How Management Knowledge Improves Military Adaptability

Military training is focused on learning specific skills to create a well-oiled machine designed to be stable under organizational pressure. A paper by Petrufova (2014) discusses many of the strengths and weaknesses of modern military education. In particular, the paper elaborates on how technical ability is strong but broader management knowledge is lacking for adapting to change. 

Adaptable military styles require a broader framework for understanding crisis situations and countering long-term threats. The military relies heavily on technical training to teach soldiers how to complete their day-to-day job functions. Awareness of how their function contributes to the whole and can be adjusted when situations change is lacking.

Management skills are needed for officers that control a number of functions simultaneously that require more complex interaction. The process of promotion from within helps to maintain morale and retain knowledge but doesn’t often afford the opportunity to gain new knowledge. Training becomes a central avenue of gaining new knowledge. 

Military educators can implement additional management knowledge and skills by helping students understand cultural and economic aspects of management. The military has strong values that offer stability but may be lacking knowledge of cultural and economic principles. 

Successful adaptation requires the ability to change when it is necessary. Specific knowledge works well for maximum productivity but general knowledge is better for understanding the overall function of each piece and how to change it. Management teaches the ability to adjust operations to changes in the market which is not something most militaries commonly deal with. 

The military can learn from the world of business to integrate the best management practices into their leadership style. Providing knowledge of management skills and functions helps officers have a better grasp of their whole operation and provide a framework for adjustment when situations change. Knowledge learned in business schools can be adapted to improve military operations.

Petrufova, M. (2014). Problems of manager competencies and teaching management in the military. Rista Academiei Fortelor Terestre, 19 (2).

GDP Rises and Consumer Confidence Recovers

The Bureau of Economic Analysis released optimistic data showing a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increase of 4.2% in the output of goods and services. The new numbers are a windfall compared to the previous 2.1% decline in the first quarter of 2014. The new release of information uses more accurate numbers than previous measurements which help the business community make investment decisions.

The new numbers show an increase in nonresidential fixed investments with smaller numbers in private inventory investment. Other factors influencing the higher numbers were exports, personal consumption expenditures, local government spending, and residential fixed investments. Confidence in the economy may be encouraging purchasing behaviors, state spending, and business investments.

Consumer confidence and consumer spending are associated in economic theory (Ludvigson, 2004). As consumers become more confident about their employment prospects and ability to earn a living wage they will naturally spend more of their hard earned capital on products that improve GDP. The same psychological principles apply to business and government.

We can see this operate in the decline and growth cycles of consumer spending and consumer confidence. Consumer spending dipped .1% in July after rising .4% in June (1). Despite the dip, consumer confidence is rising and future estimates may adjust consumer spending upwards. The polling company GfK showed that despite a consumer confidence decline of -2 in July the numbers moved up to +1 in August (2).

Economic data rests on a battery of measurements to determine future market prospects. If the consumer confidence and consumer spending association is correct we should see an increase in consumer spending numbers for August. A slow beginning to 3Q doesn’t necessarily mean it is going to end slowly as housing and investments recover to support future GDP growth. As with all projections, confounding variables impact the final results. Time is the greatest predictor.

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/gdpnewsrelease.htm

Ludvigson, S. (2004). Consumer confidence and consumer spending. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 18 (2).

Wearing the Right Shoes for Your Outdoor Adventure

J-41 Adventure On sells comfortable and stylish shoes for the outdoor enthusiast. The Argo and Sea-Breeze styles are a combination of a sandal and a shoe thereby making them a practical choice for multi-terrain use. Designed with recyclable rubber insoles and a non-slip grip you don’t have to worry about taking a poor step that twists your ankle. Using high quality and environmentally friendly materials they offer comfortable shoes with a mission. 

You are an outdoor adventurer and don’t know if you will be walking for miles, forced to jump a creek or engaged in the climbing of obstacles. Finding sandals that are comfortable, functional in the water, and durable is a problem. J-41 put their outdoor experience to good use by developing a multi-terrain shoe that supports and protects your feet in a variety of terrains. 

I have tested this shoe and was pleasantly surprised by the comfort. When wearing sandals on long hikes the constant rubbing against bare feet can cause blisters. The flatness of the shoe can also put pressure on the bottom of your feet when weighted with gear. The J-41 sandals are comfortable, do not slip on your feet, and don’t put pressure on your arches. 

They also work well in the water and dry quickly making them versatile. If you take the shoes off and get sand or other debris in the shoe it is necessary to clean them out before moving on in your journey. Simply rinse them in the water before slipping them back on your feet. The problem is not unique to this brand and seems to be prevalent in all enclosed sandals. It is a pea and princess argument. 

The greatest asset to any outdoor enthusiast is their feet. Expensive isn’t always the best option. Taking the time to consider the quality of the stitching, environmental impact of the materials, comfort and versatility is more important than style and price.  Buying the right shoe for your feet will make a significant difference in your outdoor experience. No one wants to have their nature adventure cut short through blistered feet only because they didn’t consider the true value inherent in an outdoor shoe. 

http://www.j-41.com/

Encouraging San Diego Creativity to Solve Business and Scientific Problems

Creativity isn’t just the domain of the artistic types and has practical applications for businesses. Without new ideas, ways of accomplishing goals, and unique solutions businesses fail to develop and grow. A paper by Deepa and Gopal (2011) delves into a model of creativity and how it can be used to foster business growth. The model focuses on four main stages of creative development that pushes a unique idea to a practical solution. San Diego has an abundance of creative people and artists from all walks of life that can contribute to economic growth.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “Art is a jealous mistress, and, if a man have a genius for painting, poetry, music, architecture, or philosophy, he makes a bad husband, and an ill provider, and should be wise in season, and not fetter himself with duties which will embitter his day.”  The problem with artists is not the art itself but the practical use of the creative mind to solve real problems. With a little training and trust an artist can turn into an idea generator.

Creative people have the natural ability to see problems from a more holistic vantage point and make new and unique conclusions to solve problems. The very nature of science and advancement springs forth from developing a unique perspective and conclusion of a problem. The possibilities of the solution are analyzed through critical thinking and the scientific method. 

The four stages of creative development are:

Preparation: The period of a person’s life where they gain knowledge, skills and abilities. It is a long process of practice, experimentation, and trial & error. 

Imagination: The stage where new ideas are created through analogies, brainstorming, memory associations. It may also include other types of analysis such as cost & benefit as well as SWOT.

Development: From the imagination stage a few ideas will show promise and are moved into the development stage where they are evaluated for feasibility, marketability, and sustainability. 

Action: Once the most feasible ideas have been evaluated it is possible to develop a strategy for action.

Creative thinking for artists parallels creative thinking in science and business. Newton wouldn’t have discovered the laws of gravity without first being hit in the head by an apple. The Internet would not have been developed without insight into the nature of communication. Society itself cannot move forward without a creative and entrepreneurial class that pushes new concepts forward.

Business executives should learn the important applications of creativity in the workplace and no longer shun such activities but instead learn to capitalize on them. Including creative people on a team help to encourage that team to think beyond conventional limitations. Creativity matched with the experience of more seasoned members and with those who have analytical evaluative abilities moves the unique into something feasible for business purposes. The next time you see an artist walking down the street scratching out a living think about the other benefits such people provide if put to practical use. Places like San Diego have an abundance of creative people seeking opportunities to put their natural abilities to good use to the advantage of themselves and their employers.

Deepa, N. & Gopal, R. (2011). Advocating different paradigms: relevance of workplace creativity. SIES Journal of Management, 7 (2).