Chief Strategy Officer, Issue 18

T H E

L E A D I N G

V O I C E

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S T R AT E G Y

CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER

DEC 2015 | #18

How Dr.Dre’s Beats Took Over The Headphone Market Dr. Dre is one of the world’s most successful artists, but it’s his business acumen that has driven Beats to dominate the headphone market. We find out how. |12

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Richard Branson: The King Of Strategic Diversification The Virgin boss is the prime example of a diversified success, and no where is his more evident then with his airline. |5

Volkswagen’s Shift In Strategy could Start A New Era The emissions scandal has hit Volkswagen hard. We investigate whether new CEO, Matthias Müller, can turn the company around. |9

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ISSUE 18

EDITOR’S LETTER Welcome to the 18th edition of Chief Strategy Officer.

A company’s ability to strategize is really tested in times of adversity.

Volkswagen’s fall from grace is a case in point. Not only has the emissions scandal negatively affected its profits, but the brand’s image has been, in all likelihood, permanently damaged.

It demonstrates how vulnerable even the world’s most established brands can be. Another company that’s taken a big strategic risk recently is Amazon. Jeff Bezos has risked upsetting Google and Apple, announcing that the company has stopped selling their mediastreaming products. It’s a bold move. Amazon is clearly trying to promote its Prime service, but some feel that the company has forgotten about its customers.

While some companies are in a period of uncertainty, certain brands

- like Beats - can seemingly do no wrong. Dr. Dre’s headphone company was recently sold to Apple, but not before an extensive marketing campaign, which has become something of a blueprint for emerging companies.

Although marketing is clearly an essential tool for driving profits and organizational growth, it’s never the sole reason for success. Google, Amazon and the Virgin Group are prime examples of diversified companies, which have made bold leaps into new ventures.

In the early 1980s, Richard Branson was seen as a music mogul. Having signed the Rolling Stones and Janet Jackson, all the signs pointed to him continuing in the industry. The shock announcement that he was going to start an airline bemused his company’s directors, but has

ultimately proved a lasting success.

With this in mind, you would think that diversification is a sure fire route to success. Yet time after time we see companies fail after they diversify, with Snapchat the most recent example. It just goes to show the importance of intuition when it comes to business strategy.

Simon Barton Managing Editor

As always, if you have any comment on the magazine or if you want to submit an article, please contact me at sbarton@theiegroup.com

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contents 5 | RICHARD BRANSON: THE KING OF STRATEGIC DIVERSIFICATION

The Virgin boss is the prime example of a diversified success, and nowhere is this more evident then with his airline 7 | HOW DR.DRE’S BEATS TOOK OVER THE HEADPHONE MARKET

Dr. Dre is one of the world’s most successful music artists, but it’s his business acumen that has driven Beats to dominate the headphone market. We find out how he’s done it

15 | FIGHTING FLU SEASON

Should corporate wellness strategies include flu jabs?

We look at the evidence 18 | FIVE QUOTES FOR BUSINESS LEADERS

Some of history’s greatest figures left us with quotes on leadership that still resonate today. We look at five of the best 21 | TRANSPARENCY IN THE WORKPLACE

Malcolm Rowlings discusses whether transparency in the workplace is always a good thing

9 | VOLKSWAGEN’S SHIFT IN STRATEGY COULD START A NEW ERA

The emissions scandal has hit Volkswagen hard. We investigate whether new CEO, Matthias Müller, can turn the company around 12 | THE BATTLE FOR POWER: AMAZON, GOOGLE AND APPLE

WRITE FOR US

Do you want to contribute to our next issue? Contact: sbarton@theiegroup.com for details

Amazon recently announced that it would stop selling products from Apple and Google. We examine the implications for each company

| assistant editor james ovenden contributors malcolm rowlings, harriet connolly, sam geapin, nathan edwards creative director oliver godwin-brown managing editor simon barton

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Richard Branson: The King Of Strategic Diversification Simon Barton Managing Editor

In 1984, Virgin Atlantic’s inaugural flight left Gatwick Airport for Newark.

Now arguably Virgin’s most recognizable brand, it’s easy to forget how left-field a decision it was to get the airline up and running. Before 1984, the company’s portfolio was almost entirely dominated by music-related ventures, with Branson’s last meaningful business move prior to starting Virgin Atlantic being the purchase of London’s ‘Heaven’ nightclub.

