bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WHAT KIND OF INDUSTRIAL POLICY?
Authors: Reich Robert B.
Published: March 2008

The subject of industrial policy in the United States has taken on something of a Rorschach quality of late, in whose ink blots people perceive their fondest hopes and direst fears. Organized labor, many Democrats and liberals, and a fair sampling of business leaders see it as a primary means of reestablishing U.S. industrial pre‐eminence. Many conservatives and professional economists view it as a misguided assault on the free market. Some left‐leaning intellectuals perceive it as a means of maintaining the hegemony of business, labor, and government elites. Lost in the ideological shuffle is a description of what U.S. industrial policy is coming to be, and a set of practical steps to improve it.
THE AT&T EXPERIENCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR A NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL POLICY
Authors: Brown Charles L.
Published: March 2008

My thoughts are shaped by my experience of the last five years. The job has been to manage a major business in an essential industry during a period of critical policy disputes. Changes, uncertainty, and shocks have been almost continuous and they have occurred against a backdrop of an economy that was wracked by surging inflation and then weakened by prolonged, deep recession.
THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR: A PROGNOSIS FOR SURVIVAL
Authors: Roderick David M. , Graham Thomas C.
Published: March 2008

Basic industries in the United States are not experiencing robust health. Accounts of the nature and extent of the illness vary from economist to economist and from publication to publication. Some armchair analysts have already written the obituary, while others are occupying themselves with lengthy and complex examinations as to the worsening condition. For those who believe the patient can be saved, the remedies range from band‐aids to amputation. The prognosis for recovery, however, is good, provided the treatment is sensible.
THE FACTORY OF THE FUTURE: WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE?
Authors: Hagedorn Homer J.
Published: March 2008

Nearly everyone in the factory labor force—as well as those in management—will be in for changes. While some of the changes will be painful, it seems likely that factory automation will have a relatively favorable impact on jobs.
SUCCESSFUL ACQUISITION PLANNING
Authors: Fray Lionel L. , Gaylin David H. , Down James W.
Published: March 2008

While acquisitions are a popular means of creating shareholder value, almost 50 percent fall short of expectation. This article notes recent acquisition trends, reviews the basic strategic logic, and explores some ways acquiring companies can improve their chances of success.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: AN INTERNATIONAL STUDY OF CORPORATE PRACTICE
Authors: Klein Harold E. , Linneman Robert E.
Published: March 2008

Corporate commitment to environmental assessment with its kit of forecasting tools is expected to grow rapidly in the years ahead. This growth will be partly due to corporate willingness to confront turbulent environmental changes explicitly within a formal planning process.
The Board of Directors: Beware of Those Triggers That Cause Board Change
Authors: Boulton William R.
Published: March 2008

A majority of director attention has recently been given to the problem of how a director discharges his duty to stockholders and protects himself from legal liabilities. In an effort to show their “due diligence” in exercising the care that “a prudent man would use in the conduct of his own affairs,” directors have begun to place increased emphasis on staying informed of the corporation's health and operations, as well as ensuring that publicly issued documents are accurate representations of the firm's status.
Positioning a Bank for Growth in Investment: The Provident National Case
Authors: Boylan J. Richard
Published: March 2008

Commercial lending produces the lion's share of bank profits, so it is only natural that most banks emphasize this primary aspect of their business when formulating growth strategies. Provident National is somewhat different from most banks, however, in that the earnings produced by its trust and investment management activities represent a significant portion of total corporate earnings. It currently has more than $21 billion under management (compared with approximately $1.5 billion or so just ten years ago) and has the fifth largest trust department of all U.S. banks. These impressive statistics did not happen by accident. They resulted from a commitment by the bank's senior officers to develop the investment management side of the business as aggressively as the banking side.
DEALER NETWORK STRATEGIC PLANNING
Authors: DeBord Warren A.
Published: March 2008

For many companies, dealer networks are the key to success. Networks provide the critical access to companies' markets. Yet, too often, companies have not expended the effort to incorporate this critical link into their own elaborate strategic plans.
CREATING COMPETITIVE WEAPONS FROM INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Authors: Wiseman Charles , MacMillan Ian C.
Published: March 2008

As the pace of competition intensifies in the 1980s, information systems will emerge as critical new weapons in the battle to gain an advantage over competitors. The authors show how a business can use modern information technologies to create a competitive edge by adding value to present products and services.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGICAL AND BUSINESS INNOVATION
Authors: Roehrich Roland L.
Published: March 2008

In the competitive environment of the 1980s, business and technological innovation must be more closely linked than ever before. The author examines the reasons why and explores some ways to ensure closer coordination.
THE NEED FOR STRATEGIC FLEXIBILITY
Authors: Aaker David A. , Mascarenhas Briance
Published: March 2008

How can today's business cope with increasing uncertainty? The answer lies in opening up avenues of strategic flexibility. The authors tell how.
The New Technologies: An Industrial Revolution
Authors: Gray Harry J.
Published: March 2008

