Virtual Teams: A Vital Shift in Business

As the discussions swirl around us, they only touch on the periphery of the transformations of how we will be doing business.

It is virtually impossible to do business the old-fashioned way. Remember? Assemble qualified people in an office on an upper floor of an office building in the city.

High button shoes, pince-nez, and pocket-watches.

Now, talent is spread around the country and around the world.  Today, assembling talent is done in a virtual environment.  And team building has new challenges.

I wrote an article "Teamwork if for Teams"  But to be fair, I still have pocket watch.  Now, you need  to know what I can scarcely imagine.  Hence:

Myths V. Fact
The Virtual Truth

A Free Webinar by Virtual Team Builders



Sincerely,


Slim.

Good Consultant or Bad Consultant?

Through the magic of metaphor, Dorothy lands in The Land of Oz.  There, a shiny bubble appears, then dissolves to reveal Glinda.

Glinda asks Dorothy, "Are you a good consultant or a bad consultant?"

Dorothy replies, "I'm not a consultant at all. Consultants are mean and ugly."

The Munchkins laugh.

"What's that? Dorothy asks.

Glinda replies, "The Munchkins.  They are laughing because, I am a consultant."

"I beg your pardon," Dorothy says as she curtsies.

"You see," Glinda says, "only bad consultants are mean and ugly.  Good consultants are sweet and beautiful. Like me."


We see this played out as Dorothy heads to the Emerald City.

The Wicked Consultant of the West, does everything she can to impede Dorothy and her friends on their journey to the Emerald City.

While Glinda, the Good Consultant of the South, does everything she can to help Dorothy and her friends get to the Emerald City and to help Dorothy return to Kansas.  And Toto too.


Now, when you are looking to hire a consultant, do your homework.  And, in the event you make the wrong choice, keep a bucket of water handy.

Regards,

Slim.

If you find anything here to be helpful, send me a post-card, drop me a line.

Bob Asken
Box 33
Pen Argyl, PA 
18072


Copyright © 2019
Bob Asken
All Rights reserved.

Economic Survival--Long-Term

When I wrote that China elevated (at various points)

300 Million

500 Million

700 Million

people from poverty to the middle class, I pointed out China created a

Middle Class

Consumer Class

Investor Class

I also pointed out that China created cohesion among the Chinese people.  China created a buy-in.  A vested interest in the success of the Chinese economy.

This brings us to Henry Ford.

Ford doubled his employees' salaries and cut the work week to 40 hours.  He, essentially, created the Middle Class.

Ford workers could now, and subsequently buy

A Ford

A Washing Machine

A Refrigerator (Ice Box)

A Radio & Eventually

A Sears Roebuck House  (Some assembly required.)


By creating a Middle Class, he created a Consumer Class and an Investor Class.  He gave the American worker a vested interest in the success of he American Economy.

Don't get me wrong; the labour movement was ugly, violent, fraught with private armies, sabotage, strikes, lockouts, scabs, strike-breakers, and the like.  Nonetheless, the strong Middle Class meant a Strong Economy.  A strong Economy meant a Strong America.

The Middle Class is the Economy.


Now, The American Widget Company is not going to hire one additional widget maker, until there is an order for one widget more than the company can make when operating a maximum capacity and optimal efficiency.

They also know:

If you grow faster than your market, you tie up capital.
If your market grows faster than you do, you lose market share.  Therefore, company growth is predicated on a rising demand curve.  And when more people buy stuff, they make more widgets, increase their revenue, invest their returns, and also benefit from revenue enhancement.

China: Rising middle class, rising economy.

India:  Rising middle class, rising economy.

Russia: Stagnant middle class, stagnant economy.

America:  Declining middle class, follow the path of the trajectory.

One reason I wrote, 

Tax policy to increase wages $5 an hour. Now! was to show the benefit to increasing wages with a tax policy that incentivises, business increasing wages with serious tax benefits for doing so, and subsequent economic benefits as the programme proceeds. 

If you want to close the gap, you redistribute the money.

Henry Ford did not redistribute the wealth.  He redistributed the money.

Wealth is what you have.

Money is what you make.

If you own a $100 Million Factory, but can't run a business, you make earn $50.000 a year.

If you own a $500 laptop and pay $100 for an internet connexion, (A service, not an asset) might earn $1Million a year.

