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Books : Americas

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Introduction

Send us your suggestions This selective directory of books related to the Americas region (North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean) is provided in association with Amazon.com as a convenient source of books which may be of interest.   The search tool at left enables you to look up any books, magazines, videos or DVD's directly on their website, rather than by following our own suggestions.  Direct links for review and purchase of specific items are found through the topic sections and subtopics below.

Please refer to the Disclosure section below for instructions if you wish to buy any of the suggested items, and Suggestions if you think we should add or remove anything.  Refer also to our Global Contacts directories.

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Suggestions have been organized into the following 8 pages, which contain the subtopics listed below.  Note that some topics overlap.
Asia Pacific Americas Europe, Africa, Middle East Global Direct Investment Foreign Relations and Assignments Executive Reference Other Issues for Management Economic Development
China Brazil European Union "Globalization", Transnational Business Impact Diplomacy, Foreign Policy General Management Corporate Facility Design Economic Development
India and South Asia Mexico and NAFTA Eastern Europe Sustainable Development Cross-Cultural Communications, Non-Verbal Communications Strategic Planning Technology Transfer & Intellectual Property Urban Planning, Migration, and Rural Economic Development.
Southeast Asia Pacific Investment in the USA and Canada Russia Foreign Direct Investment Foreign Assignments & Languages Corporate Finance Knowledge Management Website Design
Japan, Korea Central & South America and Caribbean Middle East and Africa International Trade US Law, Trade,  Immigration, International Law      
"Buy From ..." is a quick way to add items of potential interest to your shopping cart on Amazon.com , which you can then review before buying this or any other selections. Book (or media) title

The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) may help to find a book in libraries or other sources, especially if out of print or not readily available.  It is the ASIN on Amazon.com

Our abstract / comment

The cover image links to Amazon.com for more information about the item, such as the comments of reviewers and their own suggestions of related titles.

Author Published Suggested by / comment

We welcome your suggestions of additional items which you have found to be helpful.

New Suggestions Our abstract / comment Author Published Suggested by
Location Location Location : A Plant Location and Site Selection Guide

ISBN 1-890586-11-0

Contact us about how to buy a copy

This guide to corporate expansion planning shares the insights of a veteran leader of global business site selection consulting for location choices by corporate executives. Prof. Em. Marcel De Meirleir - Biographic profile of the author March 2006 Bruce Donnelly

Marcel was the founder of Plant Location International in Brussels, and has assisted many leading corporations with their expansion plans around the world.

           
Brazil                <top> <bottom> Our abstract / comment Author Published Suggested by
Brazil- The Emerging Economic Boom...

 

 

 

 

 

out of print, limited availability

Brazil : The Emerging Economic Boom, 1995-2005

Original Portuguese version :

O Brasil Que Dá Certo : O Novo Ciclo de Crescimento, 1994-2005

0070340846 - English

If you can handle the Portuguese, or can find the English translation (roughly : The Brazil That Gets it Right : The New Cycle of Growth, but McGraw-Hill changed it to "Brazil : The Emerging Economic Boom") this was an interesting work by a Brazilian business consultant, author of business magazine articles, and professor at the University of São Paulo who earned his Master's at the Harvard Business School.

In 1994, he argued that Brazil was finally going to turn the corner and get it right through some of the recent political and economic changes that were in progress at the time, as well as the basic macroeconomic and social conditions which existed (i.e., in spite of bad policies) on which a new cycle of rapid growth could develop.

Today, he might be advised to write a sequel about the Brazil that swings to the left (under the new President Lula) before the time runs out on his earlier predictions of another decade like the "Brazilian miracle" years of the 1970's, when there was a large surge of foreign investment into Brazil during that authoritarian / technocrat period of military rule.  Will the next decade see Brazil finally "get it right", or become another "lost decade" of bad economic policies with good intentions?  Brazil should be able to develop much faster than countries such as China and India, and become very attractive to foreign investment again, despite its problems.  It isn't there yet, but Kanitz was right - the last decade showed it really is possible.

Stephen Kanitz 1994 Bruce Donnelly

Stephen Kanitz claims credit for having predicted in 1984 (also against conventional wisdom) the recessionary period of the "lost decade" that led up to the time of this book, and there were certainly many significant changes in the Brazilian economy which his analysis seems to have foreseen before most other observers might have been willing to stick their necks out and predict it.

I don't know whether he has written anything lately.  He would probably just be published in Portuguese now, perhaps in magazine articles - look in the list of Brazil contacts at the bottom of the page for other sources of information, such as websites for Brazilian media. 

