Here We Go Again: Leading in Tough Times (a ChangeThis Manifesto by Lee J. Co...Samuli Pahkala
Here We Go Again: Leading in Tough Times
"Have you been wishing for the good old days lately? Or at least to rewind the economic clock 12 months? Leading a company during a slowing economy has plenty of challenges: What should you change, stop or continue doing?"
Here We Go Again: Leading in Tough Times (a ChangeThis Manifesto by Lee J. Co...Samuli Pahkala
Here We Go Again: Leading in Tough Times
"Have you been wishing for the good old days lately? Or at least to rewind the economic clock 12 months? Leading a company during a slowing economy has plenty of challenges: What should you change, stop or continue doing?"
Global Challenge: Outsourcing and Ventures by Multi-National Corporations
An old case study that I submitted for one of my MBA (Technology & Global Management) courses that I never thought I would actually put to good use!
Meetings are Serious Business: How to Minimize Costs, Maximize Value and Mast...T Harris
Poorly run meetings create more problems than just wasted time and money; they undermine a team’s basic ability to work together toward a shared goal.
In today’s world, we strive to achieve unprecedented levels of productivity with nite resources. This book explores the impact of meetings on your company’s capacity to achieve, and provides tips to help you evaluate and improve those meetings.
For many businesses, attracting, retaining, motivating and rewarding employees are key issues that can be the difference between success and failure. It is also a vital issue for any potential buyer (internal or external) and has a direct impact on business risk, and also value.
As part of our strategic advisory work with clients, we are able to offer a range of solutions to manage these issues and provide easy to implement solutions for business owners to encourage employees to think and act like business owners.
How to prepare your business for a transition.
This presentation covers:
1. Prepping for the transition from an organizational, emotional and financial standpoint
2. Financial options for transitioning your business or transitioning shares
3. Where and how to begin
Relocating for a new job position can be an extremely taxing experience. To lessen this burden, some companies have historically included relocation assistance as part of job offers to candidates who will need to move for a new position, typically with the caveat that the employee must remain with the company for a certain period of time. In this article, we explore whether relocation assistance is still something today’s job candidates should expect.
... μια εισαγωγή στα ήθη και έθιμα του μηνός Οκτωβρίου, για να γνωρίσουν οι μαθητές στοιχεία του πολιτισμού και της τοπικής κουλτούρας πιο αναλυτικά και διεξοδικά ...
Global Challenge: Outsourcing and Ventures by Multi-National Corporations
An old case study that I submitted for one of my MBA (Technology & Global Management) courses that I never thought I would actually put to good use!
Meetings are Serious Business: How to Minimize Costs, Maximize Value and Mast...T Harris
Poorly run meetings create more problems than just wasted time and money; they undermine a team’s basic ability to work together toward a shared goal.
In today’s world, we strive to achieve unprecedented levels of productivity with nite resources. This book explores the impact of meetings on your company’s capacity to achieve, and provides tips to help you evaluate and improve those meetings.
For many businesses, attracting, retaining, motivating and rewarding employees are key issues that can be the difference between success and failure. It is also a vital issue for any potential buyer (internal or external) and has a direct impact on business risk, and also value.
As part of our strategic advisory work with clients, we are able to offer a range of solutions to manage these issues and provide easy to implement solutions for business owners to encourage employees to think and act like business owners.
How to prepare your business for a transition.
This presentation covers:
1. Prepping for the transition from an organizational, emotional and financial standpoint
2. Financial options for transitioning your business or transitioning shares
3. Where and how to begin
Relocating for a new job position can be an extremely taxing experience. To lessen this burden, some companies have historically included relocation assistance as part of job offers to candidates who will need to move for a new position, typically with the caveat that the employee must remain with the company for a certain period of time. In this article, we explore whether relocation assistance is still something today’s job candidates should expect.
... μια εισαγωγή στα ήθη και έθιμα του μηνός Οκτωβρίου, για να γνωρίσουν οι μαθητές στοιχεία του πολιτισμού και της τοπικής κουλτούρας πιο αναλυτικά και διεξοδικά ...
