Author Archives: Sheldon Clark

Careers & Retention Case Study – Sheldon Clark

  • What do you think is the most demotivating part of Harper’s job?

After Evaluating Harper’s situation, I think I found the most demotivating part of her job was that she not only lost a boss that she felt she had chemistry with, but also some of the effectiveness in communication, work life balance, and overall enjoyability on the job. Her new boss does not have as much time to dedicate to solely Harper, as he oversees an entire team not just 2-3 other employees and it sounds as if she feels she isn’t being seen or heard anymore at work.

 

  • If you were an HR manager meeting with Harper’s supervisor, David, what advice would you give to help them re-engage Harper?

If I Had to put myself in an HR manager’s shoes, I would recommend that David possibly    find time in his schedule to meet 1:1 with Harper to see what she needs to succeed. If Harper is experiencing burnout because of increase in workload it would be helpful to decrease some of her responsibility or if she had PTO suggest she take some time off. Furthermore, I would recommend that David establish clearer deadlines and communication, offer an incentive such as a raise or promotion around performance review time, and hold meetings to recognize employees that are putting in extra work to increase morale. (Appreciation lunches if they are in the budget.)

 

  • What would be the downside of losing Harper as an employee?

Harper has been in her position for the last 4 years since graduating, not only would it hurt the company to lose an employee who has almost hit the 5-year mark, but it also might create a domino effect of tenured employees leaving after seeing what Harper has dealt with. She has also talked with her friends about leaving, which may have an influence on some of the people she was close to in the company. Seeing how Harper has handled Jose leaving, this might create a strain on employees, and they may lose motivation to work hard, aka silent quitting. I also feel like since workload is already increasing across the board, if others were to start leaving it would pile more work onto the employees who decided to stay.

Marketing Assignment

Marketing Assignment

 

Nike’s origins trace to 1962, when Phil Knight toured the Onitsuka (now Asics) factory in Japan. Impressed by the speed and quality with which it produced shoes, he made a deal to sell the Onitsuka Tiger, the company’s signature shoe, in the United States. After showing the sneakers to Bowerman, the duo formed Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964. Knight largely focused on the business side of the company, while Bill Bowerman was involved in shoe design. In 1967 Bowerman created the popular Tiger Cortez, a modified version of the Onitsuka Tiger. In 1971 Blue Ribbon Sports split from Onitsuka and changed its name to Nike, after the Greek goddess of Victory. Its swoosh logo was also introduced that year.

 

Today, Nike has one of the most impressive marketing departments in the world, which manages to stage expertly timed interventions into the overlapping worlds of sport, politics, and pop culture. “Just do it” the slogan that brings in an impressive 51 billion a year in revenue, and the iconic mantra they’ve stuck with over the years is one of my favorite company sayings of all time; a big part of the reason I’ve been a long-time customer. Since a kid I always wondered to myself what does “just do it” mean? Just do what?

 

From the quality of products to some of the marketing campaigns I’ve seen Nike invest in, they’ve always had style and appeal. My first vivid memory of one of these ads having me in a mental chokehold takes me back to middle school days when Nike elite socks were a thing. A simple swoosh on the side, and mysterious bubbles running down the back of it, I was convinced that these socks could somehow make me play basketball better. My grandmother didn’t seem so convinced nor could she understand why these socks were $15 per pair, and why every 12-year-old boy needed to have a collection of them. I mean just the name alone sounded like something you didn’t want to miss out on. “Elite”, it made me feel as if I really was an elite and for some reason, this signified social status in 7th grade for me. How cool you were solely depended on how much Nike apparel you could fit into your outfits at the time.

 

Let’s talk about some of Nike’s marketing tactics using the 2000 Lance Armstrong campaign as an example of why this marketing team does outstanding work and always seems ahead of the curve. “It’s about you”, and “Livestrong” were two of the catchiest sayings behind the genius of the Lance Armstrong campaign. In the visual representation below, you can see Nike makes a bold statement portraying the heroics of Armstrong’s “strong lungs” by giving an elephant CPR. In my young eyes, this very portrayal practically immortalized the man regardless of his reputation with steroids and the doping scandal. This was one of many symbolic Nike ads I grew up watching on TV, and with thousands of them out there representing the prowess of “just doing it”, it’s hard not to wonder what all of the hype is for.

 

“Before being at the center of the biggest doping scandal in cycling history, Lance Armstrong was a sports icon recovering from cancer to win the Tour de France Road race seven consecutive times (1999-2005). When this Nike television commercial aired in 2000, Armstrong was revered; an athlete of such seeming strength and endurance that he could breathe new life into a dying elephant. Though the animal survives in the ad, in real life, Armstrong’s reputation would not. He was eventually stripped of his titles and publicly disgraced for cheating.” (Vintage Broadcasting System) Lance Armstrong commercial for Nike (2000) – YouTube    

 

Nike manufactures many different products for many different needs. When you think of the brand, you may think of sneakers, socks, clothing, even school supplies such as backpacks. Over the years, I probably had my grandparents spend thousands on products when back-to-school shopping with them, and items for sports events like thermals and undershirts. I genuinely believe why it could be so easy to come out of pocket for a product entirely has to do with overall quality and how the merchandise is advertised. Influence and popular demand are two more huge factors, and I believe the tactics used in these campaigns; make you believe you can do anything.

