Latest great read: Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
by Michael Lewis
Lewis looks at how the Oakland A's have become one of the best team's in baseball with one of the lowest payrolls.
How do they do it?
They have challenged the conventional wisdom on how games are won and the kinds of players you need to succeed. By finding a unique perspective you can beat those who are still playing by the old rules.

Here are some of the reference materials that we are incorporating into our thinking and planning. The books are available at Amazon.ca/com.

Built to Last: Jim Collins and Jerry Porras
How do great companies consistently grow through generations of management, technologies and social and business change? Eighteen companies that have succeeded for 50 to 150 years.

Good to Great: Jim Collins
Can a good company make the transition to a Great company? Eleven have - see what they had in common.

Counterintuitive Marketing: Clancy and Krieg
With the average brand in decline and ROI on marketing investments declining, how does one create a truly successful marketing-oriented company?

Boyd (OODA): Robert Coram
The most important strategist of the 20th century - how does one consistently beat the competition?

The Ultimate Secrets of Advertising: John Philip Jones
Solid, research-based results on how to drastically improve the effectiveness of advertising and promotional budgets.

Who Says Elephants Can't Dance: Lou Gerstner
You think we have cultural issues to address in the Good-to-Great transition? IBM's Gerstner talks about culture, structure and strategy and how he used them to turn around the company when it was on its way to bankruptcy.

Cluetrain Manifesto: Christopher Locke
Markets are conversations. As the brand owner, you better be a part of the conversation because it will go on whether your involved or not.

Tipping Point: Malcolm Gladwell
Why do some trends grab hold while others never gain traction. A fascinating look at relationships, networks, and how and when cultures change.

This will be the clearing house for the many new initiatives being started as part of the PDM Group "Good-to-Great" transition.