CHAPTER 1 | MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONS 23

2009); Matthew Stewart, The Management Myth
(W. W. Norton & Company, 2009); Paul Osterman,
The Truth About Middle Managers: Who They Are,
How They Work, and Why They Matter (Harvard Business
Press, 2008); Stephen P. Robbins, The Truth About
Managing People, 2e (Financial Times/Prentice Hall,
2007); Gary Hamel, The Future of Management (Harvard
Business School, 2007); Rod Wagner and James K. Harter,
12 Elements of Great Managing (Gallup Press, 2006);
Marcus Buckingham, First Break All the Rules: What the
World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently (Simon &
Schuster, 1999); and Peter F. Drucker, The Executive in
Action (Harper Business, 1985 and 1964).
 Interview two different managers and ask them at least
three of the questions that were listed in the Let’s Get
Real: Meet the Managers and Let’s Get Real: F2F
boxes in the chapter. Type up the questions and their
answers to turn in to your professor.
 Accountants and other professionals have certification
programs to verify their skills, knowledge, and profes-
sionalism. What about managers? Two certification
programs for managers include the Certified Manager
(Institute of Certified Professional Managers) and the
Certified Business Manager (Association of Professional
in Business Management). Research each of these
programs. Prepare a bulleted list of what each involves.
 If you’re involved in student organizations, volunteer for
leadership roles or for projects where you can practice
planning, organizing, leading, and controlling different
projects and activities. You can also gain valuable mana-
gerial experience by taking a leadership role in class
team projects.
 In your own words, write down three things you learned
in this chapter about being a good manager.
 Self-knowledge can be a powerful learning tool. Go
to mymanagementlab.com and complete any of these
self-assessment exercises: How Motivated Am I to
Manage? How Well Do I Handle Ambiguity? How Con-
fident Am I in My Abilities to Succeed? or What’s My
Attitude Toward Achievement? Using the results of your
assessments, identify personal strengths and weak-
nesses. What will you do to reinforce your strengths
and improve your weaknesses?

CASE APPLICATION
More Than a Good
Story
ake and Rocket, a cartoon guy and his cartoon dog, can be

J found on most of the apparel and other branded products

sold by the Life is good® company.44 With his perky beret
(or other appropriate head gear), Jake has that contented look of
being able to enjoy life as it is and finding reasons to be happy
right now. And Rocket? Well, he’s just happy to be along for the
ride. And what a ride it’s been for the two! They’ve been a part of
the company’s growth to over $100 million in revenues. Company
co-founders and brothers, Bert and John Jacobs have a personal
and business philosophy much like Jake: simplicity, humor, and
humility. However, both understand that even with this philosophy,
they need to be good managers and they need good managers The management style of Life is good
throughout the organization in order to stay successful. co-founders and brothers John (left)
and Bert Jacobs is based on their
Bert and John designed their first tee shirts in 1989 and sold them personal and business philosophy of
door-to-door in college dorms along the East Coast and in Boston where simplicity, humor, and humility.

they’d set up shop using an old card table in locations on one-way streets
so they could pick up and move quickly if they needed to. They used this simple sales approach because, like
many young entrepreneurs, they couldn’t afford required business licenses. Although they met a lot of wonderful
24 PART ONE | INTRODUCTION TO MANAGEMENT

people and heard a lot of good stories during those early years, sales weren’t that great. As the company legend
goes, the brothers “lived on peanut butter and jelly, slept in their beat-up van, and showered when they could.”
During one of their usual post-sales-trip parties, Bert and John asked some friends for advice on an assortment
of images and slogans they had put together. Those friends (some of whom now work for the company) liked the
“Life is good” slogan and a drawing of Jake that had been sketched by John. So Bert and John printed up 48
Jake shirts for a local street fair in Cambridge, Massachusetts. By noon, the 48 shirts were gone, something that
had never happened! The brothers were smart enough to recognize that they might be on to something. And, as
the old saying goes . . . the rest is history! Since that momentous day in 1994, they’ve sold nearly 20 million Life
is good tee shirts featuring Jake and Rocket. Bert attributes their success to his belief that “the ‘Life is good’
message, coupled with the carefree image of Jake, was simple enough to swallow, light enough not to be mis-
taken for preachy, and profound enough to matter.” He goes on to say that, “Note that we don’t say ‘Life is
great!’ We say life is good, period. Three simple words. People connect with it instantly.”
Another important facet of Life is good is their commitment to good causes. And those aren’t just “words”
to Bert and John; they act on their words. They are passionately involved with Project Joy, which is a nonprofit
organization that fosters the development of at-risk children through the art of play. Bert says their partnership
with Project Joy aligns with Life is good’s whole philosophy. The financial commitment the company has made
is supported by its Life is good Kids Foundation, which raises funds through the popular Life is good festivals
and through sales of fundraising t-shirts and books at its retail stores.
Today, Life is good, based in Boston, has a product line of more than 900 items. The company continues to
grow about 30 to 40 percent annually. Bert and John’s style of managing is guided by another of the company’s
mottoes, “Do what you like. Like what you do.”® As the company’s Web site states, “In addition to knowledge,
skills, and experience, we look to hire people who possess the same optimistic outlook on life that Jake has.”
It’s an approach that seems to be working for Bert and John and for Jake and Rocket.

