McDonald's experienced a situation where the French division of the company ran a surprising advertisement in a magazine that included a quote from a nutritionist that asserted children should not eat at a McDonald's more than once per week. McDonald's executives in Chicago were concerned about the message sent to their customers, and they made it clear that they strongly disagreed with the nutritionist. What kind of organization structure empowers divisions to act quickly, but can lead to actions that do not fit with the company's overall strategy

The business cycle is the periodic but irregular up-and-down movement in economic activity, measured by fluctuations in real gross domestic product (gdp) and other macroeconomic variables. a business cycle is typically characterized by four phases—recession, recovery, growth, and decline—that repeat themselves over time. economists note, however, that complete business cycles vary in length. the duration of business cycles can be anywhere from about two to twelve years, with most cycles averaging six years in length. some business analysts use the business cycle model and terminology to study and explain fluctuations in business inventory and other individual elements of corporate operations. but the term "business cycle" is still primarily associated with larger (industry-wide, regional, national, or even international) business trends.