In Layoffs, Focus on the Human Element
Andy J. Y AP
December 16, 2024
Clear and transparent communication can mitigate the impact on workers – and set the company up for long-term success. Former General Electric CEO Jack Welch once said: “If the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near.” To remain competitive, companies must adapt quickly to […]
How to Get the Most Out of a Diverse Board
Guoli ChenDecember 16, 2024
Formal and informal social structures can enhance the positive effect of deep-level diversity while weakening the negative impact of surface-level diversity. Whether it’s providing essential oversight or representing stakeholder interests, a firm’s board of directors wields significant power in determining how an organisation is governed. Boards are generally seen as detached from the daily operations […]
Is Working Yourself “To The Bone” Ever Worth It?
Antoine Tirard, Claire Harbour, Winnie JiangDecember 9, 2024
Work conditions in certain industries are notoriously gruelling. We ask four professionals in demanding sectors if the benefits outweigh the costs. In some sectors, workers are constantly pushed to extremes, not unlike stunt performers whose bodies are treated as tools – stretched and sacrificed to meet professional demands. Notably, similar patterns are observed in soul-sucking, […]
Mega Companies: Superstars or Super Villains?
Dimitrije RuzicDecember 9, 2024
South Korea’s experience shows that big is not necessarily bad. Giant firms are often cast as villains, throttling competition and stifling innovation. From Microsoft to Meta and now Google, a litany of behemoths have run afoul of antitrust laws for the power they wield. My recent research, however, suggests that the role they play in […]
Three Steps Towards Sustainable Impact at Scale
Amitava ChattopadhyayDecember 2, 2024
Focusing on exploration, shared value and customer needs can help drive profits and positive change. In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the pursuit of sustainability has become increasingly vital. With consumers, investors and employees placing greater emphasis on responsible corporate behaviour, businesses must navigate this shift strategically. Using research on the agrifood sector, which is […]
Could More Human-Like AI Undermine Trust?
Bart Vanneste, Phanish PuranamDecember 2, 2024
Designing modern AI in a way that makes it appear to have more agency could backfire by making people trust the technology less. From virtual assistants to self-driving cars to medical imaging analysis, the use of modern AI technologies based on deep-learning architectures has increased dramatically in recent years. But what makes us put our […]
Unlocking Opportunities in the Age of Digital Finance
Massimo MassaNovember 25, 2024
Fintech and techfin innovations are opening doors for traditional players to reinvent themselves. Emerging technologies like big data, AI and blockchain are reshaping finance. New products, such as platform finance, peer-to-peer lending and robo-advisory services, are examples of this transformation. These developments raise important questions: How concerned should traditional financial institutions be? What strategies can […]
Real Estate Negotiations: A Value Win-Win Approach
Horacio FalcãoNovember 25, 2024
A comprehensive framework for achieving long-term success in the industry. Be it making deals for multimillion-dollar penthouses, corporate office suites or cosy suburban homes, negotiations often involve multiple stakeholders, long-term engagements and high stakes. This requires professionals to navigate incompatible interests in a conflict-prone environment. In the first part of our practice briefing published in […]
When You Set Your Own Pay – A Study on Board Compensation
Lily FangNovember 19, 2024
Can legal frameworks address directors’ self-dealing? When Starbucks wooed the star CEO Brian Niccol from Chipotle for a reported US$113 million pay package (and the use of a private jet), the story predictably grabbed headlines. Recent years have seen plenty of attention over firms awarding their CEOs enormous payouts, especially when typical workers’ salaries have […]
Leadership Team Alignment: Lessons From the Trenches
Antoine Tirard, Frédéric GodartNovember 19, 2024
A conversation with top pharma CEO Elcin Barker Ergun on how aligning senior leaders will lead to organisational success. Leadership teams play an important role in creating value for companies and even their very survival. Yet leaders often report poor satisfaction in terms of the way these teams function. Why is that so? The composition […]