Good people of the business world, take cover! No, it’s not a tsunami, or hurricane or even a tropical storm. It’s the new scapegoat: headwinds. In a Wall Street Journal article entitled, “Sprint Loses More Customers,” Sprint Nextel CFO Joseph Euteneuer said, “We faced a number of competitive headwinds that became more pronounced in the second quarter.” Earlier in the week, Border’s began shuttering their roughly 400 remaining… READ MORE

As Borders began shuttering their roughly 400 remaining stores, company president Mike Edwards said, “We are saddened by this development. We were all working hard towards a different outcome, but the headwinds we have been facing for quite some time…have brought us to where we are now.” A heartfelt statement that craftily shifts the blame for their demise to external factors known as “headwinds”. Let’s call the downfall what it really… READ MORE

Borders filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week (“Borders Begins a New Chapter…11″). The reasons ranged from price battles with internet retailers like Amazon.com to carrying too much debt. But the real problem was a lack of strategy. Like so many other companies that experience early success and then falter, Borders failed to evolve their strategy over time based on the changing competitive landscape and customer value… READ MORE