Opinion: Matt Lauer is a litmus test for every workplace

Posted by & filed under Communication, Conflict, Diversity, Ethics, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Individual Behavior, Leadership, Management, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Teams.

Description: Executives and employees need to be on the same page about a company’s ethics and image Source: MarketWatch.com Date: Dec 01, 2017 Link: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/matt-lauer-is-a-litmus-test-for-every-workplace-2017-12-01 Questions for discussion: What does the report suggest to management and employees about setting policies on ethical behaviors? What other thoughts do you have on setting policies?

Grieving Mother’s Firing Sparks Backlash Against Chinese Education Startup

Posted by & filed under Communication, Compensation & Benefits, Control, Ethics, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Motivation, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Teams, Technology.

Description: VIPKid is the latest gig-economy company to be ensnared in the contractor-versus-employee debate. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Nov 21, 2017 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-21/grieving-mother-s-firing-sparks-backlash-against-chinese-education-startup Questions for discussion: What are the managerial issues that distinguish between a contractor versus an employee relationship with a firm? Should companies publicize how they treat contractors and employees differently?

G.M. Unveils Its Driverless Cars, Aiming to Lead the Pack

Posted by & filed under Human Resource Management, Industrial Relations, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, New product, Organizational Change, Planning, Social Responsibility, Technology.

Description: SAN FRANCISCO — For more than a year, General Motors has tantalized investors with plans to build its future around self-driving cars. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Nov 30, 2017 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/29/business/gm-driverless-cars.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=12&pgtype=sectionfront Questions for discussion: What do you think of the progress made at GM? Do you think GM can become a global competitor in the… Read more »

Amazon.com wants to be your new executive assistant at work.

Posted by & filed under Change, Decision Making, Human Resource Management, Innovation/Creativity, Management, New product, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Teams, Technology.

Description: Now Hiring? Amazon Says Its Voice Aide Alexa Is Ready For the Office Source: Fortune.com – video report Date: Nov 30, 2017 Link: http://fortune.com/2017/11/30/amazon-voice-aide-alexa-is-ready-for-the-office/ Questions for discussion: How can Amazon serve as an executive assistant? Do you think this is the next big thing in technology for productivity in the workplace?

Canadian companies should be more courageous about diversity, Deloitte report urges

Posted by & filed under Communication, Ethics, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Organizational Structure & Design, Social Responsibility, Teams.

Description: MONTREAL — Canadian business leaders need to take “courageous” actions to make sure their companies are more diverse and inclusive in order to remain competitive amid demographic and technological changes in the workplace, according to a new report released Wednesday. Source: BNN.ca Date: Nov 22, 2017 Link: http://www.bnn.ca/canadian-companies-should-be-more-courageous-about-diversity-deloitte-report-urges-1.922556 Questions for discussion: What does the… Read more »

As ‘Ban the Box’ Spreads, Private Employers Still Have Questions

Posted by & filed under Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Decision Making, Human Resource Management, Industrial Relations, Leadership, Management, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Organizational Structure & Design, Social Responsibility, Teams.

Description: Tight labor markets and simple compassion are among the reasons that small businesses are getting behind fair-chance employment, a movement to level the playing field for job hunters who have a criminal record. But even advocates acknowledge that, despite the momentum, there are hurdles beyond the expected concerns about public safety. Source: NYTimes.com Date:… Read more »

Radhika Jones, Vanity Fair’s Surprise Choice, Is Ready to Go

Posted by & filed under Leadership, Management, Organizational Change, Strategy.

Description: Condé Nast, the company that owns Vanity Fair, made the formal announcement on Monday. Ms. Jones, 44, will become the magazine’s sixth editor since its founding in 1913 and the fifth since it was revived in the early 1980s. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Nov 13, 2017 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/13/business/radhika-jones-vanity-fair.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront Questions for discussion: Why do you think… Read more »

Walmart is killing Target and making Amazon sweat

Posted by & filed under Management, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Planning, Strategy, Teams, Technology.

Description: Many retailers are in a world of pain because of Amazon. Walmart is not one of them. It beat Wall Street forecasts for sales and profit on Thursday and improved its forecast for holiday shopping. The stock rose nearly 9% to an all-time high. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Nov 16, 2017 Link:… Read more »

‘We absolutely have a problem’: Canada’s tech sector gender gap

Posted by & filed under Change, Communication, Decision Making, Ethics, Human Resource Management, Individual Behavior, Leadership, Management, Organizational Change, Organizational Structure & Design, Social Responsibility, Teams.

Description: Canadian technology companies may be breaking new ground as innovators, but a landmark study published on Wednesday finds the sector is behind the times when it comes to finding a place for women in senior roles. Source: GlobeandMail.com Date: Oct 20, 2017 Link: https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/technology/we-absolutely-have-a-problem-canadas-tech-sector-gender-gap/article36789423/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com& Questions for discussion: Summarize the findings presented in this report?… Read more »

Michael Oreskes Quits NPR Amid Sexual Harassment Accusations

Posted by & filed under Conflict, Diversity, Ethics, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Social Responsibility, Teams.

Description: Michael Oreskes, who led NPR’s news division and was formerly a high-ranking editor at The New York Times, resigned on Wednesday after being accused of sexually harassing women. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Nov 01, 2017 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/01/business/media/mike-oreskes-npr-sexual-harassment.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=13&pgtype=sectionfront Questions for discussion: How serious a problem is a charge of sexual harrasement for an individual and for… Read more »