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A Better Approach to Networking

• Christie Hunter Arscott

Move from “small talk” to “deep talk.”

Meeting strangers — especially in the context of work — is uncomfortable for most people. Just the thought of networking can provoke discomfort and anxiety. As humans, we have an innate need to be liked. Research shows we even have a tendency to connect our self-worth to the number of people who like us.

• Because of this, many struggle with performance anxiety when it comes to networking. You’re afraid you might say the wrong thing, forget what you were going to say, or stumble over your words. The result would be the other person not liking you. But there’s a better way to network.
• Focus on what you’re going to ask, not what going to say. Instead of preparing what you’d say when meeting someone new or how you’d respond to questions from a stranger, focus on what you’d ask in those same scenarios.
• Then, practice moving from small talk to deep talk. We tend to underestimate how much other people, and especially first-time contacts, might enjoy and find satisfaction in meaningful conversation. Instead of asking “Where are you from?” ask, “What places have you lived in and traveled to during your educational and career journey that have shaped who you are?”

Do you shy away from talking to new people at networking events? Have you ever walked into the room and felt a tightness in your chest as you stood there, sweating, wondering what to say? Most of us can relate to some version of this experience. Meeting strangers — especially in the context of work — is uncomfortable. Just the thought of networking can provoke discomfort and anxiety.

• Christie Hunter Arscott is an award-winning advisor, speaker, and author of the book Begin Boldly: How Women Can Reimagine Risk, Embrace Uncertainty, and Launch A Brilliant Career . A Rhodes Scholar, Christie has been named by Thinkers50 as one of the top management thinkers likely to shape the future of business.

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8.6: Networking Case Studies

Caroline Ceniza-Levine and Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio

Case studies are a great way to “practice” your networking skills, which is always a wise thing to do. They teach you how to network better in a variety of situations.

Case Study 1

Your mentor introduces you to her colleague who introduces you to a business lead  (Jane Smith), who consents to an informational interview. You send your mentor’s colleague a nice thank-you and schedule the interview. The interview is substantive, and you send Jane Smith a nice thank-you. Two weeks later you get a formal employment interview, which you schedule for later. Are you done for now?

Case Study 2

You get an informational interview with a managing director, Jeff Roberts, in the boutique firm that specializes in exactly what you want to do. He asks you to coordinate with his assistant to get on his calendar. You call her to schedule the meeting. After the interview, you send Jeff Roberts a nice thank-you. Have you completed the interview etiquette?

Case Study 3

You are late for a 1:30 interview at a company’s headquarters and by the time you get there, it’s about 1:25. You go to the security desk, but bypass the X-ray area, so they redirect you there. You get a bit huffy. You rush to the elevator and fail to keep it open for a woman who is trying to get in. When you finally make it upstairs, you are escorted to the office and asked to wait for a moment or two. When the person with whom you are meeting finally arrives, you recognize each other: you did not save the elevator for her. What do you do?

Case Study 4

You are scheduled for a second interview on a Friday, at 5 p.m. You are invited to attend the company’s weekly happy hour and afterward meet with some of the team privately for one-on-one interviews. You wear an interview suit and discover everyone else is wearing jeans. At your first interview, they had all worn business casual. “Jeans are allowed on Friday,” someone calls out. Are you appropriately dressed? What if you get called in the next Friday—what do you wear?

Case Study 5

You are very interested in working for two companies, and fortunately, you are in final rounds with both. You receive the first offer, and feel strongly that you will accept—in fact, you know you will if you get the second offer. The deadline for the first offer is a week away. The second company calls to schedule a final round. What do you tell them?

Case Study 6

You are in a two-on-one interview. One person is a line business manager and is taking the lead in the interview; the other person is an HR representative and does not say much. How do you conduct yourself during the interview and how do you interact with each person?

Case Study 7

You are attending a school-sponsored networking event with your classmates and representatives from a top marketing firm. You strike up a conversation with a company person and realize that several of your classmates have gathered to either contribute to your discussion or ask their own questions of the company representative with whom you are speaking. You first finish with the conversation before turning to your classmates and acknowledging their presence. Is this good or bad networking behavior? Why?

Case Study 8

You have accepted an invitation to attend training with the office of career services because a representative from a top company will be giving an overview of their business. At the last minute, you need to cram for an exam. In addition, you also do not feel well having stayed up too late the night before, so you decide not to attend. Is this good or bad networking behavior? Why?

Case Study: Things to Consider

Here are key points to consider for each of these case studies, which will help you build upon your networking skills.

The topic is “Mentor Introductions and Follow-Up”:

• Always keep your mentor in the loop. They want to know you are taking their advice and reaping the fruits of your efforts. Your mentor is there to help you succeed.
• Maintain good relationships with everyone with whom you come into contact, and you will benefit in the long run. Sending thank-you notes shows good manners and an appreciative attitude, and it is a good way to stay connected.
• Be aware of the matrix A pattern that helps to organize organizations or processes. relationships all around you. When you land a position in a corporation, you can often have three or four different managers. Navigating these individuals with ease separates you from those who have difficulty doing so.

The topic is “Informational Interview Follow-Up”:

• It is always wise to thank everyone who has helped you to land interviews and coordinate schedules. This includes administrative staff.
• Administrative assistants often carry influence with their manager, so the extra step to extend thanks for their efforts is good manners and good career management.

The topic is “Late for an Interview”:

• You only get one chance to make a first impression!
• You have to apologize, give a short explanation, and move on quickly.
• You next redirect your focus to the interview at hand and do your very best.

The topic is “Business or Business Casual Dress”:

• When in doubt, always dress in business attire. You had no idea it was dress-down Friday, so it was wise for you to wear a suit.
• When you get called back the following Friday, you remember that jeans are allowed on Friday. Jeans are allowed, but that does not mean everyone wears them. The more senior people may wear khakis, and if you wore jeans, you could be dressed inappropriately (i.e., more casually than the senior managers). Remember that you are not yet an employee; you are still a candidate, so dress more conservatively.
• When interviewing in different industries, keep in mind that different dress protocols apply, for example, nuances in media are dramatically different from financial services.

The topic is “Multiple Offers”:

• The most impressive candidates communicate well and let recruiters and hiring managers know that they have options. It is especially impressive when they communicate deadlines so appropriate actions can be taken.
• If you know you want a position with a company and you know you will accept its offer, take yourself out of the running for the second opportunity. It shows (a) confidence, (b) goodwill, and (c) your thoughtfulness in giving other candidates a chance to interview. The positive qualities and effects of this decision just go on and on!
• On the other hand, it is always good to explore all options. Definitely let the second company know that you have received an offer from another company. Exploring this second company may help you decide which company you prefer. Perhaps they will expedite the interview process because they really want you, and then you can make a more informed decision.

The topic is “Live Interviewing with Multiple Interviewers”:

• Acknowledge the business manager and the HR representative and treat both with utmost respect. When answering the business manager’s questions, direct your answer to both parties and maintain eye contact with both.
• Remember, at all stages of the interview and job search process, you are constantly marketing yourself and selling your abilities.
• You have no idea which person is the real decision-maker.
• Ask each interviewer questions and tailor your questions to the interviewer.
• You may be in other situations when you are in a group, yet talking mostly to one person. Be polite and address and acknowledge all members in the group.
• Remember that the HR representative has the ability to direct you to another business, should your interview with this particular business not go as well as you would like.

The topic is “Being Inclusive at a Networking Event”:

• Always include others in your conversation; this is both thoughtful and polite.
• Encourage others to ask questions. You can always learn from their questions and the responses they receive.

The topic is “Office of Career Services Training Session”:

• If you have accepted an invitation to attend an event, barring a medical emergency, you should make every effort to attend. Your attendance is a reflection of your commitment. If you are feeling ill but are COVID-negative, wearing a face mask and keeping some distance between yourself and others is appropriate.
• If you absolutely cannot attend, make sure you contact someone in career services and let them know why you cannot attend. Simply not showing up is in poor taste and disrespectful of other people’s efforts on your behalf.
• If you do not show and there is a poor turnout, the company sponsoring the business overview may decide to do fewer events with the school or pull out altogether.

Introduction to Professional Development Copyright © 2022 by Caroline Ceniza-Levine and Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Networking Success Stories: Case Studies

Learning from the Best: Insights and Inspiration from Networking Success Stories

You might be wondering how networking can amplify your business reach and success. Given the digital age, leveraging connections—both online and offline—is crucial for professional growth.