... a brief description of further oral activity, as an assessment requirement for IB Language and Literature: Modern Greek SL/HL - instructions of the process, assessment criteria and various examples of the activity's topics are included.
μια συνοπτική, αλλά καίρια, παρουσίαση της περιόδου των Σταυροφοριών (αιτίες και αποτελέσματα) - της πρώτης άλωσης της Κωνσταντινούπολης το 1204 από τους Σταυροφόρους - της περιόδου της Λατινοκρατίας
Automated Content Creation OnDemand.
We use machine learning in order to create custom content feeds and aggregate content from multiple sources real time.
PROBLEM
Creating and updating unique content is expensive and time-consuming. Finding and curating trending content is a challenge given how much content is created on a daily basis.
SOLUTION
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Question 11. The difference between profit sharing and stock .docxIRESH3
Question 1
1.
The difference between profit sharing and stock ownership is:
Answer
there is more risk involved with profit sharing than with stock ownership.
profit sharing becomes part of a base salary and stock ownership does not.
stock ownership becomes part of a base salary and profit sharing does not.
profit sharing encourages ownership thinking and stock ownership is ownership.
4 points
Question 2
1.
Which of the following examples would represent the ethical behavior of an executive?
Answer
Inflate stock prices to receive bonuses and stock options
Boost stock value through efficient operations, and effective leadership
Buying or selling stock based on knowledge about the company's future
Stretching accounting practices to present company performance in the best light
4 points
Question 3
1.
Vesting rights are the rights of the:
Answer
employee to receive a pension at retirement age regardless of the length of time he/she was employed with the company.
employer to transfer or terminate employees before reaching retirement so they can avoid paying pension benefits.
employee to receive a pension at retirement age as long as he/she was employed for a specified amount of time.
employer to keep employee contributions to pension plans if they leave the company before the specified amount of time.
4 points
Question 4
1.
Which of the following states that employees MUST have a choice about whether to retire?
Answer
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC)
Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA)
4 points
Question 5
1.
The difference between a cash balance plan and a defined-benefit plan is:
Answer
a cash balance plan earns interest at a predefined rate, and a defined-benefit plan guarantees a certain level of retirement income.
a defined-benefit plan earns interest at a predefined rate, and a cash balance plan guarantees a certain level of retirement income.
a cash balance plan specifies the size of investment, and a defined-benefit plan earns interest at a predefined rate.
a defined-benefit plan specifies the size of investment, and a cash balance plan guarantees a certain level of retirement income.
4 points
Question 6
1.
Which of the following is an example of an employee being paid based on a piecework rate?
Answer
A pay increase based on performance appraisal ratings
Being paid extra for work done in less than a specified amount of time
Pay calculated as a percentage of sales
Pay based on the amount of product produced
4 points
Question 7
1.
Which of the following is a legally required benefit an employer must provide?
Answer
Disability insurance
Life insurance
Worker's compensation
Paid leave
4 points
Question 8
1.
In addition to pay, what are some important aspects of making incentives work?
Answer
Performance measures are preset, passed down by u ...
Running head REASSESSMENT AND ADJUSTMENT .docxtodd581
Running head: REASSESSMENT AND ADJUSTMENT 1
REASSESSMENT AND ADJUSTMENT 2
Reassessment and Adjustment
Name
Prof
Institution
Reassessment and Adjustment
When downsizing the workforce, it is very imperative for employers to remain proactive by looking into both the long-term goals and problems. One of the modifications to the solutions that I can make based on the reassessment is ensuring strategic downsizing such that the numbers of employees who remain in the organization are adequate so that their productivity meets supply effectively. The business should downsize all the poor performing employees and retain those with a remarkable performance. The business should be transparent enough and explain to the employees the reason for downsizing so that they can remain positive and engaged in the transition process (Cooper, Pandey, & Quick, 2012). Strategic downsizing will assist the business to meet the customer's demand for products.
