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Unrelated to the Mod 8 content, but upon writing this final padlet entry, I was graciously reminded that I am finished.

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When reading chapter 17 in our textbook, I wanted to know what kinds of information systems are being used by businesses.

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Types of Information Systems in an Organization

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Successful organizations use information systems to collect data and process it according to the needs of the analyst, manager or business owner. Businesses operate more efficiently by using varied information systems to interact with customers and partners, curtail costs and generate revenues.

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When doing my final project, I wanted to know how much money an enterprise manager made. I'm curious about applying to this company.

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Enterprise Rent-A-Car Co Employer - Salary - Get a free salary comparison based on job title, skills, experience and education. Accurate, reliable salary and compensation comparisons for United States

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Our Mod 8 discussion left me wondering how many vehicles Toyota actually produces. The number is astounding.

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Worldwide vehicle production - Toyota 2018 | Statistic

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This statistic represents the worldwide number of vehicles produced by Toyota from the fiscal year of 2007 to the fiscal year of 2018. Toyota produced nearly nine million vehicles in the fiscal year of 2018.

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Before the discussion post for this module, I had no idea who Leo Apotheker was. So I looked him up and found an article that compared him and former HP CEO Fiorina (who I knew was a presidential candidate). Many consider Fiorina to be a terrible technology CEO but Apotheker outdid her in his 1 year as CEO compared to her 6. The acquisition of Autonomy was a terrible decision on his part.

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Common Sense

Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, a professor at the Yale School of Management, has memorably called the rising Republican presidential star Carly Fiorina " one of the worst technology C.E.O.s in history."

But he didn't call her the worst technology chief executive in history. In fairness to Ms. Fiorina, she may not even be the worst chief executive of Hewlett-Packard.

A contender for that dubious distinction would surely be Léo Apotheker.

During their tenures at H.P., both Ms. Fiorina and Mr. Apotheker presided over what were hailed as transformative acquisitions: Compaq, the personal computer company that merged with H.P. in a $25 billion stock swap under Ms. Fiorina in 2002, and Autonomy, a British software concern that H.P. bought for $11 billion in 2011 in a deal overseen by Mr. Apotheker.

They were transformative, all right, though hardly in the way their proponents intended. H.P.'s stock price fell by more than half during Ms. Fiorina's six-year tenure and by roughly 50 percent in just the year Mr. Apotheker was chief executive. The board forced both Ms. Fiorina and Mr. Apotheker to resign.

The remnants of Compaq will be spun off by H.P., and in 2012 it wrote off $1.2 billion in value of the Compaq brand name. H.P. wrote off $8.8 billion related to Autonomy.

Some consider the Autonomy acquisition to be the worst corporate deal ever.

Just how bad is confirmed by the latest revelations from a shareholders' suit over the deal: Mr. Apotheker didn't even read the due diligence report on Autonomy that H.P. commissioned from KPMG, the giant accounting firm. Nor did Raymond J. Lane, the board chairman, or any other member of the board, according to a report prepared by the law firm Proskauer Rose, which was hired to represent H.P.'s independent directors.

Had they read even the executive summary, they would have discovered numerous warnings - enough to have prevented the deal in the first place, or at least to have led them to renegotiate it.

"For the C.E.O. not to have read it, for an acquisition this size, is highly disturbing," said Charles M. Elson, director of the Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware and co-author of "The Art of M&A Due Diligence." "And the entire board should have at least read the executive summary."

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Hewlett-Packard has sued Autonomy's former chief, Michael Lynch, who in turn has countersued. Credit Hazel Thompson for The New York Times

Colby A. Smith, a lawyer at the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton who is representing Mr. Apotheker, said, "Neither KPMG nor any member of the finance function nor any member of the board ever raised to Léo's attention any concern about finances or accounting at Autonomy."

I've read the full report, which was also disclosed in the shareholders' lawsuit. The executive summary stresses repeatedly that Autonomy stonewalled KPMG accountants, who were granted "access to very limited proprietary financial and tax information," the KPMG report says at the outset.

"The data and access provided to us during due diligence was very limited," the report says, which, it adds, is "not unusual" when dealing with acquisitions in Britain.

The report also questions Autonomy's claimed stellar revenue growth, a critical factor in justifying the exorbitant price H.P. ended up paying: "A significant amount of the revenue growth is due to acquisitions," the report said. Just how significant couldn't be determined given Autonomy's lack of cooperation, but the accountants warned that "organic growth rate has declined at both its core business and overall business."

While management maintained that growth rates "weren't impacted by one-time transactions, it was not prepared to provide customer data to validate this statement."

The report also raised questions about Autonomy's revenue recognition practices - how accounting for sales was done - although again it noted that without more information, it couldn't provide answers.

The report concluded, "The lack of access has limited the analysis we could perform."

The Proskauer report noted that Autonomy and its auditor, Deloitte, had specifically refused to give KPMG access to its work papers, even though a top executive working on the deal at H.P. had identified those papers as a "must have."

I'd say that for $11 billion, H.P. should have been able to see whatever it wanted.

What H.P. directors did get before approving the deal was a one-page "management summary," which dismissed the KPMG due diligence report with one sentence: "No material issues found."

An H.P. spokesman said it wasn't clear who prepared that summary but noted that at least six H.P. officials reviewed the accounting report in detail with the KPMG partner in charge of it, Andrew Gersh, who didn't raise any serious concerns.

In a statement, KPMG said, "We stand behind our work and our report, but beyond that our professional obligations and client confidentiality agreements prevent us from speaking in any greater detail."

On at least two occasions, Aug. 16, before the deal was announced, and Sept. 4, after the deal was announced and investors punished H.P.'s stock price, Mr. Lane, the board chairman, expressed serious reservations. In an email to Mr. Apotheker, Mr. Lane wrote that he was "haunted" by Autonomy, was worried that it was a "roll up," (meaning that growth came through acquisitions) and asked if H.P. could get out of the deal. "I don't think it's the panacea we think it is," he wrote.

Mr. Apotheker's reply hasn't been disclosed, but according to people who have seen it, he assured Mr. Lane that Autonomy had legitimate organic growth. H.P.'s lawyers also said it was extremely difficult to back out of a signed and announced deal under British law.

But the KPMG report surely provided enough evidence - Autonomy's refusal to back up its assertions with documents, as well as KPMG's warning that Autonomy's organic growth was declining and revenue growth came in large part through acquisitions, just as Mr. Lane feared - to renegotiate or cancel the deal before it was announced.

According to Professor Elson, "The KPMG report could have been a road map out of the deal." The lack of cooperation "was stressed so high in the executive summary, which makes it clear that they needed to do a deeper dive," he said. "That's the whole point of due diligence. If it raises questions, you have the right to restructure the deal or walk away. You don't buy a pig in a poke. You certainly shouldn't pay $11 billion to buy a pig in a poke."

As it turned out, it was only after the deal closed that H.P. discovered what it now maintains was a huge fraud on the part of Autonomy's top executives, including Autonomy's chief executive, Michael Lynch, and its chief financial officer, Sushovan Hussain. Even then, it took a whistle-blower and nearly six months of intensive forensic accounting work for H.P. to piece together its claims.

"No amount of due diligence could have uncovered that for more than two years prior to HP's acquisition of Autonomy, Mike Lynch and Sushovan Hussain conducted a systematic and sustained scheme to make Autonomy look like a rapidly growing, pure software company whose performance was consistently in line with market expectations," an H.P. spokeswoman, Sarah Pompei, said this week.

In March, H.P. accused Mr. Lynch and Mr. Hussain of fraud in a lawsuit filed in Britain. The company is seeking $5.1 billion in damages. Mr. Lynch has denied the accusations and promptly countersued for $150 million, accusing H.P. of false and negligent statements. A federal grand jury continues to hear evidence in the Justice Department's criminal investigation of H.P.'s accusations against the former Autonomy executives.

For its part, H.P. has revised its requirements for merger due diligence, including the formation of a senior-level risk management committee and greater involvement of the board's finance and investment committee.

Meanwhile, the question persists: In light of these disclosures, can Ms. Fiorina really be considered a worse chief executive than Mr. Apotheker? I posed the question this week to Professor Sonnenfeld, whose criticism Ms. Fiorina has dismissed as coming from a longtime friend and adviser to Bill Clinton.

"Apotheker's reign was terrible, but still not as destructive as Fiorina's reign of terror," Professor Sonnenfeld maintained. "The magnitude of the damage from the Compaq deal was greater, both culturally and financially, than Autonomy. And at least they got rid of Apotheker and wrote off Autonomy right away. Compaq lingered for a tortured decade."

