newsletter archive.
(Previously published under the title Extreme Profits
under ISSN 1925-8941)
Communication technology success factors, skills
While most of us believe that communication technology is the be-all and end-all for organizational efficiencies, this is not true. Organizations that zealously implement information and communication technology solutions may be doing more harm than good.
The devil is in the details, big data to the rescue
Big data, that "large volume of data - both structured and unstructured - that inundates a business on a day-to-day basis" is a hot topic these days.
Even though the "information explosion" actually started 70 years ago, an increasing volume of online content has created a sudden rush for businesses looking to big data as the next money maker. In fact, the big data industry is expected to grow from $10.2 billion (US dollars) in 2013 to $54.3 billion by 2017.
The internet and productivity, using social media to improve business
Some say yes, some say no. Depending on which side of the fence you're on, you either believe that the Internet has improved productivity or it has decreased it. However, a tool like the Internet does not deserve all the credit (or discredit, depending on your point of view). It boils down to how we use the Internet.
Essential skills, technology’s curse
In 1959, Peter Drucker said that the knowledge worker will be "the most valuable asset of a 21st Century institution, whether business or non-business."
Drucker was correct. The vast majority of work in the 21st Century is knowledge work. In fact, over 88 percent of employees are in this type of work. However, Drucker had no way of knowing that today's knowledge worker would be lacking in fundamental proficiency.
Enthusiastic employees, BYO
A research study conducted by Arnold B. Bakker in the Netherlands concluded that two kinds of resources are required for employee engagement. The first is job resources such as social support, feedback and opportunities for autonomy, variety and growth. The second is the employee's personal resources such as self-esteem and optimism.
The 97 percent solution, braking waste
Edwards Deming, the father of the "quality movement," said that 97 percent of what happens to organizations is predictable and is caused by the "system," not the person. It is reasonable to presume, then, that an organization should be able to plan for and manage 97 percent of its operations.