The early eighties were highly successful for Virgin Records. Having signed Janet Jackson and the Rolling Stones, the label was establishing itself as a major force in the music industry. When Branson revealed he had set his sights on starting Virgin Atlantic, the company’s senior directors were up in arms; why was Branson losing focus at a time when they were close to having a stable of stars, guaranteed to bring in millions in revenue every time an album was released?

For every example of success, there’s one of failure. Snapchat’s recent decision to move into online payments with ‘Snapcash’ has proved unsuccessful, with some even claiming it threatens to damage the wider Snapchat brand.

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For James Clear - author and strategic advisor - Virgin Atlantic, above all of Branson’s brands, is the most indicative of the businessman’s mindset.

The first time Branson filled a plane with passengers wasn’t actually in 1984. After having a flight to the Virgin Islands cancelled, he chartered a plane. Not the billionaire he is today, Branson couldn’t afford the journey alone. Undeterred, he found the passengers who were supposed to be on his flight, and sold off each seat on the chartered plane for $29. He, along with the rest of the cancelled flight’s passengers, made it to the Virgin Islands that night.

It’s hard to tell whether the story is embellished, but if true, it stands as further evidence that Branson is as an impulsive, yet creative entrepreneur. For James Clear author and strategic advisor - Virgin Atlantic, above all of Branson’s brands, is the most indicative of the businessman’s mindset. In one of Clear’s ‘ten pillars of getting better’ he states: ‘We believe that successful people start before they feel ready and fight when it gets hard.’ He believes that this philosophy is essential to successful entrepreneurship and Branson’s career, as ‘you will never know ‘enough’ nor is the timing ever ‘perfect’ when you start a venture.’

After attending a panel session with Branson, Clear, while impressed by the candidness of the Virgin

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boss’s answers, didn’t believe he possessed a superior intellect, but that his ‘screw it, just do it’ mentality was what made him stand out.

More than anything, his willingness to start a new venture before he or his company is ready defines him as a businessman - someone who’s happy to take risks if the reward is great.

The EasyGroup - most famous for its airline easyJet - has adopted a similar strategy, but with the airline acting as the organizations’s platform. The company, for example, now operates in the hotel industry and owns a number of gyms in London. In fact, Amazon and Google have also earmarked diversification as the key to organizational growth.

Amazon still pumps almost every dime it makes back into product development and R&D, and the successful release of its Prime service shows that it’s working. Jeff Bezos announced that Apple and Google products would no longer be available on Amazon because of their incompatibility with Prime, further evidence that the company is willing to sacrifice short-term profits to promote diversification.

To add to this, Google’s creation of the Alphabet was, according to its founders, done specifically to drive diversification allowing executives to

concentrate on non-core initiatives.

This approach, however, remains uncommon in today’s marketplace.

For many, it makes strategic sense for companies to stick to what they know, and if diversification is needed, that change is at least linked to a core product in some way. And you can’t just say that because Branson’s approach worked for him, it’s going to work for you - luck and timing always play an important role. For every example of success, there’s one of failure. Snapchat’s recent decision to move into online payments with ‘Snapcash’ has proved unsuccessful, with some even claiming it threatens to damage the wider Snapchat brand.

What Branson’s actions do show, however, is that diversification, as a strategy, can work and is being adopted by some of the world’s most profitable companies.

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How Dr.Dre’s Beats Took Over The Headphone Market Richard Angus Head of Strategy

The producer turned business mogul has tripled his valuation in three years, almost exclusively on the back of the sale of his Beats stake

Dr. Dre shot to fame in the late eighties as one of the leading members of NWA. The group’s songs depicted life in Compton, Los Angeles, and their frustrations with the police.

Although NWA’s songs were accused of romanticizing crime, Dr. Dre was never involved in any serious altercations with the authorities. The group’s other creative lead, Ice Cube, shared Dr. Dre’s aversion to crime, and concentrated on writing.

