How the science of unselfish behavior can promote law, order, and prosperity Contemporary law and public policy often treat human beings as selfish creatures who respond only to punishments and rewards. Yet every day we behave unselfishly—few of us mug the elderly or steal the paper from our neighbor's yard, and many of us go out of our way to help strangers. We nevertheless overlook our own good behavior and fixate on the bad things people do and how we can stop them. In this pathbreaking book, acclaimed law and economics scholar Lynn Stout argues that this focus neglects the crucial role our better impulses could play in society. Rather than lean on the power of greed to shape laws and human behavior, Stout contends that we should rely on the force of conscience. Stout makes the compelling case that conscience is neither a rare nor quirky phenomenon, but a vital force woven into our daily lives. Drawing from social psychology, behavioral economics, and evolutionary biology, Stout demonstrates how social cues—instructions from authorities, ideas about others' selfishness and unselfishness, and beliefs about benefits to others—have a powerful role in triggering unselfish behavior. Stout illustrates how our legal system can use these social cues to craft better laws that encourage more unselfish, ethical behavior in many realms, including politics and business. Stout also shows how our current emphasis on self-interest and incentives may have contributed to the catastrophic political missteps and financial scandals of recent memory by encouraging corrupt and selfish actions, and undermining society's collective moral compass. This book proves that if we care about effective laws and civilized society, the powers of conscience are simply too important for us to ignore.
Corporations have a huge influence on the life of every citizen—this book offers a visionary but practical plan to give every citizen a say in how corporations are run while also gaining some supplemental income. It lays out a clear approach that uses the mechanisms of the private market to hold corporations accountable to the public. This would happen through the creation of what the authors call the Universal Fund, a kind of national, democratic, mega mutual fund. Every American over eighteen would be entitled to a share and would participate in directing its share voting choices. Corporations and wealthy individuals would donate stocks, bonds, cash, or other assets to the fund just like they do to other philanthropic ventures now. The fund would pay out dividends to its citizen-shareholders that would grow as the fund grows. The Universal Fund is undoubtedly a big idea, but it is also eminently practical: it uses the tools of capitalism, not government, to give all citizens a direct influence on corporate actions. It would be a major institutional investor beholden not to a small elite group of stockholders pushing for short-term gain but to everyone. The fund would reward corporations that made sure their actions didn't harm people, communities, and the environment, and it would enable them to invest in innovations that would take more than a few months to pay off. Which is another reason corporations would donate to the fund—they could be freed from the constant pressure to maximize their quarterly share price and would essentially be subsidized for doing good. The authors demonstrate that our current economic rules force corporations to be shortsighted and even destructive because for most large investors, nothing matters but share price. The Universal Fund is designed to be a powerful positive balancing force, making the world a better place and the United States a better nation.
An authoritative and practical guide to business ethics, written in an accessible-question-and answer format In today's turbulent business climate, business ethics are more important than ever. Surveys of employees show that misconduct is on the rise. Cover stories reporting indictments, prosecutions, and penalties imposed for unethical business conduct appear almost daily. Legislatures pass requirements elevating the levels of punishment and their enforcement against corporations and individuals. Organizations face pressure to design and implement effective ethics and compliance programs. As a result, businesses and businesspeople are increasingly worried that their conduct might cross lines that put their wealth and reputations at risk. Business Ethics: What Everyone Needs to Know (R) explains what those lines are, how not to cross them, and what to do when they are crossed. Written for both businesspeople facing real-life dilemmas and students studying ethical questions, this succinct book uniquely surveys materials from moral philosophy, behavioral science, and corporate law, and shares practical advice. Experts J.S. Nelson and Lynn A. Stout cover a wide array of essential topics including the legal status of corporations, major ethical traps in modern business, negotiations, whistleblowing and liability, and best practices. Written in a short question-and-answer style, this resource provides engaging and readable introductions to the basic principles of business ethics, and an invaluable guide for dealing with ethical dilemmas.
In this fast-paced adventure, Nye delivers a rousing story set in a marvelous world of magic and danger. I've always wondered what "The Hobbit" might have been like if Bilbo had been a girl . . . now I know.--Ed Greenwood.
