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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Bridging the Divide Between Strategy and Execution by Larry Chao
August 23, 2010 ¦ Read (292) ¦ Comment (0)
Many executives make the distinction between strategy and execution. Often, when objectives are not reached, they blame poor execution. The preferred choice seems to be mediocre, well executed strategy, rather than brilliant, poorly ..
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China's Latest Food Scare
August 16, 2010 ¦Read (125) ¦Comment (0)
The parents of three girls in Hubei China claim the infant milk formula their babies drank caused them to grow breasts.
But tests by government health officials indicate that the milk powder in question – Synutra brand – was not ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Creating a Sense of Urgency, not Complacency by Larry Chao
August 15, 2010 ¦Read (625) ¦Comment (0)
For BP, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis represents a danger and an opportunity. The danger is that BP ignores the need for more stringent safety measures and repeats its costly mistake. ..
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U.S. Baskeball Pro's Big China Adventure
August 13, 2010 ¦Read (213) ¦Comment (0)
Stephon Marbury may have found an even more lucrative career than the multi-millions of dollars he made playing professional basketball in the U.S. National Basketball Association.
PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Larry Chao's Secrets of Great Facilitation
August 9, 2010 ¦Read (1013) ¦Comment (0)
A good organization change facilitator knows how to focus creative brainstorming and motivate people around the right set of issues to achieve results, writes Larry Chao.
Despite the rough ride, 2009 was a milestone year for me. This past ..
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Follow-up is Critical to Workshop Success
August 6, 2010 ¦Read (674) ¦Comment (3)
The most critical part of any meeting, workshop, or conference is follow up. Without follow up, it does not matter what commitments are made. Even the best intentions are usually left on the table once the meeting is over. Yes, I ..
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Big Businesses Continue to Beat Us Down
July 28, 2010 ¦Read (243) ¦Comment (0)
Big businesses have really be clobbering the us lately, writes Larry Chao.If it isn't Wall Street taking advantage of Main Street, then it is giants like BP Oil polluting the environnment and getting away with a mere slap on the ..
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What I Learned from the World Cup
July 14, 2010 ¦Read (238) ¦Comment (0)
Teamwork trumps ego. Spain won because it played beautiful teamwork. Yes, there were individual stars but non of them really stood out as much as the overall play and the victory. The Netherlands also played well - a bit ..
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Apple iPhone 4's Big Challenge
July 14, 2010 ¦Read (291) ¦Comment (0)
It's been reported by Consumer Reports and numerous individuals that the iPhone 4, when held a certain way, has bad reception. A poorly designed mobile phone antennae appears to be at fault.Apple's response so far has been to deny that ..
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Today's Economic Uncertainty Makes Waiting the Kiss of Death
July 2, 2010 ¦Read (298) ¦Comment (0)
The ups and downs of global financial markets over this last quarter have made nervous investors scurry from equities into safer bets like U.S. Treasuries. Their rationale: Just too much uncertainty and fragile economic news, especially ..
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The Curious Case of China's Growth (July 2nd)
July 2, 2010 ¦Read (186) ¦Comment (0)
Manufacturing purchases have slowed in June, indicating that China seems to be successfully prevented its economy from overheating.I am beginning to believe that China's 9% steady growth for as long as they want is almost a sure bet. It ..
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BANGKOK RED-SHIRT PROTEST - Final Comment...
June 29, 2010 ¦Read (1444) ¦Comment (0)
(June 29th, 5:00pm) What a difffence a month makes. Everything is back to normal, and Bangkok is still standing. The huge casualties from the dispersment of red shirt protesters never happened. Other than the burned out World ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: What a Dream and Hard Work Get You
June 14, 2010 ¦Read (532) ¦Comment (0)
While ‘red shirt’ anti-government protesters call for reforms to bridge the gap between the rich and poor, there are other less well-to-do people, who believe there is a better way to solve the problem: Having a dream and hard work.
For example, ..
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Japan's Prime Minister Trips Himself (June 3rd)
June 10, 2010 ¦Read (217) ¦Comment (0)
4 for 4.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is the fourth Japanese prime minister to resign in four years.
What’s going on here?
In Hatoyama’s case, his broken campaign pledge to remove a U.S. military base from Okinawa was his Waterloo.
..
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Fidelity Investments Trumps Citibank in Customer Service
June 2, 2010 ¦Read (242) ¦Comment (0)
Normally I do not tout products or services unless they are extraordinary.Fidelity Investments is one such service.Their on-line customer service is unique in that they consistently do a great job.Their reps have always been courteous, ..
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Sony's Comeback
May 20, 2010 ¦Read (270) ¦Comment (0)
Howard Stringer, Sony's Chairman has announced that Sony is finally on the cusps of breaking into the black and having a profitable year. For the past several quarters, Sony has suffered under losses totally millions of dollars. ..
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iPad Cracks a Million Sales
May 4, 2010 ¦Read (311) ¦Comment (0)
iPad just clocked its one millionth sale last Friday.Astounding, but not unexpected. Not all, a lot of products from the mind of Steve Jobs have a way of reaping gold.Reports are that most people who purchase the iPad are tech savvy ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Thai Political Crisis Offers Lessons in Chain of Command Leadership
May 3, 2010 ¦Read (232) ¦Comment (0)
At the time of this writing, Bangkok is still under siege by the red shirt protesters, who have tenaciously managed to parry every attempt by the government to disperse them.
While the red shirts methods of protest have ranged from illegal ..
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China's Booming Luxury Car Market
April 29, 2010 ¦Read (231) ¦Comment (0)
Recently China passed the U.S. as the biggest car market in the world. It is also inching up to be one of the biggest luxury car markets in the world too.With luxury car makers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi racking up triple-digit ..
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Is Bangkok Safe to Visit?
April 26, 2010 ¦Read (267) ¦Comment (0)
Well, I am still here!I've lived here for over 19 years and I've never felt threatened by political unrest.Over the years, I've learned that international news only highlights the violence related to these issues, otherwise no one would watch/read ..
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Is ex-Lehman CEO Lying to Save His Butt?
April 22, 2010 ¦Read (256) ¦Comment (0)
It makes me sick listening to former Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld explain to law makers why his Firm went bankrupt in 2008.
This is yet again, a case of a CEO [like Jeffrey Skilling who destroyed Enron], who claims he was ..
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Goldman Sachs On the Firing Line
April 20, 2010 ¦Read (244) ¦Comment (0)
The U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission has filed a civil suit against Goldman accusing the firm of misleading investors.
In its suit, the SEC claims Goldman sold mortgage-backed securities to investors without informing them that one of ..
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Raging Protests in Bangkok Create Catch-22
April 12, 2010 ¦Read (162) ¦Comment (0)
21 killed and 850 injured from brutal firefights that erupted in Bangkok on Saturday night between the so-called "red-shirt" protesters, supporting ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and government troops. Now, Monday morning there is a ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Nothing Wrong with Engaging in Office Politics If You are Sincere
April 5, 2010 ¦Read (300) ¦Comment (0)
A bit of self-promotion can be a good thing, if it is done in an honest and sincere way, writes Larry Chao.
Few executives encourage their staff to play office politics. In fact, I’ve never seen a set of corporate values that espouses such ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE [Redux]: How Arrogance Can Undermine You
April 4, 2010 ¦Read (735) ¦Comment (0)
While organizations struggle to adapt to changing markets, some veteran leaders are learning the biggest hurdles might be their own reluctance to let go of past successes and learn new skills, writes Larry Chao.
Several years ago, a ..
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Will the iPad Be a Winner?
April 2, 2010 ¦Read (189) ¦Comment (0)
Although Apple turned the mobile phone industry upside-down with its iPhone, I'm not sure the iPad will have the same effect on the personal computing industry. But is the iPad even in that industry, or does it represent a whole new ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Toyota Must Deal with Denial
March 9, 2010 ¦Read (494) ¦Comment (0)
Toyota’s current troubles seem to illustrate that it is easy for managers to fall into the trap of denial and not accept the very problems that allow them to learn from their mistakes, writes Larry Chao. No doubt for years to come, the current ..
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Toyota Dealers are Barking up the Wrong Tree
February 24, 2010 ¦Read (177) ¦Comment (0)
This week Toyota dealers in the U.S. are rallying on Capital Hill to defend the Toyota brand from attack by Congress. But aren't they aiming their attention in the wrong direction? Shouldn't they be picketing at Toyota headquarters ..
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Toyota Needs to Step up and Take Responsibility... NOW
February 8, 2010 ¦Read (348) ¦Comment (0)
It’s almost like the newspapers are prodding Toyota to take action on all of its liability problems.
From the Wall Street Journal, to the Herald Tribune to local newspapers, everyone is reporting on Toyota’s problems with brakes and ..
