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Adapting to the Fast Times
Incorporating the Right Strategy in an Age of Exponential Change
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 A five-year-old software company sells for more money than Ford paid to acquire Volvo. American Express announces the creation of a new senior-level vice president of customer listening. In a matter of a few weeks, a loan information company moves from not-com to dot-come to no-com.
What all these three cases all have in common is they all have lessons to teach us about the nature of strategy - the direction to productivity and profitability, which serves more as a compass than a map.
Click Here to Read Full Article.
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Going to the Flat Format
The Move from Hierarchical to Non-Hierarchical Organizations
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 Nonhierarchical organizations have many advantages over businesses that follow the same conventional structure. For example, experience and expertise are often shared; creativity and new ideas are fostered, tested and discussed. These organizations collaborate and more function as a cohesive unit, highly supportive of multiple stakeholders in global environments.
With the advantages, there are also disadvantages to these nonhierarchical or flatter organizations. The ability to implement decisions can be difficult due to the multiple constituencies that need to be served. The team-based philosophy can delay many important decision-making processes due to both geographic displacement of the personnel involved and the electronic networks.
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Sustainable Development and Your Business
The Importance of Environmental Management
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 Some management trends start at the top and cascade down; others evolve from the bottom up. Sustainable development (SD) has come from both directions. In the process, it has caught a growing number of well-known companies off balance-among them Shell and Nike. More positive has been the foundation of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Economic Forum in Davos routinely covers sustainable-development issues.
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From Flying to Franchising
One Man's Transition to Becoming an Express Oil Franchise Owner
By Brooks Mayson
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 Franchise businesses have a lot in common with contemporary, passenger airplanes. It used to be that flying a commercial passenger plane took a small, highly-skilled team of people - a pilot, a copilot and an engineer. The engineer was responsible for running all systems on the plane - the fuel, electrical, pressurization, heating and air-conditioning and hydraulics systems. Nowadays, of course, aviation has matured and airplanes are far more sophisticated, the crew is leaner and the aircraft so intuitive that its systems are practically turnkey efficient.
I know these things firsthand because I was a flight engineer and then a pilot for Piedmont  Airlines before becoming an Express Oil Change & Service Center franchisee nearly four years ago. I opened a location in Kernersville, N.C., in 2008, introducing the franchise to the area.
Call 1-800-377-8722 to learn more about Express Oil Franchise Opportunities Near You!
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THE VR BLOGGER
Raising Capital
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When purchasing a business, raising capital is one of the most important initial requirements. The key ingredient when raising capital is to prepare a carefully thought-out business plan. The business plan will not only serve to determine initial capital requirements, it will also assist creditors in determining the maximum amount and the terms of financing that will be made available. Once capital requirements have been determined, it is time to act.
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Highlighted Transactions
And New Engagements
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SUCCESSFUL TRANSACTIONS
Ground-Route Transportation Business
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VR Business Sales of New Haven, Connecticut, a leader in the sale of privately-held companies, recently facilitated the strategic sale of a ground-route transportation business for $628,000.
The transaction, which closed last month, was handled by William Hall, a business intermediary specialist.
VR is celebrating over 30 years as the world's only network of full-time professional business intermediaries.
VR has sold more businesses in the world than anyone®.
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SUCCESSFUL TRANSACTIONS
Eco-Friendly Dry-Cleaning Plant
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VR Business Sales of Greensboro, North Carolina, a leader in the sale of privately-held companies, recently facilitated the strategic sale of an eco-friendly dry-cleaning plant for $192,500.
The transaction, which closed last month, was handled by Ben Haines, a business intermediary specialist.
VR is celebrating over 30 years as the world's only network of full-time professional business intermediaries.
VR has sold more businesses in the world than anyone®.
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NEW ENGAGEMENTS
Two Independent Compounding Pharmacies
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VR Mergers & Acquisitions, located in West Palm Beach, Florida, announced it has been engaged by an owner of two independent compounding pharmacies to assist in facilitating the sale of their businesses.
These two full service pharmacies do both retail of over-the-counter and prescription medication as well as medical equipment such as wheel chairs, hospital beds and CPM machines. Go to the VR Web Site for further details. VR is celebrating over 30 years as the world's only network of full-time professional business intermediaries that addresses the needs of small and mid-sized businesses.
VR has sold more businesses in the world than anyone®.
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NEW ENGAGEMENTS
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VR Business Brokers, located in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, the leading business intermediary firm in the area, has recently been engaged to assist in facilitating the strategic sale of a pizzeria and sports bar in Philadelphia.
This business is located in a busy neighborhood where the locals like to come for a good time. Great opportunity to enjoy the success of this restaurant. All inventory and equipment, as well as liquor license, come with the sale. Click here for more details.
VR is celebrating over 30 years as the world's only network of full-time professional business intermediaries that addresses the needs of small and mid-sized businesses.
VR has sold more businesses in the world than anyone®.
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Now is a Great Time to Become Part of VR!
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 With baby boomers selling their businesses to retire, corporate executives frustrated with their jobs and managers looking to buy a business to replace their corporate position, NOW is a great time to become part of VR!
VR Office
Artesia, California
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VR Global Headquarters
One East Broward Boulevard
Suite 1500
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone (954) 565-1555; Fax (954) 565-6855
http://www.vrbb.com
Copyright © VR 2009-2011
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Ask a VR Intermediary?
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Erik Ottem
Owner, VR in San Jose, CA
Is There a Particular Model I Should Use for Budgeting My Business?
Sean McCloskey,
Cape Coral, Florida
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Dear Sean,
The traditional command and control model was designed to execute a producer-led approach to business. The multi-divisional organization coped with increasing complexity by placing the activities of each distinct product line, region or technology into a separately managed compartment such as a business unit or division. Then you would subject all these compartments to the financial discipline of a strong corporate staff. The underlying thread through all of this was control.
Click Here to View Full Article
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