Research

The essence of leadership is the ability to make the right decision, and to be able to do that leaders need breadth of experience.

Peter Drucker, sometimes called the father of modern management, once commented that health care organizations are the most difficult to manage of all organizations. For example, American health care is defined by legislative mandate yet implemented in the private sector.

Arizona's record of economic progress in recent years is well documented. In 2006, the state led the nation in population and job growth and was fifth in growth of personal income.

Strategic sourcing, including early supplier involvement and outsourcing, provides significant competitive advantage to companies and represents a fundamental change in the way firms drive the bottom line.

CEOs' home purchases, stock sales and subsequent company performance management

Plenty of consumers sip Maxwell House coffee because it's "good to the last drop," and would proudly answer "yes" if asked, "Doesn't your dog deserve Alpo?" The brand-building punch of such slogans helps companies turn shoppers into customers.

Tortillas, and the corn used to make them, have been a Mexican staple for thousands of years. So it's no surprise that tens of thousands packed into Mexico City's central Zocalo plaza to protest a spike in the price of tortillas and other staple goods.

For Marianne Jennings, a healthy market economy depends on four pillars — business, investors, government and customers. Each relies on the others in a symbiotic relationship that leads to mutual benefit and smooth operations.

Many companies have noted that attrition among women and minorities in the professional and managerial ranks hampers progress on building a diverse workplace.

A lot of companies focus on competition, innovation and cost-cutting to drive cash flow. But according to Ruth Bolton, marketing professor at the W. P. Carey School of Business, successful firms understand that cash flow is derived from customers.