Throughout history, technology has been the driving force behind progress in almost every sphere of endeavor. This is no less true today. Emerging technologies once again, as in the past, are bringing fundamental changes that are transforming our society. But are these changes revolutionary?
Six “Commandments” for Successful Futures Studies for Corporate Planning
Authors: Mueller Guenter , Smith James B.
Published: March 2008

Trappers study their prey and take advantage of the daily regularities in the selected victim's behavior. Corporate strategists, however, must be more astute than trappers; they must adjust their companies' strategies to changing circumstances in the corporate environment.
The New Phase of Strategic Management
Authors: Pekar Peter
Published: March 2008

Corporate planning in U.S. industry came of age in the 1970s. Numerous firms recognizing the tremendous forces impacting industry saw the need for a formalized planning capability to cope with the new environment. Typically, their efforts focused on clarifying corporate direction—identifying and evaluating opportunities and risks and specifying corporate strategic objectives and goals.
The Relationship Between Long‐Term Strategy and Capital Budgeting
Authors: Grossman Steven D. , Lindhe Richard
Published: March 2008

Decisions on capital investments at both the progam level and the specific asset level should be made in the context of the objectives of an organization as a whole. The addition of a new product line or the acquisition of a machine should not be decided simply on the basis of a direct cost/benefit analysis that is related to the program or the asset alone. Instead, the investment decision should be considered on the basis of the long‐term plans of the organization.
THE QUALITY FOCUS AT HEWLETT‐PACKARD
Authors: Young John A.
Published: March 2008

A strategy focused on quality is the best way companies can respond to competition. And surprisingly, an emphasis on quality is one of the most effective ways to control costs.
JAPANESE MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES: THEIR IMPORTANCE TO U.S. MANUFACTURERS
Authors: Suzaki Kiyoshi
Published: March 2008

Advances made in manufacturing techniques are producing a revolution in competitive strategy. Improved production techniques not only affect quality control but reduce costs such as those associated with obsolescence and material handling. Executive managers can no longer afford to distance themselves from the functions of the factory floor.
CORPORATE VENTURING: CHALLENGES FOR SENIOR MANAGERS
Authors: MacMillan Ian C. , George Robin
Published: March 2008

Creating new business within a company is often the only way to grow. But many attempts result in abysmal failure. The authors describe what CEOs and senior managers must do to increase the chances of success for new ventures.
TECHNOLOGY AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Authors: Porter Michael E.
Published: March 2008

Technological innovations can have Important strategic implications for individual companies and can greatly influence industries as a whole. Yet, not all technological change is strategically beneficial. This article focuses on ways to recognize and exploit the competitive significance of change.
EXECUTIVES' FORUM
Authors: Tandon Rajiv
Published: March 2008

Seven years ago, the economist John Kenneth Galbraith characterized ours as an age of uncertainty, and the last few years have not proved him wrong. The economy has bobbed up and down with oil shortages and oil gluts, high interest rates and high employment, and a soaring dollar and a record trade imbalance. A mere decade ago, neither psychics nor reputable economists could have foreseen these incongruities. Strategic planners and others charged with charting their company's course were humbled by the discrepancy between their plans and what events held in store for them. One might say we have been operating under that ancient Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times.”
BUSINESSES IN PROFIT TROUBLE
Authors: Heany Donald F.
Published: March 2008

Paths out of profit trouble are long and poorly marked. Because conventional turnaround remedies may get one deeper into the forest, the author offers some radical solutions.
AVOIDING EXPORT FAILURE IN JAPAN
Authors: Hacker Robert H.
Published: March 2008

Japan is an enormous potential market for U.S. exports. Yet many companies fail in their attempts to tap this market. The author examines the reasons for failure and offers some solutions.
CREATING INNOVATIVE BUSINESSES IN EUROPE
Authors: Besse‐Lascours J.B.
Published: March 2008

The need to create jobs is worldwide. In the United States, half of all new jobs are created by small businesses. Using U.S. small businesses as models, Control Data, through its Area Enterprise Program, is helping people in depressed areas of Europe set up their own computer‐oriented businesses. And by answering the need to create jobs, Control Data can establish a strong base for marketing its services in Europe.
ECONOMIC SCENARIOS FOR PROJECT EVALUATION
Authors: Hoffman Randy G.
Published: March 2008

As the business environment has become more complex and long‐range planning more crucial, the use of scenarios has become increasingly widespread. The author examines various ways of building economic scenarios and explores their benefits to today's planner.
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT THEORIES
Authors: Davidson Kenneth
Published: March 2008

Strategic investment theory establishes a framework for discussing the benefits of acquisitions. However, these theories do not provide automatic answers to investment questions.
MANAGING THE INTEGRATION OF ACQUIRED OPERATIONS
Authors: Shrallow Dane A.
Published: March 2008

Each year, U.S. corporations invest billions of dollars in mergers and acquisitions. Unfortunately, the resulting combinations all too often fail to produce the benefits envisioned by management. As a consequence, few corporations are able to boast an unblemished string of successful acquisitions. This article provides an overview of measures that can be taken to better assure the success of such transactions.
EXECUTIVE FORUM
Authors: Smith Roger B.
Published: March 2008

