Friends and Friendship

William Deresiewicz provides an excellent and timely analysis of friendship in his recent article in The Chronicle entitled "Faux Friendship." It should be required reading for anyone using, or trying to understand, Facebook and other social networking technologies.

On "Leadership" in the U.S.A.

I wouldn't call Tiger Woods a leader, but some would -- or at least did before the recent debacle involving his illicit affairs. A recent Huffington Post commentary puts it into perspective. Where are our true leaders today?

Should businesses support the health care reform?

I think business should support the reform. Check out this article.

For American Consumers, a Responsibility Revolution

Can consumer spending choices really promote the kind of changes we seek and need? Here's an article that seems to think so. What do you think? Is it enough to stem the tide of global climate change, poverty, employee abuse, discrimination, just to name a few of our social problems?

For American Consumers, a Responsibility Revolution

Does multimedia add to productivity or waste time?

Check our this article on the topic of texting from the Wall Street Journal on multi-tasking.

Do you think there are some advantages to texting as a way to communicate in the workplace? Will texting replace meetings or face-to-face communication?

Do You Believe in Polls?

A day doesn't seem to pass without my hearing what the "people" have to say. How much do you trust polls? Some are conducted by establishments that use accurate methods and systematic sampling techniques. Others are not so trustworthy. Regardless of the source, we should be critical of even the most reputable of polling organizations. Consider what follows -- from a recent New York Times article: (The entire article can be reached by clicking here.)

From the NYT:

In recent weeks, polls kept showing solid support for a public insurance option, seeming to breathe new life into its viability as a provision of the health care legislation under way in Congress. In fact, advocates of a public option, from left-leaning groups to pundits to lawmakers, seized on each new number and trumpeted the news across the 24/7 news spectrum of Twitter, TV ads, blogs and headlines.
And while those polls may have bolstered Senator Harry Reid’s decision to include the public option in the merged Senate bill this week, a closer examination shows once again that public opinion on this issue shifts and shimmies depending on how you phrase the question and what you strip away from (or add to) a compound sentence.

In nearly all recent surveys, a majority of Americans simply approve of providing coverage for the uninsured, suggesting that on an altruistic level at least, they believe people deserve health care.

But differences emerge in the details. For example, support for a public health insurance depends on the order of questions, the language and the arguments posed in favor or in opposition.

For example, in a poll that NBC News and The Wall Street Journal released on Tuesday, half the respondents were asked one question about the public option, and half were asked a different one.

Just under 50 percent favored a health care plan administered by the federal government to compete with private insurance companies, while 4 in 10 opposed. But, almost three-fourths said it was important to have a choice between a public plan and a private plan.

Comment: People aren't being stupid when they answer questions in different ways depending on the wording. But we as a society are stupid to place as much stock in polls as we do. Walter Lippmann reminded us a generation ago that polls are just a snapshot of the electorate's opinion. Why should that snapshot be given reverential treatment? That was a good question when he posed it. It's still a good question.

Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship is a topic that is gaining momentum in the entrepreneurial
community. As indicated in this article
an increasing number of business founders are combining their for-profit motives with a social good. Would you enjoy being apart of a startup that embraced this idea? What kinds of social causes could be combined with startups (for example, book selling with literacy campaigns, ship building with anti-water pollution efforts)? Why do you think the concept of social entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly attractive to business people? If you started a business would you be willing to sacrifice some profit to engage in socially responsible initiatives? If so, which ones? Do you know of any business in your community that does this?

Laur's Lecture on Sustainability

Last Friday Joe Laur (lecturer at Antioch N.E. Graduate School, author of The Necessary Revolution, and founder of greenopolis.com) raised some interesting issues regarding his successes in teaching corporations (such as Coca-Cola and Nike) about sustainable literacy. He also spoke about some obstacles to achieving sustainable business practices? One of those had to do with “mental models.” Are we in the midst of a change in mental models, one that will radically shift the way we view ourselves and our relationship to the earth? What do you think of his strategy to rein in and focus on helping those companies that are already “on board,” that is, those that already have the inclination and "desire" to be sustainable (as opposed to targeting the worst offenders)?

I thought of some general questions about social responsibility after his lecture: What does it mean to be socially responsible if the goal is a radical shift in “mental models”? Is it really possible for corporations to be socially responsible (within a free market, profit-seeking economic framework)?

