In Response To Kristen

J.C. Penny going green?

This reminds me of our discussion in class about social responsibility. J.C. Penney may be trying to go ‘green’ out of a social responsibility to be good to the environment, or they may being going ‘green’ in order to attract more customers. Either way I feel like it is a good thing to be a socially responsible company. I feel that would absolutely attract a larger customer base. If J.C. Penney were to get rid of a $454 million sales opportunity they are expecting that they will make up in sales with this ‘green’ appearance. I could not see them dropping a multimillion dollar opportunity without projecting to make more than what they are dropping. I wonder if other companies have tried this technique and been profitable?

Changing Jobs, Good Or Bad?

Executives try out unfamiliar roles article in the Wall Street Journal discusses how people are being swapped into roles in businesses that they are not as familiar with. The article mainly discusses higher levels of management or chief officers who are being switched out of their job that they are comfortable with and have expertise in. The idea behind this is to introduce new ideas and a different pace into certain departments. There were examples of big and well to do companies that have tried this idea of swapping people into different jobs and departments. Walt Disney in 2010 swapped their CFO and their Head of Parks and Resorts. Tom Staggs CFO, commented on the idea of being switched by saying:

"will bring you more ideas for change when you're the new guy," Mr. Staggs says. And "I see people in my old organization under Jay that are showing increased energy."

This idea of swapping positions was successful in Walt Disney; however it was not as successful with the GM Company. Mr. Preuss was promoted to an operational role in GM. He barely had one year working with the company as the head PR man and was moved to an operational role. This was done because the chief executive wanted to “challenge some of the conventional thinking". However GM’s latest CEO was not satisfied with his work in the new position.

I think that experience level, personality, and adaptability all have an impact on whether or not a person will be successful in a role that they do not have expertise in, or background in. Could a manager be good at a job that they are thrown into without any expertise? What does it take for a person to adapt and be good at a new job or to new tasks?