TLFeBOOK MBA In A Day ® What You Would Learn at Top-Tier Business Schools (If You Only Had the Time!) Steven Stralser, Ph.D. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ffirs.qxd 7/26/04 4:30 PM Page vii TLFeBOOK ffirs.qxd 7/26/04 4:30 PM Page x TLFeBOOK More Praise for MBA In A Day ® “ Steve Stralser is a unique talent. It is unusual to meet people who are both highly professional as well as generous with their knowledge. Not only is Professor Stralser’s advice invaluable for business professionals, but those in the arts who are more focused on their creative endeavors would benefit from reading MBA In A Day ® to help strengthen their business skills.” —Bobi Leonard, CEO, Arcara Enterprises, Inc. “Steve’s book is a valuable asset to anyone needing to avoid the pitfalls of business, be they a small business owner, a physician, a lawyer, or just about anyone who deals with business. Just because you have not had the opportunity to study for a formal MBA, why be at a disadvantage in the business world? In just a few days of quality reading time you will level the playing field. Let your own brainpower do the rest.” —George Reiss, MD, Clinical Instructor, Mayo Clinic; Eye Physician, Phoenix Coyotes Professional Hockey Club “Professor Stralser’s MBA In A Day ® contains insights that are incredibly valuable for any entrepreneur obsessed with success. They provide quick access to sound practical thinking on the real-world business issues most likely to confront the busy start-up entrepreneur.” —Michael Hool, Partner, Rogers & Theobald, LLC; Chairman, Arizona Venture Capital Conference “Steve has an uncanny ability to distill business concepts to their true fundamen- tals without confusing or losing the audience. He also provides user-friendly tem- plates that can help readers begin to improve their knowledge and performance immediately.” —Ed Robinson, Capacity Building Solutions Inc.; TEC Chair, Group 663 “I have personally seen MBA In A Day ® in action. Our company has organized sev- eral live seminars for physicians based on the MBA In A Day ® content. The infor- mation was highly relevant, easily understandable, and highly valued by the participants. Based on this, I believe anyone who reads this book will take away something practical and actionable that will improve their approach to the busi- ness side of their professional careers.” —Sidney Auerbach, RPh, President, Worldwide Healthcare Communications “If you want the knowledge to build your business, whatever your industry, you must understand business. MBA In A Day ® is an essential guide to everyday practi- cal decision making.” —Croom Lawrence, MBA, Senior Marketing Manager, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals ffirs.qxd 7/26/04 4:30 PM Page i TLFeBOOK “Professor Stralser has been teaching MBA principles for years in top-tier business schools. His MBA In A Day ® treatment of these same principles is your ‘gradua- tion’ into the world of business!” —R. Glenn Williamson, Partner, Nest Ventures LLC, providers of early stage financing and equity “You could read this book in a day, but the nonbusiness professional can go back and refer to it every day!” —Barry Moltz, Author, You Need to Be a Little Crazy: The Truth about Starting and Growing Your Business “Easy to read, highly practical, and comprehensive in nature. I highly recommend this book to both experienced and new business owners alike.” —Scott Gabehart, MIM, CBA, Business Valuation Consultant “Professor Stralser has the ability to impart entrepreneurial attitudes and processes. His teachings give one a solid guide to incorporating business techniques into pro- fessional practice. For those who have no business experience, he explains things in understandable terms and for those who understand business, he reinforces what they have been doing all along.” —Martin Blume, DO, MBA, Parkway Medical, PLC “Dr. Stralser has provided physicians with a focused, structured, and comprehen- sive resource for the business side of their practices—an area they have typically managed by trial and error. His book is a valuable tool to help them maintain and grow their bottom line.” —Rick Nevins, MD, FAAFP, President, Nevins & Associates Consulting “Having recently benefited by being a ‘student’ in an MBA In A Day ® seminar, I am looking forward to being able to offer this book to our 2,000+ physician members. MBA In A Day ® will provide our physician members with a quick reference to deal with the practical, business side of medicine they have not yet experienced.” —Beverly Hurt, Executive Vice President, Indianapolis Medical Society “This book is an absolute must-read for anyone who finds that knowledge of busi- ness principles and concepts would be helpful, available here in a concise, clear manner that immediately elevates your expertise in this area.” —Gerald