The Commerce Department reported incomes have risen for the 8th month straight and consumer spending increased significantly in November. To brighten the holiday spirit a U of M report index showed that consumer confidence rose to 92.6. Good news for holiday shopping and the economy.
Approximately 2/3rds of the economy is based on consumer spending. Increases in income, spending and confidence are related and have a direct impact on the economy. As these factors the economy speeds up and further supports more income, spending and confidence.
This is one reason why economies rise in periods and then decline in periods. Unless shocking news and events change people's assumptions economies grow and fall in relative cycles and patterns. It corresponds in many ways to public perception and the time it takes to change that perception.
Pay people more, they feel better and spend more. This relates to way we see our futures and the need to hold tight to money or enjoy life. Until household financial slack is spent this works pretty good as a strategy.
The problem is that wages don't work this way forever. You cant raise wages in a bubble without considering the long-term competitiveness of the country. Wages can only be justified if the business environment allows for increased profits, skill sets, productivity, and opportunities. Growing economies that attract new opportunities can afford wage increase but long-term fundamentals must always be kept in mind. When one outstrips the other you got new problems.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Body Language and Performance
People can tell a lot about you based on the way you hold your body and inadvertant gestures you make. Non-verbal cues give people a glimpse into our inner world. When we display confidence in our body postures people are more likely to do business with us. It is a basic cue connected to our biological nature that many people are not aware of. With a little practice you can improve.
Little gestures, body movements, and facial expressions can tell a lot about us. For example, covering the mouth may mean your hiding something, tapping of fingers could mean anxious, staring could mean a challenge or commitment. We may not be overtly or consciously aware of the displays we are giving but that doesn't mean they don't exist.
Our subconscious gives off these signals to help insure we are connected to our social environment while giving off hints to our inner experiences. It is what makes us social creatures and has helped us survive as a species.
When we were in small groups and know each other well we were much better at interpreting each others signals better. Our subconscious may accurately pick up on a signal but it could be out of context or could have a different meaning unrelated to the person they are facing.
This is one reason why it takes time to know one another and create an attachment. The more we interpret and understand each others signals, can recollect them in a conscious way, the more we trust each other. Strangers don't have this luxury and so business success is often based on how we appear to others.
However, in a bigger world where people don't know each other, may not have empathy, or consider any social obligations it is important to show confidence. This gives the signal that you are capable, confident, and a stand up kind of person. It tells people who are dishonest in their intentions to keep walking.
During your course of business interactions with others make sure you display confidence to create greater trust that leads to higher sales and deals. Avoid being arrogant as this can send an opposite signal. When you give off confidence you will find people will gravitate toward you, give you preference in dealings, and think highly of you.
Little gestures, body movements, and facial expressions can tell a lot about us. For example, covering the mouth may mean your hiding something, tapping of fingers could mean anxious, staring could mean a challenge or commitment. We may not be overtly or consciously aware of the displays we are giving but that doesn't mean they don't exist.
Our subconscious gives off these signals to help insure we are connected to our social environment while giving off hints to our inner experiences. It is what makes us social creatures and has helped us survive as a species.
When we were in small groups and know each other well we were much better at interpreting each others signals better. Our subconscious may accurately pick up on a signal but it could be out of context or could have a different meaning unrelated to the person they are facing.
This is one reason why it takes time to know one another and create an attachment. The more we interpret and understand each others signals, can recollect them in a conscious way, the more we trust each other. Strangers don't have this luxury and so business success is often based on how we appear to others.
However, in a bigger world where people don't know each other, may not have empathy, or consider any social obligations it is important to show confidence. This gives the signal that you are capable, confident, and a stand up kind of person. It tells people who are dishonest in their intentions to keep walking.
During your course of business interactions with others make sure you display confidence to create greater trust that leads to higher sales and deals. Avoid being arrogant as this can send an opposite signal. When you give off confidence you will find people will gravitate toward you, give you preference in dealings, and think highly of you.
Is Slow Shipping Going to Embarrass You on Christmas Day?
Ok...I'm not talking about a purely empty box. Within the box you are going to place a card that states something like, "Thinking of you during Christmas and your gift is on its way!" You can pick the words you want to use. Your goal is to let them know you bought them something but its caught up in shipping.
