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Bookshelf Ronald Heifetz not only believes leader- ship can be taught, he believes a course can be structured so that the classroom itself becomes the learn- ing laboratory—and the experiences of students within the classroom help define the very con- cept they're study- ing. In Leadership Can Be Taught, Sharon Daloz Parks follows Heifetz as he teaches a leader- ship course at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She virtually transcribes the first day of class, in which Heifetz, instead of explaining how he will conduct the course, moderates a discussion in which puzzled students are forced to examine what they expect of him— or of any authority figure. Heifetz's overall premise is that, in a complex global environment, a leader must be much more than a charismatic authoritarian individual, an idea that rewrites the very definition of power. "On the one hand, you are less in charge," notes the author. "Yet, within a radically interdepen- dent world, every action has some effect, so one's actions (even when modest) may have more effect than was previously supposed. Thus one's sphere of responsibility is enlarged." Parks offers the whole structure of Heifetz's class as it unfolds, pauses to explain his ideas and methodol- ogy, and interviews students as they struggle to grasp and apply new ways of thinking. The book succeeds so well that that the reader, like the student, goes through a "crucible" of learning and comes out think- ing differently. (Harvard Business School Press, $29.95) 56 BizEd MARCH/APRIL 2006 Anyone curious about an insider's look at a legendary busi- ness school might pick up a copy of The Running of the Bulls, Nicole Ridgway's sharp and detailed account of life inside The Wharton School. Ridg- way, who writes for Forbes magazine, builds the book around the experi- ences of a handful of students from the class of 2004. She follows them from their first competitive days as freshmen through the stressful summer internship programs, gradu- ation, and early days on the job. Some students are super-overachiev- ers who thrive on 140-hour weeks as Wall Street interns; others find themselves questioning their career choices and the sacrifices they might be compelled to make. To contrast with their personal stories, Ridgway paints broad pictures of Wharton, the University of Pennsylvania, Wall Street, and the world of investment banking. Overall, it's a fascinating look at a rarified world. (Gotham Books, $25) Here's a statement that will make a reader stop and think: "If the entire world were as material-intensive as North America, it would take more than three planet Earths to support the material requirements of the current world population." Capitalism at the Crossroads offers many such hard- hitting insights as it builds the case for global sustainable devel- opment across all indus- tries. Author Stuart L. Hart—a longtime sustain- able development advocate now at Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of Man- agement—argues that com- panies must move beyond incremental "greening" strategies to wholesale revamping of their pro- cesses and their technolo- gies. He offers case studies that show how sustainable development not only has an envi- ronmental impact but essentially has saved floundering companies and has led to increased profitability for others. He's both passionate and meticulous, and his book sends a powerful message. (Wharton School Publishing, $27.95) The study of management should be fas- cinating, writes Jonathan T. Scott in The Concise Handbook of Man- agement. "Who among us isn't intrigued by money, influence, passion, achievement, suc- cess, failure, greed, good deeds, and similar emotions, attributes, and weak- nesses? ... What else besides romance, sport, and warfare constantly tries and tests an individual both person- ally and physically against others?" He admits up front that his book offers no new theories, just a com- mon-sense and easy-to-understand approach to management. One of his key points is that management must serve both internal and exter- nal customers—employees as well as consumers—if a company is to succeed. In simple, straightforward prose, Scott gives a brief history of management theory, discusses the basics of customer service, touches on employee empower- ment, and covers topics such as ethics and leader-