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Is the Sticky Gas Pedal Really Fixed?
February 3, 2010 ¦Read (357) ¦Comment (1)
Jim Lentz, president of Toyota U.S. sales says the problem with gas pedals sticking in its cars has been identified and solved.
He believes defects with the pedal itself or floor mats caused the problem and that it has nothing to do with the ..
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Can We Still Trust Toyota?
February 1, 2010 ¦Read (368) ¦Comment (0)
Toyota seems to have solved the problem with its sticking gas pedal. But why did this problem get so out of hand in the first place?
Toyota’s sticking gas pedal problem has been front page news for the past several weeks. It has ..
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Ed Whitacre the New Comfortable GM CEO (Jan 26th)
January 26, 2010 ¦Read (371) ¦Comment (0)
Congratulations to Edward E. Whitacre Jr, who has just been confirmed as permanent chief executive of General Motors. Whitacre had been serving as interim CEO while recruiters had been searching for a permanent replacement.According to ..
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A Symbol of Excess... Again
January 18, 2010 ¦Read (488) ¦Comment (0)
This month Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, opened in Dubai. How ironic that this monument opens in a city, where the economy has imploded and real estate prices have crashed. Perhaps it serves as a painful symbol of excess, where ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Accepting Criticism is Hard to Do
December 31, 2009 ¦Read (630) ¦Comment (1)
Leaders often complain that subordinates do not speak up enough in meetings. But is the problem more about the subordinates, or more about the leaders, writes Larry Chao.
Here in Asia, one of the toughest management challenges is ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE [redux]: Simple Strategy Key to Success in Execution
December 21, 2009 ¦Read (524) ¦Comment (0)
Now that the economic recession appears to be abating, companies are plotting a quick return to profitable growth. Pockets of opportunities have emerged as demand gradually picks up among the rubble of defunct competitors. Yet the greatest ..
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Bargain Hunting in Dubai?
December 16, 2009 ¦Read (334) ¦Comment (0)
Last month Dubai made headline news when its financing arm, Dubai World announced a freeze on debt payments.
Not only did world financial markets swoon, but real estate prices in Dubai tanked even further. Now, some real-estate ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE [redux]: The Importance of Leadership Behaviors
December 11, 2009 ¦Read (786) ¦Comment (0)
Restructuring and fear of layoffs have shaken employee loyalty. Good leadership behaviors are essential to re-build healthy bonds between employers and employees, writes Larry Chao
Many employers have enjoyed one bright spot during the ..
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Galleon Group - The Hits Just Keep on Comin'
November 29, 2009 ¦Read (401) ¦Comment (0)
I am very skeptical about CEO Raj Rajaratnam’s innocence in the insider trading scheme at Galleon Group. Although he asserts that his hedge fund’s massive profits are the result of shrewd research and investing, the evidence against him – ..
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The Tragedy of SAAB
November 29, 2009 ¦Read (449) ¦Comment (0)
Another automobile icon brand is about to bite the dust. Yesterday, it was announced that Koenigsegg, which agreed to buy the Saab brand from G.M. last June, decided not to go ahead with the deal. This leaves Saab high and dry with no other ..
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My Predictions for the Stock Market
September 21, 2009 ¦Read (463) ¦Comment (0)
Some Wall Street prognosticators are now wondering whether U.S. stocks will tank after what they call a rare six-month rally, where the Dow has increased 46%.
They harken back to the 1930s and 1970s where similar vigorous rallies were ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE (REDUX): Many Advantages of 360 Degree Feedback
August 25, 2009 ¦Read (1032) ¦Comment (3)
One of the toughest challenges executives face is evaluating their own performance objectively. Most people naturally have an overly optimistic view of themselves. They believe they are “above average,” regardless of where they may ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE (REDUX) Shortcomings of Lawrence Summers's & Thaksin Shinawatra's leadership styles
August 25, 2009 ¦Read (1607) ¦Comment (6)
Both Lawrence Summers and Thaksin Shinawatra are discovering that the CEO-leadership style, while often effective at driving change, has its thorny drawbacks when trying to build support across broad constituencies, writes Larry Chao.
Harvard ..
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A Silver Lining for Would-Be Entrepreneurs
August 24, 2009 ¦Read (420) ¦Comment (0)
Great article about “entrepreneurship” as a silver lining in the recession, in today’s International Herald Tribune (Monday, August 24th).
According to the article, many people have been forced to start their own businesses ..
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Outrageous Banking Pay Persists
August 17, 2009 ¦Read (490) ¦Comment (0)
Call me old fashioned, but nowadays, when I see people at banks, such as Citigroup energy trader Andrew J. Hall, scheduled to make nearly $100 million in wages, I am stunned at the audacity of it all.
U.S. financial institutions ..
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Surprise! Germany & France Teach Us a Lesson
August 14, 2009 ¦Read (515) ¦Comment (0)
…So I read in the news today that France and Germany’s economies both surprised everyone by growing .3% in the second quarter of this year after the worst recession since World War II.
It seems over the last couple of years, ..
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Best Warning I've Ever Listened to...
August 11, 2009 ¦Read (627) ¦Comment (0)
Don’t Text Message and Drive.
This is so important, I thought I’d add this to my management blog!
Don’t text and drive is as wise as don’t drink and drive. I'd make texting while driving as serious a crime as driving ..
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My Bet on When the Recession Will End
August 6, 2009 ¦Read (443) ¦Comment (0)
When it comes to predicting the economy, everyone is an expert. But what that means is that no one is an expert. Even some of the best minds in the world couldn’t predict the current recession.
The pundits are saying a recovery is in ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Lessons We Must Learn from the Recession
August 3, 2009 ¦Read (390) ¦Comment (0)
Among the rubble of the recession, there is one lesson we need to learn: No matter what the circumstances, if a deal seems too good to be true, then it usually is, writes Larry Chao. As we begin to gain traction on an economic recovery, the ..
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Will a Yahoo/Microsoft Marriage Work Out?
July 30, 2009 ¦Read (514) ¦Comment (0)
Will this 10-year Internet-search partnership between Yahoo and Microsoft work?
I’m not sure a Yahoo/Microsoft partnership will enable these two companies to compete more effectively against Google.
Today, Google controls 65% ..
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Good Luck, Chevrolet
July 14, 2009 ¦Read (459) ¦Comment (0)
General Motors emerges from bankruptcy this week with four brands in its stable: Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet (or “Chevy”).
A lot is riding on Chevy, because it has proven to generate a lot of sales and popularity. Who can ..
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The Slow Extinction of Merrill Lynch
July 9, 2009 ¦Read (524) ¦Comment (0)
Today’s Wall Street Journal reported that Merrill Lynch has lost 18 investment bankers since Bank of America bought it earlier this year.
Everyone is forecasting the demise of the Merrill brand and its tragic fall from grace, after ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Navigating Turbulent Times
July 6, 2009 ¦Read (526) ¦Comment (0)
Scenario planning offers CEOs a reliable tool to plan strategy and pivot their organizations quickly during these uncertain times, writes Larry Chao.
While much of the economic news these days suggests the worst of the economic ..
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World's Best Customer Service Hotline
June 30, 2009 ¦Read (511) ¦Comment (0)
Siam Commercial Bank just gave me the best customer service experience I’ve had in ten years. It was so good, in fact, that I will give you their number just to check it out: +662 777-7777 here in Thailand.
Last weekend, I lost my ..
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Are GM, Ford and Chrysler Done For?
June 29, 2009 ¦Read (502) ¦Comment (0)
I am not a car expert, but if I am a betting man, I think it will take years for Ford, GM and Chrysler to resurrect themselves, if ever.
Sure, they have “restructured” to manage costs and preserve cash flow, but they just don’t have ..
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Should News of Steve Jobs's Liver Transplant Have Been Disclosed?
June 22, 2009 ¦Read (487) ¦Comment (0)
Great to hear Steve Jobs is recovering well from his liver transplant earlier this year. Not so great to learn that no one told us he had a liver transplant until a few days ago.
I do not hold any stock in Apple, but if I was a ..
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China's Efforts to Censor Internet Access will be Futile
June 16, 2009 ¦Read (486) ¦Comment (0)
The Chinese government has ordered every computer sold in China after July 1st to have a special filtering software installed to block access to pornographic sites.
But critics say that the real reason behind the Chinese ..
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Did the Fed Force Bank of America to Buy Merrill?
June 12, 2009 ¦Read (484) ¦Comment (0)
So now the U.S. Fed is on the hot seat for supposedly pressuring Bank of America to buy Merrill Lynch last December.
I do not doubt that Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and then Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson wanted the sale of beleaguered ..
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Is Ford's "World Car" Idea Just Plain Crazy?
June 11, 2009 ¦Read (559) ¦Comment (0)
I was about to buy Ford stock, but when I heard they were considering making their Ford Fiesta a world car – one type of car sold all over the world, like the BMW 3-series, I hesitated.