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page B1 of the New York edition with the headline: A Deal That Still Haunts Hewlett-Packard. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe

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Léo Apotheker May Have Been Worse H.P. Chief Than Carly Fiorina

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Common Sense Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, a professor at the Yale School of Management, has memorably called the rising Republican presidential star Carly Fiorina " one of the worst technology C.E.O.s in history." But he didn't call her the worst technology chief executive in history.

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While looking further into "leaders vs managers", a point of interest for me in chapter 13, I found a profound quote that I liked. In essence it states that a company (and it's leaders) can sabotage itself much more than a competitor can. The quote is: "“Your company is its own competition and can deliver itself debilitating blows the competition only dreams of.”
― Stan Slap

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Quotes About Leadership Vs Management (79 quotes)

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79 quotes have been tagged as leadership-vs-management: Homer: 'Too many kings can ruin an army', Stan Slap: 'Instead of waiting for a leader you can bel...

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I consider myself a servant leader. It's important to me to make sure employees are having their needs met and are happy with what they do in order for them to perform at their greatest potential. I wanted to see the greatest servant leaders of all-time. 2 of them are civil rights leaders which makes perfect sense.

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Servant leaders are categorized as those individuals who are able to lead with a primary focus, putting the needs of other people before their own. This type of leadership usually extends beyond an organization's environment to reach everyone who is associated with it, such as stakeholders and customers, with "serving others" being its typical leadership trait. Here are some of the most famous servant leaders who provided the best examples to follow:

Martin Luther King, Jr.

King did not always want to be the leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the US, but he just knew that there was a need for equality. By putting other people's needs first, he was able to leave a lasting legacy, which proves that anyone can make a difference through a humble and serving perspective. Until today, some of King's speeches are still listened to regularly, as people see them as having a ring of truth.

Nelson Mandela

Standing before his people, Mandela said that he was a humble servant with a passion for his people and the desire to see them enjoy equality. Sometimes, he would take his speeches to the streets, putting his personal well-being at risk, and at other times, he endured harsh conditions in prison just to make his statements heard.

Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi was bound to be dangerous when he opposed the British ruling officials during his time, but he strongly believed that serving others would be the best way to lose oneself. His protests were peaceful, where he often did it through logical discourse and fasting. Eventually, his ideas won out, freeing India from colonialism. Even if his goal was not to become famous, he was then widely regarded for his work.

Mother Teresa

Through her faith, Mother Teresa dedicated her life to serving other people. Like other servant leaders, she had her critics from time to time, but there was no one who could question her motives behind her desire to help others. Also, she never sought personal recognition, though she insisted on significant changes and was not afraid to express opinions that others would hesitate to say. Eventually, many call her to become a saint, with a life that many people consider as a miracle.

Albert Schweitzer

Taking his faith very literally, Schweitzer took the words of Christ seriously and was determined to love other people as best as he could to a point where he served in numerous ways. At one point in his life, he and his wife catered to thousands of patients in Africa, even having to travel hundreds of miles sometimes just to get to one patient.

While it does not mean that all servant leaders have to die while engaging in their leadership activities, they do typically make some sacrifices for the benefit of those they want to serve. Those who are listed above are not the only servant leaders out there; as there are countless others who just do not like themselves to be heard of, which is how servant leaders typically like it.

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Servant leaders are categorized as those individuals who are able to lead with a primary focus, putting the needs of other people before their own. This type of leadership usually extends beyond an organization's environment to reach everyone who is associated with it, such as stakeholders and customers, with "serving others" being its typical leadership trait.

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I looked up key points that make up a good leader. The one I liked best in this article was to give credit where credit is due. I believe this is very important to keep up the morale and esteem of employees.

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12 Signs That You're A Remarkably Good Leader

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Anyone can be a leader but can they be a remarkably good leader? Learn the twelve signs that show you're not only a leader but a remarkably good leader...

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Does a company need an HR department? - Mod 6

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Does a company need an HR department? - Mod 6

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I've been part of a few companies that did not have a HR team. This article makes a lot of sense as it pertains to HR. Small companies usually find the owner wearing multiple hats including HR duties. Large companies find the importance in freeing up their management and rely on HR for employee needs.

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Posted January 7, 2014 | By csponline

Human resources is a common department in large corporations; however, the small business owner rarely sees the immediate value of staffing a human resource generalist. In many cases, the small business owner takes on much of the human resource-related tasks themselves or delegates them to another non-departmental employee such as the accountant or administrative assistant. Some business owners will even outsource various human resource functions to outside vendors such as an insurance broker and payroll specialist. While these services often come with a hefty retainer fee, they limit the time business owners or other employees have to spend on human resource-related tasks and often come in at a far less cost than staffing a new employee.

However, as small companies grow into large ones, managing human resource-related functions takes on new life. Here are some things to consider when your company is on the verge of hiring human resource staff.

Knowing When to Take the HR Plunge

Small business owners often handle internal business operations themselves as part of cost-saving measures designed to keep the business running lean. From cleaning up around the office and answering the company phone line to basic accounting and IT services, small business owners wear a lot of different hats to save money. Human resource-related job functions often fall under that DIY umbrella for many small businesses. Owners will take on tasks like payroll, benefit management, hiring, training and more in lieu of hiring a human resource generalist; however, as you take on more and more job responsibilities, other business-related processes and duties can suffer.

It is at that point that you should consider what your time is worth as a business owner, and, if you are delegating the tasks to other team members, what their time is worth to the business. These unrelated tasks can add up and take valuable time away from the actual productivity and profitability of your business. If you start to see a notable dip in your productivity level or other employees aren't able to keep up with the extra demands on time because of HR-related job duties, it is probably time to consider hiring a human resource generalist.

Hiring a human resource generalist is also about employee numbers. As your business grows in services and in numbers, the need for an HR department will grow concurrently. Generally, industry reports recommend hiring a full-time human resource staff member at around 40 employees. For smaller workforces, you might consider transitioning a current employee into a full-time role as your business' human resource professional by offsetting tuition costs of a human resource degree online program. Doing so will save you time and money on training someone in the processes of your business while providing an excellent career opportunity for a current staff member.

Designing the HR Generalist Position

Human resources serve an internal function for a company by helping to support positive relationships with your workforce. There are many different roles that a human resource professional can serve from a narrow, specialized focus to a more general HR approach. Before you take the hiring plunge, it is important to have a clear understanding of how you wish to utilize human resources in your company and how you will structure the HR role, including its day-to-day job responsibilities, the organizational hierarchy and what value they will add to your business.

The biggest questions when initially structuring your HR role is whether to focus on more administrative duties or specialized human resource services. Smaller companies with level growth will likely benefit from a human resource professional who is capable of serving in varied HR roles-otherwise known as a generalist. Businesses in a rapidly growing field with the need to hire and train new talent quickly will need an HR professional trained in recruitment and retention processes. Larger companies with robust benefit packages may consider hiring an HR professional with experience in compensation and benefit programs. It is important for you to come into the hiring process with a firm understanding of your business' HR needs.

There is a range of general human resource tasks for any one employee to handle, including recruitment and retention efforts, training and professional development, payroll and benefits, company policy and procedure management, and more. Approach the hiring process for your HR professional with an understanding of the intrinsic value of a staff member focused on employees. Doing so can help raise employee satisfaction, productivity and profits across the board.

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Does Your Company Need an HR Department? - Concordia University, St. Paul Online

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Human resources is a common department in large corporations; however, the small business owner rarely sees the immediate value of staffing a human resource generalist. In many cases, the small business owner takes on much of the human resource-related tasks themselves or delegates them to another non-departmental employee such as the accountant or administrative assistant.

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Work groups is something I'm not very familiar with. Most of the work is done on an individual basis and measured at a later point. I wanted to explore more about work groups.

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The Importance of Work Groups in Companies

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Work groups within companies -- also called task forces -- are teams of employees brought together to accomplish a specific task. The task often involves analyzing a problem, formulating a solution and making a recommendation to the company's management, including the owner of the small business. Work groups' efforts ...

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Effective Employee Communication - Mod 6

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Effective Employee Communication - Mod 6

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I wanted to know other ways to effectively communicate with employees. #5 is really something I need to work on.

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Effective communication with employees takes effort, repetition, thoughtfulness and most importantly needs to come from the heart. Communication needs to be something business leaders seek to do whenever they can rather than considering it a check box before getting back to the "real work" of running the business.

