Reviews of Books, Software, and Videos

Essam Mahmoud, Editor American Graduate School of International Management

INTRODUCTION

The book review section of a journal is often the first section perused by readers. This section provides a valuable service to readers who, because of ever-present time pres- sure, wish to learn about new publications and seek guid- ance on book selection. As the new editor of the book review section, I would like to express my thoughts on the role of this section in knowledge development and transmis- sion. I also would like to provide some guidelines for con- tributors.

GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTORS

The book review section is being renamed "Reviews of Books, Software, and Videos" to more appropriately reflect its new orientation. All reviews, whether of books, soft- ware, or videos, should be candid and thoughtful. Re- viewers should avoid a descriptive style ("Chapter 1 con- t a i n s . . . Chapter 3 discusses . . . . etc.) or one that always tries to present a balanced perspective ("on the one hand . . . ; however, on the other hand . . ."). The style of book reviews in publications such as The Economist or in more "literate" journals is a useful one to emulate. Such reviews are usually written as an essay on a particular topic, often reflecting the reviewer's persona. They include refer- ences to other publications and events as well as being an interesting commentary on the book (or software or video) under review. In this way, the book (software or video) is placed in the context of other literature (software, videos) and the broader issue under discussion. While this may mean that reviews are a little longer than the average one currently appearing in JAMS, such reviews should be more stimulating for the reader and thus contribute more to the creation and transfer of knowledge in our field.

Marketing borrows much from other disciplines and it may be useful to review books that are not specifically "marketing" books, but are "marketing-related." At the same time, it is important to remember that JAMS is a marketing journal and books reviewed should be pertinent in some way to the marketing field.

The purpose of a book review in JAMS is to stimulate the sharing and furthering of knowledge. As such, any books

that are useful to readers' professional development in mar- keting are appropriate. The emphasis should be placed on research-related books as opposed to teaching-related books. Textbooks used primarily for teaching purposes should be reviewed only in comparative reviews, and then only first editions (unless the text is a "very significant" one). For example, if introductory marketing textbooks are being reviewed, several should be evaluated at the same time so that readers can obtain a more complete perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of each. Similar compara- tive reviews could also be done of a number of new books (say four or five) in a particular field, to indicate the trends that are occurring in marketing literature.

SOFTWARE REVIEWS

The Reviews section now contains reviews of software and videos. Previously, software was reviewed in a separate section. The choice of software is becoming more difficult as the market expands and it is helpful to be able to benefit from others' experience with particular software. The guidelines for reviewing software are contained in my edi- torial for that section in the Winter 1990 issue of JAMS. The most important aspect of software reviews is that they are to be practically based rather than a descriptive assessment. Reviews should contain at least one example reporting on a specific use application with real data where possible. The evaluation of the software should follow a set of criteria such as functional capabilities, data handling, interpretation of output, and special considerations that may be unique to marketing education and/or research applications. For ex- amples of approaches that may be used, reviewers are en- couraged to examine reviews in the Winter 1990 and Sum- mer 1991 issues of JAMS. Publication of software reviews should not be seen as an endorsement of the software.

VIDEO REVIEWS

It is believed that students learn more effectively if visu- ally stimulating media are incorporated into the classroom. Professors can therefore also benefit from commentaries about videos available for teaching use. Occasionally, vid-

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REVIEWS OF BOOKS, SOFTWARE, AND VIDEOS MAHMOUD

eos will be reviewed in the Reviews section. The same criteria for a good book or software review also apply to a video review. It should not be descriptive, but should be a commentary on the value of the video for teaching or other professional purposes. As with book reviews, the review of a video should be placed in the broader context of the topic under discussion. Reference could be made to articles, cases, or other materials that might be used along with the video in a teaching situation.

TIMELINESS OF REVIEWS

For the review section to be most useful to JAMS readers, it is crucial that reviews be done in a timely fashion. Books, software, or videos that are two, three, or four years old should not be reviewed. I will make an effort to get material from publishers as soon as possible. I also ask that re-

viewers complete their reviews promptly and keep to dead- lines agreed upon. My task will be greatly facilitated if I am able to build up a database of willing reviewers. Therefore, if you would like to review books, software, or videos, please send your name, address, telephone and fax numbers to me at the address below, and indicate what areas you would like to review. If you already have books, software, or videos you would like to review for this section, please contact me before undertaking and submitting the review. Thank you.

Essam Mahmoud Department of World Business American Graduate School of International Management 15249 N. 59th Avenue Glendale, AZ 85306, USA Tel: (602) 978-7608 FAX: (602) 843-6143

JAMS 86 WINTER, 1993