It brings back memories of Ford’s last failed ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE...Wanted: More Female Brains at the Top
June 1, 2009 ¦Read (546) ¦Comment (1)
The recession has put a premium on finding the best people needed to run companies effectively. It has challenged the male ego and male dominated corporate cultures, and should accelerate more leadership opportunities for women, writes Larry ..
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Toyota's Alarming Turn for the Worse
May 20, 2009 ¦Read (528) ¦Comment (0)
Toyota’s sudden downturn is shocking. Only a couple of years ago they were the juggernaut in the automobile industry, taking the U.S. auto makers to task by gobbling up their market share with smaller, fuel efficient cars. But suddenly, since ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: An Unlikely Diva Rocks the World
May 4, 2009 ¦Read (502) ¦Comment (0)
A stunning singing performance by an unassuming Scottish woman last month on a British television talent show reminds us that anyone who has talent and the guts to go for it, can rock the world and finish first, writes Larry Chao. I ..
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Thailand's Economic Crisis and Opportunity
April 20, 2009 ¦Read (499) ¦Comment (0)
The Thai economy is self destructing. It seems like those involved in the see-saw battles between the incumbent government and opposition are oblivious of the present economic dangers.
Tourism, for example, one of the ..
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China: A Silver Lining in the Global Economy?
April 20, 2009 ¦Read (617) ¦Comment (0)
Even though China’s economic growth slowed to 6.1% in Q1 that is still breakneck speed compared to the rest of the world. Domestic consumer spending seems to be fueling much of this sustained growth, as opposed to exports, which have ..
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Bangkok in State of Seige. Violence Looms
April 13, 2009 ¦Read (557) ¦Comment (0)
As I type this, the "red-shirt" protesters, who support ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are causing enormous chaos in Bangkok. This is no peaceful protest, like the sit-in by the "yellow-shirt" anti Thaksin protester at Suvarnabhumi ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: How to Sell Luxury Products in a Recession
April 6, 2009 ¦Read (461) ¦Comment (0)
In the past, healthy economic growth and strong demand for luxury products here in Thailand obscured the need for selling skills, as most brands sold themselves. Selling was more about completing a transaction, ..
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Let GM and Chrysler Go Bankrupt Already (Redux from February))...
March 30, 2009 ¦Read (571) ¦Comment (1)
The profit hemorrhaging continues at GM and Chrysler with no end in sight. The precipitous drop in global car sales over 30% Dec 2008 vs 2007 will make their recovery anytime soon dim at best.
Both companies are ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE (REDUX FROM FEB): How "Culture" Crippled General Motors
March 30, 2009 ¦Read (628) ¦Comment (0)
Beyond a cumbersome organization structure, GM’s close brush with bankruptcy late last year can be partly traced to a staid corporate culture, which plagued its operations for decades and prevented it from adapting to a changing world, writes Larry ..
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AIG Bonuses are Outrageous
March 20, 2009 ¦Read (630) ¦Comment (0)
Outrageous. There is no other word to describe the $165 million of bonuses paid out to AIG executives last week. The justification for paying these bonuses is that they were paid out as part of an earlier contract obligation. But I doubt that ..
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Sony's Restructuring is Too Little, Too Late
March 2, 2009 ¦Read (569) ¦Comment (0)
Howard Stringer has taken over as president of Sony Corporation. That gives him three titles: Chairman, CEO and president. But will giving him another title make a difference to Sony’s business results or is it just borrowing more ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: The Destructive Powers of Blind Ambitions
March 2, 2009 ¦Read (512) ¦Comment (0)
The current global economic crisis and the 1997 financial crisis triggered in Thailand were both caused in part by “easy money” and blind ambitions. Unless we learn to moderate our ambitions, history will continue to repeat itself, writes ..
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Govern Executive Pay
February 16, 2009 ¦Read (650) ¦Comment (0)
Any bank or organization that receives federal funds to help it through the current economic crisis should restrict and govern its executive pay. Moreover, a third party must provide oversight on compensation issues.
Why, for ..
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Sony's Day of Reckoning
January 23, 2009 ¦Read (604) ¦Comment (0)
The current global economic crisis is forcing companies like Sony Corp to accelerate restructuring plans and uproot entrenched, obsolete management practices.
Sony CEO Howard Stringer has done an adequate job since he took over as the ..
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Keeping the Business Traveler Happy
January 16, 2009 ¦Read (631) ¦Comment (0)
During the recent International Consumers Electronics Show 2009, many innovative electronic devices were introduced, including 3-D high-definition tecnologies and Internet TV. Experts also talked about future trends, including "a ..
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Citigroup's Disappearing Act
January 14, 2009 ¦Read (580) ¦Comment (0)
Nowadays, and into the forseeable future, it appears that organizations will constantly be changing and evolving. I remember when Citigroup was gobbling up other financial institutions in a quest to become a financial services giant. ..
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Lexus Car Dealer Reeks of Ineptitude
January 13, 2009 ¦Read (596) ¦Comment (0)
Pardon me for whinging on a management blog, but I feel a need to tell this personal story, which does have a relevant point regarding the management of customer service.I’ve been trying to buy a Lexus for the past month. But apparently, ..
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The Evolution Imperative: Change or Die!
January 12, 2009 ¦Read (676) ¦Comment (0)
Total job losses in the U.S. for 2008 were 2.5 million, the most since 1945. 1.9 million of those jobs disappeared in the last quarter of the year.
Surviving companies and their employees must either change or ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Hotelier Tells Secret of How She Recruits Her Best Talent
January 5, 2009 ¦Read (525) ¦Comment (0)
As Bangkok hotels face a meltdown in occupancy amidst the global recession and aftermath of the airport shut-down last November, it’s nice to tell a story of one hotelier, whose passion for recruiting shines regardless of economic conditions.
..
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The Outrage of Bernard Madoff
December 25, 2008 ¦Read (647) ¦Comment (0)
Wall Street took another huge hit to its reputation when Bernard Madoff, head of his own securities firm, Bernard L. Madoff Securities, was arrested last week. Madoff has been accused of running a $50 billion ponzi scheme, where he took ..
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Fire CEOs at GM, Ford and Chrysler Now
December 6, 2008 ¦Read (689) ¦Comment (0)
I’m afraid that the bankruptcy of one or all three of Detroit’s auto giants will have a major negative impact on the global economy, and the U.S. government must bail them out.
The arguments presented by the executives of GM, Chrysler ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: The Challenge of Managing Generation Y Employees
December 1, 2008 ¦Read (617) ¦Comment (0)
While the financial tsunami currently sweeping the globe is grabbing all the headlines, another tidal wave of change is causing its own share of turmoil: the emergence of Generation Y employees.Impatient, demanding and outspoken, these so-called ..
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Dire Straits: Fed Bails Citigroup
November 25, 2008 ¦Read (735) ¦Comment (0)
Desperate times call for desperate measures and the U.S. Fed’s bailout of Citigroup is no exception.
By injecting $20 billion directly into the bank and backing $306 billion of Citigroup’s loans and securities, the U.S. ..
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GM Must Go Bankrupt to Survive
November 24, 2008 ¦Read (604) ¦Comment (0)
For years I warned that General Motors's inability to understand the U.S. car consumer would drag the corporation into bankruptcy. For years I watched auto brands like BMW, Honda and Toyota produce cars that consumers liked and bought. ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Professional Services Firms Must Leverage Cross-Selling
November 3, 2008 ¦Read (638) ¦Comment (0)
As the global financial crisis takes its toll on economies around the world, professional services firms such as legal, management consulting and surviving financial institutions scramble to protect profitable growth. Part of their strategy is ..
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Greed Underpins Current Banking Crisis
September 22, 2008 ¦Read (685) ¦Comment (0)
From msnbc.com:"Morgan Stanley and Wachovia Corp. are in talks about a possible combination as the investment bank tries to come up with ways to survive the ongoing credit crisis, according to media reports..."Greed and the thirst for profit is the ..
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"Made in China" Takes Another Huge Hit
September 16, 2008 ¦Read (815) ¦Comment (1)
Frankly, the latest contaminated milk episode that has so far led to 1,253 sick infants and two deaths in China has destroyed the “China Brand” in my eyes.
As the Asian Wall Street Journal reports, milk powder sold by ..
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Lehman, Merrill Meldowns are Horrific
September 15, 2008 ¦Read (803) ¦Comment (0)
Earlier it was Bear Stearns, now it is Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and AIG, all either directly or indirectly reeling from the deterioration of the credit markets. All on the brink of failure.This is as scary as the Great Depression. ..