You definitely don't want to show up with nothing. That might send the message that you didn't think about the other person and didn't bother to buy them a gift. It is important to let them know the thought counts but circumstances are out of your control.
This could also work in corporate gift giving. Most people want to put something under their tree in their lobby or home. Providing an empty box with a promise is better than putting nothing and still says you are thinking about them. Now, if you don't follow up with the gift then you are certainly going to look cheap!
Increase in holiday shipping may need infrastructure improvements
Online holiday shopping is on the rise. According to the ShipMatrix President Satish Jindel holiday shipping is up 8% and this corresponds to an increase in online commerce. The trend toward greater online shipping and faster delivery requirements both domestically and internationally will require greater levels of infrastructure improvements.
When considering the growth in virtual companies, online marketing, telecommunications and eCommerce capabilities it is no wonder that previous infrastructure systems have been strained. Highways have now been superseded by electronic highways that pass information at a much faster pace than letters and parcels.
The physical structures such as roads, rail and ship have to keep pace with the increase in electronic commercial activity an increase in trade that accompanies any additional connection of information and financial resources.
Changes won't be only domestic and will likely include other structural adjustments that connect local to global markets. This means national structures that speed deliveries and increase volume while creating linkages to international markets.
This is a little like shooting two birds with one stone. One one hand, your keeping up with the pace of change while on the other hand your making your economy more competitive by making it more efficient. Improvement in the movement of products, information, resources, and people is part of the process of building better nations.
When considering the growth in virtual companies, online marketing, telecommunications and eCommerce capabilities it is no wonder that previous infrastructure systems have been strained. Highways have now been superseded by electronic highways that pass information at a much faster pace than letters and parcels.
The physical structures such as roads, rail and ship have to keep pace with the increase in electronic commercial activity an increase in trade that accompanies any additional connection of information and financial resources.
Changes won't be only domestic and will likely include other structural adjustments that connect local to global markets. This means national structures that speed deliveries and increase volume while creating linkages to international markets.
This is a little like shooting two birds with one stone. One one hand, your keeping up with the pace of change while on the other hand your making your economy more competitive by making it more efficient. Improvement in the movement of products, information, resources, and people is part of the process of building better nations.
Monday, December 21, 2015
Bidding Battle for Pep Boys
In an upset Icahn Enterprises LP's offer of $16.50 in cash topped Bridgestones Corp's $15.50 standing offer to purchase Pep Boys. With 800 locations in 35 states they create natural advantages for Fireestone's 2000 store chain and Icahn's AutoPlus parts chain. Of course Pep Boys stocks shot up $1.09 to $16.85 on the news.
Who wins?
Pep Boys current stockholders are going to be the clear winners in any bidding war. An analysis of target companies found that target markets receive abnormal returns 2 months prior to the announcement, during the announcement and even after the announcement (Soongswang, 2009). Pep Boys is showing consistency with this analysis.
The winning bidder is likely to capitalize on their large distribution network in a way that will complement existing supply lines. Sometimes companies that work in a battery of stock owned companies enhance each others positions while at other times the operations are integrated as quickly as possible into more successful lines.
Selling tires and selling parts enhance the overall operational output creating greater efficiencies and outlets. Bridgestone might seek to integrate the two companies while Ican Enterprises could seek to find an investment outlet that fits well with their existing business holdings. In both cases, once bought Pep Boys will need to make some changes to justify the higher cost figures.
Soongswang, A. (2009). Market reactions tender offers: an analysis of target companies. IUP Journal of Applied Finance, 15 (8).
Who wins?
Pep Boys current stockholders are going to be the clear winners in any bidding war. An analysis of target companies found that target markets receive abnormal returns 2 months prior to the announcement, during the announcement and even after the announcement (Soongswang, 2009). Pep Boys is showing consistency with this analysis.
The winning bidder is likely to capitalize on their large distribution network in a way that will complement existing supply lines. Sometimes companies that work in a battery of stock owned companies enhance each others positions while at other times the operations are integrated as quickly as possible into more successful lines.
Selling tires and selling parts enhance the overall operational output creating greater efficiencies and outlets. Bridgestone might seek to integrate the two companies while Ican Enterprises could seek to find an investment outlet that fits well with their existing business holdings. In both cases, once bought Pep Boys will need to make some changes to justify the higher cost figures.
Soongswang, A. (2009). Market reactions tender offers: an analysis of target companies. IUP Journal of Applied Finance, 15 (8).