This article delves into six case studies exploring how companies have utilized networking to acquire innovation, manage customer data, gain competitive advantages and more. Ready? Let’s dive into success stories that will inspire you to bring your networking game to new levels!

Key Takeaways

• Successful networking can open doors to opportunities and resources that accelerate professional growth.
• Social media platforms have revolutionized networking, allowing professionals to connect with colleagues, clients, and partners across the globe.
• Networking has played a crucial role in the success of companies like Epic Games, Salesforce, Scuderia Ferrari, and NatWest Bank.
• Leveraging networking can drive innovation, create competitive advantages, personalize customer experiences, optimize operational costs, enhance security measures, and improve service delivery.

Importance of Networking

Networking plays a crucial role in professional growth, connecting individuals to opportunities and resources that can accelerate their careers.

The role of connections in professional growth

Networking holds the key to professional growth. Strong connections can open doors to opportunities that would otherwise remain closed. Extensive networks allow professionals to exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and share expertise with peers across industries or around the globe.

The result is an increase in knowledge and competencies that drive career progression. Many successful companies such as Epic Games have leveraged their business networks for innovation, demonstrating the significant role of connections in driving professional growth and success.

The power of social media in networking

Social media platforms have revolutionized the networking landscape. With just a click, professionals can now connect with colleagues, clients, or potential partners across the globe.

Companies like 99Bridges and COVID-19 have effectively used social media to expand their network and collaborate without geographical barriers.

Twitter allows influencers in every industry to share insights on trending topics. LinkedIn facilitates business relationships development while Instagram gives brands an opportunity to visually engage with customers.

Facebook not only offers advertising options but also enables businesses to create groups where they can interact directly with their consumers. Indeed, these dynamic interactions fostered by social media play a crucial role in digital transformation, ultimately leading toward greater success for companies wide and far-reaching into diverse regions and industries.

Case Study 1: Epic Games

Epic Games demonstrates how leveraging networking has led to innovation, with a key role played by AWS in their success.

How leveraging networking led to innovation

Epic Games utilized their extensive network to drive innovation, creating industry trends instead of just following them. Through collaborations with strategic partners like AWS, they explored uncharted territories in gaming technology.

This specific approach unveiled new opportunities for growth and diversification, allowing the company to maintain a leading position within its sector. Leveraging networking also fostered a culture of idea sharing and teamwork that propelled further advancement within Epic Games.

The role of AWS in Epic Games’ success

Epic Games, the company behind the popular Fortnite game, dramatically increased their networking capabilities due to a strategic partnership with AWS. Utilizing high-performance and low-latency connections provided by AWS, Epic Games successfully cultivated an online gaming environment capable of supporting millions of players simultaneously.

This robust infrastructure not only improved user experience but also allowed the gaming giant to concentrate on innovation and game development. The secure and scalable solutions offered by AWS played a vital role in propelling Epic Games towards monumental success in the competitive gaming market.

Case Study 2: Salesforce

Salesforce utilized networking as a tool for customer data management, leveraging the power of connections to create a single source of truth and drive their success.

The power of a single source of truth

A single source of truth can be incredibly powerful for organizations. It ensures that everyone has access to accurate and consistent data, leading to improved decision-making and streamlined processes.

Companies like Salesforce have implemented a single source of truth through their platform, allowing businesses to eliminate data discrepancies and redundancies. This not only improves efficiency but also enhances data integrity, which is crucial for making informed business decisions.

By centralizing information in one place, organizations can harness the power of a single source of truth to drive success and achieve their goals more effectively.

Networking as a tool for customer data management

Networking plays a crucial role in customer data management, as highlighted in Case Study 2: Salesforce. By leveraging networking strategies, companies can effectively collect, store, and analyze customer data to gain valuable insights and enhance their overall business operations.

Implementing IoT solutions, monitoring and analytics tools, and cloud computing solutions are just some of the ways organizations can optimize their network infrastructure for efficient customer data management.

This enables businesses to provide personalized experiences, improve decision-making processes, and ultimately drive customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Case Study 3: Scuderia Ferrari

Scuderia Ferrari leveraged networking for competitive advantage and utilized AI and ML to enhance their networking strategies.

Networking for competitive advantage

Scuderia Ferrari understands the power of networking to gain a competitive advantage in the fast-paced world of racing. By collaborating with AWS, they are able to analyze race data in real-time and make strategic decisions that optimize their performance on the track.

This partnership allows Scuderia Ferrari to leverage advanced technologies like AI and ML, which enable them to extract valuable insights from their race data. Through networking and utilizing cutting-edge tools, Scuderia Ferrari proves that staying ahead in the competitive sports industry requires continuous innovation and collaboration with technology experts.

The role of AI and ML in networking

AI and ML technologies have a pivotal role in networking, including the operations of Scuderia Ferrari. These advanced technologies enable the team to analyze and optimize network traffic and data flow, improving overall network performance and efficiency.

By leveraging AI and ML, real-time adjustments can be made to ensure better race performance. Additionally, these technologies play a crucial role in facilitating reliable and secure communication between team members and drivers.

The use of AI and ML in networking not only enhances connectivity but also enables teams like Scuderia Ferrari to stay ahead in their competitive arena.

Case Study 4: NatWest Bank

NatWest Bank personalized customer experience through networking and reduced operational costs.

Personalizing customer experience through networking

NatWest Bank is committed to providing a personalized customer experience through networking. By implementing networking solutions, they have tailored their services to meet the individual needs of each customer.

Through this approach, NatWest Bank has been able to offer a more seamless and customized banking experience. Networking has played a pivotal role in helping them better understand and anticipate customer preferences, resulting in stronger relationships and increased customer loyalty.

The impact on operational costs

NatWest Bank’s implementation of networking solutions has had a significant impact on their operational costs. By leveraging these solutions, the bank has been able to improve operational efficiency and streamline processes, resulting in cost savings.

While the specific networking solutions used by NatWest Bank are not mentioned in the article, it is clear that their adoption has yielded positive outcomes for the bank’s bottom line.

This case study underscores the importance of implementing effective networking solutions to optimize operational costs and drive financial success.

Networking Challenges and Solutions

Staying connected: strategies for maintaining networks, the value of meaningful interactions in networking, and asking the right questions to ensure effective networking.

Staying connected: strategies for maintaining networks

Staying connected is crucial for maintaining networks. Here are some strategies to help you stay connected:

• Regularly reach out to your network: Make it a habit to connect with your contacts on a regular basis. This can be through email, phone calls, or even meeting up in person.
• Attend networking events: Take advantage of industry conferences, seminars, and other events to meet new people and expand your network. These events provide opportunities for meaningful interactions and potential collaborations.
• Utilize social media: Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook can be powerful tools for staying connected with your network. Stay active by sharing relevant content, engaging with others’ posts, and joining relevant groups or communities.
• Nurture relationships: Building strong relationships requires effort and time. Take the time to follow up with contacts, show genuine interest in their work, and offer support whenever possible.
• Provide value to your network: Offer assistance or share valuable resources with your contacts whenever you can. This helps build trust and establishes you as a valuable connection.
• Seek out mentorship opportunities: Mentors can provide guidance, advice, and support throughout your career journey. Actively seek out mentors within your industry who can help you navigate challenges and provide insight.
• Stay updated on industry trends: Keeping yourself informed about the latest developments in your field allows you to engage in meaningful conversations with others within your network.

The value of meaningful interactions in networking

Meaningful interactions play a crucial role in networking. It is not just about collecting contacts or making surface-level connections; it’s about building relationships that have a lasting impact.

When professionals engage in meaningful conversations, they create opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and growth. Meaningful interactions allow individuals to exchange ideas, gain insights from others’ experiences, and even find new career opportunities.

By fostering genuine connections with others in their industry or field, professionals can expand their knowledge base and access valuable resources. These interactions can lead to partnerships, referrals, and ultimately contribute to long-term success in networking endeavors.

Asking the right questions: a key to effective networking

Asking the right questions is a crucial skill for successful networking. By understanding what to ask and how to ask it, you can gather valuable information, establish meaningful connections, and open up opportunities for collaboration.

Effective questioning helps you delve deeper into conversations, uncover common interests or goals, and demonstrate genuine interest in others. By asking thoughtful and relevant questions, you show that you value the perspectives of others and are actively engaged in building relationships.

This not only strengthens your network but also allows you to gather insights and knowledge that can contribute to your professional growth.