It was a decision that’s reaped considerable rewards. If you believe Forbes, Dr. Dre’s now worth $700 million, if you believe the man himself, he’s worth $1 billion. His record label, Aftermath Entertainment, discovered Eminem and 50 Cent, while his own solo career has also been highly profitable, with both his albums - The Chronic and 2001 - going platinum in the US. Yet despite many success stories making music, it’s been his Beats venture that’s caused his net-

worth to rise so considerably. The company has an extensive portfolio of headphones, designed to be both fashionable and of high-quality in terms of audio. The producer turned business mogul has tripled his valuation in three years, almost exclusively on the back of the sale of his Beats stake - estimated to have been 25% in 2014 - to Apple. Dre banked $500 million that day.

Ironically, Beats cofounder, Jimmy Iovine had lambasted Apple eight years earlier for degrading audio quality, claiming that the company ‘was selling $400 iPods with $1 earbuds’. The iPod - clearly one of Apple’s greatest innovations allowed people to transport their entire music collection around, but the product’s headphones, which actually became a fashion accessory, negated, in the eyes of Dr.Dre and Iovine, all the advantages it presented.

Apple, however, had a lasting impact on Jimmy Iovine. In an interview in Inc. he states: ‘Steve Jobs was the first to marry technology directly

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The producer turned business mogul has tripled his valuation in three years, almost exclusively on the back of the sale of his Beats stake

with popular culture,’ adding that ‘I thought, wow, technology is the new artist.’ And just like Apple found a niche with the iPod, Iovine and Dr Dre believe they’ve found theirs.

A stylish, high quality headphone, ready to compliment the latest generation music players.

Beats’ rise has been remarkable.

Like many successful technology products, it has married fashion and high-spec entertainment, and according to Nate Lanxon, Editor at Wired, it’s caused a sea change where people understand why spending $200 on a pair of headphones is worthwhile. How did they do it? Dr. Dre’s network stretches far enough that superstars like LeBron James and Pharrell Williams were willing to wear the headphones seemingly whenever they were in public - which drew real pull in the youth demographic.

The company’s President, Luke Wood, also puts a lot of emphasis on educating consumers.

Beats headphones are inspired by customer queries about developments within the industry.

In Inc. he states: ‘This year, they’re talking a lot about wireless speakers

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and headphones,’ and that: ‘We want to teach people that Bluetooth can sound good.’

Not everyone’s convinced. Fast Code Design led with the headline: ‘Beats By Dre Isn’t Great Design, Just Great Marketing.’ Further stating that: ‘they’re really buying into is a seductive brand image fueled by a massive celebrity endorsement strategy.’ This, unfortunately, is a constant for Beats, with many companies writing them off as a fashion accessory and not worth the money in terms of audio quality.

Whatever the case, the brand has captured America’s youth. Jimmy Iovine knows that work still needs to done. He says: ‘Bad audio is free.’

But as many have pointed out, it shouldn’t cost $200. These doubts mean that the company still needs to convince everyone that they are as good as they say they are.

From a marketing standpoint, however, Beats is something of a blueprint.

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VW’s Shift In Strategy Is Starting A New Era DutchScenery / Shutterstock.com

Sam Geapin Strategy Writer

Germany is synonymous with advanced automobile manufacturing, and Volkswagen - while not as luxurious as Audi, BMW or Mercedes Benz - recently overtook Toyota as the world’s leading car producer by revenue.

The company has, however, been in the midst of a worldwide controversy since September 2015. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discovered that around 11 million Volkswagen engines had been fitted with a ‘defeat device’, designed to lower car emissions when being tested. Although it’s difficult to link the added pollution to individual deaths, both the Associated Press and the New York Times estimate that the scandal could have caused between 16 to 106 deaths in the U.S alone.

While the nature of the controversy was always going to tarnish their reputation, it was further accentuated by a marketing campaign which heralded the company as being environmentally friendly. As such, heads have rolled. The most prominent was the resignation of former CEO, Martin Winterkorn, who was replaced by

Matthias Müller - previously the CEO of Porsche.

Müller will be tasked with revitalizing the company’s image, and also restructuring the company so that it moves away from the centralized system that had served it for so many years. Previously, major company decisions were only made in Wolfsburg, and only involved a very select group of senior managers. This meant that managers who controlled individual brands were often ignored, despite their specialized knowledge. Under Müller, they will be given much greater authority to make strategic changes when they see fit.

Martin Winterkorn, isn’t out of the picture entirely. He may not be head of Volkswagen anymore, but he remains the CEO of Porsche Automobil Holding SE - the company’s main shareholder.

