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Category Archives: Economic Trends
Recessions, Recoveries Bring Out the Sharks
This article appeared in the San Antonio Business Journal on Friday, March 4th A number of our business owner clients have been calling lately to ask about an offer that seems too good to be true. The owner gets a … Continue Reading
Does the Economy Affect Your Business?
I love this quote from Paul Krugman in a breakfast speech a few weeks ago. “The Financial Industry rolled along extending credit to everyone, until they had their Wiley Coyote moment. You know how that works. Wiley Coyote runs off … Continue Reading
Why is San Antonio Bucking the Trend?
The national economy is recovering, but it has a long way to go. Residential and commercial foreclosures, consumer debt levels, and bloated public pensions will take some time to correct. Yet San Antonio has been named as one of the … Continue Reading
Posted in Economic Trends, Strategy and Planning
Tagged business strategy, economy, leadership, management, trade
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Entering 2011: a tale of two economies
In January of 2009 I blogged here titled “The Strategic Triple Threat” At that time, Congress had just passed the TARP act, saving the world from financial meltdown. The Federal Reserve was predicting a short recession followed by a resumption of historical … Continue Reading
In the long run
I met with a business owner the other day who has experienced a particularly difficult year. A confluence of economics, technology and criminal activity in his industry has kept him working long hours, with relatively little to show for it. He … Continue Reading
Why Don’t We “Buy American?”
America’s trade deficit underlies a host of headlines. We continue to send payment for fossil fuels to countries that use it to finance people who kill our soldiers. We borrow trillions from China, so that we can pay them for more consumer goods. We … Continue Reading
Posted in Business Perspectives, Economic Trends
Tagged China, economy, international relations, trade
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The Only Thing We Have to Fear?
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” FDR famously broadcast during the Great Depression. His speech didn’t end that economic slump, and the election next week won’t end this one. It will, however, help. The Republicans are … Continue Reading
Posted in Economic Trends, Marketing and Sales
Tagged business strategy, economy, marketing, politics, sales
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There are lies, damn lies,
and statistics, I just ran across this U.S. Postal Service press release from 1996. “In 1940, a one pound loaf of bread cost 8 cents, and in 1995 it cost 79 cents. A half gallon of milk went from 25 … Continue Reading
Posted in Economic Trends, Strategy and Planning
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The Black Donut Hole
Recently, there has been renewed attention to the work of Corrado Gini. An Italian Facist, he published in 1012 the Gini coefficient, a measurement of income equality among a nation’s citizens. As happens in the media, one publication picked up … Continue Reading
The Long Road Ahead
I’m sitting in Denver International Airport after yet another conference. Fortunately, it’s a whole 9 days until I have to come back here for another one. In January of 2009 I wrote a blog on the strategic Triple Threat. The … Continue Reading
Ready…Set…Wait? Leading Indicators and small business
In the last few weeks I’ve talked to a score of small business owners who say that things are improving for their companies. Several have been involved in trade shows that had record attendance. A few manufacturers are seeing a … Continue Reading
Is America the next Rome?
James Fallows has written a massive, thought-provoking article about America’s current social, political and economic issues in The Atlantic. Like so many of us that have spent time overseas, he looked at the US with fresh eyes on his return.In Fallows’ case, … Continue Reading