I first learned about business strategy while in college a very long time ago. If memory serves me well then the definition goes something like this: the direction and scope of an organization over the […]
As part of the business valuation process, analysts and editors in my department conduct phone interviews with clients to learn more about their companies. I’ve probably performed at least 100 interviews already, but one particular […]
Businesses that rely on fleet vehicles to provide products and services to their clients can experience tangible financial benefits with GPS fleet tracking. GPS tracking essentially puts you in the passenger seat of every truck […]
It takes a certain type of mindset to lead a construction company to success. Most construction company owners started out working for someone else, became experts at a technical skill and then decided to go […]
Paying attention to the environment demonstrates good stewardship and translates into good business. Companies touting their planet preservation accomplishments via marketing messages benefit from positive publicity, while saving corporate money. Though Earth Day was officially […]
Though it may be difficult to imagine, small businesses have many of the same needs as non-profit organizations. The goal of many non-profits is to help solve the urgent social problems faced by communities. Nonprofits […]
Imagine a world in which very little changed over time. This year’s products are the same as last year’s products, and they’ll be the same as next year’s products, too. The same with production methods, […]
In business, nothing moves faster than capital. These days—where billions can move halfway around the world with a mouse click, or professional football teams can change cities overnight—your success can be enhanced by a change […]
You might think that a business manager, whose leadership style is based in martial arts, would be quick to lead by intimidation. For Robert St. Louis, a vice president of operations with a fifth-degree black […]
The first decade of the 21st century has been characterized by exhilarating growth only to be followed by the worst recession most businesses have ever experienced. In loftier times, it took little effort to get […]
There’s an old saying that what people don’t tell you is more powerful than anything they do tell you. Recent decades have brought us information systems that produce voluminous reports, which unfortunately then sit on […]
Have you ever been to the beach when the surfers were out? Do you remember watching them sit out in the ocean on their boards, waiting for the perfect wave to come along and carry […]
What is wrong with my business? Why am I struggling? Why can’t I grow? Why am I losing customers? If you are asking yourself these questions and looking for the answers on your income statement […]
Managing for a predetermined profit is not a well-known practice in the construction industry, where smaller companies, including startups, owner-operated organizations and small partnerships represent the majority of firms. Yet, when put into practice and […]
Measuring key variables keeps you strong. Imagine you’re going to your doctor for an annual physical. You’re expecting the usual round of poking, prodding and blood work, but the doctor just smiles and pronounces you […]
There is no shortage of effective leadership. A search on Google will turn up endless pages of magazine articles, books and speeches about all of those characteristics viewed as essential for a dynamic and motivational […]
Fear of what’s new or different can stifle your business. Change does not come easily for most employees. In fact, it often threatens them, especially when faced with learning a new routine or process. That’s […]
In nature, a number of substances that we eat or drink are necessary to our health, but they can become toxic when ingested in large amounts—these include salt, sugar, vitamins, minerals and even water. When […]
A focus on revenue is key, but construction firms must not lose control of costs . You were certain you had done everything right. You won the bids. You generated the sales. Revenue was great, […]
When information isn’t real-time Timely and accurate information is the lifeblood of business. Whether it pertains to markets, customers or competition, information is the foundation of the decision-making process. The refrain “I need it now” […]
In the summer of 1997, I drove through the 17th century Chinese philosopher’s Zhu Bolu’s hometown. The Village of Kunshan had posted a large sign, in Chinese, above the highway that read, “Mend the roof […]
As the laws of physics state, an object at rest tends to remain at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. This inertia can be the death knell of an organization, cause or culture. […]
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