His presence has called some

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to question whether Müller can carry out the necessary overhaul.

Volkswagen’s corporate culture was highlighted as a contributor to the emissions scandal. The centralized decision making structure meant that the workforce was often unaware of the company’s next move, and promoted a culture of secrecy.

Müller’s plans to change this, but his success could rely on the extent to which Winterkorn is given power to influence.

If Müller has his way, the company will reorganize into twelve separate brand groups, all of which will have their only senior management teams and decision making structures. This will take power away from Wolfsburg and make the company more transparent and competitive.

The scale of Volkswagen’s problems makes Müller’s position arguably the most challenging in business. He must take heart, however, from how the company’s contemporaries have responded, and recovered, from similar incidents in the past.

Volkswagen’s closest rival, Toyota, had perhaps an even tougher mountain to climb after it was forced to recall 8.8 million cars after an accelerator issue caused multiple deaths. Through extensive marketing, and an exoneration from NASA, they were able to reassert themselves as a market leader.

There’s hope yet.

The producer turned business mogul has tripled his valuation in three years, almost exclusively on the back of the sale of his Beats stake

Konstantin Yolshin / Shutterstock.com

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The Battle For Power: Amazon, Google and Apple Harriet Connolly Director, Global Operations

Amazon has upped the ante. If you want to use the online retailer to purchase media-streaming services from Apple or Google, your time is up. The company pulled all streaming devices incompatible with Prime on October 29.

Google is likely to be hit hardest. Apple has a strong retail network, and can reach out to its customers directly, something Google can’t fall back on.

Amazon - in the form of lost sales - won’t emerge unscathed either, especially with the announcement being so close to the festive season. The online retailer won’t stop selling all the products associated with Apple and Google, just their TV streaming devices - the Apple TV and Chromecast.

Konstantin Yolshin / Shutterstock.com|turtix / Shutterstock.com|TonyV3112 / Shutterstock.com

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The move, according to Amazon, will reduce customer confusion, as the products mentioned aren’t compatible with its Prime video service.

Instead of improving consumer experience, the strategy could cause a backlash, with customers

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Amazon - in the form of lost sales - won’t emerge unscathed either, especially with the announcement being so close to the festive season

using the retailer to both trade and purchase the products. In effect, Amazon could be putting the customer second, not first.

It’s a bold step by Jeff Bezos.

Especially when you consider that Prime customers constitute just a small minority of Amazon’s total business. But it does, once again, demonstrate that the company is willing to sacrifice sales to drive its content streaming service. It should be noted that other major content providers - including Sony and Roku - will still be available.

According to Bloomberg, Amazon risks ‘diverting purchases of popular devices to competitors such as Best Buy’. Further problems could arise if Apple and Google stay true to their word and build platforms, which could, potentially, help Amazon’s content.

Jillian D’Onfro states: ‘Google’s Chromecast streaming stick could actually support the Amazon Prime Video app, because Google makes its software-development kit (SDK) openly available to all developers.

Apple makes a beta version of its new tvOS SDK available.’

TV to stream Netflix? I think that the excuse of avoiding customer confusion is a not-so-veiled attempt to favor Amazon first-party products over third-party products, and think it was a bad move.’

Some have even labelled it ‘anticompetitive’. A weak attempt from Bezos to intimidate Apple and Google to make their products more compatible with Amazon services, something, which if you believe the report from Business Insider, is already on the cards.

But it does, once again, demonstrate that the company is willing to sacrifice sales to drive its content streaming service.

While you can question the company’s decision, it does prove that it has a lot of confidence in its content. And it continues to invest heavily. The company just produced its own hit comedy show Transgender - which will be available exclusively to Prime users. The move might even represent a strategic refocus, away from retail to a more concentrated effort on content.

Google and Apple will surely react.

But Jeff Bezos has made his bed and now he must lie in it.

If this is the case, Amazon might feel that it’s shot itself in the foot.

