Liz Robert, CEO of Vermont Teddy Bear Co., spoke about how to reinvent strategy to turn around a struggling company. Jim Feinson, CEO of Gardner s Supply Co., shared his company s struggle with becoming too diversified and subsequently reigning itself back in. Linda Hudson, President of General Dynamics Armament Systems, talked about how her company implemented a fundamental strategic change from an armaments manufacturer into a systems management firm. Steven Shepard, a telecommunications industry consultant, discussed e-commerce and the new business paradigm of knowledge management. Allan Gilmour, retired Vice Chairman of Ford Motor Co., discussed the importance of successfully executing a strategy and how employee fits into the overall picture.
Most people spend their time executing strategy.
He also emphasized that strategic issues are not the sole property of corporate giants. You ll spend your life in all kinds of organizations for profit, non profit, small and large and no matter where you are, you ll need a business strategy to make it all happen. Not surprising, he found that most of the seniors in Brandenburg s class were focused on finding a job after graduation. It s impossible to know what a company is like from the outside you have to see what the company culture is like and decide whether you ll fit in and be happy there. That s all tied in with a company s vision and business strategy.