# data[].attributes.body
Demin's flow diagram in Ch. 18 helped me see the practical steps a company would need to take to improve product quality. There will always be room for improvement so seeing these steps helps me visualize how I would act as a manager overseeing quality.

# data[].attributes.body
Reading the articles about Toyota's recalls was intriguing and disappointing because of how they initially handled it. Reading in Ch. 18 about quality really proved how they failed in handling the situation at first.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Toyota Is Recalling 2.9 Million Vehicles Worldwide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Toyota is recalling 2.9 million vehicles globally including its Corolla Axio sedan and RAV4 SUV crossover due to potentially faulty airbags.

# data[].attributes.body
Collecting information is vital in a business. They key part is knowing who needs what type of information. The figure in Ch. 17 helped illustrate which level of management is best served by certain information.

# data[].attributes.body
The Challenge Case in Ch.14 was very interesting. Motivating your employees and ensuring they are in a good work environment leads to better productivity. This article shared more on how American Express does this.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Badgley's game-winning kick lifts No. 11 Hurricanes past Georgia Tech, 25-24

Girl dies after falling in cruise ship at PortMiami

Authorities turn away thousands of Florida Disaster Food Assistance Program applicants

Girl, 2, dies after found at bottom of pool in Miami Gardens

Teen vanishes after day at Piper High School

Doctor finds newborn baby in Broward hospital restroom's garbage can

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure turns downtown Miami pink

Witches ride to help domestic abuse victims in Florida Keys

Motion Picture Academy board kicks out Harvey Weinstein

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A look inside American Express' new South Florida headquarters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Badgley's game-winning kick lifts No. 11 Hurricanes past Georgia Tech, 25-24 Girl dies after falling in cruise ship at PortMiami Authorities turn away thousands of Florida Disaster Food Assistance Program applicants Girl, 2, dies after found at bottom of pool in Miami Gardens Teen vanishes after day at Piper High School Doctor finds newborn baby in Broward hospital restroom's garbage can Susan G.

# data[].attributes.body
The leadership continuum helped me see the range in which managers can make decisions. This was important to learn because in a management position, I can see which type of behavior will work best for the company.

# data[].attributes.body
I learned about Maslow's Hierarchy of needs in psychology so it was very interesting to read about it in Ch.14 in relation to the workplace. This figure helped me understand how it translated to employees needs.

# data[].attributes.body
The text in Ch. 13 did a great job of illustrating what the life cycle theory of leadership looks like in real life. I have seen this in the work environment before and now better understand why the flow of it is crucial to it working.

# data[].attributes.body
This was one of the more interesting topics for me in Ch. 12 - I have never heard this discussed before in reference to the workplace. After reading the text, I researched a bit more and this article was helped develop the idea of EQ in the workplace for me.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Scholars may have coined the term "emotional intelligence" in the early 1990s, but business leaders quickly took the concept and made it their own.

According to emotional intelligence, or EQ, success is strongly influenced by personal qualities such as perseverance, self-control and skill in getting along with others. Much has been written about how to improve employees' EQ, but hiring managers are likely to make better hiring decisions when they look for people who already possess high EQ scores.

At Glassdoor, we see our 2,100 employer clients like Zillow and 1-800-CONTACTS working hard to better connect with both employees and job seekers. Why? Because they know that in order to keep their culture intact and to effectively recruit the right kind of candidates, they need to engage and be open and transparent.

Workers with high EQ are better able to work in teams, adjust to change and be flexible. No matter how many degrees or other on-paper qualifications a person has, if he or she doesn't have certain emotional qualities, he or she is unlikely to succeed. As the workplace continues to evolve, making room for new technologies and innovations, these qualities may become increasingly important.
Related: In Business and Love, Emotional Intelligence Rules
In his books, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ and Working With Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman presents five categories of emotional intelligence. To hire candidates who will thrive in your workplace, look for those who have a handle on these five pillars.

1. Self-awareness: If a person has a healthy sense of self-awareness, he understands his own strengths and weaknesses, as well as how his actions affect others. A person who is self-aware is usually better able to handle and learn from constructive criticism than one who is not.

2. Self-regulation: A person with a high EQ can maturely reveal her emotions and exercise restraint when needed. Instead of squelching her feelings, she expresses them with restraint and control.

