Discussion:
Marsha, we are about to turn a corner. As we analyze our organizations we must look at what makes them tick, and where they are postured to move forward in the future. There are three keys to business success I like presented by Mona Pearl, founder of Beyond a Strategy, Inc. (2016) The first is to have a strategy. A strategy is long term. Tactics are short term and may even be incremental. Having no strategy would leave you chipping away at items that appear on the radar screen without considering the companies long term reach and corporate vision and mission, and applying the concept of SWOT to posture for success. The second item is understanding the culture. Paying well is not necessarily the way to a good manager's success or the foreign located unit when the manager has not worked with people with our values and work ethic (or a dozen other reasons.) Understanding the culture is understanding how they think and act. Third is understanding your competitive edge. Operating globally moves the operation to a location to capitalize on giving the people what they want.
What are your capabilities and what is your niche? What do you provide that others cannot?
Are you positioned for the present and the future?
Knowing the culture and trends and having a strategy for success by staying ahead of the competition (a constant learning process) is key to market sustainability.