When Tim Cook announced the departure of Browett and Forstall but left Browett's spot open, I posted that given what's going on at JCP at the time, Tim's probably leaving the retail job open just in case. Well, that case has arisen. I don't call that kismet or synchronicity, I call that well played so far. 'So far' only because he still have to land his fish.
Isn't it possible they left Browett's position open because they really didn't have anyone to fill it yet and probably are being extra careful considering the disaster Browett was? Ron Johnson's reputation right now is implementing a failed strategy at JCP. Why would bringing him back to Apple be a good thing?
This shows why JC Penney is a failed company: they don't even recognize great talent when they have it. It takes more than a few quarters to turn a sinking ship around, and now they've really blown it big time by firing Ron. Ron was the only one who could've helped such a disgusting, bottom-of-the-barrel brand like JC Penney rise to any level of greatness, but nope... It's apparently in JC Penney's DNA to ALWAYS SUCK.
This shows why JC Penney is a failed company: they don't even recognize great talent when they have it. It takes more than a few quarters to turn a sinking ship around, and now they've really blown it big time by firing Ron. Ron was the only one who could've helped such a disgusting, bottom-of-the-barrel brand like JC Penney rise to any level of greatness, but nope... It's apparently in JC Penney's DNA to ALWAYS SUCK.
Senior V.P. of Retail at Apple is equivalent to a CEO position at any retail company.. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with coming back "home".. Cook is probably making an offer to him right now to go back to Apple..
Bring Ron back? I get that it's much easier to sell Apple products than socks & underwear from an uncool has been retailer. Still though Apple longs already got their "free" haircuts.
Make them sign some sort of longterm contract, where there would be penalties if they left before their contract expired.
You want to leave? Fine, that'll cost you a few hundred million.
Apple, like many corporations, grant key employees stock options for this purpose. The options are granted on X date but aren't vested until Y date. These options are presented and given as an incentive to stay with the company which is normally viewed as a positive by an employee. Your logic is similar except in your scenario the penalty is emphasized up front and the dollar value is fixed in todays dollars whereas the value of options that vest in the future can have a tremendous upside or downside based on the companies actual performance. Based on Apples 'performance and success' in the last several years future options in AAPL stock would sure as hell make me a happy and loyal employee.
Screw Ron Johnson, I had the idea for the Genius Bar and retail store before he did, I have been a loyal Mac Addict from the very beginning. Give me that job! Lol!
It appears that to be successful in business, you need both motive and opportunity. There is often the assumption that individuals who achieve great success do so entirely of their own accord. If Ron had started at JC Penney, we might never have even heard of him. There are loads of people who have the ability to do great things but not everyone gets the opportunity. It's not some cosmological alignment that makes it happen either - just the odds playing out.
How much different would the Apple retail experience be if it was just an average store? I think the store designs are great but I don't care if I buy online or in a 3rd party store. I buy Apple products for the products. How they are presented is not that important to me. The Apple Stores have a unique set of products, which isn't common in retail. With stores like JC Penney, many products or very similar ones can be found elsewhere so the comparison is the pricing model and the service. Ron Johnson's retail model didn't work without the products behind it. Apple has benefited from Ron's motive to design good stores but I'd say Ron has benefited more from the opportunity of working with the team at Apple.
It's bad that he didn't stop when he was on top because he will no longer be known only as the guy who setup Apple's successful retail operations but also the guy who nearly destroyed JC Penney. This will be especially true if Ullman turns it back around. If JC Penney fails anyway, it won't be seen as just due to the changes Ron made.
The haters of Johnson don't really understand how business relationships work do they? There's a reason the haters are probbably not employed and resort to this kind of cristicism
If you're going to be fired by anyone, I would think JCPenney falls into the not-a-problem category. Who would have a problem saying "A stale, loosely-defined, bargain store brand didn't think I was a good fit"?
Failure is necessary for success. Johnson took a risk, and failed. Now he can either let that failure destroy him or use it as the potting soil in which to plant the seeds of future success.
Unfortunately, Ron wasn't able to replace the Board of Directors with his own people like Steve Jobs did with Apple. American businesses aren't willing to wait several years for a turn around. The SF Bay Area doesn't have to many JCP stores anymore, so I wasn't able to see one of the modernized JCP stores. The closest one I could visit was located in Richmond, California, inside the most ghetto mall I've ever seen. This location seemed partway through transition and as many walls were torn out and plastic sheeting was hanging from many sections. If this was an Apple store it would be updated like this. I just don't think this guy got the capital and flexibility to update the stores properly.
Mr. Johnson departed Apple for something better, and for undoubtedly more money. He gave up a good thing for a gamble, which he lost. Now you think Apple is going to hire back someone who: 1) left them for something better; and 2) has now been publicly humiliated as a failure? Keep dreaming.
One must understand the big difference in a J C Penny store and an Apple Store. J C penny sells primarilly to older moms, pops and similar households My dad shops at Penny because he is familar with the store and buys the same stuff. I and others shop at Apple because we love their products and get excited when they bring out innovative stuff. A top down change only works if you keep your base too. Alienating your older buyers and families never helps. I hate to see it go like Sears or K mart with very few store I think bringing Ron back would be a bad move with Apple stock as depressed as it is.
Ah, an elitist. We are not all ignorant. Some of us have advanced degrees in information technology and work in information architecture and do like to shop there. It's your standard middle-class store, so you are right about people being ignorant, and its not the shoppers...but those making insulting comments.
Well let me start off by saying that I am far from an elitist.
I have shopped at both Walmart and Target for clothes before and I consider JCP to be much better clothing store to shop at then either of those.