In order to make the most out of your networking interactions, it is important to approach conversations with curiosity and an open mind. By focusing on asking insightful questions rather than simply talking about yourself or making small talk, you can foster meaningful connections that go beyond surface-level interactions.

Case Study 5: Alpha Omega

Alpha Omega, a tech company focused on meeting public demands, utilized networking to upskill its workforce in AWS and drive professional development.

Upskilling in AWS to meet public demands

Alpha Omega Integration recognized the importance of staying updated with the latest technologies in the networking industry. To meet the increasing demands of the public sector, they upskilled their employees using AWS Partner Training and Certification.

This commitment to continuous improvement allowed Alpha Omega to showcase their ability to address unique challenges and requirements in networking, ultimately leading to client satisfaction and business success.

By implementing AWS solutions, Alpha Omega demonstrated their dedication to meeting public demands effectively in a rapidly evolving industry.

The role of networking in professional development

Networking plays a crucial role in professional development, both for individuals and organizations. Building and maintaining a strong network of connections can open doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and resources.

Networking allows professionals to exchange knowledge, skills, and experiences with others in their field, helping them stay updated on industry trends and best practices. By connecting with experts and influencers, professionals can gain valuable insights and guidance that can accelerate their growth.

Additionally, networking provides a platform for showcasing one’s expertise and accomplishments, which can enhance career prospects and visibility within the industry. Ultimately, networking serves as a catalyst for continuous learning, personal growth, and advancement in the professional world.

Case Study 6: DeepThink Health

DeepThink Health strengthened their security through networking, resulting in improved healthcare service delivery.

Strengthening security through networking

DeepThink Health, a case study focused on strengthening security through networking, showcases the implementation of cloud and computing solutions, security solutions, and networking solutions.

By leveraging Cisco’s products and services, DeepThink Health has successfully enhanced their security measures. They have implemented cloud and computing solutions as well as monitoring and analytics solutions to strengthen their overall network security.

Collaboration, customer experience improvement, and digital transformation play crucial roles in achieving this goal. The case study demonstrates the effectiveness of Cisco’s offerings in the healthcare industry by highlighting successful implementations of networking solutions to enhance security measures at DeepThink Health.

The impact on healthcare service delivery

DeepThink Health has had a remarkable impact on healthcare service delivery. This case study showcases how networking solutions have transformed the way healthcare providers operate and deliver care.

While specific details are not provided, it is clear that DeepThink Health addresses challenges faced by healthcare providers in terms of networking, ultimately leading to improved efficiency, communication, and patient outcomes.

The positive influence of these networking solutions highlights the immense potential for technology to revolutionize the healthcare industry and enhance overall service delivery.

The Future of Networking

The future of networking is shaped by emerging trends and the role of technology in connecting individuals and businesses.

Emerging trends in networking

• Networking is evolving with emerging trends that are shaping the future of connectivity.
• Cloud computing is playing a vital role in networking, providing scalable and flexible solutions for businesses.
• Software – defined networking (SDN) is gaining popularity, allowing organizations to manage and control their networks through software rather than hardware.
• The Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionizing networking by connecting devices and enabling real – time data exchange.
• Network automation is streamlining operations, reducing manual tasks, and improving efficiency.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are being integrated into networks to enhance security, detect anomalies, and optimize performance.
• Edge computing is becoming essential as more data is generated at the edge of networks, requiring processing closer to the source.
• 5G technology is set to revolutionize networking by providing faster speeds, lower latency, and increased capacity for connected devices.
• Network virtualization allows for the creation of virtual networks within physical infrastructures, offering flexibility and cost savings.
• Cybersecurity remains a top concern in networking, leading to advancements in network security solutions and practices.
• Emerging trends in networking are showcased through the “This Is My Architecture” program by AWS
• The architectural solutions showcased in “This Is My Architecture” demonstrate the technical capabilities of AWS

The role of technology in shaping networking

Technology plays a pivotal role in shaping networking strategies and success. With advancements in IoT, monitoring and analytics, cloud computing, collaboration tools, and security solutions, organizations have the power to transform their networking environments.

Technologies like Meraki Firewalls and Wireless Access Points cater specifically to the needs of small businesses, offering reliable and scalable networking solutions. Additionally, solutions such as Duo for secure authentication and Umbrella for enhanced network security contribute to creating robust and safe networking environments.

By leveraging technology effectively, businesses can optimize their networks for efficiency, productivity, and growth while staying ahead in today’s digital landscape.

Discovering the power of networking through real-life case studies can be inspiring and eye-opening. These success stories from companies like Epic Games, Salesforce, Scuderia Ferrari, NatWest Bank, Alpha Omega, and DeepThink Health demonstrate how strategic networking can lead to innovation, competitive advantage, personalized customer experiences, professional development, enhanced security, and improved service delivery.

By leveraging connections and staying connected in meaningful ways, organizations can unlock new opportunities for growth and success in the ever-evolving business landscape.

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7.6: Networking Case Studies

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Practice networking case studies to better understand how to build a sustainable network.
• Appreciate the nuances that are involved when you build relationships during your career search.

Case studies are a great way to “practice” your networking skills, which is always a wise thing to do. They teach you how to network better in a variety of situations.

Case Study 1

Your mentor introduces you to her colleague who introduces you to a business lead (say Jane Smith), who consents to an informational interview. You send your mentor’s colleague a nice thank-you and schedule the interview. The interview is substantive, and you send Jane Smith a nice thank-you. Two weeks later you get a formal interview, which you schedule for later. Are you done for now?

Case Study 2

You get an informational interview with a managing director, Jeff Roberts, in the boutique firm that specializes in exactly what you want to do. He asks you to coordinate with his assistant to get on his calendar. You call her to schedule the meeting. After the interview, you send Jeff Roberts a nice thank-you. Have you completed the interview etiquette?

Case Study 3

You are late for a 1:30 interview at a company’s headquarters and by the time you get there, it’s about 1:25. You go to the security desk, but bypass the X-ray area, so they redirect you there. You get a bit huffy. You rush to the elevator and fail to keep it open for a woman who is trying to get in. When you finally make it upstairs, you are escorted to the office, and asked to wait for a moment or two. When the person with whom you are meeting finally arrives, you recognize each other: you didn’t save the elevator for her. What do you do?

Case Study 4

You are scheduled for a second interview on a Friday, at 5 p.m. You are invited to attend the company’s weekly happy hour and afterward meet with some of the team privately for one-on-one interviews. You wear an interview suit and discover everyone else is wearing jeans. At your first interview, they had all worn business casual. “Jeans are allowed on Friday,” someone calls out. Are you appropriately dressed? What if you get called in the next Friday—what do you wear?

Case Study 5

You are very interested in working for two companies, and fortunately, you are in final rounds with both. You receive the first offer, and feel strongly that you will accept—in fact, you know you will if you get the second offer. The deadline for the first offer is a week away. The second company calls to schedule a final round. What do you tell them?

Case Study 6

You are in a two-on-one interview. One person is a line business manager and is taking the lead in the interview; the other person is an HR representative and does not say much. How do you conduct yourself during the interview and how do you interact with each person?

Case Study 7

You are attending a school-sponsored networking event with your classmates and representatives from a top marketing firm. You strike up a conversation with a company person and realize that several of your classmates have gathered to either contribute to your discussion or ask their own questions of the company representative with whom you are speaking. You first finish with the conversation before turning to your classmates and acknowledging their presence. Is this good or bad networking behavior? Why?

Case Study 8

You have accepted an invitation to attend training with the office of career services because a representative from a top company will be giving an overview of their business. At the last minute, you need to cram for an exam. In addition, you also do not feel well, so you decide not to attend. Is this is good or bad networking behavior? Why?

Case Study: Things to Consider

Here are key points to consider for each of these case studies, which will help you build upon your networking skills.

The topic is “Mentor Introductions and Follow-Up”:

• Always keep your mentor in the loop. They want to know you are taking their advice and reaping the fruits of your efforts. Your mentor is there to help you succeed.
• Maintain good relationships with everyone with whom you come into contact, and you will benefit in the long run. Sending thank-you notes shows good manners and an appreciative attitude, and it’s a good way to stay connected.
• Be aware of the matrix relationships all around you. When you land a position in a corporation, you can often have three or four different managers. Navigating these individuals with ease separates you from those who have difficulty doing so.

The topic is “Informational Interview Follow-Up”:

• It’s always wise to thank everyone who has helped you to land interviews and coordinate schedules. This includes administrative staff.
• Administrative assistants often carry influence with their manager, so the extra step to extend thanks for their efforts is good manners and good career management.

