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A variety of articles describing processes on “How To Do” and accomplish somethuing of value.

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HOW TO ACQUIRE THE RIGHT BUSINESS-An Introduction

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Buying a company is a demanding, complex process requiring a wide range of skills and abilities. If you understand this process thoroughly, then you are far more likely to make the right purchase decision. Whether you are buying the corner ice cream parlor or a $100-million business, following certain steps will enhance your chances of successfully operating a profitable venture once the deal is closed.

Psarouthakis founded and built J.P. Industries into a Fortune 500 company by acquiring underperforming auto parts and plumbing products manufacturers, selling the company to a British conglomerate, T&N Plc. Next, he founded JPE Inc., which manufactured and distributed auto and truck parts for OEM and the aftermarket. Although Psarouthakis’s experience draws heavily on the manufacture and distribution of durable goods sectors, many aspects of the process are the same, regardless of the industry. Interviews conducted by coauthor Lorraine (Hendrickson) Uhlaner with entrepreneurs involved in acquisitions for the retailing, service, and construction sectors and other published information about the acquisitions process also influence the content of this book.

The Buying Infrastructure

 It is estimated by various sources that tens of thousands of businesses change ownership every year. For an updated estimate of this high-volume activity, contact the International Business Brokers Association. To support the very high number of transactions, a rather broad and complex infrastructure exists for finding and promoting deals. Few businesses up for sale are advertised in published sources. Relying upon this infrastructure is likely to provide you with a larger number of high-quality leads to choose from and with less effort than trying to find them on your own. To be taken seriously within the business-investment community, you typically must demonstrate an understanding of the deal-making process, even if you hire consultants to assist you in the search. Continue reading HOW TO ACQUIRE THE RIGHT BUSINESS-An Introduction →

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How do You Manage a Company to Grow?

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What can you learn from other CEO’s facing the dual challenges of maintaining growth and profitability? What issues are you likely to face and how can you best resolve them?

Management for growth is a complex process with many variables. It requires many changes – and much flexibility – along the way. I can speak from personal experience in building J.P, Industries, Inc. in just ten years to a Fortune 500 industrial corporation. I also want to share with you the results of a research study conducted by Dr. L.(Hendrickson) Uhlaner, formerly with Eastern Michigan University, under my guidance on the question of growth management and published in a book. Borrowing from the classical goal approach, firms depend on financial viability to survive and grow. A financially viable firm can pay its bills when they are due and operate at a profit, simple enough. But achieving financial viability is much more complicated than merely determining objectives for profit and production of goods and services and then setting out to achieve these goals. We must define the issues that we must manage in order to assure financial viability – these include market strategy, work flow, resource acquisition, human relations, resource allocation, public relations, and technical mastery. Continue reading How do You Manage a Company to Grow? →

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How to Develop a High Performing Workforce as the Economy Recovers from Recession

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Stephen J. Gill– is a guest contributor.
An Independent Consultant for Human Performance
He publishes a blog at: http://ThePerformanceImprovementBlog.com.

Evidence indicates that most of the U.S. and other developed countries are starting to emerge from the worst economy since the Great Depression of the 30s. The likelihood that we will return to those conditions again in the near future depends on the financial and operational viability of companies, but also, to a great extent, on how well companies manage their employees. If executives don’t attend to the factors that determine a high performance workforce, their companies will not thrive and survive.

Some researchers estimate that as many as a third of employees will “jump ship” as soon as hiring takes off again. These employees are not content with their current situations and are just waiting for new opportunities to become available. Those who remain, feeling survivor-syndrome stress, will not be fully engaged in their work and will not perform at their best. Having lost much of their talent, with institutional wisdom walking out the door, and with a remaining workforce that lacks motivation, these companies will not be able to compete in their marketplaces. Continue reading How to Develop a High Performing Workforce as the Economy Recovers from Recession →