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Bookshelf porates intimate stories of corporations that faced crises and fought to bring themselves back from the brink of disaster. Companies like FedEx, Johnson & Johnson, Timberland, and Avon are examined for their ethical positions, commitment to corporate social responsibility, and quick thinking 56 takes a step-by-step approach to establishing and keeping a reputa- tion, or repairing it once it's been damaged. He efficiently covers top- ics such as developing a code of ethics, getting known for supporting a particular charitable cause, and conducting research to understand how one's company is viewed by the public. While companies must always please their key stakeholders, Alsop warns CEOs not to forget entities that can be hugely important in the realm of reputation—not just cus- tomers and employees, but retirees, suppliers, investors, competitors, government officials, regulatory agencies, the media, and social activists. Every chapter incor- A Book of Good Repute Almost nothing is harder to earn and easier to lose than a good repu- tation. CEOs desperate to figure out how to craft and protect their reputations could hardly do better than to read Ronald J. Alsop's The 18 Immutable Laws of Corporate Reputation. Crammed with facts, anecdotes, surveys, and interviews with executives and "reputation managers," Alsop's book is practi- cally a handbook for a company looking to create—and keep—a good name for itself. In easy, engaging prose, Alsop when under siege. Alsop, a longtime writer for the Wall Street Journal, knows how to tell a story that grabs the attention of the reader and teaches a valuable lesson that any CEO can incorporate into daily life. (Wall Street Journal Books, $26) most radical ideas sound appealing, and when he lays out how well those ideas have worked at the Brazilian company Semco, they start to sound reasonable instead. (Portfolio, $22.95) Quick Looks "Never mind the cheese— who moved my weekend?" The opening line of Ricardo Semler's Seven- DayWeekend, now avail- able in the U.S. after European publication, immediately conveys the author's appealing, icono- clastic style. His premise is that, since technology and complex work environments make it impossible for anyone ever truly to escape the office, corporations need to re- examine the very structure of the workweek. If an employee works all day Sunday, he should take Monday off to see a movie. If he wants to take mini-sabbaticals during his most productive work years, he should be able to do that, too, coming back to the corporate headquarters when he's older, refreshed and ready to focus again. Semler encourages employees to sample other jobs, to tap their unused reservoirs of skills, and to make work an enjoyable part of their lives— which also include time for home, family, and outside interests. Semler writes with such charm that even his BizEd MAY/JUNE 2004 from the institution's prevailing culture to external economic forces to the candidate's own personality. She also looks at how presidents can guide their institutions through change—and into the next presi- dency. While much of the book is drawn from interviews with univer- sity presidents, Bornstein offers many personal details of her own struggle for legitimacy at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. It's a compelling read for anyone considering this big step up in the academic hierarchy. (Praeger Publishers, $42.95) One of the more challenging jobs of the past 20 years has been that of a university president. The position is "at once a calling, a chief executive role, and a tough job," says Rita Bornstein in Legitimacy in the Academic Presidency. Recent budget constraints and roller- coaster economies have made it crucial for a presi- dent to have technical skills in finance and fund raising, but stakeholders still want to see a strong and visionary leader. Bornstein analyzes what factors will influence a new president's tenure, When so much news about business is bad, it's encouraging to turn to news that's good. In the wholly revised third edition of Companies With a Conscience, Howard Rothman andMary Scott profile twelve com- panies dedicated to improving the world in addition to making a profit. Examples are diverse—including carpet-maker Interface, employment agency America Works, and ice cream purveyors Ben & Jerry's. All of them show a commitment to car-