When young Devon is forbidden from marrying his beloved by the Elders of the agrarian Cypress Corners community, he begins to question not only their authority, but why the sky is metal and the ground is not, and other troubling questions.

The quality management revolution has resulted in considerable trial and error as well as frustration. Here is a book that explores why many management trends don't translate into process improvement. It recommends establishing a condition of "rationality" as a guide and measure for all organizational and quality improvement efforts. Instead of imposing radical new "breakthroughs", Phoenix Without the Ashes: Achieving Organizational Excellence Through Common Sense Management suggests an approach that fits with the normal routines and operations of an organization in a way that makes sense. Part One of this text discusses the nature of common sense, and of quality as a condition of organizational excellence. In Part Two, the elements that negatively affect quality improvement are explained from an operating management perspective. Part Three looks at the impediments to improvement set by organizational structures. Part Four discusses the relationship among leadership, motivation, and organizational excellence, and Part Five suggests a rational strategy for effective, enduring organizational improvement. Managers in every industry will benefit from the information provided in Phoenix Without the Ashes.

When young Devon is forbidden from marrying his beloved by the Elders of the agrarian Cypress Corners community, he begins to question not only their authority, but why the sky is metal and the ground is not, and other troubling questions.

This collection is a representative set of ten of the key papers which Thomas Greenfield, arguably the doyen of contemporary theories of educational administration, has published over the last twenty years. His writings as they appear are eagerly sought after and studied by scholars, students and practitioners in Britain and across the English-speaking world, but are not always readibly available individually. The collection charts the development of Greenfield's views of social reality as human invention, and explores strands of argument on the nature of knowledge, on admininstrative theory and research, on values, on the limits of science and the importance of human subjectivity, truth and reality. The volume is concluded by a discussion between Greenfield and Peter Ribbins, which reflects on Greenfield's career and elaborates on the range of his complex and often controversial ideas.

Arising triumphantly from the ashes of its predecessor, the phoenix has been an enduring symbol of resilience and renewal for thousands of years. But how did this mythical bird become so famous that it has played a part in cultures around the world and throughout human history? How much of its story do we actually know? Here to offer a comprehensive biography and engaging (un)natural history of the phoenix is Joseph Nigg, esteemed expert on otherworldly creatures from dragons to gryphons to sea monsters. Beginning in ancient Egypt and traveling around the globe and through the centuries, Nigg's vast and sweeping narrative takes readers on a brilliant tour of the cross-cultural lore of this famous, yet little-known, immortal bird. This entertaining and informative look at the life and transformation of the phoenix will be the authoritative source for anyone fascinated by folklore and mythology, re-igniting our curiosity about one of myth's greatest beasts.

The book discusses sustainability and law in a multifaceted way. Together, sustainability and law are an emerging challenge for research and science. This volume contributes through an interdisciplinary concept to its further exploration. The contributions explore this exciting domain with innovative ideas and replicable approaches. It combines a variety of authors, from both the public and the private sectors, and thereby guarantees a broad view that enshrines the more theoretical arguments from the academic side as well as stronger practical applicable perspectives. The book provides space for thoughtful expansions of established theories as well as the hopeful emergence of innovative ideas. Moreover, the combination of three to five contributions into the eleven parts respectively aims toward a compression of like minded thoughts. This should lead to an intensification of exchange of viewpoints from different angles on a similar theme. Readers therefore also have the opportunity to concentrate on single chapters, but receive comprised knowledge and a variety of thoughts for new ideas on a particular theme.