Ideas

Chicago-based multichannel communication company R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. has submitted an unsolicited proposal to acquire North Chelmsford, Mass.-based Courier Corp. for $23 per share in cash or R.R. Donnelley common stock.

Businesses in southeastern Wisconsin finished 2014 in strong fashion and are forecasting gains in revenues, profits and hiring in 2015.

1. How come people don’t call me back?People not calling you back is not a problem; it’s a symptom....

This time of year I wish I had the mythical gifts attributed to Janus, the ancient Roman god of beginnings and transitions. Janus knew the past – not so hard – but he also is said to have known what was to come – tricky indeed. He is depicted with two faces, one looking back and one looking forward.

The office phone rang one day and a referral asked if I could help him “fix his people who were not performing!” He spent most of the time on the phone telling me how his people were letting him down, not working together well, and not performing as they should.

Around this time every year, Performance Review Stress (PRS) shows up on managers' faces and in their disposition. Most managers know what they want to say, but they're not quite sure how to construct the right language. This leads to frustration, which in and of itself, can disrupt the creative flow.

To simplify this process, and lower your PRS level, here are some key points to help you construct the right language that supports high performance and can withstand a legal proceeding if necessary.

BizTimes Media will host an interactive workshop designed to help business owners value their businesses and prepare them for sale.

Milwaukee-based sign manufacturer Poblocki Sign Co. has been acquired by Chicago-based merchant banking boutique TJM Capital Partners.

About 140 strength training machines made by JHTNA Manufacturing LLC of South Milwaukee are being recalled due to the handle attachment detaching during use.

Wauwatosa-based Briggs & Stratton Corp. reported fiscal 2015 second quarter net income of $6.9 million, or 15 cents per share, up from $702,000, or 1 cent per share, in the second quarter of 2014.