Currently, I serve as the CEO of a local marketing solutions company that was created by combining two business units that were previously part of a bigger company. I was tasked to manage this complicated company carve out with the objective of transforming a legacy print business to a thriving digital business. A major challenge was the employee base was more than 5,000 people with offices in 34 states, which meant regular and effective communication across the organization was critical to success. From day one I chose to create an environment of open, transparent dialog about the company, our progress and what we need to do to win.
Related: 3 Management Mistakes That Could Destroy Professional Services Businesses
Here are five strategies I recommend putting in place for creating a culture of communication and alignment:

1. Send weekly correspondence to all employees in the company.

Every Monday without fail for the last three years I have sent a personally written email to every employee in the company about things I am thinking about and important topics for the business. This kind of communication serves as an opportunity to truly connect and engage with the entire organization.

2. Build comfort in talking about what is not working.

Many companies have a culture of looking for the positives and avoiding calling out and discussing the negatives. Great companies focus on what is not going well so they can dig in and get better. This approach allows employees to feel they have a say in their company's culture and their ideas are valued.

3. Hold town hall meetings.

Whether you have offices in one city or nationwide, plan for travel to have face-to-face conversations with these groups no matter the size. Make sure you aren't just lecturing. Foster a two-way candid cialog. You will be able to learn a great deal about what is really happening in the business from these sessions, which can help you and your leadership team make better decisions.
Related: How HR Can Communicate Important-But-Boring Stuff to New Hires
4. Put on an annual senior leadership conference for your top leaders.

This type of conference is a working session where every leader can hear the company strategy, plans and messages together and bring the information back to their teams. An equally important value is the informal network building that takes place that enables leaders to have effective communication with each other throughout the year.

5. Answer every employee email within 24 hours.

We are all busy but always have time for communicating with employees that work hard every day to serve your customers and build your company. Your team wants to be heard and feel appreciated.

Commit to effective communications and you'll be glad you did.
Related: 6 Steps to 'Dancing' Through Conversations With Your Business Partners

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5 Ways to Effectively Communicate With Employees

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Effective communication with employees takes effort, repetition, thoughtfulness and most importantly needs to come from the heart. Communication needs to be something business leaders seek to do whenever they can rather than considering it a check box before getting back to the "real work" of running the business.

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After learning about HR functions in chapter 10, I wanted to see how much HR managers and employees make on average. This might be a field I want to pursue.

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As of Aug 2018, the average pay for a Human Resources (HR) Generalist is $52,033 annually or $19.61 /hr.

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In the context of rewarding employees, I found this website that has 101 "rewards" you can give your employees without having to give them cash.

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"This post originally appeared on , an online community providing small business owners with information and advice to help them do more business."
When it comes to rewarding your employees, cash is king-but only for a few hours. Money is not a long-term motivator. Sure, employees love a check-who doesn't?-but finding ways to engage with them rather than pay them off will result in more loyal, harder working employees.

Here are 101 ways to say, "I appreciate you and all your hard work," without breaking your budget.

1. Flexible Hours. Let your team work when they want to work. The flexibility can be worth a lot more than cash. Maybe they won't need daycare services for their child, for example, if they can make their own schedule.

2. A Thank You Note. Saying thanks about something specific may be the ultimate reward. If you do it selectively yet authentically, a thank you note may be pinned above your employee's desk for years.

3. Pizza Party. Lunch with colleagues is fun, breaks up the routine and keeps employees in the office. It's an all-around win for anyone who likes to eat.

4. Guess the Baby. Reward your team with a break from work by having a "guess the baby" event. Have everyone bring in their baby photo, then have everyone guess who's who.

5. The Boss's Office. Swap desks with your employee for a day, as a reward. They still do their work of course, but with their feet up on the desk (and yours in the cubicle).

6. Primo Parking. This is an old-school reward that has been around forever ... because it works. It's a great form of public recognition.

7. Flip Flop Day. Casual Friday has turned into casual every day. Change things up by allowing flip flops as a fun way of recognizing success.

8. Day Off Pass. An extra day off from work always helps, and is even better when employees can pick the day and get paid to boot.

9. Tour Time. Take your employees for a tour of one of your vendors or suppliers' facilities. It's a cool way to learn more about who you work with, and can be as fun as a field trip was in grade school days.

10. Presidential Seal. Create a formal letter recognizing your employee's achievement. Sign it and use the company's seal to give the letter something extra. If you really want to do it right, frame it too.

11. Let Them Eat Cake. Any celebration is that much better when there's yummy cake.

Photo: Thinkstock

12. Standing O. Get all your employees together in the same room. Really pack them in. Then invite in the employee you're recognizing and give him or her a standing ovation.

13. Gourmet Coffee. Replace that burnt coffee pot with a selection of gourmet coffees.

14. Breakfast from the Boss. Bring in a catered breakfast for your team, and designate yourself as the main waiter, serving all your wonderful employees.

15. Rented Wheels. Rent a nice car for a week and give it to your employee.

16. History Lesson. Have the local historian take your company for a tour of your town or city. Share the history of where you are today and what used to be there.

17. Company Scrapbook. Create a scrapbook as your company grows over time. Each month start off a scrapbook page with the employee you're recognizing. Their names will be part of history, literally.

18. Monopoly Money. Reward employees with your own custom phony money (or use Monopoly money) and allow them to redeem it for gifts at the end of each quarter.

19. Wall of Fame. Create a wall of fame for each recognized employee. Be sure to write below their picture what they did that you're recognizing them for.

20. Helmet Stickers.Get a football helmet from each employee's alma mater and put it on their desk. Every time they do something great, give them a helmet sticker ... just like the college sports teams.

21. The Amazing Office. Set up one amazing office in your building (yes, better than yours). Each month, for an entire month, give the employee you're recognizing the office to work out of.

22. The Morphing Trophy. We did this at my first company and it always brought fun, laughter and recognition. Get a big trophy and give it to the employee you are recognizing for the week. At the end of the week, they must return the trophy but they need to add one thing to it. (You would be shocked how many things can stick to a trophy.) Then next week give it to the next winner. At the end of the year, you'll have a trophy with 52 things stuck to it. It looks hysterical and has lots of memories. At the end of the year, retire the trophy and put it in your reception area. Do it every year.

Photo: Getty Images

23. Wax On, Wax Off. Have their car professionally detailed while they're at work. If you want to save a lot of money, do the detailing yourself.

24. In the News. Tell your local paper about your employee's success. Also tell the paper in the town where your employee lives. Run a press release too. Then, when it gets printed in the paper, get the article framed and give it as a gift to your employee.

25. Dump It. Let your employee ditch one project they like the least, and you do it yourself instead.

26. Name the Room. Name an office, lounge, conference room or any room in your office building after the employee. Be sure to put a plaque right outside the room.

27. Massage. Have a massage therapist come to your office for the day and give every recognized employee a chair massage. A chiropractor isn't a bad idea either

28. The Oscars. Have your own annual Academy Awards ceremony (or name it whatever you like). This can be done in the summer to offset the annual winter holiday parties.

29. Life Coach. Hire them a life coach to work on whatever they want. Just be careful with how you present this one. You want to make sure it's seen as a reward and not a hidden agenda to fix something.

30. Adult Education. Pay for one adult education class of their choosing. My preference? Cooking class.

31. Any Magazine. Give them a subscription to any magazine of their choosing. This gift shows up monthly (or weekly) all year round, reminding them of your appreciation.

32. Picnic Basket. Get them a catered lunch, in a picnic basket, and invite their spouse or significant other to enjoy it with them during an extended lunch break.

33. Recognition Circle. Get each employee to write something positive about the person you're recognizing on a piece of paper. Either give them the box of collected sayings or frame them for the person.

34. Commute on Me. Give them a gas card (or public transportation passes) to cover a month's worth of travel expenses.

35. Movie Time. Give them a pair of movie tickets, and the time off to go see their favorite movie during the workday.

36. Support the Girl Scouts. Have the company buy dozens of boxes of cookies from your employee's daughter (assuming she's in the Girl Scouts) and give out the boxes to all the other employees at the office. You shouldn't be eating that much anyway.

37. Just Say it. The words "thank you" are powerful. And sometimes all you need to do is to say it sincerely.

38. A Concert Shout Out. Get your employees tickets to see their favorite band in concert. Call the event in advance and see if you can get the band to give them a shout out during the concert. (You'd be surprised at how many bands are willing to do it.)

39. Family Thank You. Take the thank you card to a whole new level, and write a card to the employee's entire family explaining how much you appreciate your colleague.