Why Business Should Partner with For-Profit Education
Relationships between industry and adaptable higher education are ripe for exploration. For-profit education has been hit hard in recent years due to the wholesale assault on its reputation despite the poor actions of a few bad actors. In today's market, for-profit education might be ripe for partnership and investment with major industry leaders and organizations.
It is first important to understand that a few bad actors make it easy to categorize all for-profit universities into the same frying pan. The problem is that just like no two people are the same, no two companies made up of those people are the same either. Some for-profit universities are exceeding the expectations and performance of traditional schools but not getting recognition for it because of the long shadow of public criticism.
This would seem like bad news but ultimately it can be seen as very good news for industries that want an education that is directly relevant for their needs. Depressed stocks will someday rise as public spotlight moves and for-profit universities adjust to meet regulatory challenges. Companies that invest heavily into a promising for-profit university today may not only find their ROI on their stocks rise significant in the future but also have the chance to make higher education more relevant.
There has been a lot of talk about gainful employment and the need to have greater connections to higher education. For-profit education affords an opportunity to create a direct connections to industry leaders, partner with them, and adjust their education to make it most relevant to the market. This means that universities are directly focused on graduating people with applied skill sets.
A growing gap between graduates skills and employer needs has become an important issue when discussing higher education reform. There is an opportunity to significant reduce that gap and fuse business and education together in a way that lowers costs for hiring companies, raises industry knowledge, and improves national competitiveness. Much of it is an act of opportunity and perspective.
For-profit universities are more streamlined than traditional schools and can adjust their educational content relatively quickly when compared with non-profits that have complex bureaucratic structures. Industry information can be quickly implemented and applied in a way that enhances the curriculum of the university and further fulfills the needs of participating employers. Win-win scenarios between industry, government, higher education, and graduate cost/benefit needs are not impossible; it just depends on how we approach the problem.
It is first important to understand that a few bad actors make it easy to categorize all for-profit universities into the same frying pan. The problem is that just like no two people are the same, no two companies made up of those people are the same either. Some for-profit universities are exceeding the expectations and performance of traditional schools but not getting recognition for it because of the long shadow of public criticism.
This would seem like bad news but ultimately it can be seen as very good news for industries that want an education that is directly relevant for their needs. Depressed stocks will someday rise as public spotlight moves and for-profit universities adjust to meet regulatory challenges. Companies that invest heavily into a promising for-profit university today may not only find their ROI on their stocks rise significant in the future but also have the chance to make higher education more relevant.
There has been a lot of talk about gainful employment and the need to have greater connections to higher education. For-profit education affords an opportunity to create a direct connections to industry leaders, partner with them, and adjust their education to make it most relevant to the market. This means that universities are directly focused on graduating people with applied skill sets.
A growing gap between graduates skills and employer needs has become an important issue when discussing higher education reform. There is an opportunity to significant reduce that gap and fuse business and education together in a way that lowers costs for hiring companies, raises industry knowledge, and improves national competitiveness. Much of it is an act of opportunity and perspective.
For-profit universities are more streamlined than traditional schools and can adjust their educational content relatively quickly when compared with non-profits that have complex bureaucratic structures. Industry information can be quickly implemented and applied in a way that enhances the curriculum of the university and further fulfills the needs of participating employers. Win-win scenarios between industry, government, higher education, and graduate cost/benefit needs are not impossible; it just depends on how we approach the problem.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Stressed? Listen to it!
Modern life is busy. There are deadlines, family, events, friends and obligations. If you feel a little stressed you might want to take a moment and listen to it!
So what does stress feel like?
A little tightness in your chest, a headache, sore eyes, frustration and sometimes agitation.
All of this is saying something. What it says needs some exploration.
Think of stress as a mound of cluttered garbage that keeps piling up unless we remove it through better understanding and making changes that put the garbage to its proper place. Sometimes these are simple changes while at other times it can be more life altering.
Considering that stress is the #1 contribution killer in the world it is important to not let it fester. Don't try and avoid it and don't try to fight with it.
Just sit back, listen, engage in stress reduction strategies and explore the message.
If you spend some time reflecting you might find that you are doing things you don't enjoy, need to focus more on a project, or need to adjust your efforts for better results. Exploration means finding the source of stress and its contributing factors.
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