It might be worth investigating, since he seems to be a well-informed and perceptive analyst who takes a longer-term view of Brazil's development, which is rare in a country where some top executives say "the only thing you can predict is that the sun will come up tomorrow - anything beyond that is pure speculation" .

cover How to Be a Carioca

8585556013

Rio de Janeiro is different from the rest of Brazil, and especially São Paulo.  If you are going to Rio, this would be a useful introduction to the way of life of the Cariocas (people who live in Rio). Priscilla Ann Goslin 1992 Bruce Donnelly
Behaving Brazilian- A Comparison of...

out of print, limited availability

Behaving Brazilian : A Comparison of North American and Brazilian Social Behavior

0838428495

Part of a series on cross-cultural, non-verbal social communications published by Newbury House, with editorial guidance by Thomas Sebeok of Indiana University.  Others in the series included Japan, and were to include China.  I have not yet tried to track down subsequent versions or other books in the series, but this one on Brazil was excellent at the time.  Since Brazilian gestures, idiomatic expressions and other details change fairly rapidly, often in response to media such as the popular "novelas" (soap operas) on TV, there would undoubtedly be new details, but the basics should still apply 20 years later.  May be found in university libraries with Portuguese language studies. Phyllis Harrison 1983 Bruce Donnelly
           
cover Brazil

0916562514

A historical novel along similar lines (and length) to what James Michener and others have written elsewhere.  Useful insights into Brazilian history and culture. Errol Lincoln Uys 1986, reprint in 2000 Bruce Donnelly
Mexico and NAFTA            <top> <bottom> Our abstract / comment Author Published Suggested by
    Research in progress to add to this list      
cover Management in Two Cultures: Bridging the Gap Between United States and Mexican Managers

1877864323

  Eva Kras 1995 Bruce Donnelly
Investment in the USA            <top> <bottom> Our abstract / comment Author Published Suggested by
cover Foreign Ownership and the Consequences of Direct Investment in the United States: Beyond Us and Them

156720113X

Professors at the University of South Carolina's business school; analysis of the similarities and differences between US and foreign investors in the US to help guide policy decisions Douglas Woodward, Douglas Nigh 1998 Bruce Donnelly
cover Foreign Direct Investment in the United States (3rd Ed)

0881322040

Institute for International Economics study Edward Graham, Paul Krugman 2001 Bruce Donnelly
cover The Handbook of Joint Venturing

0870947044

Articles contributed by various specialists for US and international joint ventures; Scott Hartz later led PwC Consulting, still has useful insights for those interested in JV's John Carter, Robert Cushman, Scott Hartz 1988, 1989 Bruce Donnelly- formerly employed by PwC, represented their global location consultants
cover Thomas Paine : Collected Works - Common Sense, The Crisis, Rights of Man, The Age of Reason

1883011035

Along with the earlier Common Sense, Paine's writings in Rights of Man and elsewhere are still relevant to an understanding of the era of the American and French revolutions, and his vision of endeavoring through his writings "to conciliate mankind, to render their condition happy, to unite nations that have hitherto been enemies, and to extirpate the world of the horrid practice of war, and break the chains of slavery and oppression".  More than 200 years later, those are still challenging ambitions, but there has been great progress. 

Just as Americans need to better understand the people and cultures of other countries, people who choose to invest or live in the USA, or do business with it, can benefit by understanding views such as these which are deeply rooted in our sense of national purpose.

Thomas Paine 1791-2 ; collection published 1995 Bruce Donnelly
Canada            <top> <bottom> Our abstract / comment Author Published Suggested by
    Research in progress to add to this list      
Central & South America         <top> <bottom> Our abstract / comment Author Published Suggested by
cover The Future of Inter-American Relations (An Inter-American Dialogue Book)

041592216X

Overview of current policy issues Jorge Dominguez 1999 Bruce Donnelly
cover Exiting the Whirlpool : US Foreign Policy Toward Latin America and the Caribbean

0813338115

Despite some bias in favor of the Carter policies during his period of service, this can still provide timely insights into developments in the region in recent years. Robert Pastor 2001 Bruce Donnelly
cover Modern Latin America

0195129962

History of the region Thomas Skidmore, Peter Smith 2000 Bruce Donnelly
cover Latin America Transformed : Globalization and Modernity

0340691654

Moving beyond history to analysis of current trends and issues in the changing development of the region Robert Gwynne, Cristobal Kay 1999 Bruce Donnelly
cover Americas: The Changing Face of Latin America and the Caribbean

0520221818

Lighter overview treatment as companion to a public television series Peter Winn 1999 Bruce Donnelly
cover Talons of the Eagle: Dynamics of U.S.-Latin American Relations

0195129989

Good textbook coverage of the history of relations Peter Smith 1999 Bruce Donnelly
cover Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914

0671244094

Interesting history of an extraordinary project David McCullough 1999 Bruce Donnelly
Surrender in Panama- The Case Against...

not available, which is not very surprising

 

Surrender in Panama : The Case Against The Treaty

0916054578

Once again, books are sometimes interesting in hindsight by showing how people thought and perceived events at one point in history in the midst of a period of change involving unpredictable future scenarios, rather than with the benefit of 20-20 hindsight as a historian.

