Companies 'not doing their best' to communicate strategy

I found this very interesting that 80 percent of companies recognize and know that they are “not doing their best” when it comes to communicating strategy throughout the organization. Business strategies are constantly changing and new plans are being developed, one of the company’s most important parts to handle is the execution and being sure everyone is on the same page. I find this frustrating, because you spend all the time planning, but then not follow it through or know how to effectively handle the execution. I tend to see this a great deal at my place of employment. There are big plans dreamed up and they are talked about for a month or so then fall off the face of the earth. Or it is followed through to a certain step and not everyone has been trained, informed or told so it is not being completely followed through. A company’s employees are one of their biggest assets in order for their business to be successful. Goals, targets, pay performance, reviews, and an effective communication of strategy should all be closely handled by the company to ensure success of their employees and for the company.

A Blue Print for Change

This article is similar to one I posted last week but as I was looking for articles on the Wall Street Journal website the majority I found had to do with women in the workplace. I think this is extremely interesting... it is interesting because people are investing so much time in this research. This particular article speaks about the dropping numbers in women in management and higher positions, while yet more women are graduating and with masters than men. The article also talks about what women and men are judged on when it comes to promotion time. Its interesting to see how much thought is being put into bringing women up in the work force. This article also talks about different countries and what women do to help them move forward. I think its worth a look at!

Which Country Works The Hardest?

I found this article interesting. It's comparing the amount of work done in hours per country. It also compares data of paid and unpaid work. The highest working country is Mexico when combining paid and unpaid(chores, cleaning, etc) work."
In the United States, people spent about 8.2 hours per day on paid and unpaid work, including 4.8 hours each day on the job or studying.
The Belgians seem to have really figured out this work/life balance thing. The researchers said they spend about 3.8 hours each day on work and study, plus another 3.3 hours on other chores."

quote- from the article. While USA is toward the top half of the spectrum it is not nearly as high as some.
Belgium is looking pretty good right now!

Government shutdown threat paralyzes contractors

This article was a good example of the trickle down effect that a government shutdown could going to have on the workforce. Specifically they mention a firm that is contracted to provide IT services for government offices throughout Washington D.C. It speaks of the uncertainty of when and if they will have work for the government, and how it's impacting this particular company's projected business.

The article was interesting, but a government shutdown is going to affect everybody-not just a contractor that works directly within the government. It would be wise for this firm to outbranch their customers a bit, so they don't have all their eggs in one basket. So that in the event of a government shutdown their business can continue at some capacity-until the government can figure things out and come back into session.

Egalitarian Workplace: Pro or Con?

I found this article interesting because of the debate that it entailed. The first section talks about the pros of an egalitarian workplace where the hierarchy is essentially thrown out and there are no "bosses" at all. Everyone is placed on an equal footing regarding job title.

The second section was the con section and mainly talked about how hierarchies are a necessary part of large groups. The section says that hierarchy is ingrained in our very DNA and we need it to function as part of a group larger than a few people.

As fun as the idea sounds I think I would have to side with the con side of this argument. To a certain degree, yes, groups can work as equals but when it comes down to it, someone needs to make a decision and, maybe more importantly, someone needs to be held accountable for the decisions or actions of the group.

U.S. fast-food chains bet on India to drive growth

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110411/bs_nm/us_india_us_food_retail MUMBAI (Reuters) – The scramble by global food companies into India's fast food sector intensified on Monday as several U.S. chains announced plans to enter the country, hoping to tap the surging spending power in Asia's third-largest economy. Restaurants like Denny's Corp (DENN.O), known for serving pancakes and sausages all day, and Rita's Water Ice, which would be the first foreign competitor to local water ice brands like Gola, which operates out of little stalls placed mostly on streets, plan to enter India over the next two years. Pollo Tropical of Carrols Restaurant (TAST.O), known for Caribbean-flavored chicken, Applebee's and Johnny Rockets, known for its hamburgers, are also looking to cash into the Indian quick-service restaurant market worth $13 billion. See above link for rest of article. I found this article interesting because I would not have thought of India being a fast food country. They will have to make a lot of changes on the menus, they would be stripped free of beef and pork, and would focus on fish and vegetarian dishes instead. That is really funny since one of the company's that want to get in ( Johney Rockets)is know for their burgers. It will be interesting to see how they fare.

Walmart ready to do battle

Walmart is bringing back thousands of products that were unceremoniously dumped from stores, saying it is ready to roll up its sleeves to win the lowest-price battle with its rivals. Walmart listened to the customers who are telling them that they want the right products in a one-stop shop at the lowest prices. Customers are still interested in name brands like Hellman's mayonaise, Febreeze and Glade. After a long sales slump the giant retailer is going to try a new tagline "low prices, everyday, on everything. Walmart will now promise to match a competitors advertised price and ring this on the register while the purchase is happening. Other new elements are necessary for the sales to improve and regain the share of the marketplace they once held.