For several years now, the greatest challenge in the U.S. auto industry has been the internationalization of the marketplace. Competition is no longer limited to regional or national markets; it is worldwide with very sophisticated competitors. And it's been very difficult for U.S. automakers, with their higher cost structure, to be fully competitive with foreign producers, particularly the Japanese.
A FRESH LOOK AT STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Authors: Gluck Frederick W.
Published: March 2008

If corporate America's love affair with 1970s‐style strategic planning is not over, it is certainly on the rocks. Planning that relies on past experience, extrapolation, and incremental moves cannot meet today's challenges, such as unexpected competition, saturated markets, and changing technologies.
STRATEGIC PLANNING AT R.J. REYNOLDS INDUSTRIES
Authors: Tylee Wilson J.
Published: March 2008

The effectiveness of strategic planning has been subject to much criticism lately. But R.J. Reynolds Industries is one successful company that attributes its substantial profits to careful planning. With the merger of Nabisco Brands into RJR, the company will become the largest consumer products company in the United States.
WINNING STRATEGIES FOR SHAREHOLDER VALUE CREATION
Authors: Seed Allen H.
Published: March 2008

The author contends that shareholder wealth creation should be the primary thrust of corporate strategy. But something more than excellent operations is required to provide excellent returns to shareholders. For one, revising the corporation's financial structure can strategically position a company to have dramatic, high‐stake, wealth‐creating results.
SHAREHOLDER RETURNS AND CORPORATE EXCELLENCE
Authors: Johnson W. Bruce , Natarajan Ashok , Rappaport Alfred
Published: March 2008

Superior firms are those which create shareholder wealth. The most direct way to measure shareholder wealth is by examining the worth of dividends plus share‐price appreciation. The authors contend that the companies chosen as excellent by Peters and Waterman, in their book, In Search of Excellence, fail to show superior shareholder wealth creation.
CHANGING GOALS TO INCREASE STOCK PRICE
Authors: Welch Jonathan B. , Pantalone Coleen
Published: March 2008

The choice of a primary financial goal is considered an important part of any organization's planning process. A lingering question is whether stockholder welfare can really be affected by a company's decision to change this goal.
Strategic Planning in Japan
Authors: Lauenstein Milton C.
Published: March 2008

The American business community has recognized the importance of strategy as a determinant of corporate success. Academics, consultants, and executives themselves have studied the subject in depth and have written extensively on it. Any corporation with pretensions of being well‐managed has installed a strategic planning procedure to improve its prospects of long‐term success.
The Financial Services Industry: Is Strategic Planning Dead or Alive?
Authors: Gregor William T.
Published: March 2008

To paraphrase Mark Twain, rumors of the death of strategic planning have been greatly exaggerated. That was the general finding of a study Management Analysis Center, Inc. (MAC) recently completed for the Wall Street Planning Group. The study questioned the chief executive officers and senior planning executives from 100 leading financial services firms, including commercial banks, securities firms, insurance companies, thrift institutions, and diversified services firms, on their views on the value and nature of strategic planning.
CHOOSING A DATA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
Authors: Locklin Ronald M.
Published: March 2008

Despite potential pitfalls, users of information technology are increasingly finding it advantageous to interconnect to “network” computer systems. In fact, the widespread use of networking is becoming the next major wave in the evolution of information technology.
COMPETITIVE STRATEGY ANALYSIS ON THE PERSONAL COMPUTER
Authors: Igor Ansoff H.
Published: March 2008

It is impractical to expect busy senior managers to devote much time to learning intricacies of modern strategic analysis. But much analytic expertise can be built into a computer program. This article describes a program that can integrate the analytic expertise of a computer with experience and wisdom of executives.
APPLYING TECHNOLOGY: THE KEY TO THE FUTURE
Authors: Norris William C.
Published: March 2008

Applying technology most effectively requires a business strategy. One of the main parts of the strategy of Control Data is to address major unmet needs of society by establishing profitable business opportunities in cooperation with the government and other sectors.
REVITALIZATION: THE HONEYWELL INFORMATION SYSTEMS STORY
Authors: Tichy Noel M. , Dotlich David L. , Lake Dale G.
Published: March 2008

Growth in the maturing mainframe computer market faded in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, growth in the minimarket stopped. The environment facing Honeywell Information Systems was increasingly hostile. Honeywell is now making cultural transformations to revitalize the company.
Entrepreneurship in a Mature Industry: AFG's Integrated Approach
Authors: Hubbard R.D.
Published: March 2008

Over the past few years, there has been widespread adoption among leading business authors of the entrepreneurial “solution” to today's long‐terms strategic planning issues. While entrepreneurship is a key ingredient in the strategic process, it cannot ensure long‐term success if practiced in isolation. AFG Industries believes the strategic challenge is much broader, requiring a company to integrate its entrepreneurial management approach with its overall corporate objectives, the execution of its strategic plan, and its management selection and development process.
Can Patents Be Used to Gain Market Objectives?
Authors: Lipscomb R.F.
Published: March 2008

