Advice Can Take Many Forms, But You'll Discover a Few Surprises

Who says Dilbert holds a monopoly on spoofing the often-empty business buzzwords of the '90s? Steven Michael Peter Thomas, the self-proclaimed No. 1 business guru in the world, takes his potshots at change, reengineering, total quality management and other trends du jour in The Book That's Sweeping America! Or Why I Love Business (Wiley, 176 pages, $17.95)… Mr. Thomas' schtick is to boil down the complexities of modern business into simple, easy-to-understand mantras, like "Change is Different," "Leadership is Hard," and "People are Human." He then pads them back up with three-step plans, trendy graphics, and charts that reveal the shocking truth that a good way to be successful is to produce a quality product in a short amount of time and sell it at a low cost.