Years ago, a member of my family was diagnosed with a medical condition called Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. Her body had developed an intolerance to various chemicals that exist in society. Her symptoms include seizures, headaches and nausea, to name a few. She needed to move into a new home, one that was prepared for people who have severe allergies. She is unable to go out in society much because the scents of perfumes and other smells can cause her to become very ill and unable to recover for days.
It wasn’t until she was diagnosed that I became aware of this type of medical condition. The plan the doctors devised to help her include eating organic foods, taking oxygen and regularly using a dry or infrared sauna to detoxify her body. That is not a comprehensive list of her treatment plan though. I just wanted to share part of her plan here.
I was surprised about a year ago to see a sign in a bathroom at a park which stated that only natural cleaning products and supplies were being utilized there because of people with multiple chemical sensitivities. These experiences, in addition to others, led me to the realization that many of the chemicals, food products and supplies we have created in this world are causing harm to people, in some cases severe damage. How much harm is it causing those of us who don’t have her medical condition? How much damage is happening in nature and to other forms of life as well?
I am not bringing this subject up to cause any kind of harm to the organizations involved in the production or distribution of the products mentioned (i.e. chemicals). I just want to further create an awareness that we can each make a choice to take actions that do not cause harm to anyone or anything in this world. I have no problem whatsoever with businesses making money, as long as the actions taken are ethical, moral and legal. I applaud any organization with a sincere goal of “Our organization is ever-flourishing; continuously and significantly increasing value (creating growth and stability) for all stakeholders – employees (including suppliers), clients and shareholders (while preventing harm to the world - society and the environment - due to our actions or lack of action)."
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Problems in retail - more thoughts after my earlier blog
In an earlier blog dated February 1, 2011, I wrote about how retailers can dramatically improve their performance. I pointed out that the two biggest problems are shortages and surpluses.
I will now share more insights about other problems I have seen in retail. Recently, I was at a grocery store of a large well-known retail chain in the states. When I walked in, there was not a single cart at the entrance to the store in the large holding area for carts. I heard other people complaining about the lack of them. I noticed a short time later that an employee brought in some carts from the parking lot.
It reminded me of an experience I had years ago in which a large retailer had run out of bags to place your purchased goods in. As a result, they were using trash bags from inventory that was supposed to be sold to bag purchases. These are examples of shortages, but not of products we intend to buy, but rather to use to facilitate our shopping. It is important for retailers to effectively manage all types of inventory they sell and utilize.
Another problem I encountered at a store of a large hardware chain was the inability of four different employees to help me locate the product I was looking for. I heard some of them state that products sometimes are moved in the store without them knowing where they move to. Most likely a problem in communication from management. I can understand moving goods for various reasons, but not ensuring that the employees know where they are does not support actual customers trying to find them to purchase. Some people may even give up in frustration before finding the product they had planned to buy.
This brings me to a related complaint. I don’t always understand the logic of where goods are located within a store. It is frustrating when you think you know which department they would be in but can’t find them. I also have experienced poor signage in stores, especially large ones, which would help guide you to what you want to purchase. I would suggest making sure signs and the layout of the store and products logically encourage purchases. In additions, signs should help anyone who is new to the store know where to head to find what they are looking for.
The experiences above and others have led me to conclude that the Retailer Transformational Strategy and Tactic tree (TSTT) needs to have more strategies and tactics added to it. The Retailer TSTT currently includes many important actions necessary for achieving the goal, but not sufficient to ensure that any retailer becomes ever-flourishing. Each TSTT needs to include all the actions (with corresponding logic) necessary and sufficient for an organization to effectively achieve its goal and eliminate any unnecessary strategies and tactics from being implemented in order to ensure that the constraints of management attention and the market or other resources are best leveraged for success.
I will now share more insights about other problems I have seen in retail. Recently, I was at a grocery store of a large well-known retail chain in the states. When I walked in, there was not a single cart at the entrance to the store in the large holding area for carts. I heard other people complaining about the lack of them. I noticed a short time later that an employee brought in some carts from the parking lot.
It reminded me of an experience I had years ago in which a large retailer had run out of bags to place your purchased goods in. As a result, they were using trash bags from inventory that was supposed to be sold to bag purchases. These are examples of shortages, but not of products we intend to buy, but rather to use to facilitate our shopping. It is important for retailers to effectively manage all types of inventory they sell and utilize.
Another problem I encountered at a store of a large hardware chain was the inability of four different employees to help me locate the product I was looking for. I heard some of them state that products sometimes are moved in the store without them knowing where they move to. Most likely a problem in communication from management. I can understand moving goods for various reasons, but not ensuring that the employees know where they are does not support actual customers trying to find them to purchase. Some people may even give up in frustration before finding the product they had planned to buy.
