Lego Expands Internationally as Movie Sparks Additional Interest

Lego is going global with their products as they capitalize on the new movie and 11% increase in profits. Their plan is to use their base in Connecticut to expand into London, Singapore and Shanghai. The expansion will allow them to increase sales and draw in top international managers to help foster future growth. They are trying to bring their products brick-by-brick to new places that have never heard of the company. 

A decade ago the company was losing 26% of profits and now it is realizing tremendous growth (1). The owing family gave up the reins to new management and they have been innovating 60-70 new products a year expanding their sales capacity tremendously. They have seen year after year growth for the past ten years and now they are ready to explode onto the global market. 

The CEO Jorgen Vig Knudstorp states that their success is focusing on their core strengths and reinvesting their profits back into their abilities and expansion efforts (2). The company decision-makers have the ability to strategize long-term and have been putting resources into their plan. Because they are a privately held company they are a little more nimble than those with public shareholders. 

The Lego movie with an announced 2017 sequel is contributing to their growth. Lego has attracted core followers who have grown up with the bricks and still use the product as adults. More children are being introduced to their toys through the movie creating an expanding customer base. Warner Brother’s movie acts as another brand marketing campaign and the sequel will maintain the interest into the near future.

Book Review: Checklist for Change-Making American Higher Education a Sustainable Enterprise

Checklist for Change-Making American Higher Education a Sustainable Enterprise by Robert Zemsky moves into the coming changes in higher education and why these are needed. The decline of higher education is seen as a growing problem within the country with national interests. His book moves through a perspective of educational reform and some of the reasons why these reforms are needed.

Faculty often resist change. They are traditional in their approach and often actively engaged in their unions. Their perspectives are based on hundreds of years of tradition and their role as researchers. Online education is changing some of these assumptions and faculty can view their role not only as a teacher but also as a researcher whose knowledge makes its way into new and updated courses.

The Federalized market has damaged innovation and development in higher education. As most land-grant universities rely heavily on government support and regulation their incentives to change are little. This highly regulated market has gagged some new approaches and lowered the total growth and change of the entire educational institution.

Divisive voices impact the change. The politics involved in higher education are astounding. Instead of an open discussion the higher education system has been used for political purposes and this is lowering its ability to develop and change. When something new occurs there is no end to voices that shout down the proposal. Policy makers will need to encourage experimentation, development, and change.

Curriculum will lead the way. As liberal arts colleges either die off or grow up to be universities the nature of education will change. Curriculum, the success of the learning experience, and the competencies gained will be important. Schools will be held to a higher standard of educating students to be successful in life and employment.

Faculty are part of the solution. Faculty are closely tied to the students and likely the industries in which they work. It is important for faculty and administrators to find an equitable way to work together. In many universities faculty and administrators are in constant battles over influence. Drawing them in to help in problem-solving will be important to keep the peace and encouraging change.

Zemsky, R. (2013) Checklist for Change-Making American Higher Education a Sustainable Enterprise. N.J.: Rutgers University Press

Does Combining Customer Service with Sales Improve Company Performance?

Customer service and sales are both important functions for an organization. What happens when we put them together? A study by Jasmand, et. al. (2012) delves into the nature of creating ambidextrous sales-service functions. Their findings determine a net positive result of helping customers with their problems and offering those products/services that better suit their needs. It creates some confusion among employees but seems to improve customer satisfaction and overall sales volume.

There is a natural mental barrier between customer service representatives and sales. Customer service representatives do not view their job as including sales and therefore are less focused on this activity. A lack of perspective limits the abilities of firms to create higher sales through a level of mental merging of the two functions. Training, time and commitment will be needed to bridge the gap and improve upon the integration of both constructs.

Ambidextrous goals and behavior in service and sales can be difficult for representatives. It creates confusion on what actions should be taken and toward which goal. It is a complex skill that low cost providers will have a hard time teaching as the representative will need to know when a better product or service will provide higher levels of customer satisfaction. Most organizations have trained employees to focus on a single activity based on the definition of their job function.

