Business & Economics

The stuff you really need to know about how the economy works? It’s pretty simple. Yes, even if you were bored to tears in economics class, or if you’re cross-eyed from reading painfully convoluted—or straight-up misguided—financial commentary. In this particularly disorienting era, many have turned to a young economic analyst named Kyla Scanlon for answers.

Now, Scanlon is writing a definitive, approachable guide to the key concepts and mechanics of economics and the most common myths and fallacies to steer clear of. Through her trademark blend of creative analogies, clever illustrations, refreshingly lucid language—and even quotes from poetry, literature, and philosophy—she answers questions such as:

• What is Fed cred, Fed flexing, and Fedspeak?
• Is our national debt really a threat?
• What is a “mild” recession, exactly?
• If you’re thinking about quitting your job, what economic indicators should you be keeping tabs on?

At a time when experts overcomplicate simple things loudly, choosing to generate smoke rather than clearing the air, In This Economy? shows that understanding the markets—and the systems they operate in—is easier than you think. Whether you’re worried about your mortgage rate, job security, bank account balance, or the health of the broader economy, this concise and witty guide will give you the confidence to make smarter financial decisions—no matter what the headlines say.

The Age of Prediction is about two powerful, and symbiotic, trends: the rapid development and use of artificial intelligence and big data to enhance prediction, as well as the often paradoxical effects of these better predictions on our understanding of risk and the ways we live. Beginning with dramatic advances in quantitative investing and precision medicine, this book explores how predictive technology is quietly reshaping our world in fundamental ways, from crime fighting and warfare to monitoring individual health and elections.

As prediction grows more robust, it also alters the nature of the accompanying risk, setting up unintended and unexpected consequences. The Age of Prediction details how predictive certainties can bring about complacency or even an increase in risks—genomic analysis might lead to unhealthier lifestyles or a GPS might encourage less attentive driving. With greater predictability also comes a degree of mystery, and the authors ask how narrower risks might affect markets, insurance, or risk tolerance generally. Can we ever reduce risk to zero? Should we even try? This book lays an intriguing groundwork for answering these fundamental questions and maps out the latest tools and technologies that power these projections into the future, sometimes using novel, cross-disciplinary tools to map out cancer growth, people’s medical risks, and stock dynamics.

Leading companies invest a lot of resources into competitive intelligence, so why are they still caught off guard by the actions and reactions of their competitors?

In Inside the Competitor’s Mindset, John Horn shares proven techniques to help businesses think like the competition and understand why they act the way they do. The keys to unlocking this mindset are cognitive empathy and a strategic approach to competitive insight that focuses on the “why” of a competitor’s move, and not just on “what happened.”

Inside the Competitor’s Mindset presents a systematic approach to competitive intelligence that starts with three frameworks to get inside the competitor’s mindset, predict their reactions to your moves, and assess whether the competition is getting ready for a spontaneous move of their own. Horn also demonstrates the importance of collecting forward-looking, predictive data; explains how to use war games, Black Hat exercises, mock negotiations, and premortems to build competitive insight; and makes the case for creating a dedicated competitive insight function within the organization.

When every move matters, staying a step ahead of the competition is critical. Inside the Competitor’s Mindset prepares leaders from any industry to be ready when it is time to act (and react) in the competitive market.