The Founder Assignment – Sheldon Clark

What makes Ray Kroc and the Mcdonald brothers different from each other? 

Ray Kroc starts out as a persistent yet unsuccessful milkshake machine salesman out of Illinois. Until he runs into the brothers who request 8 of his machines be delivered to their restaurant, he seems to be down on his luck. The Mcdonald brothers had at least 10-15 years of experience running their own business before they met the infamous Kroc. Through trial and error, they eventually manage to get their burger business off the ground and it becomes a hotspot in San Bernardino, California.

While each of them faced their own adversities starting out, Dick is a creative to his core. He introduced the Speedee service system which helped shape the way we think of fast food today. With the help of his brother Mac, they were able to perfect this system; an addition to what made them so popular. Impressed by the high-quality food and exceptionally quick service Ray asks the brothers out to dinner. He wanted to learn the genius behind the Mcdonald’s brand.

Kroc wanted to be a part of what the brothers already had, and he saw a golden opportunity. He suggests that their brand is franchisable. He didn’t contribute any creative ideas or implement his own blueprint for their system but came along as one of their first expansion partners. When Ray and the brothers go into business together is where you can immediately see the personalities of the trio clash. An example of this is displayed early on, when Ray suggests a brand deal with Coca-Cola on the cups. Dick says it’s not Mcdonalds, and he doesn’t like the idea of an Ad on their product. Ray didn’t get the answer he wanted and hangs up the phone in Richard’s face. He does this several times throughout the movie, and one of the brothers even state he is a hothead. The McDonalds’ I feel, slowly started to realize that possibly this is someone they shouldn’t have trusted.

Do you think the Mcdonalds brothers did the right thing by selling out? Did Ray Kroc give them a good deal?
I believe the brothers did a very generous thing by offering to go into business with Kroc, but they got way more than they bargained for in conclusion. Mac wanted to make his brother’s dream come true and in a way it did but ultimately, they lost their name and brand. I wouldn’t say the brothers did the right thing by selling out. They got 2.3 million for their idea and company name but lost out on at least 100 million in royalties because their handshake deal wasn’t honored, and it was never in writing. Ray Kroc is the Don King of burgers; he completely undermined the entire operation. The Big M; the Mcdonalds brothers’ new restaurant was only able to stay open for one year before being torn down in ’72. Ray Kroc intentionally set up a franchise right down the street for them to ensure their demise. They got a terrible deal.

How did the local store franchisees make their money?
The local stores only made money from actual sales. If nobody was flipping burgers nobody was making money. Overhead costs were deducted from total revenue and rent was to be paid for the land the store stood on.

How did Ray Kroc make money? How was that different from the local franchisees?
Kroc met a man named Harry Sonneborn, who suggested he should stop selling burgers and start selling real estate. Kroc started to buy the plots of land the franchises were to be built on. He would then lease the land to the new store owners; and charge the stores rent, or a percentage of sales which ever was greater. He basically pulled off a cosmic double dipping scheme. It was different, because he was now as Harry suggested not only selling burgers but land also.

Did this movie change your view of Mcdonalds?   

When the movie ended, I felt sympathy for the brothers. I felt as is Ray Kroc did them extremely wrong, but I don’t think I can take back the amount if times I’ve ate there in my life. To make this assignment more fun, I ordered Mcdonalds for lunch off uber eats and watched the movie. I wouldn’t say it exactly changed my view.  One thing I can say is if Kroc hadn’t stepped in Mcdonalds might have become another small-town staple, or a hole in the wall burger spot you visited on vacation in California. It’s messed up how Mcdonald’s got so big, but Kroc came in with a global vision while the brothers were happy with being local superstars.

Ethics Assignment – Sheldon Clark

Ethics and Social Responsibility Research Essay (Waste Management)

For this assignment’s topic I chose to do research and speak about my former employer Waste Management, for many different reasons. From what I saw there alone as an employee, I can say they do prioritize their social responsibility, and go to many lengths to ensure they are following ethical principles.

Philanthropy in the workspace and in the communities.

Although I no longer work for them, they still come and pick up my trash on Tuesdays and all the drivers and helpers are very friendly, and professional. The way the employees carry themselves in communities speaks a lot about the company’s standards. While on the topic of employee relations, WM has an employee assistance program that helps workers in need. As an employee you can opt to donate to this fund bi-weekly or monthly in the event one of your fellow coworkers may need financial assistance. It is not required, but many of my peers themselves donated to the fund and the workspace itself feels like family.

