Following are short reviews of recently released business books. The reviews were prepared by Theodore B. Kinni, a free-lance writer who operates The Business Reader in Williamsburg. This is a sampling of Kinni's monthly review list distributed to subscribers by e-mail. To become a subscriber, send an e-mail request to http://home1.gte.net/bizbooks

BUSTING BUREAUCRACY

"The GE Work-Out: How to Implement GE's Revolutionary Method for Busting Bureaucracy and Attacking Organizational Problems - Fast!" by Dave Ulrich, Steve Kerr & Ron Ashkenas (McGraw-Hill, $29.95). The authors were part of the team that created the now-famous Work-Out as a response to Jack Welch's desire to "get work out the system." The book describes the methodology's history and underlying principles and details a three-step program - plan, conduct, implement - for staging your own work-outs.

STRATEGIC LEARNING

"Reinventing Strategy: Using Strategic Learning to Create & Sustain Breakthrough Performance" by Willie Pietersen (Wiley, $29.95). It takes strategy and the leadership to bring it to life to build a successful business, says Columbia B-school's Pietersen. He proposes Strategic Learning, a four-step process - learn, focus, align, and execute - as the mechanism through which executives can create, implement, and continuously renew their corporate strategy.

MANAGEMENT DEFINED

"What Management Is: How It Works and Why It's Everyone's Business" by Joan Magretta with Nan Stone (Free Press, $25). This refresher course in management offers a concise, clear overview of its topic. In a wide-ranging synthesis, Magretta explains the major building blocks of the organizational plan (value creation, business model, strategy, and structure) and the operational elements (mission, measurement, innovation, execution, and people management) that bring it to life.

CULTURE OF OWNERSHIP

"A Stake in the Outcome: Building a Culture of Ownership for the Long-Term Success of Your Business" by Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham (Doubleday Currency, $24.95). Stack, CEO of SRC Holdings and open- book management guru, is back with a sequel to "The Great Game of Business." Some of the earlier content is repeated (the SRC story, etc.), but this new book also includes a nuts-and-bolts look at equity sharing and practical guidelines for building a corporate culture based on ownership.

VOICE POWER

"Voice Power: Using Your Voice to Captivate, Persuade and Command Attention" by Renee Grant-Williams (Amacom, $17.95). This voice coach to popular singers, politicians, and other celebs shows how to speak for success in this practical guide to getting the most from your voice. The four-part paperback covers voice production, delivery, care, and specific advice for situations such as sales, voice mail, speeches, etc.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

"Aligning the Stars: How to Succeed When Professionals Drive Results" by Jay Lorsch and Thomas Tierney (Harvard Business School Press, $29.95). The secret to growing the professional service firm is by aligning the desires and development of talented individuals with the needs of the firm. You create that alignment, say the authors, who studied the best practices in 18 successful firms, through the design of organizational strategy, structure and systems, culture, and leadership.