40. Pick a Door. Put a gift in each of three offices and close the door. Then have the employee choose the door they want, and they get the gift behind it.

41. Collectors' Paradise. Find out what your employee's passions, hobbies or interests are. Then give them a gift in that field. Collectors are the easiest to do this for-they always love to get that perfect coin or stamp, etc.

42. Thank You Video. Create a video recognizing your employee. Post it on YouTube for your employee and anyone they want to share it with.

43. Flowers. The all-time classic method of giving recognition. Add a handwritten thank you note for an important personal touch.

44. A New Chair. Many employees sit for at least eight hours a day. Reward their exceptional effort with a new comfortable, supportive chair.

45. Sticky Notes. Post a sticky note on their monitor, saying thanks and saying why. Simple, but effective, when it's authentic.

46. Email Everyone. I'm not a big fan of email blasts. But in this instance, I encourage it. Send an email to the entire company explaining how impressed you are by your employee for going above and beyond.

47. Double Time. Double the time of their breaks for a full week-double the lunch break, coffee break, any and all breaks.

48. Lottery Tickets. Give them the chance to win millions, and it only costs you one dollar.

49. Have Their Home Cleaned. Who wants to come home from work, to work on the home. Hire a maid to clean their house for a full year!

50. Bring the Pooch. Allow your employee to bring their dog (or other pet to work). Be sure that a crate or cage comes along. A snake slithering around or a bird landing on your colleague's head may not be well received.

Photo: Getty Images

51. Donuts. While not necessarily a healthy choice, they're super yummy. Bring in donuts for the team you're recognizing.

52. Company Newsletter. If you have one, feature them in it.

53. Team Jerseys. Recognize team players with a team jersey from their favorite sports team, and their name on the back.

54. Singing Telegram. Have a gorilla, or whatever creature is available, show up at work with a singing telegram about how great the employee is. Videotape the song and response and post it on YouTube or your website.

55. Say it with Fruit or Cookies. Send the employee a bouquet of healthy, edible fruit or cookies. Have it delivered to their home, or in the office if they live alone.

56. Name a Beer After Them. Microbreweries will often brew a small run of beer, slap a label with your employee's name on it-Magnificent Mike Michalowicz Mead for instance. Or create a label and stick it over their favorite beverage.

57. King for a Day. Buy an elaborate costume jewelry kind of crown (the more elaborate and gaudy, the better) and crown them during a morning meeting. "King" for the day privileges includes primo parking, free lunch at their desk and the option to leave 30 minutes early from work.

58. Their Own Personal Assistant. Hire a temporary assistant for the day, week or month to help them with whatever work tasks they have, from filing to answering phones.

59. Ice Cream Party. There's nothing like an old-fashioned ice cream party where the teams you're appreciating make their own sundaes and desserts from a selection of ice cream and toppings.

60. Popcorn. Buy or rent an old-fashioned freestanding popcorn popper. Break it out to pop popcorn only when it's time to recognize someone, or show appreciation for a great effort by a team.

61. Music. If your business has music playing in the background all day, show your appreciation by letting the employee you're appreciating select the music for the day. I personally suggest some Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Judas Priest.

62. Appreciation Jar. Have every employee write up a gift, privilege or recognition they'd like (or just use this list) and then put each item into an Appreciation Jar. Have the employee being recognized select their method of appreciation at random from the jar.

63. Talking Plaque. Buy one of the talking photo frames available at any photo store. Place a certificate of appreciation inside, and record a personal 10-second message of appreciation in your own voice.

64. Talking Fish. If you're not a fan of plaques, hire someone to rewire a "Billy Bass" or "Frankie Fish" talking fish to convey your gratitude with attitude.

65. Letterman Jackets. Get employees vests or jackets with the company name or logo on it, but then award them "letters" or bling. (Think restaurants whose waiters show off their awards and pins on their vests.)

66. Employee of the Month. This can be a great way to show recognition as long as employees take the award seriously and it comes with real perks, like a parking space for the following month, flexible hours or a longer lunch hour.

67. Founder's Wall. Instead of just a wall of fame for employee photos, create a wall that not only recognizes employees with a photo, but with a short description and timeline of how they have contributed to where the company is today. Make sure you can add to their accomplishments as they keep succeeding.

68. Appreciate Personal Wins. Don't just appreciate employees for what they do for you. If they've achieved a milestone in their lives outside the office, celebrate with them in the office. Decorate their cubicle with balloons and cards when they achieve a personal win, like completing a marathon, winning a tournament, losing weight (if they've been public with their diet), having a baby, buying a new home or graduating from a class.

69. Celebrate Birthdays. Everyone likes to be remembered on their birthday. Celebrate with a cake, or take the whole office to lunch and buy the birthday person's lunch.

Photo: Getty Images

70. Performance Hours. If employees consistently perform well, give them "performance hours" tokens they can redeem to take a longer lunch, run errands or use for personal reasons.

71. Special Causes Board. Employees almost always have a special cause or group they support. Show your employees you appreciate their outside interests and causes by allowing them to post flyers, cards, photos and forms on the special causes board.

72. Acknowledge Employees in Meetings. When an employee has a good idea, performs above and beyond, secures a big win or account, or does something worthy, acknowledge him or her by name in meetings.

73. Dinner With the Boss. There's no better way to get employees' attention than to take them and their family to dinner. Make it a nice restaurant of their choice from a list you provide.

74. Put it in the File. After you write a personal, handwritten note to the employee, thanking them for their effort or accomplishment, put a photocopy of the note in their file.

75. Compressed Workday. Pick a day and let employees come in late and leave early.

76. Random Gifts. Leave token gifts like Starbucks Cards, movie tickets, candy bars or gift cards on employees' desks with a note that says, "Thanks for all your hard work. I noticed!"

77. Show and Tell. Set aside one day a month for "Show and Tell." Cater in lunch and have employees bring in something from home (hobby, accomplishment, video game, etc.) to "show and tell" other employees about. It doesn't have to be a trophy, just an interest-such as a cake recipe (with samples), a new video game.

78. Family Day. Set aside one afternoon a month for employees to bring in family, kids or friends for a pizza party, or other activity. Set up tours of the company so their family can see where they work and what they do.

79. Employee Appreciation Barbecues. Hold an annual summer or fall barbecue to recognize employees and their families.

80. Music Video Day. Have employees create a music video (shoot, edit and show) of their favorite song. The Gangnam style song has about run its course, but the Harlem Shake and whatever is trending on YouTube is fun.

81. Training and Conferences. Provide training opportunities to high performing employees, or send them to an annual conference they'd enjoy.

82. Website Recognition. Post appreciation of employees on your website. Have a photo and description of what they're being recognized for, and any client or customer testimonials as well.

83. Training Videos. Put high-performing employees in your training videos. This gives them exposure to the rest of the company and says "job well done" at the same time.

84. Talk About Anything But Business. Take time to have coffee with your employees. Chat, ask them about their life and family. Take time to get to know them as people. It shows you're interested and that you appreciate them for being them.

85. Know Everyone's Name. Learn everyone's name and use it. Say, "Thank you, Carol," not just "Thanks!" People love to hear their names, so use them and use them often, especially when acknowledging their efforts and achievements.

86. Nicknames Rule. Use name placards with fun titles and nicknames of the employee's choosing. You can even post or paint the names in their parking spots as one computer game company did, naming the parking spots after characters from the Lord of The Rings.

87. Learning Library. Create a "learning library" of CDs, DVDs and audiobooks that employees can check out. Show your appreciation to employees by allowing them to select new programs based on what they want to learn.

88. Lifetime Achievement Award. Every time you hire new employees, have a "Lifetime Achievement Award" luncheon where you acknowledge every employee who has been with the company for a year or more. This lets the newbies in on what's valued and who gets valued. It sets expectations and provides a benchmark for future efforts.

89. Brag Boards. Create a board where anyone in the company can post a "brag" about their accomplishments or that of a co-worker.

90. Stock the Kitchen. Most places stock coffee, creamer and sugar for employees, but go a step further. Fill the fridge with juice, sodas, water, fruit and nuts.

91. Innovation Day. Have a half day a week where employees can work on a personal project, or volunteer at the organization of their choice.

92. Tuition. Offer to pay a percentage of the employee's tuition, or books and supplies, for all courses related to their job, dependent upon their length of employment or level of work.

93. Taxi Service. Many employees have spouses, babysitters or other people dependent on them for rides. Offer free taxi service for people who depend on your employee when you've asked them to work late.

94. Perk Your Part-Timers. Not all employees are full-time workers, but treat them like they are. Acknowledge their contributions. If they're temps, write notes to their representative about their great work.

