Harvard Business Review

JULY 3, 2014

Then: commit to a process by which the potential leaders they consider will be honestly, consistently assessed against those criteria and a winner will emerge. Among the others was merchandising experience, which the heir apparent, like his mentor, had in spades. Why is the early narrowing of criteria so important?

CEO 8

CEO Six Sigma How To Apparel 8

Harvard Business Review

MAY 5, 2016

So retailers dramatically shrink merchandising departments and defer procurement decisions to data-driven algorithms for selecting what goes on their shelves. Commitment to efficient value creation invariably inspires more thoughtful investment in the quality — not quantity — of staff. But are they profitable?

Levitt 8

Levitt Disaggregation Kaizen Call Center 8

Harvard Business Review

JULY 11, 2013

Consider these cases (with names disguised to protect confidentiality): Bill''s venture capital-backed business concept was to operate a new revenue-producing service for large U.S. In its first year, the venture landed two almost-committed pilot sites and a prospect pipeline for a multi-billion-dollar market.

Innovation 8

Innovation Porter Merchandising Entrepreneur 8

Harvard Business Review

JANUARY 27, 2017

In reality, “handoffs” and transitions prove to be significant operational problems. At one American retailer, an autonomous ensemble of algorithms replaced the entire merchandising department. Autonomy is both the organizational and the operational center of gravity for innovation and growth. All-In Autonomy.

Outsourcing 8

Outsourcing Software CAPEX Competitive Advantage 8

Strategy Driven

APRIL 4, 2014

Of the companies who continue to operate without a plan, 40% of them will be out of business in the next 10 years. Employee theft and shoplifting accounting for 15% of the retail cost of merchandise. Commitments to quality at all links in the chain. That is not a full-scope plan. 35% of employees steal from the company.

Budgeting 81

Budgeting Succession Consultative Crisis 81

In the CEO Afterlife

NOVEMBER 4, 2012

Everything that tumbled out of our heads and mouths was committed to paper. The creative industry operates largely by holding ‘creative’ people ransom to their own self-image, precarious sense of self-worth, and fragile – if occasionally out of control ego. Economically I probably helped shift some merchandise.

Advertising 265

Advertising Creativity Industry Bottom-up 265

Strategy Driven

JUNE 22, 2012

What is their commitment toward literacy, social services, health care, the environment, multicultural diversity and other key issues that really create a better life? My analysis: Productivity software does no good unless one commits to change, alters behavioral traits and commits to time management. In One Easy Lesson.

Brand 50

Brand Analysis Advertising Software 50

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 26, 2017

If your culture and your brand are driven by the same purpose and values and if you weave them together into a single guiding force for your company, you will win the competitive battle for customers and employees, future-proof your business from failures and downturns, and produce an organization that operates with integrity and authenticity.

Brand 8

Brand Company Operations Merchandising 8

Harvard Business Review

MARCH 29, 2018

In study after study for over a decade, operations researchers have found that retailers understaff during peak hours. Last-minute changes in marketing meant that merchandise had to be marked down, tables set up, stock moved around, signs made, windows changed—and sometimes there were three different promotions in a single week.

Retail 8

Retail Productivity Products Cost 8

Harvard Business Review

FEBRUARY 3, 2015

We were supposed to be coming up with ideas for improving the company’s customer experiences, but the head of operations could not think of a single new customer service idea to explore. And the merchandising vice president had difficulty understanding why “product” was one of the categories we were discussing.

Brand 8

Brand Reis Objective Merchandising 8

Harvard Business Review

MAY 4, 2015

Lola is a labor and delivery nurse, an administrator and partner in a 65-bed long-term-care facility, president and consultant in a software technology company, director of operations in a long-term-care consulting company, chair of several hospital committees, and volunteer for a women’s fertility organization that travels to Africa.

PR 8

PR Long-term Consultative Career 8