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Unleashing Change: A Study of Organizational Renewal in Government  by Steven Kelman, Brookings Institution Press, 2005, 308 pages, $29.95 (paperback), ISBN-13: 978-0-8157-4899-1, ISBN-10: 0-8157-4899-X

Using acquisition reform as a test case, Kelman—the Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy from 1994 to 1997 and the leader of that era’s acquisition reform movement—marshals survey data and multiple regression analysis to show that organizational change is a political process. He argues that there is a "change vanguard" in every organization which is discontented with the status quo and that leaders can use them to recruit others and to form a movement large enough to overcome organizational inertia and opposition.

Reviewed by Vernon J. Edwards.  Please see review inside.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Project Management, 2d ed. by Sunny Baker, Ph.D. and Kim E. Baker; Alpha Books, 2000; 404 pages, $18.95 (paperback); ISBN 0-02-863920-0

Project Management for Dummies,
by Stanley E. Portny; Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2001; 350 pages, $21.99 (paperback); ISBN 0-7645-5283-X

One of the big management developments of the last decade was the growing interest in project management.  Acquisition professionals have much to gain by learning at least the rudiments of project management, and these two books are a good place to start the learning process. Contracting officers as business managers? Here’s a good place to start.

Reviewed by Vernon J. Edwards.  Please see review inside.

Protecting Your Company’s Intellectual Property: A Practical Guide to Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents & Trademarks  Deborah E. Bouchoux; AMACOM, 2001; 261 pages, $29.95 (hardcover); ISBN 0-8144-0601-7

Patent, Copyright & Trademark: An Intellectual Property Desk Reference, 4th ed.  Stephen Elias and Richard Stim; Nolo, 2001; 496 pages, $34.95 (paper); ISBN 0-87337-601-3

Web & Software Development: A Legal Guide, 3d ed.  Stephen Fishman; Nolo, 2002; 400+ pages, $44.95 (paper); ISBN 0-87337-645-5

Most acquisition practitioners have neither the time nor the wherewithal to become steeped in intellectual property law or in government policies about patent rights, data rights and copyrights.  Practitioners should understand certain basic concepts of intellectual property law so that they can grasp the issues, ask the right questions, and understand the answers. What they need is an affordable primer about intellectual property, and here are three books that fit that bill.

Reviewed by Vernon J. Edwards.  Please see review inside.

Business:  The Ultimate Resource  Perseus Publishing, 2002; 2,172 pages, $59.95; ISBN 0-7382-0242-8

A comprehensive one-volume business reference of information and advice written by more than 200 contributors who are practitioners, consultants, or academics.  

Reviewed by Vernon J. Edwards.  Please see review inside.

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