Ideas

The School District of New Berlin, City of New Berlin, Chamber of Commerce and local businesses will host Moving New Berlin Forward on Wednesday, May 23, at New Berlin High School.

Briggs & Stratton Co. plans to reduce its salaried workforce by about 10 percent this year and shift some of its small engine production from Auburn, Ala., to China or elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

When I talk with job providers about how Wisconsin ranks as a place to do business, they give our state good marks for having a hard-working, innovative workforce, a strong education system, good infrastructure and a high quality of life. They also say that a competitive tax structure is an important part of creating a good business climate.

Finding a creative workforce to drive innovation is a top priority for employers. With a register of innovative workers, businesses can bring new products, services and jobs to the global economy.

It is safe to say that most business organizations were launched by one or more people with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. The word “entrepreneur” is borrowed from the French, and describes a person who is willing to take risks, who makes money through his or her own initiative and creative problem-solving skills. The entrepreneur is ready to take full responsibility for the outcome of the opportunities he explores.

Most people believe that conflict is a natural phenomenon in our daily lives. So I am surprised when attendees at my seminars on negotiations and my graduate students inform me that they are not aware of any level of conflict when they negotiate. They're missing the all important elephant in the room.

In 2008, we almost lost our opportunity to enjoy Starbucks coffee and the ambience of its stores. The stock had plunged by 65 percent, and same-store sales had dropped dramatically.

“We measure ourselves by what are we doing new, versus what we are doing well,” a client told me recently.

Badger Meter held its annual shareholder meeting Friday at Racine Federated Inc. in Racine, which the company acquired on January 31.

Milwaukee manufacturer Super Steel LLC has recruited and trained its first class of new employees through a partnership with Milwaukee Area Technical College and Wauwatosa staffing firm Aerotek.