The first example, you have wealth but little money.

In the second example, you have little wealth but make a lot of money.

If you are responsible, you save half your income, and in 20 years you have $10 Million.

If you spend it on loud noises, bright colours, and shiny things, you end up with nothing.

In the first example, you may end up liquefying assets and come out with, say, $50 Million.  Wealth is what you have. Money is what you make.  If we want to close the gap, we redistribute--Read: Reinvest--the money, create a Solid Middle Class, and let the economy help people create wealth.

Further reading:


Tax Policy to Increase Wages $5 an hour. Now!

If You Really Want to Close the Gap

Powell's Testimony House Financial Services Committee

If you're really interested and energetic & ambitious:

Hillary Redux

Sincerest regards,


Slim.

If you find anything here to be helpful, please don't hesitate to send me a really tricked-out Mac Book and to tuck a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank you car.
Slim.

Robert Asken
Box 33 
Pen Argyl, PA 18072

Copyright © 2019  Robert Asken
All rights reserved.

Tropical Products: From Africa to the World.

In economic development, people focus on the Big Picture.  Unfortunately, this leaves out a crucial factor:

Local People

Just as House Speaker Tip O'Neill said, "All politics is local." so to "All Economics is Local."

With the internet, local means bringing people around the world together to do business.

In the course of writing about global political and economic events, I came across something interesting on a local level to write about.  

Someone restated a phrase I used in designing a portal website years ago.  "Local People Helping Local People."

The message conveyed is simple.

You send a message that the world must work together.

People helping people helps all people.  


Mr. Thomas AHOLOUHOUEDE introduces himself to the global community this way:

Hello to all,
We are a company in Africa,
We grow and sell tropical products:


Located in Cotonou, Benin, Thomas AHOLOUHOUEDE sells

Tropical products: 
Shelled and unshelled nuts
Soy
Cotton and cotton seeds
Shea butter seeds
100% pure African Benin.

We can deliver up to 5,000 tons.
We also represent companies that want to sell their products in Africa.

At this time Thomas AHOLOUHOUEDE is looking to expand to the global market.  He is seeking investors familiar with agriculture to expand into 

China
India
United States.

Thomas AHOLOUHOUEDE provides his contact information.

+229-67371089/

satingos@yahoo.com

This is an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the global economic community operating on the internet.


Slim Fairview.

 

Woe is Me . Retail Declines

Oh, dear.
Consumers are spending their money on services not on retail. Consumers are spending their money on experiences not in stores. Consumers are spending their money on destinations. Woe is me. Woe is us. Mall space is not only retail space Mall space is not retail space only Mall Space is Real Estate. Real Estate is an Asset. Mall Space is an Asset. Transform the Mall into a destination where people can spend their money on the experience & have modified retail space to capitalize on the "internet experience". The Department Store becomes a hands on catalog with a digital purchase & an overnight delivery. Analogy: Did you have a job? Yes. Did you drive to work? Yes. Did you lose your job? Yes. Are you looking for a new job? Yes. Until you find one you can A. Leave your car in the garage & pretend you are looking for a new job, or B. Turn your car (asset) into an Uber or Lyft car in order to generate a revenue flow in the area where you are looking for a job. Buy a mobile hot-spot to connect to the internet at an affordable rate, Expense your car, Network with other.

Old Mall New City

Another Analogy

You own a filling station. Sales are off because People are driving less People are switching to hybrid cars People are car-pooling  People are using public transportation. The station down the street has the same problem The station down the street raises gas prices to offset the decline in revenue. More people switch to hybrid cars. You, however, read my posts. You install electric-car charging stations. You attract owners of hybrid cars. You are able to hold or lower your gasoline prices. You attract owners of gasoline powered cars. Your installation of charging stations (diversify your business activity) enables you to increase revenue. You attract  Standard Car Owners Hybrid Car Owners Electric Car Owners

Who Moved the Store?

Who is Killing the Supermarket?
Regards,

Slim. "If you find anything here to be helpful, please don't hesitate to send me a really tricked out Mac Pro and to tuck a few dollars into the envelope into the thank you note. Slim.


Robert Asken
Box 33
Pen Argyl, PA 18072

Copyright © 2019 Robert Asken
All Rights reserved.