June 9, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Kmart, once a retail giant, faced severe challenges that contributed to its decline and eventual bankruptcy. A critical aspect of its downfall was the breakdown in relationships with suppliers and issues within its supply chain. Kmart struggled with inventory management, leading to stock outs of popular … Read more
May 28, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Studies suggest that a significant portion of mergers and acquisitions do not meet the expectations set out by the leaders of the acquiring or merging companies. According to the Harvard Business Review, between 70% to 90% fail. That’s a staggering statistic that can give even seasoned … Read more
May 20, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Valeant was a Canadian firm known for aggressive acquisitions and subsequent cost-cutting. Rather than focus on research and development, Valeant purchased existing drugs and substantially raised their prices, banking heavily on aggressive sales strategies. Unfortunately, stakeholder management torpedoed their success. Internal Stakeholders: Ignored and Overlooked Valeant’s … Read more
May 12, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Managing a budget and finances effectively requires clarity on the roles and the expectations that go with them. Budget management and financial management are closely related but different – Scope: Time-frame: Focus: Decision Making: In smaller organizations, one person may be responsible for both budget management … Read more
May 6, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) In 2018, it was revealed that the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica harvested the personal data of millions of Facebook users without their consent. This data was then used to target political advertisements and influence voter behavior in various elections including the 2016 U.S. presidential election. … Read more
April 29, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Let’s examine modern examples of organizational complexity to see what we can learn. Ford Motor Company revolutionized industrial manufacturing with the implementation of the assembly line. Henry Ford’s introduction of the moving assembly line dramatically increased productivity and allowed for the mass production of automobiles at … Read more
April 21, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) When I reflect upon historic high-performing teams, I think of sports teams like the 1990s Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan. The Bulls won six NBA championships, dominating the NBA during that time. NFL teams with championship legacies also come to mind. The Green Bay Packers … Read more
April 14, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) As Robert Mays, an MBA student and his mentor, Dr. Jack Solomon, a respected specialist in ethics and organizational integrity, sat down for their usual coffee meeting at a local café, they were engrossed in a lively conversation about corporate culture and the importance of aligning … Read more
April 11, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Meet Mason Waters, the newly appointed CEO of HomeCare, Inc., a company in dire need of a cultural overhaul. Mason is determined to breathe new life into the organization. His first step was to retain a reputable consulting group to do a culture assessment. The report … Read more
April 8, 2024 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) (continued story from previous post) Years later, Sarah Reynolds, now the CEO of a multinational corporation, found herself in the throes of a reputational crisis stemming from a series of interconnected issues that had eroded trust in her company. Ethical Misconduct in the Supply Chain: Investigations … Read more