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EXTRA: State of Emergency Declared in Thailand
September 2, 2008 ¦Read (716) ¦Comment (0)
For those following the political crisis in Thailand, it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Before yesterday, it was all about anti-government protesters seeking the removal of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej by marching on the ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Drawbacks of 'climate' surveys
September 1, 2008 ¦Read (802) ¦Comment (0)
Published on September 1, 2008...I have always been sceptical about the value of organisational-climate surveys - annual surveys that ask employees how they feel about working for the company. The premise is that results from these surveys will ..
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Why Personality Tests are a Waste of Time
August 26, 2008 ¦Read (716) ¦Comment (3)
For years retailers have used personality assessment tests to screen job candidates. They believed such tests could help identify whether a job applicant would make a successful employee. Over time, companies in other industries – ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE (Redux): How the Partner Role is Shifting at KPMG
August 25, 2008 ¦Read (1040) ¦Comment (5)
The post Sarbanes-Oxley era presents leadership challenges to accounting firms, which must devise ways of sustaining profitable growth by peaking client interests, and retaining the best and the brightest, writes Larry Chao.
Kaisri ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Perennial Challenge of Globalizing Brands
July 8, 2008 ¦Read (1002) ¦Comment (8)
As ambitious Thai businesses like Charoen Pokphand Foods ponder ways of expanding profitability abroad, one question continues to dog them: how do you structure your marketing function to globalise ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Don't Let Success Get in the Way of Your Growth
July 4, 2008 ¦Read (851) ¦Comment (9)
At certain points in their careers, managers need to change the way they approach work. Otherwise, they risk falling into the trap, where past successful behaviors may prevent them from moving ahead.
Take, for example, Stephen ..
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When Developing Strategy, Keep it Simple!
June 30, 2008 ¦Read (870) ¦Comment (10)
Last week, I facilitated a board strategy workshop in Vietnam with a Fortune 100 consumer products client.
It was a follow up workshop from an earlier one I conducted six months ago. What was so eye-opening was the dramatic progress this ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Local retailers under pressure to differentiate to stay afloat
June 30, 2008 ¦Read (1270) ¦Comment (4)
Despite protection offered by the Commerce Ministry, which is seeking to halt expansion by international superstores, local retailers must devise a way to differentiate their businesses and attract consumers, or they will perish, writes Larry Chao. ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: HP Going Beyond Hardware When It Comes to Imaging and Printing Solutions
June 26, 2008 ¦Read (891) ¦Comment (6)
While Hewlett-Packard has built its reputation by delivering product innovations better and faster than the competition, it has now raised the bar, it says, by partnering with customers to provide win-win service solutions that go beyond ..
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Why Do Crest Brand Managers Hate Me?
June 23, 2008 ¦Read (697) ¦Comment (4)
I’ve been using Crest toothpaste since as far back as I can remember – about 1964. I’ve used it religiously, twice a day.
Then, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Crest started coming up with weird variants of their basic ..
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Is Hillary the Right Running Mate for Obama?
May 27, 2008 ¦Read (775) ¦Comment (6)
If Hillary Clinton loses the Democratic primary – and it certainly seems that way as of today – would she want to take the backseat as vice president?
Her husband Bill certainly thinks that is a good idea. He believes an ..
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Icahn's Bid to Join Yahoo with Microsoft
May 22, 2008 ¦Read (754) ¦Comment (1)
Earlier this year, Microsoft unsuccessfully made a bid to buy Yahoo for nearly $50 billion. But Yahoo executives felt that wasn’t enough. They wanted $37 a share vs. Microsoft’s offer of $32.
Microsoft’s interest in Yahoo is ..
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Burma Devasted by Cyclone. Government Watches as People Die
May 8, 2008 ¦Read (727) ¦Comment (1)
While thousands of Burmese suffer in the wake of Cyclone Nagris devastating impact on May 3rd, the Burmese Military Junta is preventing relief/aid workers from entering the country.As of today, two U.S. Navy ships are poised ..
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Can Citigroup Clean up its Big Mess?
May 7, 2008 ¦Read (824) ¦Comment (2)
Citigroup is in a mess. CEO Vikram Pandit has a tough job ahead, and he is already lagging behind investors' expectations. Since Pandit took over in mid-December of last year, Citigroup's stock price has swooned from $30+ a ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: The Broadening Role of the Financial Controller
May 5, 2008 ¦Read (967) ¦Comment (4)
As businesses struggle to compete in fast changing markets across Asia, the role of the finance controller has evolved to take on greater responsibility for strategic planning and managing business performance. Plotting the future based on a ..
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PUBLISHED NEWS ARTICLE: Greater Employee Involvment Delivers Better Results
April 30, 2008 ¦Read (709) ¦Comment (0)
While involving rank and file employees more in decision-making offers clear benefits, cultural barriers here in Asia still stand in the way, writes Larry Chao
Western management practices often run into difficulty gaining traction here ..
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What Will the Delta/Northwest Airlines Merger Really Achieve?
April 25, 2008 ¦Read (626) ¦Comment (1)
When Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines merge, it will create the world's biggest airlines. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Well, I think the main impetus for this merger was the high oil prices and need to consolidate ..
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Passing the Torch on the World Stage
April 11, 2008 ¦Read (839) ¦Comment (0)
Wow, the Olympic torch relay is shaping up to be a very controversial event. So far, in London, Paris and San Fransisco, demonstrators have made their feelings known by trying to disrupt the torch relay as it passes through ..
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What! Tata Motors buys Jaguar and Land Rover?
March 31, 2008 ¦Read (688) ¦Comment (3)
At first, it appeared to be a strange marriage last week. Why would Tata Motors buy luxury auto brands Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford, when Tata Motors is known for building the cheapest mass produced car in the world, the ..
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Major League Baseball Goes to Japan
March 26, 2008 ¦Read (764) ¦Comment (1)
Love it. Love that U.S. Major League Baseball is expanding its presence overseas, especially in Japan, where baseball is so popular. I know MLB is trying to expand its fan base and revenues by going overseas, rather ..
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iPhone Takes Aim at Blackberry
March 14, 2008 ¦Read (728) ¦Comment (2)
From no where, Steve Jobs has launched the Apple iPhone into second place [28% share] in the corporate business segment for smart mobile phones, right behind Blackberry. Even more exciting is Apple's plans to further steal ..
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Fear of Management
March 3, 2008 ¦Read (763) ¦Comment (1)
Too often top management is not informed about bad news, great innovative ideas, or good solutions that go against policy because employees are scared to speak up.
Despite encouragement from management to tell it like it is, few ..
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How NOT to Run a Presidential Campaign
February 6, 2008 ¦Read (717) ¦Comment (0)
Republican presidential candidate Rudy Guiliani's meltdown in the Florida primary and subsequent withdrawl from the U.S. presidential elections is a case study on how not to run a political campaign.The man put all his eggs in one basket, conceding ..
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Rogue Trader Stuns Societe Generale Execs
January 27, 2008 ¦Read (726) ¦Comment (0)
The most spectacular business story grabbing news headlines these past few days has been rogue trader Jerome Kerviel fraudulent trades, resulting in a $7.2 billion loss for Societe Generale. Remarkable how he managed to pull this off in ..
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The Emerging Role of the Finance Director
January 14, 2008 ¦Read (767) ¦Comment (0)
I'm off to Phuket this week to facilitate a conference on "The Emerging Role of the Finance Director." The underlying theme of the workshop is, I believe, that the role of the finance director has expanding from merely managing risk ..
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Hyundai Brand Takes on BMW
January 9, 2008 ¦Read (779) ¦Comment (0)
Hyundai, the Korean automobile manufacturer, is unveiling its first luxury car this week. This nameplate will be dubbed "Genesis" built by Hyundai and compete head to head with Mercedes, BMW and Lexus.No doubt Hyundai has come up with an ..
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How Email Eats Away at Your Productivity
January 1, 2008 ¦Read (718) ¦Comment (0)
Another year just blew by.You don't know how fast time flies, until it is by you, and once it is by you, it is too late. So, my New Year's resolution is to be more productive. Specifically, to cut out about 50% of the time I spend on ..
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Thai Elections Bring More Uncertainty
December 24, 2007 ¦Read (725) ¦Comment (0)
This past weekend, the People Power Party came out on top of the Thai elections for prime minister. But to form the next government, they still need to form a coalition with other political parties to obtain enough seats in parliment - ..
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New Korean Leader Faces Fraud Charges
December 24, 2007 ¦Read (782) ¦Comment (0)
If alleged fraud charges against newly elected South Korean president Lee Myung Bak prove true, then Koreans may be in for an interesting 2008.
Last Wednesday, Lee won the presidential election, replacing incumbent Roo Moo ..
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Is China Really as Hot a Market as People Think?
