Digital library
Textbooks, references and open learning resources.
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Fashion and Apparel Consumer Behavior
Andrea Niosi; Doreen Chung · Iowa State University Digital Press · 2025
This open textbook was designed for students studying apparel and fashion studies at an undergraduate level. It draws on the fields of marketing, business, communications, media studies, psychology, sociology, and anthropology. The book invites readers to examine the internal forces that shape consumer decision making, such as perceptions, motivations, personality, and attitudes as well as the external ones, such as social and situational influences, culture, and subcultures, especially those related to our appearances and clothing. This text centers the lived experiences of today’s consumers, specifically, undergraduate students. Following the original author, Andrea Niosi, the adapting author has also made efforts to decenter whiteness and dominant culture perspectives wherever possible to ensure a broader and more accurate representation of diverse consumers.
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Leveraging Data Visualization to Communicate Effectively
Jennie Mitchell; Trent Deckard · PALNI · 2025
This textbook introduces students to the principles of effective data visualization and how to use visualization techniques to effectively communicate information and insights. Additionally, it shares presentation strategies to address communication gaps that could arise if the visualized data does not have the proper context and labeling. Students will learn how to select appropriate chart types and design effective visualizations that clearly convey data patterns and trends, to support data-driven decisions. The textbook also covers best practices for labeling, scaling, and annotating visualizations, as well as techniques for avoiding common pitfalls and biases in data visualization. Through hands-on exercises and projects, students will have the opportunity to practice creating a variety of visualizations using tools such as Excel, Power Business Intelligence (BI) and several problem-solving tools like Ishikawa, SWOT, PEST/LE, decision tree and more. Students will be able to process, analyze and visualize data to evaluate patterns and trends, and learn ways to communicate more effectively regardless of the setting or the type of audience.
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Organizational Behavior
Multiple Authors · OpenStax · 2019
This OpenStax resource aligns to introductory courses in Organizational Behavior. The text presents the theory, concepts, and applications with particular emphasis on the impact that individuals and groups can have on organizational performance and culture. An array of recurring features engages students in entrepreneurial thinking, managing change, using tools/technology, and responsible management; furthermore, the unique chapter on Social Media and Communication contextualizes the importance and implications of various platforms and communications methods.
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Fundamentals of Infrastructure Management
Donald Coffelt; Chris Hendrickson · Donald Coffelt and Chris Hendrickson · 2017
The authors believe this free of charge book, Fundamentals of Infrastructure Management, will expand the impact of the material and help improve the practice of infrastructure management. By ‘free of charge,' we mean that the material can be freely obtained, but readers should devote time and effort to mastering the material. We have provided problem assignments for various chapters, and we strongly urge readers to undertake the problems as a learning experience. This book grew out of a decade of co-teaching a course entitled ‘Infrastructure Management' at Carnegie Mellon University. Our teaching philosophy was to prepare students for work in the field of infrastructure management. We believe that infrastructure management is a professional endeavor and an attractive professional career. The book is co-authored by two accomplished engineers - each representing professional practice, academic research and theoretical evaluation. Their collective strengths are presented throughout the text and serve to support both the practice of infrastructure management and a role for infrastructure management inquiry and search. Importantly, both co-authors have academic research interests (and a number of research publications) on various topics of infrastructure management. That said, the primary audience for this book is expected to be professionals intending to practice infrastructure management, and only secondarily individuals who intend to pursue a career of research in the area. The text draws examples and discusses a wide variety of infrastructure systems, including roadways, telecommunications, power generation, buildings and systems of infrastructure. We have found that some common fundamentals of asset management, analysis tools and informed decision-making are useful for a variety of such systems. Certainly, many infrastructure managers encounter a variety of infrastructure types during their professional careers. Moreover, due to the functional inter-dependencies of
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Human Relations
Laura Dias · LibreTexts · 2012
Human Relations by Laura Portolese-Dias addresses all of the critical topics to obtain career success as they relate to professional relationships. Knowing how to get along with others, resolve workplace conflict, manage relationships, communicate well, and make good decisions are all critical skills all students need to succeed in career and in life. Human Relations is not an organizational behavior; rather, it provides a good baseline of issues students will deal with in their careers on a day-to-day basis. It is also not a professional communications, business English, or professionalism textbook, as its focus is much broader — on general career success and how to effectively maneuver in the workplace. From communication challenges to focusing on one's own emotional intelligence, the examples throughout Human Relations will help students understand the importance of the human side in their career. This book's easy-to-understand language and tone is written to convey practical information in an engaging way. Every chapter opens with a realistic example which introduces a concept to be explained in detail later. Each chapter contains relevant examples, YouTube videos, figures, learning objectives, key takeaways, exercises, and a chapter-ending case that offer different ways to promote learning. Many of the end-of-section exercises offer self-assessment quizzes, so students may engage in self-understanding and development.
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Technical and Professional Writing Genres: A Study in Theory and Practice
Eric Howerton; Michael Beilfuss; Katrina Peterson; Staci Bettes · Oklahoma State University · 2019
This modern, open-source guide to technical and professional writing explores workplace composition through theoretical and practical applications. Discussions of multiple writing genres will assist you in understanding how to apply for jobs, how to compose clear and precise business communications once the job has been acquired, and how to create documents -- such as proposals and reports -- that will be instrumental in helping to advance your career.