There is growing evidence that, with some notable exceptions, the use of patents to gain or protect market objectives is not successful in industry today.
SETTING UP A CRISIS RECOVERY PLAN
Authors: Phelps Norman L.
Published: March 2008

When companies, institutions, or for that matter even nations suddenly find themselves face to face with a disaster, more often than not the necessary forces can be quickly marshaled to deal with the matter at hand. However, when the dust begins to settle, the aftershocks are often more devastating and costly to the organization over the long term than the original crisis. That is why crisis recovery planning should be a part of any strategic planning process.
THE NESTLE INFANT FORMULA AUDIT COMMISSION AS A MODEL
Authors: Muskie Edmund S. , Greenwald Daniel J.
Published: March 2008

Through the Nestle Coordination Center for Nutrition, Nestle set up a special Commission to monitor whether the company was following a marketing code for infant formula established by the World Health Organization. The formation of this Commission was a high‐risk innovative move on Nestle's part. The result has been that this Commission was instrumental in settling the controversy surrounding Nestle's marketing of the formula in Third World countries.
NEW SOCIOPOLITICAL FORCES: THE GLOBALIZATION OF CONFLICT
Authors: Sethi S. Prakash , Etemad Hamid , Luther K.A.N.
Published: March 2008

Not only must multinational corporations deal with governments of their home countries and various host countries, they must now contend with the pressures of change exerted through international organizations such as U.N.‐based agencies and public interest groups. The Nestle infant formula controversy, more so than any other event, has crystallized the growing internationalization of conflicts.
TEACHING CORPORATE AMERICA TO THINK ABOUT CRISIS PREVENTION
Authors: Mitroff Ian I.
Published: March 2008

A major reason that crisis management is such a heavy burden is that the conceptual “road map of reality” that we all use to make basic sense of the world has broken down. Even more basic, the assumptions underlying this road map have themselves broken down and need to be replaced by newer assumptions. This article examines those basic assumptions and the reasons they need to be replaced.
The Rewards of Diversifying Into Unrelated Businesses
Authors: Leontiades Milton
Published: March 2008

The most dramatic change in industrial America in this century has been the trend toward diversifying into unrelated businesses. This trend has redefined the way American firms do business. And this restructuring contradicts conventional notions of industrial stability and industry specialization. Not since multiple mergers created giant companies around the turn of the century—like U.S. Steel, American Tobacco, Du Pont, General Electric, International Harvester, International Paper, National Biscuit, U.S. Rubber and others—has restructuring on such a scale occurred.
NEW TRENDS IN THE STRATEGY CONSULTING INDUSTRY
Authors: Payne Adrian F.T.
Published: March 2008

Strategy consultants have much to offer a top executive in terms of improving the bottom line. Yet little is known about the strategy consulting industry, because the firms and their clients are often reluctant to disclose details of their activities. This article surveys the leading strategy consulting firms and explores trends affecting the future of the industry.
A GUIDE FOR NEW DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL STRATEGIES FOR SERVICE FIRMS
Authors: Light Donald H.
Published: March 2008

Service firms that successfully develop new methods for distributing their products will have a clear competitive advantage. This article provides a guide for firms exploring uncharted territory.
Updating the Corporate Board
Authors: Weidenbaum Murray L.
Published: March 2008

Discussions of that venerable institution, the corporate board of directors, are moving from the financial pages and the learned journals to the front pages and the nightly TV news. It is becoming apparent that in a period of dramatic takeover battles, the role of the board can be crucial.
Cash Sufficiency: The Missing Link in Strategic Planning
Authors: Govindarajan V. , Shank John K.
Published: March 2008

During the last ten years, strategic planning models have become increasingly popular among large, diversified companies as an aid in making strategic resources allocation decisions. In general, these models classify the business units that comprise a company into one of four categories according to the unit's market share and the growth rate of the industry in which the unit competes. For each of the four categories into which a business unit may fall, a strategy is automatically prescribed:
COST CONTAINMENT IN MARKETING
Authors: Magrath A.J. , Hardy Kenneth G.
Published: March 2008

Asking probing questions about marketing costs is another way of asking whether what one does for customers matters to them.
MARKETING‐LOGISTICS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE 1990s
Authors: Dale Voorhees Roy , Coppett John I.
Published: March 2008

Technological advancements and deregulation in the transportation and communications industries have opened a host of new opportunities for nearly any business to improve its techniques for delivering products and services to customers. As a result, logistics, or the delivery of goods, is moving to the forefront as a way to reap dramatic profits.
SELF‐DEFEATING LOBBYING: HOW MORE IS BUYING LESS IN WASHINGTON
Authors: Maitland Ian
Published: March 2008

The business community has greatly stepped up its political involvement. But the fragmented form of that involvement—in which each business interest lobbies separately for its own parochial goals—has meant a free‐for‐all in which business's collective interests have been the real loser. If it is to avoid the self‐defeating consequences of much of today's lobbying, business must find a way of strengthening its collective institutions, such as the Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business‐Industrial Political Action Committee, and the Committee on Economic Development.
REINVIGORATING CORPORATE PROFITABILITY
Authors: Tennican Michael L.
Published: March 2008

