Peter Schwartz

What increasingly affects all of us, whether professional planners or individuals preparing for a better future, is not the tangibles of life—bottom-line numbers, for instance—but the intangibles: our hopes and fears, our beliefs and dreams. Only stories—scenarios—and our ability to visualize different kinds of futures adequately capture these intangibles.In The Art of the Long View, now for the first time in paperback and with the addition of an all-new User's Guide, Peter Schwartz outlines the "scenaric" approach, giving you the tools for developing a strategic vision within your business.Schwartz describes the new techniques, originally developed within Royal/Dutch Shell, based on many of his firsthand scenario exercises with the world's leading institutions and companies, including the White House, EPA, BellSouth, PG&E, and the International Stock Exchange.

Offers a look into the possible changes of the future in areas such as technology, medicine, and demographics, and discusses how society and businesses can prepare for the challenges and capitalize on the advantages.

The future has never been more complex and uncertain; yet leaders of companies, governments, and nonprofits must act and adapt with confidence. Peter Schwartz, the acclaimed futurist and business strategist, first popularized scenario planning—a powerful tool for navigating uncertainty—in "The Art of the Long View" in 1991. At that time, his knowledge about foresight and scenarios was drawn mostly from his previous planning and consulting experience at Royal Dutch Shell and the Stanford Research Institute. Global Business Network (GBN)—the innovative company Schwartz had cofounded—was a mere three years old. Since then GBN has undertaken hundreds of scenario projects with a diverse range of Fortune 500 companies in every sector, nonprofits, NGOs, and governmental groups around the world. This little book, completed in late-2010, reflects on that legacy. It shares GBN's mistakes as well as successes and what Schwartz got right in the original "The Art of the Long View," (e.g., the rise of the global teenager, two out of the three scenarios for 2005) and wrong (e.g., the transformative power of the Web). Finally, Schwartz looks forward once more—examining the next great global driving force ( more troubling than teenagers) and constructing three scenarios for the year 2025.

As we stand at the threshold of the new millennium, the future seems both exhilarating and terrifying. Does it hold great promise of freedom and opportunity or the threat of conflict and inequality? In the tradition of such influential and defining books as Future Shock and Megatrends , Peter Schwartz, Peter Leyden, and Joel Hyatt argue in The Long Boom that we are, in fact, on the verge of a global economic expansion on a scale never before experienced -- and that the choices we make as informed individuals, institutions, communities, and nations today will determine whether that vision is realized. Analyzing economic, political, technological and socio-cultural trends that began to converge in the early 1980s, the authors offer a compelling -- and highly plausible -- vision of how the next twenty years will unfold. By 2020, we can expect to experience tremendous advances in now-emerging technologies; widespread adoption of alternative energy sources; increased productivity; and, perhaps most important, the creation of a truly global economy. Going beyond a description of this scenario, the authors identify potential bumps in the road and urge educators, policy makers, business leaders, social activists, and individuals in all types of organizations to participate in the "politics of the long boom," the realm where people come together to pool resources and solve common problems. Grand in scope but intensely personal in scale, The Long Boom shows us all how to take an active role in creating a vibrant, diverse, constantly learning, and sustainable global society.

Edited by Peter Schwartz, this illustrated book contains an extraordinary collection of contemporary photographs of Adolf Hitler, dictator of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945. Hitler, although born in Austria, always considered himself German. He was obsessively nationalistic believing that the Aryan German race to be superior to all others. Essentially, an opportunist, he used his oratory skills and propaganda techniques to gain power at a very unsettled time for Germany. Temporarily convincing the nation that Nazism, which was the product of his own beliefs, would solve the country's problems, he was duly elected as the supreme leader with absolute power. His hatred of minorities, in particular the Jews, but also anyone considered non Aryan, resulted in industrialised mass murder on an unimaginable scale. Desiring an empire, his actions resulted in worldwide conflict and the deaths of more than 50 million people. His fall ended Nazism, and consequences following the aftermath of the War changed the political landscape of the world. Even today, some 70 years after his death, his legacy still casts a shadow.