The Waste Management Charitable Contributions Program also has a history of commitment to the environment, community, and service, and giving back to people in need, and in their own words, “We think globally and act locally to make a tangible impact in the communities we serve through investments, events, and charitable giving and other initiatives” – www.Wm.com

The Thunderbirds (A non-profit organization in Arizona dating back to 1932), hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, announced the 2021 edition of “The People’s Open” and raised more than $3.8 million which was awarded to local charities. The Thunderbirds and The WM Phoenix open have raised nearly $100 million ($99,558,224) since 2010 when Waste Management was named title sponsor and in its history the Phoenix Open has raised more than $165 million ($165,604,790). Personally, I’m a big golf fan, so I was ecstatic to hear that I worked for a company that not only hosted its own PGA event but has an affiliation with the Thunderbirds. Names like Bing Crosby have been associated Thunderbirds and this organization has been around for nearly 100 years raising money for communities.

To this day, there are only 55 members of The Thunderbirds: it’s an elite membership in the Phoenix area. Bob Goldwater, one of the founding members, decided the group should host a golf tournament, and so the Phoenix Open was born. “It’s a charitable organization that — our only driving force is Thunderbird Charity. So how we work is all year we spend putting this golf tournament on, and our fiscal year ends at the end of May, and we take all the proceeds from our tournament and their moved over to Thunderbird Charity, and we have a 15-person board with community leaders on that board that decide where all that money goes … And we’ve given over $166 million as a direct result of the WM Phoenix Open.” – WM Phoenix Open: What exactly are The Thunderbirds? (golf.com)

Reducing carbon footprint and cutting natural gas emissions.

Waste Management has converted over 75% of their national fleet from diesel to LNG and CNG. (Liquified natural gas and clean natural gas.) I saw proof of this almost everyday as a mechanic, because on LNG trucks to get them started before you pull them into a shop, they have an O-ring sensor that must be covered up. A life cycle analysis shows that LNG and CNG and diesel heavy duty trucks shows that LNG and CNG will reduce the life-cycle green house emissions by 11.17 and 25.18% respectively.

 

These may seem like small numbers, but if every truck on the road were to cut down 11%-25% on emissions it would make an impactful difference in our environment. Their plan is to reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 CHG emissions by 42% once we hit 2032, aligned with the Paris Agreement to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. WM is a leader in planting the seeds of a sustainable planet, and they are working everyday towards becoming a greener company.  They offer services to the public such as recycle and compost pickup as well, their drivers are committed to going far beyond the landfill.

Social responsibility & more about sustainability in our environments, volunteerism etc.

WM is by far one of the most dedicated companies I have seen when it comes to being socially responsible and fighting to become more environmentally accountable. When Hurricane Harvey hit in Texas, WM put people who lost their homes in hotels and had truck drivers on the road assisting with damage control and cleanup. An estimated 13 million people were affected, and 135,000 homes were damaged and destroyed when the catastrophe hit. Alongside organizations like The American Red Cross and AmeriCorps, Waste Management was on the forefront of the disaster.

WM also partners with the Wildlife Habitat Council which has been around for 30 years. By transforming land plots that they purchase into certified wildlife habitats; it promotes sustainability, wildlife preservation, and biodiversity. There are over a whopping 70 locations in the U.S. dedicated to preserving the habitats of animals. Here is what they do at some of these WHC sites around America:

‘Sun Valley – Southern California
Our Team at Sun Valley is caring for bees that were in poor health due to their living conditions. They will eventually be released into a nearby pollinator garden that can be used as an educational program for schools.

Twin Creeks Landfill – At Twin Creeks, — WHC’s 2022 Remediation Project Award Winner, 8,000 poplar trees help absorb leachate from the capped portions of the landfill. This prevents the site or remove leachate from the site by other means, providing environmental benefits to the area.

Abacoa Community Garden – Florida

WM operations in Florida have sponsored the Abacoa Community Garden for many years. The garden follows organic and sustainable growth practices to grow fruits, vegetables, wildflowers, butterfly plants, shrubs, and trees, and offers/hosts educational opportunities and events for people of all ages in the area.’ – WM.com/Impactinourenvironment

Conclusion…

 

From what is beknown to the public about Waste Management to having the inside scoop about how about how caring this company is about our planet and people alike, I’d say they do more than play their part when it comes down to the subject of the matter. Some objective recommendations I have to offer are possibly evaluating the current practices and identifying areas where continuous improvements can be made. They do a great job of fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, but I think continuous improvements can always be made in that area as well. WM stakes have also been trending in the stock market. As of today, October 6th, they are up .35% and are worth 155.44 USD per share. They are gathering more investors by the day, and I feel as if though some good objective feedback on that would be to put a priority on their stakeholders, and customers alike. Finding ways to meet their goal of 42% less emissions by 2032 would be another recommendation I have. Maybe even considering investing in converting their fleet to fully electric trucks by 2030 which would give off zero emissions. Companies like Mack, and Peterbilt have already rolled out fully electric Refuse Body Trucks and collaborated with Republic Services to get these big rigs on the road. Overall, I would say this company is on top of being “for the people” and does a great job of pursuing environmental sustainability. I literally cannot think of a more ethical organization.

Sheldon Clark

My name is Sheldon Clark, I'm currently a freshman business major here at BMCC, and an Underwriting apprentice with Zurich residing in Dallas, Texas. Some of my hobbies include skateboarding, playing guitar, listening to music and taking long walks and hikes in nature.

My BMCC email is: sheldonclark.72@stu.bmcc.cuny.edu