95. Thank the Entire Family. When the employee has to go out of town, work longer hours or weekends, or is taken away from their family for work-related reasons, write a note, send flowers or gift cards for dinner out to the employee's spouse, acknowledging the family's sacrifice and thanking them for it. Tickets to a local amusement park or museum for the entire family (including your employee) to visit for the day is also a nice gesture.

96. Start a Team. It doesn't matter if it's summer softball, bowling or badminton. The idea is to build relationships, camaraderie and respect among employees.

97. Name it and Claim it. Name a product or award after a really stellar employee who invents, suggests or comes up with a new process, product or service.

98. Time. Give the gift of your time and attention. Offer to mentor or coach employees you truly appreciate.

99. Close Early or Open Late. Close down unexpectedly early one day and give everyone the afternoon off. Or, open half a day later after a holiday like St. Patrick's Day.

100. The Dunk Machine. Set up a dunking machine in your parking lot. Go sit in there (in some business attire you don't mind getting destroyed), and let your employees throw softballs at the target. It's a fun release for them, and shows you're one of the team.

101. Show Respect in Everything You Do and Say. All your hard work and appreciation of an employee can be destroyed in an instant if you yell at them, disrespect or belittle them in private or public. They won't remember the 100 times you said you appreciated them. They'll remember the one time you didn't. Bite your tongue, smile and always show respect regardless of your personal feelings.

Photo: Getty Images
The opinions expressed in this article are those of its individual writer, and do not necessarily state or reflect the views of American Express Canada or Amex Bank of Canada. Third party web sites may have privacy and security policies different from Amex Bank of Canada. Links to other web sites does not imply the endorsement or approval of such web sites.

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101 ways to reward employees (without giving them cash)

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101 Ways to Reward Employees (Without Giving Them Cash) | American Express Canada

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"This post originally appeared on , an online community providing small business owners with information and advice to help them do more business." When it comes to rewarding your employees, cash is king-but only for a few hours. Money is not a long-term motivator.

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I struggle with delegating. For me, it's easier to just do the task on my own than trust others to do it to the quality I desire. But delegation is important. This article maps out ways to make delegation easier.

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For a few, delegating comes easily, maybe too easy. For others who are perfectionists, letting go of even the most trivial task is almost impossible. If you are in this second category, you probably don't like the references behind your back that you are a "control freak" or a "micro-manager."

London business school professor John Hunt notes that only 30 percent of managers think they can delegate well, and of those, only one in three is considered a good delegator by his or her subordinates. This means only about one manager in ten really knows how to empower others.

The challenge is delegating the right things, and not delegating the wrong things. If you don't get it right, you are busy, but working on the wrong things. Almost every entrepreneur needs to improve their skills in this area, so I did some research on the basics. Jan Yager, in her book " Work Less, Do More," has outlined several key steps to effective delegation which I endorse:

Choose what tasks you are willing to delegate. You should be using your time on the most critical tasks for the business, and the tasks that only you can do. Delegate what you can't do, and what doesn't interest you. For example, non-computer types should consider delegating their social media, website, and SEO activities.

Pick the best person to delegate to. Listen and observe. Learn the traits, values, and characteristics of those who will perform well when you delegate to them. That means give the work to people who deliver, not the people who are the least busy. This requires hiring people with the right skills, not the least expensive or friends and family.

Trust those to whom you delegate. It always starts with trust. Along with trust, you also have to give the people to whom you delegate the chance to do a job their way. Of course the work must be done well, but your way or the highway is not the right way.

Give clear assignments and instructions. The key is striking the right balance between explaining so much detail that the listener is insulted, and not explaining enough for someone to grasp what is expected. Think back to when you were learning, when you were a neophyte.

Set a definite task completion date and a follow-up system. Establish a specific deadline at the beginning, with milestones. In this way you can check up on progress before the final deadline, without fuzzy questions like "How are you doing?"

Give public and written credit. This is the simplest step, but one of the hardest for many people to learn. It will inspire loyalty, provide real satisfaction for work done, and become the basis for mentoring and performance reviews.

Delegate responsibility and authority, not just the task. Managers who fail to delegate responsibility in addition to specific tasks eventually find themselves reporting to their subordinates and doing some of the work, rather than vice versa.

Avoid reverse delegation. Some team members try to give a task back to the manager, if they don't feel comfortable, or are attempting to dodge responsibility. Don't accept it except in extreme cases. In the long run, every team member needs to learn or leave.

Almost everyone who has grown their startup from a one-person entity to a going concern with many employees has struggled with letting go of any task. On the other hand, executives who come from a large company to a startup tend to delegate too much, resulting in high costs and lack of control.

Finally, every entrepreneur needs to set aside their fear of delegating. If you do it right, as outlined above, every task will likely be done better than you could do it. The only thing you can't delegate is "the buck stops here" role. That can only be done by the person in charge, and it better always be you.

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How To Delegate More Effectively In Your Business

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English: London Business School facade (Photo credit: Wikipedia) For a few, delegating comes easily, maybe too easy. For others who are perfectionists, letting go of even the most trivial task is almost impossible. If you are in this second category, you probably don't like the references behind your back that you [...]

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Is organizational culture right for you? - Mod 5

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Is organizational culture right for you? - Mod 5

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I wanted to find out the "best" culture to work in and found various articles that map out what you should look for in a culture. While culture is important, it's important that the culture is a good fit for you.

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CIO has covered almost every aspect of the job-search process from acing the technical interview to getting past applicant tracking systems to networking your way into your next job, but how do you figure out if a company's culture is the right fit before you accept a job offer? We asked recruiters, CIOs and career coaches to share advice to help you decide for yourself if an organization is one you'll flourish in or one you should pass on.

The right fit

Company culture is a funny thing. It could be the engine that drives your passion or it could be the thing that crushes your spirit and keeps you up at night. Figuring out if it's one of these extremes or somewhere in between before you take the job is a tough task, but one worth undertaking. Choosing an organization without considering how you fit into their culture is a formula for disaster.

"It is important for someone to learn about an organization's culture prior to accepting a position. Culture is a large variable that influences overall employee engagement and the longevity that individuals stay with an organization. If it is not the right culture fit, someone is unlikely to be contributing their best and their tenure will likely be short," says Kristin Darby, CIO at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

What corporate culture is and what it shouldn't be

"Organizations define culture differently, and often, incorrectly. Culture should be comprised of a shared vision, defined understanding of the best fit traits of successful employees and core values that unite a company to think and work as a team with a well understood method of the best way to achieve their shared goal. Too often though companies define their culture more by their perks offered or by what I term 'the frat' mentality - meaning if you look, act and have the same interests as the team," says Ed Nathanson, founder of Red Pill Talent, LLC.

Start your investigation early

Experts agree that job seekers should be thinking about culture fit before they even apply for a job. "Too many candidates allow the company to be the one driving the interview process. In reality, the candidate should be interviewing the company as well. After all, the whole point is that you are entering into a mutually beneficial relationship," says Stephen Van Vreede, personal brand strategist and job search agent for IT, Technical and STEM careers with ITTechExec .

Know what's important to you

This is an essential part of the process, because if you don't know what's important to you than it will be next to impossible to decide where you fit in. Knowing what best motivates and inspires you will go a long way to making a solid choice. Some people can focus right in on this, others have to think and work at it.

Use social media

Nathanson offers some these guidelines about using social media to vet potential employers. "The first step is to look at the content and messaging the company puts on social. Is it "real people" talk or is it all press releases and product information? If they have employment-specific social channels are they just posting jobs or are they actually showing you what it is like to work at the company? Is it all stock images or are they actually showing you real people in their actual environment?"

Are there actual employees of the organization participating on social media, talking about working at the company is like. What they say and do can be very telling about their culture. "If the employees aren't saying or doing anything - that says a lot too," says Nathanson.

Do your due diligence

There is certainly no shortage of data and these days as candidates have more places than ever to find it -LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Twitter or the organizations website for example. "It behooves you to explore and use this to your advantage. How does the company represent [itself] externally on the Web and social [media]? What do their current and former employees have to say on sites like Glassdoor.com and others? Do you relate to their employment brand and the messaging they are portraying of what it is like to work at the company?,"asks Nathanson.

That said, experts warn job seekers of potential pitfalls in this digital landscape. "One can get a lot of data from social media. But you've got to validate and verify that data to get useful information. For example, Glassdoor comments are mostly negative. However, a string of negative comments about a specific unit or group may not necessarily indicate a collectively bad company culture but a weak manager. Interactions with company personnel during the interview process are a great time to look for clues that will give oneself truthful insights about the culture," says Victor V. Kumar, vice president and CIO with Preferred Employers Group.