An in-depth look at the trouble with shareholder value thinking and at better options for models of corporate purpose. Executives, investors, and the business press routinely chant the mantra that corporations are required to “maximize shareholder value.” In this pathbreaking book, renowned corporate expert Lynn Stout debunks the myth that corporate law mandates shareholder primacy. Stout shows how shareholder value thinking endangers not only investors but the rest of us as well, leading managers to focus myopically on short-term earnings; discouraging investment and innovation; harming employees, customers, and communities; and causing companies to indulge in reckless, sociopathic, and irresponsible behaviors. And she looks at new models of corporate purpose that better serve the needs of investors, corporations, and society. “A must-read for managers, directors, and policymakers interested in getting America back in the business of creating real value for the long term.” —Constance E. Bagley, professor, Yale School of Management; president, Academy of Legal Studies in Business; and author of Managers and the Legal Environment and Winning Legally “A compelling call for radically changing the way business is done... The Shareholder Value Myth powerfully demonstrates both the dangers of the shareholder value rule and the falseness of its alleged legal necessity.” —Joel Bakan, professor, The University of British Columbia, and author of the book and film The Corporation “Lynn Stout has a keen mind, a sharp pen, and an unbending sense of fearlessness. Her book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the root causes of the current financial calamity.” —Jack Willoughby, senior editor, Barron’s “Lynn Stout offers a new vision of good corporate governance that serves investors, firms, and the American economy.” —Judy Samuelson, executive director, Business and Society Program, The Aspen Institute
Squires (English, Virginia Tech) and Talbot (Spanish, Roanoke College) collected Frieda Laurence's letters for years before realizing that they could add considerable insight to a biography of her famous writer husband. The result, though focusing on him, turned out to be a biography of them as a couple, pulling her out from his shadow. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
A new star is rising in the fantasy firmament...teems with magic and spine-chilling amounts of skullduggery."–Dave Duncan, author of The Great Game When young Alec of Kerry is taken prisoner for a crime he didn’t commit, he is certain that his life is at an end. But one thing he never expected was his cellmate. Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things–none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them. Soon Alec is traveling roads he never knew existed, toward a war he never suspected was brewing. Before long he and Seregil are embroiled in a sinister plot that runs deeper than either can imagine, and that may cost them far more than their lives if they fail. But fortune is as unpredictable as Alec’s new mentor, and this time there just might be…Luck in the Shadows.
TOURISTS RUSH IN WHERE DREAMERS FEAR TO TREAD . . . Where does your mind go when you fall asleep? To the Dreamland, where seven Sleepers dream the ever-changing landscape drawn by the trillions of sleeping minds from the Waking World. Where form follows function, so a hovel today may be a castle or a cave tomorrow. Where the people battle nightmares with only the strength of their will and sanity. Chuck Meadows is a Visitor from the Waking World, on an astral vision quest around the Dreamland. He has come on this arduous and dangerous journey to the Dreamland in hope of discovering the reason for the deep misery of his soul. With the aid of his spirit guide, Keir, the other members of the group, and the Dreamlanders he will meet along the way, he has to solve the puzzle before it literally tears him apart. But not all Dreamlanders are eager to assist Chuck on his quest. There is an element lurking throughout the land that resents the Visitors and all they stand for. They hate the intrusion by Waking minds into their realm. They are furious that Visitors wield almost limitless influence while they have nothing. They intend to send a message back to the Waking world to leave them alone forever. The leader of the conspiracy is waiting only for the right moment to strike. He has a secret weapon that no one, Dreamlanders or Waking Worlders, can withstand. Chuck and his companions are unaware of the doom that awaits them¾but they have unseen allies as well as enemies. Chuck must learn the truth about them and about himself before it is too late. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). _Theres plenty of entertaining satire throughout . . . [with] humor and unusual setting.Ó ¾Locus _The entire premise is fun . . . reads a lot like Piers Anthonys Xanth series. Nye . . . is an author to watch.Ó ¾Kliatt
Following the success of their first recipe collection, the Clandestine Cake Club is back with a second delicious helping. Inspired by the most cake-worthy moments throughout the year, founder Lynn Hill and her army of Cake Club members have compiled 100 gorgeous recipes to whet your appetite and get you celebrating. Arranged month by month, you'll find cakes to suit all the best-known dates in the calendar - such as Christmas, Mother's Day, Easter and Halloween - plus countless other occasions that deserve to be celebrated, from international holidays (Chinese New Year, Thanksgiving) and religious festivals (Diwali, Mardi Gras) to major sporting events (Wimbledon, the London Marathon) and the birthdays of iconic figures, including Shakespeare, Elvis Presley and the Queen - not forgetting the queen of baking, Mary Berry! Whether you fancy rocking out at Glastonbury, shaking your stuff at the Notting Hill Carnival, tapping your feet to the Last Night of the Proms, or smelling the roses at the Chelsea Flower Show, there's a recipe here to get the party started. The cakes themselves hail from far and wide: some feel homegrown - such as Toffee Apple Gingerbread, Rhubarb Crumble & Custard Cake, and Strawberry Pimm's Cake - while others promise a taste of the exotic - Chocolate Key Lime Cake, Persimmon, Yogurt & Pecan Cake, and Matcha Chiffon Cake. Club members love to innovate, offering up such temptations as Sea Salted Caramel Cake, Passionfruit Caipirinha Cake, and Canadian Maple Syrup & Bacon Cake. Each recipe is served up with a little slice of history, revealing the curious traditions behind the cakes and intriguing stories about the occasions that inspired them. Accompanied by gorgeously styled photographs, this book gives every cake-lover a reason to celebrate.