December 20, 2007 ¦Read (692) ¦Comment (0)
The currrent case of Zong Qinghou versus Danone has got to be troubling news for multinationals looking to grow in China.Zong is a board member of a joint venture between himself and Danone, which produces the Wahaha-brand water and drinks in ..
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How Nintendo's "Wii" Dominates Video Games
December 17, 2007 ¦Read (733) ¦Comment (0)
This past weekend, I had a chance to see Nintendo's Wii video game in action. The Wii, a direct competitor to Sony's Playstation and Microsoft's X-Box is a sensation. It is a sensation because it is fun to use. While Sony and ..
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Poor Service and Performance Dog Thai Airways
December 17, 2007 ¦Read (817) ¦Comment (0)
In a recent article in the English-speaking newspaper, Nation, Thai Airways International announced internal studies have uncovered that "many customers misunderstood the airline and thought it paid more attention to foreigners than ..
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Being a Bad Ass Manager Better than Being a Softie?
December 10, 2007 ¦Read (774) ¦Comment (0)
Three University of Chicago business school professors have concluded that successful CEOs employ hard skills, such as being tough, persistent, analytical and setting high standards are more often than softer skills such as treating people ..
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Why Executives Can't Take Criticism
November 14, 2007 ¦Read (829) ¦Comment (0)
While many people say they can take criticism, in reality, very few can. Nowadays it is a badge of honor for an executive to smile and say "I can take criticism, go ahead let me have it." It makes him or her seem more ..
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Merrill's CEO about to be Jettisoned
October 29, 2007 ¦Read (739) ¦Comment (0)
So, it looks like Merrill Lynch's CEO will resign. Apparently CEO Stan O'Neal has felt too much heat after Merrill announced $8.4 billion of write-downs this past week. This has resulted in a $2.24 billion loss for the third ..
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Ebay Overpaid for Skype
October 9, 2007 ¦Read (670) ¦Comment (0)
The jury is in and it looks like Ebay overpaid for Skype, the long distance Internet-based service that allows you to make long distance calls for a fraction of the cost of traditional telecommunications.. This week Ebay took a $1.43 billion ..
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China Having Difficulty Stoking Domestic Demand
October 2, 2007 ¦Read (749) ¦Comment (0)
It is ironic that China is viewed as an economic juggernaut everywhere in the world except in China, where increasingly affluent Chinese consumers snub products made by local manufacturers.
Many products exported from China are made by ..
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Does "Blue Ocean Stategy" Work or Fail?
September 25, 2007 ¦Read (660) ¦Comment (1)
Written by Professors Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne of INSEAD, the management book "Blue Ocean Strategy" talks about how companies succeeded by capturing uncontested market space, thereby making competition irrelevant.Basically, it is a book about ..
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China Readies Itself for Olympics
September 15, 2007 ¦Read (806) ¦Comment (0)
Next year's Olympics could prove to be a huge injection of confidence for China on the global economic stage. I just returned from Beijing and the City has already been planning for this monstrous event for months.Already infrastructure to ..
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Bill Gives Hillary Credibility
September 5, 2007 ¦Read (686) ¦Comment (1)
I’ve never really been sold on Hillary Clinton as President of the United States - until recently. There just seems to be something a bit “staged” and artificial about her. To me, she does not exude the same substance, as let’s say, her ..
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Nardelli to Chrysler? Your Kidding!
August 20, 2007 ¦Read (814) ¦Comment (0)
What a weird choice. Yes, Bob Nardelli, former Home Depot and General Electric executive did have an enviable track record at GE. He cut cost and drove revenue/market share for GE's locomotove unit in a disciplined ..
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Pepsi Kills Successful "Ice Cucumber" Drink
August 13, 2007 ¦Read (773) ¦Comment (0)
Why did Pepsi decide to pull its successful new "Ice Cucumber" beverage from shelves in Japan? In early June, Pepsi launched 4.8 million bottles of it new cucumber flavored drink onto convenience store retail sheves. They sold out ..
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Made in China = Watch Out!
August 7, 2007 ¦Read (743) ¦Comment (0)
Here is a disturbing statistic for China exporters: Almost half the defective products identified by the European Union came from China in 2006.
I’m not surprised. This is consistent with recent stories of tainted food products, ..
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Nestle Slims Down for Growth
August 1, 2007 ¦Read (753) ¦Comment (0)
Great to see Nestle grab the bull by the horns and focus on profit margins.
Today, $75 billion Nestle dwarfs the next biggest foods company – Unilever. But being the biggest does not necessarily mean you are the best.
..
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Arroyo's Promise to Philippines Comes up Empty
July 27, 2007 ¦Read (711) ¦Comment (0)
I am tired of hearing promises for growth from leaders of sleepy third world countries. They sound like broken records.
Specifically, I am referring to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who announced on Monday, that ..
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IBM is Back in the Game
July 20, 2007 ¦Read (882) ¦Comment (0)
IBM is experiencing a mini resurgence. Since Samuel Palmisano took over as CEO five years ago, IBM has struggled to right-size itself in the business marketplace and away from highly competitive low margin businesses like personal ..
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For Now, the Chrysler Brand is Dying
July 6, 2007 ¦Read (777) ¦Comment (0)
Is Chrysler trying to commit suicide? After shooting itself in the foot by failing to introduce any interesting new cars into the U.S. market, now they are betting on China?!Recently, Chrysler signed an agreement to outsource a small ..
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Apple's New iPhone Will Dazzle!
July 1, 2007 ¦Read (754) ¦Comment (0)
Steve Jobs is brilliant. His new Apple iPhone will change the mobile phone industry forever, the way Starbucks disrupted the way people buy coffee.From early accounts, the iPhone is a smashing success. Yes there are a few gliches like ..
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Rupert Murdoch Moves in for the Kill
June 28, 2007 ¦Read (713) ¦Comment (0)
Will Dow Jones & Co sell out to Rupert Murdoch and News Corp? Last week the deal seemed all but dead, but suddenly it appears to have new legs.Financially, News Corp.'s offer is very attractive - 67% premium over Dow Jones's stock ..
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What's This Fantasy with "BRIC?"
June 18, 2007 ¦Read (736) ¦Comment (0)
"BRIC" or Brazil, Russia, India, and China are getting a lot of press lately. Big corporations are clamoring to get into these four markets because everyone is saying that is where the future is.Stop right now. Is that any reason to ..
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China's Reputation as an Exporter Bombed to the Stone Age
June 6, 2007 ¦Read (737) ¦Comment (0)
It will be a long time before I eat anything "Made in China." In fact, I'm going to be very cautious about buying anything made in China. The recent spate of bad news about tainted food products and ingredients coming out of China ..
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NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Internet Amplifies the Growing Voice of Consumers
June 4, 2007 ¦Read (653) ¦Comment (1)
As consumers are finding their voice online, they are disrupting traditional forms of mass media communication, writes Larry Chao.
Big business has always managed its reputation and promoted brands with effective communications such as ..
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How One Selfish Individual Risked Causing a Pandemic of TB
June 3, 2007 ¦Read (708) ¦Comment (0)
It scares me to learn that a 31-year old lawyer from Atlanta with tuberculosis decided it was safe to travel overseas, despite being warned twice by U.S. authorities not to travel. Eventually when he returned to Atlanta, he was flown to ..
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I'm not surprised Citicorp is in the tanker
May 28, 2007 ¦Read (855) ¦Comment (8)
Before I cut up my Citibank "WORLD" Mastercard, let me post this quick blog to warn consumers about it. I had this card issued several years ago. I paid for services purchased in the U.S. and abroad. It wasn't until this last ..
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Korean Business Tycoon in Bar Fight
May 18, 2007 ¦Read (826) ¦Comment (0)
This past March, as the story goes, Kim Dong-won a 22-year old college student was involved in a bar fight in Seoul Korea. The next day, his father, Kim Seung-youn, hired a group of thugs and then together with them, went out and beat up ..
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TO: My Classmates, Foote School 1972!!!!!
May 17, 2007 ¦Read (857) ¦Comment (1)
Wow, it is GREAT to see that reunion picture! Wish I had been in it!!! You all look terrific... some things never change (one person in the back of the pic. peeking out, I could not identify!).How time flies. When you are ..
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MIT Admissions Officer Caught Lying
May 7, 2007 ¦Read (783) ¦Comment (3)
Last week, Marilee Jones, dean of admissions at MIT, was fired for lying about her academic credentials 28 years ago when she was first hired for an entry level position in the admissions office.
What seemed to precipitate her ..
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SPECIAL: Why Cho Seung-Hui Killed...
May 1, 2007 ¦Read (766) ¦Comment (7)
While not a business topic, the horrible mass murder of 32 people at Virginia Tech this week cannot pass without some reflection.The killer, Cho Seung-Hui, seemed to be ranting against the rich and the "haves." He felt looked down ..
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China Poisons Pet Foods Sent to U.S.
