Helping the printing industry keep pace with the economy in the digital era was the focus of a recent “MTSU On the Record” radio program.

Drs. Ralph Williams, left, and Joshua Aaron, assistant professors of management in MTSU’s College of Business, pause for a photo while recording their June 20 appearance on the “MTSU On the Record” radio program. (MTSU photo by News and Media Relations)

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Drs. Joshua Aaron and Ralph Williams, assistant professors of management in the Jones College of Business, first aired June 27 on WMOT-FM (89.5 and www.wmot.org ). You can listen to their conversation below.

Aaron and Williams collaborated on research for Printing Industries of America, studying best practices for the printing industry to follow to bring businesses up to standard that are lagging behind the industry average.

Among the issues they investigated are strategic planning processes, the degree of entrepreneurship and innovation involved, and differences between family-owned and non-family-owned businesses.

“For example, we may say that, if you’re a family business, and you have multiple generations, it’s very important that you engage in goal setting and that you include all the members of the family in the goal setting,” said Williams.

“What I find in past studies where I’ve looked at small businesses is not a lack of effort, but it’s a lack of understanding of how to and what to gauge in order to get you from where you are today to a more successful path to the future,” Aaron said.

To hear previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, visit the searchable “Audio Clips” archives at www.mtsunews.com.

For more information about “MTSU On the Record,” contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.