Strategic downsizing of the employees will help the company to retain its suppliers since the level of productivity will not decline. There will thus be lower chances of suppliers trying to argue that the company is in a financial turmoil and doubt its ability to pay them. If the business retains good performing employees, the level of output will effectively meet demand in the market, and it will thus be easy to retain customers. The business will have adequate resources to pay its suppliers while avoiding the expenses of switching from one supplier to another, helping it to compete effectively in the market and maintaining a good relationship with suppliers.
The local community is an important aspect of the stakeholders in an organization. Strategic downsizing will not affect the relationship between a business and society since the business can meet the needs of its customers effectively. The business will also have a good relationship with the employees in the community because the employee clearly understands the reason for downsizing and this reduces the chances of any rumors that are likely to cause distraction and worry in the community (Gandolfi, 2006). The organization will thus be in a position to retain a good relationship with the community.
References
Cooper, C., Pandey, A. & Quick, J. (2012). Downsizing: is less still more. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Gandolfi, F. (2006). Corporate downsizing demystified: a scholarly analysis of a business phenomenon. Hyderabad, India: ICFAI University Press.
Running Head: IMPACT IDENTIFICATION 1
IMPACT IDENTIFICATION 2
Impact Identification
Name
Institution
Impact Identification
Oftentimes, b.
Restructuring Business Debt - Practical Strategies from Banker's UJohn DeGaetano
A practical action plan and other things to consider in restructuring business debt
For book purchase, licensing for the stage or more information please visit our website.
Watch video: http://youtu.be/bBvlJYTpW5g
Available on Amazon from John DeGaetano Productions
http://www.amazon.com/author/johndegaetano
http://www.johndegaetanoproductions.com
The following presentation explains you about downsizing alternative, positive and negative effects, examples of downsizing, lessons learnt from downsizing.
This paper intends to state the minimum set of items from which upon a continuous and disruptive programme will evolve in time, helping to improve the system’s performance. The six items stated in the paper are intrinsic to the TBLS business strategy.
Reasons Why You Need to Restructure Your CompanySuzzanne Uhland
In this presentation, Suzzanne Uhland will show some of the most common reasons why companies need to be restructured. There are many reasons why this happens. Despite all that, it is vital for companies to identify where their problems are and what they should do in order to solve them.
The 2009 Lehigh Valley Workforce Report was presented to the region\'s business community on January 27, 2009 by Kevin Flemming, President of Integrity Personnel, Inc.
Given the current economic conditions, many businesses are struggling and may need to take action to not only remain profitable but to remain sustainable. Some organizations may be considering a reduction in force. When exploring the option of a reduction in force, it is important that corporate counsel is involved. Corporate counsel will be able to advise on the legal implications of the reduction, to protect the interests of both the employer and the employees. The following ten points are designed to facilitate the discussion with your legal department when having a reduction in force conversation.
Alternative to Downsizing in a Poor Economy, by AIQ
1. Alternatives to
Downsizing in a Poor
Economy
Cutting expenses is not as exciting as increasing gross revenues, but
it is more effective in improving the bottom line. If your company returns
one dollar of profit for each ten dollars of revenue, you have to grow sales by
$10 to gain $1 of profit. However, if you cut one dollar of expense, that one dollar
is directly reflected as one more dollar of profit on your bottom line.
During a poor economic retain its markets, open new markets, etc., after
environment, companies often first reducing the number of its employees?
try to dramatically cut expenses by
reducing personnel costs, typically • Exactly what type of downsizing could be used to
by layoffs. While these steps may be necessary at times, directly address each problem. For example, should you
they have many disadvantages. close one particular operating division or worksite,
because of lack of customer demand for that product,
This article looks, first, at some of the considerations in excess capacity, obsolete facilities or equipment,
deciding whether to downsize; next, at some of the difficulty in hiring competent workers in that area, local
disadvantages of downsizing which may not have been government regulation and taxes, etc.?