Ask the right questions

Once you make it to the interview process, make sure you ask the questions that will give you the insight you need to figure out how you will fit into their culture. Of course, you want to ask them to describe their culture but our experts also offer these questions that will help you glean insight into the organization.

Besides experience or their resume, why are your best employees successful? "Probe a bit on why some people haven't been successful, too -- taking away the focus on resume and experience and shifting to softer skills to get to the best personality traits that work or do not work in that culture," says Nathanson.

Asking for a tour of their offices is a great way to see how employees interact with each other. "Start with reviewing the physical space. Are there lots of private offices? Cubes? Open work areas? Is technology visible in all areas? Are screens on the walls of open areas, conference rooms, do people roam with their laptops?," says Elaine Varelas, managing partner Keystone Partners. How do the employees look? Are they happy, engaged, and productive -- or clock-watchers, just waiting for the day to be over.

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How to tell if a company's culture is right for you

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You want to work where you are inspired to do your best and appreciated by your colleagues and manager. However, that kind of fit doesn't happen by chance. Find out what it takes to target the right job, company and culture.

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I found this article that breaks down accountability down pretty well. Defines it and talks about the importance of it in various settings.

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Map of popular fast food restaurants - Mod 4

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Map of popular fast food restaurants - Mod 4

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I really like the map shown in this website of fast food popularity by state. Chik-fil-a pretty much owns the market in popularity but In-N-Out owns the West. Pretty remarkable considering its size.

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Who has the best burgers? Who has the best fries? Fast food is always hotly debated. To put an end to the debate over the most popular fast food restaurants by state, Foursquare identified the restaurants with the most check-ins. This map will show you if your state is on Team McDonald's or Team Chick-Fil-A.
Produced by Sam Rega. Original reporting by Sophie-Claire Hoeller. Follow BI Video: On Twitter

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Animated map shows the most popular fast food restaurants in every state

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Who has the best burgers? Who has the best fries? Fast food is always hotly debated. To put an end to the debate over the most popular fast food restaurants by state, Foursquare identified the restaurants with the most check-ins. This map will show you if your state is on Team McDonald's or Team Chick-Fil-A.

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I wanted to see a commercial from In-N-Out. Since we don't have them on the east coast, I wanted to see how they marketed their product. Not much has changed in the preparation from 1987, but the 80s music can certainly be upgraded!

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Animal Style Fries & Chocolate Milkshake Review

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As part of the "SWOT" assignment, I wanted a better understand of SWOT and when best to use it.

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Read in 5 minutes

In this article we show you how to use the SWOT analysis correctly using a simple explanation and example.

The SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool for identifying and understanding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting a business, project or situation.

In fact, this tool is extremely flexible ― when used right ― and can help decision making in all sorts of circumstances.

But first, let's start with a definition before moving onto the SWOT analysis example.

Table of Contents

What is a SWOT Analysis?

You're probably familiar with the SWOT (sometimes called the TOWS) analysis matrix or grid.

Let's be clear, this is not the analysis!

It's simply a means to capture information so you can do the analysis later.

Yes, that's right. The SWOT analysis begins by collecting information about the organisation or project and ends with decisions based on an interpretation of the information summarised in the matrix.

What's more, the SWOT analysis is a useful way of drawing together analyses of an organisation's external environment ― for example, using PEST and Porter's Five Forces ― and the internal environment ― Porter's Value Chain, resource analysis and so on.

How to Use a SWOT Analysis

Since the SWOT analysis is unique to each business we can only give some general pointers. However, there are a number of things that can be done to enhance the quality of your SWOT.

Follow these tips and use them in the following example SWOT analysis.

Effective SWOT Analysis

Here are our tips for a perfect SWOT analysis:

use a SWOT analysis to distinguish between where you are now and where you wish to be,

be realistic about your strengths and weaknesses,

be specific ― only include key points and issues,

relate strengths and weaknesses to critical success factors,

always aim to state strengths and weaknesses in competitive terms,

rank points in order of importance, and

finally, keep it brief ― never more than a page.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

Strengths and weaknesses are internal to the business and are controllable. Conversely, opportunities and threats are uncontrollable external forces that act upon the situation.

We often find that this part of the exercise is often done wrong. To be clear:

Strengths - are positive attributes internal to the organisation or situation that are within your control.

Weaknesses - are also internal factors within your control that may impede your ability to meet your objectives.

Opportunities - are external factors that the organisation or project should (or could) develop.

Threats - are external factors beyond your control that could place the project or organisation at risk.

Conducting the SWOT Analysis

Ideally, in a group or workshop, brainstorm each category and capture the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats pertinent to the situation, context, strategy or project. Aim to only include key points and make sure these are backed up with evidence ― but don't be too rigid.

Also, don't spend too much time capturing this information and don't over analyse. As with all brainstorming exercises the aim is to capture ideas pertinent to the current business situation.

Finally, highlight the most important issues and then rank them in order of importance before using our SWOT analysis example as a checklist for your own SWOT.

Leadership and management skills

Core competences

Resources

Reputation

Product or service quality

Market position

Capacity

Lack leadership and management skills

Key skills gaps

Weak finances

Low quality and reputation

Products or services not differentiated

Opportunities

Threats

Economic growth

New products or services

Weak competitors

Demographic change

Change in political and economic environment

Market growth

Global influences

New technology developments

Economic downturn

New market entrants

Increased competition

Slow growth

Change in political and economic environment

Technological threat

Global warming/ weather

Demographic change

Developing a Strategic Plan

The next stage of the analysis is to take the highest ranking strengths,weaknesses, opportunities and threats and answer the following questions:

1. How do you use your strengths to take advantage of opportunities?

2. How do you overcome weaknesses preventing you from taking advantage of opportunities?

3. How can your strengths reduce the probability of threats?

4. What can you do about your weaknesses to make the threats less likely?

As you answer these questions you will begin to understand the external forces you contend with and how to tackle them. Use your understanding of the implications to develop a plan of action.

Summary

The SWOT analysis is about capitalising your strengths, overcoming weaknesses, exploiting opportunities, and countering threats.

Moreover, it is about identifying the most important issues, setting priorities, appraising the options, and taking action.

This should all be done in the context of the organisation, project or situation and customer.

So you see, the output of the SWOT analysis is not simply a matrix or grid but rather a concise report containing clear goals and activities that should be communicated to your stakeholders.

Creative Commons image courtesy Erik Holsvik.

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How to Use a SWOT Analysis ― A Perfect SWOT Analysis Example

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Read in 5 minutes In this article we show you how to use the SWOT analysis correctly using a simple explanation and example. The SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool for identifying and understanding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting a business, project or situation.

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I wanted to see other sources outside our textbook on how decisions are best made. It's pretty much the same as the textbook.

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Effective executives do not make a great many decisions. They concentrate on what is important. They try to make the few important decisions on the highest level of conceptual understanding. They try to find the constants in a situation, to think through what is strategic and generic rather than to "solve problems." They are, therefore, not overly impressed by speed in decision making; rather, they consider virtuosity in manipulating a great many variables a symptom of sloppy thinking. They want to know what the decision is all about and what the underlying realities are which it has to satisfy. They want impact rather than technique. And they want to be sound rather than clever.

A version of this article appeared in the January 1967 issue of Harvard Business Review.

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Effective executives do not make a great many decisions. They concentrate on what is important. They try to make the few important decisions on the highest level of conceptual understanding. They try to find the constants in a situation, to think through what is strategic and generic rather than to "solve problems." They are, therefore, [...]

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Leaders of company locations worldwide - Mod 3

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Leaders of company locations worldwide - Mod 3

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I wanted to know what fast food restaurant had the most stores worldwide. I was positive it would be McDonalds. Surprisingly, Subway surpasses McDonalds by a large margin.

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List of the largest fast food restaurant chains - Wikipedia

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This is the list of the largest fast food restaurant chains by their number of locations in the world.

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How many countries is Walmart in? - Mod 3

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How many countries is Walmart in? - Mod 3

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Spurred on from previous pad, I wanted to know how many countries Walmart has a store in.

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From our humble beginnings as a small discount retailer in Rogers, Ark., Walmart has opened thousands of stores in the United States and expanded internationally. Through this model of expansion, which brings the right store formats to the communities that need them, we are creating opportunities and bringing value to customers and communities around the globe.