Is it morally good to achieve your own happiness?From childhood, we’re taught that helping others is the essence of morality. We’re told that acting to benefit someone else is praiseworthy but acting to benefit yourself is not. And most people take this code of ethics for granted. They may not always abide by it, but they don’t doubt its validity. They don’t challenge the premise that to live ethically is to live altruistically.This book challenges it.It shows that people do not fully understand what altruism calls for. It shows that what altruism really demands is not that you respect the rights of others or that you display benevolence toward them. Rather, it demands that you subordinate yourself to them—that you elevate their desires above your own—that you sacrifice your own happiness in order to serve them—that you regard another’s need as a claim against you.To which Peter Schwartz simply Why? Why should you be called upon to suffer so that your neighbor might benefit? Why does the fact that someone needs your money somehow create a moral entitlement to it, while the fact that you’ve earned it does not? There is no logical justification for such an ethics. Why, then, must you allow yourself to be ruled by this tyranny of need?The author then presents an alternative—a moral alternative—to the code of rational self-interest. He explains why genuine selfishness is not exemplified by the conniving duplicity of a Bernie Madoff. Or by the brutal plundering of an Attila the Hun. Or by the mindless do-whatever-you-feel-like-doing lifestyle of a hedonist. Such people are actually acting against their interests. Instead—Schwartz argues—the truly selfish individual is committed to moral principles. He lives an honest, productive, self-respecting life. He renounces the unearned and deals with people by giving them value for value, to mutual benefit, neither sacrificing himself to others nor others to himself.The Tyranny of Need shows you how to uphold, guilt-free, your moral right to the pursuit of your own happiness.[EDITOR’S This is a revised, expanded edition of a book originally titled In Defense of Selfishness. It includes two entirely new chapters, on the meaning of self-interest as applied to a nation, along with a revised Introduction.] PETER SCHWARTZ is the retired Chairman of the Board ofDirectors, and currently a Distinguished Fellow, of the Ayn RandInstitute—the preeminent organization for the dissemination ofAyn Rand’s ideas. Schwartz is the author of The Foreign Policy of A Moral Ideal for America and “ ThePerversion of Liberty”. He is the editor and contributing author ofAyn Rand’s Return of the The Anti-Industrial Revolution .He was also the founding editor and publisher of the periodical TheIntellectual Activist (1979–1991).

A good reputation is certainly an asset for any company, but to a public that has raised its expectations of business' responsibility to society, being good just isn't good enough. More than public relations posturing or kowtowing to political correctness, social responsibility in corporations is proving essential to the long-term success of companies in today's globalized economy. Businesses must now contend with a globalized public that is increasingly aware of business' obligations to society and expects a level of accountability that most companies cannot meet. Good companies must go beyond merely being good-they must have integrity and a strategy aligned with it.Integrity in business has traditionally meant being honest, upright, and ethical, but in response to globalization, companies are being forced to move beyond this definition and add to it another fundamental quality-integration with society. Corporations must anticipate and respond directly to the demands of public opinion rather than waiting for government intervention, mediation, and regulation to force them into action. When Good Companies Do Bad Things explores the strategic relationship between know-how, integrity, and integration, demonstrating how companies that fail to embrace the deeper meanings of these terms jeopardize their reputations and future prosperity.The notion of corporations taking on social issues for the greater good is gaining momentum, not only because of political correctness but because it can strengthen a company's long-term strategy. Peter Schwartz and Blair Gibb examine well-known cases of companies like Shell, Nike, Texaco, and Nestlé, illustrating the huge financial risks of corporate assumptions that lead many companies to make poor choices. When Good Companies Do Bad Things explores the strategic relationship between know-how and integrity, demonstrating how companies that do not embrace the deeper meanings of these terms can jeopardize their own reputations and future prosperity. The authors present new approaches that demonstrate how it is possible to translate social value into business value.Peter Schwartz, author of The Art of the Long View, and Blair Gibb recount well-known cases of companies like Shell, Nike, Texaco, and Nestlé, companies that found themselves facing accusations of hazardous environmental practices, racism in the workplace, and human rights violations. To themselves and the corporate world they were each considered good companies, until they were blindsided by issues on which large segments of the public felt that their trust had been violated. Schwartz and Gibb present new approaches to avoid the financial pitfalls of bad corporate assumptions and enable good companies to make good on translating social value into business value.