considered; and finally, it suggests a more productive
way to cut expenses. • If the problem is short-term cash flow, are there
alternative ways to cut costs? (We will discuss some
Downsizing Considerations: if employment downsizing options later in this article.) Such alternatives might
still makes sense after considering these issues, then include options such as cutting temporary staff,
your company may wish to proceed; if not, then you eliminating overtime, voluntary retirement offers,
should consider other alternatives. reducing work hours, freezing salaries and new hiring,
temporary layoffs (furloughs), or reducing other
• What is the real problem? Is it short-term cash flow, expenses.
long-term decline in competitiveness, management
overstaffing, worker overstaffing, lines of business that • Would the potential layoffs include irreplaceable
are no longer profitable or no longer fit the company’s personnel or skill? (To be very blunt about it, a “10%
business strategy, or something else? Will merely across-the-board” cut is undoubtedly the worst way to
cutting numbers solve that problem? Will it solve any downsize--you are guaranteed to lose people you will
of them? want to re-hire when the economy recovers--but then,
they won’t be available.)
• If so, How and Why? What are the short-term and
long-term rationales, benefits, and detriments of
downsizing for addressing each of the company’s Let Suppliers Pay Some of Your
problems? Will the company be able to serve its Company’s Expenses
customers better, manage its finances better, innovate,
2.
Downsizing Considerations continued
• If layoffs potentially include irreplaceable personnel or skills, how do you persuade them to stay? Similarly, how
will the downsizing affect non-laid-off high performers who would also be difficult to replace? Employee morale is
the first casualty in a downsizing. Beyond that, high performers are always in demand, regardless of economic
conditions. What will you do to retain them?
• What are the short-term benefits from downsizing? What are the short-term costs? What are the long-term costs?
How long will it take you to realize the benefits? When will the costs begin to eat into your profitability? Can you
honestly quantify these benefits and costs properly or are you trying to compare present apples against future
pomegranates?
Disadvantages to downsizing that you may not have quantified:
Studies have tracked the performance of downsizing firms versus non-downsizing firms for as long as
nine years after a downsizing event. The findings: as a group, the downsizers do not outperform the
non-downsizers. Companies that simply reduce headcounts, without making other changes, rarely
achieve the long-term success they desire [1].
In addition to a smaller payroll, a downsized organization often results in the following problems:
• Morale and Productivity/Efficiency: Many studies have found that morale, loyalty, and trust in management
decline after a downsizing. So also does organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and job involvement. At the
same time, stress levels, intentions to quit, and actual levels of voluntary turnover all increase. Retained staff
members are unsure as to the stability of their jobs and morale begins to drop; this drop in morale often develops
into a loss of productivity and employee turnover.
• Turnover: Layoffs reduce the morale, and thus the efficiency, of your workforce. They also create uncertainty,
which often causes your best performers to look for other employment. If you believe that your employees are
grateful just to have a job and would never dream of leaving during a recession, you may be making a costly
mistake. A 2008 study published by the University of Wisconsin–Madison found that downsizing can actually lead
to a higher rate of turnover, which can leave organizations without the critical people they need to keep operating.
Although they may not be actively looking, unhappy employees are usually open to new opportunities if they
present themselves. An organization that lays off 10 percent of its workforce can expect to see a 15.5 percent
rate of voluntary turnover among surviving employees, compared with a 10.4 percent turnover rate among
companies with no layoffs.[ix] [ix] Trevor, C. O., & Nyberg, A. J. (2008). Keeping your headcount when all about
you are losing theirs: Downsizing, voluntary turnover rates, and the moderating role of HR practices. Academy of
Management Journal, 51, 259-276. Since the fully loaded costs of turnover (separation, replacement and training)
can be 1.5 to 2.5 times the annual salary paid for the job, those additional costs can be huge [2].
