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Book – ‘Productivity Knowhow Revisited’

  • This book provides the basic knowhow that all managers need if they want to make big productivity improvements

  • Unlike other business books, the entire productivity improvement process is covered, from selecting the right measures and setting good targets through to conducting special improvement projects, both finding and implementing solutions – whilst also continuously improving anywhere, any how, at any time

  • Based on the experience of many top-class management consultants and their knowledge of ‘what works’, the style of the book is very different in that it makes extensive use of bullet points, diagrams and colour – and minimal management-speak to make it easy to read and understand, and later refer to

  • You can buy it securely online via the PayPal button below

  • You don’t need a PayPal account to purchase – just select ‘Confirm  in a different way’ on the PayPal checkout page to pay with a debit or credit card

£15.00 including UK Mainland P&P

  • Size: A5

  • Number of pages: 280

  • First published 2016 / Revised 2022

Please contact us to order and for shipping costs to Europe and Worldwide.

Kind Comments Received:

  • Errol Babington, KPMG, London, UK – “Very different, very readable, very useful”
  • Tim Battle, CEO, Rational House, London, UK – “Essential for my various train journeys – full of sound common sense on a subject that deserves attention, particularly in the state sector – you should be proud of it”
  • Peter Davenport, Director of Lemarne Corporation, Australia – “Very comprehensive”
  • Mike Davies – Winchester University Business School – “Not only does the latest version of your book highlight the benefits of increased productivity to companies and nations but it provides practical guides on how to achieve this – it is really a general manager’s guide to running a successful enterprise – Congratulations!”
  • Jenni Harrison, Senior Editor, UK – “Very well researched and authoritative – a great book that will be informative and instructive to anyone looking to improve productivity, or even just their knowledge of productivity in business”
  • Terry Leahy, CEO, Tesco PLC, UK – “A lot of practical insights”
  • Carla O’Dell, President of American Productivity and Quality Council, USA – “I wish you all the best in spreading the productivity message – do keep us posted”
  • Roger O’Neil, Chairman, Mobil UK, London – “You first produced a handbook on how to follow best practice in every phase of business, even as an investor – I liked the way you did it – and your revised book is better – shorter is more effective – I was especially interested in national productivity given the continuous chorus of voices emphasising that Britain cannot progress without it, yet not being able to explain what was wrong and how to fix it – your chapter, as rewritten, helps understand the problem, and points out the flaws both in the concept of its importance and in how to measure it – and, in rereading the chapter, I am struck again at the recommendations on what governments can do – you make it clear – if we ever needed clarity on that, it is now as the UK pours money into politically necessary but unproductive spending”
  • PAPA – Pan Africa Productivity Association – “A wonderful, user-friendly book”
  • Bill Poulter, PA colleague, London, UK – “Vast amount of good stuff – must have taken ages – love the quotes at the bottom of each page”
  • Ray Soper, McKinsey & Co and Venture capitalist, Sydney, Australia – “Impressive – lots of valuable information and concepts”
  • Lionel Titman, PA colleague, Slovenia – “Great – well done to you”
  • A successful business school graduate – “If I’d had this book available, I’d have got a first”

Book – Comments received

Errol Babington, KPMG, London, UK – “Very different, very readable, very useful” Tim Battle, CEO, Rational House, London, UK – “Congratulations, a wealth of interesting and useful facts to be mined – essential for my various train journeys – full of sound common sense on a subject that deserves attention, particularly in the state sector – …

Book – Contents

‘PRODUCTIVITY KNOWHOW REVISITED’ – Contents: Productivity overall: Why productivity – the panacea for growth Why so important for people, organisations, nations Current management views Scope to improve: Distribution of productivity levels The ‘S’ curve Scope per sector The Productivity Revolution: Evolution of revolutions Agricultural, Industrial, Service, Communication revolutions Globalisation, Knowledge, Leisure revolutions Productivity Drivers: Management …

Book – Official review

By Martin Wadsworth, a senior manager: Dick Smythe is extremely well placed to write such an erudite text. His early career was in the steel industry, with OR, planning and cost reduction becoming his speciality. Moving into consultancy, he homed in on productivity, being highly regarded for his “feet on the ground” approach to such …

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