Let us see how this works in a real life scenario. A customer calls in to complain about a product. The customer service representative can log their complaint and check the warrantee to make a return. However, if the customer service representative listens closely and asks important questions they may be able to suggest an alternative product that fits the customer’s needs better (customer satisfaction). The sales portion may come into play if the returned product can be used as credit for a higher level product that actually satisfies the customer (improved sales).

The study found that ambidextrous sales-service activity increases customer satisfaction and sales but reduces efficiency. The total net effect is positive on organizations whereby sales and customer satisfaction improves the company beyond the loss in efficiency. The authors acknowledge that if proper training occurred, organizational resources were adjusted, and the measurements of activities improved, efficiency may rise. For example, if fewer resources are needed from the sales department because the organization is fulfilling some of that function in customer service and developing higher customer retention rates then the sales-service activity improves net efficiency between the varying functions.

Jasmand, C. et. al. (2012). Generating sales while providing service: a study of customer service representatives’ ambidextrous behavior. Journal of Marketing, 76 (1).

2014 Nations of San Diego International Dance Festival Brings Artistic Delight

2014 Nations of San Diego International Dance Festival brought together the world’s styles of dances for their 20^th Anniversary Celebration.  From the India to Ireland each of the dancers performed native works that represent their unique heritage. 

Beautiful colors, excellent choreography, and folk themed music brought delight to a packed audience.  Over 30 dance companies from 18 different countries made their way onto the stage throughout the evening. 

The project was funded by the Coronado School of the Arts Foundation that pools grants and donations to promote festivals and other projects for public awareness. Without the generous contributions of the corporate and personal sponsors such activities may diminish. Cultural awareness helps in exposing people to a broader world. 

Even though each of the performances had their merit the dancers from Blue Ming Chinese Dance Company put on a spectacular displace of color and coordinated movement. The dance was varied, synchronized, and created a story in the audience’s mind. More than a dozen mask wearing dancers created a color show on stage. 

The Danyavaad and the Shimmy Sisters brought you through a traditional Middle Eastern lounge dance. She was alone on the stage and twirled while adjusting the perception of her shape throughout the entire performance. At times she seemed like a spirit while at other times she was in perfect poise. The skill of the dancer was profound and it is apparent she practices her craft. 

You may consider donating to them or obtaining information at http://cosafoundation.org/

Why are Business Leaders Looking to Online Education?

A recent survey in Higher Edu entitled Ready or Not brings forward an interesting concept that business leaders and senior college leadership have widely varying perspectives on how well they are preparing students to achieve within the marketplace. It also discusses the impeding changes and how brand names of elite schools may be impacted by quality online educational programs. 

The Inside Higher Ed's 2014 survey of chief academic officers found that 96% believed they were doing a good job (1). They were adequately preparing students for life and helping them gain knowledge that will be useful in the market and their personal lives. It is possible to see this as a reflection of perspective of the function and responsibilities of academic leaders within higher education. 

A problem occurs when business leaders are saying something completely different.  A Gallop poll survey indicates that 14% of Americans and 11% of business leaders believe college graduates are fully prepared (2).  Business leader’s rank the knowledge candidates have as important (84%) and where they received the degree least important (9%).

That creates a fundamental problem.  The definitions and criteria used by college administrators, the general population, and business leaders are different. In some ways, this may heighten the higher education crisis the country is experiencing as it works through what the actual focus and purpose of college should be. Should it be broad and help students gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world or should it be focused to help business leaders employ graduates?

Both the broad and specific arguments have merit. Costs and economic considerations are pushing this discussion as practicality must meet functionality. Business leaders want a practical focus on their industry needs and college leaders want to develop the entire person. No right or wrong in each of the formations and when the puzzle is solved higher education will move forward into its next development. 

Online education is new, brazen, and is moving to higher levels development. Business leaders are open to the concept of online education if it meets their knowledge needs. We can see this in their high ranking of knowledge interests and low ranking in school name. Within the hallowed halls of higher education and research the college name means everything and those who have not attended an elite school are seen as less capable. 

 When online schools create market credibility they are likely to draw significant business interest.  If programs are focused on the practical aspects of modern working life, but also provide enough seeds to create a broader context to that life, they may find themselves in significant demand. Business leaders will appreciate the relevance and academic leaders can still fulfill their missions. The definition of a name brand education may change. For traditional schools this type of change may be more difficult.

Article