Can we apply new business strategies in the government to improve our economy or we should focus in past mistakes and reinvent new marketing strategies to change it?

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Permalink Reply by Julie Vruggink on November 19, 2009 at 9:26am

Martha, first congradulations on working toward your MBA. If marketing can be used to run for office, why not utilize the same strategies for the economy. If you look at the basics of business, you understand the main reason why a business is in business it to satisfy its stock and share holders, in an economy this means every person who contributes to the economy, not just the people at the top. Every person is a shareholder to the government, from the line worker to the CEOs. In order to obtain the greatest benefit when looking at policies, we need to consider what the majority shareholders are willing to undertake and what they need, at a state level that is the people of the state. Their opinion needs to be listened to without interjecting what "we think they want". There are many other strategies that can be used when running an office, but each leader needs to be in touch with the shareholders or consumers. If a procudt is too over priced for the consumer to buy, a company will lose sales and therefore profits, the same works for the economy, if unemployment is high, where is the state bringing in the needed tax dollars, or is there a different approach that would better? A business cannot just keep raising their price and expect the consomer to keep paying the increase.

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Permalink Reply by Rachele Downs on December 6, 2009 at 11:33am

Last summer I attended a education/workforce development meeting at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where Robert Ingram, Glaxo Smith Klein's chairman, challenged the attendees, comprised of chamber and economic development professionals, to establish workforce preparedness and economic development desks at each of our local broadcast stations.

Mr. Ingram pointed out "How wrong it is that most people care more about who won last nights game? yet have no idea how our schools are performing against other districts, other states or even other countries."

By establishing an independent "desk" for education and economic development with daily reporting, we create a "psychological stop", signaling people to listen for these important issues and communicating various ways in understanding how they can make a difference. I truly believe this small tweak in the way these topics are covered could have a significant effect on growing civic responsibility in our communities.

Attached the media advisory proposal I am working on to do this in Detroit for your review as a template.

I think this could be a extraordinary opportunity to lead and support similar initiatives such as "Rebooting the News: Reconsidering an Agenda for American Civic Education." see http://journalismthatmatters.org

Given the state of the industry, WHAT’s possible now? HOW are stories chosen? HOW are they told? WHAT kind of change is productive? WHAT is the role of journalism in connecting people and community?

(Please contact me at racheledowns@yahoo directly with your email if are interested in receiving a copy as the website isn't allowing me to grab the file.)

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