Commentary
Richard Florida’s ‘Creative Class’ may prosper, but will everybody else?
RICHARD FLORIDA WAS THE FASHION all the urbanologists and economic development big thinkers were wearing five years ago. You couldnt wade through an op-ed piece or endure a civic organization luncheon speech without bumping into at least one reference to Richard Florida and his creative class theory on our economic future. Which, broadly summarized, was…
Why Chris Hansen’s Bid for an NBA Team Sent the Wrong Message
A case of coming up empty.
By all accounts, Chris Hansens attempt to bring an NBA team back to Seattle was above board, transparent and honorable. As far as we can tell, his behavior was the polar opposite of that displayed by the mendacious marauder Clay Bennett, who purchased the Seattle SuperSonics in 2006 and moved them to Oklahoma City two…
Prepare your employees for outbursts of workplace hostility
It is no longer sufficient to train employees to reduce workplace injuries caused by hazardous materials or equipment. Employees must be prepared for many other risks. Nearly two million American workers face workplace hostilities each year, according to the Department of Labor. Workplace hostilities include any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or…
Why Businesses Must Address the Dropout Problem
THE ECONOMY APPEARS TO BE TURNING. Your orders are up. Prospects are looking better. You need to increase capacity. Maybe you should hire. But where can you find qualified people? Do you have this problem? If not, you may soon. From large corporate HR departments to midsize firms and even small-business owners, employers are having…
Final Analysis: Timbre Managerment
How low can you go? A study by the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego suggests that men with Darth Vader voices tend to be more successfuland more handsomely compensatedthan executives who sound like Frankie Valli in full falsetto. OK, the study doesnt exactly…
Commentary: Navigating the Amazon System
In addition to its 11-building complex in the South Lake Union neighborhood, Amazon is planning to build a new headquarters campus in downtown Seattle to consolidate the companys currently scattered operations into the three-block Denny Triangle bordered by Sixth Avenue, Blanchard Street and Westlake Avenue. The 3.3 million square feet of Amazons new headquarters include…
CEO Adviser: Hedged Innovation
We all want to increase our revenues and profits by bringing new ideas to the table. But the risk of hurting our business is substantial. So how do we establish both ends? A solution I encourage is to isolate a small team to vet new ideas. While companies often attempt this by establishing research teams,…
Editor’s Note: The Impact of Wealth
Wealth, like religion, is a touchy subject. Most people like to have it, but they dont like to talk about it. And in a place like Seattle, they dont flaunt it. At a dinner party not long ago, we danced around the subject, wondering what it means to be rich in Seattle, where there are…
Give your marketing organization a regular check-up.
https://seattlebusinessmag.com/sites/default/files/jeanne%20chase-web.jpgAttorney, Paradigm Counsel As organizations adapt to the ever changing business environment, leaders must make sure they get the greatest impact from their marketing communications effort. Working with many organizations, I have found that doing a periodic checkup on the health of your organization is critical to getting your return on marketing dollars spent. Symptoms…
Commentary: Next time you’re shopping, look for a ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ label
Unemployment is one of the most persistent problems facing our nation. Buying products made in this country is the most direct way you can help create jobs for unemployed members of our extended American family. The United States imported $600 billion worth of consumer products last year. If Americans were to substitute $100 billion worth…
CEO Adviser: Sexism in the boardroom
In greater Seattle today, fewer than 10 percent of corporate board members are women. While blue-chip champions like Nordstrom and Starbucks have a higher-than-average percentage of women on their boards, tech companies like Microsoft and Amazon dont do as well, and the numbers for startups are dismal. Should you care? Absolutely. Research indicates that a…
Virgin on Business: Beware the new conglomerate
Used to be that you could define what a company did, what its function in business life was, in a sentenceor less. Boeing builds things that fly. Nordstrom sells things you wear. Microsoft writes the invisible things that make your computer operate. But thanks to a newly emerging trend, one driven in part by companies…
Editor’s Note: Making the grade
Spokane-based Itron has a tradition of hiring CEOs steeped in manufacturing technology. Its no wonder. The company, which had more than $2 billion in revenues last year, has 30 manufacturing facilities around the world, including one in South Carolina. But for its latest choice, Itrons board selected Philip Mezey, a man whose career began with…