Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn From The Code Of The West [Paperback]

James P. Owen (Author), David R. Stoecklein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2005

"What Wall Street can learn from the Code of the West."

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Having been rocked by one damaging revelation of misbehavior after another, Wall Street is in a state of crisis. Investors are disgusted by the misdeeds of a few and suspicious of the industry at large. Every firm finds its integrity open to question. Regulators are up in arms. And the industry is facing billions of dollars in costs to comply with a floodtide of new regulations.
But imagine what could happen if Wall Street firms looked back to a simpler time when a handshake was enough to seal a deal, and right and wrong were as clear as black and white. What if executives, portfolio managers, analysts, and traders decided that some things aren’t for sale? What if every major investment firm agreed to live by the principle that the client always comes first?
In words and images, Cowboy Ethics explores the life and code of the working cowboy as a source of inspiration pointing the industry to a way out of its troubles.
The book is intended as the catalyst for a movement to transform the industry – not with the carrot and stick, but from the inside out – one person, firm, and organization at a time.

About the Author

James P. Owen is a 35-year veteran of Wall Street. He is an Owner/Partner of Austin Capital Management in Austin, Texas, and its Director of Corporate Values. He is Co-founder of the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) and serves as Chairman Emeritus. Jim is the author of the financial bestseller, The Prudent Investor: The Definitive Guide to Professional Investment Management (McGraw-Hill, 1990), and The Prudent Investor's Guide to hedge Funds: Profiting From Uncertainty & Volatility (John Wiley & Sons, 2000). He and his wife Stanya have two children and live in Santa Barbara, California.

David R. Stoecklein has worked closely with ranchers and cowboys from every Western state. Through his work, he has gained a deep understanding of and respect for cowboys. His quest to keep the spirit of the West alive is heartfelt and uncompromising. David spends every free moment photographing cowboys and all elements of their lives, preserving their heritage and traditions. David resides in Sun Valley with his wife, Mary, and their three sons.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Stoecklein Publishing; 1st edition (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931153957
• ISBN-13: 978-1931153959
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > Business & Investing > Business Life > Ethics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Common morals in an uncommon book., January 29, 2006

By 

C. Wycinsky (New Mexico USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn From The Code Of The West (Paperback)

I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered the book. Upon receiving it, I couldn't put it down. This book is a full dose of downhome cowboy common moral sense combined with stuningly beautiful western photography. The book was purchased as a gift for a real cowboy friend of mine. This man who made much of his living on the back of a horse opened the book, paged through it and put it down. Within a minute or so, he picked the book up and paged through it again. He was hooked! The traditional wisdom and astonishing photography makes this book something you want to give your children and best friends. If you have any doubts look to the end of the book at the photo of the mounted cowboy carrying a calf in a snowstorm. If that doesn't sell you, nothing will.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truth and Beauty, Beauty and Truth, September 1, 2005

By 

EA Burroughs (Mill Valley CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn From The Code Of The West (Paperback)

This is a winning combination - gorgeous photography coupled with pragmatic advice. After 25 years in the brokerage/investment banking business, I was pleased to find an author whose feet were planted firmly in the rich, fertile soil of responsibility, ethics and honesty. There are many temptations in the fast and furious world of stocks and bonds; James P. Owen provides a well-written and sensible path through the wilderness. The linkage between the cowboy and the broker is a straighter line than many would imagine. Owen leads directly to the heart of some of the most pressing issues facing financial services professionals today. This is an outstanding read; I highly recommend it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cowboy Ethics Appeals to a Spiritual Truth, June 15, 2005

By 

Susan Benarroch "Calamity Jane" (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn From The Code Of The West (Paperback)

A copy of Cowboy Ethics, What Wall Street Can Learn

from the Code of the West landed in my hands via a

friend. Taking an honored spot on my coffee table,

visitors and friends constantly pick up this book and

pour over it. Some comment on the unique subject

matter, others remark on the stunning visual design of

the book; all who read it are riveted.

For someone who loves spiritual, new age books and

newsmagazines, Cowboy Ethics appeals to me in its

universal truth of the ways of the Old West extending

a handshake to Wall Street; an industry ripe for the

opportunity of ethically-driven leadership. The idea

of imbuing the new frontier of finance with the

romantic, heroic integrity of the cowboy is not only

an exciting possibility, but incredibly sexy, as well.

Rich visuals and a compelling message make for a read

that will fill both your mind and your soul.

I've given this unusual book to many of my hard-to-shop-for

friends, who always love it.