This 1978 book defined the Republican opposition at the time to the approval of the Panama Canal treaties, with endorsements not only by Ronald Reagan but also by people such as Sen. Orrin Hatch, Paul Laxalt, and Jesse Helms.  It may also be interesting to review other books about the period when the Canal was built, and American foreign policy in that era, which had been more expansionist and militaristic than would likely ever be regarded as politically acceptable in the US today.  It was a very different era worldwide, and US leaders tried to advance US interests as they perceived them at the time, whether or not we agree with benefit of hindsight.

Congressman Philip Crane, with intro. by former Gov. Ronald Reagan (before he became President) 1978 Bruce Donnelly
cover Quantifying Sustainable Development: The Future of Tropical Economies

0123188601

Economic analysis of Costa Rica Charles Hall et. al 2000 Bruce Donnelly
Living in Latin America Living in Latin America : A Case Study in Cross-Cultural Communications

0844293415

Textbook used with foreign language programs, the title is a bit misleading since the focus of the research is mainly about Colombia, but it can still provide some useful insights about living in Latin America. Raymond Gorden 1986 Bruce Donnelly
           
cover Che Guevara, A Revolutionary Life

0802135587

A well rated and more recent study than the one below Jon Lee Anderson 1998 Bruce Donnelly
cover Ché Guevara, A Biography

0815411448

Originally published in 1969, this updated version can provide insights into a legendary figure in the region who had a lasting impact on guerilla movements worldwide, but the author isn't exactly unbiased in his analysis Daniel James 1969, 2001 Bruce Donnelly
           
Note that some of the books may be out of print and unavailable for purchase, but are still listed because copies may be found in major libraries.  There is also a separate section which highlights magazines and professional associations related to this market, as well as governmental sources.  The lists of area representatives for specific countries may also include additional sources of information at the bottom of the lists.

 We may provide links to other sources as appropriate (consultants, US Government publications, United Nations, The World Bank, etc.).  For example, consultants and development agencies may publish major surveys or research reports which are useful, but not available through Amazon.com.

We welcome additional suggestions.  Please note that our intended focus is to find items with enduring or timely insights which can be applied to the needs of corporate executives, professional service providers, or area representatives in this niche of corporate development and investment.

We are not trying to compile a "best-seller" list, or selections which are primarily academic research (analysis without clear application to business decisions), journalistic (superficial, hot news of the moment), or not very objective (unless that bias is important for executives to understand).  This is intended to be a list which makes it easier to find practical "thought leadership" publications quickly and easily for a selective range of topics.

If you wish to contribute your opinions about any of the publications, please do so through the Amazon.com process for book reviews so that others may share your insights and find such resources.  We welcome your comments about the reasoning behind your suggestions to us, or feedback about the appropriateness and practical value of our prior selections from your perspective, but we will not generally publish such comments here. 

If you wish to be identified as the source of a specific suggestion, we can only do that with your explicit permission (name, title, and organization).  Otherwise, we will typically use only a generic identifier to characterize the source, such as "a location consultant", "an M&A advisor", "a CEO", etc.

The presence of a book or other media in this list does not represent an endorsement by us of such materials or their content.  Although this is a selective list, and we may specifically include publications which are contrary to our own views or experience.  Our purpose is simply to make it easier for our many contacts to find useful reference materials and make their own decisions, as we do through our many website listings.

For example, we may disagree with some authors, but respect their research work or their presentation of a different point of view, and feel that users of this website can form and share their own opinions as book reviewers.  We think that professionals in this niche can contribute in a very positive way to important debates on sustainable development, "globalization", urban and rural development, the "brain drain" effect of migration, the impact of transnational corporations on developing countries, technology transfer, intellectual property rights, and other topics related to foreign direct investment and economic development on which there are no easy answers.  If you contribute good book reviews, then other users of Amazon.com can directly benefit from your experience as another professional perspective on these important topics, and perhaps thereby also become aware of your organization if you wish.

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