Featured Article

IDEX Pricing Spineometer: 2 of 5 Vertebrae

By Tim J. Smith, PhD January 9, 2025

IDEX, a global applied solutions provider, had a mixed Q3 2024. Revenue rose 0.6% to $798 million while earnings before interest and taxes fell 6.1 % to $168 million over the same period last year. A review of IDEX’s 30 October 2024 earnings call and associated financial reports provided insight regarding the importance of pricing on performance. IDEX is a diverse and complex business. It has three reporting units, Fluid & Metering…

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In This Issue

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American Airlines vs. Sabre Holdings: Destruction or Creation of Airline Traveler Value?

By Tim J. Smith, PhD February 3, 2011

In January 2011, American Airlines (AMR) and Sabre Holdings, parent company of Travelocity, came to loggerheads over content, fees, and the role of global distribution systems in the future of air travel.  While American Airlines seeks to gain efficiencies and customer intimacy by encouraging customers and ticket brokers to connect directly with the American Airlines information systems, Sabre Holdings decries a reduction of choice and transparency and responds with a lower placement of American Airlines offerings in their distribution system.

Is American Airlines squeezing the distributors and harming customers or is this a strategic shift that improves welfare?

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Nuts & Bolts of Sales Management, Book Review

By John R. Treace February 3, 2011

Time and again, Treace noticed the same sales and corporate management missteps that led to poor performance in failing companies. In Treace’s book, these all-too-common errors are described along with practical, proven solutions to help sales executives and non-sales executives evaluate and cooperatively support the company’s sales efforts. This practical information is what you didn’t learn in business school.

Below are a few of the topics covered in the book, each of which will provide readers with a strong foundation for understanding how to build an outstanding sales operation—whether they are a CEO, CFO, COO, sales manager, or sales rep wishing to move into management.

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Pigs Talking

By Tim J. Smith, PhD January 3, 2011

Pigs Talking on “The ‘Free’ Model”, a take on Wiglaf Journal emerging media editor David Dalka on Dear Facebook, Please Return Our…

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Top 6 – January 2011

By Tim J. Smith, PhD January 3, 2011

“No sensible person would claim that [quantification] can tell the whole story.” Angus Maddison, professor at the University of Groningen and authority…

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