There are many opportunities for corporations to reinvigorate their profitability through a refocusing of their strategies, reorganization of their managerial and supervisory structures, or divestiture. This article discusses how to assess the need for such restructurings and how to determine the best course of action for increasing future corporate profitability.
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Igor Ansoff H.
Published: March 2008

The high‐tech companies that will succeed in this environment will fundamentally revise their strategies from the historical technology‐driven product proliferation to strategies that control the rate of technological advances, segment markets according to distinctive customer needs, and design products to respond to those needs.
CORRECTING TUNNEL VISION
Authors: Mitroff Ian I. , Mohrman Susan
Published: March 2008

There is no more essential task, no more basic information that one could collect, that is critical to survival than the knowledge of one's underlying assumptions. Here are some assumptions about the steel and auto industries that give insight into the many underlying assumptions responsible for the directions other industries take.
THE EFFECT OF MANAGEMENT STYLES ON STRATEGIC PLANNING
Authors: Mullen Thomas P. , Stumpf Stephen A.
Published: March 2008

Personal management styles tend to heavily influence strategic decision making. The authors identify six management styles and describe how each style can influence a company's strategic planning.
Selecting a Master Strategy
Authors: Belohlav James A. , Giddens‐Emig Karen
Published: March 2008

What strategy should top management pursue to enhance the value of the firm or, more specifically, the wealth of the owners or shareholders? This is a perplexing question in light of the many alternative actions being touted by business soothsayers. Consequently, top management is confronted by a variety of competing strategic choices, each presenting an apparently outstanding opportunity for the firm. Invariably, though, more questions than answers are generated in the quest for the corporate Holy Grail.
Cooper Tire: Successful Adaptation in a Changing Industry
Authors: Gorr Ivan
Published: March 2008

The past decade has wrought significant changes in the tire industry, such as:
THE TRIAD WORLD VIEW
Authors: Ohmae Kenichi
Published: March 2008

Now that Japanese consumers have gained considerable purchasing power, multinational companies need to envision a triad market composed of Western Europe, North America, and Japan.
TOP MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION AND CORPORATE PERFORMANCE
Authors: Sethi S. Prakash , Namiki Nobuaki
Published: March 2008

A reward system must provide incentives for top managers to create profits in the long‐term for their companies.
LINKING COMPETITIVE STRATEGY AND SHAREHOLDER VALUE ANALYSIS
Authors: Rappaport Alfred
Published: March 2008

Strategy valuation is not merely a measurement technique that is applied after the strategy formulation process is completed. Its real power lies in the way it can be integrated throughout the strategy formulation effort.
Adjusting to Variability in the Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Rawl L.G.
Published: March 2008

Since those in the oil and natural gas industry don't know with any certainty what lies ahead, it is necessary to allow for a range of potential “futures” in planning. Within this range, decisions must be carefully tested against possible outcomes.
The Shelby Williams Approach to Building a Unique Identity in a Low‐Technology Market
Authors: Steinfeld Manfred
Published: March 2008

It was late Thursday afternoon when employees at Shelby Williams Industries learned it would be impossible to deliver fifty chairs in time for a cocktail lounge opening at a Phoenix hotel. Rather than shrugging off the customer's dilemma, the company quickly assembled fifty upgraded chairs and shipped them via air express to Phoenix. Obviously, the $1,500 cost of the express service took every cent of profit the company would have made from the sale, and then some. But it was worth every penny, because it maintained a customer relationship—and the company's reputation for service.
Employee Obsolescence and Retraining: An Approach to Human Resource Restructuring
Authors: Opalka Daniel P. , Williams James B.
Published: March 2008

Futurists predict that technological advances, increased and expanded competition, and shortened product life cycles will significantly impact the U.S. economy in the late twentieth and early twenty‐first centuries. This impact will be at least as dramatic as the industrial revolution's effect on the nineteenth‐century economy. Peter Drucker states that in the next twenty years, manufacturing employment will drop from 21 percent of the work force to 10 percent, eliminating 10 to 15 million jobs. At least an equal number of service positions will become obsolete as banking, insurance, transportation, health care, communications, and other industries continue to utilize more advanced technologies.
STRATEGIES TO OUTPACE THE COMPETITION
Authors: Gilbert Xavier , Strebel Paul
Published: March 2008

Should one compete on the basis of product features or price? Both, say the authors. A successful strategy should be flexible enough to exploit market changes by making timely shifts back and forth.
CEOS on Strategy: Two Companies, Two Strategies
Authors: Olson James E. , Cooper Thomas A.
Published: March 2008

How the chief executives of two major corporations are dealing with changes in their industry.
Merger Mania: Who Wins? Who Loses?
Authors: Malekzadeh Ali R. , Nahavandi Afsaneh
Published: March 2008

The last several years have seen a rash of takeovers—hostile and friendly—affecting the basic structure of U.S. corporations. Many of these takeovers have been spearheaded by a small group of raiders who, with the help of ingenious financing techniques and willing sources of funds, have threatened the long‐term existence of even the largest corporations in this country.
A New Look at Dividend Strategy
Authors: Lauenstein Milton C.
Published: March 2008

