Focusing on uplifting rural communities in developing economies, this book presents a comprehensive overview of innovative practices and ideas that have emerged over the past thirty years. It integrates insights from various disciplines to address challenges in rural planning, housing, and infrastructure development, offering practical solutions aimed at enhancing the quality of life in these areas.
For five ordinary guys and one rather extraordinary woman, the only escape from the corporate rat-race is to buy the company they're working for: take it all to a new level, save hundreds of jobs and make some serious money. But it quickly becomes clear that nothing is as easy as it seems: the bid is quickly undercut as twisted corporate politics and personal vendettas take over. When the buyout becomes all or nothing for the management buyout team, it all spins out of control. Marriages fall apart; dark secrets are discovered; life savings are spent on the stock market; illegal insider dealing becomes a matter of fact; and blackmail, theft, betrayal and manipulation are the new rules of the game. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity turns into a lurid nightmare
A team of city-building professionals explain in straightforward terms how the idea of ecological sustainability can be embodied in the everyday life of homes, communities and cities to make a better future.The book considers - and answers - three What does the global agenda of sustainable development mean for the urban spaces where most people live, work and move? Can we keep what we love about suburban life and still save the environment? And what new methods of planning and building will be needed in the 21st century? Rejecting both economic and environmental orthodoxy, the book’s essential message is that the sustainable city can be built by a thousand well-directed small changes. It draws on practical case material from around the world and weaves together four critical aspects of urban housing, open space, workplaces and transport. A 'photographic essay' of 32 colour plates illustrates the ideas discussed.
The narrative centers on a deep aspiration for greatness, sparked by the emotional moments witnessed during the Olympics. The protagonist reflects on the pride and joy of champions, feeling a profound connection to their triumphs and struggles. This experience ignites a determination to achieve greatness, inspired by the powerful display of national pride and personal victories. The story encapsulates the journey of ambition and the desire to leave a lasting impact, fueled by the dreams of becoming a champion.
This book initiates a fresh discussion of affordability in rural housing, set in the context of the rapidly shifting balance between rural and urban populations. It provides a handy introduction to a body of knowledge serving 45% of the world's population, and how this differs from urban practice.
Sequel to 'Buyout' - Roy Groves is the Operations Director of a successful company manufacturing dashboard instruments for luxury cars. A fatal motorway fire is traced back to a fault in the product supplied by Roy's company. Was it a tragic accident or something more sinister? As Roy and his colleagues battle to establish the cause of the fire, and save the company from bankruptcy, they discover that they have been the victims of sabotage. Eventually it emerges that an old enemy of Roy and the rest of the team has reappeared and is intent on destroying the company and every member of its management team. Once just a business adversary, their nemesis is now so consumed with hatred that he is on the edge of insanity; he resorts to blackmail and even murder in the pursuit of his goal. Payback is a chilling tale of how hatred can twist and corrupt the human soul.
Chuck Kabel is on a business trip to China, visiting the factory to which his UK-based company subcontracts the manufacture of its products. He unexpectedly collapses and dies at the airport before he is able to report on his visit. When the Chinese authorities are evasive about the exact cause of death, the suspicions of his boss, Roy Groves, are raised. Roy decides to investigate further; it soon becomes clear that there are serious financial irregularities within the Chinese company, and that dark forces are in play, intent on ensuring that these do not come to light. When Roy edges closer to uncovering the truth, he is warned off but refuses to back down, unaware that he is about to confront the Chinese Mafia, who will stop at nothing to achieve their objectives. When his own family are targeted by his opponents, Roy embarks on a desperate battle to protect them, now well aware that if he should turn to the police their lives will be in even greater danger. Chinese Whispers is a frightening tale of organised crime and the way in which it uses and abuses legitimate business for its own illegal purposes, relentlessly destroying the lives of anyone who stands in the way.
