Book excerpt: This best-selling book continues to present a brief no-nonsense approach to the fundamentals of business that spans the range of all functional areas- management, marketing, operations, accounting, information systems, finance, and legal studies. Topics comprehensively covered include: the contemporary business environment; the business of managing; principles of marketing; managing information; people in organizations; and financial issues. An excellent reference resource for business managers and executives; also appropriate for entrepreneurs and others involved in business relations.