My comments weren't meant to group all JCP customers as coupon queens either.
Their old business model isn't made for honesty and it angers me a bit that his direction was not received well by the JCP faithful.
If they do return to this coupon cutting model I will never feel comfortable shopping there. Something I had plan on doing in the future.
Honey boo boo was a joke man and there is no need to take it so offensively.
If you coupon clip, then good for you.
Your saving money.
Although time is money and coupon clipping consumes lots of time.
I just choose to shop where it's simpler and less confusing.
By the way, stood behind a guy once at target who took his 250$ bill down to 47$ right in front of me.
It took over 7 minutes to complete the process. But it happened. I stood there just to watch it.
Everyone was pissed because it took so long.
One guys yelled,
"Hey buddy throw us out a warning or at least let us go first!"
I congratulated him and promptly paid for my "regular" price item.
Not an elitist.
By the way, some people who are coupon clippers are considered "elitist" and view them selves as more intelligent and better than the sheep who just pay regular price for items.
I've heard a couple talk before and it wasn't pretty. .
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by scotty321
This shows why JC Penney is a failed company: they don't even recognize great talent when they have it. It takes more than a few quarters to turn a sinking ship around, and now they've really blown it big time by firing Ron. Ron was the only one who could've helped such a disgusting, bottom-of-the-barrel brand like JC Penney rise to any level of greatness, but nope... It's apparently in JC Penney's DNA to ALWAYS SUCK.
Agreed!
Question is, will he still be as effective at Apple as he was before??
in any case I would give him the chance as now he will appreciate the position more.
Still though Apple longs already got their "free" haircuts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
Make them sign some sort of longterm contract, where there would be penalties if they left before their contract expired.
You want to leave? Fine, that'll cost you a few hundred million.
Apple, like many corporations, grant key employees stock options for this purpose. The options are granted on X date but aren't vested until Y date. These options are presented and given as an incentive to stay with the company which is normally viewed as a positive by an employee. Your logic is similar except in your scenario the penalty is emphasized up front and the dollar value is fixed in todays dollars whereas the value of options that vest in the future can have a tremendous upside or downside based on the companies actual performance. Based on Apples 'performance and success' in the last several years future options in AAPL stock would sure as hell make me a happy and loyal employee.
It appears that to be successful in business, you need both motive and opportunity. There is often the assumption that individuals who achieve great success do so entirely of their own accord. If Ron had started at JC Penney, we might never have even heard of him. There are loads of people who have the ability to do great things but not everyone gets the opportunity. It's not some cosmological alignment that makes it happen either - just the odds playing out.
How much different would the Apple retail experience be if it was just an average store? I think the store designs are great but I don't care if I buy online or in a 3rd party store. I buy Apple products for the products. How they are presented is not that important to me. The Apple Stores have a unique set of products, which isn't common in retail. With stores like JC Penney, many products or very similar ones can be found elsewhere so the comparison is the pricing model and the service. Ron Johnson's retail model didn't work without the products behind it. Apple has benefited from Ron's motive to design good stores but I'd say Ron has benefited more from the opportunity of working with the team at Apple.
It's bad that he didn't stop when he was on top because he will no longer be known only as the guy who setup Apple's successful retail operations but also the guy who nearly destroyed JC Penney. This will be especially true if Ullman turns it back around. If JC Penney fails anyway, it won't be seen as just due to the changes Ron made.
The haters of Johnson don't really understand how business relationships work do they? There's a reason the haters are probbably not employed and resort to this kind of cristicism
Failure is necessary for success. Johnson took a risk, and failed. Now he can either let that failure destroy him or use it as the potting soil in which to plant the seeds of future success.
Mr. Johnson departed Apple for something better, and for undoubtedly more money. He gave up a good thing for a gamble, which he lost. Now you think Apple is going to hire back someone who: 1) left them for something better; and 2) has now been publicly humiliated as a failure? Keep dreaming.
He is tainted goods at this point.
One must understand the big difference in a J C Penny store and an Apple Store. J C penny sells primarilly to older moms, pops and similar households My dad shops at Penny because he is familar with the store and buys the same stuff. I and others shop at Apple because we love their products and get excited when they bring out innovative stuff. A top down change only works if you keep your base too. Alienating your older buyers and families never helps. I hate to see it go like Sears or K mart with very few store I think bringing Ron back would be a bad move with Apple stock as depressed as it is.
Well let me start off by saying that I am far from an elitist.
I have shopped at both Walmart and Target for clothes before and I consider JCP to be much better clothing store to shop at then either of those.
My comments weren't meant to group all JCP customers as coupon queens either.
Their old business model isn't made for honesty and it angers me a bit that his direction was not received well by the JCP faithful.
If they do return to this coupon cutting model I will never feel comfortable shopping there. Something I had plan on doing in the future.
Honey boo boo was a joke man and there is no need to take it so offensively.
If you coupon clip, then good for you.
Your saving money.
Although time is money and coupon clipping consumes lots of time.
I just choose to shop where it's simpler and less confusing.
By the way, stood behind a guy once at target who took his 250$ bill down to 47$ right in front of me.
It took over 7 minutes to complete the process. But it happened. I stood there just to watch it.
Everyone was pissed because it took so long.
One guys yelled,
"Hey buddy throw us out a warning or at least let us go first!"
I congratulated him and promptly paid for my "regular" price item.
Not an elitist.
By the way, some people who are coupon clippers are considered "elitist" and view them selves as more intelligent and better than the sheep who just pay regular price for items.
I've heard a couple talk before and it wasn't pretty. .