Management

Facebook Introduces #Hashtags

Gemmy Allen — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:13:00 GMT

Facebook announced in a blog post last week that users will be able to click a hashtag to see a feed of discussions about a particular topic. A hashtag is a word or a phrase prefixed with the symbol #, created by Twitter users as a way to identify their messages. Hashtags identify topics being discussed and allow users to search for them. Even though hashtags did't work on Facebook, many people used them anyway.

Perhaps Facebook managers read research from Nielsen. "Among tablet owners, general Web searches (76%) and general Web browsing (68%) are still among the top second-screen activities. But consumers are also using second screens for activities that are directly related to the content they’re viewing, as almost half of tablet owners look up information about what they’re watching." It seems reasonable to predict that Facebook will incorporate hashtags into its advertising business.

Source: Nielsen http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/2013/action-figures--how-second-screens-are-transforming-tv-viewing.html

Do you think that Facebook added hashtags to satisfy customers or to make more money from advertisers? Explain.

When do you want to find out what others are discussing? How do you search the conversations?

How could managers use hashtags to communicate with employees?

How to be More Creative at Work

Gemmy Allen — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:19:00 GMT

Creative problem-solving techniques include:

Brainstorming
Thinking outside the box
Listening to music
Daydreaming
Drawing and/or doodling
Taking a shower

Which technique works best for you to come up with innovative ideas? Tell us about a time you solved a problem.

Goal Setting: Lululemon Founder Chip Wilson

Gemmy Allen — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:07:00 GMT

Lululemon, a company known for its $100 yoga pants, had problems with public relations in March. Customers complained the yoga pants Lululemon was selling were too sheer, and the company eventually removed the pants from store shelves. Thus, the current CEO, Christine Day, plans to leave when a new CEO is named.

The company posted a want ad for a CEO. The fun ad states the following job description, "You report to no one, you are the CEO (duh). You are passionate about doing chief executive officer type stuff like making decisions, having a vision and being the head boss person."

The importance of vision can be seen in goal setting video by Lululemon's founder, Chip Wilson. Attached is his vision and goals worksheet.

How did goal setting improve Chip Wilson's life?

How can using the attached worksheet help you?

The Business of Father’s Day

Gemmy Allen — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:20:00 GMT

Today is Father's Day! Managers profit on the holiday by shifting focus and content to dads. For example, restaurants make Father's Day special to maximize traffic and loyalty. Father’s Day is the third most popular holiday on which to dine, after Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. The National Restaurant Association found that the most important factor in choosing the restaurant for Father's Day was choosing his favorite restaurant, regardless of specials.

How did you celebrate Father's Day with your Dad?

How can managers use their loyalty programs to increase traffic on Father's Day?

The Power of a Diverse Workforce

Gemmy Allen — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:50:00 GMT

A diverse workforce includes people from differing age groups, genders, ethic and racial backgrounds, cultural and national origins, and mental and physical capabilities. We're all familiar with the Golden Rule - treat others as you want to be treated. But, the golden rule of management is to treat others as they want to be treated. In this presentation, Deb Dagit encourages all of us to treat others as they want to be treated. Presentations like this one help managers learn about and understand their employees' differences.

In what ways can managers utilize and celebrate employee differences?

Creepy Loyalty Programs

Gemmy Allen — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:00:00 GMT

Managers reward loyal customers with discounts. But, first the customer must give the company his or her personal information (such as name, address, telephone number, driver's license number, and email address). Then, the customer gets a card or number. Each time the customer buys something, he or she shows the card or number. The company knows what customers buy, how often they buy, and how much they spend.

One of the first and most successful loyalty programs is American Airlines' AAdvantage frequent flyer program, established in 1981.

But a study by eMarketer says that many users report being wary of certain "creepy" behaviors. See the leading "creepy/weird" ways loyalty programs use personal information in the table below.

Do you use loyalty cards or numbers when you shop? Why?

What are the benefits of using loyalty cards or numbers when shopping?

Are you concerned about your privacy?

How can loyalty program managers keep consumer privacy in mind when targeting offers to customers?

Train People to Replace Yourself

Gemmy Allen — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:46:00 GMT

Restaurant Owners Uncorked - Chris Sommers - Train people to replace yourself from Wil Brawley on Vimeo.

In this video, Chris Sommers of Pi Pizzeria and Gringo in St. Louis and Washington, D.C., talks about training.

How has training people enabled him to grow the business? Compare this to what you have learned about training from your management textbooks.

Is he talking about training or development or both? Explain.