Jacobs, Attorney ffirs.qxd 7/26/04 4:30 PM Page ii TLFeBOOK “This book is a must for any type of entrepreneur who has become successful to a certain point using ‘street skills’ and deep knowledge of an industry combined with a unique idea. The MBA fundamentals made real by Professor Stralser in his new book will provide a handy tool kit that will enlighten and empower the reader to take his or her organization successfully beyond the start-up phase into sustainable growth.” —Stephen Lindstrom, Co-founder, Behcon, Inc., medical practice owners and managers; Adjunct Instructor, McGuire Entrepreneurship Program, University of Arizona “MBA In A Day ® contains insightful and applicable information to anyone inter- ested in running a business, or already doing so. As the president of a young, growing company, I found that the fundamental concepts addressed in the book not only complemented my practical experience, but also provided a helpful, sup- plementary education in important business principles.” —Alison Chozen, Entrepreneur and President, Sterling Truffle Bar; Co-founder, Mosaic Event Management “As an advanced-practice nurse, I highly recommend Dr. Stralser’s book as an es- sential road map on how to navigate today’s complex health-care terrain. As more nurses are looking beyond hospitals and exploring entrepreneurship, they will find the fundamentals of business explained here. A must-read.” —Carol E. Heiser, RN, MA, ND (Clinical Nursing Doctorate), Clinical Education Specialist, Immersion Medical, Inc. “MBA In A Day ® has proven to be as essential in my daily practice as my stethoscope. I wish I had had Professor Stralser’s book when I started my medical practice.” —Robert S. Knight, MD, FAAFP, Medical Director, Plumtree Family Health Center, LLC “Professor Stralser’s book is an easy-to-understand guide about business for busy professionals whose intense professional training missed important topics like marketing, accounting, finance, and management.” —Quinn Williams, Chair, Emerging Business and Venture Capital Group, Greenberg Traurig, LLP “In advising clients, I often get the sense that they do not have a good grasp of how to manage their businesses or employees. Professor Stralser’s book is a straightforward and invaluable primer that will assist readers in the development and management of their businesses.” —Charles S. Mishkind, Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC ffirs.qxd 7/26/04 4:30 PM Page iii TLFeBOOK “Dr. Stralser’s book, MBA In A Day ® , provides a practical guide to understanding basic business concepts. This valuable resource offers hands-on training for the development of the skills needed to manage a small business or practice, such as marketing and promotion, financial management, leadership skills, and informa- tion technology, to name a few. A surefire way to build your business!” —Christine Mauro, Vice President, EURO RSCG Advertising & Public Relations “We spend years and years to train in our profession, yet often miss important concepts we need to succeed. Professor Stralser’s MBA In A Day ® is a must for any professional, entrepreneur, or business owner who wants to succeed in an in- creasingly complex world!” —Steven F. Isenberg, MD “What was once taught only in MBA courses is now found in Dr. Stralser’s book, which gives small business owners and entrepreneurs the tools and strategies to take their businesses to the next level.” —Kristin A. Donaldson, Vice President of Small Business, Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce “Professor Stralser has been teaching MBA principles for years in top-tier business schools. His MBA In A Day ® is practical and succinct, yet broad in scope and well referenced—highly recommended.” —John Hensing, MD, Senior Vice President, Care Management and Quality, Banner Health “Though I have developed significant, valuable expertise in the counseling profes- sion after 20 years as the executive director of a nonprofit treatment center, the greatest challenge I have faced is from the lack of basic business skills not taught in our graduate programs. Everyone who has excelled from direct practice to man- agement positions should do themselves an enormous favor and purchase this easy-to-read guide to effective management of any business! It is without a doubt my new, frequently used management resource manual.” —Stephanie Orr, Executive Director, CASA “As a practicing attorney, I moved into a management position in a midsized law firm. I could have used MBA In A Day ® as it would have been incredibly valuable in understanding and applying basic concepts to aid me in making our law prac- tice more successful.” —Mort Scult, Partner, Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP ffirs.qxd 7/26/04 4:30 PM Page iv TLFeBOOK MBA In A Day ® ffirs.qxd 7/26/04 4:30 PM Page v TLFeBOOK ffirs.qxd 7/26/04 4:30 PM Page vi TLFeBOOK MBA In A Day ® What You Would Learn at Top-Tier Business Schools (If You Only Had the Time!) Steven Stralser, Ph.D. