Monthly Archives: October 2010

I admit I’m a process improvement enthusiast. I’m continually tempted to believe that all companies need to improve all their processes all the time. As I argued in my first post in this series, organizations, like people, need to maintain … Continue reading →

Last week NBA legend-turned-entrepreneur Magic Johnson sold his Starbucks franchises back to the corporation for a reported $75 million. Rumor has it, he’s freeing up some cash to invest in a professional sports team (he also sold his stake in … Continue reading →

Jack Welch, a humble chemical engineer, tells us in his memoir why he was able to make strategic decisions all across GE’s portfolio, from nuclear power to the nightly news. The essential character trait at the heart of Welch’s story … Continue reading →

Featured Guest: Leslie Gaines-Ross, chief reputation strategist at Weber Shandwick. Download this podcast

“Customer experience” has become a very commonly used phrase in recent years, but like “innovation” and “design” it is actually difficult to find a clear, commonly-held definition, even though many businesses see improving their customer experience as a competitive differentiator. … Continue reading →

Two examples: When Apple took the iPhone prototype to Verizon, for a possible network deal, the carrier rejected it. In early 1990s, Diamond Bank introduced the first integrated banking system in Nigeria, enabling customers to operate their accounts from any … Continue reading →

The green marketing research firm Terrachoice released its annual “Sins of Greenwashing” study on Tuesday. I got a sneak peak on Monday and spoke with Scot Case, one of the key execs behind the report. For the past few years, … Continue reading →

There are plentiful examples today of companies using design to create value for consumers and shareholders. Despite the growing interest in design across industries, there are also persistent misconceptions that keep many business leaders from realizing its potential in their … Continue reading →

By Brook Manville (Larry Prusak, Brook Manville, and Tom Davenport are at work on a book on judgment and how to cultivate it as an organizational, not just individual, strength. Over the next few months, we’ll each be authoring posts … Continue reading →

Moving from a big company to a small one is an exciting step for many successful managers. But some of the habits that made you successful in a larger company may prove destructive at a small one. Whether you are … Continue reading →