Alternative

Name: Alternative
ISBN: 9787516408070

张择Enterprise Management Publishing House · ChinaApr 2017

3.4

Word count: 133K words
Chapters: 11
ISBN: 9787516408070

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Summary

This book features Stanford's acclaimed economics course, distilling the most instructive and actionable methods and cases for today's market economy into the clearest possible form. It strips away advanced economic theory and retains the business details and planning most useful to entrepreneurs, shop owners, and merchants. Beyond teaching readers how to gain economic benefit quickly and efficiently, it also offers long-term development plans for how businesses can endure and thrive. Many of its distinctive ideas on entrepreneurship and management have only recently emerged, making its concepts very new and highly forward-looking.

Editor's review

At first glance, the title Alternative might suggest a deliberate contrarianism, but on closer reading one finds that the author, Zhang Ze, is exploring a deeper state of being and set of value choices. The book does not simply celebrate "being different"; it places the "alternative" within the complex context of modern society and dissects its driving forces, costs, and possible paths forward. With his characteristic cool, restrained prose, the author takes apart the various "norms" of workplace culture, social relations, family ethics, and individual inner life, guiding readers to ask: under the pressure of a highly homogenized society, what does it really mean to maintain independent thought and personal boundaries? The book draws extensively on social observation and case analysis, combining macro-level trend insight with finely drawn individual psychology, so that the argument has both structure and flesh. For readers accustomed to running on established tracks, this book may cause a degree of discomfort, because it challenges many rules taken for granted. Yet that challenge is precisely its core reading value: it offers no simple answers or success-formula paths, but seeks to provide a set of thinking tools for examining oneself and one's environment. The prose is restrained yet charged with tension, the argument advances layer by layer, and it avoids cheap sentimentality or arbitrary conclusions, reflecting the author's solid academic training and deep social concern.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers confused by the rules of modern society and the individual's predicament who wish to think more deeply
Observers engaged in humanities and social science research or with a strong interest in social phenomena
Explorers in a career or life transition who need to redefine their sense of self-worth
Readers who appreciate rational, restrained, and insightful nonfiction writing

Not a good fit for

Pragmatists looking for concrete action guides or quick success secrets
Readers who prefer plot-driven, highly entertaining light reading

Reading tips

Read in a relatively quiet, undisturbed setting so you can follow the author's deep reflection
Compare the book's views with your own experience and observations, and reflect on them without rushing to agree or disagree
If a viewpoint unsettles you, mark it first and return to sort out your thoughts after finishing the book

About the publisher

Enterprise Management Publishing House China · Founded in 1979

Enterprise Management Publishing House focuses on the field of economics and management publishing, with titles spanning common categories such as inspirational growth, management, food, and examinations. Based on the 317 books in the database, representative titles include Dale Carnegie's The Scrolls (Authoritative Collector's Edition), Liu Chengyuan's Lean Thinking: How Lean Is Implemented in China, Zhong Jiyin's series on Boards of Directors and Corporate Governance, Cao Xibo's New Handbook for Public Speaking Training, Zhu Yutong's Thirteen Marketing Strategies for Chinese Brands and Adoption Methods: Solving Eight Major Local Marketing Problems, and Guan Cha by authors such as Xiu Shang, Liao Xinlin, and Li Xiaorui. Its publishing direction covers management theory, corporate governance, and local marketing practice, while extending to personal growth and language training. Its author resources include researchers and practitioners in economics and management. Public information on its publishing features and series system is limited; the above is based only on the book information in the database.

前言
第一章斯坦福六大怪
第二章哈根达斯到底是不是奢侈品
第三章 “市场信号”会消失吗
第四章谁是魔鬼经济学的祖师
第五章市场也有美容术？
第六章 “另类分子”的大辩论
第七章该终结通胀悬案吗
第八章峭壁边缘的阿罗新难题
第九章房地产泡沫是穷人买房惹的祸吗
第十章萨缪尔森的凯恩斯主义赞歌唱错了吗

FAQ

Is this book a novel or an academic work?

Alternative is a work of social observation nonfiction. It analyzes and discusses a wide range of social phenomena and cases, with the depth of academic thinking, but its writing strives to be clear and accessible to general readers; it is not a strictly academic monograph.

Are the views in the book extreme?

The author's views are built on extensive observation and analysis, and the argument strives to be objective and rational. Its purpose is to provoke thought rather than advocate a particular lifestyle. The impression of "extremism" may come from the way the book's views unsettle and challenge certain conventional social thinking, which is precisely its value.

Is this book suitable for young readers?

Very much so. Young people are at a critical stage of forming and consolidating their worldview and values. Encountering a work that critically examines mainstream culture can help cultivate independent thinking and a clearer understanding of the relationship between self and society, enabling more autonomous life choices.

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About the author

张择 Author

Zhang Ze is an author about whom limited public information is currently available. According to the library records, only one work is listed under this name, titled Alternative, and it is commonly classified under management. Apart from the name, the title and the category, no clear records have been found regarding nationality, dates of birth and death, educational background or professional experience, and no English name is known, making a complete account of the author's life difficult. On the basis of the available clues, Zhang Ze's writing appears to concern the field of management, while the title Alternative suggests that the focus may lie outside the framework of conventional management textbooks, or that the author intends to approach management topics from a different angle. Because introductory and critical materials are limited, the book's actual content, writing style and reader response remain to be further verified. This introduction is based solely on the facts available in the library and makes no unconfirmed additions; readers seeking more information about the author should consult the author notes in formal publications or other reliable sources.