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What company is the largest on a global scale? - Mod 3

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What company is the largest on a global scale? - Mod 3

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I wanted to see what the largest global company was. Not surprisingly it was Walmart. I was surprised by the margin of lead.

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Fortune Global 500 List 2017: See Who Made It

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This year's Fortune Global 500 list of the world's largest companies generated $27.7 trillion in revenues and $1.5 trillion in profits.

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Per usual, I wanted a broader definition of what we learned in this Module more than what the textbook offered.

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What Is the Definition of a Global Company?

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While political scientists and economists do not have a standard definition for a global company, the recent informal definition for a global company is one that operates in at least more than one...

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Defining Corporate Social Responsibility - Mod 2

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Defining Corporate Social Responsibility - Mod 2

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In chapter 2 of our textbook, I learned a lot more about the role of businesses in their communities. I wanted to learn more about this social responsibility so I looked up a definition.

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What is 'Corporate Social Responsibility'

Corporate social responsibility, often abbreviated "CSR," is a corporation's initiatives to assess and take responsibility for the company's effects on environmental and social wellbeing. The term generally applies to efforts that go beyond what may be required by regulators or environmental protection groups.

CSR may also be referred to as "corporate citizenship" and can involve incurring short-term costs that do not provide an immediate financial benefit to the company, but instead promote positive social and environmental change.

BREAKING DOWN 'Corporate Social Responsibility'

Large companies are immensely powerful entities, to the point that they have frequently trumped the interests of sovereign nations. American businessmen deposed the queen of Hawai'i in 1893 because they were incensed with her tariff policies. The formerly independent country became an American territory a few years later. Corporate interests frequently harm local communities, as in 1928 when the Colombian army massacred an unknown number of striking United Fruit Company workers. The U.S. had threatened a military invasion of Colombia to protect the company's interests.

Corporations can have enormously detrimental effects on the environment. Oil spills are some of the most conspicuous examples, but industries as varied as chemical manufacturing, mining, agriculture and fishing can do permanent damage to local ecosystems. Climate change can also be attributed in large part to corporations. While their responsibility is hard to untangle from that of the consumers who demand electricity and transportation, it is difficult to deny that many corporations have profited from the deterioration of the global environment.

In many cases, harm to the environment and harm to vulnerable communities go hand-in-hand: indigenous groups in the Amazon rainforest, for example, have been decimated and even wiped out, both intentionally and unintentionally, in order to make room for logging, cattle ranching, gold mining, oil and gas drilling and hydroelectric power generation.

In light of this often dark legacy, some areas of corporate culture have begun to embrace a philosophy that balances the pursuit of profit with a commitment to ethical conduct. Google Inc's ( GOOG) slogan sums up the idea of corporate social responsibility nicely: "Don't be evil."

The same money and influence that enable large companies to inflict damage on people and the environment allows them to effect positive change. At its simplest, a corporation can give money to charity. Companies can also use their influence to pressure governments and other companies to treat people and resources more ethically. When Martin Luther King, Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, Atlanta's business leaders initially refused to attend a dinner celebrating the Atlanta native's achievement. Coca Cola Co.'s ( KO) CEO, recognizing the damage such a display of segregationist attitudes could do to the firm's international brand, threatened to move Coke out of the city, causing an immediate change of heart in the local business elite.

Companies can invest in local communities in order to offset the negative impact their operations might have. A natural resources firm that begins to operate in a poor community might build a school, offer medical services or improve irrigation and sanitation equipment. Similarly, a company might invest in research and development in sustainable technologies, even though the project might not immediately lead to increased profitability.

In order to account for the importance of social and ecological considerations in doing business, some organizations advocate the concept of the " triple bottom line": social, environmental and economic - or "people, planet, profit."

In recent years, supply chains have emerged as a central focus of corporate social responsibility. Company X's management might make extraordinary efforts to hire, foster and empower a diverse workforce. They might offer generous paid maternity and paternity leave. They might sponsor after-school programs in crime-affected neighborhoods, fund the clean-up of local river systems and put pressure on elected officials to consider the needs of all citizens rather than simply seeking political expediency. None of that would change the fact that they source their raw materials, albeit indirectly, from outfits that use slave labor.

The diamond industry, for example, has come under fire for benefiting from injustices along its supply chain. "Blood diamonds" or "conflict diamonds" are diamonds which have been sourced from war zones, where rebel groups will often fund their campaigns through mining, frequently using forced-often child-labor. Such situations have arisen in Angola, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Congo-Brazzaville. International consumer and NGO pressure has caused diamond companies to scrutinize their supply chain, and has reduced the number of diamonds reaching the market from conflict zones.

Today, a shift has occurred in the way people conceptualize corporate social responsibility. For decades, corporate business models have been assumed to be necessarily harmful to certain communities and resources. The intention was therefore to mitigate or reverse the damage inherent in doing business. Now many entrepreneurs consider profit and social-environmental benefit to be inextricable. Few tech startups pitch their ideas without describing how they will change the world for the better. Social media platforms believe they will facilitate democracy and the free exchange of information; renewable energy companies believe they will make money by selling sustainable solutions; sharing economy apps believe they will cut down on the waste and inefficiency of a post-war economy myopically geared toward the individual consumer.

To be sure, some companies may engage in greenwashing, or feigning interest in corporate responsibility. Companies may tout window-dressing contributions to "the greater good" while engaging in morally questionable or inherently unsustainable conduct in the background. Google's "don't be evil" slogan can seem hypocritical when viewed in terms of the company's collaboration with repressive regimes, not to mention the questionable practice of compiling reams of personal data on every customer.

Some think corporate social responsibility is an oxymoron. Others see corporate social responsibility as a distraction of a different sort, that is, from the lawful pursuit of profits. To them, a corporation's sole responsibility is to generate returns for its shareholders, not to try to save the world or to fret over its own impact. Laws and regulations must be followed in all jurisdictions in which the company operates, but management should not go beyond that, as that could hurt its bottom line and violate its duties to the owners. Some counter that this concerned is misplaced, since responsible initiatives can increase brand loyalty and therefore profits. This may become increasingly true as ethical consumer culture gains wider acceptance.

A few cynical executives will inevitably try to portray themselves as responsible when they are decidedly not. And for some critics, nothing short of a massive overhaul of the world system will suffice. The truth is that many large corporations are devoting real time and money to environmental sustainability programs and various social welfare initiatives. These activities should be encouraged, but at the same time, continually questioned and reassessed.

In 2010, the International Organization for Standardization released ISO 26000, a set of voluntary standards meant to help companies implement corporate social responsibility.

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Corporate social responsibility, often abbreviated "CSR," is a corporation's initiatives to assess and take responsibility for the company's effects on environmental and social wellbeing. The term generally applies to efforts that go beyond what may be required by regulators or environmental protection groups.

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I ran across this meme as I was researching for the Corporate Governance assignment. Too many people view businesses in this way!

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While researching for the Corporate Governance assignment, I wanted to know what the benefits of having an established code of conduct and code of ethics. Most large businesses have both and combine the two. This website mapped out the benefits of having them.

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Does your business need a code of ethics, a code of conduct or both? What's the difference? Learn more about both.

Does your business need a code of ethics, a code of conduct or both? What's the difference?

The difference is that an ethics code provides guidance about decision-making, while a code of conduct defines specific behaviors that are required as well as those that are prohibited.

According to the Small Business Index created by The Houston Chronicle, large corporations typically have both (and frequently combine them into a single governing document) to set a consistent standard of employee behavior throughout multiple departments that cross national, and in many cases, international boundaries.

But while small companies can go about their business without any formal code, creating one is a good practice for several reasons. A code of conduct and/or ethics:

Helps define the company culture

Sets standards and expectations for employee behavior

Serves as a marketing tool for potential customers and partners who prefer to do business with those who share similar values

So while keeping in mind you probably should develop both kinds of codes, let's take a look at each kind of code.
Related Article: Truth and Transparency: The Importance of Ethics in Finance
Code of Ethics

A code of ethics accomplishes the following, according to Ethics Web:

Defines acceptable behaviors

Promotes high standards of practice

Provides a self-evaluation benchmark

Establishes a framework for professional responsibilities

Promotes/enhances your brand

In essence, your ethics code reflects your core values. It contains broad statements that reflect your company's commitment to such concerns as:

Protection of intellectual property

Commitment to diversity

Promotion of good community relationships

Respect for cultural differences and how to respond when customs and laws in other countries conflict with our standards and expectations

Environmental responsibilities and actions

Safety practices

Financial and accounting maintenance and reporting practices

Compensation standards

Regulatory compliance

Professional standards and expectations

Related Article: 6 Lessons in Corporate Ethics from the GM Recall
As pointed out in Buzzle, "Business ethics is a very subjective issue, which creates various dimensions and interpretations to formal conduct...as an employer, who holds an authority over the workforce, you need to identify these ethical conflicts and resolve them with absolute objectivity to foster a healthy environment and an efficient workforce."