A second chance, secret identity, enemies to lovers, military protector romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Lynn Raye Harris. Disgraced. Hunted. On the run. Colonel John “Viper” Mendez is having a bad day. Accused of using the Hostile Operations Team to assassinate a foreign official, he’s gone from respected military commander to fugitive in the space of an hour. On the run, hunted, and stripped of his honor, Mendez vows to uncover the truth. Russian spy Ekaterina “Kat” Kasharin is a carbon copy of the woman Mendez loved and lost twenty years ago. Kat claims to be her twin - but Valentina never mentioned a twin. Though Mendez doesn’t trust the deadly beauty, she’s the only one willing to help clear his name. Working together is strictly business. Until the attraction between them reaches the boiling point. When long-buried secrets finally emerge, the fallout will shatter everything Mendez believes in. But when danger stalks closer than ever, he’ll have to make a choice. Forgive the mistakes of the past. Or watch history repeat itself… **Start reading the Hostile Operations Team Series - Strike Team 1 today and enjoy an action-packed, seriously romantic and steamy-good-fun military romantic suspense. Each book can be read as a standalone. No cliffhangers or cheating and a guaranteed happily-ever-after ending! KEYWORDS: Military romance, Navy SEAL romance, romantic suspense, alpha hero, action romance, romance suspense, protector romance, on the road, redemption, forbidden love, secret baby, disguise, enemies to lovers, accidental pregnancy, reunion, tortured hero, tortured heroine, mistaken identity, office romance, revenge, secrets, Military romance, alpha hero, action romance, protector hero, road trip, redemption, forbidden love, secret baby, disguise, enemies to lovers, accidental pregnancy, reunion, tortured hero, tortured heroine, mistaken identity, office romance, revenge, secrets, workplace romance, faked death, forced proximity, later in life, partners in fighting crime, second chance, shared pasts, starting over, betrayal, tragic past
Two Amish Stories of Finding Love at Christmastime A Hope Springs Christmas by Patricia Davids Amish widow Sarah Wyse doesn’t see wedding bells in her future. Still, she can’t think of a better way to spend the Christmas season than helping her handsome shy neighbor Levi Beachy find a wife. But once the single ladies of Hope Springs start visiting his buggy shop, Levi sends the town’s eligible men Sarah’s way. Neither expects to find love, but they just might mend each other’s broken heart. Amish Christmas Abduction by Dana R. Lynn After catching a glimpse of something she wasn’t supposed to see days before Christmas, Irene Martello is run off the road and barely survives. More shocking is the whimper from the back seat of an Amish toddler stowaway. Police chief Paul Kennedy fears Irene stumbled onto a kidnapping ring with two dangerous agendas: retrieving the girl and silencing the witness for good. And now only Paul can keep them safe for the holidays.
Clare Keane is fourteen years old when her mother dies of pneumonia in the tenement room they share in turn-of-the-century Cork, Ireland. Left with two younger brothers, her closest family thousands of miles away in St. Paul, Minnesota, Clare begins a dangerous journey that takes her from Cork through the port of Queenstown to Ellis Island, New York, and finally St. Paul. Rich in historical detail, Clare allows the reader to live the sights, sounds, and smells of a 1906 journey of immigration.
A Truly Yours Digital Edition. . .After a life of indentured sevitude and abuse, Katherine O'Leary longs for a place of her own. And especially when Shelton Greene invades her heart. Her history is fully of darkness; how could the son of her former owner love her after he learns the truth? Shelton Green has loved Katherine since he was sixteen, but she's as skittish as a wild mare. He knows only time and gentleness will bring her around to trust him. But his father's gambling has destroyed his family's reputation, and Shelton must find a way to restore it. When Shelton's parents arrive, the past flares up and sends Katherine deeper inside herself. Will Shelton's family obligations keep Katherine from believing she's worthy of love? Could the peaceful place she longs for be by his side?
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