Recent Articles
-
Performance evaluations that employees and managers love
Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIf done effectively, both employees and their managers will look forward to the process and will be willing participants. The mentality moves from, "we have to do this" to "we get to do this." When the organization aligns around something as fundamental as an honest dialogue about performance, the future can be so much brighter. Here's how organizations can "fix" their performance evaluation process.
-
Learning from Japan to attract more Chinese tourists
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementWhen President Barack Obama announced the new visa agreement between China and the United States in November 2014, I made a few recommendations to help the government, convention and visitors bureaus, and local businesses make better preparations to welcome Chinese tourists.
-
Removing luck from the Chain of Survival
Brian Duffield Medical & Allied HealthcareAs good as the Chain of Survival is in the face of a sudden cardiac arrest, the success of the chain relies heavily on the performance of people — and to a lesser extent technology — for it to succeed. When you get down to the details, some of the folks in the chain are not professionals. Some of the professionals may be having a bad day, and the nature of technology brings a host of various challenges. The variables are myriad, and they all have to come together and work perfectly during an SCA.
-
Is it time to end zero-tolerance policies in schools?
Brian Stack EducationLast month, a former student from my school came back to interview me on zero-tolerance policies for a research paper she was writing for her graduate program. Her questions really got me thinking about the purpose and the effectiveness of this approach in schools.
-
Health concerns about electronic cigarettes are mounting
Joan Spitrey Medical & Allied HealthcareOn March 23, the California Public Health Department launched a series of ads as part of an effort to inform the public of the potential dangers of electronic cigarettes. This comes 25 years after the state of California issued its first anti-smoking ads, becoming one of the leaders in tobacco use and prevention. The efforts have paid off over the years, as the state has one of the lowest youth smoking rates in the country.
-
Is the shale bubble really ready to burst?
Stefanie Heerwig Natural ResourcesSince June last year, bond yields of companies in the shale business rose from an average of 5.7 percent to 9.7 percent. Currently, about 17 percent of all junk bonds on the market are made up of U.S. oil and gas exploration and production firms, according to Bloomberg News.
-
Should we get rid of paper package inserts?
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalBack in December, the FDA issued a proposal that would theoretically eliminate the little folded paper package inserts (PI) attached to prescription bottles by their manufacturer. The proposal, verbosely titled "Electronic Distribution of Prescribing Information for Human Prescription Drugs, Including Biological Products," suggests that manufacturers eliminate these funkily-folded fact sheets and replace them with a URL to the online version.
-
The great grain debate: Should pet foods avoid grains?
Jennifer Adolphe, Ph.D. Pet CareGrain-free diets are becoming much more commonplace in the pet food aisle. There are a number of reasons for this growing trend, such as the belief that grains are harmful for pets or that grain-free diets are more appropriate for dogs and cats from an evolutionary perspective.
-
Combating slow payment (and nonpayment) in the construction industry
Nate Budde Construction & Building MaterialsMost of the time, invoices get paid. In the vast majority of cases, invoices are paid well before they age enough to cause a significant worry. Despite this, however, there is an entire industry of credit and financial managers who are dedicated to helping companies manage, and ultimately collect, those problem invoices.
-
Emergency notification keeps tenants safe and protects your property
Steven Dutro Facilities & GroundsIf your tenants can stay safe when danger is nearby, it's better for everyone. You avoid tragedies, your tenants' lives are less disrupted, your property is likely to be protected, and the rent is paid. Thankfully, there is an effective, authoritative, free service available in most communities. Emergency notification service (ENS) alerts from your local emergency response team contact citizens via phone call, text and email.