While talent continues to reign supreme on the list of top concerns for companies today, a new survey of corporate executives underscores the challenges they are facing in today’s economic environment. Of the 176 Americas executives surveyed by CBRE Group, Inc., 52 percent named economic uncertainty as a top-three concern, up from 36 percent in 2016. As a result, 87 percent … [More]
Can Today’s Business Leaders Choreograph M&A Success?
With increasingly diverse and multigenerational workforces, and most industries undergoing some form of digital disruption, today’s business leaders find it more prudent to buy than to build talent and capabilities they need to join the ranks of the disruptors. By definition, that means many of today’s deals require integrating a completely different type of organization with … [More]
How Much of Arizona’s Economy Goes South?
Trade with Mexico has been a hot topic for the past few years. That currently still holds true, but the tenor of that discussion has changed. Given the differing attitudes emanating from the various national and state policy makers, In Business Magazine is taking a look at cross-border trade’s place in Arizona’s economy. WalletHub recently conducted a study to gauge the … [More]
The Rise of Flexible Working
It’s undeniable — flexible work options are now offered by employers, sought after by job seekers and utilized by employees. When it comes to flexible work — telecommuting, flexible schedules, professional part-time work or freelancing — there are several things businesses should know about the rise of flexible work, and predictions for 2017 and beyond. The big picture of … [More]
Omni-Channel Engagement Trending for 2017
Online-offline connected experiences will be the focus in 2017 as chief marketers, largely not satisfied with the current state of omni-channel engagement, work toward bridging that disconnect. According to a recently released study from the Chief Marketing Officer Council, one of the biggest challenges for marketers in 2017 will be understanding the connected customer journey … [More]
Tech: Valley’s Economic Hot Spot
As employment grows, this sector continues to drive the Valley’s office market recovery Phoenix lands at number two on CBRE’s annual Tech-Thirty list, which analyzes the 30 leading technology markets in the U.S. and Canada in terms of high-tech software/services job growth. Second only to San Francisco, the Valley continues to see the strongest tech-sector job growth in … [More]
‘Green’-Certified Buildings Becoming the New Normal
Third annual green building adoption index shows percentage of U.S. office space “green”-certified tops 40 percent Institutional owners of office buildings continued to pursue green building certifications in the 30 largest U.S. markets during 2015. Continuing an upward trend over the past decade, green certifications are now held by 11.8 percent of all surveyed buildings, … [More]
The World’s Most Valuable Brand Portfolios
Every year, leading branded business valuation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance puts thousands of the world’s top brands to the test. They are evaluated to determine which are the most powerful and valuable by country, by industry and against all other brands worldwide. The companies with the highest total value of brands under management can be found in the Brand Finance … [More]
Operational Data Gaps Compromise Customer Experience
While digital marketing technologies and engagement channels multiply, many marketers remain concerned that they are still not delivering what customers want most: a seamless, frictionless and individualized buying and problem-solving experience. According to new research from the Chief Marketing Officer Council and SAP Hybris, more than a third of marketers (39 percent) … [More]
Growing from the Middle
Despite comprising only 1 percent of the total number of commercially active firms in the country, middle market companies have led national job growth over the past five years, employing nearly 53 million workers — more than double the number employed by this segment in 2011. Middle market firms are also contributing $9.3 trillion to the U.S. economy, according to the “Middle … [More]
Phoenix Is More Expansive than Expensive
Data released recently by BuildZoom, the data-driven marketplace for remodeling and construction services, shows that Metro Phoenix’s rate of expansion increased 57.8 percent since 1970, compared to a 15.3 percent decrease for the nation — making it the seventh-fastest-expanding metropolitan area in the United States during this period. BuildZoom’s analysis reveals that, … [More]
Cloud Security – That Is the Question?
Impressions of cloud security remain mixed. Medium and large enterprises in the United States say cloud security is both the primary benefit and most prevalent challenge of cloud computing, according to a survey conducted by Clutch, a leading B2B research firm. Fear of the cloud arises from two main sources. First, extensive media coverage of data breaches at Target and … [More]
Aligning Skills and Expectations
Professionals across all industries are expected to do more with less. As such, strategy and high-level thinking often take a back seat to the tactical. It’s easy for days to turn into reactionary spirals rather than proactive, purposeful ones. A recent Pragmatic Marketing survey of product managers and marketers shed light on this very trend that is seen across all industries, … [More]
Are We Really Hard at Work?
Americans outwork many of their foreign peers by hundreds of extra hours per year, a fact that sometimes intrudes into discussion of healthcare coverage as a workplace issue. Personal-finance website WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2016’s Hardest Working Cities in America to identify where Americans work the hardest, comparing the 116 largest cities across six key … [More]
Email and Worker Turnover
The percentage of people nationwide who don’t intend to change jobs this year is only 42. The “2016 Industry & Productivity Perspectives Report” from business operating system Bolste, which commissioned accredited research firm YouGov to poll the views of a representative sample of 2,766 American adults, shows employers are at risk with 49 percent of the … [More]
Women-Owned Businesses: A Growth Demographic
Women represent the largest growing demographic of business owners in the country. This is among several interesting trends revealed in final data from the 2012 census that was just recently released. The number of women starting businesses was almost three times that of men — more than expected. As of 2012, women business owners (WBOs) represent 36.2 percent of all businesses, … [More]
Smart Automation and Artificial Intelligence a Boon to IT Workers
Smart automation tools and artificial intelligence (AI) that automate daily tasks in an enterprise go hand-in-hand with job satisfaction, according to sentiment expressed by IT workers. The surprising results of a recent survey reported by arago GmbH reveal that IT workers not only welcome smart automation but a clear majority also identify concrete benefits these technologies … [More]
Business-Friendly Environment?
Small-business owners gave Metro Phoenix a B– for its business friendliness, ranking it in the top 50 percent of cities nationwide, according to the recently released 2015 Small Business Friendliness Survey conducted by Thumbtack, a technology-based marketplace designed to connect consumers with small-business professionals within local communities. Among the key findings … [More]