April 30, 2007 ¦Read (779) ¦Comment (3)
Well, this news will set China's exporting machine back a few years. American food regulators have traced the tainted pet food that killed at least 16 pets and sickened hundreds others recently to Chinese pet food ..
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Visa Thailand Country Manager's Dream a Nightmare
April 26, 2007 ¦Read (794) ¦Comment (1)
Somboon Krobterreanon, country manager for Visa Thailand, had a dream. His dream was that everyone in Thailand had a Visa card and would make their daily purchases on credit. What a nightmare!Playing off Steve Job's vision of ..
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Non-Japanese Board Member Just a Token?
April 19, 2007 ¦Read (808) ¦Comment (2)
Toyota finally appointed a non-Japanese – James Press – to its board of directors. Press is currently Toyota’s North American operations president.
According to a Toyota spokesman, appointing Press to the board will give Toyota ..
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Mine is Bigger than Yours!
April 14, 2007 ¦Read (956) ¦Comment (0)
Seems like the world can't have enough skyscrapers. I just learned Dubai is in the running to build the tallest building in the world, code-named "The Burj" or "Tower." This tower would be one kilometer tall. Imagine if ..
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Google Allows Insulting Videoclip of Thai Monarchy to Stay
April 9, 2007 ¦Read (763) ¦Comment (2)
The row over whether Google should have removed an offensive videoclip of His Majesty the King of Thailand from its YouTube website has polarized the public into two camps: those who believe in freedom of speech; and those who are incensed over the ..
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Emails are Killing Your Effectiveness
April 5, 2007 ¦Read (697) ¦Comment (6)
Let's face it. The "average executive" must get about 100 emails a day, 90% which do not add any value to his/her contributions to the business. Many are cover your ass emails or correspondence that should be made via telephone. ..
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India Gobbles Up Coal Plant
April 3, 2007 ¦Read (732) ¦Comment (0)
Glad to learn India is fueling its growth by trying to secure natural fuel resources, this time in the form of coal operations.
Tata Power, India’s giant non-state owned power company, just purchased a $1.3 billion stake in an ..
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Can Lexus Really be THE Luxury Brand?
March 26, 2007 ¦Read (745) ¦Comment (2)
Lexus is a terrific car, but will it ever be said in the same breadth as Mercedes and BMW? Now they are coming out with a $100,000 high end model to appeal to the super rich, but will people ever equate it with a Benz?Maybe if you've got two ..
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Takafmi Horie: Criminal or Cult Hero?
March 19, 2007 ¦Read (852) ¦Comment (0)
Japanese securities authorities sentenced Takafumi Horie, the 34-year old Internet entrepreneur to two and a half years in jail for manipulating the earning of his Internet company Livedoor Co.Yet Horie is a bit of a cult hero in Japan. ..
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Shinzo Abe's Idiotic Blunder
March 16, 2007 ¦Read (855) ¦Comment (1)
Last week Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe commented that he felt the 200,000 women from across Asia, who were used as "comfort women" for the Japanese Imperial Army in World War II were not, in fact, coerced to be sex slaves. He said there ..
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I'm Swear, Nokia Hates the Business User!
March 4, 2007 ¦Read (928) ¦Comment (0)
I really think Nokia hates me as a loyal consumer.
From 1994 till about 2002, I purchased seven of them. But more recently, their styles and quality have really suffered. As a business user, none of their designs appeal to ..
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Dumbest Merger Idea in 2007
February 27, 2007 ¦Read (875) ¦Comment (0)
Rumor has it that General Motors is flirting with buying DaimlerChrysler’s U.S. subsidiary Chrysler.
That would be one of the dumbest business decisions I have ever heard. Those in favor of a merger argue that combining the two ..
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Just Sell the Damn Satellites Back to Thailand!
February 23, 2007 ¦Read (1003) ¦Comment (0)
So now Thai army chief Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin says he wants Thailand to buy back the Shin Satellite PCL stake of the $1.9 billion Shin Corp deal from Singapore’s Temasek Holdings. He cites national security interests and sharp criticism ..
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One Auto Exec. Who Should be Fired
February 18, 2007 ¦Read (858) ¦Comment (0)
Excuse me, Dieter Zetsche (CEO, DaimlerChrysler), but what have your executives been doing over at Chrysler, your U.S. subsidiary these past couple of years? Last year, it lost US$1.5 billion.
According to Chrysler, high ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: AMCHAM Banks on Panels to Improve Service
February 6, 2007 ¦Read (728) ¦Comment (0)
The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (“AMCHAM”) has set its sights on improving the value it offers members and the Thai community, by enhancing the quality and focus of its special interest committees.
Earlier this month, ..
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How Landor Screwed Itself (Feb 1st)
February 1, 2007 ¦Read (796) ¦Comment (0)
Korean Air is suing Landor Associates, corporate identity and logo consultant, for working with its competitor, Asiana Airlines.
According to Korean Air, Landor started working with its fierce rival Asiana Airlines right ..
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Thailand Allows Generics Drugs to Undermine Patents
January 30, 2007 ¦Read (783) ¦Comment (0)
The Thai military-installed government announced it would allow generic substitutes for two drugs under patent protection: Plavix and Kaletra. Plavix is a blood thinner co-marketed by Sanofi-Aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb and Kaletra is a ..
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Hillary Clinton to Run for President
January 22, 2007 ¦Read (875) ¦Comment (2)
"I'm in and I'm in to win," NY Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton said on her campaign website this weekend. As of today she is favored by 41% of Democrats, which is twice as much as the next leading candidate Barack Obama.The 2008 presidential ..
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Thaksin Speaks Out from Afar
January 18, 2007 ¦Read (1751) ¦Comment (3)
Thaksin was interviewed in the Asian Wall Street Journal earlier this week, criticizing Thailand’s military installed government for missteps with the economy, particularly introducing capital controls and limiting foreign share holdings ..
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Ego is Why Mergers Fail
January 15, 2007 ¦Read (936) ¦Comment (0)
Ironic.
That is the only way I can describe the unsuccessful merger between two law firms, New York’s Dewey Ballantine and San Francisco’s Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.
The deal was constructed to blend Dewey’s ..
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PUBLISHED ARTICLE: Hotel Group's Route to MICE Success
January 8, 2007 ¦Read (767) ¦Comment (2)
Larry Chao explores how one hotelier connects with clients to gain the competitive edge.
Two years ago, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Asia-Pacific set up an Advisory Board comprised of key big event organizers and top Starwood marketing ..
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Want to Live Longer? Stay in School
January 8, 2007 ¦Read (1061) ¦Comment (2)
I read recently in the New York Times that education might have a big impact on how long you live.
According to the article, those with more education plan better and are better able to delay gratification than those with ..
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The Slow Death of General Motors
December 30, 2006 ¦Read (1158) ¦Comment (0)
In 2007 Toyota will become the biggest automobile manufacturer in the world. It will supplant GM, which has been the biggest manufacturer since 1931.
Toyota has forecast that it will sell 9.34 million ..
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Nintendo's Big Christmas Comeback
December 23, 2006 ¦Read (858) ¦Comment (0)
Get ready shoppers… the big hit videogame console this Christmas is not Sony’s PlayStation 3, but Nintendo’s the Wii. Priced at about $250, the Wii is about half the price of Playstation 3. By Christmas, analysts predict the Wii will ..
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Let the Music Wars Begin: iPod vs. Zune
December 18, 2006 ¦Read (783) ¦Comment (3)
Like Kleenex or Q-tip, Apple’s iPod has demonstrated that category leadership depends on getting into the market first with a quality product. Today, the iPod dominates the portable digital media market category.
Now in its wake, ..
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Bank of America's Appetite for Barclays
December 11, 2006 ¦Read (820) ¦Comment (0)
Pssst! Wanna know a good tip? How about Merrill Lynch's report that Bank of America might take over Britain's Barclays bank?Rumor has it that Bank of America is pretty interested in Barclays and might be willing to pay a 25% ..
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Kerkorian Jettisons his GM Shares
December 7, 2006 ¦Read (851) ¦Comment (0)
Last week Kirk Kerkorian decided to sell his shares of General Motors stock. He had had enough. That says a lot about GM’s stubbornness and resistance to change.
As you may recall, ..
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MySpace.com... A Phenomenal Trend
December 1, 2006 ¦Read (728) ¦Comment (3)
With 140 million users, MySpace is a brilliant venue for people to express themselves. Most importantly, it is a way of connecting with others in a non-threatening manner. The fear of rejection and failure is ..
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So, You Want to Become Great?
November 20, 2006 ¦Read (899) ¦Comment (1)
I was inspired by a recent article in Fortune entitled: “What it Takes to Be Great.”
Basically the article concludes that natural talent does not play a part in great success. The only way a ..
