Textbook purchase question - Global vs US edition? (TECEP-related)

[laughter]

US 704pgs Hardcover $209.69USD (new),
Global 704pgs Paperback £$57.53/$97USD (new), seller $55USD+ ships from UK (new),
Custom 623pgs Hardcover $90USD (new),
Custom 623pgs Paperback $25-50USD (could only find used prices).

Thanks! I wonder what's missing in the custom editions. :confused:

[bricabrac]

Thanks! I wonder what's missing in the custom editions. :confused:

Of course, the only one who would really know the answer to this are the big $$$ publishers.

But I would imagine custom versions to be most like an abridged version of the original textbook or will include information specific to the curriculum. I made a mistake earlier in regards to the discovering computers textbook confusing a fundamentals version with global.

Abridged text titles may include essentials or fundamentals and usually omit all the irrelevant fluff material. I'm noticing recent texts include not only a ton of free advertising for their now paid access for companion websites (grrrrrrr!) and online tutoring services (math/stats labs), but also have too much junk (case inserts, author skewed/pov research/comments - reminds me sometimes of journaling, pictures, charts, multiple indexes) that will not be used for the course. It seems to be a lot of excessive padding.

Below are a few examples of complete and the condensed versions of texts I've used in the most recent editions for comparison. Especially in the case of Organizational Behavior, you can easily see by the publication dates publishers are now either issuing quick updated texts, printing loose leaf (student value) or bundling Essentials texts (by including onine access to labs/etext) to make even more cash. Bundles would be fine if a text only version was available.

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Discovering Computers Complete 2011, (February 25, 2010) 978-1439079263, 920pgs
Discovering Computers Fundamentals 2011, 7th Ed (February 25, 2010) ISBN 978-1439079454, 568pgs
Discovering Computers Fundamentals Updated, 8th Ed (January 24, 2011) ISBN 978-1111530457, 568pgs

Discovering Computers 2014, (July 8, 2013) 978-1285161761, 616pgs
Enhanced Discovering Computers, Essentials, 1st Ed (March 4, 2013) 978-1285161785, 304pgs
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Organizational Behavior, 15th Ed (January 16, 2012) ISBN 978-0132834872, 720pgs
Organizational Behavior, 15th Ed CUSTOM (January 1, 2013) ISBN 978-1256742791, 675pgs Textbook for Organizational Behavior Management at western michigan university

Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 11th Ed (June 2, 2011) ISBN 978-0132574877, 336pgs [includes mymanagementlab with etext access]
Essentials of Organizational Behavior Student Value, 12th Ed (January 13, 2013) ISBN 978-0132968676, 360pgs - Loose Leaf

Organizational Behavior, 16th Ed (January 16, 2014) ISBN 978-0133507645, 744pgs

Essentials of Organizational Behavior Plus 2014, 12th Ed (June 9, 2014) ISBN 978-0133853087, 384pgs [incl mymanagementlab with etext access] - Bundle this looks like a reprint of last yrs loose leaf Ed (same cover) +24pgs and online access

[sklineho]

I've used international edition textbooks for years including for grad school classes and not once have I had an issue. As lnog as you get the correct edition they are identical to the expensive US versions.
The textbooks industry is beyond a sham. Always use international ed. if you can.