As summer comes to a close I thought I would look back over some of the posts from the past few months and see what updates might be called for.

The Chinese Risk. You can say you heard it on “Heard in the Suite” first and the groundswell around the dangers of products manufactured in China continues to grow with recent recalls by Mattel and others. One of my colleagues reported to me just today that a Vermont-based wooden train maker has seen spikes of traffic on their Web site similar to the holiday period. Watch for more consumers to demand “Made in the U.S.A.” or other trusted countries until manufacturers can ensure that products made in developing markets are safe.

Gonzales v. Wolfowitz. Well, I blew this one. In April I predicted that U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales would be shown the door before World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz because Wolfowitz publicly expressed regret for what angered his critics while Gonzales would cede nothing more than the obtuse “mistakes were made.” So much for my insights on leadership. Wolfowitz was sent packing from the World Bank just a few short weeks after my column while Alfredo Gonzales is just now stepping down as head of the Justice Department. It just goes to show how long one can last with the backing of one’s boss no matter how many people think you are doing a lousy job. Of course it helps when you boss runs the country. But even that defense can’t last forever.

Is it Easy to be Green? Back in May I chastised the Web site Sprig for saying that 95% of consumers only want to be 5% green. Sprig is still in business but the trend toward “clean and green” seems to be growing like a naturally occurring native plant (or weed). The jury is still out on which of us is right. My greenbacks are still on those companies that make a greater commitment to addressing environmental concerns and consumers who will demand more than token moves in that direction.

HARVARD BUSINESS ONLINE RECOMMENDS:
It's Time to Rethink What You Think You Know About Managing People (HMU Article)
Taking Charge Fast (HMU Article)
Harvard Business Review on Green Business Strategy (Paperback)