Last minute gifts to impress your parents!

by | Dec 20, 2011 | Current Students

Just a couple of days away from Christmas and still needing a gift or two for your parents or family members? What about one of these books? You’ll look like a super smart and thoughtful college student! We asked Dr. Mark Phillips, Assistant Professor, Management, for his top recommendations:

1. Drive by Daniel Pink. Pay higher wages, get more work, right? Actually, for most of the work we care about today that relationship is absolutely wrong. Learn how we’ve messed up both our employees and our students by tying their pay to their performance.

2.Super Freakonomics by Levitt & Dubner. What do realtors, prostitutes, terrorists, and Al Gore have in common? If you thought economics was hideously dull….well, you were right, BUT this book demonstrates how even the “dismal science” can be hilariously entertaining.

3. Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy by Lindstrom and Underhill.

Ask people what they want and they’ll tell you, but put them in a brain scanner and ask them and you’ll find out what they really think. See how modern technology is helping marketers learn why we buy (and why we lie about it).

4. Steve Jobs by Isaacson. This brutally honest look at Steve Jobs and his rise/fall/rise is an amazing examination of the guy that everyone wants to buy from but only the self-abusive want to work for. If you remember back when the Mac 128k was the coolest thing on the planet (or even if you don’t) you’ll enjoy this portrait of the guy who created it.