Bookmarks: 5 Interesting Articles to Help You This Week

August 28th, 2017

Each week, I select a few articles that rise above the fray and hopefully help you on your journey in the CRE world. They pull from one of four "corners:" corporate real estate, technology, management science and anything positive. I welcome your comments on these articles and the submissions of others (with credit to you if I post them). I wish you a terrific week!

Aging Parents With Lots of Stuff, and Children Who Don’t Want It“As baby boomers grow older, the volume of unwanted keepsakes and family heirlooms is poised to grow — along with the number of delicate conversations about what to do with them. According to a 2014 United States census report, more than 20 percent of America’s population will be 65 or older by 2030. As these waves of older adults start moving to smaller dwellings, assisted living facilities or retirement homes, they and their kin will have to part with household possessions that the heirs simply don’t want.” www.nytimes.com

Applebee's is Ditching Millennials After They Forced Hundreds of Restaurant Closures"Over the past few years, the brand's set out to reposition or reinvent Applebee's as a modern bar and grill in overt pursuit of a more youthful and affluent demographic with a more independent or even sophisticated dining mindset, including a clear pendulum swing towards millennials," John Cywinski, Applebee's brand president, said in a recent call with investors.He continued: "In my perspective, this pursuit led to decisions that created confusion among core guests, as Applebee's intentionally drifted from what I'll call its 'Middle America' roots and its abundant value position. While we certainly hope to extend our reach, we can't alienate Boomers or Gen-Xers in the process." www.businessinsider.comHow Big Can Google Get? Its Aggressive Push For Office Space in the Bay Area"For the past six years Google has been expanding bit by bit beyond its Mountain View headquarters. But this year, the tech titan’s plan for a massive new push into San Jose coupled with big land buys in Sunnyvale show just how big Google’s footprint may get.If everything the tech titan has in the works comes to pass, Google could double its footprint in Silicon Valley, potentially making room for roughly another 31,000 or more employees. www.commercialrealestate.com

Inside GE's Transformation"A CEO has different tasks in different cycles. Some CEOs are founders and builders. Others have the luxury of managing momentum through a stable economy or a period when business models aren’t being disrupted. My task was different: remaking a historic and iconic company during an extremely volatile time.

I led a team of 300,000 people for 6,000 days. I led through recessions, bubbles, and geopolitical risk. I saw at least three “black swan” events. New competitors emerged, business models changed, and we ushered in an entirely new way to invest. But we didn’t just persevere; we transformed the company. GE is well positioned to win in the future.The changes that took in the world from 2001, when I assumed the company’s leadership, to 2017 are too numerous to mention. The task of the CEO has never been as difficult as it is today. In that vein, my story is one of progress versus perfection. The outcomes of my decisions will play out over decades, but we never feared taking big steps to create long-term value."  www.harvardbiz.com[tweet_box design="box_09" float="none"]The task of the CEO has never been as difficult as it is today.[/tweet_box]

Why Millennials Have A Complicated Relationship With Travel"Millennials seem to have found themselves in a tricky spot. The more they follow the axiomatic advice to “stop and smell the roses,” the more frequently they’re accused of malaise. The more they discuss practical solutions to enduring problems, the more they’re labeled as “entitled.”

So it’s not going to help their predicament any to learn that millennials seem to value travel more than previous generations. Cue the accusations of being “discontent” with their work and home lives.The truth is, both science and common sense drive home the importance of broadening our horizons, which sure makes it seem like millennials know something their elders may not. So let’s dive into the surprisingly nuanced conversation emerging about millennials’ relationship with travel." www.forbes.comYour success blesses others. I wish you a great a hugely impactful week!Ken