Dealing with that Difficult Employee!!

You like most of your co-workers as they are polite, friendly, and helpful but there is that one guy that is so rude it makes you cringe every-time you have to deal with him. While we wish we had lovey dovey relationships with everyone there are just some people who live on a different planet of existence than the rest of us. Their ability to socialize and critically think about their behavior is seriously hampered.

You don't really have much of a choice because work is work and you need to make a living. That doesn't mean you don't have options. Sometimes nasty people act this way because they can. People don't check them on their behavior. Don't be afraid to let them know you expect to be treated in a certain manner. Just make sure you are professional in your conversation.

1.) When the person is rude, stop for a moment, and ask them to talk with you in a manner that is appropriate.

One you have attempted to work with them on a polite level and they are not willing to change their behavior you have the right to step up a little. Cut all conversation down to a minimum, don't talk to them at all unless it is business related, and keep conversation short. Don't be afraid to say, "I'm not hear to chit chat with you. I'm here to work. What do you do you need that is work related?".

2.) Cut down and minimize all conversations that are not work related. This should give them the hint your not their bouncing board.

If you have already asked politely, and then became more adamant that they should not talk to you unless it is work related, you may need to go to the next step. Start documenting their behavior, see if there are others who have experienced this behavior. Once you have enough information go to your boss and ask that the person be moved. These people usually treat multiple people that way.

3.) Document and make management aware. Ask to have the person moved or counseled.

What Does Your Lifestyle Say About You?

Your lifestyle is all about you and a statement on how you plan on living in this world until the end. Some people are sports nuts, some outdoor camel-backs, a few geeky bookworms, and yet others artsy fartsy types. They unique way in which you live in this world is about your personal statement of who your essence. You may not even know why you are attracted to these activities but something deep is bubbling up.

Sport Nut: Excited about crafting and developing a sculpture with their body. They enjoy pushing themselves to the limit in order show their mastery over their environment. Their physical prowess is about reaching new dominance.

Outdoor Camel-back: The love of nature and seeing the world the way it was meant to see in all of its rugged glory. They traverse oceans, climb mountains, hike the wilderness, and eat grubs for dinner. Their heart is based in the explorer and challenger of nature.

Geeky Bookworm: Reaching new heights of knowledge is the name of the game. They want to know things others don't know, understand the world around them, and come to new conclusions. Their seek to dominate their environment through their intelligence.

Artsy Fartsy: Its about expressing their inner creativity and transferring their emotions through their art like a conduit. As an artsy type they seek to reach the highest levels of human expression. They seek dominance in the sensual nature.

What You Get When You Bike to Work

Biking to work offers benefits for your health as well as your mind. When driving we often miss out on the opportunity to see the world from a smaller place. Biking slows us down and gives us a chance to see all of the little things we would not be able to see otherwise. It gives us perspective and health in the same activity.

When driving the highways we pay attention to the road. At least we should. When riding a bike we get an opportunity to seek all the little store, restaurants and shops that we wouldn't have seen otherwise.

Let me give you an example. The other day I was riding my bike and noticed a neat little restaurant that I passed by many other times and never paid attention. I even discovered a little park that I never knew existed. Took a few minutes to explore it and sit for a second.

Riding offered me the chance to improve my health and see new things that were not possible when I was driving in a car. There were little stores, house, people, and corners I simply didn't pay attention to. By the time I got to my destination I have discovered a whole slew of things I would like to explore.

Focus and Restructuring Needed to Wrestle College Costs

State Legislatures are supporting tuition freezes which dwindle their budgets and put universities in a difficult position to cost cut on bare bone budgets. The legislation is well meaning and is helpful for students but might be the wrong tool for the job. Refocusing curriculum on core learning and restructuring the system make more sense when chronic costs and budget shortfalls occur.

We must ask ourselves, "What about tomorrow?" We got legislation passed this time the curb a few percentage points off of the cost but tomorrow is another day. It isn't likely that costs will come down dramatically next year. This means education is on a crash course with fiscal reality and it will only be a matter of time when universities will close, radical legislation will be passed, or major reform will occur.