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Vietnam's Charge onto the Global Stage
November 17, 2006 ¦Read (805) ¦Comment (1)
Vietnam is coming onto the global stage like gangbusters. Over the next few days, it will have its moment in the sun, as president Bush meets with Vietnamese Prime Minister Dung and the Apec summit kicks off in Hanoi.With an economy ..
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Thailand's New Airport Sucks!
November 6, 2006 ¦Read (997) ¦Comment (6)
Wow, Thailand's new airport, Suvambumni is a terrible. It is truly a symbol of corruption. So much for public service and proper governmenet spending. Shameful, really.The overall airport design is ..
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Skilling Still in Denial at Trial
October 27, 2006 ¦Read (870) ¦Comment (2)
On Monday Oct. 23, Judge Simeon Lake sentenced Jeffrey Skilling, former Enron chief executive to 24 years and four months in jail for his role in the Enron debacle.
Yet despite the preponderance of evidence against him - ..
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How to REALLY Breakdown Functional Barriers
October 24, 2006 ¦Read (799) ¦Comment (0)
Believe it or not, if you design incentives properly and put the right leaders in place, you can solve most of this problem. The remainder of the problem can be resolved by clarifying objectives, roles & responsibilities, and effective ..
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ARTICLE: The Importance of Business-to-Business Selling Skills for Premium Brands
October 16, 2006 ¦Read (903) ¦Comment (1)
As markets mature in Asia, players hawking premium brands in the business-to-business (B2B) sector must improve their selling skills or face competing as commodities, writes Larry Chao.
Greg Meadows is upset. Since the beginning of this ..
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Google Buys YouTube.... WOW
October 10, 2006 ¦Read (956) ¦Comment (1)
Incredible. The Google acquisition of YouTube is a marriage made in heaven, if Google can parry the onslaught of copyright infringement lawsuits that are sure to come.People yearn for a media to express themselves. ..
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India's Tidal Wave of Growth Will Spare No One
October 10, 2006 ¦Read (863) ¦Comment (0)
Last month I ran a workshop in Jaipur, India for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. What startled me the most about India was the sprawling economic growth around New Delhi. For example, the road from New Delhi to Jaipur was ..
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Hewlett-Packard and CNET BOTH Guilty of Spying
September 27, 2006 ¦Read (905) ¦Comment (0)
In a nutshell, HP is accused of illegally spying on reporters and directors in an attempt to plug an information leak.
This leak was the source of a news article released this past January 24th by ..
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U.S Responds with Disappointment to Thai Coup
September 21, 2006 ¦Read (859) ¦Comment (0)
On one hand, the US expressed disappointment at Thailand's coup. On the other hand, they stopped short of endorsing a return by former Prime Minister Thaksin to power. So, what is it?According to US state department deputy ..
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Ford Motors Blundering Hire
September 14, 2006 ¦Read (910) ¦Comment (0)
Alan Mulally’s pay package for joining Ford Motor Company from Boeing is mind-boggling. In the first year he is scheduled to earn US$20 million. Apparently, that is what it took to lure him from Boeing, where ..
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Greed Hampering Economic Progress
September 11, 2006 ¦Read (887) ¦Comment (1)
Last Friday, Banthoon Lamsam, CEO of Kasikornbank remarked at a seminar at Prince of Songkhla University that education and infrastructure, not populist policies were critical for Thailand's future. I can just see the audience nodding ..
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Sony's Fall From Grace
September 10, 2006 ¦Read (833) ¦Comment (3)
Delay of its PlayStation 3 further undermines Sony’s credibility. Originally scheduled for launch in Europe by this December, Sony announced that its PlayStation 3 will be delayed four months.
Seems one of the components of ..
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Political Strife Hampers Thailand's Growth
September 5, 2006 ¦Read (971) ¦Comment (0)
Thailand's second quarter GDP was 4.9%, down from 6.1% in the first quarter. This is not surprising, given low levels of external and government investment, high oil prices, and uninspiring tourism numbers.Clouding the entire ..
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When is a Movie Star Not a Movie Star?
August 31, 2006 ¦Read (934) ¦Comment (0)
Did Paramount Pictures make a mistake jettisoning Tom Cruise? After all, the movie star did help generate over $2.5 billion in sales over his 14 year career with the film studio. So what's up?Apparently, Sumner Redstone, ..
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ARTICLE: How to Use Consultants Effectively (REDUX!!)
August 21, 2006 ¦Read (974) ¦Comment (3)
For years, Brad Westwood had been advising clients on strategy, productivity and building competencies. As a partner for a general management consultancy, Brad had helped grow his business from a start-up in New York to a global practice of over ..
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ARTICLE: How Hewlett-Packard Sustains Its Brand Glow
July 17, 2006 ¦Read (926) ¦Comment (9)
Differentiating a brand is often done through traditional advertising and promotion. Yet when product performance and value added are questioned, product testing and testimonials can often serve as a ..
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Matrix Organization Structure Designs are a Cop-out
July 13, 2006 ¦Read (868) ¦Comment (5)
Companies create complex matrix organization structures because they want individuals to focus and integrate multiple tasks all at once. Top executives cannot decide what they really want with limited resources, so they compromise.
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ARTICLE: Benefits of Strategy-Driven Organization Change
July 3, 2006 ¦Read (1082) ¦Comment (1)
In an era of cutthroat competition, companies have discovered that to achieve successful organization change and stay ahead, they must do a much better job linking strategy with change management programs, writes Larry Chao.As the carnage of failed ..
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Avoiding Pitfalls of Executive Coaching (updated)
April 10, 2006 ¦Read (932) ¦Comment (3)
Great executive coaching demands a combination of counseling skills, relevant work experience and the right approach. Unfortunately, many aspiring coaches are more eager than capable, writes Larry Chao (Nation)
Executive ..
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LATEST WORD: Poultry Industry's Fight Against Avian Flu
March 6, 2006 ¦Read (999) ¦Comment (1)
While cases of avian flu are cropping up in India and Europe, Thailand has managed to slow its progress, thanks to the combined hard work of the Agriculture Ministry and producers such as Grampian Siam, writes Larry Chao (The Nation). Two years ..
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Enforcement of Thai Constitution is the Key
February 28, 2006 ¦Read (1053) ¦Comment (3)
So now the two sides are drawn up... On one hand is a defiant Thaksin Shinawatra. On the other hand is the opposition, led by the Democrats, Chart Thai and Mahachon parties. Thaksin is calling for a snap general election ..
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Poor Emotional Intelligence Topples Harvard President
February 28, 2006 ¦Read (1089) ¦Comment (0)
Lawrence H. Summers, president of Harvard University has decided to resign at the end of the academic year. The reason why is that his relationship with the faculty had deteriorated to the point where it was destructive to the healthy ..
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The Terrible Truth about "Competencies"
February 22, 2006 ¦Read (993) ¦Comment (0)
Let's face it... "Building Competencies" is an complex, arrogant management practice used to describe what used to be a simple term: "Building Skills." But in an effort to complicate the world and charge more money for roughly ..
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CP 7-Eleven’s Strategy for Success
January 9, 2006 ¦Read (1000) ¦Comment (3)
With clever placement of stores and upbeat merchandising plans that cater to customer needs, 7-Eleven Thailand is running away with Thailand’s convenience store market, writes Larry Chao (The Nation).As the Thai economy teeters on the ..
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Sharing Ideas the Source of Growth for 7-Eleven
December 26, 2005 ¦Read (920) ¦Comment (1)
To spearhead fresh growth, 7-Eleven International encourages its local licensees to share new ideas and learn from each other, writes Larry Chao (The Nation). Deep in the heart of Texas, at the Gaylord Texan Convention Center just ..
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“Attitude” Key to Great Customer Service
November 1, 2005 ¦Read (1042) ¦Comment (0)
The quest to discover a formula to deliver great customer service goes beyond anything you can write in a manual. It is about individual ingenuity and initiative, writes Larry Chao (The Nation).If providing great ..
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When Culture Needs to be Challenged
September 20, 2005 ¦Read (1112) ¦Comment (1)
While understanding and adapting to Thai culture is important, it is even more important for expatriate managers to know when and how to go against the grain to achieve results, write Larry Chao. Expatriate executives arriving in Thailand face a ..
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Tough Times Ahead for Providers of Professional Services
June 12, 2005 ¦Read (1051) ¦Comment (0)
Larry Chao, a Bangkok-based 20-year veteran of the business-management consulting business, told me the other day that threats abound for high-end professionals, such as lawyers, accountants/auditors and human-resources (HR) managers. And it is ..
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When “Corporate Visionaries” Lack Accountability
February 24, 2005 ¦Read (1154) ¦Comment (0)
Formulating lofty corporate visions and strategies does not absolve chief executives from WorldCom and Enron of their duty to manage business performance and deliver financial results, writes Larry Chao. Two upcoming court cases this year involving ..