The topic is “Late for an Interview”:

• You only get one chance to make a first impression!
• You have to apologize, give a short explanation, and move on quickly.
• You next redirect your focus to the interview at hand and do your very best.

The topic is “Business or Business Casual Dress”:

• When in doubt, always dress in business attire. You had no idea it was dress-down Friday, so it was wise for you to wear a suit.
• When you get called back the following Friday, you remember that jeans are allowed on Friday. Jeans are allowed, but that doesn’t mean everyone wears them. The more senior people may wear khakis, and if you wore jeans, you could be dressed inappropriately (i.e., more casually than the senior managers). Remember that you are not yet an employee; you are still a candidate, so dress more conservatively.
• When interviewing in different industries, keep in mind that different dress protocols apply, for example, nuances in media are dramatically different from financial services.

The topic is “Multiple Offers”:

• The most impressive candidates communicate well and let recruiters and hiring managers know that they have options. It’s especially impressive when they communicate deadlines so appropriate actions can be taken.
• If you know you want a position with a company and you know you will accept its offer, take yourself out of the running for the second opportunity. It shows (a) confidence, (b) goodwill, and (c) your thoughtfulness in giving other candidates a chance to interview. The positive qualities and effects of this decision just go on and on!
• On the other hand, it’s always good to explore all options. Definitely let the second company know that you have received an offer from another company. Exploring this second company may help you decide which company you prefer. Perhaps they will expedite the interview process because they really want you, and then you can make a more informed decision.

The topic is “Live Interviewing with Multiple Interviewers”:

• Acknowledge the business manager and the HR representative and treat both with utmost respect. When answering the business manager’s questions, direct your answer to both parties and maintain eye contact with both.
• Remember, at all stages of the interview and job search process, you are constantly marketing yourself and selling your abilities.
• You have no idea which person is the real decision maker.
• Ask each interviewer questions and tailor your questions to the interviewer.
• You may be in other situations when you are in a group, yet talking mostly to one person. Be polite and address and acknowledge all members in the group.
• Remember that the HR representative has the ability to direct you to another business, should your interview with this particular business not go as well as you would like.

The topic is “Being Inclusive at a Networking Event”:

• Always include others in your conversation; this is both thoughtful and polite.
• Encourage others to ask questions. You can always learn from their questions and the responses they receive.

The topic is “Office of Career Services Training Session”:

• If you have accepted an invitation to attend an event, barring a medical emergency, you should make every effort to attend. Your attendance is a reflection of your commitment.
• If you absolutely cannot attend, make sure you contact someone in career services and let them know why you cannot attend. Simply not showing up is in poor taste and disrespectful of other people’s efforts on your behalf.
• If you don’t show and there is a poor turnout, the company sponsoring the business overview may decide to do fewer events with the school or pull out altogether.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Case studies are an excellent way to learn about proper networking etiquette.
• If you are in a position where you are not sure what to do, consult someone with the relevant expertise, including someone in career services if at all possible.
• Good networking behavior can influence your success in the job search.
• If in doubt, always dress professionally for networking activities with firms, even if it’s well known that their dress code is casual.
• Pair up with a team of five classmates to create your own networking etiquette case studies, preferably using something that truly happened. Share your case studies in class to continue the learning.

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Business Networking

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• 5 practice exercises

29 online lessons

Digital certificate

• 3 hours of learning

Course Outcomes

• Techniques for building meaningful relationships with a wide range of people
• How to win new business clients and advance your career
• Why body language, what you say, and how you say it impacts relationships
• Understand how to network effectively online
• Examine ways to follow up and maintain relationships

Find new business connections through networking

Effective networking is an important aspect of career development. Building relationships with a wide range of people can win you new business clients, increase your chance of finding a new job, as well as advance your career.

Learn how to enjoy networking, make others feel at ease talking to you, how to enter and exit a group of people, and how to build meaningful connections. You'll learn different networking techniques with online classes and then practice these in virtual environments.

Online learning, done differently

Learn online, anytime

Practice with exercises

Improve with feedback

Course content.

Your Instructor

Dr. joseph barnard.

Joseph has led technical teams at companies such as Bookham and BML, and presented at events including the AUVSI, SEG, and UAVNET conferences. He has 15 patents to his name and is a senior member of IEEE with a PhD in Electro-Physics from Cornell University.

Practice exercises

Practice your public speaking with interactive and engaging exercises. At key points during the course, you'll be prompted to practice what you've learned in one of the following exercises.

Networking Essentials

Practice active listening, eye contact, and building rapport with people at a virtual networking event. Learn the fundamentals of networking in this exercise.

Networking Conversations with AI

Have conversations with AI-powered avatars (ChatGPT) and learn how to deliver an elevator pitch, tell a story, introduce yourself, and more.

Elevator Pitch

Answering Questions

Practice quick thinking by answering common questions while in a conversation at a networking event.

Active Listening Exercises

Two active listening exercises, the classic Goldilocks exercise, and a conference call exercise. Quizzes at the end of both to test your listening skills.

Roleplay with AI-Powered Avatars

Develop your networking skills with ChatGPT-powered avatars, who adapt to what you say in a dynamic and personalized way. Practice opening conversations, your elevator pitch, leaving conversations, and more.

What's included in this course:

• 2 case studies
• All exercise features
• Quizzes and assessment
• Earn a digital course certificate
• Flexible, self-led format
• Access to updated content

This course

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Frequently Asked Questions

You can access the classes through the VirtualSpeech website, on any standard web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.

The practice exercises can be completed online or in virtual reality (if you have a VR headset).

When you enroll in the course, you'll get 24/7 access to the course (including tutorial videos, case studies, practice exercises, VR, and more) through the VirtualSpeech website and in VR.

Both the online classes and exercises run in your browser, no additional software or download is required.

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• Handshake: A Case Study for Exploring Business Networking for the Enterprise, Inside and Out

MITRE has developed and launched Handshake, a social networking platform for business networking use.

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MITRE has developed and launched Handshake, a social networking platform for business networking use. We took a unique approach in providing a single MITRE-hosted platform for connecting, collaborating, and networking with internal employees and external partners. The business networking prototype also serves as a research platform for building and deploying other social capabilities and exploring the value of social media for the enterprise. Since its initial release, Handshake has grown to support over 4300 users (~1000 are external participants) and 450 groups. Feedback from our early adopters has been very positive, with compelling stories on how they are able to engage our sponsors, mission users, and other partners in ways not possible with previous tools. We discuss the initial results of our study here and provide examples of how Handshake is able to meet our corporate objective of bringing the larger community to bear on problems of national importance.

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Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies of 2021

Two cases about Hertz claimed top spots in 2021's Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies

Two cases on the uses of debt and equity at Hertz claimed top spots in the CRDT’s (Case Research and Development Team) 2021 top 40 review of cases.

Hertz (A) took the top spot. The case details the financial structure of the rental car company through the end of 2019. Hertz (B), which ranked third in CRDT’s list, describes the company’s struggles during the early part of the COVID pandemic and its eventual need to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

The success of the Hertz cases was unprecedented for the top 40 list. Usually, cases take a number of years to gain popularity, but the Hertz cases claimed top spots in their first year of release. Hertz (A) also became the first ‘cooked’ case to top the annual review, as all of the other winners had been web-based ‘raw’ cases.

Besides introducing students to the complicated financing required to maintain an enormous fleet of cars, the Hertz cases also expanded the diversity of case protagonists. Kathyrn Marinello was the CEO of Hertz during this period and the CFO, Jamere Jackson is black.

Sandwiched between the two Hertz cases, Coffee 2016, a perennial best seller, finished second. “Glory, Glory, Man United!” a case about an English football team’s IPO made a surprise move to number four.  Cases on search fund boards, the future of malls,  Norway’s Sovereign Wealth fund, Prodigy Finance, the Mayo Clinic, and Cadbury rounded out the top ten.

Other year-end data for 2021 showed:

• Online “raw” case usage remained steady as compared to 2020 with over 35K users from 170 countries and all 50 U.S. states interacting with 196 cases.
• Fifty four percent of raw case users came from outside the U.S..
• The Yale School of Management (SOM) case study directory pages received over 160K page views from 177 countries with approximately a third originating in India followed by the U.S. and the Philippines.
• Twenty-six of the cases in the list are raw cases.
• A third of the cases feature a woman protagonist.
• Orders for Yale SOM case studies increased by almost 50% compared to 2020.
• The top 40 cases were supervised by 19 different Yale SOM faculty members, several supervising multiple cases.