3. Motivation: Emotionally intelligent people are self-motivated. They're not motivated simply by money or a title. They are usually resilient and optimistic when they encounter disappointment and driven by an inner ambition.

4. Empathy: A person who has empathy has compassion and an understanding of human nature that allows him to connect with other people on an emotional level. The ability to empathize allows a person to provide great service and respond genuinely to others' concerns.

5. People skills: People who are emotionally intelligent are able to build rapport and trust quickly with others on their teams. They avoid power struggles and backstabbing. They usually enjoy other people and have the respect of others around them.

Just as it's important to seek new hires with emotional intelligence, it's vital for managers and other business leaders to operate in emotionally intelligent ways to meet the needs of today's workers.

Many older workers started their careers at the same companies from which they retired. A job, for many in older generations, was viewed simply as a vehicle for earning an income. Today, however, most workers want more from their jobs than simply a paycheck. Younger generations have seen that the traditional view didn't always work out, as they've watched their loyal older counterparts deal with rampant layoffs and workplace disappointments.

While the emotional needs of today's workforce may seem like a tall order for employers, they're worth your attention. Investing in EQ has brought our company more engaged, committed employees, and we'll continue to put a premium on this effort moving forward.
Related: Don't Believe the Hype Around 'Emotional Intelligence'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Importance of Emotional Intelligence at Work

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Scholars may have coined the term "emotional intelligence" in the early 1990s, but business leaders quickly took the concept and made it their own. According to emotional intelligence, or EQ, success is strongly influenced by personal qualities such as perseverance, self-control and skill in getting along with others.

# data[].attributes.body
Being able to identify the stages of team development has helped me to ensure if I am on a team or establishing a team, that it will be successful with its goal. The text in Ch. 15 clearly illustrated what each stage looks like.

# data[].attributes.body
I learned about the protection we have as employees under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They help enforce laws that aid against discrimination.

# data[].attributes.body
Ch. 10 helped me understand the depths of importance that the Human Resources department has in a company and how they are vital to its function.

# data[].attributes.body
Having worked in different environment, I noticed the various cultures. In Ch. 16, I learned the terms and how to identify each type.

# data[].attributes.body
The Challenge Case in Ch. 16 gave a really good look at the importance and implementation of organizational culture. I learned how this culture can affect productivity in a positive way.

# data[].attributes.body
I learned the pressure that managers face to make sure their organization process flows properly. The basic steps show that this is a constant flowing stream.

# data[].attributes.body
In Ch. 7's Chellenge Case, I read about Facebook's strategic plan to stay relevant to its users in a world of social media. One of Facebook's big hurdles in the beginning was engineering the site for use on mobile devices, which I hadn't thought of before. Companies must adapt with society.

# data[].attributes.body
In Ch. 5's Challenge Case, I learned about how companies have to strategically plan their inventory. It intrigued me as a consumer who gets frustrated when something I want is out of stock,e specially at one of my favorite stores- Target.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
This Is How Target Is Solving Its Out-of-Stock Problems

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Target reducing the size and pack assortment of many goods to reduce out of stock.

# data[].attributes.body
In Ch. 7, I learned about strategic planning and how focusing on your target audience can be great. Great examples in the text were Ebony and Working Woman.

# data[].attributes.body
Our discussion on Marriott helped me to understand what a global company is and how it grew to be so. It was amazing to learn about Marriott's history.

# data[].attributes.headline
M3: McDonald's, Adapting as a Global Company

# data[].attributes.subject
M3: McDonald's, Adapting as a Global Company

# data[].attributes.body
The Challenge Case in Ch. 4 taught me about how global companies must deal with the complexities of their international markets and how to do adapt to them. McDonald's menu adaptions were a great example.

# data[].attributes.body
Working in a foreign country that you aren't a citizen of can bring its own challenges. It was very interesting to learn from a few testimonials how they adapted to different cultures.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
My expat life in Shanghai - Interview with Ryan from the USA (part 01 of 09)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
http://www.whatsitlike.tv presents: What's it like to live in Shanghai? A structured interview with expatriate Ryan from the USA. The essential guide for the future Shanghai expat! Watch this video if you are moving to Shanghai or China, if you consider living in Shanghai or living in China, if you consider living abroad and living overseas and become an expatriate, if you want to work in Shanghai or work in China, or emigrate.

