If you want them, set them free

There is ample research supporting claims that employee-centered approaches to work and culture are good for business. Yet many of us in leadership positions have been slow to loosen the reigns and unbutton the collars that have probably held all of us too tightly for too long. It is hard to even know where to […]

Private/public partnerships

With the economy and financial markets rebounding, many businesses are exploring the possibilities of adding new machinery and equipment or expanding their facilities. Most business owners are aware that public sector programs can augment planned expansions, but they often have little experience with these programs and the expectations of local, county and state governments. Private […]

Talent supply chain management

We are often told that industry’s most pressing need is workforce talent. According to a just-released report from the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University, the U.S. spends $1.1 trillion annually on postsecondary workforce training. Industry spends nearly $600 billion annually on both formal and informal educational and training programs. In addition, […]

A U.S. city goes smart water

Most people do not realize that the city of Akron owns, operates and maintains one of the largest drinking water utilities in Ohio. Akron’s drinking water supply system distributes 133 million liters per day of water through 2,000 kilometers of pipe to approximately 300,000 customers throughout nine political jurisdictions. That is a huge responsibility. Doing […]

What businesses can learn from football

Football has been and still is a part of my DNA. I grew up watching and playing the game I love. My dad was a semi-pro — he worked for a company during the week, the Homer Laughlin China Co. in Newell, West Virginia, and on the weekends he played for the company team. The […]

The insider threat

When it comes to cybersecurity, the old joke is that there are only two types of companies: those that have been breached and know it and those that have been breached. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of truth in that statement. Over the years we continually hear owners and management claim that their businesses are not […]