A Socially Responsible Burger Joint?

We hear news of the corrupt practices of companies everyday, but maybe Burgerville provides a counterexample. Burgerville seems to be trying to act responsibly toward their employees. They have found a way to cut costs, improve productivity, AND pay for the health care of employees. Do you think providing health care for workers is the responsibility of our government? What role, if any, should private businesses have in providing health care? Why has paying worker health care premiums resulted in increased sales and improved employee productivity? Now, if they could only come up with a new name!

To Tariff or not to Tariff...

News today that the U.S. will impose tariffs on Chinese tires coming into this country creates an outcry from the Chinese government. OBama's move is in stark contrast to his predecessor's four-time rejection of such a move. This took a lot of nerve considering our delicate relationship with the Chinese right now. What do you think the fall-out will be? Do U.S. workers in the tire manufacturing industry have a "right" to a job? If so, does that right over-ride the interests of U.S. consumers? Click here for the news article.

Capitalism: A Love Story

I'm looking forward to seeing Michael Moore's new film "Capitalism: A Love Story." Moore's candid approach always seems to create a stir. Here's an excerpt from Arrington Huffington's review.

Michael Moore has proven again and again that he has a remarkable feel for where the zeitgeist is heading. He's like a zeitgeist divining rod. Roger and Me was way ahead of the curve on the collapse of the auto-industry. Fahrenheit 9/11 was way ahead of the curve on the collapse of the house of cards the Bush administration used to lead us to war in Iraq. Sicko was way ahead of the curve on the collapse of the US health care system. And now, with his new movie, Capitalism: A Love Story, he is riding the wave of the collapse of trust in our country's financial system.

….In the film, Michael describes capitalism as evil. I disagree. I don't think capitalism is evil. I think what we have right now is not capitalism. In capitalism as envisioned by its leading lights, including Adam Smith and Alfred Marshall, you need a moral foundation in order for free markets to work. And when a company fails, it fails. It doesn't get bailed out using trillions of dollars of taxpayer money. What we have right now is Corporatism. It's welfare for the rich. It's the government picking winners and losers. It's Wall Street having their taxpayer-funded cake and eating it too. It's socialized losses and privatized gains.

Which is why -- although you can bet many will try -- Capitalism: A Love Story can't be dismissed as a left-wing tirade. Its condemnation of the status quo is too grounded in real stories and real suffering, its targets too evenly spread across the political spectrum.

Regulating Bankers

Here are some questions to think about regarding the Fed's new plan to regulate risk-taking financial institutions.

1. How would you feel about working for a bank if there was government oversight on how much you could be compensated?

2. Do you think that curbs on compensation in the banking industry would significantly reduce profits?

3. Do you think that curbing compensation in the banking industry in the U.S. will drive the "best talent" to other industries or other countries to work?

Training and Experience on the Job

Adam Van Dell asked a question on his blog that made me think about the influx of knowledge workers in our labor force. These are employees who bring value to an organization simply by virture of what they know. They are skilled workers such as physical scientists, computer analysts, or product designers, even video game developers. They usually have some kind of expert knowledge in a subject matter and come to the job with a lot of skill and training and education. Obviously we need a lot of these kinds of workers today, but they raise a challenge because their knowledge becomes outdated very quickly. Some say the technical education of such workers has a shelf life of about 3 years. That's not much time before they need "retooling" or re-training. So how should management tailor the workplace for such workers? Do they need special consideration? Failure to update their skills may cause the orgnaizaton to lose competitive advantage, or the worker may go to another firm that does provide the retraining.

The GM Bankruptcy -- A Sticky Wicket for the U.S. Government.

What role should the U.S. Federal Government play in the new (improved?) GM? The Feds will be both owner and regulator of the business. This raises interesting questions that test the metal of our executive branch. Will the administration's business decisions contradict other agenda items of the O'Bama administration such as sustainability goals? A recent article in the Wall Street Journal raises some of these issues.

The Obama Plan for GM - Radical or Reckless?

1. In contrast to the mainstram headlines, John Nichols in this article claims the Obama plan for GM is just more of the same -- a plan that will continue to deindustrialize America rather than one that will support American industry, workers, and families. And all this at taxpayer expense. http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/02-0

Massive Layoffs -- Are they Moral?