Publisher: Caxton, London Date of Publication: 2001 Binding: hardcover with perfect dust jacket Edition: Caxton edition Condition: New Description: A vperfect hardcover with perfect dust jacket. Book is very clean, Stalingrad [Hardcover], Peter Schwartz (Author)

With the best and fastest beginners strategy for mastering new things, ‘Learn German for A Foreigner's Guide to Fluent Conversations'! Is your friend, your native partner, aid, and language companion guide. Which have been concisely created to aid your German language learning, in a fun and regular way.With 'Learn German for Beginners,' you'Gain a solid foundation in German grammar and vocabulary. Unlock the secrets of German communication. Discover the joy of learning German through the aid of the practical tips provided on the book. Learn essential phrases and expressions for everyday communication. Develop confidence and learnable approach in speaking, listening, reading, and writing German. Explore German culture, traditions, and customs along the way. Don't just learn German—master it! Start your journey to fluent conversations today with 'Learn German for A Foreigner's Guide to Fluent Conversations.'"

During the Civil War, the federal government taxed everything from canned fruit to locomotive parts to fund the Union Army’s war chest. In the summer of 1864, Congress seized on the popularity of cigar smoking by taxing cigars at exorbitant rates, and government-appointed cigar inspectors placed special tax stamps ("Inspectors Stamps") on cigar boxes to indicate they had been assessed for taxation. Less than six weeks after these stamps were first in use, the government learned of collusion between inspectors and cigar makers whose profits were significantly impacted by the high taxes. Before long, a black market developed in the sale of both genuine and counterfeit cigar stamps. And as the year 1865 was coming to a close, a Congressional inquiry began to expose not only the extent of cigar makers' ploys to evade taxes, but how corrupt revenue agents, especially in New York, were shaking them down for thousands of dollars. ***** The Civil War Cigar Stamps presents the intriguing details behind those events and the equally fascinating, previously unknown story of the production of these early stamps. In fact, this book presents the first in-depth study of the Inspectors Stamps since they were first issued over 150 years ago. It is profusely illustrated with images of stamp rarities which have never previously published and are therefore unknown to the most advanced collectors. ***** U.S. stamp collectors of all stripes will likely be surprised to learn who actually made the first of these stamps—a philatelic fact not previously known—substantiated with photographs, transcripts, and analysis of newly discovered documents straight out of the National Archives. ***** Even rarer than the stamps themselves are period cigar boxes with their stamps still attached, with photographs provided by the foremost collector in the field. ***** Readers will marvel at the complex and farcical system instituted by Congress to tax cigars, and the Commissioner of Internal Revenue’s stalwart efforts to collect the government's fair share of cigar taxes despite a mathematically impossible method of calculating them.