And much of the coverage around the decision seems to go along with that. Michael Patcher, Analyst at Wedbush Securities said: ‘Fewer than 20 percent of Amazon customers are Prime members’. He went on to say that: ‘What about the 80 percent who want an Apple

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Fighting Flu Season

James Ovenden Assistant Editor

In October 2015, a 26 year-old care worker died just days after getting sick, despite having the flu shot

Flu season is here. It might not be in full swing yet, but the bug has already started to rear its head in several parts of the U.S, with St.Louis County among those already readying itself by offering free flu vaccinations to anyone between the ages of two and 18 While mostly treatable, instances where otherwise healthy people die from the flu are not unheard of. In October 2015, a 26 year-old care worker died just days after getting sick, despite having the flu shot. According to Health Impact News, this year’s shot is ‘mostly ineffective against current influenza strains.’ This is, however, unproven.

The most common side effect of the shot is GuillainBarré Syndrome (CBS). The condition - which sees the body’s immune system attack the nervous system - is serious, with 20% of sufferers never making a full recovery. Statistics from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDP) show that one or two people attributed CBS to their flu shot.

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Despite having limitations, the chances of death, or even serious illness, remain low. And instead of being harmful, the shot normally does its job, and prevents the flu virus. Over the years, it’s been an important lifeline for businesses, minimizing days lost due to illness, and consequently increasing, or at least maintaining productivity.

The season does, however, take its toll. Between October and January, five to twenty percent of the U.S population will contract the flu. For those who don’t vaccinate themselves, this equates to more days off ill and a decrease in output.

Due to pressure from employers, many workers feel it necessary to come in when they are ill - which normally spreads the disease further.

Although doctors stand by the flu shot year-after-year, the public continues to stutter over its price.

At $30, some decide that they’ll ride their luck. This has led many to wonder why more companies don’t offer the shot as part of their corporate wellness strategy. For most companies, the money laid out in flu shots would probably be less than revenue lost through sickness, and also promote a more caring workforce culture.

Preventing illness, is, of course, central to any corporate wellness program. The flu can often linger for weeks, and with worker morale lowered, unhealthy lifestyle choices become more likely. Gym visits are often put on hold, and comfort eating can also occur. By having worksite vaccinations, workers can not only get vaccinated, but also talk to healthcare professionals about other concerns they may have.

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Armed with this new information, they can make changes, and even attempt to improve their immune system’s capacity to fight off illnesses.

The flu isn’t picky about who it infects. Everybody has probably been affected by it once in their life, making it a wellness initiative most would be keen to take up. This makes it the ideal platform for other ideas, and gets people involved who would otherwise be reluctant to mix health and work. If the flu jab proved successful, other initiatives might also be viewed with more optimism.

Be clear that there will be no charge at any point for treatment, and design care plans around the worker - make it as convenient as possible, so that they don’t fear that it will clash with their schedules.

America’s youth are becoming more and more health conscious. This is not only reflected in the foods they eat, but also in their approach to fitness. Many companies take advantage of this by including gym memberships in job offers.

As an extension of that, the flu shot promotes a healthier lifestyle, and therefore would probably be welcomed as part of a corporate wellness strategy.

Over the years, it’s been an important lifeline for businesses, abating days lost due to illness, and consequently increasing, or at least maintaining productivity.

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Five Quotes For Business Leaders Nathan Edwards Strategy Writer

Leaders are often remembered through their quotes. The best are often inspired by an event, or a certain period in time, and encapsulate public opinion, and a drive for change. While historians will always argue about the effectiveness of certain figures, their quotes can stand the test of time, and influence society’s next generation of leaders.

Quotes from leaders like Winston Churchill’s still remain relevant today.

And even if the political and business landscape has changed, they can be directly linked to problems facing those leading today’s companies.

Let’s examine five of the most interesting:

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”

Leaders will always take the limelight. Not only do they get the plaudits when things are going well, but they also answer to the critics if things go downhill.

In business, the greatest leaders are often visionaries. And while they are capable of understanding if an idea could be put into practice, they don’t always claim to understand

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how it can be made a reality.

Their job, therefore, is to inspire - a quality most great leaders normally have in abundance. Take Steve Jobs. He wasn’t the world’s best designer, nor was he the greatest engineer, but he gave those around him a vision to strive towards.

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"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough."

Retired Italian-American racing driver, Mario Andretti, is synonymous with speed in American pop-culture.

provides inspiration when trying to get buy-in for new products and strategies.

His words - despite sounding like an innovation cliche - have become increasing applicable to business leaders, as the pace of technological development quickens. The quote, which was presumably referring to the importance of drivers not getting complacent when leading a race, is relevant to business leaders, and

Success can be ripped away from companies quickly. And thinking that everything’s under control, as Andretti says, might just be the sign that a company’s beginning to stagnate.

