Economic DataBlog™ .com Economic Data Blog

While we are working on this new section you can browse the reading list below.

In his highly political treatise, Lakoff examines the role that language plays in shaping our perceptions of the world, and our interpretations of the stories we hear. Using political discourse from recent campaigns, he identifies the guiding metaphors that determine how Republicans and Democrats communicate – and their implications for garnering voter support. The book is a useful guide for those seeking to understand how their own opinions are shaped, and for those seeking to shape the opinions of others.

Using straightforward language, Lecompte and Schensul introduce readers to the field of ethnography. The book offers practical how-tos as well as the theoretical foundation underlying ethnographic processes and techniques.

Michael Schrage argues that companies need “serious play” to help them visualize and prototype new ideas and innovations. He lays out rules for success for companies seeking to incorporate serious play into their business processes.

A classic manual of qualitative research, Analyzing Social Settings provides how-to approaches for qualitative data collection and analysis. The authors introduce these techniques in a step-by-step manner, making it a useful guide for those seeking to conduct qualitative research studies.

Natural Capitalism, written by members of environmental think tank the Rocky Mountain Institute, argues that business and environmental interests are not diametrically opposed. The authors present case studies and to demonstrate that environmentally friendly practices can actually help grow revenues, minimize costs, and increase available jobs.

The Long Tail is a powerful new force in our economy: the rise of the niche. As the cost of reaching consumers drops dramatically, our markets are shifting from a one-size-fits-all model of mass appeal to one of unlimited variety for unique tastes. From supermarket shelves to advertising agencies, the ability to offer vast choice is changing everything, and causing us to rethink where our markets lie and how to get to them. Unlimited selection is revealing truths about what consumers want and how they want to get it, from DVDs at Netflix to songs on iTunes to advertising on Google.

Gladwell draws upon cutting edge neuroscience and psychology to explore the complexity of snap decisions. A master storyteller, he pieces apart our “adaptive conscious” by looking at social experiments in marriage, speed dating, selling cars, heart attack triage and military simulations.