From a strategic point of view, focusing on dividends is putting the cart before the horse. What directly affects the long‐term economic performance of a firm is how much of its cash it plows back into the business. Dividends should be a potential use for funds remaining after key reinvestment decisions are made, rather than the other way around.
IN PURSUIT OF A HEALTHIER WORK FORCE
Authors: Barker Frank H.
Published: March 2008

Employers need to develop strategies to promote a healthier work force.
WINNING STRATEGIES FOR MANUFACTURERS IN MATURE INDUSTRIES
Authors: Mayer Robert J.
Published: March 2008

With rapidly changing technologies and volatile markets, manufacturing strategies based on intuition and past experience alone are poor guides. Effective game plans base manufacturing decisions on both strategic objectives and quantitative analysis.
HOW TO STREAMLINE OPERATIONS
Authors: Ernst Raymond G.
Published: March 2008

Two giants, IBM and Xerox, were faced with a profile of aging products, high production costs, and stiff world competition. This article shows how they streamlined their manufacturing process and repositioned their products.
WHAT RESTRUCTURING HAS TO OFFER
Authors: Rizzi Joseph V.
Published: March 2008

Given the magnitude of the corporate restructuring trend, a full understanding of restructuring is crucial for managers seeking to adjust to changing market conditions.
VISION AND STRATEGY: A FOCUS FOR THE FUTURE
Authors: Morris Elinor
Published: March 2008

Today, one does not have time to rely on the course of events to create a strategic vision. A growing, competitive environment requires foresight—a need to create the future.
DESIGNING SUCCESSFUL JOINT VENTURES
Authors: Elita Schillaci Carmela
Published: March 2008

Strategic alliances are a growing trend. What makes some succeed where others fail? A key is how the joint ventures are designed at the outset.
MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Ferdows Kasra , Skinner Wickham
Published: March 2008

Manufacturing has suddenly developed a whole new perspective. In the last few years, manufacturing management has broken out of the confinement of a century's accumulation of stagnant wisdom. These old concepts had so confined the thinking of industrial managers that the conventional factory had gradually become an anachronistic institution. But now the conventional factory has been thrust into a totally unaccustomed role. It is no longer the corporate villain—the creator of costs and absorber of capital. For better or worse, it is now a critical strategic resource.
FINANCIAL STRATEGIES
Authors: Sharlit Ian B. , Khokha Anand M.
Published: March 2008

Growth is one of the most risky business conditions a company will face. It is a condition that involves constant change and places a firm's assets and liabilities in a state of flux, creating a potentially unstable environment.
Investor Relations as a Competitive Weapon
Authors: Roop James J. , Lee Stephen F.
Published: March 2008

A truly powerful investor relations program can reach far beyond the financial community to a company's many other constituencies.
Understanding Organizational Power
Authors: Vincent David R.
Published: March 2008

The power available to corporate executives stems from a new set of ethics.
Gaining the Service Quality Advantage
Authors: Sherden William A.
Published: March 2008

Companies that achieve a very high degree of service quality in their approach to doing business will gain incalculable benefits.
The Courtship of the Multinational Corporation
Authors: Heenan David A.
Published: March 2008

Who can forget Bhopal? The December 1984 catastrophe claimed more than 2,850 lives and left tens of thousands injured. Yet, despite these tragic consequences, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi withheld his criticism of Union Carbide Co. Instead, he acknowledged the positive contributions of multinational corporations (MNCs) and suggested that their influence would increase, not decrease, in India. Gandhi said, “We would like foreign businesses to help in the goal of building a new, dynamic, and self‐reliant economy.”
A Turnaround Is a Delicate Operation
Authors: Lynn Shostack G.
Published: March 2008

Any manager who takes on a money‐losing operation soon learns the difference between turnaround theory and reality. In theory, you turn a business around by analyzing the numbers, identifying corrective actions, issuing instructions, firing those who seem unwilling or unable to act, and bringing in those who will.
Creative Strategic Management
Authors: Lawrence Kuhn Robert
Published: March 2008

Strategic management is the process by which a company's strengths and weaknesses are mapped onto its market opportunities and threats. The purpose of this orderly, logical process is to generate and evaluate alternative options for accomplishing short‐term objectives and long‐term goals.
Building a Business Intelligence System
Authors: Herring Jan P.
Published: March 2008

To compete more effectively with global challengers, U.S. companies must begin to develop corporate intelligence systems.
Who Are Your Future Competitors?
Authors: Rothschild William E.
Published: March 2008

As industries restructure and new challengers emerge in established markets, it is vital to strategically assess these nontraditional competitors.
The Multiple Benefits of Competitor Intelligence
Authors: Attanasio Dominick B.
Published: March 2008

Members of a corporation—from product development managers to the board of directors—can use competitive intelligence to improve their decision making.
How Entrepreneurs Can Survive Capital Crises
Authors: Wiesen Jeremy
Published: March 2008

Even though today's market is a poor one for IPOs, a number of financial strategies can bolster a company to help it go public in the future.
Identity Strategies That Make a Difference
Authors: Ackerman Laurence D.
Published: March 2008