# data[].attributes.body
The NAFTA is an example of an international market agreement between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. I knew of the NAFTA before this course, but this helped me understand how complex and how much planning must go into these agreements; also, how it effects our economies.

# data[].attributes.body
This has definitely become a contemporary subject - society is not only concerned with a company's brand but also how that brand plans to make society better as well. It's important because as we being our journeys into the workforce, this should be at the front of our minds too.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Corporate social responsibility is typically associated with large companies, not small businesses. But as companies of all sizes are quickly learning, social responsibility is a contemporary business imperative. In particular, education-driven initiatives are popular with small and mid-sized business owners. Two out of three mid-sized business owners say they are seeking to improve community engagement through education initiatives aimed at younger community members, according to Business News Daily. Unfortunately, despite the best of intentions, CSR often becomes an after-thought for small business owners who are too busy growing their business to focus on secondary initiatives like CSR. It doesn't have to be.

CSR goes hand-in-hand with a smart brand strategy. Consumers vote with their wallets, supporting companies that demonstrate concern for employee welfare, community development, environmental sustainability, and human rights.

"We live in a customer-centric and highly connected world where consumers not only want to feel good about their purchase but also want to make use of social media to share the story behind the purchase. Consumer sentiment can make or break a business. Having a positive social purpose and a core message that resonates with your audience can be the key business differentiator." says Creative Brand Strategist Andrew Miller, who works closely with small businesses to help them structure effective CSR programs.
When Good CSR Goes Wrong: How to Ensure Mutually Beneficial Partnerships
When it comes to successfully executing CSR strategy, even big corporations make mistakes, especially if they fail to consider the long-term impact of their efforts to give back. Case in point: Toms Shoes. From a marketing standpoint, Toms Shoes "Buy One, Give One" model is a winner. It's easy for consumers to connect with a concrete concept like putting shoes on a poor child's feet, rather than a more abstract concept like donating 10 percent of profits to research. But while the slogan may be good for business, critics say that the "Buy One, Give One" model creates dependency, zaps local initiatives, and ultimately hurts local businesses. As Michael Matheson Miller, the director of PovertyCure, a group promoting entrepreneurial solutions to poverty, tells Knowledge@Wharton, "Poor people aren't poor because they lack stuff; they're poor because they lack the infrastructure to create wealth." Ultimately, donating a pair of shoes may do more damage to the local economy than good.

In other cases, donating a pair of eyeglasses may be just fine if these donations don't undermine an existing local industry. Warby Parker, for example, uses money from every pair of glasses the brand sells to train locals at giving basic eye exams and then sell glasses at a significantly reduced rate. This turns an otherwise needy beneficiary into a responsible consumer, which Warby Park co-CEO Neil Blumenthal says empowers rather demeans the recipient. The company partners with Vision Spring, a like-minded nonprofit, to manage the training and eyeglass sales.

So how can you ensure your program is more than just well-intentioned but actually effective? For businesses that wish to alleviate poverty, Miller recommends focusing efforts on ways to create prosperity for families, such as removing barriers to education. In other cases, a "buy one, give one" approach may work, as long as the recipient's needs and environment are carefully considered. Other companies have found success in providing microloans or making scholarship donations that restore community health, rather than just alleviating symptoms or causes.

Katherine Klein, the vice dean of Wharton"s Social Impact Initiative recommends businesses embrace the spirit of innovation and experimentation with their CSR models as "it's not clear yet which approaches have the greatest sustainability and impact."
Starting Your Own CSR: 5 Steps to Success

1. Pick the right partner. Small businesses are simply not equipped to manage every aspect of a CSR program on their own, nor should you try. Attempting to do so will simply deplete program resources, along with the energy and enthusiasm your employees have for the program. Let the experts help! Choose a partner nonprofit that naturally aligns with your company's core mission and services. For example, if you run a small optometry practice, you may not be able to fund a "Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" program on the scale of Warby Parker, but you can still support vision initiatives, like the Vision Experience Foundation.