Internet Trends 2013

Gemmy Allen — Thu, 30 May 2013 15:01:00 GMT

Managers scan the external environment to find opportunities and threats. One way to scan the environment is to look for trends. Mary Meeker has uploaded her latest report on Internet trends, which can be viewed below.

KPCB Internet Trends 2013 from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers

Some of the highlights:

Google, Microsoft, and Facebook are the top global internet properties.
Emerging markets, especially China, continue to lead in the growth in global Internet users.
“Wearables, drivables, flyables and scannables” will become more popular.

What other trends did you find interesting? Which industries might be interested in these trends?

100 Words Every Expert Author Should Know

Gemmy Allen — Wed, 29 May 2013 01:49:00 GMT

Communication skills are needed by every manager. At some time, every manager must write to employees and other managers - emails, position papers, blogs, wikis, etc. The editorial team at EzineArticles.com has published an infographic that includes 100 Words Every Expert Author Should Know.

Which words on this list do you not know? Did you look up the definition? Do you think that using these words would make you sound like an expert? If you were a manager, would you use these words in your writing? Do you think your employees would look up unfamiliar words? Explain.

Class of 2013: Master These 15 Simple Skills

Gemmy Allen — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:21:00 GMT

Class of 2013: Master These 15 Simple Skills from Dave Kerpen

Which of the 15 skills do you think are the most important to master?

Which ones have you mastered?

Which ones would you like to master?

Are you a risk taker?

Gemmy Allen — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:19:00 GMT

Do you think of yourself as a risk-taker? Risk-taking behavior is associated with innovators, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs. Elke Weber, a professor of international business at Columbia University and a leading researcher on risk, says, that understanding the roots of risk-taking can guide people in making better decisions. (See, "What Makes a Risk Taker" Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2013). The Wall Street Journal reports, "Most people overestimate the probability of something going wrong" when they venture into unfamiliar turf, says Margie Warrell, a Melbourne, Australia-based authority on risk-taking who has coached many U.S. executives and employers. "They also overestimate the consequences of things going badly," says Ms. Warrell, author of "Stop Playing Safe." With experience, they become more realistic, and learn they can handle the consequences of failure. "The more often we step out of our comfort zone, the more we build our tolerance for risk-taking," she says.

As depicted in the graphic below, the five areas where people take gambles are health and safety, ethical, social, recreational, and financial. Answer the questions on the graphic below. When do you take chances?

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324102604578497133593217870.html

Take the attached risk assessment. What are your biggest risk areas?

Human Skills Needed by Managers

Gemmy Allen — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:09:00 GMT

An occupation group in the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook is management.

There are many management occupations, but all managers need technical, conceptual, and human skills.

Have you already developed the human skills to be a manager? Score yourself on each of these 10 human skills using the following rating scale.

Never - 1
Seldom - 3
Often - 5
Regularly - 10

I challenge employees to set objectives.
I coach employees to resolve performance issues.
I encourage employees to contribute new ideas.
I take an interest in my employees' personal lives.
I delegate fairly.
I communicate my goals clearly.
I resolve conﬂicts in a productive way.
I behave as a professional.
I inspire my employees to do their best work.
I am a good listener.

What is your score. (The top score is 100.)

Prioritize the areas you need to develop.

Which area will you develop first? Once that goal is achieved, what is the next area you need to develop?

Yahoo Buys Tumblr

Gemmy Allen — Mon, 20 May 2013 21:26:00 GMT

CBS MoneyWatch reports, "Per the agreement and our promise not to screw it up, Tumblr will be independently operated as a separate business," Yahoo said in an unusual pledge for a formal acquisition announcement. Tumblr founder and CEO David Karp will continue on in his role. Yahoo said the "service and brand will continue to be defined and developed separately with the same Tumblr irreverence, wit, and commitment to empower creators."

Do you have a Tumblr account? Do you have a Yahoo email address? Which Internet sites do you visit regularly?

What does Tumblr have that Yahoo needs? Is buying "hip" Tumblr a good management decision for "old" Yahoo? Explain.

The Entrepreneurial Mindset

Gemmy Allen — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:19:00 GMT

Millenials want freedom, and this desire is driving them towards independent (and often entrepreneurial) career paths. Many are planning their escape from corporate jobs. If organizations embraced intrapreneurs, would this help employees stay in organizations?

3 Secrets of Highly Successful Graduates

Gemmy Allen — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:57:00 GMT

Do you feel ready for the new world of work? Explain.

Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, shares three things that successful professionals eventually figure out about their careers.

The 3 Secrets of Highly Successful Graduates from Reid Hoffman