By car, by plane, they come. They just show up. They’ve given up their lives elsewhere to come here. They come for the tremendous opportunity, believing that in no other place in the world right now can one person accomplish so much with talent initiative, and a good idea,” said Po Bronson, the leading chronicler …
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards. Vernon Law, Professional Baseball Player
Check out FreeAgent.com and Monster.com. Both Web sites offer independent contractors and Brand U’s the opportunity to find killer new projects. People post their ideal assignment, desired rate of pay and work experience, then companies bid for their services. The next step is to have entire teams of professionals sell their services to the highest …
Only a couple of years ago, a company was very contrite when it selectively downsized. Now, this is a normal part of business. Welcome to the world of churning. That (churning) may sound cold, but get used to it. Companies are disrupting themselves. They are firing and hiring at the same time, dumping outmoded or …
The auto industry already outsources up to 70% of its manufacturing to suppliers, but now we’re seeing companies outsource all their non-core processes. More functions and activities are being outsourced. Information technology is one function that lends itself to massive outsourcing. Hilton Hotels farms out the lion’s share of its $12 million information technology (IT) …
As the velocity of technology increases, organizations and Brand U’s adapt and anticipate these changes. The problem is the essence of a company and an organization is being challenged. Companies, organizations, and institutions have a body of culture, values, principles, and infrastructure that seem to value the status quo in direct challenge to the acceleration …
Several years ago, American companies were being hammered for failing to meet the competitive challenges posed by Japanese and European companies. US companies went on a quality and then a cost cutting binge. To keep up with change and become competitive, companies reengineered, restructured, outsourced, rightsized, cut to core processes, trained everyone in new technologies, …
Successful big corporations should devolve into becoming ‘confederations of entrepreneurs.’ Norman McCrae, Editor
All companies have their day of reckoning. Levi-Strauss recently slipped when it lost market share particularly among younger consumers. It slashed its North American work force by 34% and closed almost a third of its US plants. The Wall Street Journal noted that “after more than a century of dominance, Levi’s had grown complacent, ceding …
“Yashushi Takimoto hops onto an escalator in a Toyota showroom and surveys the trappings of his new job. Over there are the video screens he must keep going all day. Above, there’s a tiny concert space where he helps set up chairs.” And, the work challenges continue. He must fill a tiny bubble machine …