To prevent high turnover, burnout and loss of employee commitment, learn to avoid four practices that are undermining some high-profile companies.

The race for dominance in mobile commerce (m-commerce) has begun. The promise of the technology will not be fully realized, however, if companies simply make their existing online services available through wireless devices. Successful players in the m-commerce market space will take a much broader view of the technology, the market and consumers.
M-commerce is not [...]

Corporations engaged in multiple lines of business need to develop a capability for “complex strategic integration,” which involves the discovery and creation of new business opportunities by combining resources from multiple units within the firm — each with its own perspective and vested interests — in order to extend the corporate strategy in new directions.

The authors have devised a general model that managers can use to link any departmental action to overall corporate profitability. This process forces managers to narrow their strategies to the areas with the highest payoff, shifting attention from a preoccupation with individual performance metrics to an awareness of how those metrics work as a system and how they lead to increased profit and more shareholder value.

Why do some bricks-and-mortar companies succeed in harnessing the Web to better serve consumers, generate profits and increase market share? The authors’ framework shows that “laggard” organizations typically lack a clear business model to govern their use of Web technologies, whereas e-business leaders share certain distinguishing characteristics.

The cost of information-technology outsourcing involves more than vendor fees, but how much of that additional cost is really necessary? A survey of 50 outsourcing efforts shows that companies are largely unaware of costs associated with such activities as transitioning to a new vendor and so tend not to take measures to reduce them. The author looks at four kinds of hidden costs that can erode the benefits of from outsourcing. He provides anecdotes that show how the choices that a company makes can lead to high hidden costs.

The authors’ multi-year study of Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Connecticut offers practical lessons for managers who may find themselves trying to implement change in a high-pressure environment. The authors guide readers though the key events, explaining how each generated useful insights and how the defusing of potential crises can be a springboard for change.

Is mass customization really the best way to deliver variety to consumers? Maybe not, argues the author. Mass customization actually requires unique operational capabilities not all companies have: mechanisms to elicit information, process flexibility and logistics. Moreover, demand for customization is limited and likely to remain so. Before committing their companies to a mass-customization strategy, says the author, managers must carefully analyze the technology, demand and costs and benefits.

Renowned management thinker Henry Mintzberg and business professor Frances Westley zero in on three ways the best managers make decisions. To hone their decision-making skills, business leaders can start by admitting that real-world decisions are not always made through logical steps — and that often they shouldn’t be. The authors outline three approaches managers can use to increase their effectiveness and give their companies the competitive edge required in uncertain times.