CRDT compiled the Top 40 list by combining data from its case store, Google Analytics, and other measures of interest and adoption.

All of this year’s Top 40 cases are available for purchase from the Yale Management Media store .

And the Top 40 cases studies of 2021 are:

1.   Hertz Global Holdings (A): Uses of Debt and Equity

2.   Coffee 2016

3.   Hertz Global Holdings (B): Uses of Debt and Equity 2020

4.   Glory, Glory Man United!

5.   Search Fund Company Boards: How CEOs Can Build Boards to Help Them Thrive

6.   The Future of Malls: Was Decline Inevitable?

7.   Strategy for Norway's Pension Fund Global

8.   Prodigy Finance

9.   Design at Mayo

10. Cadbury

11. City Hospital Emergency Room

13. Volkswagen

14. Marina Bay Sands

15. Shake Shack IPO

16. Mastercard

17. Netflix

18. Ant Financial

19. AXA: Creating the New CR Metrics

20. IBM Corporate Service Corps

21. Business Leadership in South Africa's 1994 Reforms

22. Alternative Meat Industry

23. Children's Premier

24. Khalil Tawil and Umi (A)

25. Palm Oil 2016

26. Teach For All: Designing a Global Network

27. What's Next? Search Fund Entrepreneurs Reflect on Life After Exit

28. Searching for a Search Fund Structure: A Student Takes a Tour of Various Options

30. Project Sammaan

31. Commonfund ESG

32. Polaroid

33. Connecticut Green Bank 2018: After the Raid

34. FieldFresh Foods

35. The Alibaba Group

36. 360 State Street: Real Options

37. Herman Miller

38. AgBiome

39. Nathan Cummings Foundation

40. Toyota 2010

To read this content please select one of the options below:

Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, networking as marketing strategy: a case study of small community businesses.

Qualitative Market Research

ISSN : 1352-2752

Article publication date: 15 June 2010

The paper examines the building of a new business network by women apparel retailers operating in small Midwest US communities to better understand the network development process and the contributions to small business marketing strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

Work draws upon the theoretical and empirical tradition of network studies using prior research for considering current small business owners. This case study approach involved documenting the evolution of relationships among retailers over a five‐year period by means of primary data collection from multiple sources.

Two theoretical network development frameworks were supported in the identification and description of critical transformation phases and the implicit impacts on retail member firms.

Research limitations/implications

The case study involves a limited number of business owners in the same retail sector operating in small towns. It may not be representative of retail operations of different size, in different sectors, and in different sized communities. However, insights are gained that can be used to build studies that focus on a variety of business types, geographic locations, and owner demographics.

Practical implications

The paper shows that networking is a viable market strategy for small community retailers and that economic as well as social benefits are accrued from interactions with network members.

Originality/value

Given the unique challenges of operating a small independent business, this work provides suggestions for building networks that generate collaboration as a marketing strategy.

• Communities
• Marketing strategy
• United States of America

Miller, N.J. , Besser, T.L. and Sattler Weber, S. (2010), "Networking as marketing strategy: a case study of small community businesses", Qualitative Market Research , Vol. 13 No. 3, pp. 253-270. https://doi.org/10.1108/13522751011053626

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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7.6 Networking Case Studies

Learning objectives.

• Practice networking case studies to better understand how to build a sustainable network.
• Appreciate the nuances that are involved when you build relationships during your career search.

Case studies are a great way to “practice” your networking skills, which is always a wise thing to do. They teach you how to network better in a variety of situations.

Case Study 1

Your mentor introduces you to her colleague who introduces you to a business lead (say Jane Smith), who consents to an informational interview. You send your mentor’s colleague a nice thank-you and schedule the interview. The interview is substantive, and you send Jane Smith a nice thank-you. Two weeks later you get a formal interview, which you schedule for later. Are you done for now?

Case Study 2

You get an informational interview with a managing director, Jeff Roberts, in the boutique firm that specializes in exactly what you want to do. He asks you to coordinate with his assistant to get on his calendar. You call her to schedule the meeting. After the interview, you send Jeff Roberts a nice thank-you. Have you completed the interview etiquette?

Case Study 3

You are late for a 1:30 interview at a company’s headquarters and by the time you get there, it’s about 1:25. You go to the security desk, but bypass the X-ray area, so they redirect you there. You get a bit huffy. You rush to the elevator and fail to keep it open for a woman who is trying to get in. When you finally make it upstairs, you are escorted to the office, and asked to wait for a moment or two. When the person with whom you are meeting finally arrives, you recognize each other: you didn’t save the elevator for her. What do you do?

Case Study 4

You are scheduled for a second interview on a Friday, at 5 p.m. You are invited to attend the company’s weekly happy hour and afterward meet with some of the team privately for one-on-one interviews. You wear an interview suit and discover everyone else is wearing jeans. At your first interview, they had all worn business casual. “Jeans are allowed on Friday,” someone calls out. Are you appropriately dressed? What if you get called in the next Friday—what do you wear?

Case Study 5

You are very interested in working for two companies, and fortunately, you are in final rounds with both. You receive the first offer, and feel strongly that you will accept—in fact, you know you will if you get the second offer. The deadline for the first offer is a week away. The second company calls to schedule a final round. What do you tell them?

Case Study 6

You are in a two-on-one interview. One person is a line business manager and is taking the lead in the interview; the other person is an HR representative and does not say much. How do you conduct yourself during the interview and how do you interact with each person?

Case Study 7

You are attending a school-sponsored networking event with your classmates and representatives from a top marketing firm. You strike up a conversation with a company person and realize that several of your classmates have gathered to either contribute to your discussion or ask their own questions of the company representative with whom you are speaking. You first finish with the conversation before turning to your classmates and acknowledging their presence. Is this good or bad networking behavior? Why?

Case Study 8

You have accepted an invitation to attend training with the office of career services because a representative from a top company will be giving an overview of their business. At the last minute, you need to cram for an exam. In addition, you also do not feel well, so you decide not to attend. Is this is good or bad networking behavior? Why?

Case Study: Things to Consider

Here are key points to consider for each of these case studies, which will help you build upon your networking skills.

The topic is “Mentor Introductions and Follow-Up”:

• Always keep your mentor in the loop. They want to know you are taking their advice and reaping the fruits of your efforts. Your mentor is there to help you succeed.
• Maintain good relationships with everyone with whom you come into contact, and you will benefit in the long run. Sending thank-you notes shows good manners and an appreciative attitude, and it’s a good way to stay connected.
• Be aware of the matrix A pattern that helps to organize organizations or processes. relationships all around you. When you land a position in a corporation, you can often have three or four different managers. Navigating these individuals with ease separates you from those who have difficulty doing so.

The topic is “Informational Interview Follow-Up”:

• It’s always wise to thank everyone who has helped you to land interviews and coordinate schedules. This includes administrative staff.
• Administrative assistants often carry influence with their manager, so the extra step to extend thanks for their efforts is good manners and good career management.

The topic is “Late for an Interview”:

• You only get one chance to make a first impression!
• You have to apologize, give a short explanation, and move on quickly.
• You next redirect your focus to the interview at hand and do your very best.

The topic is “Business or Business Casual Dress”:

• When in doubt, always dress in business attire. You had no idea it was dress-down Friday, so it was wise for you to wear a suit.
• When you get called back the following Friday, you remember that jeans are allowed on Friday. Jeans are allowed, but that doesn’t mean everyone wears them. The more senior people may wear khakis, and if you wore jeans, you could be dressed inappropriately (i.e., more casually than the senior managers). Remember that you are not yet an employee; you are still a candidate, so dress more conservatively.
• When interviewing in different industries, keep in mind that different dress protocols apply, for example, nuances in media are dramatically different from financial services.

The topic is “Multiple Offers”:

• The most impressive candidates communicate well and let recruiters and hiring managers know that they have options. It’s especially impressive when they communicate deadlines so appropriate actions can be taken.
• If you know you want a position with a company and you know you will accept its offer, take yourself out of the running for the second opportunity. It shows (a) confidence, (b) goodwill, and (c) your thoughtfulness in giving other candidates a chance to interview. The positive qualities and effects of this decision just go on and on!
• On the other hand, it’s always good to explore all options. Definitely let the second company know that you have received an offer from another company. Exploring this second company may help you decide which company you prefer. Perhaps they will expedite the interview process because they really want you, and then you can make a more informed decision.

