Reviews

``The history of the McDonald's system is the story of an organization that learned how to harness the power of entrepreneursnot several, but hundreds of them.'' This work is not the story of Ray Kroc, McDonald's colorful founder, but that of all of the individuals, including the McDonald brothers, suppliers, financiers, franchisees, as well as the early employees, who made McDonald's the undisputed champion of the fast food industry. The complex financial arrangements that were necessary to McDonald's success are made clear, as is the company's commitment to quality, service, and cleanliness. This entertaining work is highly recommended for most public and academic libraries. Michael D. Kathman, St. John's Univ. Lib., Collegeville, Minn.

These 16 position papers by government figures and economists (U.S. Representative Obey (D., Wis.), Senator Sarbanes (D., Md.), Walter Heller, Felix Rohatyn, Lester Thurow, et al.) were prepared for a 40th anniversary Congressional symposium on the Employment Act of 1946, which amid uncertain postwar economic prospects, enjoined the Federal Government to ``promote maximum employment, production and purchasing power'' by ``all practicable means.'' The essays survey the Act's achievements and the revolutionary changes since that time in world banking and finance, production technology and marketing processes, which in turn raise alarming questions about current U.S. Federal and trade deficits, slow overall economic growth and increasing resort to offshore production. (``The outcome of industrial competition today will matter powerfully tomorrow.'') There is in general a strong bias here for reexamining laissez-faire Reagan administration policy and reinstituting public activism to promote opportunity in education, employment and beyond. (November 4)