Issue 67, Summer 2012

Cover story

Organizations & People
Is Your Company Fit for Growth?

by Deniz Caglar, Jaya Pandrangi, and John Plansky

A more strategic approach to costs can help you prepare for the next round of expansion.

In this issue

Rethinking the Product Launch, The Right Role for Top Teams, The Thought Leader Interview: Dov Seidman, and More

Marketing, Media & Sales
Rethinking the Product Launch

by Max Cuellar, Leslie Moeller, and Heberto Molina

Your customer value proposition is the key to organic growth — for a fast-food chain like Wendy’s, or for any other consumer business.
Strategy & Leadership
CEO Succession 2011: The New CEO’s First Year

by Ken Favaro, Per-Ola Karlsson, and Gary L. Neilson

Big companies are once again appointing new chief executives in greater numbers, Booz & Company’s annual study finds. Here’s a close look at the incoming class, and some advice from veterans on how they can best navigate their crucial first year.
Strategy & Leadership
The Right Role for Top Teams

by Rob Cross and Jon Katzenbach

Analysis of informal networks offers a potent leadership model for the C-suite: Make top teams the hub of the enterprise, and watch performance improve.
Thought Leaders
The Thought Leader Interview: Dov Seidman

by Art Kleiner

The influential business author and CEO explains why the practice of enlightened self-governance gives companies an edge.

Leading Ideas

Organizations & People
The Steve Jobs way

by Jon Katzenbach

Leaders can learn a lot from the late Apple CEO, but not all of it should be emulated.
Energy
A New Role for Natural Resources Companies

by Mary Stacey, Marilyn Taylor, and David Legge

By promoting business partnerships, producers of primary materials can find a new source of competitive advantage.
Marketing, Media & Sales
How to Be a More Coherent Marketer

by Thomas Ripsam, Yogesh Pandit, and Caren Fleit

A recent survey highlights the challenges facing today’s marketing organizations, and reveals a path to differentiation.
Technology
s+b Trend Watch: Cloud Computing
Thought Leaders
Solar Comes of Age

by Laura W. Geller

A leading solar energy policy advocate explains how this dynamic, rapidly maturing industry can reach its true potential.
Strategy & Leadership
Strategy: An Executive’s Definition

by Ken Favaro

What is a business strategy? It is the result of choices made to maximize long-term value.

Essays

Connections with Integrity

by Reid Hoffman

The venture capitalist who cofounded LinkedIn reveals the surefire system that he has used since high school for evaluating potential business relationships.
Three Games of Strategic Thinking

by Tim Laseter and Saras Sarasvathy

Decision makers struggling with uncertainty can choose from a trio of probabilistic models to match the type of risks they face.
China’s Mid-Market Innovators

by Edward Tse, John Jullens, and Bill Russo

A new category of competitor — low-price, medium-quality Chinese B2B upstarts — is shaking up the global competitive landscape.

Books in Brief

An R&D Valhalla

by Steven Levy

A review of The Idea Factory, by Jon Gertner.
To Err Is Human

by Clive Crook

A review of Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman.
The Care and Feeding of Shareholders

by David K. Hurst

A review of Winning Investors Over, by Baruch Lev.
A Credit Report

by Robert Hertzberg

A review of Borrow: The American Way of Debt, by Louis Hyman.

Recent Research

How Friendship Pays Off at the Lending Desk

by Matt Palmquist

Personal connections between borrowers and bankers produce better results for both sides.

Trending articles

1.Why Popular Strategies Always Fade
The most capable strategists see the real value, and big pitfalls, in new business concepts.
2.How to cultivate leadership that is honed to solve problems
Achieve breakthroughs by bringing together experts who love challenges.
3.Building trust while cutting costs
During a restructuring, rumors spread and fear takes hold. You can reduce the turmoil by finding ways to inform, empower, and inspire employees.
4.The rise of the eco-friendly consumer
During the pandemic, people have become more sensitive to the environmental impact of their shopping decisions—and companies are responding.
5.10 principles of organization design
These fundamental guidelines, drawn from experience, can help you reshape your organization to fit your business strategy. See also “A guide to organization design.”

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