The Economist Books

For nearly thirty years, Pocket World in Figures has been the indispensable handbook on the state of the world. Where else would you find out, in a single volume, that Zambia is the most entrepreneurial country on earth, that Qatar uses the most energy per head of population and that the Virgin Islands has the fourth highest murder rate of any region in the world?The new edition includes data from over 180 countries, presented in a series of rankings and country profiles. Updated, revised and expanded each year to include new rankings and features, it also includes detailed statistical profiles of more than sixty-five of the world's major economies, the euro area and the world itself.The 2021 edition showcases the Economist's strength in data journalism with charts and graphs, and invites readers to test their knowledge with a fiendishly difficult quiz.

For more than 25 years, Pocket World in Figures has been the indispensable handbook on the state of the world, covering demographics, industry, politics, geography, culture and more. Where else would you find out, in a single volume, that Ukraine is the most equal country on earth, that Russia has the world's highest divorce rate or that Monaco, uniquely, has more telephone landlines than people? The new edition includes data from over 180 countries, presented in a series of rankings and country profiles. Updated, revised and expanded each year to include new rankings and features, it also includes detailed statistical profiles of more than 65 of the world's major economies, the euro area and the world itself. And, once again, the 2019 edition will showcase the Economist's strength in data journalism by including charts and graphs, and will invite readers to test their knowledge with its world rankings quiz.

This revised and expanded ninth edition is based on The Economist's own house style manual and is a boon for everyone who wants to communicate with the clarity, style, and precision for which The Economist is renowned. As the introduction says, "clarity of writing usually follows clarity of thought." The Style Guide gives general advice on writing, points out common errors and clichés, offers guidance on consistent use of punctuation, abbreviations, and capital letters and contains an exhaustive range of reference material—covering everything from accountancy ratios and stock market indices to laws of nature and science.

The rapid rise in importance of the role of the chief financial officer -- from back-office accountant to front-line executive -- is unrivaled by that of any other corporate position. With access to every facet of the business, CFOs now wield a level of influence matched only by chief executives.This book explains how CFOs earned their privileged status, and what the future may hold for them. It describes their ever-expanding role, and how they are reshaping their departments to help them deal with that transformation. Insights from current and former CFOs provide a first-hand perspective on finance leaders' aspirations and doubts. It is a useful reference for finance chiefs seeking to learn from peers and benchmark their own performance; for those looking to build a career in the C-Suite; for managers seeking to improve their relationship with the finance department; for service providers -- banks, accountancies and consulting firms -- and anyone else who wants to get on the good side of the keeper of the corporate checkbook.

The effectiveness of a good strategy well implemented determines a business' future success or failure. Yet history is full of strategic decisions, big and small, that were ill-conceived, poorly organized and consequently disastrous. This updated guide looks at the whole process of strategic decision-making, from vision, forecasting, and resource allocation, through to implementation and innovation. Strategy is about understanding where you are now, where you are heading and how you will get there. There is no room for timidity or confusion. Although the CEO and the board decide a company's overall direction, it is the managers at all levels of the organization who will determine how the vision can be transformed into action. In short, everyone is involved in strategy. But getting it right involves difficult choices: which customers to target, what products to offer, and the best way to keep costs low and service high. And constantly changing business conditions inevitably bring risks. Even after business strategy has been developed, a company must remain nimble and alert to change, and view strategy as an ongoing and evolving process. The message of this guide is simple: strategy matters, and getting it right is fundamental to business success.

For more than 25 years, Pocket World in Figures has been the indispensable handbook on the state of the world, covering demographics, industry, politics, geography, culture and more. Where else would you find out, in a single volume, that Zambia is the most entrepreneurial country on earth, that Qatar uses the most energy per head of population, and the Virgin Islands has the fourth highest murder rate of any region in the world? The new edition includes data from over 180 countries, presented in a series of rankings and country profiles. Updated, revised and expanded each year to include new rankings and features, it also includes detailed statistical profiles of more than 65 of the world's major economies, the euro area and the world itself. And, once again, the 2020 edition will showcase the Economist's strength in data journalism by including charts and graphs, and will invite readers to test their knowledge with its world rankings quiz.