Recent Articles
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Are the new ideas to stop climate change crazy or potential panaceas?
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalWhat do reflective sand, water pumps, tiny flying robots and space umbrellas all have in common? They are all projects intended to stop climate change and the disastrous melting of Arctic ice. Now that climate change is more widely accepted, we have just as many solutions as we do concerned people. After all, the idea that the Arctic Ocean may be ice-free by 2030 is overwhelming, unimaginable and devastating to many people. But is there one magic bullet that can make all this warming disappear?
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Marriott is getting into the room-sharing business, too
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementHotels have been trying very hard to stop the growth of Airbnb, but still, Airbnb has remained the supersized rival of hotels. Despite the fact that more destinations are now tightening up the regulations for short-term residential rentals, Airbnb turns out to be an even stronger competitor in the market. Guess what? When it is impossible to get rid of Airbnb, hotels are now entering the room-sharing business.
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Practical considerations for deciding whether to rehire former employees
D. Albert Brannen Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhen the labor market gets tight and skilled candidates for employment are scarce, employers often wonder whether they should rehire former employees. No perfect answer exists to this question. The correct answer depends upon the circumstances of each situation. This article outlines the pros and cons of rehiring former employees and some practical steps if you ultimately decide to rehire a former employee.
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As hospital profits fall, outpatient pharmacies should help
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalThe Wall Street Journal recently published a somber-sounding article sure to send shivers down the spines of hospital investors. It reported a margin decline to 8.1 percent last year, from 9.5 percent the year before. This is grim news for health systems which are already struggling to maintain their market share amid growing competition from clinics and outpatient services. Since this week is National Hospital Week, and I care deeply about the services and financial stability of the hospital systems in our country, I wanted to share some thoughts from the perspective of a pharmacist.
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Don’t blow up your pistol — segregate your ammo
Eric Lamberson Recreation & LeisureA great many IDPA competitors often have pistols of different calibers, and normally that is no issue unless you fail to segregate your ammunition. I frequently see competitors in local IDPA matches shooting two guns, each one a different caliber. It is not uncommon to see competitors loading and unloading magazines as they switch pistols during a stage. This is one instance where the potential for a problem creeps in, because competitors occasionally mix calibers in this process — at times with disastrous results.
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Counselors’ role likely to evolve to help stop further violence on…
Bill Becken Mental HealthcareEarlier this year, a disaffected former high school student returned to his alma mater in Parkland, Florida, and randomly massacred 17 students and teachers with gunfire, injuring 17 others. In subsequent weeks, protesters filled the streets in cities and towns nationally, pressing for legislative change. Their demands at first did not exactly gain traction in the U.S. Congress. Instead, there were multiple reform-minded responses from other government, public and nonprofit quarters — including one from the American Counseling Association.
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Classical music builds bridges for Gifford, Florida, youth orchestra members
Sheilamary Koch Education"More Violins — Brighter Futures." This motto has become a reality for nearly 200 children who have been members of the Gifford Youth Orchestra (GYO) since it was launched in 2003. To give some history, the eastern Florida community of Gifford became home to black Dodgers players during the days of segregation when neighboring Vero Beach was the team’s spring training site. After that, many of the services once found in Gifford dwindled, including music — in all of the schools.
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2 tips for staying professional through a personal crisis
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWe all go through dynamic personal events, and they often seem to happen at the least opportune times. Whether it is divorce, death or a family crisis, two tips for staying professional through a personal crisis are to assess the situation and to plan, inside and out.
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Career development and the wine glass theory of management
Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhen someone says management, do you immediately think of someone with staff reporting to him or her? One of the myths about career progression is that in order to be a manager, you must have staff reporting to you. While many managers have one or more levels of staff reporting to them, there are those functions that require management oversight but little or no staff reporting to the manager of the function. In our training program, we use a wine glass to illustrate how people start at the bottom in a career, develop upward, and then come to a decision point at the bottom of the cup of a wine glass.
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Nashville’s vision advances as new flight arrives
Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & AutomotiveMay 4 saw a significant moment in the history of Nashville International Airport (BNA) when a new nonstop, long-haul flight from London arrived. However, the arrival meant a rushed effort to provide a gate capable of accommodating the Dreamliner aircraft in the weeks leading up to the event. It is just the latest step in the vision to transform the airport by 2023. The new five-times-weekly nonstop flight to London is the first time in 25 years that the two cities have been linked, and the first long-haul service at BNA for just as long, following the demise of the former American Airlines hub at the airport.