Nike Greed

What makes the current downfall of Nike so disheartening is that this used to be a company full of humble, entrepreneurial, go-getters who came from nothing, who sold their product out of the back of their van, were deeply rooted into product innovation, cared about their consumer and their employees, created values that would be the constitution to shape what Nike has become today. What happened to the good guys?

In my time at Nike, I can assure you this is what has lead to their business challenges:

Greed. Pricing product way too high and decreasing quality. Thank you JJ.
Elitism. Hiring elitists from top universities and societal circles to run your company without an ounce of knowing what hard work looks like.
Bad Hiring. Hiring individuals based upon "cool factor" versus their work merit i.e. how many followers do they have on Instagram? How cool do they dress? How many a* have they kissed? Because these people will really take your company far.
Product Saturation. Saturating the market with too much product and not building out a proper product allocation plan.
Brand Dilution. Diluting your brand by granting premium product access to low-end retailers.
Most importantly, losing sight of who your consumer is, aka most important Maxim, Maxim#5 Consumer Decides. Does Nike not realize their predictable product and Retro Jordan shoe drops does not catch the eye of Generation Z, your current target consumer? It might be wise to figure out who this consumer is and build product that matches their needs and wants. And Nike needs to stop trying to be a fashion company because you are not. Go back to your roots and create amazing performance product.

Lastly, these recent layoffs have been necessary in some cases, but most have been senior directors who were movers and shakers at Nike for many years. These people pushed the brand to new heights. The current top executives at Nike are not movers and shakers, and the layoff decisions they are making right now might be the ultimate demise of Nike.

The real question is, why haven't any top executives been fired or salaries cut? They are the true people at fault and deserve to be out. They are not the good guys that this company was once founded on.

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Well someone said "Karma is real. Careful NKE" a year ago

Well said OP. Surprised on Tiffany. But considering the b.s. Rolling around that place. Not surprised.

Wish Nike had some accountability in brand. You almost get rewarded for spending an extra 100k over budget on one project.

Earlier this year they promoted people to the territory leads in the east and west who are despised by their teams. People straight up quit in the east bc of the new leads.

As someone said on another post...it's about the coach the lead the person who's going to get great work out of you. It's not about some b---s--- about how 'cool' they are or their ability to s--- up and their personal brand. Which was some bs being floated around the last few years.

How about grinding out a great ideas, with great people, and doing it on time and on budget?

It's a shame that NIKE didnt approach this like 2009. Drop the deadweight. they could have saved quite a few dollars and time and energy by looking at who they wanted to keep vs just cutting for the sake of it. Or to fit some new org.

That's the part the stings. It's the deadweight that was kept...energy drainers vs givers in marketing.

Not in all cases, but I can count 5 folks I would have cut to save of 2-3 hard workers.

Karma is real. Careful NKE.

Spot on Good Guys. I just read Tiffany Beers left for Tesla, after more than thirteen years with Nike. Smart woman. She must have seen the proverbial writing on the wall and didn't wait to be sacked. The real talent always moves on in times like these. I wish her the best. Cheers.

On point - there is a shiny object mentality here. Hire people from big name schools and their networks sustain them even if they don't deliver. Look at the strat planning roles in every org - PowerPoint monkeys from Ivy League schools that kiss a-- and make dumb VPs look good. We identify them with the number of LeBron James slides they have in their beautiful decks.

Lol @ the EQUALITY meme. They had to artificially darken the huge #EQUALITY banner on Bo Jackson because the employee head shots were mostly white and preppy . At least that's what I told myself when I'd walk by and try to spot people who look like me.

To be honest...the "equality" meme left a really bitter taste in my mouth.

Nike ought to practice what it preaches.

Harsh, and not entirely true though: "There is no project success when the knowledge base is temporary and foreign"

I agree on the "Temporary" part...

The foreign part is a bit tricky, I was born overseas, graduated college here. I live here and will die here, my kids too. I can contribute as much as anyone else, no matter where they are from

Well said. Absolutely zero accountability on senior leadership team. 'Equality' my a--, top 1% just gets richer and the 99% lose their jobs. Hypocrites.

Just for the record. http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2017/07/after_tough_year_nike_downsize.html

Secondly, generation Z? That is only one segment of the market? How about baby boomers that have more money than almost any other generation in American history. Can they get in shape too with clothing that fits their bodies?

Nike as a fashion? Are you kidding me? Maybe for welfare people and the "aspirational" types. I think that "functional" is where is at.

Beer Thursday? The way alcoholic establishments and alcoholic culture has been multiplying in the region in the last few years, we will have a serious alcoholic problem on our hands with no resources to deal with, in order to prevent the destruction of the family, absenteeism, chronic disease and premature death in addition to traffic accident mortality of innocents on the roads.

Nike needs to look within and figure out the whys, the who, the when and start an accounting of wasted money and human capital. They need to stop the importing of foreign workers policy cold. It is creating a lot of resentment and change of attitudes when it displaces loyal American workers for the sake of greed. There is no project success when the knowledge base is temporary and foreign. It is time to start working smart and do a serious long term cost/benefit analysis of current policies.

Thread regarding Nike Inc. layoffs

Nike Greed

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