Mexico may be the next China for U.S. importers and manufacturers
Low cost transportation coupled with minimal import barriers allowed U.S. importers to access the low wages of China and turn that country’s manufacturing base into a U.S. workshop. Chinese wages are now rising to the point that Mexico is becoming the more competitive manufacturing base for the U.S. market. If Mexico can maintain a safe […]
Reasonable accommodations: Interaction with and providing leaves of absence to a disabled employee
When an employee requests a leave of absence because of a disability, employers have two separate duties: 1) interact with the employee; and 2) provide a defined period of leave so the employee can obtain treatment and recover, as a reasonable accommodation. But if that employee seeks ongoing, or more successive weeks off from work, […]
Growth celebrates change in both nature and the marketplace
The gardens at Cornerstone Sonoma, a nine-acre, cultural and creative haven that celebrates the relationship between nature, architecture and art, are in a continual state of evolution. And I don’t just mean that all members of the plant kingdom are growing. It’s been 10 years since Cornerstone Sonoma was founded. One of its features is […]
How to balance your leadership priorities and get people to follow
Abraham Lincoln has been repeatedly voted as our most popular president, probably because he achieved great results in the face of incredibly difficult circumstances. What was his secret and what are the keys to success of the “greatest leaders?” In a survey where I posed these questions to hundreds of managers and supervisors when facilitating […]
Partners and entrepreneurship blend well to achieve success
Entrepreneurship is widely considered the key to building a thriving economy. According to a Kauffman Foundation study, all net new job growth over the past 30 years in the U.S. has stemmed from young, high growth companies. Still, it’s becoming clearer that the connection between startups and established businesses just might be another major economic […]
Scott Phillips Jr. didn’t set out to be boss; he worked hard and was asked to take role
Don’t set out with a position in mind. Find something you are super passionate about, and don’t set out to become a boss.
WePay’s Bill Clerico puts the focus on the total experience and innovation
As the head of a company that prides itself on innovation in the marketplace, Bill Clerico knows his team has to keep striving to meet the needs of customers. The company’s CEO and co-founder says the way to compete with companies like PayPal and Braintree and startups like Stripe is to be really good at […]
NCMM is a resource for midsized businesses to flourish
In 2011, The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business and GE Capital formally collaborated on the creation of the National Center for the Middle Market, the first research center of its kind focused solely on the U.S. middle market.
Strengthening your mental muscles can improve your outlook on life
If you want to lose weight and take control of your physical state, you exercise and control your diet. But what do you do if you want to take control of your mental state? Let’s face it: We live in a society that’s full of negativity and stress and it’s easy to fall into a […]
Appreciative inquiry-based summit offers recipe to inspire and catalyze
Imagine a world where companies prosper, people excel, and nature thrives . . . Exploring this ideal is the focus of Flourish & Prosper: The Third Global Forum for Business as an Agent of World Benefit which will take place Oct. 15-17 at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. It’s also […]