The topic is “Live Interviewing with Multiple Interviewers”:

• Acknowledge the business manager and the HR representative and treat both with utmost respect. When answering the business manager’s questions, direct your answer to both parties and maintain eye contact with both.
• Remember, at all stages of the interview and job search process, you are constantly marketing yourself and selling your abilities.
• You have no idea which person is the real decision maker.
• Ask each interviewer questions and tailor your questions to the interviewer.
• You may be in other situations when you are in a group, yet talking mostly to one person. Be polite and address and acknowledge all members in the group.
• Remember that the HR representative has the ability to direct you to another business, should your interview with this particular business not go as well as you would like.

The topic is “Being Inclusive at a Networking Event”:

• Always include others in your conversation; this is both thoughtful and polite.
• Encourage others to ask questions. You can always learn from their questions and the responses they receive.

The topic is “Office of Career Services Training Session”:

• If you have accepted an invitation to attend an event, barring a medical emergency, you should make every effort to attend. Your attendance is a reflection of your commitment.
• If you absolutely cannot attend, make sure you contact someone in career services and let them know why you cannot attend. Simply not showing up is in poor taste and disrespectful of other people’s efforts on your behalf.
• If you don’t show and there is a poor turnout, the company sponsoring the business overview may decide to do fewer events with the school or pull out altogether.

Key Takeaways

• Case studies are an excellent way to learn about proper networking etiquette.
• If you are in a position where you are not sure what to do, consult someone with the relevant expertise, including someone in career services if at all possible.
• Good networking behavior can influence your success in the job search.
• If in doubt, always dress professionally for networking activities with firms, even if it’s well known that their dress code is casual.
• Pair up with a team of five classmates to create your own networking etiquette case studies, preferably using something that truly happened. Share your case studies in class to continue the learning.

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swXtch.io's cloudSwXtch delivers high-performance networking on Azure

Microsoft partner swXtch.io’s cloudSwXtch allows companies to transport live, broadcast-quality video streams and hit line-rate network throughput.

Companies hesitant to move workflows

A true multicast solution based on azure, millions of packets per second, a microsoft partner bolstering the azure network.

Based in New York City, swXtch.io specializes in technology for the media and entertainment industry. The company's involvement with Azure came about in response to a request from the Azure Global Engineering team to add multicast to the Azure network. A demo of cloudSwXtch in November 2020 led to ongoing engagement, with swXtch.io becoming transactable in the Microsoft commercial marketplace the following spring. Supported by the Azure sales team, swXtch.io expanded into other vertical markets, including financial services, government, and IoT, and became part of the Microsoft live-media workflow at the 2022 International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam. “Our Microsoft partnership has exposed us to a much broader number of customer prospects than we ever could’ve achieved without them,” said Geeter Kyrazis, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder of swXtch.io. cloudSwXtch is a network appliance that is deployed as a virtual machine image so it can be created with any tools that create VMs. The cloudSwXtch VM Image page  in the Azure Marketplace connects professionals with templates to easily deploy cloudSwXtch on an Azure virtual machine and test its functionality on a pay-as-you-go basis. The templates ensure correct setup of the VM and network interfaces.

Speed and stability are here in the cloud

Transitioning to the cloud usually results in two choices for a company: making a solution to fill the gaps in cloud networking or buying such a solution. Making a solution can take years, but with the networking expertise of swXtch.io and its cloudSwXtch solution, companies can expect their timelines to go from years to weeks, or even days, for full implementation. Thanks to cloudSwXtch, organizations accustomed to high-performance networking on-premises will find the cloud familiar. cloudSwXtch offers microsecond latencies and high bandwidth throughput at a scale similar to bare-metal networks. With an emphasis on live-media production, cloudSwXtch implements network path redundancy (SMPTE 2022-7), Precision Time Protocol, standards conversion with Tachyon LIVE, and remote production collaboration. cloudSwXtch takes any supported packet protocol (SRT, RIST, unicast, multicast) and fans it out to multiple receivers of another packet protocol. “cloudSwXtch creates a wealth of new possibilities for live-media workflows in hybrid and cloud environments," said Brent Yates, CEO and co-founder of swXtch.io. "The Azure cloud, enhanced with cloudSwXtch, becomes a powerful destination for broadcast media customers that require high-performance networking capabilities in order to thrive.” For video distribution, the number of supported endpoints outside the cloud is the exact multiple of the egress cost savings. For example, if a broadcaster wants to distribute its channel to multiple locations in another cloud, each external connection can be replaced by a single outbound flow and then fanned out in the cloud infrastructure using multicast. A single 100 megabyte-per-second stream going to 30 processing endpoints will equal $900,000 of savings in egress costs.

“The Azure cloud, enhanced with cloudSwXtch, becomes a powerful destination for broadcast media customers that require high-performance networking capabilities in order to thrive.”

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Migrating at Scale: A Ten-Database Utility Network Case Study

By: Jamie Patterson, GIS Manager, EPCOR and Ally Kennedy, Principal-Geospatial Utilities, Timmons Group

EPCOR USA Inc. (EPCOR USA) owns, operates, and builds water, wastewater, and natural gas infrastructure in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. As one of the largest private water utilities in the Southwest, it serves more than 800,000 people across 44 communities. EPCOR USA is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of EPCOR Utilities Inc. based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Managing Scale

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“One of the key questions we face is—how do we continue to deliver high-quality geospatial services across an expanding footprint? In other words, how do we manage scale?”

In 2020, EPCOR USA partnered with Timmons Group to assess our current GIS, gather program needs, and develop a future state plan with the primary requirements to

• Fully migrate to ArcGIS Pro.
• Retain geometric network type functionality.

EPCOR USA continued to team with Timmons Group, an Esri Network Management Specialty partner, for the implementation of ArcGIS Utility Network. This included a full ArcGIS Enterprise platform upgrade with new architecture, including Portal for ArcGIS. To minimize spatial distortion and align linear asset records with tax parcel boundaries and right of ways, EPCOR USA uses the coordinate systems adopted by its local jurisdictions—in most cases, State Plane coordinates. The datasets identified for migration to ArcGIS Utility Network fall within five State Plane coordinate system zones—two in Arizona, two in New Mexico, and one in Texas. Each mix of coordinate system and utility schema (i.e., water, wastewater, or non-potable water) triggered a new database. Accordingly, Timmons Group migrated EPCOR USA’s geometric network datasets into nine new Utility Network SQL databases. We leveraged a tenth database, coined “EPCORUSA”, to overcome the limitations of the fragmented datasets. For a multi-state view and ease of use with web applications, this read-only database contains three Utility Network schemas projected to a Web Mercator spatial reference. A single repository is useful for asset reporting and dashboard configurations that pull information from across the organization.

Migrating at Scale

In order to ensure our migration into Utility Network could be as seamless as possible, Timmons Group delivered ArcGIS Data Reviewer files that allowed EPCOR USA editors to navigate to and fix data errors. While we were not able to build out all our subnetworks from day one in Utility Network, this process got us a lot closer to that functionality. Given the large number of EPCOR USA systems, progress continues to complete subnetworks for all systems.

Esri solutions for water and wastewater were used as the basis for the data models for EPCOR USA. Following workshops with the GIS users and feedback from other end users like engineering and on-site crews, Foundation data models were customized to meet EPCOR USA’s specific business needs. The customized Water data model was used as the basis for the non-potable data model and then underwent several additional changes.

All the regions used the same data model for each utility (e.g., the New Mexico Water data model is the same as the Arizona Water data model) aside from coordinate systems. The Texas water transmission system also used the same water data model, plus the addition of several unique feature classes and non-spatial, related tables. The large wholesale water pipeline does not require heavy network edits and, therefore, was implemented without the network object itself.

The data was migrated from the source databases into the customized Utility Network asset packages with FME. Additional workbenches were created to QA the output of each migration and ensure the deployments of Utility Network would succeed. The output of these QA workbenches was reviewed by stakeholders prior to implementation to ensure all features migrated as expected.       

Configuration

Attribute rules were configured to streamline editing as much as possible. These included calculation rules to populate fields based on intersecting polygons, ID generation rules, and modified rules from the Utility Network Foundation solutions. Validation attribute rules were also created to ensure high data quality. The combination of these attribute rules and Utility Network’s connectivity rules allows EPCOR USA to easily find data that needs attention, and therefore become more confident in our data quality.