Code of Conduct

If a code of ethics is more of a philosophical statement, then a code of conduct spells out whether specific behaviors or actions are acceptable or not acceptable.

Why is this necessary? After all, don't we all know right from wrong?

We'd like to think so, but sometimes the dividing line isn't quite clear. You shouldn't have to point out that "borrowing" money for personal use from company coffers without authorization is stealing.

But, ponder this question: is it ethical for you to partner with a company in a culture where some kind of "extra payment" to a senior manager is a routine part of doing business?

In this country, we call that giving a bribe. Put that way, it's obvious (or at least it should be obvious) it is unethical behavior. In other countries and cultures, however, such payment just part of doing business. That's where a code of ethics comes in.

There can be no ambiguity about a policy that states: "We do not enter into side agreements that are not clearly stated in the contract terms. Terms and amounts of all payments are completely specified and transparent. We do not enter engage any 'off the book' payments under any circumstances. If a contractor, partner or customer requests such an arrangement, we will decline, even if it results ultimately in losing the business."

The code of conduct should also spell out how to report a violation of company policy or ethics, as well as the consequences for not report a violation or providing false information in an attempt to conceal the violation.

Writing on LinkedIn's Pulse blog, Frank Bucaro points out that in addition to reinforcing positive behavior, a code also needs to spell out behavior that is not tolerated and must be prevented. It includes such behaviors as:

Taking shortcuts to attain goals that may cause adverse side-effects

Treating people disrespectfully, or in a biased manner based on race, gender, social class or religion

Incivility towards colleagues and customers

Use of corporate resources for personal use

Why Do You Need Codes of Both Ethics and Conduct?

Instituting both a code of ethics and a code of conduct has numerous benefits. These codes provide:

Consistent standards of conduct that promote teamwork, collaboration and mutual respect

Legal protection against actions that exploit gray areas or other ill-defined practices

Framework for employees to formulate decisions that align with shared values and are resolved openly, fairly and responsibly

Enhanced brand image that distinguishes the company as trustworthy, ethical, fair and open in company dealings with employees and customers

Common ground to interact with customers, suppliers, partners and other stakeholders

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Does Your Business Need a Code of Ethics - business.com

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Does your business need a code of ethics, a code of conduct or both? What's the difference? Learn more about both. Does your business need a code of ethics, a code of conduct or both? What's the difference?

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As I read chapter 2 of our textbook, I wanted to see what the actual pay gap was between genders and races. While the pay gap is getting better, it's still very wide between male and female. Even wider for minority females.

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The gender pay gap varies substantially from state to state, due to factors such as:

The primary industries in the state and the opportunities they create

Demographics such as race/ethnicity, age, and education level

Regional differences in attitudes and beliefs about work and gender

Differences in the scope and strength of state pay discrimination laws and policies

Explore Your State STATE WAGE GAP DATA
The gender pay gap occurs across almost all occupations and industries:

Male-dominated industries tend to have higher wages than industries and occupations made up mostly of female workers;

In a comparison of occupations with at least 50,000 men and 50,000 women in 2017, 107 out of 114 had statistically significant gaps in pay that favored men; six occupations had no significant gap; and just one had a gap favoring women.

In some occupations, women collectively are receiving billions less than they would with equal pay; for instance, women working as physicians and surgeons are paid $19 billion less annually than if they were paid the same as men in that occupation.

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The Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap: AAUW Report

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The gender pay gap varies substantially from state to state, due to factors such as: The primary industries in the state and the opportunities they create Demographics such as race/ethnicity, age, and education level Regional differences in attitudes and beliefs about work and gender Differences in the scope and strength

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I think having interpersonal skills is vital to a manager. Something we discussed in our Mod 1 discussion post. This video talks about people management and maps out a healthy approach.

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People are the number one resource you can have on any project. Learn from our expert at https://www.projectmanager.com/?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=TheTop5PeopleManagementSkills about the people management skills that will help you be a better leader and project manager.

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I wanted a better grasp as to what the textbook meant by contemporary vs. traditional management style/skills. I agree with this article that becoming a good manager is a process.

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When I think of a good manager, one of the first names that comes to mind is Sam Walton. I looked up this article to see how he viewed certain issues in his life.

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Sam Walton (1918-1992) was a self-made billionaire. In 1945, he bought a Ben Franklin variety store in Newport, Arkansas, and began to put his own innovative retail approach to work. He scoured the area with his pickup truck, buying up goods from anyone with a blowout offer to make. Then he sold them in his store, dirt-cheap. Merchandise flew off the floor. He'd make half the profit per item of comparable retailers, but sell three times as much and make a greater overall profit.

This simple but brilliant strategy enabled him to expand to fifteen stores in fifteen years' time. Walton became the largest independent variety store operator in the U.S. When he started Wal-Mart in 1962, the lessons he learned from his success with Ben Franklin went with him.

It was some years before Sam Walton and his daring retail techniques that eventually led to revolutionizing retail distribution were taken seriously. A few astute executives, like Harry Cunningham, then CEO of K-Mart, tried to warn his management early on that Walton posed a serious potential threat. They ignored his warnings and were caught with their pants down when Wal-Mart began to offer intense competition.

Sound all too familiar? Think right now about companies such as Nokia, HP and Blackberry. Alerts are everywhere that consumers are rapidly changing their technology habits, especially PC and smartphone use. If companies don't pay attention to potential threats in the marketplace, they will be shamefully left behind. Fortunately, Wal-Mart did not have this problem. Today, Wal-Mart has sales well over $400 billion and is still growing rapidly due to its rigorous global footprint.

If you haven't read Sam Walton's published memoirs, Sam Walton: Made in America, you should. Here's just a sampling of his positive, creative thinking that we can benefit from as we grow our businesses from local to global:
1. On Wal-Mart's key to success
"It (competitor's poor profits) all boils down to not taking care of their customers, not minding their stores, not having folks in their stores with good attitudes, and that was because they never really even tried to take care of their own people. If you want the people in the stores to take care of the customers, you have to make sure you're taking care of the people in the stores. That's the most important single ingredient of Wal-Mart's success."
2. On capturing ideas
"Go in and check our competition. Check everyone who is our competition. And don't look for the bad. Look for the good. If you get one good idea, that's one more than you went into the store with and we must try to incorporate it into our company."
3. On ignoring others' opinions
"If we fail to live up to somebody's hypothetical projection for what we should be doing, I don't care."
4. On Sam Walton himself
"When Sam feels a certain way, he is relentless. He will just wear you out. Week after week after week-until finally everybody capitulates and says, well, it's easier to do it than to keep fighting this fight. I guess it could be called management by wearing you down [MBWYD]."
5. On his employees
"I sure owe it to them to at least hear them out when they're upset about something. Partnership involves money-which is crucial to any business relationship-but it also involves basic human considerations, such as respect."

Why did Sam Walton succeed? Because he listened to himself, which most of us don't do. Because he ignored negativity from critics, which most of us also don't do. He parlayed his superior intuition and persistence into the largest discount retail empire in the world. A gift of business genius like Sam Walton's is one-of-a-kind, but we can all learn from his original philosophies and strategies as we work to turn our own dreams into reality.

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Sam Walton (1918-1992) was a self-made billionaire. In 1945, he bought a Ben Franklin variety store in Newport, Arkansas, and began to put his own innovative retail approach to work. He scoured the area with his pickup truck, buying up goods from anyone with a blowout offer to make.

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I wanted to see how management was defined elsewhere other than our textbook.

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"Stock options are inevitably tied to the overall performance of a corporation. Logically, therefore, they should be awarded only to those managers with overall responsibility. Managers with limited areas of responsibility should have incentives that pay off in relation to results under their control. The .350 hitter expects, and also deserves, a big payoff for his performance -- even if he plays for a cellar-dwelling team. And the .150 hitter should get no reward -- even if he plays for a pennant winner. Only those with overall responsibility for the team should have their rewards tied to its results."

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"Stock options are inevitably tied to the overall performance of a corporation. Logically, therefore, they should be awarded only to those managers with overall responsibility. Managers with limited areas of responsibility should have incentives that pay off in relation to results under their control.