An Eggs-cellent Way to Plan

This was an unexpected way to learn Management Planning. I never thought I would learn Planning out of egg shells... but I learned that planning is everything. Although the process is divided in four parts, if any of the parts fails, the entire plan fails. For example in my group, we had a very efficient planning but our execution din't deliver to the expectations of our planning, which drove us to failure... or in egg shell breaking.

Our planning process was:

1) GOAL:
 To drop an egg covered by straws without breaking it.

2) OBJECTIVE:
To drop an egg into a basket without breaking it, using the time allowed, the material given, and all the components of the group fairly.

3) STRATEGY:
Our group was divided in between taking inventories, strategic management person, design person, executive design person, timing person, etc... Our strategy was to cover the bottom of the egg, thinking that the egg would fall in the basket and be protected by the air inside the straws.

4) TACTICS:
To cover the bottom of the egg with air filled straws and enjoy success (which meant 5 points in the mid-term)

In a management planing perspective I believe we were successful but our execution failed. In a real-life business world we could go back and re-plan it, but it was a classroom and we had a single shot... no 5 points in the mid-term. We have to study harder!

Brazil's oil: now a question of good management.

Brazil has found oil in the cost of Rio de janeiro. But with its discovery came a big problem: how to manage it to efficiently extract the oil and use the money to bring wealth to the country?
I read this article at "The Economist" magazine and was astonished that after finding oil a country faces so many difficulties to explore it because of management issues...http://www.economist.com/node/18065645?story_id=18065645&fsrc=scn/tw/te/rss/pe

what culture has do to with management?

We are all here trying to learn how the most successful businesses (Apple, Procter & Gamble, Microsoft) became what they are. We analyze their stories over and over, trying to learn and create equations that we could use ourselves to succeed... not so easy task.

They are all different from each other but they all have one thing on common: effective and efficient management. 

As business goes global, understanding differences among people is essential for any business that wants to succeed. 

For example, I moved to NY from Brazil in 2003 and one thing chocked me the most: the beaches here are not as recreational and fun as in Brazil... They have so many rules and schedules.

In Rio de Janeiro we can go to beach everyday (24/7), it's so accessible, without rules... totally freedom. So, when I went to Long Beach, I was amazed that I not only had to pay to get to the beach, I could't consume alcohol, nor have music... and worse the beach had a closing time (5 pm).

After 7 years living in NY, now I understand the reasons why the beach's norms and culture here are different than in Brazil. 

So, the very successful companies are what they are because they manage to understand differences... Its's about being global and at the same time being local...

About Myself

My name is Allan Santos. I'm a senior student at the City College of New York, majoring in Advertising and Public Relations. My career goal is to become a marketing communications specialist.
This blog reflects my point of view about what i learned in my Introduction to Management course. So much happens every second in this field, that is just impossible to report every single detail of the business. I'm here, selecting few information that I find relevant and maybe shaping the future of everything related to Management.

Germany's effective management enhances productivity.

The Economist magazine called it an "economic miracle." Germany had a very strong recession due to a decline in the manufacturing industry's business activities. However, due to a great management, its economy expanded by 3.6% in 2010, far faster than many other rich countries.
By keeping its finances under control it did not experience property or credit crises, and by focusing on exportation it has kept unemployment down and grow its GDP per head.
The country management strategy was to use its skills and excel in profitable niches, then focus in being the best in them. The state strongly supports research institutions and middle size companies. In addition to having reforms that made labour markets more flexible, work a bit more attractive, and focusing in nurturing of talent.
As an example, it intelligently chose to produce what a booming China wants: from luxury cars to the machinery that enables Chinese factories to function.