Green innovation is here to stay, as the 2017 Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment report found. Despite global investment in green energy slipping 23 percent in 2016 compared to 2015, following two years of growth, the world added record levels of renewable energy capacity in 2016. Wind, solar and other renewable energies added 138.5… Read more »

A crisis is a significant, unexpected and disruptive event that can undermine an organization if the crisis is not handled properly, according to consulting service Paradigm Solutions International. The event can be large or small in nature, internal or external to the company and a natural disaster or human in origin. A crisis often receives… Read more »

Supply chain management (SCM) is a term within the field of logistics that focuses on production and involves the supply and distribution sides of the company. In some applications, SCM and logistics are interchangeable. There are five layers of logistics that are important for organizations to consider. However, there is debate and confusion among people… Read more »

Creating a strategic plan can help your organization translate its ideas into actionable steps and goals. By having a clear strategic plan in place for the next one to three years, your nonprofit will gain access to a “master plan” for achieving its goals and reacting to specific activities that impact your organization. Once you… Read more »

At the beginning of each advanced leadership workshop session, business thought leader John Spence asks attendees how many currently have a written list of their key leadership values. Much to his surprise, only one or two out of 100 to 150 executives raise their hands. As a result, Spence wonders how executives successfully lead their… Read more »

The official poverty rate for 2015 was 13.5 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Poverty thresholds were approximately $12,000 for one person, $15,000 for two people and $24,000 for a four-person family. Poverty impacts more of the population in rural communities. Rural poverty has consistently been higher than urban poverty, and the same holds… Read more »

Businesses encounter several unexpected challenges and opportunities that impact whether the organization will be successful. This is true for established companies and startups alike. Certain tools can help businesses evaluate where they are and what they are considering. One of the most popular frameworks is the SWOT analysis, which can be used by virtually any… Read more »

A study from market research company Forrester found that more marketers are focusing on performance-based marketing. Performance marketing is “the new normal,” according to Forrester. “Performance advertising is a competitive differentiator today; it will be table stakes tomorrow.” What is performance marketing? “Performance marketing uses clearly defined and measurable business objectives as the basis of… Read more »

Business challenges in 2017 span some of the most fundamental aspects of running a company. Competition for talent has increased, and technology and data have continued to grow at a rapid pace. These events have created implications for human resources, marketing, cybersecurity and more. Here are some of the top business challenges of 2017: Marketing… Read more »