Corporate identity can set a company apart from competition in a way that is hard to duplicate. The result can be a host of profitable benefits.
Linking Sports and Sponsors
Authors: Wilber Del
Published: March 2008

Over 3,500 companies will be involved in sports marketing programs this year. They see tangible benefits to link their product with a sports promotion.
The Care and Feeding of Advisory Boards
Authors: Mueller Robert K.
Published: March 2008

Corporate advisory boards are not subject to the same liability exposure as directors. At the same time, they offer a valuable governance resource—if they are properly nurtured.
A Growth Strategy for Start‐up Businesses
Authors: Mitchell Dale E.
Published: March 2008

The most successful start‐up businesses are those whose founders integrate their personal goals into the strategy and ongoing operations of the company.
Employees—Strategy Makers or Breakers
Authors: Rhodes David W.
Published: March 2008

The raw truth is that in order to implement its strategy successfully, management must gain and keep employee support. But what do you do about organizations that:
Planning Your Global Financial Strategy
Authors: Smith Roy C.
Published: March 2008

Today's corporations have a host of new financial choices at their disposal. As a result of these alternatives, your company may have also decided to reconsider its overall strategies. Here are some options to consider.
Targeting the Affluent Consumer
Authors: Stanley Thomas J.
Published: March 2008

Marketing to America's affluent consumers is no easy task. However, there is a significant segment of high‐income consumers who are rarely prospected. Here's how to target these hidden achievers.
How to Gap Overhead Expenses
Authors: Finkin Eugene F.
Published: March 2008

Every item in your company's list of overhead accounts should be subject to question. The fact that a practice is of long standing is not an acceptable reason to continue that practice. One important type of cost that must be understood, justified, and controlled is salaried staff expense.
Putting Information Technology to Work
Authors: Ashmore G. Michael
Published: March 2008

Information technology planning plays two crucial roles in successful businesses: It is a partner to business planning in establishing business vision and setting strategy, and it is the means for defining, designing, and establishing effective, efficient, and flexible information technology architecture.
Presentations That Persuade
Authors: Sonnenberg Frank K.
Published: March 2008

Much is at stake in making presentations. One rarely has a second chance to sell a product, service, or idea; persuade a board of directors to enter a new venture; convince colleagues that one's idea is best; or even ask the boss for a raise. Presentations have to be right the first time, and that takes more than just having a good idea. Persuasion requires clear goals and a sound strategy.
Overcoming Manufacturing Myopia
Authors: King Robert A.
Published: March 2008

Consider this all‐too‐common scenario: A manufacturer, a division of a holding company, is run by the numbers. As long as the division throws off cash, corporate leaves it alone. Then the antiquated physical plant, with its high cost of quality, long lead times, and dinosaur products, screams for attention (i.e., resources). Corporate responds predictably: Improve your performance by next quarter!
Tax‐Distorted Mergers
Authors: Davidson Kenneth M.
Published: March 2008

It is not news that tax laws can affect mergers. How they affect them is a matter of some debate. This column looks at two broad components of recent tax law because they may have had significant effects on the acquisition decisions of the large cash‐rich firms that have led the merger wave of the past decade.
How to Manage the Risks of Technology
Authors: Barton Ron , Bobst Richard
Published: March 2008

The risks associated with information technology are often not technological. Certainly the challenges of developing and managing information technology resources are formidable and can entail significant risks. But as the potential grows for this technology to have a greater impact on corporate strategies, and on the management and operational changes needed to implement those strategies, two other types of risk may become even more important than the strictly technical ones.
Strategies for Entrepreneurial Manufacturing
Authors: Haskins Robert , Petit Thomas
Published: March 2008

Too often companies using a manufacturing strategy of mass production have been hard hit by competition from inexpensively produced imports. But many companies that do remain competitive are developing a flexible specialization strategy. This strategy allows them to be more entrepreneurial in their manufacturing approach by both accommodating and creating rapid market changes.
Limitation Is the Mother of Innovation
Authors: Lynn Shostack G.
Published: March 2008

Over 500 years ago, Leonardo da Vinci drew a flying machine that looked remarkably like today's helicopter. In 1939, a man named Igor Sikorsky built one. Da Vinci had an idea; Sikorsky was an innovator.
So You Want to Do a Leveraged Buyout
Authors: Schwarz Marc , Weinstein Edward A.
Published: March 2008

Some practical advice from two veteran LBO advisers can help potential owner‐managers navigate the unexpected twists and turns of this transaction.
The Role of Leadership in Strategy Development
Authors: Shanks David G.
Published: March 2008

What makes a great leader? Here is how executives utilize innovations to strike out in new directions.
Techniques for Cost Justifying CIM
Authors: Noble Jean L.
Published: March 2008

Because computer‐integrated manufacturing is a complex, high‐risk investment that is difficult to cost justify, many companies have refrained from using it and reaping its benefits. The answer is not to avoid CIM, but to modify the cost‐justification techniques.
How to Limit Inventory Expenses
Authors: Finkin Eugene F.
Published: March 2008

