Guest Blogger: Laura Lunsford, Ph.D., Director, Swain Center for Executive & Professional Development

We tend to spend a lot of time at the start of relationships but neglect paying attention to how we might end them well.

For example, would-be lovers woo us with promises of dinners, chocolates, flowers. Yet breakups are usually seen as unpleasant. We spend time orienting new employees to organizations and hopefully to their new colleagues.

This employee profile is from UNCW’s ‘We Are UNCW’ series and was posted on November 6, 2017.

Although Matt Mylott ’07, ’18M is a native Californian, he’s very much at home on the East Coast. All it takes is a stroll down Chancellor’s Walk to remind him of what he loves most about life here.

Guest Blogger: Dr. Adam Jones, Associate Professor of Economics, Cameron School of Business and Regional Economist for the Swain Center.

Let’s face it, forecasting long into the future with and degree of certainty is difficult to do. The Jetsons originally aired in the 60s and envisioned personal air travel and all kinds of other automated conveniences that are yet to appear.  We have certainly moved in the direction of more automation, and while we don’t have affordable robot housekeepers (yet), Rumba vacuum cleaners are beginning to clean our living rooms, and cars are driving themselves. This dramatic advance in technology raises questions about the future of employment and creates angst in labor markets.

Guest Blogger: Laura Gail Lunsford, Ph.D., Director of the UNCW Swain Center

According to the US Census by 2060 almost 1 in 5 people in the US will be foreign born and 56 of every 100 people will be from what we now consider a minority race or ethnic group. The coming wave of ethnic diversification in the U.S. workforce makes it even more important that companies promote inclusive mentoring.

Guest Blogger: Dr. Donald Barnes, Associate Professor of Marketing, Cameron School of Business

Customer satisfaction is no longer enough to ensure profitable customer relationships. Satisfied customers are not loyal or willing to tell others about your business and how great it is; they are simply satisfied. Their expectations were met. Why would they tell anyone about that?
 

Guest Blogger: Laura Gail Lunsford, PhD, Director of the UNCW Swain Center (This article was originally shared on WilmingtonBiz.com on May 1, 2017)

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Mentoring never hurt anyone.
 
People don't really need training to mentor someone else.
 
“Programming” mentoring seems fake.
 
"Assigning" people to relationships doesn't work well.

March 2017 Editor's Note: This post was originally published in February 2017.

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Guest Blogger: Laura Gail Lunsford, PhD, Director of the UNCW Swain Center

Healthcare is big business. The Center for Disease Control reports that the United States spends 17.5 percent of the gross domestic product on healthcare. Costs are increasing and the regulatory environment is uncertain, with a commitment by the newly elected U.S. President to oversee a change to the Affordable Health Care Act. Who is prepared to lead healthcare organizations in these turbulent times?

March 2017 Editor's Note: This post was originally published in October 2016 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Guest Blogger: Laura Gail Lunsford, PhD, Director of the UNCW Swain Center

Is it true you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Or does the Harvard Business Review have it right in its recent article, "The Best Leaders are Constant Learners"?

It is harder to change as you advance in your profession, but as Jack Welch famously said, you need to “change before you have to.”

March 2017 Editor's Note: This post was originally published in August 2016 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Guest Blogger: Dr. Robert T. Burrus, Jr., Dean, Cameron School of Business

Each year, springtime returns to Wilmington, and along with the flowers, you might be thinking it is time for your talent to bloom as well. If you are a business professional who is looking to experience some career growth, or perhaps even branch out in a new direction, there are plenty of ways for you to take advantage of opportunities locally to sharpen your skills and add new competencies to your resume. If you are an employer tasked with talent management strategies, you are definitely looking to investigate paths to greater success for your firm and your employees.

March 2017 Editor's Note: This post was originally published in August 2016 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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“Joining the program broadens your global business vision - it will help us continue to work in an international society,” said Cagla Kardemir, an MBA candidate from Yeditepe University in Istanbul, Turkey.  2016 was the second year that the Swain Center at the Cameron School of Business, with the leadership of Dr. Cem Canel, has hosted a three-week program for students from Turkey.