Data editing was further streamlined with the configuration of group editing templates. EPCOR USA staff received training and guidance from Timmons Group on how to set these new template types and then configured them as needed. These templates allow staff to create many features, such as a hydrant with its laterals and valves, with very few clicks.

Following Timmons Group’s guidance, EPCOR USA pushed each editing map, including its editing templates, to Portal as map packages. This allows all our editors to work from common templates and easily receive new group templates as they are created.

The new editing tools, combined with branched versioning yield efficiencies compared to the previous traditional versioned workflow. Branched versioning also removed the occasional performance lags seen by users interacting with our most heavily transacted databases and eliminated the administrative overhead of scheduling compress and reindex jobs.

Integrations

Prior to this project, EPCOR USA’s Cityworks AMS implementation was using two domains, one for the Texas wholesale system and one for the regulated Arizona and New Mexico systems. Aligning the Texas data model with the other water systems allowed us to maintain the current asset configuration and asset work history within Cityworks, as both Texas and the rest of the network were published in the same feature service in the GIS. Iterative testing of both the Cityworks settings and the map used to publish the feature services was used to ensure that front-end users of Cityworks experienced as few changes as possible. EPCOR USA also undertook change management tasks so that Cityworks users would know what to expect. The result of the combined efforts of Timmons Group and EPCOR USA was a smooth Cityworks transition with minimal disruption to end user experience, despite the radically changed underlying GIS schema.

The project culminated with the GIS team leveraging Portal for ArcGIS to reinvent one of EPCOR USA’s most heavily used mapping applications. Developed by a third party, the previous application accessed geometric network content published from EPCOR USA’s ArcGIS Server instance. The new platform, developed in-house by our GIS staff with ArcGIS Web AppBuilder, delivers Utility Network content to users across the business.

All the goals of the original project were completed; EPCOR USA fully migrated to ArcGIS Pro with ArcGIS Utility Network and minimal downtime.

Benefits gained from the project include:

• More efficient editing workflows
• Cleaner datasets and better quality control tools
• Richer data model, capable of tracking finer details
• Easier sharing of GIS content through a modernized enterprise GIS platform

Keys to our successful implementation include:

• Comprehensive planning from a long-term perspective
• Working with a trusted and qualified partner in Timmons Group to plan and execute a complex migration
• Finding a solution that meets the specific needs of our organization

We have a geospatial data management solution that can handle a large, varied, and expanding footprint and positions EPCOR USA to remain on the leading edge of GIS solutions.

Stay Connected with Esri’s Water Team

ArcGIS is an extensive information system that enables modernization of workflows with easy-to-use applications for the field and office. Strengthen your organization with smart water solutions that will increase efficiency and provide insight for decision-makers.

Visit the  Esri Water Utilities  web site for more information.

Learn more about network management .

About the author

Esri's Water Team focuses on all things water: water utilities (water distribution, wastewater, stormwater), water resources and everything in between. The team works with colleagues across Esri (solutions, professional services, product and more) to provide the best support for our customers and partners.

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• water utilities
• geospatial services
• infrastructure
• network management
• utility network

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The fishy death of Red Lobster

Endless Shrimp didn't sink the seafood chain. Wall Street did.

With the chain on the verge of bankruptcy, it has become abundantly clear that Red Lobster letting customers eat all the shrimp their hearts desire was not a great business idea . It's also not the reason the restaurant is in a deep financial mess .

In mid-April, Bloomberg reported the debt-laden seafood chain and home of beloved cheddar biscuits was considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Red Lobster is being bogged down by increased labor costs and expensive leases on its restaurants. Some observers were quick to blame the financial woes on its decision last year to make its "Endless Shrimp" promotion, which used to be an occasional, limited-time offering, permanent. The move was not a smart one. While Red Lobster increased traffic somewhat, people coming in to chow down on all-you-can-eat shrimp was a money bleeder. The company blamed Endless Shrimp for its $11 million losses in the third quarter of 2023, and in the fourth quarter, the picture got even worse, with the restaurant chain seeing $12.5 million in operating losses.

But the story about what's gone wrong with Red Lobster is much more complicated than a bunch of stoners pigging out on shrimp (and, later, lobster ) en masse. The brand has been plagued by various problems — waning customer interest, constant leadership turnover, and, as has become a common tale, private equity's meddling in the business.

"If anything, the Endless Shrimp deals are probably as much a symbol of just either desperation or poor management or both," Jonathan Maze, the editor in chief of Restaurant Business Magazine, said.

Red Lobster first opened in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968 and was acquired by the food conglomerate General Mills in 1970. General Mills then spun the chain off in 1995 along with the rest of its restaurant division, which also included Olive Garden, as Darden Restaurants. In 2014, amid flagging sales and pressure from investors, Darden sold Red Lobster for $2.1 billion to Golden Gate Capital, a San Francisco private-equity firm.

If anything, the Endless Shrimp deals are probably as much a symbol of just either desperation or poor management or both.

To raise enough cash to make the deal happen, Golden Gate sold off Red Lobster's real estate to another entity — in this case, a company called American Realty Capital Properties — and then immediately leased the restaurants back. The next year, Red Lobster bought back some sites, but many of its restaurants were suddenly strapped with added rent expenses. Even if Darden had kept Red Lobster, it's not clear it would have taken a different route: A press release from the time says it had contacted buyers to explore such a transaction. But in Maze's view, the sale of the real estate was sort of an original sin for Red Lobster's current troubles. He compared it to throwing out a spare parachute — chances are, you'll be OK, but if the first parachute fails, you're in deep trouble.

"The thing that private equity does is just unload assets and monetize assets. And so they effectively paid for the purchase of Red Lobster by selling the real estate," he said. "It'll probably be fine, generally, but there's going to come a time in which your sales fall, your profitability is challenged, and your debt looks too bad, and then suddenly those leases are going to look awfully ugly."

That time, according to recent reporting, is now. With struggling sales and operational losses, the leases are an added headache that is helping push the company to the brink, though bankruptcy may help Red Lobster get some wiggle room on them.

Eileen Appelbaum, a codirector of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a progressive think tank, and a longtime private-equity critic, said in 2014 that private equity wouldn't be the solution to Red Lobster's ills. She isn't surprised about how this is all turning out.

"Once they sell the real estate, then the private-equity company is golden, and they've made their money back and probably more than what they paid," she said, noting that this was a common theme in other restaurants and retailers and adding: "The retail apocalypse is all about having your real estate sold out from under you so that you have to pay the rent in good times and in bad."

After the real estate move, Golden Gate sold 25% of the company in 2016 to Thai Union, a Thailand seafood company, for $575 million and unloaded the rest of the company to an investor group called the Seafood Alliance, of which Thai Union was a part, in 2020. Golden Gate likely came out ahead, but the same can't be said for Thai Union, which also controls the Chicken of the Sea brand. It is now looking to get out of its stake in Red Lobster and took a one-time charge of $530 million on its investment in the fourth quarter of last year. In 2021, Red Lobster refinanced its debt, with one of its new lenders being Fortress Investment Group, an investment-management group and private-equity firm. According to Bloomberg, it's one of the "key lenders" involved in debt negotiations now.

Beyond the pandemic-related troubles that hit restaurants across the country , analysts and experts say that Red Lobster's particular problems are attributable to a mix of poor brand positioning and unstable leadership. The seafood-restaurant business is a tough one in the US, and people who are hankering for lobster or fish are increasingly going to steak houses that offer those options, said Darren Tristano, the CEO and founder of Foodservice Results, a food-industry consultancy.

"What's truly happened with Red Lobster is that the consumer base has changed and Red Lobster hasn't," he said. "Red Lobster isn't losing to a competitor in their space — they're losing to competitors outside their space."

John Gordon, a restaurant analyst in San Diego, said Red Lobster had been on the decline for 20 years but that it didn't "fall on the knife" until Thai Union got it. "They were totally unprepared to hold a casual-dining restaurant," he said. Kim Lopdrup, Red Lobster's longtime CEO, retired in 2021, and since then, the restaurant hasn't had much in the way of stable leadership. His successor resigned after only a matter of months, and the role remained vacant for more than a year before someone else was appointed. He's left, too, and now Jonathan Tibus, an expert in restructuring, is at the helm.

"One of the problems is that Thai Union just had no credibility in terms of recruiting a new CEO," Gordon said.

Essentially, Red Lobster finds itself in a landscape where there just aren't a lot of bright spots. Add on the weight of the debt and lease obligations the company's private-equity owners saddled the brand with, and a turnaround becomes a gargantuan task.

