David Calhoun never stops thinking about what's next for Nielsen
David L. Calhoun gives a lot of credit to the people who led Nielsen Co. as cable TV was becoming prevalent. “There was a day when the broadcast guys owned everything,” Calhoun says, referring to the big three networks of ABC, CBS and NBC. “And these guys in the cable world start cropping up. The […]
Stacey Roth nurtured her way to a new position at Hillsides
Stacey Roth is a self-described nurturer. The role comes easily at home, where the 42-year-old executive and her husband are raising 3-year-old twins and a 5-year-old son. But it also extends to her job at Hillsides, a Pasadena, Calif.-based nonprofit organization where Roth was recently promoted to chief program officer. In the newly created position, […]
How to insure against employment practice disputes
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of claims filed against employers arising out of employment practice disputes. Many claims have no legal basis, but employers are still forced to defend themselves — spending time and money. “Businesses are more likely to have an employment practices claim than a property claim,” […]
How benchmarking can grow your bottom line
Benchmarking your business to see how it stacks up against industry competitors helps you learn about your company and where operations can be improved. “If you focus on just sales or profits, you miss other variables and expenses that, with some tweaking, can make a substantial difference in your profit and cash flow,” says Dave […]
How utilization management drives patients to the right kind of health care
The Institute of Medicine estimated 30 percent of health care spending in 2009 was wasted. Patients get duplicate services, unneeded services or services that haven’t proven to have medical value, which is where medical management can help. Utilization management enables health plan members and network providers to contact a benefits manager to determine whether services […]
How to plan for the surge of family-run business ownership transitions
Few challenges are thornier for family business owners than preparing for a transition of ownership. It’s a time for facing tough choices about the company’s future leaders and how the new owner will finance the transfer. “About 70 percent of family-owned businesses will change hands over the next 10 years as the baby boomers retire,” […]
7 tips to drive innovation at your company
The lifeblood of business growth is innovation — but knowing this is the easy part. It’s a whole other ballgame to actually drive innovation within your organization on a consistent basis. Your company could suffer if you’re the only one who comes up with the next big idea. Smart leaders build organizations that think for […]
A mathematical approach: RMU professors built predictive modeling tools to help place natural gas stations
It’s a moment of panic for drivers: You suddenly notice the warning light on your fuel gauge, but you don’t know when it came on or how close you are to the nearest gas station. Now, imagine you drive a compressed or liquefied natural gas-powered vehicle. The Pittsburgh region, for example, has only five natural […]
Stephan Liozu: Distinguishing yourself — Do you know your company’s ‘true’ differentiation?
As a CEO, I met with many strategic suppliers during performance review meetings, contract negotiation meetings and social events. During negotiation meetings, I had one simple question: What makes you unique and why should we buy from you — and not your competitors? That was a destabilizing question for many salespeople. They were caught unprepared […]
Jerry Azarkman – Keep your head above water when the times get tough
In business, as in life, there are turning points. Sometimes they mean good days are ahead for your company. At other times, unfortunately, they represent the beginning of a more difficult stretch for you and your employees. As business owners, we have the responsibility to make these turns and convert the challenges into opportunities. When […]