New Book Says Solutions to Business Crisis Can Come from Strategic-Minded Leadership
Brainworks Books’ new release Absolutely Vulnerable, the Crisis of Strategic Business Planning in America (ISBN 978-0-578-01686-3) takes a look at the fundamental differences between the marketing principles that succeed and those that fail. It is a timely release that resonates with the needs of the current business environment. From the US Auto Industry to the 2008 Presidential Election, Thomas Allen Malm presents poignant examples to demonstrate his strong points.
Philadelphia, PA, April 02, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Brainworks Books’ new release Absolutely Vulnerable, the Crisis of Strategic Business Planning in America (ISBN 978-0-578-01686-3) takes a look at the fundamental differences between the marketing principles that succeed and those that fail. It is a timely release that resonates with the needs of the current business environment. From the US Auto Industry to the 2008 Presidential Election, Thomas Allen Malm presents poignant examples to demonstrate the a planning process that can be applied to almost every endeavor. “Its proven that you will be successful 5% of the time if you say you’ll do something, but over 80% of the time if you follow the fundamental principles of formal strategic planning.” In addition to the auto industry and politics, Malm shares examples from the music industry, wholesale distribution, private aviation, minor-league professional sports, and office equipment industries.
According to Malm, as businesses struggle through the current recession, the survivors will be the ones that adopt fundamental changes in the way they plan and manage. Malm takes Detroit’s Big-Three automobile manufacturers to task, contrasting their business model, fundamentally established in the 1920’s by General Motor’s CEO Alfred P. Sloan, with the Peter Drucker-influenced practices of Toyota and others. In discussing the failed practices of the Big Three CEO’s, Malm writes, “These three men live with us, join us at the baseball park on opening day, are among us as we watch the fireworks on The Fourth of July, and carve the same traditional turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Yet, every day since taking the helm of their companies they have surrendered your business to people who were raised, educated, and live in places like Japan, Germany and South Korea.” He points out that Rick Wagoner took the reigns of GM in 2000, when the Detroit manufacturers held two-thirds of the US auto market. In 2008, the US manufacturers held less than half of the market.
Malm is a storyteller, with a gift for the rhythmic phrase, humor, and home-spun wisdom. The book opens with an anecdote in which he learned that the person in the seat next to him on a cross-country flight was planning the relocation of his corporate headquarters. After hearing the list of complex considerations involved in such a move, Malm commented, “Tough job.” The reply was surprising. “Not at all,” the man said. “I just need to figure out where the CEO wants to live, and justify it.” In this story he describes the “Yes Man” culture where compliance to the status quo is rewarded and advancement is earned by agreeing with the boss in the common “top-down” autocracy.
While Absolutely Vulnerable will have natural appeal to those in decision-making roles within any company, its easy-reading style offers an illumination of various business practices and cultures that will appeal to anyone concerned about their stock portfolio, their job, or interested in answers to why American business has lost so much ground to foreign competitors. For smaller business, he discusses principles that help identify the vulnerabilities of the competitors and the processes to systematically take market share.
The Author: Thomas Allen Malm, President of T.A. Malm & Associates, is a proven marketing strategist who has written the plans that have launched several best-selling products and repositioned several others. He has applied proven techniques in a range of industries from consumer electronics, office products, musical equipment, wholesale distribution, the non-profit sector, politics, and private aviation. He has seen how formal strategic planning will help companies flourish when applied, and he has witnessed dramatic failures when this discipline has been dismissed.
On topics ranging from business, politics, and sports, Thomas Allen Malm has been interviewed for his expert insight in papers ranging from the Miami Herald, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The News Journal (Wilmington, DE), and various trade publications. As a public speaker he has shared the podium with numerous leading politicians, business leaders, military commanders, and community advocates.
His business background includes positions as: President & CEO (SoundBrands, LLC), Vice President of US Operations (Laney USA), Vice President & Divisional General Manager (MBT International), Marketing and Operations Manager (Brother International), National Marketing Manager (New World Aviation), and Regional Sales Manager (Casio, Inc).
Malm, who resides in Quakertown, Pennsylvania; was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa; raised in Wilmington, Delaware; and spent fourteen of the last sixteen years in Charleston, South Carolina. Malm is a popular Philadelphia-area musician and highly-honored amateur ice hockey coach.
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According to Malm, as businesses struggle through the current recession, the survivors will be the ones that adopt fundamental changes in the way they plan and manage. Malm takes Detroit’s Big-Three automobile manufacturers to task, contrasting their business model, fundamentally established in the 1920’s by General Motor’s CEO Alfred P. Sloan, with the Peter Drucker-influenced practices of Toyota and others. In discussing the failed practices of the Big Three CEO’s, Malm writes, “These three men live with us, join us at the baseball park on opening day, are among us as we watch the fireworks on The Fourth of July, and carve the same traditional turkey on Thanksgiving Day. Yet, every day since taking the helm of their companies they have surrendered your business to people who were raised, educated, and live in places like Japan, Germany and South Korea.” He points out that Rick Wagoner took the reigns of GM in 2000, when the Detroit manufacturers held two-thirds of the US auto market. In 2008, the US manufacturers held less than half of the market.
Malm is a storyteller, with a gift for the rhythmic phrase, humor, and home-spun wisdom. The book opens with an anecdote in which he learned that the person in the seat next to him on a cross-country flight was planning the relocation of his corporate headquarters. After hearing the list of complex considerations involved in such a move, Malm commented, “Tough job.” The reply was surprising. “Not at all,” the man said. “I just need to figure out where the CEO wants to live, and justify it.” In this story he describes the “Yes Man” culture where compliance to the status quo is rewarded and advancement is earned by agreeing with the boss in the common “top-down” autocracy.
While Absolutely Vulnerable will have natural appeal to those in decision-making roles within any company, its easy-reading style offers an illumination of various business practices and cultures that will appeal to anyone concerned about their stock portfolio, their job, or interested in answers to why American business has lost so much ground to foreign competitors. For smaller business, he discusses principles that help identify the vulnerabilities of the competitors and the processes to systematically take market share.
The Author: Thomas Allen Malm, President of T.A. Malm & Associates, is a proven marketing strategist who has written the plans that have launched several best-selling products and repositioned several others. He has applied proven techniques in a range of industries from consumer electronics, office products, musical equipment, wholesale distribution, the non-profit sector, politics, and private aviation. He has seen how formal strategic planning will help companies flourish when applied, and he has witnessed dramatic failures when this discipline has been dismissed.
On topics ranging from business, politics, and sports, Thomas Allen Malm has been interviewed for his expert insight in papers ranging from the Miami Herald, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The News Journal (Wilmington, DE), and various trade publications. As a public speaker he has shared the podium with numerous leading politicians, business leaders, military commanders, and community advocates.
His business background includes positions as: President & CEO (SoundBrands, LLC), Vice President of US Operations (Laney USA), Vice President & Divisional General Manager (MBT International), Marketing and Operations Manager (Brother International), National Marketing Manager (New World Aviation), and Regional Sales Manager (Casio, Inc).
Malm, who resides in Quakertown, Pennsylvania; was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa; raised in Wilmington, Delaware; and spent fourteen of the last sixteen years in Charleston, South Carolina. Malm is a popular Philadelphia-area musician and highly-honored amateur ice hockey coach.
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Brainworks Books
Thomas Malm
484-358-3868
www.tamalm.com/brainworks_books
Thomas Malm
484-358-3868
www.tamalm.com/brainworks_books
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