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The media has been covering the failure of SEARS CANADA, which filed for protection in June, and Toys R Us, which recently filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy with a $3.1-billion financing package. That was the largest ever for a retailer. Most experts agree that the changing preferences and shopping habits of consumers are behind these large business failures, and there is no doubt that online shopping and reduced traffic to traditional shopping malls have something to do with challenges most retailers now face.

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A company wants to speed up its growth, gain new resources and/or assets. Going "solo" through organic growth may work but takes longer to achieve. So the company considers acquisition. It's like constructing a new house versus buying an existing one. Buying an existing house makes you the owner overnight compared to having to wait until the new house is built.

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The Government of Ontario is proposing radical changes that will affect business and employees across the province. With little warning, negligible consultation, and economic impact research, the government is setting the province in a new direction. Here is a quick summary of five key changes:

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Recently I received two emails: “No poets are accepted at the office” (instead of pets). Another wrote: “I need an assistant that is efficient, cheerful and reproductive under pressure.”

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I am often asked the difference between strategies, tactics, and operational decisions. Differentiating between these three types of actions is very important for running a business successfully.

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In December 1974 I was working as a waiter at le Castillion Restaurant in The Bonaventure Hotel, in downtown Montreal. At the time, le Castillion was one of the top restaurants in the city. Smoked salmon was cut and served at the table, Caesar salad prepared and tossed in front of dining customers, violinists serenaded patrons to celebrate their special occasions, and Cuban cigars available—to provide a special finale to a unique gastronomic experience.

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My parents taught me the importance of saying “thank you.” They passed the importance of appreciation along to me. Recently, when I read about a 2012 research study “Turning Thank You into Performance,” I thought how amused my parents would be to hear that “thank you” is now credited as one of the keys to corporate success! The study found that companies that provide ample employee recognition and appreciation have 31% lower voluntary turnover rates than companies that don’t.

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My mom was an excellent cook. Her recipes were simple but delicious. She used to tell me that her secret was using fresh ingredients, enjoying the cooking, being consistent, and not cutting corners. But what does this have to do with management? To a large extent, good management also relies on a few steps that, if performed well, will result in good business performance. Cut corners or engage in sloppy execution and the outcome will be poor.

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One of the most common things you hear people say today is that they are busy. I could not do this or that because I was busy. Sorry I forgot this; I was busy. I haven’t seen you in ages; I’ve been so busy. I want to find time for the things I like doing, but I’m so busy. But is being busy the same thing as being productive?

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I often wonder how we managed before the advent of cell phones. There was a time when we all had wrist watches to tell the time, a small notebook to write notes on the go, an agenda to manage our appointments, a paper map to know how to get where we wanted to go, a wallet with money, credit cards, and yes, of course, a landline telephone to call friends and associates.

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