Motivated Innovation

*formerly posted on the BGSU MBA blog in 2009 Hey there!  It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving Day is right around the corner.  In the United States, this also means the coming of "Black Friday" , which is the biggest shopping day of the year.  In a stagnant retail situation , leading retailers such as  Wal-Mart and Target are looking to be more aggressive than usual. For the BGSU football fans out there, keep in mind that Black Friday (November 27th) is the day of the big game between BGSU and our rival school, the University of Toledo . In sports, it is quite arguable that coaches are teachers .  On the other hand, are teachers coaches?  Should students receive direction and motivation from professors at the graduate level, or is it up to the students to be self-motivated?  Is it a combination of both? What do you think?  Who should be held accountable for student performance?  Who should be held accountable for...

*formerly posted on the BGSU MBA blog in 2009 Just received breaking news that there is a rift between the parent Burger King company and Burger King franchisees.  The concern is over the $1 double cheeseburger, which franchise owners are saying costs more than $1 to produce.  With this concern in mind, a number of franchisees have banded together and put together a lawsuit to sue the parent company. This brings to light some major concerns about the fast food industry and franchising in general.  Clearly, open communication is critical.  This includes sharing cost structure information, as the parent company and the franchisees carry separate budgets.  Competition with rivals in the industry (such as McDonald's and Wendy's ) is integral to survival, but to what degree and at what cost?  Is matching offerings and prices of discount menu items (typically called 'dollar menu' items or something of that sort) always practical? ...

*formerly posted on the BGSU MBA blog in 2009 Greetings from the GEPB Office!  How are you all today? As a soon-to-be alumnus of the full-time MBA program , I have been actively pursuing full-time employment for after graduation.  Well, recently I stumbled upon an interesting revelation in the midst of the application process.     Much is said in business about "thinking outside the box".  We need to be creative and innovative.  We need to be able to adapt to change.  We need to take new perspectives and find new meanings.  On the flip side is a more reserved approach to business.  We need to be able to be effective and efficient on a consistent basis.  We need to be able to carry out daily tasks and adhere to certain routine tasks. In the job search and application process, both a traditional mindset and a creative mindset are needed.  This applies to all empl...