If Jim O’Neill, author of The Growth Map, is correct and good things can come from crisis, we are in for a doozy of a future based on the last couple of years alone. Unlike many books on the post-economic apocalypse, O’Neill’s is refreshingly upbeat. Yes, China and countries like India and Brazil are gaining on us, but don’t be concerned. O’Neill’s “guess is that within a couple of years this depressing mood will lift.” If those countries achieve their goals, “it will be good for the world, and … [Read more...] about Keep an Eye on the KWEFS and Other Emerging Economies
Fourth Street: Corridor to Flagstaff’s Future
Peek into the history of Flagstaff’s Fourth Street and you’ll find that it was the city’s commercial corridor long before the environs of San Francisco and Front Streets became respectably chic. In its halcyon days, K-Mart was the thriving and prosperous anchor for the area and its businesses. Now, K-Mart is gone, leaving a “huge gaping hole in retail on Fourth Street,” said Steve Saville over a mug of latte at White Dove Café. Saville is manager of Enhanced Service Districts for downtown and … [Read more...] about Fourth Street: Corridor to Flagstaff’s Future
The Economic Impact of Cleaner Clothes
If your 2012 out-with-the-old-and-in-with-the-new makeover is still in progress, consider doing a bit of housecleaning in the Worn Out Convictions Department as well. According to Cambridge University Economist Ha-Joon Chang, a lot of accepted wisdom about the way the world works – economically speaking – is desperately in need of updating. Does anyone still think that free markets are free? Chang’s new book 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism explains why they aren’t now, and never … [Read more...] about The Economic Impact of Cleaner Clothes
Same Kids, Different World
There’s this thing that I call the Gee-Whiz Syndrome. A possible corruption of the decidedly outdated, “geewhillikins,” or euphemism for “Jesus” expressed as an invective, “gee whiz” is often used nowadays as an adjective to describe the naïve wonder attached to something new or unheard of, like gee-whiz technology, to characterize the latest gadgetry. The syndrome, however, occurs in people who have newly discovered what has actually been around for a long time. It’s cute in the case of … [Read more...] about Same Kids, Different World
The Survival of Teepees
For many of us, the ideas of business and competition go together like Lumberjack and Louie, Navajo and taco, tequila and sunrise – part of the natural order of things. The idea got its biggest boost in the modern world after Charles Darwin connected the idea of competition to theories of evolution and natural selection. Being naturally selective, some thinkers focused only on the idea that through competition, the fittest of a species would survive. If it’s true of all species, in general, they … [Read more...] about The Survival of Teepees
Of Course!
Whenever colleagues from abroad tell me they are planning a trip to the east coast, I urge them to add Arizona as a detour destination. “We have the Grand Canyon,” I tell them. “If this is your only trip, you can’t leave without taking one look.” Those who make the trek are eternally grateful. There’s just no describing the Grand Canyon and no photo or film can ever do it justice. A good strategy is sort of like the Grand Canyon. Expounding at length never really does the trick and that big … [Read more...] about Of Course!
Evaluating the Swiss Connection on Northern AZ
Small town values and “standing firm” may be at the heart of doing business in Snowflake and other Mountain towns. But understanding the impact of financial and monetary decisions half a world away from Arizona is increasingly important, too. The ongoing debt crisis in Europe and the ripple effects of a strong currency in Switzerland, for example, may determine just how many jobs Pinetop’s Small Business of the Year will create and retain in 2012 and whether Show Low will actually fulfill its … [Read more...] about Evaluating the Swiss Connection on Northern AZ
Bonds and Bankruptcy in Northern Arizona
Who knew cities could go bankrupt? These days, we understand the possibility too well. Like corporations and people, cities can find themselves in court renegotiating debt. In the past year, cities in states from California to Rhode Island have either filed for bankruptcy or are considering it. Like the United States government, the debt dilemma concerns raising revenues (usually taxes) or reducing expenditures (usually on city services). How do cities spell relief? Are cities in Northern … [Read more...] about Bonds and Bankruptcy in Northern Arizona
Everything I Know About Business I Learned at West Point
Many years ago, I taught at the University of Redlands School of Business (back then it was called the Alfred North Whitehead School of Business). Among my courses was one that coached MBA students in preparing the documentation required for lifetime learning credits. The idea was to acknowledge the value of learning that took place outside of the formal university and its classrooms. To earn credit, you had to put it all down on paper in a particular format for objective evaluation. My students … [Read more...] about Everything I Know About Business I Learned at West Point
Is It Really Is Safe to Go Back In the Water?
Ever thought about opening your own business? Well, think again. If statistics are reliable, most businesses go out of business within their first decade (as high as 60% according to some reports). The turnover of storefronts from Hunt Avenue to Aspen during the past several years is enough to convince. Nevertheless, owning your own business remains strong on the list of American dreams, and just as many new businesses start each day for every one that closes its doors. According to most … [Read more...] about Is It Really Is Safe to Go Back In the Water?