2. Structure for sustainability. You may mean well with your CSR, but if it's not aligned with your business model, it will become a one-time project rather than a sustainable program. Look for ways to blend financial support with volunteer service or in-kind contributions. Consider how your customers or clients will be involved. Don't limit involvement to simply donating a percentage of your annual profits. Consider sponsoring a "day of giving" in the community, where customers, clients, and employees can work together to complete a volunteer project aligned with your CSR.

3. Support community education. Looking to make an immediate impact on your local community? College or advanced degree scholarships are one of the most popular CSR choices that make a direct impact on the recipients' lives. David Resnick & Associates, PC recently launched a scholarship essay contest for students pursuing a two-year or four-year college degree who are interested in attending law school. "The cost of attending college leaves too many students crippled with loan debt or unable to pursue advanced degrees," says David Resnick, the firm's founder. "We chose to offer a scholarship competition in order to empower deserving students to achieve their legal education dreams."

4. Don't shy away from personal causes. When a cause is near and dear to your heart, your passion for this cause will naturally shine through, inspiring your fellow employees as well as customers and clients. For small businesses, choosing personal causes that are closely aligned with the local community will also inspire community-wide involvement that goes beyond just your current employees and customers. For example, Colorado law firm The Sawaya Law Firm gives out "The Sawaya Awards", which recognize Coloradans who are committed to helping themselves and members of their community reach their full potential. The firm also helps community members in need through the Sawaya Foundation, which recently launched a matching fundraising drive to support a Denver police officer who was severely wounded during a routine traffic stop.

5. Monitor customer impact. In addition to monitoring the success of your CSR program, you'll also want to understand how customers and clients perceive them. For example, when Tom's started getting pushback from customers about their "buy one, give one" donations, the company reworked their program to make it more sustainable and less disruptive to local communities. (They now invest in companies that match their CSR mission, too.) While it's unlikely that customers will approach you directly about your CSR, if they feel strongly about it one way or another, they probably will discuss it on social media. I like Brand24 and Follow for monitoring social media chatter. You can use these platforms to set alerts for online mentions and specific keywords related to your CSR.

Bottom line:
There's no need to rush head first into a huge CSR program. Start slowly and grow with time. Whether your company is a small business or a major corporation, choose a CSR program that realistically reflects your business's ability to give back. For small businesses, this could be a scholarship program like the one recently launched by David Resnick's law firm or the "Sawya Awards" for outstanding community members. Other great options include a company-wide volunteer day such as Habitat for Humanity (invite your customers/clients to join in!) or a recurring donation to a nonprofit aligned with your business's services. Whichever approach you choose, be sure that your program is fully integrated with your business's core mission for long-term, sustainable growth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Corporate Social Responsibility is Essential for Brand Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Corporate social responsibility is typically associated with large companies, not small businesses. But as companies of all sizes are quickly learning, social responsibility is a contemporary business imperative. In particular, education-driven initiatives are popular with small and mid-sized business owners.

# data[].attributes.body
This concept helped me to understand how a company can build it's sustainability by gauging these three areas.

# data[].attributes.body
As a woman in the workplace, reading about gender diversity in the textbook and discussion board was enlightening. It was good to see statistics how the diversity is growing.

# data[].attributes.body
This was the most interesting reading in Module 2 because I had not realized the complexities for managers in leading multi-generational employees.

# data[].attributes.body
I learned that each level of management has its own ratio of skills to be successful. This helped me better understand each level of management's role.

# data[].attributes.body
Our discussion on Steve Jobs in Module 1 really helped me to learn about different management styles - what worked and what didn't work.

# data[].attributes.body
Rodney Adkins's story in the Challenge Case really gave me the encouragement that moving up the ladder to top management is possible.

# data[].attributes.body
Reading in the text about Dual-Career couples was very relevant to my life. My husband and I have 2 different careers so reading about how each person needs to be flexible was very helpful to our day-to-day life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's more important than ever to know how to balance a marriage and a career. Between 1996 and 2006, the percentage of two-income married couples rose 31% in the US. Now, 47.5% of all American married couples are dual-career couples. In Canada, the percentage of husband-wife families that were dual earners is roughly 70%, and approximately two thirds of two-adult families have two incomes in the UK.

