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Undergraduate Director, Department of Retailing

Mike Watson

Mike Watson is empowered and inspired by the integration of seemingly disconnected elements in the service of others: these elements include spiritual intelligence, leadership, design, integrative thinking and higher education. His purpose of inspiring others to stand in their brilliance is the outcome of weaving together these elements. Let me expand on the elements and concepts: Spiritual Intelligence/SQ (the elevation of all personal intelligences through self-awareness, compassion and the desire to serve something greater than yourself). He purposefully utilize SQ to guide and inspire collaboration and interdependent teamwork to accomplish challenging goals in a variety of settings: academic, peer-to-peer, and organizational and through various platforms: lectures, keynotes, workshops, podcasts, and community design projects.

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Contributor Brief·Mike Watson · 2 articles
Updated Dec 20, 2023

Institutional inertia blocks workforce readiness across education and retail

Watson argues that established institutions—universities and retailers alike—fail to adapt their core operations to emerging threats and market demands, creating competitive vulnerability. He believes that survival requires not incremental adjustment but fundamental strategic overhaul: curriculum redesign for AI competency and comprehensive loss prevention infrastructure as non-negotiable survival mechanisms.

75%

of employers actively seeking AI-skilled workers now

“Three-quarters of employers now seek AI-skilled workers, yet universities lag in preparing graduates.”

Universities Need AI Skills In the Curriculum to Create Competitive Graduates

Institutional response gaps: employer demand vs. institutional readiness

Employers demanding AI skills75 %
Universities with curriculum response0 %
Retailers implementing comprehensive loss prevention0 %

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100%Employers demanding
Employers demanding AI skills
Universities with curriculum response
Retailers implementing comprehensive loss prevention

Flagship locations lost to theft and urban decline

tangible evidence retailers ignore strategic security investment

Comprehensive security measures have become non-negotiable for retail survival.

A Sound Loss Prevention and Asset Protection Strategy Could Mitigate the Rise in Retail Crime

Universities lag in preparing graduates for this critical market demand.

Universities Need AI Skills In the Curriculum to Create Competitive Graduates

“Retailers losing flagship locations reveal why security is non-negotiable.”

Themes:Institutional lag as competitive liabilityDemand-supply mismatch in workforce and asset protectionStrategic overhaul required, not incremental reform

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