Most of us know at least one person who has lost his or her job due to the recession, and we hear about massive layoffs nearly every day in the news. GM, for example, is laying off thousands more of its workforce. Are such layoffs ethical -- especially in light of the fact that we (the government) now own 70% of the company? Although it does not specifically address the case of GM, this article provides an interesting perspective on the general issue:

http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/when-layoffs-are-immoral/?src=tp

Response to Steve's question: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I think this is one of the best questions that many of us can and should ask ourselves. In fact, it has inspired my next class lesson -- developing a personal mission statement. Businesses develop mission statements and why not individuals? I'm going to ask students to think about their values and how compatible those will be with their future careers, as they envision them today. I'm going to ask students to think about what people in the workplace can expect of them (as managers or supervisors), and what they will expect of others. This is part of what Ken Blanchard calls developing a "leadership point of view." Have you developed your leadership point of view? krjohnson

In response to Jean's comment about pay secrecy...

The current public debates we are now having about CEO pay is an example of the problem (at least in part) that stems from pay secrecy. Most people (inside or outside the organization) don’t know what CEO’s “earn.” Secrecy (real or perceived) frustrates employees and because it is secret, they cannot address it. That’s not good for workers or the organization. Secrecy leads to suspicion. Sometimes the suspicion is warranted – because a worker may not be entitled to his/her salary. Or, it may involve discriminatory practices by the organization. This certainly has been the case in the past regarding salaries between men and women. But once the secrets are out, the system has a chance to adjust itself. People can openly discuss and negotiate salaries – and things can become fairer as a result. I think that’s better for everyone. I think that minimally pay should be open to those within the organization – at all levels.

In response to Eythoxia's post...

Eythoxia,
You (and the Equinox) raise an important issue regarding student life at KSC. It can lead to a student retention problem for the campus. As you noted, there are many reasons for students not graduating “on time.” One that wasn’t mentioned in the article (although I believe you did) is the pressure students feel when they also are working. Role conflict is something that all workers face at some time or another: a worker becomes a new parent, a worker must care for an aging parent or spouse, a worker needs to take on an extra job to make ends meet, a worker takes classes at night in order to get promoted or change careers. In recessionary times like ours, labor has less power at the negotiating table and employers can demand schedules that don’t conform to our “other” lives and needs. This can have real and serious consequences for both individuals and organizations. In class we’ve been discussing alternatives at the workplace to accommodate the needs of workers (e.g., variable work schedules, flexible work schedules, job sharing, telecommuting, etc.). We’ve also mentioned that sometimes this turns out to be a win-win situation for both employer and employee. Can you think of alternative arrangements that might help with your situation? Has it worked out for you?
krj

Dollars & Sense?

According to a recent Huffington Post article (http://www.portfolio.com/careers/features/2008/02/28/Millennial-Job-Switchers), the so-called Millennial Generation (many of my students) tend to place more importance on non-monetary rewards on the job. They are more concerned about job satisfaction and lifestyle issues than just making money or moving up to the executive suite. Do you think this research reflects the relatively well-off status that many Millenials have enjoyed in the 1980s and 1990s? If that’s true, will we find a change in Millenial attitudes during our recession-riddled global economy? How are they going to react to tough times?

A Case of Group Think?

Hopefully you have been keeping up with some news while on spring break. The latest debacle regarding the AIG bailout has to do with the bonuses given to AIG executives (the very executives responsible for the financial troubles created by the organization in the first place). It included 418 employees, nearly 52 of whom were given $33.6 million. In fact just 73 people got $1 million each. This came during the aftermath of Obama’s denunciations of executive bail outs and provisions in the original stimulus bill which would have prevented such bonuses. So how could this happen? The provisions apparently were taken out. But why? They had wide public support and even bipartisan support as an amendment, but it then died “in conference.” I wonder what those conference conversations were like and if it had any resemblance to group think? The pressure to kill the idea must have been intense. And since no one at this point knows who killed it, there indeed must have been anonymity in the process. Was there also an illusion of in vulnerability? These are characteristics of group think. Let’s stay tuned to see if other characteristics of group think rear their ugly head. If you want to read more about this story go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/business/18bailout.html?th&emc=th