| July 30, 2008 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
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- Lawsuit to cost Grainger $6 million
W.W. Grainger has agreed to pay $6 million to settle a lawsuit alleging the distributor had been regularly charging the General Services Administration more than stipulated in a contract agreement and had relabeled products made in countries where trade is restricted before selling them to the federal government. The company did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement. Industrial Distribution
(7/28)
, American City Business Journals/Milwaukee
(7/25)
     
- Mid-year assessment of wholesale distribution sectors
Grocery and foodservices, agricultural products, and oil and gas products distributors accounted for more than half of the distribution industry's growth in 2007, a year plagued by rising commodity prices. Overall, wholesale distribution revenue grew 8.6% to $4.2 trillion in 2007. TED magazine offers a mid-year look at distribution markets in this article adapted from Pembroke Consulting President and NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence Fellow Adam J. Fein, Ph.D.'s new book. TED Magazine
(7/1)
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| | Supply Chain Innovations: Executive Kit
Distribution industry expert, Dr. Adam Fein shares the four main topics of his acclaimed book Facing the Forces of Change®: Lead the Way in the Supply Chain in this compilation of articles. Click here to download IBM's executive kit for strategic insight and innovations for your supply chain. | |
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| Best Practices |  | |
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- Why Facebook doesn't matter after all
Not into Facebook yet? It's hyped as the best business tool since the BlackBerry, but Simon Dumenco says this is one trend a serious CEO can sit out. "'Poking' people, requesting 'friends,' writing on someone's 'wall': It's cute when you're in high school or college," he writes. "But in a corporate environment, it sounds disingenuous and downright silly." Portfolio.com
(8/1)
- Is outsourcing right for you?
Companies may benefit from outsourcing some types of work, particularly if the tasks require expertise they don't have in house, or if a project already under way might be more cost-effectively completed by an outside provider. Best Syndication
(7/26)
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| Small Business Manager | | |
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| Executive Life | | |
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- Weatherproof mirror TVs coming from Pantel
Pantel is planning a three-model line of mirror TVs designed for the outdoors or in bathrooms, showers and saunas, according to the company. The 20-, 32- and 42-inch sets are water-resistant and double as mirrors when turned off. TWICE
(7/25)
- For chocoholics, Hershey is the place to go
Anyone the least bit interested in chocolate, how it's made and its history should take a trip to Hershey, Pa. The town offers a museum, tours and a culture centered on the candy. If the appeal of chocolate is not enough to draw one to Hershey, the town boasts a number of other attractions, including the Northeast's top amusement park. MSNBC/Wejustgotback.com
(7/22)
| NAW Insider | | |
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Register for NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable
NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable, Chicago, Sept. 24 to 25, brings together CEOs/COOs from distribution companies with sales of $100 million and above. Topics are based on CEO/COO responses and address specific needs of the group, including an Economic Overview; In a Difficult Economy: How Are You Adjusting Your Company to Fit the New Realities; Optimizing Profitability and more. Register now!
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Turn your distributor-supplier relationship from dysfunctional to highly effective
It takes a long time to develop good distributor-supplier relationships, but it only takes a short time to destroy them. Working at Cross-Purposes examines what drives these relationships, how often they go bad and why. Especially with today's challenges, both partners can avoid the economic and other consequences of a relationship turning sour by correcting problems before they become critical.
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2008 Employee Compensation Report: Available for immediate download
As the U.S. economy continues to present challenges, distributors are reconsidering their staffing needs and how to attract and keep top performers. See how your compensation program compares to others. This report focuses on data from 1,704 distributors from across all lines of trade. It gives you the benchmarks and backup needed to budget employee pay and benefits with confidence.
| Weekly Poll | | |
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Would you forgo a pay increase for the chance to work from home a few days a week?
After voting once, check out the real-time poll results on NAW's All Access page as often as you'd like.
 | Yes -- the saved gas money/commute time/family time would make it worth it. |
| No -- working from home does not appeal to me. |
| Maybe -- but I would want to work from home full time. |
| The nature of my work would not allow me to telecommute even if I wanted to. |
| SmartQuote | | |
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 | To be content with what one has is the greatest and truest of riches."
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| | Recent NAW SmartBrief Issues:
- Monday, July 28, 2008
- Friday, July 25, 2008
- Thursday, July 24, 2008
- Wednesday, July 23, 2008
- Monday, July 21, 2008
| | | Lead Editor: Ashley McMaster
Contributing Editor: Nancy Melville | Robert Jones
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