• Production Changes: Laying off employees during difficult times leaves a company ill-equipped to handle the
future rebounding economy. Management should investigate options such as cutting wages or reducing benefits
before downsizing employees because it affects the company's ability to handle increases in production. Part of
recovering from slow economic times is receiving a surge in customer orders. If your company is not properly
staffed to handle new orders because of downsizing, then that limits your ability to execute a financial recovery.
3.
A downsized organization often results in the following
problems
• Customer Service: If your company has fewer employees, then there are less
people to take care of customer concerns. Your customer service levels will
suffer and so will the public reputation of your company. Without adequate
production staff, you may experience delays in shipping product to retail
outlets. This will cause a rise in customer dissatisfaction that will have a
negative effect on future sales and revenue.
• Business Processes: One mistake a company can make is to downsize
employees without altering the way the company does business. When there is
less staff on hand to do the work, then the processes need to be changed to
maintain productivity. For example, automation can be introduced to help do
some of the jobs that staff members used to do in an attempt to maintain
production levels with the existing employees.
• Taxes, regulation, and other legal problems: Companies can expect to see
increases in their unemployment tax or workman’s compensation rates in the
year following downsizing; this will at least partially offset any savings realized
from decreased employer contributions toward social security and Medicare
taxes. Companies may have worse dealings with regulators if long-term
employees leave, taking their regulator relationship with them. Any the
company may be sued for improper termination on a number of grounds, for
example, age, sex, or racial discrimination.
• Direct costs: the direct costs of layoffs can be significant. Laying off highly paid technology workers in the United
States, Europe and Japan results in direct costs of about $100,000 per worker. In 2008, for example, IBM spent
$700 million in employee restructuring actions.
• Indirect costs: the indirect costs may be even larger. For example, consider the opportunity costs of lost sales: if
experienced sales and marketing representatives with strong client relationships are let go or leave out of concern
that they will lose their jobs (particularly in multinational businesses, where relationships with customers and
suppliers have to be nurtured over long periods of time in order to inspire enough trust to transact business), the
opportunity costs of lost sales may be considerable. Another example is cutting R&D personnel, which may leave
the company with no new products in the future.
• Long-term threats to the organization’s strategic success: Such threats may take the form of loss of mission-
critical skills, loss of institutional memory, inability to meet increases in demand as the economy recovers, and a
sustained drop in innovation, as survivors become risk averse and focused only on saving their own jobs.
• Brand-equity costs, or damage to the company’s brand as an employer of choice. This can be particularly nasty
if there are strikes or lawsuits associated with the downsizing.
4.
Are There Other Alternatives?
There are some alternatives to downsizing. In the personnel area, for example, overtime can be
eliminated or employees can be retrained or transferred to another division that is hiring. Full-time
employees can be placed on part-time status. More generally, new markets can be developed or
more cost-effective processes can be designed. Unfortunately, these responses require a long-
range perspective and an immediate improvement in cash flow may not appear [3].
Reducing Telecom and IT Services Expenses
Foremost among these alternatives to downsizing, we suggest that you also consider cutting other expenses--such
as telecom and IT. Although telecommunications and IT services produce the kinds of efficiencies that businesses
need to compete and profit, they also typically represent two of the top five largest expense categories a business
incurs, and because of carrier tactics, these expenses continue to increase even in a declining economy.
Why reducing telecom expenses is difficult for companies
In other expense categories such as personnel or equipment, executives can typically visualize, manage, and track
expenses quite efficiently. They use the processes and expertise of
their personnel to continuously bend the cost curve down in order to
gain greater efficiencies and continuous improvement. However, in Company
executives
generally
telecom, it’s not quite the same.
find
that
expensive,
In order to maximize its profits at the expense of its customers, telecom frustratingly
slow,
and
complex
suppliers have developed tactics that make it almost impossible for the
efforts
to
reduce
telecom
executives of companies to really understand and take control of their
costs. Pricing depends on secret discounts against published rates, and expenses
yield
only
very
for inventory and service mixes that are only completely understood by modest
savings.