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Business English for Success
Scott McLean · Saylor Foundation · 2011
Business English for Success is a creative solution to a common challenge across Business Communication courses: Business English or Business Presentations? Some classes place an equal emphasis on oral and written communication. If that's the case for you check out our text Business Communication for Success. If, however, your class places the emphasis squarely on written communication and writing proficiency, then Business English for Success is for you. Business English for Success provides instruction in steps, builds writing, reading, and critical thinking, and combines comprehensive grammar review with an introduction to paragraph writing and composition. This step-by-step approach provides a clear path to student-centered learning. A wide range of writing levels and abilities are addressed, helping each student prepare for the next writing or university course. The text opens with a discussion on the sentence and then breaks it down into its elemental components, before reconstructing them into effective sentences, paragraphs, and larger assignments. Then, starting in Chapter 9: Effective Business Writing, the discussion applies lessons learned from the previous foundational chapters into common business issues and applications. From paraphrasing and plagiarism to style to the research process, the expectations increase as several common business documents are presented, including text messages and e-mail, memorandums and letters, the business proposal, business report, resume, and the sales message. This textbook has been used in classes at:Arizona Western College, Hostos Community College, Virginia State University, Truckee Meadows Community College, San Jose State University, Concordia University - Irvine, University New Brunswick - Fredericton, Cerritos College, University of Houston - Downtown, Flat World Knowledge University, A-C Central High School, University of The People, Truckee Meadows Community College, Danville Community High School
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Launch! Advertising and Promotion in Real Time
Michael Solomon; Lisa Cornell; Amit Nizan · Saylor Foundation · 2009
Launch! Advertising and Promotion is written for advertising and promotion courses taught to students in the business school and journalism & mass communication students. This textbook is the first of its kind to teach advertising concepts by reverse engineering a real advertising campaign from beginning to end. In April 2007, SS+K, an innovative New York City communications agency, launched the first ever branding campaign for msnbc.com with the tag "A Fuller Spectrum of News." Launch! follows that campaign from initial agency pitch through roll-out of print and media assets to post-campaign analysis. Throughout, it exposes readers to the theory and concepts of advertising and promotion, and the personalities and decisions that drove this campaign. The book takes a rare look ”behind the curtain“ — even letting you see some of the paths not chosen by the agency and client. Students get a realistic sense of how theory plays out in practice, and get a flavor for the exciting field of advertising and promotion. And, they consistently learn the perspectives of both the advertising agency (where many journalism and communications students will work) and the client (where many marketing majors will work). This is a unique book, with a unique perspective, by a unique author team, and you won't find this kind of insight in any other text on the market. We think you're going to love it! This textbook has been used in classes at: Ball State University, Emerson College, Florida Institute of Technology, Grand Valley State University, Johnson County Community College, Manchester Business School, McLennan Community College, Michigan State University, North Hennepin Community College, Pierce College, Rochester Institute of Technology, Saint Louis University, Salem State College, South Dakota State University, Texas State University, Texas Tech University, University of New Hampshire, University of North Carolina, University of Notre Dame, University of South Florida, Virginia Tech
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PRODUCCIÓN DE NOTICIAS TELEVISIVAS EN ESPAÑOL EN ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICA
Julián Rodríguez · Mavs Open Press
Producción de Noticias Televisivas en Español en Estados Unidos de América es el primer Recurso Educativo Abierto (REA) dedicado exclusivamente al tema. Este REA expone la terminología empleada en las salas de redacción, facilita el entendimiento de la profesión y presenta ejemplos reales que conllevan al mejoramiento de la educación y la producción de noticias televisivas estadounidenses.
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Comprendre et se faire comprendre
Jessica Miller · University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire · 2025
This textbook supports a college-level pronunciation course for learners of French and focuses on the phonetic system of international French. The material is based on authentic resources that include a variety of topics from the French-speaking world, with the goal of improving the accuracy of comprehension and expression at the intermediate level. Each chapter integrates all modes of communication: interpretation, presentation, conversation, and culture. Phonetic themes include phonemes, enchaînement, liaison, nasal vowels, the letter E, mid vowels, semivowels, etc. The course explores different regions and a variety of cultural aspects of the French-speaking world. Ce cours universitaire de français seconde langue se concentre sur le système du français international. Le manuel se base sur des ressources authentiques qui abordent des thèmes divers issus du monde francophone, avec le but d'améliorer la précision de l'interprétation et de l'expression orale au niveau intermédiaire. Chaque chapitre intègre tous les modes de communication : interprétation, présentation, conversation, et culture.
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Piacere!: Elementary Italian at The University of Iowa
Lucia Gemmani; Irene Lottini; Claudia Sartini-Rideout; Andrea Trucchia · University of Iowa · 2023
Piacere! is an elementary Italian open-access textbook authorized by the Italian faculty of The University of Iowa. A comprehensive and flexible e-textbook, this Open Education Resource aims to support students’ acquisition of the grammar and vocabulary that ensure meaningful communication as well as to enhance students’ familiarity with Italian culture. Piacere! is divided into twenty-one units, which revolve around a specific theme, in order to facilitate a comprehensive learning and use of the language. Units include the following components: grammar, vocabulary, conversations, and readings. While in its organization the textbook is meant to offer the students with a flexible and approachable individual study experience, each component may be easily translated into classroom activities.