This brings me to a related complaint. I don’t always understand the logic of where goods are located within a store. It is frustrating when you think you know which department they would be in but can’t find them. I also have experienced poor signage in stores, especially large ones, which would help guide you to what you want to purchase. I would suggest making sure signs and the layout of the store and products logically encourage purchases. In additions, signs should help anyone who is new to the store know where to head to find what they are looking for.
The experiences above and others have led me to conclude that the Retailer Transformational Strategy and Tactic tree (TSTT) needs to have more strategies and tactics added to it. The Retailer TSTT currently includes many important actions necessary for achieving the goal, but not sufficient to ensure that any retailer becomes ever-flourishing. Each TSTT needs to include all the actions (with corresponding logic) necessary and sufficient for an organization to effectively achieve its goal and eliminate any unnecessary strategies and tactics from being implemented in order to ensure that the constraints of management attention and the market or other resources are best leveraged for success.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The Super Bowl - valuable lessons for life and business
Today is the Super Bowl in America – the football game that determines which team is the champion. Over the years, I have watched football off and on. Until a few months ago, I hadn’t developed a real interest in the sport. I already understood the basics of the game from watching it in the past. What I learned recently though is that the sport is about much more than I had realized.
The players have to be in excellent physical shape. They also need to understand strategy. Strategy is important for winning the game – both offensive and defensive strategy. Teamwork is critical as well. The strategy needs to focus on leveraging the strengths of the team members and the weaknesses of the other team. Each team member is important because his performance can make or break a play.
I realized that what you can learn from watching football can be applied in your life and in business. Valuable lessons can be learned if you are aware of what happened and why. Let’s take an example. One of the best teams this season was the New England Patriots, with the wonderful combination of Belichick (the coach) and Brady (the quarterback). These two were important for the team, in addition to the strategic planning and execution of all the teammates (including the other coaching staff and players). There was a rivalry with the New York Jets. Prior to the second match of these two teams this season, the coach of the Jets bragged that the his team would win. It was a crushing defeat, with the Patriots winning by 45 to 3.
Then, the next match between these two teams happened during the playoffs. This time, the Jets beat the Patriots. It was surprising to see how well their strategies worked. During the game, one of Brady’s passes was intercepted by the Jets – his first interception in over 300 passes! It was obvious at the end that Belichick and Brady were both stunned by the turn of events.
What happened? I think that the Jets desperately wanted to save face after their prior match and that they worked very hard preparing for this game. They had something to fight for! The Patriots, on the other hand, seemed to be off. Their strategy was not as good as it normally was. I also think that an important lesson to learn is to leave the past in the past. When a play does not go well, it is important to stay focused on the present and let it go. It will be interesting to see what happens in the Super Bowl. The quarterback of the Packers (Rodgers) is not only an exceptional player, but also able to stay in the present quite well.
The players have to be in excellent physical shape. They also need to understand strategy. Strategy is important for winning the game – both offensive and defensive strategy. Teamwork is critical as well. The strategy needs to focus on leveraging the strengths of the team members and the weaknesses of the other team. Each team member is important because his performance can make or break a play.
I realized that what you can learn from watching football can be applied in your life and in business. Valuable lessons can be learned if you are aware of what happened and why. Let’s take an example. One of the best teams this season was the New England Patriots, with the wonderful combination of Belichick (the coach) and Brady (the quarterback). These two were important for the team, in addition to the strategic planning and execution of all the teammates (including the other coaching staff and players). There was a rivalry with the New York Jets. Prior to the second match of these two teams this season, the coach of the Jets bragged that the his team would win. It was a crushing defeat, with the Patriots winning by 45 to 3.
Then, the next match between these two teams happened during the playoffs. This time, the Jets beat the Patriots. It was surprising to see how well their strategies worked. During the game, one of Brady’s passes was intercepted by the Jets – his first interception in over 300 passes! It was obvious at the end that Belichick and Brady were both stunned by the turn of events.
What happened? I think that the Jets desperately wanted to save face after their prior match and that they worked very hard preparing for this game. They had something to fight for! The Patriots, on the other hand, seemed to be off. Their strategy was not as good as it normally was. I also think that an important lesson to learn is to leave the past in the past. When a play does not go well, it is important to stay focused on the present and let it go. It will be interesting to see what happens in the Super Bowl. The quarterback of the Packers (Rodgers) is not only an exceptional player, but also able to stay in the present quite well.
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