“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”

Despite being over three decades old, Ralph Nader’s words ring truer than ever. Companies want to employ tomorrow’s leaders, and having a leadership structure in place which prohibits their progress will damage future company success. The best leaders impart their knowledge when it’s applicable,

and recognize success by handing out more responsibility.

If the leader wants to keep all the power, new ideas won’t be as rounded, and finding a successor will be difficult as the former leader will take considerable tacit knowledge with them.

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“The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.”

Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, continues to divide opinion.

Some praise his domestic policies, while others call him a warmonger.

This quote, however, is a pertinent reminder of the amount of projects that leaders have to assess. Research commonly claims that innovation can come from anywhere, but saying ‘yes’ to every idea, regardless of

how novel it is, isn’t possible.

Depending on resources, and the workforce a leader has at their disposal, new ideas for products and processes must be prioritized and tested accordingly.

Saying ‘no’ sometimes is a good idea.

“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.”

Statesman, Colin Powell, spent many years as a general in the United States army. Leadership in real-life warfare situations is about getting a point across as simply as possible. This is clearly of relevance in business. A vision can be clear in someone’s mind, but if it can’t

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be communicated it might as well be forgotten. The best leaders communicate their ideas and have solutions to the barriers likely to arise between the here and now and the idea’s completion.

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Transparency in the Workplace Malcolm Rowlings innovation writer

Transparency can be a hard concept for businesses to grasp, but it’s not impossible. When looking to implement more company transparency, companies should first make it a priority.

Often times, employers find themselves in a dilemma with how much company information they should give out. On the one hand, employers who are upfront and honest with their employees usually yield an atmosphere of trust, productivity and better employee engagement. However, too much transparency can lead to a competitive disadvantage for the company, risk of a negative public image and less company data security.

Where should the line be drawn?

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ADVANTAGES OF TRANSPARENCY BETTER COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT Transparency can only generate productivity when everyone is held to the same standard. Clear communication is needed for transparency and can be easily obtained through company meetings. When information is delivered effectively, everyone will feel as if they are a part of the team. This should come immediately when onboarding a new employee.

BETTER BUSINESS It’s important for organizations to not only have trust with their employees, but with their consumer base as well. Consumers will be more loyal to a brand they understand and trust—so companies shouldn’t be afraid to share what they are doing.

IMPROVED COMPANY GOALS Employees can work more efficiently when they have the ability to discuss their views. When information is shared within, company goals and objectives can be easily supported.

By bringing employees to the conversation, employees can understand what they need to do in order for the company to succeed.

Even though transparency has many positive attributes, there are some difficulties with transparency that organizations should be aware of.

Challenges of Transparency Employees feeling alienated When businesses demonstrate full transparency, they can become susceptible to being compromised by people within who could feel alienated. Employees may not be

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comfortable with a wide open policy that shares their annual salary.

RISK TO COMPANY DATA Organizations must realize that it could be hard to be transparent and keep some data confidential such as related trade secrets. Furthermore, too much transparency can be a competitive disadvantage in the business environment.

if needed. Some companies are transparent by measuring the performance of employees and are available to be seen. At the end of the day, see how much transparency would work within your company.

Remember, when businesses make a choice to be open to their employees, they will always be rewarded.

PUBLIC IMAGE By being too transparent with your company, it can create a negative public perception. Be aware that released information could be unclear, altered, or misinterpreted, which can lose customer trust.

Transparency can be a hard concept for businesses to grasp, but it’s not impossible. When looking to implement more company transparency, companies should first make it a priority. Discuss with your employees and supervisors about its benefits and how to integrate it into company culture. In this process you’ll be developing as a team and creating a unique work culture as well. Encourage all employees to come up with creative ideas to positively change the direction of the company. Many people enjoy being challenged and feel appreciated to be a part of problem-solving.

In many instances, transparency is frequently ignored but it can significantly advance productivity. Some organizations work in the cloud utilizing shared Google Docs, which can decrease confusion, and each employee has access to vital documents. It is integral for employees to know their level of productivity so they can make improvements

Employees can work more efficiently when they have the ability to discuss their views.

When information is shared within, company goals and objectives can be easily supported.

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