Royal Little, in his heyday at Textron, used to tell people that managing inventory is “working where the money is.” This statement emphasizes the truth that inventory ties up much of the capital and is the origin of many of the costs of any manufacturing business. The cash needs of the company are highly dependent on how well inventory is managed.
Evolution of a New Industry
Authors: Davidson Kenneth M.
Published: March 2008

For about a decade, the annual number and total value of large mergers have consistently grown, with only occasional pauses or reverses. In contrast, the economy, the stock market, and the types of mergers have fluctuated widely.
A New Approach for Managing Information Technology
Authors: Ashmore G. Michael
Published: March 2008

C ompanies that have learned to harness the power of technology have been able to open up markets, improve the quality of business operations and products, and increase profits. Companies that have ignored the management requirements of information technology or have adopted a “technology for technology's sake” stance have frequently fallen prey to complex and inflexible management structures, physical and operational limitations, eroding service quality, and increased costs. A key question is: Who will be responsible for guiding this strategic application of technology?
Direct Mail—The Right Audience and the Right Message
Authors: Sonnenberg Frank K.
Published: March 2008

In a discussion of the problems inherent in advertising almost a century ago, retailer John Wanamaker said, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don't know which half.” The same words are often heard today. General advertising is mass selling to broad groups, an activity similar to air‐conditioning an entire building to keep its only two occupied units cool. Both do the job, but they do it inefficiently.
Overcome the “Me Too” Product Syndrome
Authors: Kane Chester L.
Published: March 2008

In addition to demographics and income, two traditional methods used to segment the consumer goods market, self‐esteem has been revealed to be an important influence on consumers' purchasing decisions.
Spin‐offs: What Are the Gains?
Authors: Woo Carolyn Y. , Willard Gary E. , Beckstead Stephen M.
Published: March 2008

As corporate America engages in major restructuring programs, spin‐offs are becoming a popular option. Several factors increase the chances that a spin‐off will succeed.
Bankrupt Firms Can Be Attractive Acquisitions
Authors: Stark Amel , Frawley Robert D.
Published: March 2008

Chapter 11 can be used as a tool to facilitate the acquisition or sale of a company in bankruptcy. Although a troubled firm may appear tarnished, it can provide a golden opportunity.
When Raiders Go Fishing
Authors: Rhodes David W.
Published: March 2008

A banker friend and I were discussing what corporate raiders look for in the management teams of the companies they pursue. He told me that raiders buy sardines. Some fit the raider's idea of a balanced diet, some cause indigestion, others just sit on the dock and smell.
Japanese‐American Strategic Alliances
Authors: Lawrence Kuhn Robert
Published: March 2008

International investments have become powerful vehicles for achieving corporate goals. And nowhere are overseas investments more important than for Japanese corporations. It is becoming more apparent that strategic alliances between Japanese and U.S. firms will have significant advantages in the future. This is particularly true for midsize firms. Here's why.
Good‐bye Widgets—Hello Bureaucracy
Authors: Lynn Shostack G.
Published: March 2008

It is said that entrepreneurs are great at starting companies, but not very good at sustaining them. The life stories of many companies include a crisis point when the company outgrows its founders and professional management must be brought in.
How to Succeed at Bank Financing
Authors: Taylor Lon
Published: March 2008

When there's a good match between the funds you need and the assets you have available for security, debt financing offers an attractive source of capital. Compared with a stock issue, bank borrowing has lower transactional costs, provides tax deductions for interest, and does not dilute your ownership. Yet there is a down side. With these benefits comes the high cost of restrictive covenants and of protecting the bank's collateral.
Manufacturing Strategy for Productivity Improvement
Authors: King Robert A.
Published: March 2008

The long‐term goal of a manufacturing strategy should be to propel the status (and contribution) of manufacturing from a perceived corporate liability to that of a true competitive advantage. Significant improvement in manufacturing productivity is measured by output, costs, lead time, and focused resource allocation.
Members Only Fashions a Unique Selling Strategy
Authors: Goldsmith Herb
Published: March 2008

This menswear manufacturer has devoted entire advertising budgets to antidrug and voter registration campaigns. Working closely with its media advisers, this strategy helped the company to realize a major increase in sales.
Get the Most Bang for Your PR Dollars
Authors: Kessler Len
Published: March 2008

A veteran public relations professional outlines a strategy to help a company get the most value for its PR efforts.
Now Service Businesses Must Manage Quality
Authors: DeSouza Glenn
Published: March 2008

Most service companies do not measure or monitor quality on a regular basis. Like manufacturers, they should standardize their product—service quality—to attain a competitive advantage.
Where Do Merger Profits Go?
Authors: Davidson Kenneth M.
Published: March 2008

Stockholders make money from takeovers—stockholders of the acquired firm, that is. When Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) took RJR Nabisco private for over $24 billion, for example, the RJR stockholders received more than twice what their shares had sold for prior to the bidding battle. That profit margin is typical of contested takeovers, although higher than the premium paid for all acquisitions in the past decade, which have averaged around 40 percent.