To
produce
the suppliers. As a result, the best competitive market pricing is
telecom
savings,
you
need
an
completely obscured by suppliers. Further, suppliers invest heavily in
building career-long relationships with influential employees who outside
expert.
influence budget and technology decisions at its customer’s companies.
What this means
While its customer’s employees grow more and more dependent on the supplier to provide information, service and
pricing, and guidance, at the same time, the competitive information that really demonstrates the true market pricing
is obscured.
Due to these tactics, company executives generally find that expensive, frustratingly slow, and complex efforts to
reduce telecom expenses yield only very modest savings. To produce telecom savings, you need an outside expert.
5.
What you can do to immediately reduce your telecom and IT expenses:
Get the most capable and qualified outside expert that specializes in reducing these
expenses.
When AuctionIQ is hired to reduce a client’s telecom expenses, it 1) analyzes the client’s current
telecommunication services, service providers, and costs to establish a baseline of what the client
needs and desires; 2) projects potential cost savings available through auctions, optimization or
repurposing or realignment of assets, audits, etc.; 3) conducts auctions and other proven processes as required. 4)
Compels suppliers to competitively bid against each other to provide services to the client 5) Reports results by
presenting the results of the auctions and other events to the client and, 6) based on the results, recommends services
and service providers to obtain maximum reasonable savings to the client; 7) negotiates with the client-selected service
providers to obtain executable contracts; 8) continues to interface with the selected service providers and reports to the
client whether the contracts are being properly implemented; and 9) monitors billings, and reports to the client whether
the contracted savings are being delivered by the service providers.
Through its process, AuctionIQ historically delivers over 50% Telecom AuctionIQ
can
usually
and IT savings to the client, and depending on how fast the client can complete
the
project
so
the
move, AuctionIQ can usually complete the project so the client can book
the savings in the same quarter. How much would that be in terms of client
can
book
the
savings
in
your telecom spend? the
same
quarter.
How
much
So, this time when you’re looking at the budget and trying to balance it, would
that
be
in
terms
of
your
instead of turning to reducing people expenses, look first to cut your telecom
spend?
telecom costs.
Citations
[1] See, for example,
Cascio, W. F., & Young, C. E. (2003). Financial consequences of employment-change decisions in major
U.S. corporations: 1982-2000; In K. P. De Meuse & M. L. Marks (Eds.), Resizing the organization: Managing layoffs, divestitures,
and closings (pp. 131-156). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. De Meuse, K. P., Bergmann, T. J., Vanderheiden, P. A., & Roraff, C. E.
(2004). New evidence regarding organizational downsizing and a firm’s financial performance: A long-term analysis. Journal of
Managerial Issues, 16, 155-177.
[2] Cascio, W. F., & Boudreau, J. W. (2008). Investing in people. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
[3] For more on downsizing and its alternatives, see, generally, Wayne F. Cascio, The Business School, University of
Colorado Denver, Employment Downsizing and Its Alternatives (2010). Alexandria, VA: Society for Human Resource
Management Foundation.
6.
About the Authors
Richard Kennedy, AIQ Legal Counsel
Richard Kennedy received his B.A. with High Honors from the Brigham Young University Honors
Program in 1970 and his J.D. from the University of Utah in 1973, where he was the Schiller
Scholarship recipient.
Richard retired from the Office of Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service, where he was the
National Trust Coordinator and tried numerous cases.
He is admitted to practice before the bars of the States of Utah and California, the United States Tax Court, and various
other Federal Courts.
Brad Buxton, AIQ CEO
With 30 years of experience, Brad provides visionary leadership, support and advocacy to his
clients. The results are enduring, and they speak for themselves.
Continuous development of best practices learned from hundreds of clients including C-level
executives of Fortune 500 clients. By applying these experiences with a technological, financial,
design, and process approach, Brad produces significantly larger gains in profit, speeds time to
delivery, and creates competitive advantage for AIQ clients.
Contact AIQ by visiting us at www.AuctionIQ.com
Or call / email us at:
1 (801) 727-4007 / info@AuctionIQ.com