"It's hard to blame leadership when you have a problem that is unsolvable — I mean, getting the consumer back in the door, increasing traffic. All-you-can-eat shrimp can only do so much," Tristano said.

Red Lobster did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Golden Gate declined to comment. Thai Union pointed to a press release about its intention to exit its investment and said it didn't wish to comment further.

One bad promotion should not doom a restaurant chain like that.

As to what drove Red Lobster to the edge, it's clear that despite not being a very good idea, the blame doesn't fall on Endless Shrimp. Years of changing tastes, tough industry conditions, and poor brand management all contributed to the chain's difficult position. But plenty of other restaurants have faced similar issues and aren't on the verge of bankruptcy. What separates Red Lobster is a decade of private-equity and investor tampering. Pinging from owner to owner makes it hard to settle on a turnaround vision. The company faces challenges that necessitate a long-term view that requires patience — the kind that the short-term-focused Wall Street often struggles to tackle. Whether Red Lobster can turn it around from here remains to be seen: Even if it files for bankruptcy protection, the chain may not disappear. Plenty of companies go bankrupt and keep on keeping on.

"You've got to at least be able to pay your bills, and what's happened over the last five years is the cost of operating a restaurant has taken off," Maze said. "One bad promotion should not doom a restaurant chain like that."

Emily Stewart is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, writing about business and the economy.

About Discourse Stories

Through our Discourse journalism, Business Insider seeks to explore and illuminate the day’s most fascinating issues and ideas. Our writers provide thought-provoking perspectives, informed by analysis, reporting, and expertise. Read more Discourse stories here .

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Study Suggests Genetics as a Cause, Not Just a Risk, for Some Alzheimer’s

People with two copies of the gene variant APOE4 are almost certain to get Alzheimer’s, say researchers, who proposed a framework under which such patients could be diagnosed years before symptoms.

By Pam Belluck

Scientists are proposing a new way of understanding the genetics of Alzheimer’s that would mean that up to a fifth of patients would be considered to have a genetically caused form of the disease.

Currently, the vast majority of Alzheimer’s cases do not have a clearly identified cause. The new designation, proposed in a study published Monday, could broaden the scope of efforts to develop treatments, including gene therapy, and affect the design of clinical trials.

It could also mean that hundreds of thousands of people in the United States alone could, if they chose, receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s before developing any symptoms of cognitive decline, although there currently are no treatments for people at that stage.

The new classification would make this type of Alzheimer’s one of the most common genetic disorders in the world, medical experts said.

“This reconceptualization that we’re proposing affects not a small minority of people,” said Dr. Juan Fortea, an author of the study and the director of the Sant Pau Memory Unit in Barcelona, Spain. “Sometimes we say that we don’t know the cause of Alzheimer’s disease,” but, he said, this would mean that about 15 to 20 percent of cases “can be tracked back to a cause, and the cause is in the genes.”

The idea involves a gene variant called APOE4. Scientists have long known that inheriting one copy of the variant increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, and that people with two copies, inherited from each parent, have vastly increased risk.

The new study , published in the journal Nature Medicine, analyzed data from over 500 people with two copies of APOE4, a significantly larger pool than in previous studies. The researchers found that almost all of those patients developed the biological pathology of Alzheimer’s, and the authors say that two copies of APOE4 should now be considered a cause of Alzheimer’s — not simply a risk factor.

The patients also developed Alzheimer’s pathology relatively young, the study found. By age 55, over 95 percent had biological markers associated with the disease. By 65, almost all had abnormal levels of a protein called amyloid that forms plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. And many started developing symptoms of cognitive decline at age 65, younger than most people without the APOE4 variant.

“The critical thing is that these individuals are often symptomatic 10 years earlier than other forms of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Reisa Sperling, a neurologist at Mass General Brigham in Boston and an author of the study.

She added, “By the time they are picked up and clinically diagnosed, because they’re often younger, they have more pathology.”

People with two copies, known as APOE4 homozygotes, make up 2 to 3 percent of the general population, but are an estimated 15 to 20 percent of people with Alzheimer’s dementia, experts said. People with one copy make up about 15 to 25 percent of the general population, and about 50 percent of Alzheimer’s dementia patients.

The most common variant is called APOE3, which seems to have a neutral effect on Alzheimer’s risk. About 75 percent of the general population has one copy of APOE3, and more than half of the general population has two copies.

Alzheimer’s experts not involved in the study said classifying the two-copy condition as genetically determined Alzheimer’s could have significant implications, including encouraging drug development beyond the field’s recent major focus on treatments that target and reduce amyloid.

Dr. Samuel Gandy, an Alzheimer’s researcher at Mount Sinai in New York, who was not involved in the study, said that patients with two copies of APOE4 faced much higher safety risks from anti-amyloid drugs.

When the Food and Drug Administration approved the anti-amyloid drug Leqembi last year, it required a black-box warning on the label saying that the medication can cause “serious and life-threatening events” such as swelling and bleeding in the brain, especially for people with two copies of APOE4. Some treatment centers decided not to offer Leqembi, an intravenous infusion, to such patients.

Dr. Gandy and other experts said that classifying these patients as having a distinct genetic form of Alzheimer’s would galvanize interest in developing drugs that are safe and effective for them and add urgency to current efforts to prevent cognitive decline in people who do not yet have symptoms.

“Rather than say we have nothing for you, let’s look for a trial,” Dr. Gandy said, adding that such patients should be included in trials at younger ages, given how early their pathology starts.

Besides trying to develop drugs, some researchers are exploring gene editing to transform APOE4 into a variant called APOE2, which appears to protect against Alzheimer’s. Another gene-therapy approach being studied involves injecting APOE2 into patients’ brains.

The new study had some limitations, including a lack of diversity that might make the findings less generalizable. Most patients in the study had European ancestry. While two copies of APOE4 also greatly increase Alzheimer’s risk in other ethnicities, the risk levels differ, said Dr. Michael Greicius, a neurologist at Stanford University School of Medicine who was not involved in the research.

“One important argument against their interpretation is that the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in APOE4 homozygotes varies substantially across different genetic ancestries,” said Dr. Greicius, who cowrote a study that found that white people with two copies of APOE4 had 13 times the risk of white people with two copies of APOE3, while Black people with two copies of APOE4 had 6.5 times the risk of Black people with two copies of APOE3.

“This has critical implications when counseling patients about their ancestry-informed genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease,” he said, “and it also speaks to some yet-to-be-discovered genetics and biology that presumably drive this massive difference in risk.”

Under the current genetic understanding of Alzheimer’s, less than 2 percent of cases are considered genetically caused. Some of those patients inherited a mutation in one of three genes and can develop symptoms as early as their 30s or 40s. Others are people with Down syndrome, who have three copies of a chromosome containing a protein that often leads to what is called Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer’s disease .

Dr. Sperling said the genetic alterations in those cases are believed to fuel buildup of amyloid, while APOE4 is believed to interfere with clearing amyloid buildup.

Under the researchers’ proposal, having one copy of APOE4 would continue to be considered a risk factor, not enough to cause Alzheimer’s, Dr. Fortea said. It is unusual for diseases to follow that genetic pattern, called “semidominance,” with two copies of a variant causing the disease, but one copy only increasing risk, experts said.

The new recommendation will prompt questions about whether people should get tested to determine if they have the APOE4 variant.

Dr. Greicius said that until there were treatments for people with two copies of APOE4 or trials of therapies to prevent them from developing dementia, “My recommendation is if you don’t have symptoms, you should definitely not figure out your APOE status.”

He added, “It will only cause grief at this point.”

Finding ways to help these patients cannot come soon enough, Dr. Sperling said, adding, “These individuals are desperate, they’ve seen it in both of their parents often and really need therapies.”

Pam Belluck is a health and science reporter, covering a range of subjects, including reproductive health, long Covid, brain science, neurological disorders, mental health and genetics. More about Pam Belluck

The Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, but much remains unknown about this daunting disease..

How is Alzheimer’s diagnosed? What causes Alzheimer’s? We answered some common questions .

A study suggests that genetics can be a cause of Alzheimer’s , not just a risk, raising the prospect of diagnosis years before symptoms appear.

Determining whether someone has Alzheimer’s usually requires an extended diagnostic process . But new criteria could lead to a diagnosis on the basis of a simple blood test .

The F.D.A. has given full approval to the Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi. Here is what to know about i t.

Alzheimer’s can make communicating difficult. We asked experts for tips on how to talk to someone with the disease .