Entries from February 2007
A recent study found no relationship between less television watching and more physical activity. Before this research article, people believed that television was the root cause in the rise of child obesity. Kids spent too much time in front of the television, and not running around like banshees.
Given a choice between no television and running around like banshees, kids appear to choose option C; play in the room. It could be kids lack access to playgrounds that forces kids to choose to play in their rooms. Maybe as a society we have professionalized play to the point that kids do not play outside unless adults are present.
As marketers as well as interested parties in public policy, how do we motivate kids to play?
Categories: Blog
Clarence Otis Jr., 50, the chairman and chief executive of Darden Restaurants, told the New York Times that his restaurants can improve efficiency because “you may be able to take protein off if you raise the flavor bar enough.” In other words, if you do not drown the food in some bland red or white sauce, then you can reduce the amount of food on the plate. Applebee’s took the opposite approach in becoming the largest casual-dining chain in the United States.
Categories: Blog
Texas Tech’s Recreational Sports Department is hiring a student marketing assistant. I would encourage all of you to think about applying for the position. Two summers ago, I taught a student (Cindy) who held the postion. She raved about the experience, and felt it improved her job possibilities post Texas Tech.
Categories: Uncategorized
This past 30 days has not been kind for leaders at Dell, Gap, and Home Depot. Many commentators argue all three were undone, ultimately, by a failure to understand customer behavior. I would argue all three ignored their internal relational partners. If a leader is ignoring their internal relational partners, then they probably ignore their buyers.
Dell’s CEO Kevin Rollins resigned as Dell continued its slide in market share, and financial outcomes. Upon his hire, Rollins developed a reputation of brooking little tolerance for those who disagreed with his strategies. The Dell missteps have been a dozy, and a reinvigorated Hewlett Packard did not help.
(more…)
Categories: Blog
General Electric (GE) credits part of its phenomenal growth during the 1990s on an out-come technique known as Six Sigma. Performances are measured. The company fires the bottom 20% of employees as measured by Six Sigma. For other companies, Six Sigma has not worked too well including Ford, which recently mortgaged its entire company in its latest turnaround effort, and Home Depot, which fired its CEO (see Help Wanted).
Texas governor Rick Perry wants to bring Six Sigma style management to Texas higher education. If Perry gets his way, all graduating seniors from Texas colleges would take exit exams. Once you have completed your course work, you take a comprehensive multiple choice exam.
Would an exit exam deter out of state students from attending the University of Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech? Would students at private schools be exempt from taking exit exams? How come a diploma from the University of Houston is no longer sufficient to signal to employers that a student possess knowledge? Are college administers to blame for this proposed exit exams? Should they be?
Categories: Blog
