Archive for May 2015
Events drawing visitors to Greater Des Moines, week of May 4
The Elbert Files: Wasting gas tax & other failures
You were right,” said my friend K.C. when I ran into him on a warm spring day at the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park.
“I am?” I said, somewhat stunned. K.C. rarely gives me …
Read MoreGitomer: Is it a lead or a referral?
Having attended several networking events lately, I have heard the terms “lead” and “referral” bantered around.
Which would you rather have? Referrals, of course. It’s the personal power of a sales lead. A recommendation, not …
Read MoreMcLellan: Are you a commodity?
One of the first questions we ask a new client is “how are you different?” We usually hear things like:
1. Our people are better
2. Our products/services are better
But rarely do we hear …
Read MorePartnership eyes priorities
Editor’s note:
The Greater Des Moines Partnership is making plans for its annual policy promoting journey to Washington, D.C., where at least 197 business representatives and community leaders will have a word with the congressional …
Read MoreA year for the books
For a guy who says he had no real purpose in life after graduating from Marquette University, Gerry Neugent has done all right for himself, and for Knapp Properties, where he was named president and …
Read MoreUniversity Research: The skills your employees lack
With the goal of graduating business majors with the level of information literacy expected by employers, two University of Northern Iowa researchers set out to determine the disconnect between the level of research …
Read MoreUniversity Research: 3-D prototyping makes it easy
Grimes-based Ryko Solutions was revamping the equipment that feeds chemicals into the car wash systems it sells, including a special funnel. The company wanted to find a quicker way to try prototypes. Iowa …
Read MoreUniversity Research: How to get extra mileage from your team
A new study from the University of Iowa suggests managers can improve their work teams’ performances by focusing their motivation efforts on what they call an “extra miler” instead of trying to motivate …
Read MoreUniversity Research: Time to go global
Des Moines’ businesses are poised for rapid internationalization, but the process is complex and can be intimidating.
Jeff Kappen and Matthew Mitchell, both assistant professors in the international business program at Drake University, are …
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