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Motivating Others Involves More Than Incentives
October 4, 2004 ¦Read (1053) ¦Comment (0)
Businesses seeking to progress must address a weak link in their organization: de-motivated employees who often put a drag on performance. This might require managers to examine themselves as part of the solution, writes Larry Chao.While ..
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Pros and Cons of Executive Coaching
April 18, 2003 ¦Read (996) ¦Comment (0)
As with any fast rising management fad, executive coaching has spawned a cottage industry of eager consultants, whose claim to fame seems to promise more than it can deliver, writes Larry Chao.Executive coaching has emerged as the latest trend to ..
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Businesses Must Realign to Cope with Change
January 24, 2003 ¦Read (1007) ¦Comment (0)
Business success in the years to come will depend on how well organizations breakdown functional barriers and realign their resources with constantly shifting strategic priorities, writes Larry Chao.For businesses in Asia, 2003 portends another ..
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Consultants Under Fire to Perform
October 7, 2002 ¦Read (926) ¦Comment (0)
A sagging economy and demanding clients are forcing big-time consultants to do some serious soul searching, including redefining their service offerings, writes Larry ChaoThe global recession and the ongoing saga of corporate scandals have made ..
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Obsession with Performance Leads to Scandals
September 23, 2002 ¦Read (925) ¦Comment (0)
The corporate accounting scandals now flooding headline news are not exceptions to the rule, but rather the natural outcome of a runaway capitalist economy that demands performance at all costs, writes Larry Chao.Greed seems to be the common ..
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How to get CEOs to play it straight
August 20, 2002 ¦Read (904) ¦Comment (0)
Make the fear of breaking the rules and getting caught greater than fear of failing to performGREED seems to be the common denominator underlying the recent string of corporate accounting scandals. Incidents at WorldCom, Enron, Global Crossing and ..
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Drawbacks of the Balanced Scorecard
July 1, 2002 ¦Read (991) ¦Comment (0)
David Norton and Robert Kaplan's balanced scorecard offers an elegant tool to create strategic focus. But without strong management in place, it can do more harm than good, writes Larry Chao.The latest management tool making the rounds in Thailand ..
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Human Resources Consultants Face Change Challenge
May 27, 2002 ¦Read (917) ¦Comment (0)
Arthur Andersen's demise illustrates the "change challenge" auditors face in exploiting new sources of growth. Other professional services businesses like human resources consultants should take heed, writes Larry ChaoMany professional services ..
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Mead Johnson's Formula for Organization Change
May 24, 2002 ¦Read (1142) ¦Comment (1)
Larry Chao talks with the president of Mead Johnson Philippines about how sharing best practices across the Region can shed light on helping companies achieve organization change here in Thailand.As the doors open and 400 participants enter the ..
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Andersen's Urgent Call for Decisive Leadership
April 22, 2002 ¦Read (956) ¦Comment (1)
As Andersen partners try to stem the flow of client defections and contain the damage done from its relationship with Enron, the need for bold leadership to reform its practices and reshape culture becomes clear, writes Larry Chao.The resignation ..
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Lessons From Arthur Andersen: Misguided Incentives the Real Problem
April 2, 2002 ¦Read (926) ¦Comment (0)
While the search for answers to ensure professional services firms provide clients with objective, quality services continues, the real solution may be to change their incentives and compensation practices, writes Larry Chao.As former U.S. Federal ..
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Enron's Corporate Values Mess
March 18, 2002 ¦Read (1229) ¦Comment (0)
As the Enron debacle demonstrates, lofty corporate values are meaningless and add little value, unless employees are willing to practice them, writes Larry Chao.In the wake of Enron Corp's spectacular financial collapse and the mounting evidence of ..
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The Challenge of Managing Upward
January 28, 2002 ¦Read (1019) ¦Comment (0)
Managing upward goes beyond following orders and obeying your boss. To meet today's business challenges, subordinates need to take a more active role in catalyzing and driving change, writes Larry Chao.How do you manage your boss effectively? As if ..
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Pitfalls of Too Much Board Involvement in Strategy
December 1, 2001 ¦Read (928) ¦Comment (0)
Too much involvement by the board of directors in strategic planning may compromise its oversight role, or lead to a breakdown between strategy and execution, writes Larry Chao.As takeovers, globalization and unpredictable market trends force ..
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Quality Consulting Goes Beyond Giving Advice
November 12, 2001 ¦Read (923) ¦Comment (0)
Larry Chao explores why even the best consulting solutions might not be suitable if clients do not share a deep understanding of the nature of the solution and the implementation challenges.Whether it is strategy consulting, advice on ..
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Driving Performance is Still the Name of the Game
October 30, 2001 ¦Read (888) ¦Comment (0)
Establishing work cultures that differentiate individual performance is essential if companies wish to remain competitive, writes Larry ChaoPressure for businesses to perform in a global economic slowdown has exposed the frailty of many pervading ..
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New York Copes with the Aftershocks of the Terrorist Attack
September 11, 2001 ¦Read (963) ¦Comment (0)
The September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center left an indelible mark on the psyche of New York City. There are no quick roads to recovery, but as the city struggles to rebuild its lost self-confidence, a silver lining emerges, writes ..
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'Yes Men' an Obstacle to Change
July 16, 2001 ¦Read (882) ¦Comment (0)
To drive innovation, companies must cultivate work cultures that encourage employees to speak up and challenge the status quo, writes Larry Chao.As organisations reinvent themselves to cope with the twists and turns of a shaky global economy, there ..
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The Challenge of Leading the Revolution
March 12, 2001 ¦Read (890) ¦Comment (0)
Larry Chao discusses the leadership challenges of implementing the insightful ideas in management guru Gary Hamel's new book Leading the Revolution.With change raging rampant through both old and new economies, chief executives have enough on their ..
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Competitive Work Culture for the New Economy
November 16, 2000 ¦Read (823) ¦Comment (0)
Larry Chao discusses how world-class corporations are changing their work cultures to cope with the opportunities and threats of the New Economy.In the fast-changing New Economy, speed and proper execution often spell the difference between success ..
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How One Determined Retailer Weathered the Economic Storm
December 26, 1999 ¦Read (881) ¦Comment (0)
Larry Chao talks with Power Buy's president about how he has survived the tough retail climate with a bit of luck, rigorous inventory management and a clear vision forward.As the retail industry moves towards the light at the end of the financial ..
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The Perils of 360-Degree Feedback
December 5, 1999 ¦Read (884) ¦Comment (0)
Larry Chao comments on the dangers of 360-degree feedback when it is used as part of the formal performance appraisal process.As organizations search for ways of changing corporate culture and building leadership talent, the quest for effective ..
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The Importance of Risk-Taking and Delegation
October 31, 1999 ¦Read (935) ¦Comment (0)
For many businesses in Thailand, the challenge of recovering from the economic crisis involves more than charting a bold new vision forward. It requires breaking away from past behaviours and management hierarchies that stifle risk-taking and ..
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The Importance of Building Character
September 19, 1999 ¦Read (3296) ¦Comment (0)
Lately there has been more talk than action about improving education to enable. Thailand to compete in a knowledge-based economy, or to move its industries up the manufacturing value chain. But sharper minds, higher skill levels and a competitive ..
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New Careers for Old-Timers
June 24, 1999 ¦Read (898) ¦Comment (0)
So you think the Thai economy has bottomed out and your job is safe? Think again. As businesses restructure and the pressures to perform increase, the chances of de-railing your career are greater than ever. And for middle-agers, who have prided ..
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Organization Change Imperatives in China
August 24, 1998 ¦Read (927) ¦Comment (0)
As a weakening Japanese yen pressures China to devalue the yuan, we hear reassuring words from centralbank officials that the country is committed to maintaining currency levels. Sound familiar? A little over a year ago, similar words were spoken ..
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Conducting Outstanding 360 Degree Feedback
June 19, 1998 ¦Read (833) ¦Comment (0)
Constructive criticism of one's boss can work wonders with his ability to lead, says Larry Chao. "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"For most managers engaged in 360 degree feedback, the answer is seldom in their ..
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How Corporate Cultures Must Change
February 19, 1998 ¦Read (796) ¦Comment (0)
In a sense, the current economic crisis couldn't have come at a better time. What it provides businesses in Thailand - and not a moment too soon - is an opportunity to enact change that so called re-engineering programs failed to do in the past. ..
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Businesses Must "Over-Deliver" to Get Back Into the Game
February 22, 1997 ¦Read (865) ¦Comment (0)
The card players glance nervously at each other. Tensions are high, but so are the stakes. At one end of the table are China, Brazil, India, Thailand and other emerging countries. At the other end are the developed nations including the U.S. ..
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