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ffirs.qxd 7/26/04 4:30 PM Page vii TLFeBOOK [...]... in Seattle, Washington Suchi Patel, MBA, is a strategy consultant in Phoenix, Arizona Allison Kaiser, MBA, is a marketing strategist for Kick-Start Marketing in the Bay Area, in Northern California Rachel Neft, MBAIM, is a marketing strategist in Phoenix, Arizona I also want to acknowledge the collective great work of my partners in bringing MBA In A Day to publication To Rick Frishman at Planned... Cataloging -in- Publication Data: Stralser, Steven, 19 45– MBA in a day : what you would learn at top-tier business schools (if you only had the time!) / Steven Stralser p cm ISBN 0-4 71- 68054-0 (cloth) 1 Business education 2 Industrial management—Study and teaching (Graduate) 3 Master of business administration degree I Title HF 111 1.S77 2004 658—dc22 2004007668 Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6... FINANCE, AND ACCOUNTING Chapter 6 Accounting and Finance 97 Chapter 7 International, National, and Local Economics 12 4 SECTION III: MARKETS AND STRATEGY Chapter 8 Marketing, Strategy, and Competitive Analysis 14 5 Chapter 9 Advertising and Promotion 17 0 Chapter 10 Communications and Presentations 18 7 SECTION IV: SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES Chapter 11 Project Management 211 Chapter 12 Management Information Systems... that produces exceptional managers and leaders of global business and enterprise Lenora E Peppers, MBA- IM, the team leader, is managing director of Kick-Start Marketing in Phoenix, Arizona Arthur Holcombe, MBA, is associate director of the Corporate Executive Board, Washington, D.C Ronald J Greene, MBA, is a business analyst living in Phoenix, Arizona Jaxon Ravens, MBA, is a political consultant in. .. Chapter 6, “Accounting and Finance,” explores the way we keep score in business, providing the essentials of accounting systems and financial statements Chapter 7, “International, National, and Local Economics,” provides a vocabulary of economic fundamentals to understand how nations, corporations, and individuals behave in markets to efficiently apply and allocate scarce resources and make their way... Michigan, where he taught marketing and marketing strategy He holds a BS in marketing from the University of Arizona and an MBA from Arizona State University He is currently Clinical Professor and Managing Director of the Global Entrepreneurship Center at Thunderbird: The Garvin School of International Management During fall 19 99, he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar, teaching marketing management in the MBA. .. strategies and maintain competitiveness and sustainability Chapter 11 , “Project Management,” explains how managers can tackle specific projects from start to finish and efficiently manage them In Chapter 12 , “Management Information Systems,” we explore the increasingly important essentials of today’s cyber-environment and how technology can be harnessed to achieve organizational excellence Chapter 13 ,... an organizational setting Chapter 3, “Leadership and Team Building,” explores the differences between managing and leading and presents concepts behind the effective use of teams as a means to achieve organizational goals Chapter 4, “Ethics,” focuses on the complexities and issues that managers face in doing the right thing in an increasingly ambiguous and uncertain organizational environment Chapter... Initial Capital letters Readers, however, should contact the appropriate companies for more complete information regarding trademarks and registration Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at www.Wiley.com Library of Congress Cataloging -in- Publication... changes in the market that will impact the organization’s future? 4 What changes in staffing requirements, if any, are needed to support the strategic vision of the organization? 5 If changes are needed within the organization, what type of resistance can be expected to the changes? Once these questions are answered, assessing the staffing requirements can be completed Assessing the staffing plans involves . www.Wiley.com. Library of Congress Cataloging -in- Publication Data: Stralser, Steven, 19 45– MBA in a day ® : what you would learn at top-tier business schools (if you only had the time!) / Steven Stralser. p Healthcare Communications “If you want the knowledge to build your business, whatever your industry, you must understand business. MBA In A Day ® is an essential guide to everyday practi- cal. 6, “Accounting and Finance,” explores the way we keep score in business, providing the essentials of accounting systems and financial statements. Chapter 7, “International, National, and Local