Discussion Questions
1. As the top managers of their company, what types of issues might Bert and John have to
deal with? Be as specific as possible. Which management functions might be most impor-
tant to them? Why?
2. Using descriptions from the case, describe Bert and John’s managerial style. Would this
approach work for other organizations? Why or why not?
3. How do you think the company’s motto “Do what you like. Like what you do” might affect
how managers manage? Be specific.
4. What managerial challenges might there be in having friends work for your business? How
could these challenges be kept inconsequential?
5. Would you want to work for a company like this? Why or why not?
6. In what ways would the Life is good managers (corporate and retail store) have to deal with the
challenges of customer service, innovation, and sustainability? Be specific in your description.

CASE APPLICATION

Flight Plans
ith a small year-round population, Branson, Missouri, is in a location not easily accessible by air

W service.45 The city, best known for its country music and music variety shows and family-style
attractions, also has the kinds of outdoor activities that attracted more than 8 million visitors last year,
 CHAPTER 1 | MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONS 25

“earning it the unofficial nickname ‘Vegas without the gambling.’” About 95 percent of those visitors come by car
or bus. But now there’s a new show in town—the Branson Airport. The $155 million airport, which opened in May
2009, is an experiment that many people are watching.
The airport is generating interest from city governments and the travel industry because it’s the
nation’s first commercial airport built and operated as a private, for-profit business with absolutely no
government funding. As one expert said, “...unpretentious little Branson Airport could have an outsize
effect it if works. It could turn what now is a mostly regional tourist spot into a national destination
for tourists.”
Steve Peet, the airport’s chief executive, admits that he had no idea where Branson was in 2000. But by
2004, he was convinced there was money to be made flying tourists there. He says, “If you were ever going to
think about building a private commercial airport, this would be the place to do it. How many more visitors
would come here if we made it easier and affordable for them? It seemed like an incredible opportunity.” So,
using private financing, he decided to build a new commercial airport a short distance south of Branson’s popu-
lar music shows district. Both Peet and Jeff Bourk, executive director of the airport, continue to tackle the man-
agerial challenges of turning that dream into reality.
Construction work on the airport terminal and the 7,140-foot runway (which can accommodate most
narrow-body jets) went smoothly. Bourk believed that much of that was due to minimal red tape. Because the
airport wasn’t using federal assistance, it didn’t face the restrictions that accompany taking government money,
which also meant it could pick and choose the airlines it allowed in. To attract those airlines, the airport agreed
to not allow other competitors in. Also, the airport owners kept the airlines’ operating costs low since airport
employees do much of the work usually done by an airline’s ground staff. Initially, the airport’s owners offered
exclusive contracts to AirTran and Sun Country on certain routes to Branson. Now, Frontier Airlines and the
newly-formed Branson AirExpress have added service. Mr. Peet emphasizes that they want the airlines to suc-
ceed. “We want to build real service, sustainable service.”
The airport earns money from landing fees (based on number of passengers, not on weight), aircraft fuel
sales, a percentage of every sale at the airport’s facility, and a $8.24 fee paid by the city of Branson for each
arriving passenger. To reach Peet’s goal of 250,000 passengers a year, the airport needs only 685 passen-
gers (five to six planeloads) a day. He says, “What we’re doing is going to work.” But first, they have to deal
with some significant turbulence. Branson city officials (who have been elected and hired since the original
agreement was signed) now say that the contract between the city and the airport regarding the arriving
passenger fee may not even be constitutional. Airport officials respond that, “We have a legal document and
we expect to be paid.” And Bourk maintains that Branson benefits from every tourist that goes through the
airport. “We bring in high-quality tourists all over the country to spend money in Branson for a cheap price
of $8.24.”

Discussion Questions
1. Using the four functions as your guide, what challenges would Jeff Bourk face in manag-
ing the Branson Airport?
2. Again, using the four functions as your guide, do you think the managerial challenges Jeff
Bourk faced when getting the airport up and running are different from what he faces now
in actually overseeing the airport’s operation? Explain.
3. What management roles would Jeff Bourk be playing as he (a) negotiates new contracts
with potential airlines, (b) works with the airport employees in providing a high level of
customer service to arriving and departing passengers, and (c) resolves the contractual
issues with the city of Branson? Be specific and explain your choices.
4. What skills would be most important to a manager like Jeff Bourk? Explain your choices.