How guitar maker Gibson could recover from bankruptcy

Posted by & filed under Control, Decision Making, Leadership, Management, Operations Management, Planning, Strategy.

Description: Gibson, an iconic American guitar manufacturer, has filed for bankruptcy. The company has at least $100 million of debt, and perhaps as much as $500 million, according to paperwork filed in Delaware on Tuesday. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: May 01, 2018 Link: http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/01/news/companies/gibson-guitars-bankruptcy/index.html Questions for discussion: What is Gibson’s financial situation? How can it restructure… Read more »

The self-driving car startup that the auto industry actually trusts

Posted by & filed under Change, Decision Making, Human Resource Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, New product, Planning, Strategy, Technology.

Description: Aurora, a startup developing software for self-driving cars, had barely launched when it found its place among the biggest names in the car industry. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: May 03, 2018 Link: http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/03/technology/aurora-self-driving-cars/index.html Questions for discussion: Why is the company so well connected to the industry? Describe the management culture, as presented in report? Do… Read more »

Majority of small, medium businesses use NAFTA to save costs, yet remain dangerously passive as to its outcome

Posted by & filed under Entrepreneurship, Global Management, Leadership, Management, Planning, Strategy.

Description: Survey finds half expect very negative effects on their businesses, yet only 15% are aware of key issues, only a handful have contingency plans Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Apr 24, 2018 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/entrepreneur/small-medium-businesses-remain-passive-about-nafta-outcome-at-their-peril Questions for discussion: What does the report say about small Canadian business thinking related to NAFTA? What should managers be doing?

Smoking Is Off Limits at Disney. What Will That Mean With Fox in the Fold?

Posted by & filed under Communication, Ethics, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy.

Description: LOS ANGELES — Add cigarettes to the list of things that the family-friendly Walt Disney Company has to figure out as it prepares to integrate the sharper-edged 20th Century Fox movie and television studio. Source: : NYTimes.com Date: Apr 25, 2018 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/25/business/media/smoking-movies-disney-fox.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront Questions for discussion: What are the ethical and social responsibility issues… Read more »

Netflix-loving tykes tune out Nickelodeon in kid TV’s worst year

Posted by & filed under Decision Making, Entrepreneurship, Ethics, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Motivation, New product, Operations Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Technology.

Description: Kids like Caleb Moushey are killing cable TV. Not that Caleb knows from cable. After all, he’s 7 years old. But Caleb rarely if ever watches conventional television. “Everything is Netflix,” said his mother, Ally Brown, an insurance agent in the St. Louis area who also has a 5-year-old and a baby on the… Read more »

The Science Of Happiness, In Four Simple Work Habits

Posted by & filed under Communication, Ethics, Human Resource Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Motivation, Organizational Change, Social Responsibility, Teams.

Description: One happiness researcher believes we’re all capable of becoming happier in our jobs. It just takes a little bit of deliberate practice. Source: FastCompany.com Date: Apr 18, 2018 Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/40554865/the-science-of-happiness-in-four-simple-work-habits?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fast%20Company%20Daily&position=5&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=04162018 Questions for discussion: What do you think of the advice presented in this article? How can management help nurture the advice presented in very… Read more »

Jeff Bezos reveals Amazon has 100 million Prime members in letter to shareholders

Posted by & filed under Communication, Conflict, Control, Decision Making, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Environment, Ethics, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Individual Behavior, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Motivation, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Organizational Structure & Design, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Teams, Technology.

Description: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has released his latest annual shareholder letter. In the letter, Bezos stressed the importance of having high standards in running a business. By setting high standards, companies are able to live up to “ever-rising customer expectations,” he said. Source: CNBC.com Date: Apr 19, 2018 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/18/amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-2018-shareholder-letter.html Questions for discussion: What does Jeff Bezos… Read more »

SPOS #614 – Never Lose A Customer Again With Joey Coleman

Posted by & filed under Communication, Control, Leadership, Management, Motivation, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Teams.

Description: There are so many books on how to generate leads, close the sale, negotiate the sale, market the products and services and on and on. How many books have you read (or seen) about how to not lose the customer once you get them? You might think that once you have a customer, that… Read more »

Tim Hortons franchisee organizer has licence revoked amid public squabble

Posted by & filed under Communication, Conflict, Control, Decision Making, Global Management, Industrial Relations, Leadership, Management, Negotiation, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Organizational Structure & Design, Planning, Strategy, Teams.

Description: Head office and group of franchisees have been sparring over a number of issues Source: CBC.ca Date: Apr 10, 2018 Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tim-hortons-franchisee-kuziora-1.4612559 Questions for discussion: Summarize the issues facing Tim Hortons as an organization? How would you advise management to mitigate the dispute with franchisees? How would you advise management to mitigate the bad… Read more »

SPOS #613 – Tom Peters Is Back And Demands Excellence

Posted by & filed under Conflict, Decision Making, Entrepreneurship, Global Management, Leadership, Management, Motivation, Negotiation, Planning, Strategy, Teams.

Description: There is only one Tom Peters. He’s a legend. Literally. For anyone in business, Tom Peters is the gold standard. From his countless bestsellers (In Search of Excellence, Re-Imagine, and on and on) to his incredible public presentations. Source: Sixpixels.mirumagency.com.com – podcast Date: Apr 08, 2018 Link: http://sixpixels.mirumagency.com/podcast/archives/spos-613—tom-peters-is-back-and-demands-excellence/ Questions for discussion: What did you learn about… Read more »