible and illuminating work, the book will appeal to students and scholars as well as thoughtful managers and leaders.

We tend to assume that we may divide our activities into talk and action. In so doing we tend to suggest that talk is subordinate to action. Taking issue with these presumptions, Stories for Management Success: The Power of Talk in Organizations argues that talk is central to what managers do. Indeed it argues that, for managers, ‘walking the walk’ necessarily implies ‘talking the talk such that storytelling is now central to managerial work’. Noting that managerial talk is increasingly located within an account of storytelling the book offers a critical review of the academic debates associated with telling tales at work and uses this critical reflection to shape and guide those who would realise the power of talk. Thus, the book concludes with six key questions designed to prompt both introspection and action on storytelling in an organized context. With reflections on the relevant management research, the author provides a scholar's digest to aid management thinking and practice.This book offers an examination of the processes of organizational storytelling and has been designed to allow practitioners of management to recognise and in so doing to unleash the power of talk in organizations.

Did you know? The city’s coat of arms reads Deffro, mae’n ddydd – ‘Awake, it is day’ Cardiff City Football Club played in chocolate-and-amber colours before they became the ‘Bluebirds’ Brains Beer, said to be Wales’ most famous drink, was first brewed in Cardiff during the 1800s Authors David and Gareth take a trip through the places, peculiarities and past practices of Cardiff, stopping off to sample the culinary (and alcoholic) delights of the city along the way.From Clark’s Pies and a heaped helping of ‘half and half’ to the oddities of the ‘Kaairdiff’ accent, this fact-packed compendium reveals the contributions Cardiff has made to the history of the nation and recalls some of its famous faces – Shirley Bassey, Charlotte Church and Shakin’ Stevens amongst them – and popular attractions. This book is sure to entertain, amuse and surprise everyone who picks it up.