Small Business Saturday isn’t a novelty anymore – independent retailers depend on it

Posted by & filed under Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Management, Operations Management, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy.

Description: For Mackenzi Farquer, Small Business Saturday is a big deal.The owner of Queens, New York-based Lockwood gift shop, which sells kitchenware, clothing and paper goods, says there’s often barely room to stand in her locations on the retail holiday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Nov 23, 2018… Read more »

China Chopstick Debacle Puts Dolce & Gabbana’s Future at Stake

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

Description: Dolce & Gabbana’s Chinese marketing scandal is fashion’s biggest faux pas since former Christian Dior designer John Galliano’s anti-Semitic rant in 2011, and it’s potentially far more costly. Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Nov 23, 2018 Link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-23/china-chopstick-debacle-puts-dolce-gabbana-s-future-at-stake Questions for discussion: Summarize the issues facing management. What are the lessons to be learned by managers of international… Read more »

Google Walkout: Employees Stage Protest Over Handling of Sexual Harassment

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

Description: Employees at Google offices around the world held a wave of walkouts on Thursday to protest the company’s handling of sexual harassment. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Nov 01, 2018 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/technology/google-walkout-sexual-harassment.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront Questions for discussion: Summarize the issues that precipitated the action by employees. What does this action say about the changing culture in this company?… Read more »

Reduced holiday temp hiring is a sign Amazon is turning to more automation and robots: Citi

Posted by & filed under Communication, Compensation & Benefits, Control, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Industrial Relations, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Negotiation, Operations Management, Organizational Change, Organizational Structure & Design, Planning, Social Responsibility, Strategy, Teams, Technology.

Description: Amazon has reduced the number of temporary hires it needs this holiday shopping season as the company turns to more robots, Citi analyst Mark May told CNBC Friday. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Nov 02, 2018 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/02/citi-mark-may-amazon-relies-on-robots-less-temporary-holiday-hires.html Questions for discussion: What does this report suggest is happening to low-paying jobs like sorting and… Read more »

Small businesses are struggling to find workers — and the problem isn’t going away any time soon

Posted by & filed under Compensation & Benefits, Human Resource Management, Management, Planning, Social Responsibility.

Description: Business owners need to think differently when it comes to recruiting as the number of new people entering the workforce keeps shrinking Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Oct.16, 2018 Link: https://business.financialpost.com/news/economy/small-businesses-are-struggling-to-find-workers-and-the-problem-isnt-going-away-any-time-soon Questions for discussion: According to the report, why is it more difficult for smaller businesses to attract and hire employees? What hiring advice is directed… Read more »

Missing: Women C.E.O.s

Posted by & filed under Ethics, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Motivation, Planning, Social Responsibility, Teams.

Description: When Indra Nooyi steps down on Wednesday as chief executive of PepsiCo after a successful 12 years at the helm, there will be one less woman running a major American company. Her successor, Ramon Laguarta, is man. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Sep 28, 2018 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/28/us/missing-women-ceos.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=sectionfront Questions for discussion: According to the article, why are… Read more »

Want to change the world? Here are five steps to take

Posted by & filed under Change, Decision Making, Environment, Ethics, Global Management, Innovation/Creativity, Leadership, Management, Planning, Social Responsibility.

Description: Case Foundation CEO Jean Case’s new book profiles leaders who have used their desire to solve a problem to drown out their fear of risk or failure. Source: FastCompany.com Date: Sep 20, 2018 Link: https://www.fastcompany.com/90239282/want-to-change-the-world-here-are-five-steps-to-take?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fast%20Company%20Daily&position=2&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=09202018 Questions for discussion: What are the key messages about leadership for managers to take-away? Do you agree with this… Read more »

You don’t need to have dug a mine to run one, female leaders say

Posted by & filed under Change, Communication, Conflict, Environment, Ethics, Global Management, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Management, Organizational Change, Planning, Social Responsibility.

Description: Eira Thomas has discovered diamonds in the far north, co-founded mining companies and sat on a dozen boards — including Canada’s most valuable energy company. So the 49-year-old was a little taken aback when an investor recently suggested she needed to hire an engineer as chief operating officer to back her up in 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 »

For many factory towns, white collar job loss hurts the most

Posted by & filed under Compensation & Benefits, Conflict, Control, Decision Making, Human Resource Management, Industrial Relations, Management, Organizational Structure & Design, Planning, Social Responsibility.

Description: With the abandoned smokestacks off the bay and ramshackle factories along 12th Street, it’s easy to pin the blame for this industrial city’s plight on the loss of manufacturing jobs to China and Mexico. Source: Star-Telegram.com Date: Mar 7, 2018 Link: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-world/national/article203862089.html Questions for discussion: What does this report say about the complexity of… Read more »