I'm a firm believer in starting reform processes early when problems first arise. The cost issue has been brewing for a long time and just about everyone now knows it will soon meet a point where cuts and state budgets won't help it. The holes simply can't be patched up for much longer.

Because we are late in addressing this problem change must occur rather quickly but many universities haven't done much. They are still running on the same structures and models. They have cut, laid off people, and reduced faculty, but they haven't managed their administrative bloat.

The end of the day leads us to the conclusion that change is inevitable and universities will need to be very focused on what learning must occur and the adjustment of its cost structure. Cutting the curriculum fat and focusing on key needs is helpful even though it may not broaden one's mind as much as hoped. However, with cost rising and budgets squeezing the inevitable will eventually happen.

Trade Deficit Declines but Long Term Changes Needed

The U.S. trade deficit dropped to 43.6 billion , down from $48.2, in February. The orders were made months ago but it could indicate a greater need for American products on the global market. Increasing U.S. exports can have advantages when products are produced at a cost sensitive and value oriented approach.

American made products are known for their quality based on the time and effort working on perfecting the end result. Many companies seek to emulate cheaper version of our products in an effort to tap into our ingenuity and profits margins. This leaves American businesses always rushing forward with a hungry pack of followers behind.

Frustration over how to compete when a large segment of the population is looking for the cheapest product regardless of its quality or functionality. This can make if difficult for American producers to compete even though they clearly stand at the top of the product list. New ways of thinking about price and quality are needed.

This leaves American producers seeking to lead the market as a way of gaining a competitive advantage. They create new products and then patent them as quickly as possible before other countries seek to copy them. The end result is that they are protecting their investment in design and development but don't seem to corner the market.

The trade deficit has temporarily shrunk but there is a lot more that needs to happen before it can be sustained. American policies will should shift to encourage greater business competitiveness.  Lowering taxes may be one way to do this but also developing local policies that encourage the development of business that are associated with exports. The way in which businesses work together may be a second part of gaining marketing dominance.
 

The Seven Elements of Economic Cluster Impact

Economic clusters have characteristics that make them uniquely their own for developmental purposes. A study of entrepreneurial clusters in China and Mexico helped to define those characteristics that make clusters successful (Hernandez-Rodriguez & Montalvo-Corzo, 2012). The elements can be brought down to the following seven:

(1) agglomeration economies;
(2) knowledge spillovers;
(3) increases in productivity and efficiency;
(4) positive impact in the operation;
 (5) economic impact;
 (6) sociopolitical impact; and, last but not least,
 (7) impacts on competitiveness.

The cluster offers opportunities for greater competitiveness within its confines because it creates a contained environment that speeds up activities that would occur on a much slower level in the outside world. As a mini-economy the goal is to create an environment where the highest innovation and efficiency can be created without the natural distortions to interaction that would occur in the outside world.

Hernandez-Rodriguez, C. & Montalvo-Corzo, R. (2012). Entrepreneurial Clusters in China and Mexico -implications for Competitiveness. Revista de Globalizacion, 6 (1).

2017 International Symposium on Economics and Social Science

2017 International Symposium on Economics and Social Science-Summer Session (ISESS-Summer 2017)

August 23-25, 2017 in Sapporo, Japan
Venue: Sapporo Convention Center, Sapporo
http://science-techs.org/isess-summer/

Subject Areas include Economics and Social Science. For detailed information about the paper topics, please visit: http://science-techs.org/isess-summer/call-for-papers/

Important Dates:
Full paper/abstract submission deadline: April 15, 2017
Early bird registration deadline: May 25, 2017
Regular registration deadline: June 15, 2017
Final manuscript submission deadline: June 15, 2017
Conference dates: August 23-25, 2017

Best Regards,
ISESS-Summer Committee
Enquiries: isess.summer@gmail.com