| August 24, 2007 | News for the wholesale distribution industry |
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- Grainger continues U.S. expansion in major cities
Industrial distributor Grainger is continuing with its U.S. market expansion plans, saying it will add, relocate, expand or remodel locations in the Chicago and San Francisco areas. The company already has upgraded facilities in several cities. Purchasing.com
(8/21)
    
| Best Practices | | |
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- Constant change, challenges force CEOs to adjust
Chief executives should think of their role as a kind of performance with a series of distinct acts, one expert says. "Each act requires the CEO to lead, think and behave in fundamentally different ways. The successful ones are those who are able to make the transitions," consultant David Nadler notes. Knowledge@Wharton
(8/8)
- "Voice of the customer" strategies may lead to radical innovations
Marketing professionals should put "voice of the customer" programs to use when developing breakthrough innovations. Developing a deep understanding of a customer's business, learning from top customers and co-designing with customers are some practices that may generate business innovations. MarketingProfs (free registration)
(8/21)
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- Football coaching tips offer winning game plan for sales
Salespeople can take a page from the lessons that legendary football coach Bill Walsh offers in his book "Finding the Winning Edge." Among the tips: Put things in historical perspective and learn from past mistakes; be yourself; prepare to win; design a winning game plan; and overcome mental barriers by learning to minimize stress and maintain concentration. Manage Smarter
(8/23)
| Distribution Trends Blog | | |
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Chinese export quality problem not likely to improve soon
Despite efforts by the Chinese government to improve the safety and quality of exports from that country, few changes can be expected in the short term, according to Benjamin Olshin of S2R. A tendency toward expediency and less-than-stellar industrial management habits help explain the low-quality exports, writes Olshin in the Distribution Trends blog authored by Adam J. Fein, Ph.D., Pembroke Consulting President and NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence Fellow. Distribution Trends
(8/20)
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| Small Business Manager | | |
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- Commentary: Whistle-blowers are a hidden cost in Sarb-Ox
Besides the high cost of compliance, the five-year-old Sarbanes-Oxley Act is burdening companies in another way, Michael Delikat, a lawyer with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and an author, writes in a Wall Street Journal commentary. Congress is considering offering even more protections to whistle-blowers under the act, a move that would further burden companies by forcing them to respond to complaints from employees who, in many cases, simply have an axe to grind. "Critics also overlook the simple fact that the statute's whistle-blower provisions just may have accomplished its intended purpose. Since Sarb-Ox, most public companies have created procedures for the receipt and review of even anonymous complaints of accounting or securities fraud," he said. The Wall Street Journal
(8/23)
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
FACT: E-CATALOGS & PUNCHOUTS INCREASE YOUR SALES!
Every day, more of YOUR CUSTOMERS are moving to e-purchasing systems. Having an online e-catalog (or XML "punchout" or OCI "roundtrip") that "plugs" right into their e-purchasing or ERP systems increases sales opportunities with existing and new customers!
Learn more, get a free demo on how Vinimaya's low cost Supplier Solutions can increase your sales.
Interested in learning more about advertising in NAW SmartBrief? Contact Henry Murphey at (202) 737-5500 ext. 245 or hmurphey@smartbrief.com
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| Executive Life | | |
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- New rules may complicate travel to, from U.S.
Industry insiders are criticizing a new air travel safety rule which requires airlines to provide the U.S. government with passenger information earlier than previously required. "This new measure, on top of all the other ones already in place, is really disturbing. Asking business travelers to plan their trip at least 72 hours in advance is unrealistic," said Jerome Drevon-Barreaux, a global travel manager for a Paris firm. The Transnational
(8/22)
| NAW Insider | | |
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Wholesaler-distributors may be held liable for product defects
Although manufacturers, not wholesaler-distributors, are usually held responsible for injury arising from a defective product, wholesaler-distributors may be held liable for product defects under certain circumstances. Read more http://www.naw.org/smartbrief.
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NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable
NAW's Large Company CEO/COO Networking Roundtable, Chicago, Sept. 19 to 20, joins CEOs and COOs from wholesale distribution companies with sales $100 million and above to network and learn. Agenda topics are based on responses from the Executives community and address specific needs of the group, including Going Green, Driving Sales Beyond, Crisis Management, Today's Economy, and Ethics. Get more details and register here.
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| SmartQuote | | |
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former college basketball coach
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- Monday, August 20, 2007
- Friday, August 17, 2007
- Wednesday, August 15, 2007
- Monday, August 13, 2007
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