Spending cuts, tax hikes would slow economy even more
American people seem to be in a mood to "compile additional data." A friend of mine, an old hand in Alcoholics Anonymous, uses that phrase to describe early phases in his recovery when he would relapse...
View ArticleU.S. needs solid, long-term energy strategy
There is a lot of discussion today about energy independence. Thought needs to be given to what energy independence means and what can be achieved. In the end, if energy independence is presented as...
View ArticleMake QR codes worthwhile for your customers
When you're shopping for TVs at Best Buy, the number of choices can be overwhelming. And it doesn't help that every TV looks pretty much the same. So it's really helpful that the store places a QR code...
View ArticleMake workers feel appreciated, even when raises are out
A recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 80 percent of the companies it surveyed have an employee recognition program.Yet only 31 percent of employees in those companies...
View ArticleData shows U.S. has a revenue problem
The popular mantra that "we have a spending problem, not a revenue problem" has been repeated so often that most Americans accept it as true without ever looking at the data. It would improve the level...
View ArticleForward-thinking attitude drives State Fair
Automaker entrepreneur Henry Ford once said, "The competitor to be feared is one who never bothers about you at all, but goes on making his own business better all the time." So true. Those words are...
View ArticleTips you can use to keep growing on the job
The Kansas Credit Union Association recently launched a networking group geared toward young professionals called CUnext. The 10 young credit union staffers who attended our first two CUnext events...
View ArticleU.S. needs central bank that's willing, able to act
Would it really be "treasonous" for the Federal Reserve to increase the money supply over the next 15 months? Rick Perry, governor of Texas and Republican presidential candidate, says it would be....
View ArticleKansas is the birthplace of state securities law
Wichita will become the investor protection capital of North America next week.Securities regulators from each state, along with the provinces and territories of Canada, are coming to Wichita to...
View ArticlePipeline gives entrepreneurs resources, network to expand
Starting and operating a successful and profitable business is tough. Any entrepreneur will tell you that success requires great people and resources to help work through challenging decisions....
View ArticleSeveral lessons to take from Pittsburgh's revitalization
Now into our sixth year of city-to-city visits, we found that the Pittsburgh story is about a region determining its own fate. In the 1980s the steel industry that drove Pittsburgh's economy fell...
View ArticleCommunication goes beyond words
"The way you express can lead to success," as the saying goes by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.No matter how quaint the saying appears, believe me, it is absolutely true.If you want...
View ArticleInfo on energy policy can be misleading
National energy policy is a complex issue.Opponents of American energy development have been conducting information campaigns that confuse the public and policymakers. In addition, the media appears to...
View ArticleTake advantage of small-business counseling
Starting in 1976, many small-business entrepreneurs in Wichita got their kick-start from a small group of retired executives who gave free advice on all aspects of how to start a business. That's when...
View ArticleCompany's culture can drive its success
What makes an organization a great place to work?Accounting Today magazine recently named Allen, Gibbs & Houlik L.C. one of the 2011 top 100 best accounting firms to work for. We're honored by the...
View ArticleProblem employees: Invest in them or invite them out
Do you have an employee or manager who is talented, experienced and knows their job, but has poor people skills? Have you unsuccessfully relocated this person to different departments or supervisors in...
View ArticlePurchasing departments focus on more than price
Last summer, I conducted interviews with purchasing entities across a diverse range of U.S. industry throughout the Northwest. The primary concerns of purchasing departments in second half 2011 relate...
View ArticleSix million visitors a year see Wichita as a great destination
Go Wichita is celebrating 31 years as an independent organization today and celebrating at our 2011 Travel Industry Outlook Annual Meeting. At this celebration, we will share our 2011 successes and...
View ArticleBusinesses can learn from Patton’s successes
Back in the early 1990s while heading out on a business trip, I picked up a book titled “War As I Knew It,” which was the autobiography of General George S. Patton. It was first published in 1947 – two...
View ArticleProven principles can take new media to a higher level
People frequently ask whether Facebook can solve their marketing challenges.That’s a bit like the TV commercial that invites you to ponder: “Could switching to GEICO really save you 15 percent or more...
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