Trois gourous de la " nouvelle économie " nous livrent les clés d'un XXIe siècle prospère. Rarement, dans le grand mouvement de l'Histoire, une occasion s'est déjà présentée comme celle qui s'offre à nous aujourd'hui : nous avons concrètement la possibilité de maîtriser les forces technologiques et économiques émergentes pour faire de notre monde un endroit meilleur. Et le but de ce livre est précisément de nous offrir un panorama détaillé de la nouvelle société globale, prospère et dynamique, qui est en train de prendre forme sous nos yeux. Tous les signes le prouvent, et les auteurs s'emploient à enfoncer le clou : quels que soient les doutes, les craintes et les inquiétudes que suscite le phénomène de la " mondialisation ", nous sommes aujourd'hui à la veille d'un long cycle de croissance économique globale, qui doit se traduire par un accroissement général de la richesse et une modification radicale de nos modes de vie. Et ce sont nos choix d'aujourd'hui, tant individuels que collectifs, qui détermineront la concrétisation de cette promesse - ou son échec. Tout a commencé dans les années quatre-vingt avec l'invention et la mise sur le marché des premiers ordinateurs personnels. Analysant les tendances économiques, politiques, technologiques, sociales et culturelles qui ont pris corps à ce moment, les auteurs nous donnent un aperçu saisissant et convaincant des événements qui marqueront les vingt années à venir. En 2020, les progrès de la biotechnologie et des nanotechnologies auront été tels qu'ils affecteront toutes les industries et transformeront nos manières d'interagir avec le monde naturel et le monde créé par l'homme.Mais La Grande Croissance n'est pas une simple description d'un avenir proche. Schwartz, Leyden et Hyatt s'efforcent de montrer comment toutes les régions du monde peuvent se libérer de l'angoisse millénariste actuelle, et comment tous les citoyens du monde peuvent - et doivent - prendre part à ce qu'ils appellent la " politique de la grande croissance " pour résoudre des problèmes fondamentaux. C'est une nouvelle classe moyenne globale, dont ils prédisent l'apparition, qui inspirera de nombreuses initiatives. La Grande Croissance est le récit épique de l'histoire que nous sommes en train de vivre - et de faire. Le choix nous appartient : souhaitons-nous écrire l'histoire future du monde ?

Winner of the 2021 Dr. Carrol Chase Cup by the US Philatelic Classics SocietyDuring the Civil War and beyond, the Post Office Department evaluated various processes for producing postage stamps from which cancellation marks couldn't be chemically removed and the stamps used again. Starting in August 1867, postage stamps began to bear the physical marks of the POD's chosen the Grill —stamp paper embossed by steel points, said to cause canceling ink to more readily soak into the paper.But grilling was just one of dozens of alternate approaches patented by inventors for manufacturing un-reusable stamps. Their ideas reflect a wide range of ingenuity, from stamps printed with fugitive inks (soluble in cancel-removing chemicals) to those embedded with an explosive cap and canceled with the blow of a hammer. Remarkably, thousands of examples of these experimental stamps survived and are in collector's hands. Inventions of Prevention explores this field in encyclopedic fashion, but goes a significant step further than previous research on the subject...The History of ReuseDespite over 130 years of philatelic authorship on these experimental stamps, key questions about them remain unaddressed. For example, grilling increased the cost of stamp manufacture by 66%. Was reuse ever so rampant as to warrant the added expense? When was reuse most prevalent, if at all? Why didn’t the Post Office simply demand the use of more indelible canceling inks by postal clerks instead of considering more complicated solutions? What prompted inventors to address the issue? And so on.Chapters 1 & 2 chronicle the actual extent of postage stamp reuse from 1860–1870, identify when it first became a tangible problem, and explore inventors' efforts to thwart it. The conclusions drawn from this study may come as a surprise to most philatelists who have studied this subject previously.Revenue Stamp ReuseThe Bureau of Internal Revenue also struggled with the issue of stamp reuse, and Chapter 3 analyzes that state of affairs from 1862–1875. It chronicles the trials and tribulations of Butler & Carpenter in their dealings with NY inventor Henry Loewenberg, the tension resulting from his encroachment on their printing contract, and their forced testing of his patented but unproven methods. The chapter also includes a brief look at the reuse of taxpaid stamps instigated by the Whiskey Ring of the 1870s.Chapter 4 explores opportunities for new research in the field—of which there are many—and includes the author’s analysis of the well-known exploding revenue essays, one of the more outlandish (some might say “crackpot”) methods for preventing stamps from being used a second time.The Patent CatalogThe bulk of the book consists of the annotated Patent Catalog, a compendium of 129 patents and diagrams related to preventing stamp reuse. It is profusely illustrated with associated essays, stamps, and rarely seen patent models—printed in full color for the first time in any philatelic literature offering. It also includes commentary and analysis of many prevention-of-reuse patents and essays, and calls into question some of the long-standing associations between them.Inventions of Prevention is intended both as a primer for collectors new to the field and as a reference source for the advanced student, bringing together a massive amount of information on the subject in one volume.