When companies depart from what makes their brand special, they are off brand. Disappointment arises in the emotions of customers, employees, and other stakeholders. Here’s one example. Off brand Boar’s Head is a premium deli meat and cheese company. The purported advantage of the brand’s offering is highest quality. The superior quality was so great, it earned a higher price. Once a customer, I now walk past the Boar’s Head refrigerated cabinet at the front of my grocery store. Why? I’m repulsed by its recent actions. At the end of 2024, 10 people died and many others were sickened across 19 states after eating its deli meat. The company then had a massive recall of 71 products and eventually closed its Jarrett, Virginia plant. More than a few companies have product performance blips which are then corrected. But the Boar’s Head issue was…
The root causes of higher-than-necessary healthcare costs.
An earlier post highlighted who benefits from our nation’s dysfunctional healthcare system. Our system costs twice the average of the 12 countries that belong to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In 2022 our cost was $12,555 per capita compared to the average of $6,414 according to The Peterson Foundation. In the second highest nation – Switzerland – cost was $8,049. The blog post demonstrated that we do not get better population health outcomes from the higher prices we pay. In this post, let’s look at four root causes of higher spending on healthcare in the U.S. Any hope of finding a solution requires an understanding of these factors. Our system First, we have a highly fragmented system for paying healthcare providers. Medicare, Medicaid, self-insured employers, insurance companies (paying the healthcare bills for insured individuals), and individuals without insurance each require different…
Why This Election Is So Close
Six friends. All professionals, each uber-active in the affairs of our community. Mutual respect runs high. We are well-read, even across the political spectrum. Yet we are at opposite ends in this election cycle when voting for President. We are a microcosm of why this election is so close. Trump cannot win without the votes of non-MAGA Republicans and Independents. Three are in our group, along with three Democrats. The Independent is a former GOP member who left the party over Trump. This man is a former marine, newsman, and recognized business leader who feels strongly (and correctly) that leadership starts with character, and Trump lacks positive character attributes. Among the Democrats, one is a former independent so outraged by the GOP supporting Trump two election cycles before that she became a Democrat. That’s me. Admittedly, I have always leaned democratic (while voting…
Let’s Keep Federal Government Functions Nonpartisan
I flew home to San Diego from visiting family in Baltimore last week. The view out my window over Houston, my connecting city, was crystal clear. The picture reminded me of my first plane ride late in my teenage years. How, I wondered at the time, did everything work together to create what, from the air, looked so harmonious? I had not the faintest idea. The question led me to study economics, first at Penn State and then at MIT, where I earned a doctorate after mastering, among other concepts, Adam Smith’s “invisible hand.” It explains the order I sought to understand. As I observed Houston from the air, my age now decades older, the importance of interstate roads was obvious. Without them, I’d see the minor roads jam-packed. The private airport we flew over could never handle the traffic at Houston’s IAH,…
Debunking three myths about immigration to the US
Immigration is a top issue in voters’ minds. I want to share some facts about immigration so that we can all be more informed voters. As business leaders, work force trends matter, and immigration helps drive these trends. Deficits also concern us. Did you know that the US Congressional Budget Act predicts the 2021-2026 immigrant population is expected to pay close to a trillion dollars more in taxes than consumed in government benefits? Myth: The immigration system is out of control. Truth: Parts, but not all of it, are broken. There are three ways non-residents enter and legally remain as permanent residents of the US. One is the Visa System, which offers lawful permanent residence. Who gets these? There are three subgroups here: First are immediate relatives of US citizens. There is no limit on the number of spouses, minor unmarried children, and…