Many marriages fail for work-related reasons. And prominent articles like Anne-Marie Slaughter's recent contribution in The Atlantic, "Why Women Still Can't Have It All," and rejoinders like Froma Harrop's "News Flash: No One Can Have It All" have spurred critical conversations about what it means to practice work/life balance and how married people (or those in other long-term, committed relationships) can make their personal and professional lives work.

We're part of that dual-career cohort, and we've had many discussions about what it means to manage a marriage and a career. As a former marriage counselor, Jackie has seen the problems couples face, and we've had challenges of our own, from living in different cities to managing trying travel schedules. But we think that with intentionality, it is possible to manage marriage and a career. While we're still trying to figure things out, we wanted to offer a few thoughts based on research and our own experience.

Actively manage expectations. Unspoken expectations often lead to disappointment and miscommunication in a relationship. And the first step toward navigating a healthy marriage and an active two-career schedule can be managing expectations - everything from daily routines to ways of working. Do you need time to decompress after a long day at the office or do you need to debrief the day's events with someone? Do you prefer frequent, short touch points (e.g., phone calls, emails) throughout the day, or do you prefer longer personal time together in the evenings? What are your expectations about travel, meals together, child care, and money? Clarifying these things up front can help you make conscious trade-offs and decisions, rather than running afoul of each other's unspoken beliefs.

Schedule your spouse. The average person spends 7.6 hours per workday on the job, and for many professionals, that number can double. During your time in the office, you schedule meetings, reviews, and time to complete your own assignments. Other things make the calendar, too: workouts, breakfasts with friends, board meetings, and community service. But how much emphasis do you put on scheduling your spouse? One of the healthiest things you can do is put the same effort into scheduling time together. Many professionals live by their calendars, and if you don't carve out time with your spouse as rigorously as you do with your business partners, your most important relationship can suffer.

Find time to cheat - on your job. What happens when a work meeting conflicts with something you've scheduled at home? And how many weekends and evenings are interrupted when you need "just a few hours" to finish something up for work? Many professionals fall into the habit of "cheating" time with family by slipping in extra work. But you can also find time to cheat on your job with your significant other. When was the last time you slipped away at noon for an impromptu lunch date or left early to make it to one of your spouse's events? How often do you decline another work call or event because you have a date night planned? Be spontaneous above and beyond your scheduled time, and make sure that you're not constantly breaking appointments with your spouse for appointments at work.

Bring your work home and your home to work. Dual careers can be more difficult when your work and your family occupy completely separate spheres. When your spouse doesn't know the people in your office, he or she can feel alienated. But finding opportunities for your spouse to meet your colleagues can create work environments that are more sensitive to your personal priorities and an atmosphere of trust and understanding at home. Bring your spouse to company events, and if you run a company or a division, find opportunities to get people's families together. As noted in Passion & Purpose, in a world dominated by email, smartphones, and flexible work schedules, the walls between work and a personal life are falling. Finding ways to integrate them thoughtfully can be a professional and personal boon.

Balance your compromises. In 2011, only 3.4% of stay-at-home parents were men. And while studies show the average childless woman between 22 and 30 years old out-earns her male counterparts in 147 of 150 major U.S. cities, the overall female-to-male earnings ratio in 2010 was 0.81 (PDF). There are a variety of complex biological, cultural, and personal issues at play, but it's quite common for one partner in a relationship (often the woman) to compromise on his or her career ambitions while the other partner compromises time with family. There is no-one-size-fits-all solution here, but couples need to have open and honest discussions about their ambitions for their careers and their roles in the family, and assure that one partner isn't making all the sacrifice.

Setting up expectations and clearly defining a plan to balance your job and your relationship is an important part of making your marriage work. But it's also important to check back in from time to time to assess what could be improved. Keep the lines of communication open, and adapt your plan as needed. The very act of asking a spouse for feedback can show you care about the relationship.

For many of us, our marriages and careers are two of the most important parts of our lives, and making both work (in parallel) is a huge priority.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's more important than ever to know how to balance a marriage and a career. Between 1996 and 2006, the percentage of two-income married couples rose 31% in the US. Now, 47.5% of all American married couples are dual-career couples.